RESOLUTIONS ARE FAMOUS January 05 2017, 0 Comments

The ten most commonly broken new year’s resolutions are:

• Loose weight; get fit
• Stop smoking
• Learn something new
• Eat healthier; diet
• Get out of debt; save money
• Spend more time with family
• Be less stressed
• Travel to new places
• Volunteer
• Drink less (presumably alcohol)

 If this is the case, then looking around, we would expect to see many hard-working overweight smokers with a glass of grog, on their own hiding from the debt collectors! Sound familiar? 

While new year is a time for reflection and an opportunity to start your race anew, it means checking what you really want to achieve and what exactly it would look like once you have achieved it. A new activity instead of a new outcome may just be the problem with our famous resolutions that fail. We need an outcome, represented by something tangible. 

Imagine your resolution is engraved on a trophy. It describes in a few words what you had achieved and the date. The date is important. It is written in past tense so that you see it as an accomplishment. It is not a wish; it is a firm resolution. 

Imagine, also, that along the way to achieving your resolution you have been awarded a medal for each step of the way.  If you had resolved to travel to new places, the trophy might say “Arrived in Greece – 7 October 2017” (remember – past tense) and the medals would be steps along the way such as (1) “Map and Travel Evening with Family” – pretend it was a bronze medal. (2) The silver medal could be “Travel Agent Engaged” and (3), your gold medal for this achievement, “Tickets to Athens Bought.” By this stage, you are well on your way to achieving your resolution. 

I like to call this your medal plan, which you can adopt for any endeavor and is especially useful for those famous resolutions that are somehow stashed away for most of the year and brought out for an airing during the excitement of another new year. So, along with us all at Prestige Awards where you could buy medals to make you resolutions more tangible, we wish you well along the journey to achieving your dreams in 2017.

The New Year December 31 2016, 0 Comments

On the first day of the year, champagne flows, skies explode with coloured fireworks and people sing and dance.  The victory celebration has begun in hopeful anticipation of conquering another year.  We send wishes of health, peace and prosperity.  In Scotland you might hear the sound of a lone bagpiper, introducing Auld Lang Syne, a song based on the poem by Robert Burns.  Auld Lang Syne which is also sung at graduation ceremonies to graduates that that, too, is a time of saying good bye to the old in anticipation of the future after having received their awards and certificates.

New Year as we know it in South Africa is based on the Gregorian/Roman calendar unlike the Jewish or Chinese new years.  The Jewish new year is based on a much older calendar, calculated by the phases of the moon, like a silver pendulum keeping time, while the roman calendar is based on the sun.  This means that the Jewish new year, known as Rosh Hashana, is celebrated around September and October.  At that time it’s not the sound of bagpipes you may hear but that of the ram’s horn, known as the shofar.

Another well-know new year is that of the Chinese tradition.  It is also based on the moon and always falls somewhere within January and February. Wishes of prosperity are exchanged, having evolved from the wishes of a good year of farming when agriculture was dominant in China.  Chinese zodiac animals are used to name each year, with 2017 being the year of the rooster.  Many traditions such as exchanging red envelopes and wearing red clothes accompany the season of the old turning into the new in China.

Whichever new year you may be celebrating, it is a time to look forward to the journey ahead, while reflecting on the year just past. May it be peaceful and full of contentment, with each step a step of success towards that trophy and reward that you seek!

TO ALL THE WINNERS December 14 2016, 0 Comments

TO ALL THE WINNERS

So, your race is nearly over and the end of 2016 races towards us with blinding speed and ferocious certainty.  Ahead lies the line across your path that sighs “finish”.   You know that somewhere beyond that point, there will be a reward, something to say that you made it and can finally recuperate.  Is it the gold that dangles, calling you to finish strong even though you are all but spent?  Is it a silver trophy, raised and shining, shouting for you that you made it?  Or, perhaps it’s a beautiful bronze medal that says you are the best you can be so keep going so that you will wear me with pride?  Well done all participants, without whom there would be no race at all!

This post is dedicated to all the winners!  This includes you who started the year with great plans and as you watched them unfold, somehow, your race track was diverted and you had to start again.  It’s dedicated to you who were pipped at the post, yet ran with all your might, the best race of your life.  It is most certainly dedicated to you who felt that the year was running faster than usual and you were just a spectator this time. You are winners because you share the most important achievement – life, and running all the way.  Well done!

In a matter of a few blurred days, it will be New Year and so much of last year will be unwritten history.  It will be time to take aim and think about the future, 2017.  How will you run and what will be your goal – bronze, silver or gold?  Resolutions will abound; promises even more so.  What will be your plan?  Perhaps it is unfair to ask you the questions now but can I leave you with this:  What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?  Maybe it’s about trying something a little different and exciting so that 2017 does not feel too much like 2016.  Whatever, may you enjoy this time of goodwill and recreation with good friends and family, wherever you find yourself running, or jogging, or just strolling along your path of joy.

GOLD December 12 2016, 0 Comments

What is it about gold that lures one to look, to touch and to own it?  The attraction of this metal was no more obvious than in the year of 1886, when the discovery of gold on a farm in South Africa called Langlaagte lead to the invasion of more than 3000 prospectors along the newly discovered reef in current day Johannesburg.  These men were seeking the rewards of a substance that could neither be eaten to keep them fed, nor burned to keep them warm at night, nor swallowed to alleviate their thirst.  It was a reward of promise and hope that once this gold ore had been processed into an illustrious finished product, it would bring all those things needed for life and leisure.

The race for gold in South Africa did not begin with a starter’s gun but by a chance finding; a gift presented by a harsh earth.  It was a trophy of note, surrendered, not earned.  As we know, most trophies are not handed over without being earned.  The sports trophy, whether gold or silver is fought for, with sweat and blood. So, too, was the enduring race for gold on the reef.  Digging began and more gold was discovered. Plots were cordoned off and claims were laid.  The race intensified and their gain increased.

The gold was secured for it’s beauty and value.  However, it’s worth as a unique metal was not immediately realized.  As a soft, very dense metal, it is malleable.  It can be stretched and be pressed into sheets so thin it allows light to pass through or turned into wire only 20 micrometers thick.  It can be used to beautify anything from bodies to buildings and is useful in many fields of endeavor such as electronics to medicine.

It is said that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  When that rainbow is a racetrack, the gold is waiting for the victor in the form of a medal, a trophy or a certificate.  Gold shouts success and continues to be coveted as the ultimate symbol of achievement!

Old Nickel December 09 2016, 0 Comments

The Meaning of a Name December 08 2016, 0 Comments

How many times does one mention, write or sign their name in a life time? Where does your name appear the most?  Who knows your name?

The purpose of a name is to give you an identity. Some names have well-known meanings such as Peter, from the Greek – Petros – meaning ‘rock’.  A name may be chosen at birth because they represent the nature of the child or possibly the circumstances under which that child was born.  How about June or Joy?  Others may be chosen for aspirational reasons, as a wish for what the child could become, such as Hercules, Faith or Beauty. 

 As we go through life our names are our tags. We boast a name as our address on an envelope or on an item that we possess.  We display it on LinkedIn and Facebook, on office doors and possibly even in the form of a tattoo. As mobile people, we have business cards with our names on it, enabling us to convey who we are and what we do.

 What about forgetting names?  Ever heard it said, “I never forget a face but a name is impossible for me to remember.”  What is a face without a name?  Accordingly, another very useful aid is to wear a name badge.  The name badge is worn like a brooch and can be designed with style, too.  Technology allows us to print name badges in full colour and fine detail, on a number of different materials such as vinyl, aluminium or brass, custom shaped for every customer.  This means that your name badge can be more than your name.  It can be your brand, your designation, your style.  It is a useful introduction as it speaks on your behalf to those around, helping to initiate discussion in your work and social environment, and preventing that awkward moment for your clients when they forget your name!

Have a look for a few different options here.

The End of a Glorious Year December 05 2016, 0 Comments

Someone once remarked that a race is never worth running unless there are those along the track that clap and cheer. Approaching the end of the school year sometimes makes one feel as if they were both cheering and running at the same time.  It feels like a significant achievement to see the arrival of December.  Whether it is athletics, rugby, academic or cultural activities, everything suddenly goes quiet as we cross the finish line.  For each teacher, it is the prospect of a well-earned break.  For the learners, it is a time of anticipation of success as they wrap up their academic year with final exams, celebrate and look forward to their certificates and reports.  It is true that for some, learning did not come easily and thinking was not always crystal clear.  These folk may not all share in the honour of rewards this year but if they clapped along the way for those who won the hard race, they have the opportunity to start over and aim for next year’s rewards!  They also deserve a special medal.

Certificates November 30 2016, 0 Comments

A certificate is part of everyone’s life - from birth to death.  Preschool, too, may result in a number of certificates, framed for the occasion, followed by all the certificates through our careers that allow us to pass from one level of achievement to the next.  During this season, many learners will be waiting for their certificates of success, which may become the key to the door of the future. 

What is it about a piece of paper that means so much and can open so many doors to success for you?  Of course, it is neither the paper nor the signature, nor the seal or the frame.  It is the fact that it has your name or it!  It speaks of your achievement and the hours of effort and practice that you have spent.  It speaks of having finished the race; not giving up.  It speaks of success and achievement, pride and joy. 

For a moment, imagine that half way through a tough, academic course, you hear that you will receive your marks but there will be no certificate issued. There will be no record to display and no tangible mark of your success but rather just a list of numbers informing you of your achievement, somewhere in the cyber zone.  A goal has disappeared and the game has changed – the immediate accolade is gone.  Your name is missing and you have become a number.   NOW, bring back the certificate, in a smart presentation frame.  Your name appears in bold.  The school or university is as a banner at the top and at the bottom, a signature confirming that “you did it!”.  It’s yours forever and represents your finish flag.  One race is over; the next, about to begin and what's more, no one can take your knowledge away from you.  The certificate stands as a  trophy  of indelible success - yours to keep.

The Psychology of Rewards November 28 2016, 0 Comments

With Black Friday a memory, except for all the bargains that you rewarded yourself with, you may be left wondering why you got up at 6am, stood in a queue with strangers and then made an uncharacteristic dash, like a finely-tuned athlete, to secure your special bargain.  How long had you been waiting for this great ‘win’ of the year or was it a rather impulsive decision made as you looked over the tome of newspaper advertisements while trying to cope with all the emails! 

It is estimated that more than 50%  of all store purchases are made on impulse. Before dismissing this claim consider how often you may race into a store to buy an item and walk out with a large basket of goods that you ‘need’!  Impulse purchasing is a problem for retailers in one way because these are not necessarily loyal customers.  To help turn impulse into loyalty, we have seen a flurry of programmes designed to capture your attention and change your habit.  Every time you enter a shop to buy a few things, you are asked for you card, which makes us all feel like winners as we hand over our cash because we have been rewarded with beans or points.  But wait, do you hand over cash?  No, often not!  Cash has no reward other than to make your purse lighter.  Rather, we display a Gold credit card (because we are special) and as the transaction is concluded, there it is: another reward for your good behavior.  You earned it! 

The next time you go shopping, think about who has your interest at heart; who knows your habits and is able to call you by name? “Thank you James for your recent purchase.  You have earned 20 beans to spend on your next purchase”.  

Turning to the world of sport, imagine a race track with no clear finish line or a soccer pitch with no goals. What about a golf course with no holes on the greens or a pool table with no pockets.  In all these cases, the reward has been removed and, in so doing, the purpose of the games destroyed.  What point is left in competing, even against yourself?  The goal, the measure, the reward has disappeared and the meaning is lost.  In sport, it is this reward that gives purpose and keeps sportsmen breaking records.  So, when you feel like giving up, think of the reward and the purpose.  Black Friday comes once a year; rewards, every day!

My Medal! November 28 2016, 0 Comments

In a few days you may need a medal just for reaching the end of November in one piece. If no one wants to reward you with your well-earned gift, you can select the award of your choice by visiting www.prestigeawards.co.za and still be in time be in time to wear it with pride in December!   (Have a peek at the gifts!)

The year flies by so quickly, especially when you are managing a career, a home maybe while attending school meetings, helping your children earn that certificate that says ‘Well done!’, time for s break.  Take a moment to imagine what you would engrave on your medal this year. What would you like to recognize as your achievements?  How about “I made it!” – make that a Bronze. Or, “Rising Star” – that could be Silver.  What about the Gold category?   We’ll leave that up to you but when you have decided, we’d love to hear from you.   Keep up the good work - 2017 is just around the corner - but with an awful lot inbetween.

The Red Ribbon November 27 2016, 0 Comments

In 1991, twelve artists got together to discuss a project that would get people talking about HIV and AIDS. Their purpose was to bring about awareness about this silent disease tat was much wider spread than just the gay community.  This was ten years after the emergence of HIV as a dangerous and stigmatized syndrome, affecting millions who were suffering behind closed doors. 

Inspired by the yellow ribbons tied on trees to support the US military who were fighting in the Gulf War, the group chose to design the bold, red ribbon that is worn today, symbolising a passion and a heart of love. The shape was easy for anyone to make and wear.  Within weeks of the red ribbon appearing, world-famous actors started wearing it at high-profile award ceremonies such as the Oscars and it was a short step from there until it was universally recognized as the symbol of sympathy and support of those living with AIDS.

You can join the high society and the humble by wearing your red ribbon now.   Why not get your ceramic ribbons and lapel badges and show your support for greater awareness, this World AIDS day, the 1^st of December.

Of Wreaths, Cups and Shields November 26 2016, 0 Comments

Awards are presented in recognition of a job well done.  Unlike in the times of the original Olympic games, where wreaths were given to the winning athletes, today, recognition comes in many forms.  Awards will often symbolize the event with e.g. a soccer figurine or rugby boot and ball.  The name of the participant may appear on the trophy, too, applied through laser etching, scratch engraving or full colour UV printing.

Another popular choice of a symbol for an award is the shield.  These are usually made from a hard wood such as Teak, formed in the shape of a knight's protective shield and adorned with small silver, engraved plaques.  The idea of a shield may have developed from the times when armies captured bounty from fallen men and returned these spoils to their kings or emperors as evidence of victory.  The tradition of displaying our achievements continues today but happily, we have moved from the battle field to the sports field.

Is the medal gold? November 25 2016, 0 Comments

Any school learner will wear a medal with pride.  Medals are awarded for both academic achievement, for excellence in the gymnasium or winning on the sports field.  Traditionally, the gold medal was the most coveted award as it was both a sign of being the best at your discipline and it was also a valuable asset.

As a high value item, there was always the possibility that the heavy ‘gold’ medal was, in fact, not gold at all. It may have been replaced with a gold-plated, lead replica that had very little financial value, while the medal makers ran away with the gold.  Have you noticed the tradition of checking the medal by biting it to see if the gold is, in fact, gold?  Well, it would be more correct to say that they were checking to see if the medal was made from lead.  Lead is much softer than gold so if a tooth mark was noticed on the medal after biting it, they could be sure it was not gold.  This could have developed into another sort of competition!  Today, most medals are not manufactured from solid gold but the colours gold, silver and bronze remain to signify first, second and third place!