Tag: learn

ESG INVESTING

ESG investing also called socially responsible investing and impact investing is a type of investment made by large corporates which prioritizes environmental, social, and governance outcomes. This type of investment is the need of the hour, which highlights sustainable investment. The investment is based on the universal fact that organizational growth and financial performance is due to environmental and social factors. 



ESG investing has started to gain popularity in India. This is a way of investing in companies based on their commitment to the ESG factors. 

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing is an approach that considers not only financial returns but also the impact of investments on society, the environment, and corporate behavior. Here’s a breakdown of each component:

  1. Environmental Factors (E): This includes considerations related to a company’s impact on the environment. ESG investors look at how a company manages its carbon footprint, energy efficiency, waste management, water usage, and its overall environmental sustainability practices.

  2. Social Factors (S): Social considerations involve how a company manages relationships with its employees, communities, customers, and suppliers. It includes aspects like labor standards, diversity and inclusion, human rights, employee relations, and the company’s impact on local communities.

  3. Governance Factors (G): Governance focuses on the leadership, structure, and policies that guide a company. It includes issues such as board diversity, executive compensation, transparency, ethical business practices, and the presence of anti-corruption measures.

ESG investing aims to align investments with ethical and sustainability goals while seeking competitive financial returns. Investors choose companies or funds based on their ESG performance, seeking those with strong sustainability practices, ethical business conduct, and positive societal impacts.

The growth of ESG investing reflects a shift in investor preferences, with more individuals and institutions seeking to support companies that align with their values and contribute positively to society and the environment.

However, challenges exist, including the lack of standardized ESG metrics, varying definitions and interpretations of ESG factors, and the need for more comprehensive and transparent reporting by companies regarding their ESG practices.

Overall, ESG investing represents a growing trend where financial decisions are influenced not just by potential returns, but also by a company’s impact on the world around it.






Government Initiated Educational  Policies 

Government Initiated Educational  Policies That Are Modifying The Education Sector

Major changes have been made to India’s educational system.
Over the years, the Indian government has implemented a number of initiatives to support skill development and education. Private institutions can adopt these policies’ concepts and use them to increase their revenues.
Here are a few of the key educational policies that have lately been established.
Digital Payment
Prakash Javadekar, the Union HRD minister, promoted the advantages of digital payment by implementing cashless payment across all centrally-aided institutions.
No Detention Policy
For all students in grades 5th to 8th, the HRD Ministry amended the previous rule to allow for promotion to the following class. The new policy makes passing every exam necessary in order to advance to the following class.
Male Students can also file for sexual harassment
The number of incidents of sexual harassment against male students has significantly increased. Male students may now report instances of sexual harassment thanks to new rules established by the UGC.
Gender Education Must Be Required
Telangana’s government mandated gender education as a requirement for graduation. Along with doing so, it was the first state in India to do so, and it also brought in multilingual textbooks.
Yoga classes 
Yoga sessions are now required in all ICSE and ISC institutions, according the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).
Free higher education for students with disabilities
The government of Guwahati has established a programme that will provide these kids with free education from Class 9 to the university level in all government-run institutions of higher learning.
No homework for students of class 1st and 2nd
No homework may soon become reality. Prakash Javade, the minister of human resource development (HRD), suggested that students in grades 1 and 2 might no longer have homework.
New guidelines for girls’ education
A “modern education policy” is something the government wants to implement. The new education policy’s (NEP) main emphasis will be on females’ education. It intends to eliminate educational inequity.
Eklavya schools 
By 2022, Scheduled Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) students will have access to Eklavya schools, which will be modelled after Navodaya schools. It will offer athletic instruction and skill development. Additionally, it will contain unique spaces for conserving regional art and culture.
Diksha scheme 
The Indian government will soon introduce the integrated B.Ed programme and develop the learning portal “DIKSHA” to improve teaching abilities.
Sports Education
The government of India is proposing to make sports education a component of the Fundamental Rights and to promote it countrywide.
 Reducing the bag’s weight
For lower primary classes, the Department of Primary and Secondary Education intends to implement ideas like “no bag day” and a lighter bag requirement.

Learning how to learn!

“Focused” and “Diffused” Modes

When learning, there are times in which you are focused and times in which you allow your mind to wander. Both modes are valuable to allow your brain to learn something.
Take regular breaks, meditate, think about other things, and give yourself plenty of time in both modes.

Chunking

This is the idea of breaking what you want to learn into concepts. The goal is to learn each concept in a way that they each become like a well-known puzzle piece. 
To master a concept, you not only need to know it but also to know how it fits into the bigger picture.

Beware of Illusions of Competence

There are many ways in which we can make ourselves feel like we have “learned” a concept. Instead of highlighting or underlining, rather take brief notes that summarize key concepts.

Recall

Take a couple of minutes to summarize or recall the material you are trying to learn. It goes a long way to taking something from short-term memory to long-term learning.

Bite-Sized Testing

To avoid breakthrough illusions of competence, you should test yourself as you’re encountering new material. The recall is a simple example of this mini-testing.

Over-Learning

Do not spend too much time in one sitting going over the same material over and over again. The law of diminishing returns certainly applies. Spread it out over many sessions and many different modes of learning.

Interleaving

Once you have a basic understanding of what you are trying to learn, practice jumping back and forth between problems that require different techniques. This will solidify your understanding of the concepts by learning how to choose to apply them in various situations. Knowing when to apply a particular concept is as important as knowing how.

Process over Product

When facing procrastination, think of the process over the product.
Instead of thinking that you have to get X done, rather think to spend an hour on X. It is then not overwhelming and doesn’t require a long breakdown of tasks.

Metaphors and Analogies

They are often talked about as helpful study techniques. 
Try to make a deliberate effort to teach what you learn to someone else and, in doing so, you will likely be forced to explain concepts with relatable metaphors and analogies.

Study Groups / Teamwork

This has proven to be most beneficial to maintain continued progress and hold each other accountable. Finding the right group is key.

Reference

https://medium.com/learn-love-code/learnings-from-learning-how-to-learn-19d149920dc4

A FAST method to Learn and Remember new things

As a Student What is your one wish? Seriously, If a genie offered you a wish what would it be, Of course to top the exams without studying or study in such a way that you won’t forget even a single thing on your exam day and remember that thing for all your Life.

Photo by RF._.studio on Pexels.comWh

Today, we will be focusing on learning how to learn. If you knew how to learn smarter, faster and better, then you could apply to that to everything. Here is method which is FAST method to learn any thing faster, smarter and for maybe a lifetime. This method was developed by Jim Kwik. FAST is an acronym in which F stands for Forget, A stands for Active, S stands for State and T stands for Teach. Here’s How it goes-

1.F is for Forget-

The Key to laser focus is to not let the thoughts distract you. Before studying forget what you already know about the subject, Start from the scratch to learn that again, because what we think we already know keeps us from learning new things. If there are thoughts which keep distracting you while learning then try to write them on a page and keep that page aside then start studying or whatever your work is.

2.A is for Active-

Traditional Education has made people think that Learning is a Passive Action which shows us that You are required to sit in a class and absorb all the information that is presented and taught by the teacher to you But this is not the case, Instead Learning is more of an Active experience. Try to become more active in your learning sessions.

3. S is for State-

All Learning is state-dependent and it all depends upon your state if you will learn something properly or not. For Example, If you are feeling motivated and Happy then there are chances you will remember what you learn for Longer Periods. On the Contrary, If You are feeling Depressed and sad then chances are forget about remembering you would not even like to study. SO, Ask yourself this How can I improve my mood? Improving mood can be done by just 5 minutes of exercise, Deep breathing or sitting with a straight back while studying.

4.T is for Teach-

This is the last step of the 4 step approach you need to do. Whatever You have learned by following the above 3 steps, Try to teach it to someone, it could be your friend or classmate, If there is no one then try to Teach it to an Imaginary class or a friend. This will help a lot and Various Researches have shown the effect of teaching what you have learned to some one has a positive effect on the memory.

CONCLUSION

Applying the above steps in your learning Process will surely help you learn smarter, faster, and for longer periods. Only Learning is not sufficient, Instead you should take Action with the knowledge you have learned. Otherwise, it won’t serve any Purpose if it is just in your memory, Teach it to others, Experiment with it and always have a learning and doing attitude in your Life.

TIPS FOR STUDYING EFFECTIVELY ONLINE

How many times have we opened our books to study, only to discover that even sitting for hours, we are still unable to grasp the material? Because of our sub-conscious mentality, we sometimes attend class yet don’t understand anything. We are physically there in class, but not psychologically.

Here are some study suggestions to help you get the most out of your time:

1.Select a study location that has reliable Internet access.

Making a Good Study Place For Board Exam : Good environment highly..

When studying, you will most likely need to refer to online lectures and notes. As a result, you’ll need a study location where your Internet connection won’t be disrupted. Internet access will be especially vital for things like class study sessions.

2.Make a schedule for studying.

How to Create a Study Schedule: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow


In order to succeed in an online course, you must stick to a rigid timetable. You must keep up with the course material on your own time even if you are not expected to attend courses or lectures at specific times. As a result, self-discipline is critical. Make a weekly schedule for logging into the class and studying the information.

3. Be disciplined.

Becoming a Disciplined Person | Little Things Matter

It can be hard to stick to a schedule for an online course. However, be strict with yourself about adhering to your schedule. Self-discipline is vital to your success in an online course.

It can be difficult to focus on your online course if you have a social media account open in another tab on your computer. When you’re doing classwork, avoid browsing the Internet, checking your email, and other distractions.

4.Actively learn

When the neurons in your brain are active, you can learn. You must engage your intellect in order to learn properly. Write notes in your own words, recollect knowledge, and speak about what you know about a subject without referring to notes.

5.Staying Motivate

How to stay motivated on We Heart It


To achieve your goals, employ motivational techniques. You may study while listening to music you enjoy, or imagine yourself finishing the assignment in an hour and taking a well-deserved vacation.

6.Any materials should be printed.


The internet or your computer can be a source of distraction at times. When you’re studying, it’s a good idea to switch your laptop off. You should also print out course materials such as the curriculum and timetable.

7.Test yourself

Test Yourself: Psychology Cheats For PlayStation 3 - GameSpot

Even if you don’t have access to practice tests, you can still test yourself by writing down everything you remember after each new chapter or frequently asking yourself questions about what you’re learning.

Insecurity

Everyone feels a little unsure at times. As humans, we constantly think, and some of our thoughts can be filled with doubt. This can lead to thoughts of insecurity. Too much insecurity can lead to other problems — in relationships and in your everyday life. However, there are ways you can work through your insecure thoughts and live life more confidently.

What Is Insecurity?

Insecurity is a feeling of inadequacy (not being good enough) and uncertainty. It produces anxiety about your goals, relationships, and ability to handle certain situations. Everybody deals with insecurity from time to time. It can appear in all areas of life and come from a variety of causes. It might stem from a traumatic event, patterns of previous experience, social conditioning (learning rules by observing others), or local environments such as school, work, or home. It can also stem from general instability. People who experience unpredictable upsets in daily life are more likely to feel insecure about ordinary resources and routines.On the other hand, insecurity can have no definite, external cause. Instead, it can appear as a quirk of personality or brain chemistry. Understanding the nature of insecurities can help you manage your own and offer others the support they need.  

Types of Insecurity:

There are almost limitless areas of potential insecurity. Moreover, insecurity often bleeds over from one area of life into another. However, there are some types of insecurity that appear frequently.

Relationship Insecurity: One of the most common kinds of insecurity concerns relationships or “attachments.” Attachment theory originated out of a desire to connect the attachment patterns of early childhood to later relationship patterns and expectations. When a child’s “attachment figures”, often parents or guardians, aren’t reliably available and supportive, the child often feels insecure, forms a negative self-image and relationship models, and experiences greater emotional distress and maladjustment later in life. Relationship or attachment insecurities don’t need to begin in early childhood. They can arise wherever previous experience or personal insecurity undermines someone’s security in their closest relationships.

Job Insecurity: Job insecurity occurs when you are anxious about your continued employment or about the continuation of certain benefits attached to your employment. It can be triggered by anxiety over your own job performance or anxiety over factors beyond your control, such as the economy, industry trends, workplace conflict, or the danger of company restructuring or failure. High rates of unemployment and temporary work increase job insecurity on a national scale and contribute to widespread mental health problems.

Body Image Insecurity : A common source of insecurity is body image. Many people feel insecure about the way they look and question whether they measure up to an imposed ideal. There is no necessary connection between actual body health or appearance and body insecurity. People of all body types can experience this type of insecurity.

Social Insecurity/Anxiety : Another common type of insecurity surrounds the way we are perceived by our peers and the ease with which we interact with them. This insecurity can be a recurring, low-level problem or can blossom into full-blown social anxiety disorder or social phobia.

Signs of Insecurity:

Signs of insecurity are as variable as the condition itself, but there are some common tendencies you can look out for.

Low or Superficial Self-Esteem : One sign of insecurity is low self-esteem or negative self-image, particularly when that image seems to be inconsistent with external observation. Low self-esteem means you think badly about yourself or your abilities. It can lead to other problems, especially concerning mental health. Talk to a doctor if your self-esteem is very low.Because the measurement of self-esteem generally relies on self-report, insecurity can lead to superficial self-esteem. People with insecurity often want to appear secure, and their explicit comments may be at odds with their automatic responses to certain stimuli. Deliberate self-misrepresentation or false behavior/information on social media can also be a sign of social anxiety. The act of faking then reinforces the social insecurity.

Perfectionism : The inability to be satisfied with progress and need to control and refine projects until they’re perfect can be a sign of insecurity. It stems from the sensation that you or your performance is never enough. It can appear as a manifestation of insecurity in any area of life but is frequently found in cases of job insecurity and body insecurity. Eating disorders, for example, often appear along with both harmful perfectionism and attachment insecurities.

Self-Isolation : Social insecurity can lead people to avoid social interactions, isolating themselves. Sometimes these people prefer to interact virtually in internet situations they feel they can control.

Anxious or Avoidant Attachment Styles : Attachment insecurities often result in problematic attachment styles, or dysfunctional approaches to relationships. The two most common are anxious or avoidant attachments. Anxious attachment styles are characterized by emotional dependence (relying on someone else for your emotional well-being), a fear of being alone, and fantasies of perfect relationships that can never be fulfilled. Avoidant attachment styles also stem from insecurity but go in the other direction. People with this style tend to keep relationships superficial and disengage from more intimate connections.

Poor Job Performance : Job insecurity (not having a stable job) can work to motivate some people, but it more often results in poorer performances. It can lead to absenteeism (avoiding work), turnover intention (wanting to change jobs soon after starting), disengagement from colleagues and in group projects, and poor work attitudes.

Depression or Anxiety : All types of insecurity can lead to decreased mental wellness. Depressive or anxious behavior or thinking is often an effect of insecurity, particularly when that insecurity produces (or is accompanied by) erroneous beliefs and patterns of thought.

Dealing with Insecurity :

Occasional insecurity is a natural part of life. For deeper and more longer-lasting feelings of insecurity, however, professional therapists can help you sort through your emotions and develop strategies for everyday life. In dealing with insecurity, there are a couple of helpful tips to keep in mind.

Social Networks Matter : Broad and meaningful social networks — frinedships, relationships with coworkers, and more — help to lessen both insecurity and its negative effects. There’s an inverse correlation between healthy social networks and insecure attachment styles. Having a wide circle of friends and many close connections allows you to develop the tools and confidence to engage in deeper adult relationships.Developing good friendships both in and out of the workplace also has a proven record of success as a coping strategy that helps prevent job insecurity, depression, and general anxiety. People who disengage from colleagues in response to job insecurity more frequently suffer in their mental health and job performance.

Trust Takes Practice : While having an overly trusting behavior creates its own problems, ask yourself if you have any reason to distrust expressions of affection or liking from others. People with insecurities sometimes express doubt and perceive rejection in everything from partner relationships to new acquaintances. These expressions can be self-fulfilling. Practice taking displays of interest at face value, something that can be easier in more casual relationships. You can build up the confidence to accept deeper affection and intimacy.

4 MUST READ BOOKS TO START YOUR OWN STARTUP

1. ZERO TO ONE

Zero to One presents at once an optimistic view of the future of progress in American and a new way of thinking about innovation. It starts by learning to ask the question that lead you to find value in unexpected places.

2. THE LEAN STARTUP

Rather than wasting time creating elaborate  business plans, the lean startup offers entrepreneurs- in companies of all sizes – a way to test their vision continuously, to adopt and adjust before its too late. The author provides scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups in a age when companies need to innovate more than ever.

3. THE FOUNDERS DILEMMAS

The founder dilemmas draws on the inside stories of founders like EVAN WILLIAMS of twitter and TIM WESTERGREN of Pandora, while mining quantitative data on almost ten thousand founders.

People problems are the leading cause of failure in startups. This book offers solutions.

4. HOOKED

The author of this book provides practical insights to create user habits that stick , actionable steps for building products people love, fascinating examples from the iPhone to Twitter, Pinterest to Bible app, and many other habit forming products.

Gig Economy

What Is the Gig Economy?

In a gig economy, temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies tend to hire independent contractors and freelancers  instead of full-time employees. A gig economy undermines the traditional economy of full-time workers who often focus on their career development.

Understanding the Gig Economy

In a gig economy, large numbers of people work in part-time or temporary positions or as independent contractors. The result of a gig economy is cheaper, more efficient services, such as Uber or Airbnb, for those willing to use them. People who don’t use technological services such as the Internet may be left behind by the benefits of the gig economy. Cities tend to have the most highly developed services and are the most entrenched in the gig economy. A wide variety of positions fall into the category of a gig. The work can range from driving for Lyft or delivering food to writing code or freelance articles. Adjunct and part-time professors, for example, are contracted employees as opposed to tenure-track or tenured professors. Colleges and universities can cut costs and match professors to their academic needs by hiring more adjunct and part-time professors.

The Factors Behind a Gig Economy

America is well on its way to establishing a gig economy, and estimates show as much as a third of the working population is already in some gig capacity. Experts expect this working number to rise, as these types of positions facilitate independent contracting work, with many of them not requiring a freelancer to come into an office. Gig workers are much more likely to be part-time workers and to work from home. Employers also have a wider range of applicants to choose from because they don’t have to hire someone based on their proximity. Additionally, computers have developed to the point that they can either take the place of the jobs people previously had or allow people to work just as efficiently from home as they could in person.

Economic reasons also factor into the development of a gig economy. Employers who cannot afford to hire full-time employees to do all the work that needs to be done will often hire part-time or temporary employees to take care of busier times or specific projects. On the employee’s side of the equation, people often find they need to move or take multiple positions to afford the lifestyle they want. It’s also common to change careers many times throughout a lifetime, so the gig economy can be viewed as a reflection of this occurring on a large scale.

During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, the gig economy has experienced significant increases as gig workers have delivered necessities to home-bound consumers, and those whose jobs have been eliminated have turned to part-time and contract work for income. Employers will need to plan for changes to the world of work, including the gig economy, when the pandemic has ended.

Criticisms of the Gig Economy

Despite its benefits, there are some downsides to the gig economy. While not all employers are inclined to hire contracted employees, the gig economy trend can make it harder for full-time employees to develop in their careers since temporary employees are often cheaper to hire and more flexible in their availability. Workers who prefer a traditional career path and the stability and security that come with it are being crowded out in some industries.

For some workers, the flexibility of working gigs can actually disrupt the work-life balance, sleep patterns, and activities of daily life. Flexibility in a gig economy often means that workers have to make themselves available any time gigs come up, regardless of their other needs, and must always be on the hunt for the next gig. Competition for gigs has increased during the pandemic, too. And unemployment insurance usually doesn’t cover gig workers who can’t find employment.

In effect, workers in a gig economy are more like entrepreneurs than traditional workers. While this may mean greater freedom of choice for the individual worker, it also means that the security of a steady job with regular pay, benefits—including a retirement account—and a daily routine that has characterized work for generations are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

Lastly, because of the fluid nature of gig economy transactions and relationships, long-term relationships between workers, employers, clients, and vendors can erode. This can eliminate the benefits that flow from building long-term trust, customary practice, and familiarity with clients and employers. It could also discourage investment in relationship-specific assets that would otherwise be profitable to pursue since no party has an incentive to invest significantly in a relationship that only lasts until the next gig comes along.

Ways to Manage Stress

Stress is part of being human, and it can help motivate you to get things done. Even high stress from serious illness, job loss, a death in the family, or a painful life event can be a natural part of life. You may feel down or anxious, and that’s normal too for a while. Talk to your doctor if you feel down or anxious for more than several weeks or if it starts to interfere with your home or work life. Therapy, medication, and other stategies help. In the meantime, there are things you can learn to manage stress before it gets to be too much. Consider these suggestions:

Exercise

To start with, physical activity can help improve your sleep. And better sleep means better stress management. Doctors don’t yet know exactly why, but people who exercise more tend to get better deep “slow wave” sleep that helps renew the brain and body. Just take care not to exercise too close to bedtime, which disrupts sleep for some people. Exercise also seems to help mood. Part of the reason may be that it stimulates your body to release a number of hormones like endorphins and endocannabinoids that help block pain, improve sleep, and sedate you. Some of them (endocannabinoids) may be responsible for the euphoric feeling, or “runner’s high,” that some people report after long runs.

People who exercise also tend to feel less anxious and more positive about themselves. When your body feels good, your mind often follows. Get a dose of stress relief with these exercises:

Applications

Property Rights

What Are Property Rights?

Property rights define the theoretical and legal ownership of resources and how they can be used. These resources can be both tangible or intangible and can be owned by individuals, businesses, and governments. In many countries, including the United States, individuals generally exercise private property rights or the rights of private persons to accumulate, hold, delegate, rent, or sell their property. In economics property rights form the basis for all market exchange, and the allocation of property rights in a society affects the efficiency of resource use.

Understanding Property Rights

Property is secured by laws that are clearly defined and enforced by the state. These laws define ownership and any associated benefits that come with holding the property. The term property is very expansive, though the legal protection for certain kinds of property varies between jurisdictions.Property is generally owned by individuals or a small group of people. The rights of property ownership can be extended by using patents and copyrights to protect:

  • Scarce physical resources such as houses, cars, books, and cellphones
  • Non-human creatures like dogs, cats, horses or birds
  • Intellectual property such as inventions, ideas, or words

Other types of property, such as communal or government property, are legally owned by well-defined groups. These are typically deemed public property. Ownership is enforced by individuals in positions of political or cultural power. Property rights give the owner or right holder the ability to do with the property what they choose. That includes holding on to it, selling or renting it out for profit, or transferring it to another party.

Acquiring Rights to a Property

Individuals in a private property rights regime acquire and transfer in mutually agreed-upon transfers, or else through homesteading. Mutual transfers include rents, sales, voluntary sharing, inheritances, gambling, and charity. Homesteading is the unique case; an individual may acquire a previously unowned resource by mixing his labor with the resource over a period of time. Examples of homesteading acts include plowing a field, carving stone, and domesticating a wild animal. In areas where property rights don’t exist, the ownership and use of resources are allocated by force, normally by the government. That means these resources are allocated by political ends rather than economic ones. Such governments determine who may interact with, can be excluded from, or may benefit from the use of the property.

Private Property Rights

Private property rights are one of the pillars of capitalist economies, as well as many legal systems, and moral philosophies. Within a private property rights regime, individuals need the ability to exclude others from the uses and benefits of their property. All privately owned resources are rivalrous, meaning only a single user may possess the title and legal claim to the property. Private property owners also have the exclusive right to use and benefit from the services or products. Private property owners may exchange the resource on a voluntary basis.

Private Property Rights and Market Prices

Every market price in a voluntary, capitalist society originates through transfers of private property. Each transaction takes place between one property owner and someone interested in acquiring the property. The value at which the property exchanges depends on how valuable it is to each party. Suppose an investor purchases $1,000 in shares of stock in Apple. In this case, Apple values owning the $1,000 more than the stock. The investor has the opposite preference, and values ownership of Apple stock more than $1,000.

Financial Literacy

What Is Financial Literacy?

Financial literacy is the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing. Financial literacy is the foundation of your relationship with money, and it is a lifelong journey of learning. The earlier you start, the better off you will be, because education is the key to success when it comes to money.

Read on to discover how you can become financially literate and able to navigate the challenging but critical waters of personal finance. And when you have educated yourself, try to pass your knowledge on to your family and friends. Many people find money matters intimidating, but they don’t have to be, so spread the news by example.

Understanding Financial Literacy

In recent decades financial products and services have become increasingly widespread throughout society. Whereas earlier generations of Americans may have purchased goods primarily in cash, today various credit products are popular, such as credit and debit cards and electronic transfers. Indeed, a 2019 survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco showed that consumers preferred cash payments in only 22% of transactions, favoring debit cards for 42% and credit cards for 29%.

Other products, such as mortgages, student loans, health insurance, and self-directed accounts, have also grown in importance. This has made it even more imperative for individuals to understand how to use them responsibly. Although there are many skills that might fall under the umbrella of financial literacy, popular examples include household budgeting, learning how to manage and pay off debts, and evaluating the tradeoffs between different credit and investment products. These skills often require at least a working knowledge of key financial concepts, such as compound interest and the time value of money. Given the importance of finance in modern society, lacking financial literacy can be very damaging to an individual’s long-term financial success.

Being financially illiterate can lead to a number of pitfalls, such as being more likely to accumulate unsustainable debt burdens, either through poor spending decisions or a lack of long-term preparation. This in turn can lead to poor credit, bankruptcy, housing foreclosure, and other negative consequences. Thankfully, there are now more resources than ever for those wishing to educate themselves about the world of finance. One such example is the government-sponsored Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which offers a range of free learning resources.

Strategies to Improve Your Financial Literacy Skills

Developing financial literacy to improve your personal finances involves learning and practicing a variety of skills related to budgeting, managing and paying off debts, and understanding credit and investment products. Here are several practical strategies to consider.

Create a Budget—Track how much money you receive each month against how much you spend in an Excel sheet, on paper, or with a budgeting app. Your budget should include income (paychecks, investments, alimony), fixed expenses (rent/mortgage payments, utilities, loan payments), discretionary spending (nonessentials such as eating out, shopping, and travel), and savings.

Pay Yourself First—To build savings, this reverse budgeting strategy involves choosing a savings goal (say, a down payment for a home), deciding how much you want to contribute toward it each month, and setting that amount aside before you divvy up the rest of your expenses.

Pay Bills Promptly—Stay on top of monthly bills, making sure that payments consistently arrive on time. Consider taking advantage of automatic debits from a checking account or bill-pay apps and sign up for payment reminders (by email, phone, or text).

Polynomials and identities

Photo by George Becker on Pexels.com

TO start with the topic first of all its necessary to know basic identities:-

a + b whole square is what? I.e a square +2ab+ b square. Similarly there are many more. TO begin with our basic topic we will try some questions and their approaches.

Q1. IF x +1/x = 4 then what is x2 +1/x2

So guys we are given value of x + 1/x =4. Now simply square both sides. You will get x2 + 2 + 1/x2 as 16. Now if you take to on RHS side it will be simply 16-2 i.e 14. Hence 14 is your answer. So dear reader you can follow a shortcut to solve orally that 4 square minus 2. I.e same 16-2 . Similarly if you have 9 instead of 4 in the question the answer would be 81-2 =79.

If now instead of this you need to find value of x4 +1/x4 . Then how would you solve. Just take out value of earlier one and square it and minus. For eg in first question as 14 was our answer subtract 2 from it and its your new answer .

Q2. If now in first question you need to find x3 +1/x3 (note its cube not three)

So you can use a shortcut i.e. p3 -3p. I.e. 4 cube -4×3 which will be 64-12=52.

Q3. If x-1/x =p then x3-1/x3 will be

Its easy just in above formula replace minus sign by plus . p3+3p.

Q4. If in first question I need to find x5+1/x5 then.

Here you need to know just the basic formula (xa )b = xa+b . Dear reader we now that 2+3=5 . So find the value in example 1 and 2. I.e 14 and 52 now multiply both of them and minus with value in question. 728-4=724.

For reference

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://byjus.com/maths/algebraic-identities/&ved=2ahUKEwiXnezZueLxAhWIxzgGHfbGChQQFnoECDMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3kOAhEDrCdK4_MLjcyXg9U

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vedantu.com/maths/algebraic-identities&ved=2ahUKEwiXnezZueLxAhWIxzgGHfbGChQQFnoECDQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3S4Vj2T2sw7UHmGmefLXFC

Common Language Questions.

[Bhoomika Saini]

1. What’s The Most Commonly Spoken Language Today?

First Language

Mandarin Chinese tops the list of most commonly spoken native languages with 870 million native speakers. With less than 200 million second language speakers, the vast majority of Mandarin speakers are native and also located in mainland China.

Second Language

When it comes to second languages, English takes the cake, with over 750 million second language speakers, which makes up the majority of the number of English speakers overall. Arabic is also a popular second language. With over 59 countries with an official language of Arabic, it’s easy to see why.

2. Is There A Language Spoken On All Five Continents?

There is, and you may be surprised to learn it is… French! French colonizers spread out all over the world, and as a result, there are both native and nonnative speakers in every continent.

Map of all five continents
Photo by Andrew Stutesman on Unsplash

3. What’s The Most Useful Language On The Internet?

Russian. A little less than half of all web content is written in Russian! Plenty is written in English as well, but if you are all about the internet life, you may want to learn some Russian.

4. What’s The Highest Demand Language?

Portuguese! This is due to the rapidly growing economy of Brazil. The native language of Brazil is Portuguese, an effect of colonizers in the area from Portugal. Brazil’s tourism industry is booming, and many companies are setting up locations in Brazil, making Portuguese a newly in-demand language.

Most spoken languages in the world, important to learn. Infographic by University Of The People

Languages you should try! [Part 1]

[Bhoomika Saini]

French

French, also called the language of love, was actually the international, diplomatic language for centuries. Only recently, historically speaking, with the rise of the United States as a global power, did English prevail as the language of diplomacy. France is still quite the economic powerhouse, and a popular travel destination, so French is definitely a language to learn!

Spanish

Spanish has a large number of native speakers, and a large number of overall speakers as well. Most Spanish speaking countries are located in South and Central America, which are extremely popular travel destinations in recent years. For this reason, you will find many across the world who speak Spanish. In addition, due to the large number of Spanish speakers in the US, if you live, work, or travel in the United States, Spanish is the one to learn!

Russian

Russian is an extremely influential language among many Eastern European and Europeasian countries. The Russian language also has the second highest percentage of internet content (following English), and the leading percent of internet content in Europe. This makes the Russian language one of the most important languages to learn for European business.

Japanese

While the Japanese language is not spoken widely outside of Japan, it’s still an important one to know. Whether you want to travel in Japan, love the culture and food, or the technology, knowing Japanese can get you far in many ways. It’s also an excellent introduction to other Asian languages. There are some Chinese characters in Japanese, and with similar grammar to Korean, learning Japanese puts you on the path to learn all three.

German

Germany is the most widely spoken language throughout Europe, as Germany remains Europe’s most dominant economy. For this reason, if you do business or plan to do business in Europe, German is one of the most important languages to learn. It’s a funny language to learn, with endings tacked on to words to give them specific meanings. But it is also a surprisingly easy language to learn.

Greed vs Generosity: Which Gives a Better Competitive Advantage?

Many people think that in the professional world, selfishness and greed are the characteristics that pay dividends. But the truth is, excepting win-lose situations, that the most successful people in the medium and long term are those who are the most generous in their business and personal lives.

Ambition is a desire to take on more than you can realistically accomplish, to constantly strive for improvement, to grow both personally and professionally, and, of course, the desire to generate more income. However there comes a time when ambition crosses a line, and when that happens it becomes greed. Greed is the desire to chew more than you can eat, a desire that distracts you from realistically possible goals. Greed is wanting to get more than what you have actually earned, obtaining maximum profit at minimum cost, or as an old adage has it: “Grasp all, lose all.”

Today there is an abundance of courses and books on finance, limitless knowledge on hand with a simple click. But to know what is right, to subdue the pirates of greed and to follow your trading plan- this is another story. People who look for easy money invariably find that there is no such thing, paying a heavy price for this lesson. Ego, vanity, and revenge play a part, causing people to fail on their trading accounts. This is one of the factors that explains why people might not fall into the exclusive 10% that ‘win’, and find themselves one of the 90% that lose.

Literature and film are full of greedy and stingy characters, and the moral of films like ‘A Christmas Carol’ or ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is always the same: the fate of the greedy is heartbreaking. Their addiction to work means that they live a lonely life, and their search for wealth means that at the end of their lives, they have only the sober memory of their friends from the Stock Exchange.

GIVE AND TAKE

People do not realize that giving without expecting something in return could be a competitive advantage, as well as making ones outlook more positive. Studies have shown that the most successful people are generous. At least this is the affirmation of Adam Grant, a psychologist and professor at Wharton and author of “Give and Take”.

A generous person builds bigger and stronger networks, improves communication with their existing contacts, and also finds it easier to interact with people outside of their core network- this gives them access to new contacts and valuable sources of information. Generous people inspire in others a predisposition, or positive receptivity, to reconnect with them, as well as a greater willingness to collaborate.

Moreover, being a giver encourages persistence because givers are able to enthusiastically motivate people, inspiring confidence, because they are liberal with praise. They create a generally positive environment. Talent is important, but the most important factor in success is persistence. And what’s even more interesting is that being a giver has an energizing effect that increases levels of happiness.

According to Bill Williams, famous trader and writer of “Trading Chaos”, people with a ‘giving’ mindset enjoy more happiness and success. For example, later in his career Bill always traded two accounts, one for himself and one for his charities. The charity account always made more money, even though he traded using the same method with both accounts. In the charity account he never veered from his strategy, while in his own account he would sometimes take a trade based on a “feel”, or get in a trade before the actual signal. This shows us the importance of sticking to a plan, but also the importance of being a ‘giver’.

Giving distracts us from our problems, adds meaning to our lives and helps us feel valued by others. This explains why avidity and egoism are the trader’s worst enemy. Having a benevolent mindset while trading helps the trader to increase performance. Happy people earn more money on average, score higher yields, make better decisions and contribute more to their organizations. Furthermore, traders who are givers are at the top of the most successful trading operations.

THE GREED EFFECT

Focusing only on money results in the ‘greedy effect’, something that all professional traders know. In fact, one of the most common pieces of (rarely followed) advice that newbies receive is to shift their focus from trade results to the trading process, analyzing and following the rules of their trading system. Another suggestion is to start reasoning in pips and ticks instead of dollars. This reduces the greedy mindset and develops a more reliable attitude.

However we can make a further effort to improve our performance by shifting our focus to be more generous. One example is trading for charitable purposes like the aforementioned Bill Williams, another could be simply committing a small part of your monthly or annual profit to microcredits, which promote a world of stability and self-sufficiency, key to overcoming poverty.

Material things can be recovered, but feelings of guilt, helplessness and loneliness cannot be solved with money. If humans would be more understanding of and generous to others, the world would be a very different place. And that is why those who practice generosity, making it part of their daily lives, experience an uplifting of their mental and emotional state, and are generally filled with more satisfaction in their professional and personal lives.

In conclusion, we see that generous people are the most successful in their daily trading performance for the reasons described above. Having a giving mindset helps professionals become part of that exclusive group, the 10% of winners.