You’re launching a new product or service. Is your homework done? Have you studied the market, talked to potential customers and assessed their needs?
Our advice is never to do things by halves. Before you get around to selling your product, make sure you do some market research.
Market Research is a systematic collection and analysis of data about a particular market, competition and environment. There are two main types of market research; one is Primary Research and the other is Secondary Research.
Let’s discuss each of these.
1. Primary Research: If you want to know the ground reality, then primary research is the key. This process involves designing a research plan, collecting data or information first hand and analyzing results. This method is often a very expensive affair as it involves a great deal of work and is time consuming. The upside is that since the data is straight from the horse’s mouth, it’ll probably present a reasonably accurate picture.
Primary research is further classified into quantitative and qualitative types.
a) Quantitative Research: This type of research involves evaluation of the information by using statistical techniques. Results from a small sample may be used to determine characteristics of large groups. For example, a survey of a certain number of bank account holders to find out what they think of internet banking might provide insight that can be generalized across a wider audience.
Quantitative research comes in many forms and the following are the most popular.
¨ Surveys: This method captures information for you by way of responses to a research tool, such as a questionnaire. The main methods for conducting surveys are mail, phone, online or in person. Online surveys in particular, are catching on due to the several advantages they offer.
Additional delivery options include wireless devices, such as PDAs and cell phones.
¨ Tracking: This helps to monitor the behavior of customers as they engage in regular purchase or information gathering activities. A word of caution! Some customers may see tracking devices as intrusive and have raised concerns about these methods especially if not disclosed to them.
¨ Experiments: You can also undertake experiments to gage how certain changes affect customer behavior. Take the example of a store which has changed its location and the impact that has had on customer traffic.
b) Qualitative Research: Qualitative research provides an explanation of information without the assistance of statistics. This technique is useful while addressing “soft” and intangible issues where emotions play a larger role. Why do you favor a particular brand of soap? Do you buy a certain car purely based on price and technical considerations, or does your personality come into it? What does the new fragrance remind you of?
Some forms of qualitative research are discussed below.
¨ Individual Interviews: A face to face conversation with a customer will help you gather deeper insight. However, this is an expensive method and not all respondents are comfortable sharing details.
¨ Focus Groups: Here, a group of people are guided through a discussion by a facilitator. Members of the group are encouraged to respond freely and interact with each other. This type of method results in a greater depth of information.
¨ Observational Research: Observing customers as they perform activities can be a very useful research method, especially when they are seen in a natural setting.
2. Secondary Research: This is by far the most widely used line of attack in market research, where information is accessed from other sources (research reports, consulting firms, published articles and other online & offline sources). Compared to primary research, it is more cost effective and easy to access. On the other hand, the usefulness of this type of research may be limited due to several factors, such as outdated or poorly structured information.
Before you commission any market research, work out the key goals of the study.
About The Author Hi, I am Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. Over the years I have run many successful businesses & made many mistakes on the way. I have created http://www.aykya.com to help you benefit from all I've learned on my journey. Please visit us & download our special 'Freebie of the Month' as a thank you for your visit.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Diving Deep Into Market Research
Scuba Diving In The Great Barrier Reef - Australia
One of the world's most famous scuba diving dive sites is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Australia is the only living organic collective on earth visible from outer space. The other is a man made structure, The Great Wall of China.
This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.
The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.
One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.
Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook's ship "Endeavour". Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.
More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.
For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.
This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.
The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.
One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.
Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook's ship "Endeavour". Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.
More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.
For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.
About The Author Chris Chew has been scuba diving for more than thirty years. Read more travelling articles at his websites at http://asiatravelbest.blogspot.com and http://www.asiatravelbest.com.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Enriched Air Diving
There are many misconceptions around enriched air diving. This dive article will provide some facts about enriched air, advantages and disadvantages of diving with enriched air, and equipment used for enriched air diving.
Air is a mixture of primarily two gases, approximately 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen. Nitrogen is the culprit in causing decompression sickness, more commonly know as the "bends". This fact will be important as we discuss enriched air advantages. Enriched air is the result of adding oxygen to air, raising the level of oxygen in the mixture to between 22% and 99%. However, for recreational purposes enriched air blends range from 22% to 40% oxygen. Nitrox is often referred to as "enriched air"; however there is a difference between the two. Nitrox refers to any nitrogen-oxygen mixture, while enriched air is air that has some oxygen added. Therefore by definition enriched air can only contain greater than 21% oxygen. The two most common blends are 32% oxygen (EANx32) and 36% (EANx36). The abbreviation EAN stands for Enriched Air Nitrox.
The primary advantage of enriched air is to extend the no stop limits beyond the normal no stop limits associated with air. Since enriched air has a lower level of nitrogen than air, you absorb less nitrogen while your body is able to metabolize the extra oxygen, assuming you are diving within recreational enriched air limits. This results in longer no decompression limits while diving on enriched air. The primary disadvantage of diving with enriched air is potential exposure to oxygen toxicity. Oxygen can be toxic based on depth and duration under water, and by increasing the level of oxygen in the gas you breathe, you are constrained by your depth and duration. This is why you must calculate both your no decompression limit due to nitrogen, and your oxygen exposure limit called partial pressure. For most non-repetitive dives under 100 feet, you will be limited by the amount of gas as opposed to either the no decompression limit or the partial pressure limits. Enriched air is particularly effective in enhancing the frequency and duration of repetitive dives, since nitrogen buildup is lessened.
Enriched air diving within the recreational limit of under 40% oxygen requires some special equipment, but for the most part you can use the equipment you purchased for diving air. The only new piece of equipment that you will definitely need is a tank. One reason for this is the special markings that must go on an enriched air tank; the other is that the tank must be cleaned and lubricated for oxygen exposure to facilitate partial pressure blending which involves adding pure oxygen to air. A common scuba community guideline is that regulators, BCDs, SPGs and alternate air sources may be used with enriched air blends up to 40% oxygen without modification. However, you should verify that the manufacturer of each piece of equipment has certified that equipment for use with enriched air. For gas mixes with more then 40% oxygen, special equipment is required. As with any scuba equipment, regular servicing is highly recommended, including O-rings and other critical components. During your enriched air training, you will learn how to properly fill and verify the blend of gas in your tank. The verification step is extremely important and must be done by you the diver; you shouldn't rely on anyone else to verify your gas blend.
Remember, you should never dive with enriched air unless you have been certified by a reputable certification organization. While the benefits of diving enriched air are significant, so are the risks.
About The Author
Air is a mixture of primarily two gases, approximately 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen. Nitrogen is the culprit in causing decompression sickness, more commonly know as the "bends". This fact will be important as we discuss enriched air advantages. Enriched air is the result of adding oxygen to air, raising the level of oxygen in the mixture to between 22% and 99%. However, for recreational purposes enriched air blends range from 22% to 40% oxygen. Nitrox is often referred to as "enriched air"; however there is a difference between the two. Nitrox refers to any nitrogen-oxygen mixture, while enriched air is air that has some oxygen added. Therefore by definition enriched air can only contain greater than 21% oxygen. The two most common blends are 32% oxygen (EANx32) and 36% (EANx36). The abbreviation EAN stands for Enriched Air Nitrox.
The primary advantage of enriched air is to extend the no stop limits beyond the normal no stop limits associated with air. Since enriched air has a lower level of nitrogen than air, you absorb less nitrogen while your body is able to metabolize the extra oxygen, assuming you are diving within recreational enriched air limits. This results in longer no decompression limits while diving on enriched air. The primary disadvantage of diving with enriched air is potential exposure to oxygen toxicity. Oxygen can be toxic based on depth and duration under water, and by increasing the level of oxygen in the gas you breathe, you are constrained by your depth and duration. This is why you must calculate both your no decompression limit due to nitrogen, and your oxygen exposure limit called partial pressure. For most non-repetitive dives under 100 feet, you will be limited by the amount of gas as opposed to either the no decompression limit or the partial pressure limits. Enriched air is particularly effective in enhancing the frequency and duration of repetitive dives, since nitrogen buildup is lessened.
Enriched air diving within the recreational limit of under 40% oxygen requires some special equipment, but for the most part you can use the equipment you purchased for diving air. The only new piece of equipment that you will definitely need is a tank. One reason for this is the special markings that must go on an enriched air tank; the other is that the tank must be cleaned and lubricated for oxygen exposure to facilitate partial pressure blending which involves adding pure oxygen to air. A common scuba community guideline is that regulators, BCDs, SPGs and alternate air sources may be used with enriched air blends up to 40% oxygen without modification. However, you should verify that the manufacturer of each piece of equipment has certified that equipment for use with enriched air. For gas mixes with more then 40% oxygen, special equipment is required. As with any scuba equipment, regular servicing is highly recommended, including O-rings and other critical components. During your enriched air training, you will learn how to properly fill and verify the blend of gas in your tank. The verification step is extremely important and must be done by you the diver; you shouldn't rely on anyone else to verify your gas blend.
Remember, you should never dive with enriched air unless you have been certified by a reputable certification organization. While the benefits of diving enriched air are significant, so are the risks.
About The Author
Rick Abbott is an avid diver, part time author, and consultant in the IT field. For more dive articles and tips, go to www.divervillage.com. Also, visit’s Rick’s diving blog at divervillage.blogspot.com.
Too Old to Learn Scuba Diving?
We are always told we should learn sports when we are young, when our bodies are more resilient to the bruises and bumps which can be afflicted on us when we learn a new sport. This is true to a certain extent.
Take for example, my experience learning wind surfing. I learnt the sport when I was 26. If I were to learn this sport now at age 42, chances are I would not go far and would probably give up after 1 or 2 tries. Learning wind surfing was like battling with all the forces at the same time! We're talking about trying to balance on choppy waves on a slippery wet board, at the same time maneuvering a sail which weighs more than you in the correct direction that you want to go.In the process, I contributed blood and flesh from cuts on barnacles and bruises from hitting the surf board more than once before falling into the waters.
But there is a huge difference with scuba diving. YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN SCUBA DIVING. I can never say this enough. I learnt scuba diving when I was 38. Now I'm not saying that 38 is a ripe old age but still, the body does feel somewhat less strong and less resilient. Added to that, as we get older, we also seem to have more fears. Perhaps we feel we have more to lose if something should happen to us.
I say middle age and beyond should never be a factor in learning scuba diving BUT you do need to have these:
- an intense love for the sea
- a willingness to learn from someone younger than you
- relatively good health
and last but very important ... time and money.
Now I'm assuming that you are thinking of learning scuba diving because you want to make this a sport that you can enjoy every other weekend if time and money permits and not just learning for education's sake.
An Intense Love For The Sea
To enjoy a scuba diving trip, you will have to love the sea and I mean really really love it with all its wonderful creatures large and small. You will know what I mean on your first ever scuba diving trip after you have cleared your Open Water tests.
It is unlikely that your scuba diving buddies on your first dive trip will be the same classmates in your scuba diving course. Because of time and money constraints, you will find that you may be the only one keen enough to join a scuba diving trip soon after your certification.
More often than not, your dive buddies will be a dive-crazy bunch who will do at least 4 dives a day plus another at night. This means that on a scuba diving trip, most times you will not do anything but dive, talk about the sea creatures and encounters of each dive, before suiting up for the next dive. For someone who only wants to do one dive a day and then go shopping, he/she may be disappointed as many great scuba diving spots have few of these shopping and entertainment facilities.
In case you are already getting stressed just thinking about this, don't be. Every scuba diving newbie goes through this. Just have an attitude of a newbie, be humble and you will find that the seasoned divers are more than willing to share tips and may even help you to gear up before a dive.
A Willingness To Learn From Someone Younger Than You
Your scuba diving instructor is likely to be someone much younger than you. Some dive instructors have an attitude and are cocky so you may have to live with it for at least 3 weekends before you become certified - 1st weekend for classroom and theory, 2nd weekend for pool sessions and a 3rd weekend for the actual open water tests. Put aside your ego and just bear with it, it'll be worth it in the end.
Having said that, that's not to say that there are no good and kind scuba diving instructors around. I was fortunate to receive dive instruction from PC, a very kind and patient man, without whom my dive learning experience would not be as smooth and enjoyable.
Relatively Good Health
It's not necessary to be in peak fitness before you can take up scuba diving. However, you would need some strength to be able to walk with full scuba diving gear strapped on you. Once you enter the waters with all your gear, you are almost weightless. But it's the few steps you have to make to get into the boat or to cross the beach into the water that may be a challenge for a person who is not used to carrying heavy loads on them.
Having said that, some scuba diving resorts have fantastic dive staff who can help to overcome this by carrying the tanks and gear to the boat for you to suit up inside the boat. And of course if you are on a live-a-board (live, eat, dive, sleep, on board a boat throughout the dive trip), then this may not be relevant.
Time and Money. This is probably the 2 most deciding factors of whether someone continues to enjoy scuba diving after passing the Open Water tests. Getting certified through a scuba diving course is very fast, just 3 weekends basically. And not too expensive, probably about $300 to $400, including an out-of-the country dive trip for the open water tests. But unless you live near a scuba diving area, you are most likely going to have to travel a distance or even out of the country to do a good dive.
Now just think how much each trip is going to cost you and multiply that by how many times you would love to do scuba diving in a year. When you do the sums, it can be staggering. So you cut down the number of dives you want to do in a year, and then calculate and cut down some more.
In our scuba diving class, my husband and I were the only ones who continued to dive after the class was over. Even then, we did not manage to do the number of dives we would really have loved to do in a year. That's how it finally ends up that we are doing an average of 1 dive a year. This more or less ensures that we will always be diving as a "scuba diving newbie" (hence the blog's name). A scuba diver gets "rusty" when the interval is too long between each dive trip. Ideally, we should dive at least once each quarter.
I have not even gone on to calculate the other "investments" to personalise your gear such as your own BC (buoyancy control), your own octopus (breathing appartus) and your wet suit.
Having said all this, I still believe it's never too old to learn and enjoy scuba diving. Even with our limited dives since we were certified and diving as scuba diving newbies, we enjoy each and every one of our dive trips. Find the right people to dive with, find a fantastic dive spot that suits your preferences (whether macro, to check out small sea creatures, or see bigger fish) and nearby spa facilities to sooth your body aches after a dive - it's a wonderful combination that will almost always ensure a great scuba diving experience!
A scuba diving newbie can still enjoy happy diving!
Take for example, my experience learning wind surfing. I learnt the sport when I was 26. If I were to learn this sport now at age 42, chances are I would not go far and would probably give up after 1 or 2 tries. Learning wind surfing was like battling with all the forces at the same time! We're talking about trying to balance on choppy waves on a slippery wet board, at the same time maneuvering a sail which weighs more than you in the correct direction that you want to go.In the process, I contributed blood and flesh from cuts on barnacles and bruises from hitting the surf board more than once before falling into the waters.
But there is a huge difference with scuba diving. YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN SCUBA DIVING. I can never say this enough. I learnt scuba diving when I was 38. Now I'm not saying that 38 is a ripe old age but still, the body does feel somewhat less strong and less resilient. Added to that, as we get older, we also seem to have more fears. Perhaps we feel we have more to lose if something should happen to us.
I say middle age and beyond should never be a factor in learning scuba diving BUT you do need to have these:
- an intense love for the sea
- a willingness to learn from someone younger than you
- relatively good health
and last but very important ... time and money.
Now I'm assuming that you are thinking of learning scuba diving because you want to make this a sport that you can enjoy every other weekend if time and money permits and not just learning for education's sake.
An Intense Love For The Sea
To enjoy a scuba diving trip, you will have to love the sea and I mean really really love it with all its wonderful creatures large and small. You will know what I mean on your first ever scuba diving trip after you have cleared your Open Water tests.
It is unlikely that your scuba diving buddies on your first dive trip will be the same classmates in your scuba diving course. Because of time and money constraints, you will find that you may be the only one keen enough to join a scuba diving trip soon after your certification.
More often than not, your dive buddies will be a dive-crazy bunch who will do at least 4 dives a day plus another at night. This means that on a scuba diving trip, most times you will not do anything but dive, talk about the sea creatures and encounters of each dive, before suiting up for the next dive. For someone who only wants to do one dive a day and then go shopping, he/she may be disappointed as many great scuba diving spots have few of these shopping and entertainment facilities.
In case you are already getting stressed just thinking about this, don't be. Every scuba diving newbie goes through this. Just have an attitude of a newbie, be humble and you will find that the seasoned divers are more than willing to share tips and may even help you to gear up before a dive.
A Willingness To Learn From Someone Younger Than You
Your scuba diving instructor is likely to be someone much younger than you. Some dive instructors have an attitude and are cocky so you may have to live with it for at least 3 weekends before you become certified - 1st weekend for classroom and theory, 2nd weekend for pool sessions and a 3rd weekend for the actual open water tests. Put aside your ego and just bear with it, it'll be worth it in the end.
Having said that, that's not to say that there are no good and kind scuba diving instructors around. I was fortunate to receive dive instruction from PC, a very kind and patient man, without whom my dive learning experience would not be as smooth and enjoyable.
Relatively Good Health
It's not necessary to be in peak fitness before you can take up scuba diving. However, you would need some strength to be able to walk with full scuba diving gear strapped on you. Once you enter the waters with all your gear, you are almost weightless. But it's the few steps you have to make to get into the boat or to cross the beach into the water that may be a challenge for a person who is not used to carrying heavy loads on them.
Having said that, some scuba diving resorts have fantastic dive staff who can help to overcome this by carrying the tanks and gear to the boat for you to suit up inside the boat. And of course if you are on a live-a-board (live, eat, dive, sleep, on board a boat throughout the dive trip), then this may not be relevant.
Time and Money. This is probably the 2 most deciding factors of whether someone continues to enjoy scuba diving after passing the Open Water tests. Getting certified through a scuba diving course is very fast, just 3 weekends basically. And not too expensive, probably about $300 to $400, including an out-of-the country dive trip for the open water tests. But unless you live near a scuba diving area, you are most likely going to have to travel a distance or even out of the country to do a good dive.
Now just think how much each trip is going to cost you and multiply that by how many times you would love to do scuba diving in a year. When you do the sums, it can be staggering. So you cut down the number of dives you want to do in a year, and then calculate and cut down some more.
In our scuba diving class, my husband and I were the only ones who continued to dive after the class was over. Even then, we did not manage to do the number of dives we would really have loved to do in a year. That's how it finally ends up that we are doing an average of 1 dive a year. This more or less ensures that we will always be diving as a "scuba diving newbie" (hence the blog's name). A scuba diver gets "rusty" when the interval is too long between each dive trip. Ideally, we should dive at least once each quarter.
I have not even gone on to calculate the other "investments" to personalise your gear such as your own BC (buoyancy control), your own octopus (breathing appartus) and your wet suit.
Having said all this, I still believe it's never too old to learn and enjoy scuba diving. Even with our limited dives since we were certified and diving as scuba diving newbies, we enjoy each and every one of our dive trips. Find the right people to dive with, find a fantastic dive spot that suits your preferences (whether macro, to check out small sea creatures, or see bigger fish) and nearby spa facilities to sooth your body aches after a dive - it's a wonderful combination that will almost always ensure a great scuba diving experience!
A scuba diving newbie can still enjoy happy diving!
About The Author
Rona Limsy loves scuba diving and has dived in the waters around Indonesia, Malaysia and Maldives. She shares her dive stories so that more people, especially people who are thinking about taking up scuba diving but are apprehensive about it, can find out more about what to expect. Read more on www.scubadivingnewbie.blogspot.comSelf Enlightenment While Diving in Fiji
We all understand the significance of agility to grow a successful business. But how agile are we really and how can agility in our personal life help us grow in our business life?
A near-drowning experience when I was a child left me wary of swimming and totally unwilling to go deeper than snorkeling along the water's surface on a trip to Fiji.
Before Tom and I went to Fiji, he had already been scuba diving many times during the preceding five years. I'd heard his fun stories, but I knew he still occasionally experienced anxiety due to a long-ago diving incident. Tom, the daredevil, with all his diving experience, having anxiety? That made it even harder for me to decide to go for it. The only way I would venture out on the dive boat was with the promise to myself that I could choose not to go into the water.
Upon arrival at the reef, the first thing the dive master talked about was sharks. "This is their world. They're in control. Don't approach or move toward them. Respect them. Respect their space." Actually, sharks didn't scare me at all. I was too afraid of the water to worry about sharks. First I had to get into the water. Then I'd think about sharks.
Several years earlier on Maui I had tried to learn to dive. On that first attempt Tom, my 14-year-old nephew Matt and I started our lessons in the pool. As soon as the water closed over my face mask and I struggled with the weight of the tank and BCD vest that threatened to drown me, I climbed out of the pool and didn't look back. Within the safety of the shore, I enjoyed a massage instead. While they took to the ocean like fish, exploring coral reefs, shipwrecks and the limitless variety of sea life, I clung to my beach chair with my self-help book.
On later vacations Tom and I worked out a compromise. He would dive, then return to snorkel with me. Although not much of a swimmer, I was a great flailer. I snorkeled in the shallows, where I could stand up when I tired from flailing or needed to adjust my mask. Yoga practice had prepared me for proper breathing and body control, and over time my confidence grew. So did the quality of my flailing. To this day my nephew calls me shark bait.
Back to Fiji: I watched a young girl with a mental disability go out doggedly every day learning to dive, while I stayed safely on the surface, afraid to leave my shallow comfort zone for the deeper unknown. I wondered who had the greater disability, she or I. Hers was real, mine only imagined. Who was more agile?
Every afternoon, Tom regaled me with stories of turtles, lionfish, hammerhead sharks and the vibrant coral he saw on his dives while I continued flailing about in the shallows. But each day I snorkeled into deeper and deeper water until finally, on day four of my vacation, I built up the confidence to approach the edge of a 300-foot wall. Looking into its depths I was suddenly no longer content to observe from the surface. My curiosity engaged, I longed to dive deep and envelope myself in the dark wonders below. I resolved to try diving again.
My first dive was in a shallow bay. I clung to the bottom, pulling up sand and sea grass at 15 feet down. Easy. Being close to the bottom gave me security and perspective, and the small success encouraged me to go for more.
On the second dive I dove longer and deeper to 25 feet. On my third dive, we boated to a sandy ledge that led to the 300-foot wall I was ready to explore. The boat rocked on five-foot swells. Tom and the dive master rolled off the side of the boat backwards – the standard diver's show-off entry. When the dive master instructed me to do the same, I said, "No way!" and headed down the narrow stepladder designed for deck shoes, not fins. No easy feat. Tom said it was typical of me to take the hard way down. Stepping from the ladder, I slid beneath the surface.
After the initial roller coaster ride associated with equalizing my ears and my anxiety, we swam along the shallow bottom to the precipice and slowly dropped into the 300-foot abyss. Surprisingly, the stability and quiet of being underwater was a wonderful respite from the swells that bounced the boat on the surface. Anyway, it does no good to scream underwater.
I was grateful that my beginner's depth was limited to 45 feet, but swimming along the side of the wall I was still clearly in another world, with nothing under my fins but darkness.
Soon I was keenly observing the sea life; coral heads, bulbs, fans and thousands of fish, all sizes and temperaments, from the diminutive clown fish bravely defending his anemone home, to the shy 35-pound sweetlips, who disappeared into his coral cavern at the first sight of us. My dive master floated serenely behind me, arms crossed, conserving breath and energy. Only his fins were moving, even when the menacing 10-foot reef sharks swam past us.
As my breathing became more relaxed and quiet, I began to hear the sounds of the sea life. Midway, Tom joined me, held my hand in celebration, and I lost all sense of time, depth – and my childhood fear. While I'll never be a fish in the water, I was now enjoying their world. Even more, I was enjoying my newfound agility.
Challenge a Fixed Viewpoint
Where would I be if I hadn't challenged my fear of water? Probably where I am now, but with less confidence. I believe the happiest people are those who are always growing and stretching. The only way to grow is to question, challenge, probe for new answers and be agile enough to try new things.
In a career, you grow or you die professionally. Most of us are willing to stretch when it comes to our careers. It's expected. You strive for a bigger paycheck, a bigger promotion, more influence or more power. Why don't we do the same in our personal lives? One always affects the other.
In life, as in your career, when you neglect growth, the passion inside you cools. Plan not only for a bigger house or an updated vehicle, but for inner growth. Try to reinvent yourself on a regular basis. You don't want to wake up five years from now and greet the same person in the mirror. You want to see a woman who has transcended her former boundaries. Refusing to grow and stretch keeps you locked in a box of your own making, just as not taking that dive might have kept me out of the deep underwater world for the rest of my life. We set up our own failure when we believe those insidious mantras, "I can't…I don't…I wasn't trained for that."
A woman in one of our seminars who was struggling with the fast-paced training became upset because she couldn't record the program. I offered to let her leave the seminar that day and take with her the DVD program to study at home at her own pace.
She refused the offer. Instead, she sat on the front row the entire six days talking to herself, escalating her frustration and not listening to a word of the seminar. At the end of the program, she was one of only a few women who failed the certification examination. Ninety-five percent of the class passed. She had sabotaged herself by self-talk. Perceiving her condition to be less than perfect, she created, then reinforced, those perceived conditions. Even if the class seemed overwhelming, she could have dramatically improved her experience by challenging her fixed viewpoint.
That's not to say we should shut our eyes to problems. Agility comes in recognizing what's not working and fixing it. But there's a difference between complaining or stirring up unrest and pointing out a situation that needs to be changed. When employees come to me with a complaint, I say, "Don't criticize – strategize and offer an alternative." I don't expect the perfect solution, but I do expect a suggestion.
I didn't always own a sizeable company. I grew up selling Avon, working at Burger King and then working as a nurse. Owning a growing company constantly challenges my viewpoints and has taught me this attitude: "Wherever you are, make the most of it by questioning, probing and challenging fixed viewpoints." Add a sense of wonder and curiosity. The more you open up to the amazing world around you, the more agility you will have.
I could easily have enjoyed Fiji without flexing my agility beyond snorkeling, but after I challenged my viewpoint, Fiji became an unforgettable, life-changing experience. Inside every woman is the agility to be anything she wants to be and to do everything her passionate vision demands.
About The Author
A near-drowning experience when I was a child left me wary of swimming and totally unwilling to go deeper than snorkeling along the water's surface on a trip to Fiji.
Before Tom and I went to Fiji, he had already been scuba diving many times during the preceding five years. I'd heard his fun stories, but I knew he still occasionally experienced anxiety due to a long-ago diving incident. Tom, the daredevil, with all his diving experience, having anxiety? That made it even harder for me to decide to go for it. The only way I would venture out on the dive boat was with the promise to myself that I could choose not to go into the water.
Upon arrival at the reef, the first thing the dive master talked about was sharks. "This is their world. They're in control. Don't approach or move toward them. Respect them. Respect their space." Actually, sharks didn't scare me at all. I was too afraid of the water to worry about sharks. First I had to get into the water. Then I'd think about sharks.
Several years earlier on Maui I had tried to learn to dive. On that first attempt Tom, my 14-year-old nephew Matt and I started our lessons in the pool. As soon as the water closed over my face mask and I struggled with the weight of the tank and BCD vest that threatened to drown me, I climbed out of the pool and didn't look back. Within the safety of the shore, I enjoyed a massage instead. While they took to the ocean like fish, exploring coral reefs, shipwrecks and the limitless variety of sea life, I clung to my beach chair with my self-help book.
On later vacations Tom and I worked out a compromise. He would dive, then return to snorkel with me. Although not much of a swimmer, I was a great flailer. I snorkeled in the shallows, where I could stand up when I tired from flailing or needed to adjust my mask. Yoga practice had prepared me for proper breathing and body control, and over time my confidence grew. So did the quality of my flailing. To this day my nephew calls me shark bait.
Back to Fiji: I watched a young girl with a mental disability go out doggedly every day learning to dive, while I stayed safely on the surface, afraid to leave my shallow comfort zone for the deeper unknown. I wondered who had the greater disability, she or I. Hers was real, mine only imagined. Who was more agile?
Every afternoon, Tom regaled me with stories of turtles, lionfish, hammerhead sharks and the vibrant coral he saw on his dives while I continued flailing about in the shallows. But each day I snorkeled into deeper and deeper water until finally, on day four of my vacation, I built up the confidence to approach the edge of a 300-foot wall. Looking into its depths I was suddenly no longer content to observe from the surface. My curiosity engaged, I longed to dive deep and envelope myself in the dark wonders below. I resolved to try diving again.
My first dive was in a shallow bay. I clung to the bottom, pulling up sand and sea grass at 15 feet down. Easy. Being close to the bottom gave me security and perspective, and the small success encouraged me to go for more.
On the second dive I dove longer and deeper to 25 feet. On my third dive, we boated to a sandy ledge that led to the 300-foot wall I was ready to explore. The boat rocked on five-foot swells. Tom and the dive master rolled off the side of the boat backwards – the standard diver's show-off entry. When the dive master instructed me to do the same, I said, "No way!" and headed down the narrow stepladder designed for deck shoes, not fins. No easy feat. Tom said it was typical of me to take the hard way down. Stepping from the ladder, I slid beneath the surface.
After the initial roller coaster ride associated with equalizing my ears and my anxiety, we swam along the shallow bottom to the precipice and slowly dropped into the 300-foot abyss. Surprisingly, the stability and quiet of being underwater was a wonderful respite from the swells that bounced the boat on the surface. Anyway, it does no good to scream underwater.
I was grateful that my beginner's depth was limited to 45 feet, but swimming along the side of the wall I was still clearly in another world, with nothing under my fins but darkness.
Soon I was keenly observing the sea life; coral heads, bulbs, fans and thousands of fish, all sizes and temperaments, from the diminutive clown fish bravely defending his anemone home, to the shy 35-pound sweetlips, who disappeared into his coral cavern at the first sight of us. My dive master floated serenely behind me, arms crossed, conserving breath and energy. Only his fins were moving, even when the menacing 10-foot reef sharks swam past us.
As my breathing became more relaxed and quiet, I began to hear the sounds of the sea life. Midway, Tom joined me, held my hand in celebration, and I lost all sense of time, depth – and my childhood fear. While I'll never be a fish in the water, I was now enjoying their world. Even more, I was enjoying my newfound agility.
Challenge a Fixed Viewpoint
Where would I be if I hadn't challenged my fear of water? Probably where I am now, but with less confidence. I believe the happiest people are those who are always growing and stretching. The only way to grow is to question, challenge, probe for new answers and be agile enough to try new things.
In a career, you grow or you die professionally. Most of us are willing to stretch when it comes to our careers. It's expected. You strive for a bigger paycheck, a bigger promotion, more influence or more power. Why don't we do the same in our personal lives? One always affects the other.
In life, as in your career, when you neglect growth, the passion inside you cools. Plan not only for a bigger house or an updated vehicle, but for inner growth. Try to reinvent yourself on a regular basis. You don't want to wake up five years from now and greet the same person in the mirror. You want to see a woman who has transcended her former boundaries. Refusing to grow and stretch keeps you locked in a box of your own making, just as not taking that dive might have kept me out of the deep underwater world for the rest of my life. We set up our own failure when we believe those insidious mantras, "I can't…I don't…I wasn't trained for that."
A woman in one of our seminars who was struggling with the fast-paced training became upset because she couldn't record the program. I offered to let her leave the seminar that day and take with her the DVD program to study at home at her own pace.
She refused the offer. Instead, she sat on the front row the entire six days talking to herself, escalating her frustration and not listening to a word of the seminar. At the end of the program, she was one of only a few women who failed the certification examination. Ninety-five percent of the class passed. She had sabotaged herself by self-talk. Perceiving her condition to be less than perfect, she created, then reinforced, those perceived conditions. Even if the class seemed overwhelming, she could have dramatically improved her experience by challenging her fixed viewpoint.
That's not to say we should shut our eyes to problems. Agility comes in recognizing what's not working and fixing it. But there's a difference between complaining or stirring up unrest and pointing out a situation that needs to be changed. When employees come to me with a complaint, I say, "Don't criticize – strategize and offer an alternative." I don't expect the perfect solution, but I do expect a suggestion.
I didn't always own a sizeable company. I grew up selling Avon, working at Burger King and then working as a nurse. Owning a growing company constantly challenges my viewpoints and has taught me this attitude: "Wherever you are, make the most of it by questioning, probing and challenging fixed viewpoints." Add a sense of wonder and curiosity. The more you open up to the amazing world around you, the more agility you will have.
I could easily have enjoyed Fiji without flexing my agility beyond snorkeling, but after I challenged my viewpoint, Fiji became an unforgettable, life-changing experience. Inside every woman is the agility to be anything she wants to be and to do everything her passionate vision demands.
About The Author
Inc. Top 10 Entrepreneur Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of Vickie Milazzo Institute (www.LegalNurse.com). She is the author of Inside Every Woman: Using the 10 Strengths You Didn't Know You Had to Get the Career and Life You Want Now (www.InsideEveryWoman.com).
Scuba Diving In The Great Barrier Reef - Australia
One of the world's most famous scuba diving dive sites is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Australia is the only living organic collective on earth visible from outer space. The other is a man made structure, The Great Wall of China.
This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.
The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.
One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.
Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook's ship "Endeavour". Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.
More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.
For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.
This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.
The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.
One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.
Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook's ship "Endeavour". Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.
More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.
For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.
About The Author
Chris Chew has been scuba diving for more than thirty years. Read more travelling articles at his websites at asiatravelbest.blogspot.com and www.asiatravelbest.com.Rodrigues - A Relaxing Diving Destination
Despite its beauty, Rodrigues hasn't become a popular area due to its reduced size and lack of commercial exploitation. This way, this area maintains the same natural characteristics it had years ago and remains almost unchanged. Therefore, this place contains a wild beauty which divers could hardly find at other diving destinations.
Usually, many diving areas which receive an important amount of visitors do not maintain their natural characteristics due to this interaction. These areas often receive visitors who are willing to touch what they see and take something from the sea as a souvenir and this way they change the general structure which sometimes changes dramatically as time passes by and the sum of visitors produce their effect on the landscape.
One of the main attractions divers would find when visiting Rodrigues is its coral reef. Rodrigues' coral reef is extremely beautiful due to its almost untouched natural characteristics and the way in which corals have developed without human interference. Although there are other very interesting diving areas to explore, this reef is one of the main places which divers who go to Rodrigues should visit.
Rodrigues' weather varies depending on seasons. Year around, water temperature is of about 25 degrees, reaching the 30 degrees between October and January and 23 degrees in August. Divers who visit Rodrigues between October and January could enjoy not only the warmest water temperature of the year but also a great underwater visibility as well as quiet waters full of big size sea mammals such as, for example, whales of different types.
Those divers who visit Rodrigues during February could enjoy of very nice climate conditions but should be aware of the fact that this month is when the cyclones season starts and when the chances for one to happen are the biggest. Between March and May cyclones season ends and the windiest season begins. Between June and July divers could experience some strong winds although the decrease towards July as well as water temperature starts to rise. It is important for divers to know that during August Rodrigues' Diving Center is usually closed.
About The Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of www.divepilot.com. Please visit his website to discover the world of diving!
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