Telemedicine and Public Informatics

Telemedicine and Public Informatics Mathew Elespuru With the delivery of health care and the advent of computer based health care delivery systems, practitioners have seen a widening array of avenues to see and treat patients. The advent of telehealth and telenursing has given way to monitoring and treating patients in their own homes making seeing a physician more convenient than ever. In 2012, over 380,000 patients used some form of telehealth, and that number is expected to more than quadruple to 1.8 million patients as soon as 2017 (IMS Research, 2013). Telemedicine and Diabetes Compliance According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States with approximately 29 million people suffering from the disease (CDC, 2016). Although diabetes affects all ages, genders and races, it seems that more people of Hispanic and African American heritage suffer from the disease than Non-Hispanic Whites. The latest prevalence data (2007), shows that 10.4% of Hispanic Americans are diagnosed with diabetes, and those of African American heritage account for approximately 14% of those diagnosed compared with 6.6% of non-Hispanic whites (Trief, et al, 2013). Using The Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) demonstration  project, researchers were looking at treatment regimen adherence between the three ethnic groups and if application of telemedicine could improve adherence to a diabetes treatment regimen. It has been previously published that the IDEATel project was successful in improving cholesterol levels, glycemic control and lowering blood pressure in respondents who used the project compared to usual physician office visits (Shea et al, 2006, 2009). This study used regular visits via telemedicine over a 5 year period. Visits were usually every 4-6 weeks and included review of glucose levels, diet and exercise programs and barriers to care. For those who were of Hispanic origin, bi-lingual providers were used so that no language barrier existed during the diabetes education tele visits (Trief, et al, 2013). Researchers found that during the 5 year study, the adherence to the treatment regimen was the same between that usual treatment group and the group receiving the telemedicine visits, those in the telemedicine group did show more time doing diabetic self-care than those in the usual treatment group. This study also showed that when patients with diabetes, regardless of race, adhere to their treatment regimen, better glycemic control is achieved. Using telemedicine interventions with patients diagnosed with diabetes in an excellent option. Some patients with diabetes either type I or Type II may not have access to transportation to keep scheduled appointments at their physicians office. In using telemedicine to check on patients, practitioners can better follow patients and follow the patients adherence to their specific treatment regimen, thereby improving glycemic control, and reducing symptoms and problems caused by diabetes. Public Health Informatics The term public health informatics (PHI) came about due to the work of Dr. John Snow. In 1854, Dr. Snow tracked cholera related deaths to a single water pump in London. The removal of that pump ended the outbreak. This was the first recorded community policing by a health care practitioner. In investigating the infected population as a whole, Dr. Snow was able to track the source of the cholera virus (Vachon, 2005). Florence Nightingale was also instrumental in public health informatics. The data she collected about hygiene and the mortality related to such, changed the face of medical data gathering which still exists today (Dossey, 2000). PHI incorporates skills and knowledge from many different areas including: statistics, microbiology, toxicology, epidemiology, management, and psychology (OCarroll, Yasnoff, Ward, Ripp, Martin, 2003, p.5). One of the most important tools for a public health nurse or organization is a surveillance data system such as an infectious disease tracker (McGonigle Mastrian, 2015). This tool is an incredible resource for tracking adverse health events and allows for the planning and implementations of interventions designed to combat adverse outcomes caused by a disease or other catastrophic instance. In examining the information gathered about a possible influenza epidemic, the PHI nurse and others would look at past data to extrapolate data for the new season and how many people may be affected by the influenza outbreak and what information they have on strains of vaccine that have worked in the past. Other data that would need to be collected in this case would be information about the community at large such as high risk groups (children and elderly), those parts of the community with little or no access to healthcare and those populations that can afford to, and usually get a vaccine without any advance direction to do so. In testing the efficacy of the campaign and the effect of the vaccination, researchers and others would have to examine all information on the amount of people vaccinated and the number of those people who actually contracted influenza. In analyzing this information, the public health department and those within that organization will have a better idea of what to expect in the years to come when dealing with influenza and ensuring those at high risk for contracting influenza get vaccinated before the season begins. Electronic Health Record Since more and more organizations are changing to an electronic health record (EHR), there have been questions raised as to the privacy of the EHR and who ultimately owns the EHR. Protecting a patients privacy it of the utmost importance when initiating an EHR. In doing so, organizations must be able to keep this record private and keep the patients protected health information (PHI) private and secure. The ability to maintain security and privacy must work hand in hand with an organizations ability to have a continuity of care for patients. This continuity of care comes for the interoperability of a patients record. In sharing certain amounts of patient information such as demographics, allergies, past medical history, and medications organizations can save time and money in allowing this information to be shared with others who are an integral part of the patient care team (McGonigle Mastrian, 2015). In sharing a patients EHR within an organization or outside an organization if it relates to the continued care of that patient, the practitioner must ensure that all PHI remains protected as the misuse of this information could prove catastrophic to both the patient and the practitioner. If the information contained within a chart were to be leaked to the wrong individual, that person could use said information negatively and hurt the patient. Organizations both sending and receiving patient information must undertake the proper steps to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to the information and that the information remain secure when transmitted either physically or electronically. Having a shared EHR and interoperability is important to a patients continued medical care. It needs to be handled with the respect it is due to allow for a seamless transition between practitioners and the peace of mind for the patient knowing that the information is secure. References Diabetes. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/diabetes.htm. Dossey, B. M. (2000). Florence Nightingale: Mystic, visionary, healer. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse. IMS Research. (2013). Telehealth to reach 1.8 million patients by 2017. http://www.imsresearch.com/press-release/Telehealth_to_Reach_18_Million_Patients_by_2017. McGonigle, D. Mastrian, K. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. Shea, S., et al., (2006). A randomized trial comparing telemedicine case management with usual care in older, ethnically diverse, medically underserved patients with diabetes mellitus. Journal of American Medical Informatics Association, 13:4051. Shea, S., et al., (2009). A randomized trial comparing telemedicine case management with usual care in older, ethnically diverse, medically underserved patients with diabetes mellitus: 5 year Ethnicity Health 95 results of the IDEATel study. Journal of American Medical Informatics Association, 16, 446456. Trief, P. M., Izquierdo, R., Eimicke, J. P., Teresi, J. A., Goland, R., Palmas, W., Weinstock, R. S. (2013). Adherence to diabetes self care for white, African-American and Hispanic American telemedicine participants: 5 year results from the IDEATel project. Ethnicity Health, 18(1), 83-96. doi:10.1080/13557858.2012.700915. Vachon, D. (2005). Doctor John Snow blames water pollution for cholera epidemic. Old News, 16(8), 8-10. Retrieved from: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/fatherofepidemiology.html. OCarroll, P. W., Yasnoff, W. A., Ward, M. E., Ripp, L. H., Martin, E. L. (Eds.). (2003). Public health informatics and information systems. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.

Windows Xp Architecture Vs. Mac Os X Architecture Essay examples -- In

Windows XP vs. Mac OS X Architecture When looking at the interface of the Mac OS X Operating System and the Microsoft Windows XP operating system many similarities can be seen. The most obvious is the use of blue in the interface. In the core of the systems they both have a micro kernel which addresses thread management, space management and other communications at the system level and is more resistant to attacks from a virus. Mac OS X is a powerful development platform; it supports multiple development technologies like UNIX, Java, Cocoa and Carbon. It also is host to many open source, web, scripting, database and development technologies. It was build around the integrated stack of graphics and media technologies such as QuickTime, Quartz, Core Image and Core Audio. Mac OS X is based on the Mach Kernel and the BSD implementation of UNIX which were originally incorporated into the NEXTSTEP operating system. Many aspects of the Mac OS X architecture are derived from OPENSTEP / NEXTSTEP which was designed to be an easy transition from one platform to another. At the core of this system is Darwin, an open source UNIX like operating system built around the XNU kernel with standard UNIX facilities available from a command line interface. Running on top of this core is several proprietary closed source software such as Aqua (the User Interface) and the Finder application. The Aqua interface is the graphical user interface, it uses soft edges, translucent colors, more color and texture to the windows and it controls most of the systems overall appearance. Apple made this decision during a time that most user interfaces were seen as dull and boring. The Finder is a subset of the user interface as it helps navigate through the s... ...p://www.apple.com/macosx/overview/advancedtechnology.html Apple Computer Inc. (n.d.). Mac OS X Developer Tools, Retrieved May 26th, 2006, from http://www.apple.com/macosx/developertools/ Apple Computer Inc. (n.d.). Getting started with Mac OS X, Retrieved May 27th, 2006, from http://developer.apple.com/referencelibrary/GettingStarted/GS_MacOSX/index.html Apple Computer Inc. (n.d.). Introduction to Mac OS X Technology, Retrieved May 27th, 2006, from http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_Technology_Overview/index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40001067 Munro, J. (n.d.). Windows XP Architecture, Retrieved May 25th, 2006, from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,16590,00.asp Microsoft Inc. (n.d.). Windows XP Technical Overview, Retrieved May 29th, 2006, from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/evaluate/xptechov.mspx

The Purpose and Nature of Architecture Essay -- Design Architecture

The Purpose and Nature of Architecture What is it that we mean when we say ‘the architecture of the city’? What are cities planned to be? Why should we plan anything? When we plan ahead, we perhaps have a goal in mind. What is this goal, for an architect or an urban designer? Simply putting it, their goal is to make environments in which man can live in ways better than he could before. Right from the early times, when shelter meant only a roof over ones head, or when taking shelter meant seeking protection inside a cave or getting under the tree cover, man sought to improve his living conditions. He sought shelter that was more comfortable than the one he had before. From caves and trees, man moved to mud huts and animal skin tents. Constantly striving towards improvisation to suit his changing needs, he has today, shelter in the form of buildings in brick and concrete, that he has termed architecture; gardens and malls where he spends his leisure time, these along with the buildings and the spaces between, he calls urban fabric. There are road networks, that link buildings to each other, buildings to public plazas, that link living areas to work areas, or living areas to educational areas, or living areas to shopping areas. Man has first fragmented his lifestyle and living spaces, then attempted to join it with roads. What he fragments, often stays fragmented forever. Life for him is still a series of experiences which he sometimes can see as a whole but often not. What was once upon a time harmonious living, is divided up into neat compartments with supposedly greater efficiency. Today, we have intelligent buildings that have automated functions. But, what is the sequence of experiences one can have within these buildings? Does that matter or not at all? Are they experiences that satisfy human nature or is it a contrived environment that is far removed from the real world? Do experiences generated by this new architecture, by this new urban design, by this new city planning still inspire man to think and to feel? Does it make him grow, or does it strangulate his sense of being? As an architect or urban designer, must one know all about space and form and structure and nothing about life's experiences, about feeling, about nature? How does an architect or urban designer know about all of life's experiences? Is it... ... parts. I believe that research into the phenomenon of architectural experience and its possible objectification is the spring board towards a more vibrant and humane built environment. We must know if the design processes we employ are the same as the thought processes we undergo whilst experiencing these urban spaces that we design. We must know, which experiences we enjoy the most, how these experiences come about and if the designer must play a role in making these happen, where must he begin? . For example, in our country ,India, there is a lot that is fragmented and that comes together randomly to form a whole which is so much more rich in nature than a putting together in an orderly fashion, of uniform, standardized parts. The study of the experience of architecture I think is the spring board to the creation of more vibrant and humane environments. We must know if the design processes we employ are the same as the thought processes we undergo whilst experiencing these urban spaces that we design. We must know, which experiences we enjoy the most, and how these experiences come about and if the designer must play a role in making these happen, where must he begin?

Nutritional needs

Insufficiency leads to Beriberi, Wrinkle-Coworkers syndrome Riboflavin (32) Insufficiency leads to Riboflavin's Intact (83) Peanuts Legumes Enriched grains Insufficiency leads to diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis Cabling (Bal 2) Animal protein Insufficiency leads to pernicious anemia Folic Acid Orange Juice Leafy green vegetables Insufficiency leads to anemia and neural tube defects Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C): wound healing, hormone synthesis Citrus fruits Insufficiency leads to scurvy, bleeding gums Vitamin A: vision, tissue growth, immune, reproductive function Animal foodsFortified milk Insufficiency leads to night blindness, cerographical Vitamin D: calcium and phosphorus metabolism, PATH, kidney Fortified food sources Insufficiency leads to rickets, astronomical Vitamin E: antioxidant, immune Vegetable oil Margarine Insufficiency leads to hemolytic of Orbs Vitamin K: blood clotting Liver Insufficiency leads to hemorrhage Apricots Avocado Bananas Cantaloupes Raw carrots Peas / Dried beans Dried fruits Oranges Potatoes Prune Juice Spinach Tomatoes Winter squash Calcium (also use for kidney stones) Chocolate BeansLentils Canned / smoked fish (except tuna) Flour Cocoa Green leafy vegetables Trainee / Dopamine Restrictions (for people taking Mayo's) Aged Cheese Smoked fish Processed meats FAA beans Soy sauce Purina (gout / uric acid stones) Organ meats Anchovies Sardines Salmon Herring Venison Goose Seafood Oxalate's (kidney stones) Asparagus Beets Celery Cabbage Dark green leafy vegetables Green beans Beer Cola Nuts -area Acid-Ash Foods

School Lunches

Emma Bennett Master Block 7th 7 November 2012 School Lunches When students buy their lunch in a typical cafeteria, they expect decent, put together meals. Students usually see long lunch lines, hear loud talking, and eat fatty and disgusting food. In the lunch rooms I see unhealthy nasty food that everyone eats every single day. I have seen chili that smells like dog poop, nacho cheese that looks like barbeque sauce that got mixed in. Also the burritos tastes like vomit which was as hard as a rock. School cafeterias need to make more edible food and provide a healthier and more delicious variety of food.School lunches can be delicious but sometimes they can be gross as road kill, and most students regret buying lunch. I have been buying lunch since my freshman year and I have gotten cheese that had a brown tint to it, uncooked pizza, chunky milk and much more. I spend two dollars and thirty five cents daily on lunch at Oakville that you would be able to find in a dumpster. School caf eterias should have a lot of healthy foods like, fruits, vegetables instead of the entire ala carte section. The lunch workers who make the lunch use frozen or canned foods and most of the food that seems appealing cost extra.Therefore, the food that looks and taste good cost more than the food students waste or do not choose to eat. Given these facts the food should be fully cooked and checked. To conclude, Oakville should put out healthier food to eat, and the food should be at a lower cost to buy. Many consequences affect many people like, the students, lunch workers, principles and parents. Students that have gotten sick and have certain allergies to foods that most workers do not realize they have. Yet they have given the students these sicknesses and allergic reactions.My friend has an allergy to wheat noodles and he has gotten noodles that he did not realize that, they contained wheat. When workers are required to wear a hair net students seem to find hairs in their food, whi ch causes them to suddenly not feel hungry. Students getting sick from school cafeteria seems to happen from eating expired foods and sometimes foods that have not been cooked all the way through. I have gotten a slice of pizza that didn’t seem to have the right color to it and it felt like it just came out of the fridge. The results after eating the uncooked pizza was me home with the so called â€Å"flu. To conclude school cafeterias should be putting out sign that show what the foods are made out of and workers should be careful with the foods they give to students. Improvements that can make school lunches healthier and less disgusting is including healthier foods. Schools should have different types of lunch lines such as specific lines for vegetarians and different parts of a lunch. For example, students who just want to buy one item can easily get in line and buy. However the amount of lunch lines at school is not enough, there are too many students that cut in front of other students because the lunch lines are way too long.Our school should add more lunch lines that way everyone can have enough time to eat their lunch. Schools should make more accurate serving sizes instead of giving to much or not giving enough. Some students get too much food and what they do not eat ends up in the trash. Students who do not get enough food have to go back in the lunch line and buy more food. Schools need to listen to the complaints about lunch that way they can figure out a way to make the school lunches better. So school principles and lunch workers need to follow the guidelines of the students because the students know what is best for them.Several students do not agree that our school lunches are not healthy, however they are the kids that are a little over weight. Some students believe our lunches are perfect and should not be changed into healthier food. Our lunches do not have the correct amount of serving sizes and they do not have enough nutrients i n the food. Lunch lines are perfect and they go by fast and not many people cut in front of you. Lines are longer because too many people cut and I have been late to class because I have not had enough time to eat lunch.Students can argue about our lunches as much as they want but our school lunches need to change. Lunches at school need a huge change and many students and principles do not realize they are so unhealthy. Schools should include more fruits and vegetables no more sugars, no more fatty foods. More students are eating lunches which gives them a chance of diabetes and are gaining more weight everyday from eating unhealthy school lunches. Schools need to listen to students guidelines and help prevent diabetes and being overweight. School Lunches The lunch menu of Meadow Oaks Academy consists of turkey and noodles, two salads, macaroni and cheese, turkey meat loaf, sloppy Joes, chicken enchiladas, fish sticks, spaghetti of meat sauce, baked chicken, hamburgers, beans of hen, Spanish rice and beef toast, hamburger buns and hot dog buns. Mixed fruits, apples, bananas, peaches, Mandarin oranges and pineapples are the fruits that are provided. They are also provided a variety of vegetables like spinach, broccoli, green peas, baked squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, corn, mashed potatoes etc. as well as mixed vegetables. In addition to this there is whole milk too in the menu. Achiger Elementary school provides fiesta nachos, pepperoni pizza, chicken tenders, beef and pasta casserole, soft taco, crispy chicken wrap, breaded beef patty, breaded chicken on bun, hamburger, corndog, cheese dippers, fish sticks, toast hamburger buns and hot dog buns. Fruits consist of pineapple chunks, Mandarin oranges, pears, fruit cocktail, chilled peaches and orange slices. Vegetables that are provided to the children are sweet corn, green beans, broccoli of cheese, baby carrots, peas etc. The milk is strawberry and / or chocolate flavored. Desserts include ice creams, gelatin, apple sauce, frozen fruit treat and cookie. Chips are offered twice a month. After analysis I feel that comparatively, the lunch menu of Meadow Oaks Academy is better than that of Achiger Elementary school. This is because Meadow Oaks Academy pays more attention on the heath and nutrition aspect of the children and this is why the children of that school are not allowed any sweets or food items that are high in sugar. This school also provides unflavored whole milk whereas the Achiger Elementary school provides strawberry or chocolate flavored milk. It was observed that the chocolate flavored milk is popular amongst the children of the school as a result they are consuming more sugar than the Meadow Oaks Academy. The Achiger Elementary school makes the fruit section a lot more attractive by providing varieties like fruit cocktail, chilled peaches, orange slices etc. Thus, the Achiger Elementary school scores high in the presentation and variety quotient whereas the Meadow Oaks Academy scores high on the health quotient. It provides ten percent butter in vegetables, and the vegetables are steamed unlike the vegetables of Achiger Elementary school which are canned and frozen. However, the vegetables of Achiger Elementary school do not have any butter at all. It should be noted that main course of both the institutions are more or less on equal level.

Mustika Ratu Case Summary

Mustier Rat's Marketing Strategy Throughout the sass, the company expanded its line traditional cosmetics (facial care & decorative makeup, hair and body care product) and the established itself as the uncontested market leader – by 1998, four out of very 10 cosmetic products sold in Indonesia were Mustier Rata brands. Positioned as competitively priced, quality products formulated specifically for Indonesian skin. Company literature reinforced that its products were natural and integrated timeless Indonesian beliefs of the health and beauty properties of local plants and herbs.Mustier Rat's Jambs appealed to several market segments. Segment : Men, women, adults, and teenagers. Target : Predominantly middle- to upper-middle-income cue insurers. Positioning : Products were natural and integrated timeless Indonesian levels of the health and beauty properties of local plants and herbs. Condition of competition in the jam segment was becoming fierce in the next following years. Ma ny roadside stalls selling jambs to cure headaches, boost sexual drive or to reduce weight were common. These jambs were targeted at the middle- to lower-income market segment.So, Mustier Rata also competed in these market segments with their flank brand â€Å"Garage Jambs†. According to the company's 1 997 annual report, this line â€Å"contributed to overall profitability and had great potential for future growth. † Exhibit low are Mustier Rat's product differentiation based on market segment. Each segment has each marketing strategy that suitable to applied to their market. Based on reading text, Mustier Rat's core value that become major quality of Mustier Rat's product was high quality of their natural ingredients.It become a competitive factor for Mustier Rata differentiation to another brands. This competitive factor that Mustier Rata tried to sell from their marketing campaign. This became a major focus in the company's marketing communications. An average of o ver 25 percent of annual net sales was spent n marketing campaigns which promoted value-priced, natural alternatives to imported cosmetics. Another key promotion activity that increased the company's profile was sponsorship of several major beauty events, including the Miss Indonesia pageant.B. R. A. Immorality's high profile as an owner of Mustier Rata, who granted meritorious achievement in the promotion of Indonesian culture and traditions and the Asian Institute's Marketing Management Award (in 1992 and 1 995) also increased Mustier Rat's profile in domestic area. Mustier Rat's Distribution Strategy Over the years, Mustier Rata had developed its own well-established and highly organized distribution system, controlled through a recently installed information technology (IT) control system.The application of improved IT control systems ensured a higher level of service and more efficient delivery schedules as well as more accurate and timely consumer information. IT system was al so installed due to the the challenges posed by Indonesian geography, which is Indonesian area is so vast. Another significant challenge in distribution in Indonesia was the highly fragmented nature of the retail industry – thousands of small outlets and roadside stalls accounted for a significant percentage of Indonesian retail activity.Mustier Rata used all of kind distribution channel to market their extensive product lines. Mustier Rata Brand's Distribution Channel ‘ Lower- and middle- income brand : ubiquitous stalls, wet markets, conventional retail shop, supermarket, direct sales channel Upper- income brand : Department stores, company-owned stores, direct sales force Since 1 992, Mustier Rata had concentrated on intensifying their department store distribution channel.Another key strategy was to increase of distribution channels previously managed by third parties in their most densely populated and lucrative markets. The establishment of Mustier Rata-owned and operated distribution systems resulted in an average of two and one-half percent increase in Mustier Rat's operating margins. Delivery time was also shortened, and quality of service provided to retail outlets was enhanced. Company also changed its accounts receivable policy, shortening the due period from 90 days to 30 days.Namely it addressed lead times and resulted to smaller order lots. According to Essayist on the reading text, the company's distributors were his â€Å"eyes and ears† monitoring customer opinion and relaying vital market information to the corporate marketing department. Mustier Rat's International Market In international markets, Mustier Rata used a combination of in-house owned operated distribution channels, as well as contracted distributors.Malaysia The company's most significant international market, accounting for 70% of international revenue. 1 995, Mustier Rata established several â€Å"House of Mustier Rata† treatment centers, which resul ted in doubling sales. Target Market : Indigenous Malay (properly target), Chinese (lasted catered), Middle market products. Philippines : Demographics in Philippines market were relatively similar with domestic product lines. Target Market : Health and beauty products for teenage girls was one of the least crowded market segments.Next step in penetrating the Filipino market was to capitalize on the established third-party distribution channels used for the body splash and to introduce other product within the Putter line as well as Mustier Rat's slimming Tea. The Middle East : Mustier Rata had opened 14 â€Å"House of Mustier Rata† outlets in United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Target Market : Brand with in developing natural products that adhered to the Muslim ‘Hall' standards -? products made with no animal fat and that had never been tested on animals.Other Countries : The another countries was : Hong Kong and Holland (Mail order distribution channel) Sou th Africa, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam Taiwan, and Thailand (Investigating Market) Successfully Navigating Through A Chaotic External Environment Mustier Rata had averted the misfortune in 1 998 that had befallen many of heir competitors through cautious investment of the proceeds of their PIP (much of which had not been used as originally planned), mostly in short term deposits at foreign-owned banks.

Mind Your Own Business Essay

What makes someone a successful entrepreneur? It certainly helps to have strong technology skills or expertise in a key area, but these are not defining characteristics of entrepreneurship. Instead, the key qualities are traits such as creativity, the ability to keep going in the face of hardship, and the social skills needed to build great teams. If you want to start a business, it’s essential to learn the specific skills that underpin these qualities. It’s also important to develop entrepreneurial skills if you’re in a job role where you’re expected to develop a business, or â€Å"take things forward† more generally. It’s very easy to get lost trying to rate ourselves against our peers or even rate ourselves around society when it comes to success. Its actually depressing at times and inconclusive as you often get side tracked comparing apples to oranges. In our quest for success, we often look for some sort of ranking system to gauge how well we are doing and unfortunately decide to use others as the measure. It is often an inaccurate scale as so many factors come into play, so many that it makes it unfair to compare yourself to others on any level. There are so many circumstances that dictate success it makes it impossible to find multiple people with identical circumstances to compare us to. Since we cannot compare ourselves to others, we must become our own competition and strive for perfection daily in order to move forward. We ultimately set the velocity at which we move. The results however are none that can be compared to others as every situation is as unique as the next. The real point here is why do we worry about what others are doing if we ultimately shouldn’t compare ourselves to them. The answer is jealousy and should end immediately. If you are someone that often finds yourself worrying about what others are doing, how they are doing it and where their wealth comes from, then start minding your own business and instead focus your energy on yourself and your work which is what will get you there, not finding out if your neighbor is in the Mafia or indeed a real estate guru. The best way to check if you are yourself is to ask yourself if you often form conclusions when faced with an individual who has attained a higher level of monetary success. Do you often find yourself guessing that perhaps this person was given wealth from past generations or that they are involved in negative activities that have led to financial success? One should rather focus our energy and efforts on our own growth and not criticize others whose level of success is above ours. If you find yourself in such a negative position where a friend or relative seems to feel that way, then identify them as one whose lack of effort and lack of motivation is ultimately going to be the reason they fail, and separate yourself from that energy instantly. Defining Entrepreneurship Some experts think of entrepreneurs as people who are willing to take risks that other people are not. Others define them as people who start and build successful businesses. Thinking about the first of these definitions, entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily involve starting your own business. Many people who don’t work for themselves are recognized as entrepreneurs within their organizations. Regardless of how you define an â€Å"entrepreneur,† one thing is certain: becoming a successful entrepreneur isn’t easy. So, how does one person successfully take advantage of an opportunity, while another, equally knowledgeable person does not? Do entrepreneurs have a different genetic makeup? Or do they operate from a different vantage point, that somehow directs their decisions for them? Though many researchers have studied the subject, there are no definitive answers. What we do know is that successful entrepreneurs seem to have certain traits in common. Check for yourself if you have these traits: †¢Interpersonal skills. †¢Critical and creative thinking skills. †¢Practical skills. Optimism: Are you an optimistic thinker? Optimism is truly an asset, and it will help get you through the tough times that many entrepreneurs experience as they find a business model that works for them. Vision: Can you easily see where things can be improved? Can you quickly grasp the â€Å"big picture,† and explain this to others? And can you create a compelling vision of the future, and then inspire other people to engage with that vision? Initiative: Do you have initiative, and instinctively start problem-solving or business improvement projects? Desire for Control: Do you enjoy being in charge and making decisions? Are you motivated to lead others? Drive and Persistence: Are you self-motivated and energetic? And are you prepared to work hard, for a very long time, to realize your goals? Risk Tolerance: Are you able to take risks, and make decisions when facts are uncertain? Resilience: Are you resilient, so that you can pick yourself up when things don’t go as planned? And do you learn and grow from your mistakes and failures? Interpersonal Skills As a successful entrepreneur, you’ll have to work closely with people – this is where it is critical to be able to build great relationships with your team, customers, suppliers, shareholders, investors, and more. Some people are more gifted in this area than others, but, fortunately, you can learn and improve these skills. The types of interpersonal skills you’ll need include: Leadership and Motivation: Can you lead and motivate others to follow you and deliver your vision? And are you able to delegate work to others? As a successful entrepreneur, you’ll have to depend on others to get beyond a very early stage in your business – there’s just too much to do all on your own! Communication Skills: Are you competent with all types of communication? You need to be able to communicate well to sell your vision of the future to investors, potential clients, team members, and more. Listening: Do you hear what others are telling you? Your ability to listen can make or break you as an entrepreneur. Make sure that you’re skilled at active listening and empathetic listening. Personal Relations: Are you emotionally intelligent? The higher your EI, the easier it will be for you to work with others. The good news is that you can improve your emotional intelligence! Negotiation: Are you a good negotiator? Not only do you need to negotiate keen prices, you also need to be able to resolve differences between people in a positive, mutually beneficial way. Ethics: Do you deal with people based on respect, integrity, fairness, and truthfulness? Can you lead ethically? You’ll find it hard to build a happy, committed team if you deal with people – staff, customers or suppliers – in a shabby way. Critical and Creative Thinking Skills As an entrepreneur, you also need to come up with fresh ideas, and make good decisions about opportunities and potential projects. Many people think that you’re either born creative or you’re not. However, creativity is a skill that you can develop if you invest the time and effort. Creative Thinking: Are you able to see situations from a variety of perspectives and come up with original ideas? (There are many creativity tools that will help you do this.) Problem Solving: How good are you at coming up with sound solutions to the problems you’re facing? Tools such as Cause & Effect Analysis, the 5 Whys Technique, and CATWOE are just some of the problem-solving tools that you’ll need to be familiar with. Recognizing Opportunities: Do you recognize opportunities when they present themselves? Can you spot a trend? And are you able to create a plan to take advantage of the opportunities you identify? Practical Skills You also need the practical skills and knowledge needed to produce goods or services effectively, and run a company. Goal Setting: Do you regularly set goals, create a plan to achieve them, and then carry out that plan? Planning and Organizing: Do you have the talents, skills, and abilities necessary to achieve your goals? Can you coordinate people to achieve these efficiently and effectively. And do you know how to develop a coherent, well thought-through business plan, including developing and learning from appropriate financial forecasts? Decision Making: How good are you at making decisions? Do you make them based on relevant information and by weighing the potential consequences? And are you confident in the decisions that you make? Core decision-making tools include Decision Tree Analysis, Grid Analysis, and Six Thinking Hats. You need knowledge in several areas when starting or running a business. For instance: Business knowledge: Do you have a good general knowledge of the main functional areas of a business (sales, marketing, finance, and operations), and are you able to operate or manage others in these areas with a reasonable degree of competence? Entrepreneurial knowledge: Do you understand how entrepreneurs raise capital? And do you understand the sheer amount of experimentation and hard work that may be needed to find a business model that works for you? Opportunity-specific knowledge: Do you understand the market you’re attempting to enter, and do you know what you need to do to bring your product or service to market? Venture-specific knowledge: Do you know what you need to do to make this type of business successful? And do you understand the specifics of the business that you want to start? Conclusion: As a dreamer, you need to understand its significance and mind your own business. Never lose track of your vision for your life. Do not ever get so busy making a living that you forget to live your life.