German people's make the difference in the world

German people's make the difference in the world

1. Germans are direct

In the business world and in general, Germans are known as straight shooters and not the most diplomatic bunch. This tendency can sometimes come off as downright rude, especially in cultures where there is a stronger emphasis on indirect communication.

The reason is that Germans tend to be very goal-oriented in their interaction. They want to get right to the point, and not beat around the bush. Germany also doesn’t have as big a small-talk culture as for example the US, where it is much more common to talk to strangers on the street.

The upside of this tendency is that there isn’t that much to decode. A yes is a yes and a no is a no. It’s not meant as an affront or insult but merely serves to state the actual conviction of the speaker.

2. Germans love rules, organization, and structure

Germany has an abundance of laws regulating all aspects of life (see, for example, the German beer law below) and its people like to obey them. This tendency is one of the many leftovers from the values propagated by the Prussians. Prussia used to be a German kingdom known for its unusually well-organised and effective army.

The amount of over-regulation in Germany can sometimes lead to a certain inflexibility. On the other hand it is the Germans’ ability to organize and create structure which has earned them their reputation for being efficient.

This love of rules manifests itself in many ways. For example, crossing the street as a pedestrian at a red traffic light is frowned upon, even if no car is coming. Every house has at least four different garbage cans: plastic and metal, paper, organic waste, and general garbage. Plus, there is even a government office called Ordnungsamt, which literally translates to “office of order.”

3. Germans are punctual

Being on time is considered a virtue in Germany. They would rather be too early than too late. Punctuality is seen as a sign of respect to the person you are meeting. It does not mean that every German is good about this, but they will apologize if they arrive past the agreed-upon time.

On the same line of thought, train and bus schedules are given in exact minutes and yes, people do expect transportation services to be true to their schedule. However, the Deutsche Bahn (German rail service) has a reputation that their timetable is merely an approximate reference for when trains will arrive or leave the station.

4. Germans love football (soccer, that is)

9-german-stereotypes-true

“Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” – Gary Lineker

By a wide margin, football is the number one most attended and practiced sport in Germany. It is so popular that it could be considered a national pastime. The German Football Association consists of more than 26,000 clubs and 178,000 teams. There are more football fan clubs in Germany than any other country.

In addition, the German football league, the Bundesliga attracts international superstars and is followed by many people outside of the Germany. The country’s national team is strong in international contests and has won four world cups. Did you catch their most recent victory? In recent years, women’s soccer has also been getting more attention as the women’s national team has two world titles to boast.

5. Germans are well-insured

Germany is a land of insurances. You can secure yourself against almost anything. Personal liability insurance, household insurance, legal insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, car insurance, bicycle insurance, unemployment insurance, you name it. Whether that is due to a special Teutonic need for protection and security is up for debate.

While it definitely makes sense to be insured for some fundamentals (health insurance and car liability insurance are mandatory in Germany), foreigners might think the fact that many Germans have their own personal insurance adviser is taking the whole thing a little too far.

6. Germans are distant

You may have heard that Germans are often described as being a little standoffish and cold. That might be because people’s personal space bubbles are larger here than in other countries. Therefore, Germans have a tendency to treat strangers rather formally, especially at first encounters and – as mentioned earlier – are not always big on small talk.

Though sometimes this might seem like they have sticks in places where they don’t belong, it just means they take a little longer to warm up to others. As a consequence, close friendships with Germans don’t necessarily happen overnight, but when they do form they are generally very genuine. 

7. Germans love to drink beer

Hell yeah they do! And why wouldn’t they? They’re good at it.

Germany has over 1,300 breweries and more than 5,000 different brands of beer. The country even has a law about which ingredients may be used in the production of the beverage. The beginning of the so-called Deutsches Reinheitsgebot dates back to 1516. Talk about taking brewing seriously.

That being said, it’s no wonder that in 2009 the country ranked second place for beer consumption per capita in Europe, eclipsed only by the Czech Republic (and they invented Pilsner). Germans like beer so much that one of the first things they did after establishing colonies in China was build a brewery. To this day, Tsingtao is China’s second largest beer producer.

Apart from that, every German is able to open beer bottles with anything but a bottle opener (and we are not not talking twisty caps here).

8. Germans know how to bake bread

First, let’s make something clear: German bread is awesome. The variety, the taste, the quality, the fact that it is not squares in a plastic bag meant to be placed in a toaster all make it baking heaven. Studies say that lack of proper bread is the number one reason for homesickness among German students abroad.

Okay, that last fact was completely made up, but baking does have a long-standing tradition in Germany and bread is a big part of the traditional cuisine. Bakeries have tons of shelves full of all kinds of different loaves and rolls (which count as bread in Germany). Dark, white, sweet, savory, crunchy, soft, plain, or with all types of seeds – you can have it your way, any day!

A lot of bakeries will even open on Sunday morning just so that people can get fresh bread for their breakfast, even though, by law, all shops are usually closed on Sunday. I still think one could make a fortune by selling German-style bread next to every international student dorm at engineering colleges outside of Germany.

9. Germans love sausage

Unless you like living off potatoes and staple foods, traditional German food is an insult to vegetarians. Meat in general is a mainstay of German cuisine. However, sausage, or Wurst as it is called here, seems to have a special place in the heart of German meat eaters.

Don’t believe me? Watch this: Bockwurst, Wiener Wurst, Blutwurst, Cervelatwurst, Bratwurst, Currywurst, Weißwurst, Brühwurst, Kinderwurst, Sommerwurst, Rostbratwurst, Mettwurst, Teewurst, Fleischwurst, Jagdwurst, Leberwurst.

And that was just from the top of my head.

As a foreigner and newcomer to German culture, it can be hard to sift through the true and false ideas about traditions, customs, and behaviors. You certainly have to be careful with stereotypes, but now you at least know some of the truer stereotypes you can expect to encounter on occasion in Germany. Now that we’re done playing our little game of true and false, let’s play another game: I double dog dare you…to make some German friends, learn more about their country, and confirm or adapt your ideas about German culture through firsthand experience.

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Costa Rica Powers 285 Days of 2015 With 100% Renewable Energy

Costa Rica Powers 285 Days of 2015 With 100% Renewable Energy

In March, EcoWatch reported that Costa Rica powered the first 82 days of the year solely with renewable energy. Now that we’re closing in on the end of the year, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) announced that the country ran entirely on renewables for 285 days between Jan. 1 and Dec. 17.
“We close 2015 with 99 percent clean energy!” ICE wrote on Facebook, saying that “the energy produced … in 2015 reaches 98.95 percent with renewable sources as of December 17.”

“We are closing 2015 with renewable electricity milestones that have put us in the global spotlight,” ICE electricity division chief Luis Pacheco told AFP.

The majority of the country’s energy (75 percent) comes from hydropower, thanks to a vast river system and abundant rainfall, and the rest of its renewables come from geothermal, biomass, wind and solar. Despite a very dry year, ICE said it was ahead of its renewable energy targets and Pacheco predicted that 2016 would be an even better year because a new $2.3 billion hydroelectric plant will be coming online.

The country reportedly wants to move away from its dependency on hydropower, though, and harness more of its electricity needs from geothermal and wind. It plans to retire its heavy fuel oil-powered Moin plant in 2017 and wants to move its transportation sector away from fossil fuels. The country has made all this progress, while reducing overall energy costs, which fell by 12 percent this year and the ICE expects costs to keep falling.

“The government has pledged to build an electric train which will be integrated with public buses,” Gabriel Goldschmidt, regional head of infrastructure for Latin America and Caribbean at the International Finance Corporation, which is part of the World Bank, told the Huffington Post. “There is also a proposal to start replacing oil-powered cars with electric cars as part of a new bill in congress that aims to offer consumer incentives to lower the prices of these cars. This would have multiple benefits including better air quality.”

Costa Rica’s heavy reliance on hydropower has been criticized by some. Gary Wockner of Save the Colorado argues that hydropower is actually “one of the biggest environmental problems our planet faces” and a “false solution” for addressing climate change.

“Hydropower has been called a ‘methane factory’ and ‘methane bomb’ that is just beginning to rear its ugly head as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions that have so-far been unaccounted for in climate change discussions and analyses,” Wockner said last month.

Still, the country is among the vanguard of nations around the world moving towards a 100 percent renewable energy future. Several countries have hit impressive benchmarks for renewables in just a few short years. And many places have already made the transition to fossil-fuel-free electricity. Samso in Denmark became the world’s first island to go all in on renewables several years ago. Most recently, Uruguay, three U.S. cities—Burlington, Vermont; Aspen, Colorado; and Greensburg, Kansas—along with Kodiak Island, Alaska, have all made the transition.

San Diego, Vancouver, Las Vegas and other major cities around the world have pledged to go 100 percent renewable. Sweden made headlines earlier this year when it pledged to be among the first countries to go fossil free. Hawaii pledged to do so by 2045—the most ambitious standard set by a U.S. state thus far. Several other islands, including Aruba, Belize, St. Lucia, Grenada, the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and San Andres and Providencia have pledged to go 100 percent renewable, through the Ten Island Challenge, created by Richard Branson’s climate group the Carbon War Room.

Greenpeace and researchers at Stanford and UC Berkeley have laid out plans for every state in the U.S. to adopt 100 percent renewables and a Greenpeace report published in September posits the world can achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Mark Jacobson, one of the researchers from Stanford, said the barriers to 100 percent clean energy are social and political, not technical or economic.

Just last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in an interview that “You could take a corner of Utah or Nevada and power the entire United States with solar power.”

And, it looks as if the Paris climate conference earlier this month helped create market certainty in renewables, as fossil fuel stocks tumbled and renewable energy stocks soared. After the landmark Paris agreement was reached, the coal industry’s European lobbying association feared that the deal meant the sector “will be hated and vilified, in the same way that slave traders were once hated and vilified.”

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Why does Germany tend to have a large number of intelligent people?

Why does Germany tend to have a large number of intelligent people?

They don't have more intelligent people, just a general level of education that compares favorably with many comparably developed countries.  They live in a way that makes them seem more educated.  Their culture values education more than other cultures do such as that of the U.S. (so are more educated) - Germany has an effective education system so they're better educated - German culture is "materialistic" when it comes to education much like Americans are materialistic with regards to stuff. The people, and government take steps to ensure higher education is accessible by having free or low cost universities and colleges.

There is no neutral data to support the notion that Germans are any stupider or smarter than the population of any other developed country.

 

The present state of data on international differences in intelligence is unsatisfactory.  Because of the historic politicisation of this topic, there are many differences in views, including amongst scientists.  Some scientific studies do show that Germany has a relatively high national IQ, and if this be the case, then it might tend to suggest a relatively higher proportion of smart people.

 

Not more intelligent, just more educated. I believe the biggest factor is that being ignorant comes at a steep social price in Germany. In Germany, you cannot really impress people with wealth (people are suspicious of wealth), instead, the key measure that everyone aims for is appearing sophisticated. This explains a bunch of symptoms, like the bookcases in every living room (often filled with classics or an encyclopedia that the owners haven't read), the popularity of books on manners or 'general knowledge', the effort made to pronounce foreign words as in the original language, the habit of talking about current events by way of small talk... 

 

The education system is another factor of course. German education is completely free, including university, and the average German school routinely outperforms the average American school. As an example, it is generally possible for German high school graduates to skip the first two years of American college. German universities don't teach any general knowledge anymore, you immediately start with a schedule specific to your field of study. A side effect is also that German job ads never call for 'any bachelor degree' - they either require a specific degree that is relevant to the job, or they are happy with a high school diploma. The biggest reason for the quality of German education is not students' intelligence but that teaching is a highly-regarded profession. Teachers have to undergo rigorous training (average starting age is 30 because the studies & internships & exams take that long to complete) and teachers' salaries are several times as high as in the US.

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German people's make the difference in the world

German people's make the difference in the world

1. Germans are direct

In the business world and in general, Germans are known as straight shooters and not the most diplomatic bunch. This tendency can sometimes come off as downright rude, especially in cultures where there is a stronger emphasis on indirect communication.

The reason is that Germans tend to be very goal-oriented in their interaction. They want to get right to the point, and not beat around the bush. Germany also doesn’t have as big a small-talk culture as for example the US, where it is much more common to talk to strangers on the street.

The upside of this tendency is that there isn’t that much to decode. A yes is a yes and a no is a no. It’s not meant as an affront or insult but merely serves to state the actual conviction of the speaker.

2. Germans love rules, organization, and structure

Germany has an abundance of laws regulating all aspects of life (see, for example, the German beer law below) and its people like to obey them. This tendency is one of the many leftovers from the values propagated by the Prussians. Prussia used to be a German kingdom known for its unusually well-organised and effective army.

The amount of over-regulation in Germany can sometimes lead to a certain inflexibility. On the other hand it is the Germans’ ability to organize and create structure which has earned them their reputation for being efficient.

This love of rules manifests itself in many ways. For example, crossing the street as a pedestrian at a red traffic light is frowned upon, even if no car is coming. Every house has at least four different garbage cans: plastic and metal, paper, organic waste, and general garbage. Plus, there is even a government office called Ordnungsamt, which literally translates to “office of order.”

3. Germans are punctual

Being on time is considered a virtue in Germany. They would rather be too early than too late. Punctuality is seen as a sign of respect to the person you are meeting. It does not mean that every German is good about this, but they will apologize if they arrive past the agreed-upon time.

On the same line of thought, train and bus schedules are given in exact minutes and yes, people do expect transportation services to be true to their schedule. However, the Deutsche Bahn (German rail service) has a reputation that their timetable is merely an approximate reference for when trains will arrive or leave the station.

4. Germans love football (soccer, that is)

9-german-stereotypes-true

“Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” – Gary Lineker

By a wide margin, football is the number one most attended and practiced sport in Germany. It is so popular that it could be considered a national pastime. The German Football Association consists of more than 26,000 clubs and 178,000 teams. There are more football fan clubs in Germany than any other country.

In addition, the German football league, the Bundesliga attracts international superstars and is followed by many people outside of the Germany. The country’s national team is strong in international contests and has won four world cups. Did you catch their most recent victory? In recent years, women’s soccer has also been getting more attention as the women’s national team has two world titles to boast.

5. Germans are well-insured

Germany is a land of insurances. You can secure yourself against almost anything. Personal liability insurance, household insurance, legal insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, car insurance, bicycle insurance, unemployment insurance, you name it. Whether that is due to a special Teutonic need for protection and security is up for debate.

While it definitely makes sense to be insured for some fundamentals (health insurance and car liability insurance are mandatory in Germany), foreigners might think the fact that many Germans have their own personal insurance adviser is taking the whole thing a little too far.

6. Germans are distant

You may have heard that Germans are often described as being a little standoffish and cold. That might be because people’s personal space bubbles are larger here than in other countries. Therefore, Germans have a tendency to treat strangers rather formally, especially at first encounters and – as mentioned earlier – are not always big on small talk.

Though sometimes this might seem like they have sticks in places where they don’t belong, it just means they take a little longer to warm up to others. As a consequence, close friendships with Germans don’t necessarily happen overnight, but when they do form they are generally very genuine. 

7. Germans love to drink beer

Hell yeah they do! And why wouldn’t they? They’re good at it.

Germany has over 1,300 breweries and more than 5,000 different brands of beer. The country even has a law about which ingredients may be used in the production of the beverage. The beginning of the so-called Deutsches Reinheitsgebot dates back to 1516. Talk about taking brewing seriously.

That being said, it’s no wonder that in 2009 the country ranked second place for beer consumption per capita in Europe, eclipsed only by the Czech Republic (and they invented Pilsner). Germans like beer so much that one of the first things they did after establishing colonies in China was build a brewery. To this day, Tsingtao is China’s second largest beer producer.

Apart from that, every German is able to open beer bottles with anything but a bottle opener (and we are not not talking twisty caps here).

8. Germans know how to bake bread

First, let’s make something clear: German bread is awesome. The variety, the taste, the quality, the fact that it is not squares in a plastic bag meant to be placed in a toaster all make it baking heaven. Studies say that lack of proper bread is the number one reason for homesickness among German students abroad.

Okay, that last fact was completely made up, but baking does have a long-standing tradition in Germany and bread is a big part of the traditional cuisine. Bakeries have tons of shelves full of all kinds of different loaves and rolls (which count as bread in Germany). Dark, white, sweet, savory, crunchy, soft, plain, or with all types of seeds – you can have it your way, any day!

A lot of bakeries will even open on Sunday morning just so that people can get fresh bread for their breakfast, even though, by law, all shops are usually closed on Sunday. I still think one could make a fortune by selling German-style bread next to every international student dorm at engineering colleges outside of Germany.

9. Germans love sausage

Unless you like living off potatoes and staple foods, traditional German food is an insult to vegetarians. Meat in general is a mainstay of German cuisine. However, sausage, or Wurst as it is called here, seems to have a special place in the heart of German meat eaters.

Don’t believe me? Watch this: Bockwurst, Wiener Wurst, Blutwurst, Cervelatwurst, Bratwurst, Currywurst, Weißwurst, Brühwurst, Kinderwurst, Sommerwurst, Rostbratwurst, Mettwurst, Teewurst, Fleischwurst, Jagdwurst, Leberwurst.

And that was just from the top of my head.

As a foreigner and newcomer to German culture, it can be hard to sift through the true and false ideas about traditions, customs, and behaviors. You certainly have to be careful with stereotypes, but now you at least know some of the truer stereotypes you can expect to encounter on occasion in Germany. Now that we’re done playing our little game of true and false, let’s play another game: I double dog dare you…to make some German friends, learn more about their country, and confirm or adapt your ideas about German culture through firsthand experience.

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How to Be Clever

How to Be Clever

Being clever, though linked to intelligence, isn't quite the same thing. Cleverness is often how you come across to other people, how quick you are at analyzing and acting in situations, and how clever or creative your ideas are. The Greek hero, Odysseus was considered clever (he told the cyclops that his name was Nobody, so the cyclops wouldn't be able to tell anyone who blinded him). You might not defeat any mythical creatures, but cleverness is a learned trait, which you, too, can work on developing.

Speak last. If you wait during a conversation and listen to the different participants, before you jump into the fray, you'll appear more clever, simply because you've had more time to listen to different opinions and sides and evaluate these opinions before giving your own.[1]
For example: say you're conversation with your cousin Bob, your aunt Milly, and your sister, Sarah, about the best way to baste a turkey. Let the other three hash it out for a bit while you listen, and evaluate the effectiveness of each side of the argument. Then, slip in your own idea for basting the turkey, once the argument is winding down. Make sure that it's different than the other three; if you do agree with one of the others, possibly Aunt Milly, offer up a more convincing argument than she has, or give a reason for that option that the others might not have considered.
This is also a great way to avoid looking the opposite of clever, by not just opening your mouth first and saying whatever comes into your head.
Often the person who speaks last is less likely to simply point out the obvious, or regurgitate facts. Instead they usually come up with something more creative, or more original, which people are more likely to remember.

Have some "pocket" facts. These are the types of facts that you can whip out during an argument that support whatever claim you're making. Chances are you're not going to be able to have facts for every single argument you might potentially get into, so pick the ones that are most important to you.
For example: if you're really passionate about global climate change, you might make sure to have statistics memorized that look at the difference between weather and climate, that show what has changed so swiftly in the past few years (and how that is linked to things like carbon dioxide), and how this is different than the slower, more long-term climate change that happens without the help of human practices.
It's really good to gather some facts (real facts) for things that everyone assumes are true. Blowing assumptions out of the water can make you appear very clever.
Learn the appropriate lingo. Every single group or workplace has lingo that goes along with it. This can come in the form of acronyms, or abbreviations, or even nicknames for certain things. Learning these for the places that you are, and the places that you visit, will help make you seem knowledgeable.

For example: in fly-fishing there are tons of different words and phrases that you have to learn when you're a beginner. Not knowing terms like "cast" (the motion you make when you throw the rod, reel, and line back and forth) or a "lie" (the areas in a river or lake where the fish tend to be) will make you seem like you don't know what you're doing, the opposite of clever.[2]
If you don't know the lingo someone is using, pay attention to the context of the word or words. You can usually figure out the basic meaning from that. Otherwise, ask someone in private, so that everyone doesn't end up knowing that you don't understand everything they're saying.
Be persuasive. Oftentimes persuasiveness and cleverness are linked in people's minds. Doing the one will make people correlate it with the other. Having your "pocket" facts and speaking last can help you be persuasive, but so can a few other things. Remember that persuasion is basically getting people to do something that is in their best interest (unlike manipulation) while also benefiting you.

Context and timing are very important parts of being persuasive. As an example: don't try to ask your sister for money help with your parents right when she's lost her job. She'll be more concerned about money and needing money. Instead, wait until she's found a new job, or if she's just gotten a raise.
Speak clearly and concisely. The more clearly and quickly you put a problem to someone, the more likely they are to understand exactly what it is you're asking them to do and the more likely they are to help you out. People tend to prefer a straightforward tactic rather than beating about the bush.
Avoid jargon (special words and expressions used by a particular group that make it difficult for others to understand them; i.e. law jargon). People won't listen to you if they can't understand what you're saying and it won't make you look clever, if you can't get your point across. Unless you're speaking to people who understand the same technical terms as you, don't use them.
Offer simple solutions. So many times a problem doesn't need a complex solution. While this may seem counter-intuitive, the simplest solution is often the most useful one, as well as the one that others tend not to think of. Humans seem bent on finding the most difficult and complex way to do things. Not falling into that trap will make you stand out.

Often a good question to ask when looking for a solution is: What can you do less of? Usually that can help weed on some of the less productive options.
Also, ask yourself and others specific questions. If you're trying to build better time management, don't ask "how can we build better time management?" The question is too big, and you'll usually get answers that are too big, as well. A better question might be "What tools might help make us work more quickly" or "If we spent 2 hours on a particular project instead of 4 hours, how might we work more quickly to achieve the same results?"
Be confident. By being confident about yourself and your work, you'll present as cleverer than someone who is very smart and intelligent, but not confident. People tend to believe in confidence, even when there isn't that much to back it up. Present as confident and the cleverness will follow
Use your body language to trick your brain into thinking it is confident, even if you aren't actually feeling that way. Stand tall and upright. Walk with a confident stride, like you belong wherever you are. Maintain open body language. Don't cross your arms across your chest, or refuse to look people in the eye.

Think positively or neutrally about yourself. If a thought like "I am a loser" or "I am stupid" comes into your head, acknowledge the thought and think "I am thinking I am a loser, but just last week I got the coveted worker of the year award, or I have a really good job."
Don't compare yourself to other people. For example: don't get into a cleverness competition with other people and start comparing your cleverness with their cleverness. Intelligence isn't a competition and by turning it into one, you're only going to feel worse about yourself as you irritate and drive away other people with your need to be "the best."

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How to Be Successful

How to Be Successful

Many people want to achieve success in life, but it's easier said than done. There are so many distractions that it can be challenging to discipline oneself to accomplish a monumental goal. By keeping the following advice in mind, however, you can dramatically increase your chances of becoming successful in whatever you choose to pursue.
Imagine becoming successful. Einstein said that "Imagination is more important than knowledge". The more vividly and accurately you imagine your success, the easier it will be for the rest of yourself to follow through. The same way engineers first imagine a bridge and then build it, you can be the engineer of your success, too.
Dedicate a few minutes every day to imagining your success. Imagine yourself in a movie in which you are successful. What are you doing in the movie? What is your success like? Savor the feeling of your success, and use it as motivation to stoke your fire.

Cultivate a healthy motivation when imagining your success. Successful people all believe in themselves and their missions. At the same time, you do not want to alienate other people with extreme narcissism. Understand that other people want to be just as successful as you do; your goal should not be to trample over them to get what you want.

Find the purpose or goal of your life. Identify the things you love to do, the things that give you satisfaction. Once you identify what you love to do, use this information to find the purpose of your life or the objective of your life.

Finding what you love to do will give you motivation along the way. Imagine being forced to do a triathlon when your true passion is chess. Pretty difficult, huh? Now imagine the opportunity to participate in a chess tournament. It's much, much easier to persistently chip away at your goal if your goal is something you enjoy doing.(Write what your motivations and goals for yourself

How do you figure out a purpose or goal in life? It's different for everyone, and for some it's difficult, but there are several ways you can try to figure it out:

• Talk with a career coach or visit a good psychologist.
• Try out several different careers, remembering that even a less-than-fulfilling job can help you learn.
• Try making a career out of something you love. Whether it's brewing beer or advising on art, you're more likely to be successful doing something you know you love.
• Define the meaning of success as you see it. You cannot have success if you do not know what it means for you. Everyone views success differently and using someone else standard for success is like eating another person's lunch and expecting to love it. Set clear goals and be realistic.

How will you know when you have achieved your goals? Your standards should be quantifiable, or else you could spend your entire life chasing after a vague goal.
For example, let's say you want to be good at your job. You get a promotion, you get a raise, but you still haven't reached your goal because you could always do better, right? You could always get promoted even further, or make even more money. Whatever you have will never be enough.
Instead, create benchmarks: "My goal is to increase my productivity by 30% and only be late for work five times per year, at the most." These are quantifiable goals that when achieved, give you a sense of satisfaction and completion, making you feel successful and confident.
 

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There's a First World. There's a Third World. Is There a Second World?

There's a First World. There's a Third World. Is There a Second World?

We often hear about the plights of the Third World, and most of us have our share of First World problems. But is there something in between—a Second World?
There sure is: the Commies (and now former Commies).
Today, people use the terms First or Third World to rank the development of countries or the strength of their economy. This is a pretty recent development, and veers away from the original usage of the terms, which were coined during the Cold War as part of a rough—and now outdated—model of geopolitical alliances.
The Cold War and the creation of NATO (a military and collective defense alliance formed by the U.S. and its western allies) and the Warsaw Pact (a defense treaty between several communist states in Eastern Europe) roughly divided the major world powers into two spheres with differing political and economic structures—east versus west, communist versus capitalist, the U.S. versus the USSR—with the Iron Curtain in between them.
In 1952, the French demographer Alfred Sauvy coined the term “Third World” to refer to everyone else, the countries unaligned and uninvolved with either side of the Cold War division. With the naming of the Third World, it followed that the Cold War blocs should get numbered, too. The democratic, capitalist countries within the Western sphere of influence became the “First World." The communist-socialist states that were part of or allied with the USSR became the "Second World."
Later, the term "Fourth World" was coined to refer to ethnically or religiously defined populations living within or across national boundaries, nations without a sovereign state, and indigenous groups that are nomadic, uncontacted or living outside of global society.
THE WORLDS TODAY
At the end of the Cold War, the three worlds model (not to be confused with Mao Zedong’s differently structured Three Worlds Theory) took on more of an economic context, rather than a geopolitical one. The First World now usually refers to Western, industrialized states, while the Second World consists of the communist and former communist states. The Third World still encompasses “everybody else,” mostly in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and tends to be a catchall for “developing nations” that are poor, less technologically advanced, dependent on the “developed countries,” or have unstable governments, high rates of population growth, illiteracy and disease, a lack of a middle class, a lot of foreign debt, or some combination thereof.

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