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Real-life example: 60 hour+ work weeks and harnessing ambition

24/9/2018

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​Last week I came across a new post on LinkedIn that was starting to divide opinion, so I’m keen to share it with you along with some suggestions from Protagion and hear your thoughts. 

The author is an ambitious South African, who studied Actuarial Science and Financial Mathematics at the University of Pretoria, and is still new to the world of work. His short post was about on-the job experience:
Food for thought: working 60 hours per week gives you 50% more work experience in the same amount of time than a peer working 40 hours per week in the same position.” 
TRISTAN ROODT
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Original post, including others' comments :
​https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6448825498461052928
While mathematically true, Tristan’s post spurred a strong reaction from some of his connections, with some arguing:
  • How sustainable are 60 hour weeks i.e. the risk of burnout
  • Missing out on life outside work
  • Efficiency at work i.e. how much of the time spent at work is actually spent on working effectively? Productivity is more important than hours
  • Actuarial students should focus instead on completing their exams as soon as possible i.e. use the extra time to study

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Achieving Ambitious Goals Through Marginal Improvement in Decisions

16/9/2018

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​In this post, we share a TEDx talk by a man who describes himself as “a guy who possesses no special gift of talent or skill”, yet he has successfully applied a system of decision-making to achieving amazing things in his life, across very different areas. In the video, Stephen Duneier covers an eclectic mix of his achievements, including: career success (in the investment management field), learning a new language, completing a half-marathon (the Pier to Peak), flying a helicopter, yarnbombing, and becoming a Guinness World Record holder. The video is roughly 18 minutes long.
What stands between us and achieving even our most ambitious dreams has far less to do with possessing some magical skill or talent, and far more to do with how we approach problems and make decisions to solve them”
His approach can be paraphrased as follows:
  • break down a goal into its smallest elements
  • make little changes to your routine to move towards your goal (in small steps)
  • remove distractions, and repeat the small steps, making good tiny decisions via marginal adjustments
  • via repetition, habits develop that are aligned with your goal
  • upon reaching your goal, keep going with “bigger, more ambitious projects that require more… skills” 

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Routes to the Top - Insurtech

6/9/2018

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In our third instalment of our Routes to the Top series for "The Actuary" magazine, more senior executives share the paths their careers have taken, and offer advice to progress in our own professional lives.
This article was published in the September 2018 edition of "The Actuary":
http://www.theactuary.com/features/2018/09/september-routes-to-the-top/
​This month, we conclude our set of ten vignettes with insights from some general insurance, insurtech and startup actuarial leaders, building on our August article which showcased the experiences of three life and health leaders across insurance and reinsurance. May their pioneering stories inspire you to consider what you want from your own career in future, including reflecting on your personal strengths and achievements, and defining areas where ongoing learning could help you to develop further.
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  • Proteges
    • Now What?
    • Career Support Guide
    • Career Goals >
      • Promotion / Raise
      • New Skills
      • Further Qualifications
      • Moving Countries
      • Switching: Consult/Contract/Startup
      • Transition: Specialism/Profession
      • Managing a Business
      • Portfolio Career
      • Purpose & Meaning
      • CPD
      • (Conference 1-5 Mar '21)
    • Example Professions >
      • Accounting
      • Actuarial
      • Asset & Investment Management
      • Risk Management
      • And more... >
        • Talent Management for Professionals
    • Our Services
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  • Mentors
    • Encore Mentor
    • Featured Subset >
      • Anne - Australia
      • Boniswa - S Africa
      • Bradley - UK
      • Hafsa - S Africa
      • Lee - Hong Kong
      • Lusani - S Africa
      • Margaret - S Africa
      • Michael - S Africa
      • Natasha - UK
      • Nikki - UK
      • Sumit - India
      • Trevor - UK
      • And More on our Protege Platform...
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