One piece of advice which was drummed into me a long time ago, is that we must just keep going. Regardless of the situation or whether we are feeling unmotivated, afraid or uncertain about the future, it is better to constantly keep moving than to stay idle. In hard times these words resonate deeply within me and the gutted feeling of past mistakes and failures remind me all too well of the times I gave up. I feared the unknown and was afraid of moving forward. It got me nowhere at the time but I learnt from those mistakes and moved on.

Most of the time we don’t even recognise what we are afraid of until it looks us straight in the eyes. Fear is a basic human emotion instilled in us from a young age. Conditioned by our parents, life as a kid is simple. We are brought up in an institutional environment and we’re molded by what society perceives as good and acceptable. Fear is pushed aside to make way for the responsibilities of adulthood. How do we separate basic levels of fear from the lingering fear that holds us back from pursuing our goals? What if you have no direction? Where does the creativity come from if inspiration is lacking? When people don’t know the answer, they use fear as an excuse but it is far better to move forward even in uncertain times than to be left behind in an idle state of weakness and complacency.

So what really constitutes complacency? Its insidious grasp is firm and is probably udetectable. You might be content with your current situation that you fail to see opportunities.Maybe you’ve reached a plateau and don’t want to do any more training or try anything new because you’re comfortable. It just “seems too hard”. Ask yourself, would you rather circle the bottom of a steep hill because it looks too challenging to climb? Or forego comfort to push yourself to the top? It is this analogy that I remind myself of when there are days I feel like I’m stuck in a rut, when I feel inadequate, not smart enough or just plain impatient with life. I turn to world leaders, to my idols and my mentors for inspiration.

One thing I really enjoy doing is reading stories about entrepreneurs and what makes them tick. They are not only big thinkers; they are big doers. I, myself, need a little direction at times to be propelled into action so the idea of being an entrepreneur is somewhat intimidating, but part of me wishes I had their level of tenacity. Especially when I read about women entrepreneurs. It pushes me to want to accomplish so much more on my own. What is the driving force behind their motivation, agility and energy? They all possess a forward-thinking mindset. If you take a look at the world’s leaders, put them in a room and ask them to spill the beans about their journey of life, they will most likely tell you that the difficult times they encountered were simply stepping stones to get to where they are today. They did not remain idle, stagnant or unwelcome to change. An open mind to change may lead to new relationships, better career paths and different life experiences.

It is with this type of “I can do anything” mentality that I am seeing more and more women on the rise in leadership roles. It inspires other women to stop and take notice. What’s even more interesting is that I’m also seeing women rising up in technology roles. How often do you see women engineers? Or women entrepreneurs? Or women as CEO’s or on the Board of Directors of large multi-national companies? I’m inspired by all types of leaders, but it takes great courage and strength of character for a woman to rise to the top. A fearless woman is a woman who believes in herself and she can persevere when the going gets tough.

Marissa Mayer, recently appointed CEO of Yahoo is like many driven career woman yet she stands out as a fearless newcomer, having earned a coveted role in a very large and well known organisation. Unlike her predecessors, Mayer is the youngest CEO at Yahoo and one of the youngest women CEO’s in the world. Even at Google, she was the first woman engineer to contribute to Google’s product creation and land leading roles as the company grew. Now Mayer is striving to prove to the world that her efforts will help boost Yahoo’s current lacklustre image in the face of its Goliath competitor, Google, and she is exemplary of a woman managing to exceed expectations and continue to break through that glass ceiling stigma. The catalyst for breaking through that ceiling in a world dominated by men, lies not just in a womans breadth of understanding and intelligence, but it lies in her attitude. The fearless women with the right attitude are the ones who make it to the top. At the young age of 37, Mayer is indeed in my opinion, fearless.

So here I am, at times feeling uninspired, unworthy and not good enough. I look at world’s leaders and inspirational women doing their part to encourage gender diversity in management and executive roles. I look at eccentric over achievers like Steve Jobs, powerful moguls like Gina Rinehart and humble philanthropists like Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey who are changing the world and it pushes me to want to do more. If I could achieve a tiny fraction of what they have done in their lifetimes, then I would be happy. But then I look at people closer to home; the people who are close to me, who inspire and motivate me every day… and one thought remains. It doesn’t matter what I do. What matters is that I refuse to let myself succumb to self-doubt. I refuse to stay idle. I am enamoured with all these inspiring leaders of the world and I aim to dedicate my future to moving forward, even in idle, uncertain times. Pushing boundaries and rising above the fear of the unknown is avoiding complacency… it’s avoiding stagnant behaviour… it’s refusing to conform… it’s refusing to be a wall flower….It’s creating new ways of thinking and welcoming new opportunities into your life…. for me, it’s about being fearless and that will be the key to my happiness.

Before you were glued to your computer screen, before you used your first mobile phone, humans used a variety of methods to communicate with each other. Just imagine if you were out in the wilderness with a group of your friends. Just you and nature. No phone, no internet, and not even a compass. Imagine you wanted everyone to come back to the camp site before dark so you decide to create smoke signals to let them find their way back. When all you have is nature, the means by which you communicate suddenly become very simple… very primitive.

Societal norms and cultural values evolve and become characterised with each period of technological revolution. Technology can greatly influence our lives and relationships. We are naturally predisposed to use our minds to think, speak and interact with each other, and as a species we have the capacity to use our minds to create all sorts of tools that enhance the way we communicate.

The digital age has accelerated communication and interaction on a world wide scale. The internet is like one enormous brain, with information being pumped through it every second… Billions of thoughts and ideas just circulating in a virtual world, a continuously buzzing mind filled with mass knowledge and mass consciousness.

We sit before our computers, laptops and ipads like worshipping pilgrims. We wait for an email, we chat to the person next to us via instant messaging programs, we fuss over our social profiles and we communicate to people on the other side of the world. Even typing has become an automatic reflex which we’ve taught our fingers to do. The staccato sounds of keys punching our very thoughts onto a screen in front of us and delivering them to “the other side” is what communication in a digital age has become.

Now if you cannot fathom the idea that there may not always be a human on “the other side”, but a computer programmed to gather information and generate automatic responses then you just need to simply strip back all the layers; of the internet, of social media and telecommunication devices to understand that communication today is merely a product of man-made manipulation.

Some scientists are even anticipating human computer chips will one day act as in-built communication devices. Imagine that… There are still people around the world that don’t really about care how technology has transformed the way we communicate, but a fundamental truth is that as technology grows, we also grow. Our behaviour is shaped and influenced by our environment and it is inevitable that future generations will be accustomed to a very digitally enhanced world.

There will always be people like myself that find this all very fascinating. I’ve become accustomed to today’s methods of communication and I welcome technology with open arms… After all I created this blog to communicate to my thoughts to the world, however random they may be.

But if you look at the way in which we communicate with each other today you will see the smoke signals have faded. The exciting and somewhat frightening realisation about technological evolution is that we are no longer communicating with nature, we are communicating with machines…

A colleague of mine recently stated, “Not a week goes by without someone launching some new payments initiative that combines technology with society’s want of “instant gratification.”” From a Gen-Y perspective, we are at the heart of a payments transformation era… I have an iPhone, therefore I am… On the other hand from a marketer’s perspective the payments industry can at times be as cumbersome as Sydney’s  outdated train system. The challenge is marketing payments innovation in an industry split between those that recognize and are boldly embracing change to those that are aware of change but remain comfortable in their established ways.

The world’s largest banks continue to hold steadfast in their need for secure, reliable and efficient payments systems but how is that all changing with increasing customer demand for real-time payment transactions and alternative channels to make payments? Business models are changing, old models are slowly breaking down, technology is improving and we are increasingly becoming a connected society. The concept of batch or offline payment system is foreign for most people my age- why should money leave my account and go into a ‘black hole’ only to appear days later at its destination?

There is greater customer advocacy now more than ever. Cards, mobile, internet banking and alternate payment methods are all bridging the gap in payments through accessibility and interoperability. The payments future is being driven by the need to integrate all of the above for a simpler payments experience for the customer.

My first phone was a Nokia 3210, back in the year 2000. Other than for calls, I used it to challenge my friends at the game Snake. I could also use it to call my bank to get my balance. I rarely did though as tedious voice-guided phone banking was not always a pleasant experience. Phone banking back then was never cool…

Fast forward to 2012, and we are spoilt for choice with the latest mobile devices that are now helping us to organize our lives using applications to cater for just about everything. Personally I cannot leave the house without my iPhone. Forget Snake, my iPhone is my lifeline. I can access all my banking services at the touch of button – well swipe of a screen – and it’s not just balances and simple account transfers either. You can pay bills, move your money in between different accounts and pay friends directly via social media such as Facebook. You can even make contactless payments on your mobile phone … And this, they say is just the beginning!

Last November, the company I work for was a sponsor at FST Media’s Future of Banking conference and I was fortunately able to sit in on a Commbank demonstration of their latest mobile phone app, Kaching. We all curiously watched David Lindberg showcase Kaching’s capabilities and whilst sitting among a row of some skeptical looking bankers, I thought to myself- Wow! This is something I could definitely see myself using.

What is great about mobile payment apps like Kaching? It’s all about connecting “traditional” bank services with mobile, NFC and social media. Impressive step forward for the Aussie payments market and easily understood by the masses that already use Facebook on their mobiles every day.

So where is the drawback? As stated recently by my CEO, “these applications are only as good as the backend payments infrastructure that supports them.” They require embedded technology and a supportive network to successfully facilitate real time payments. If more of Australia’s banks did move to next generation payments infrastructure then just imagine what payments apps like Kaching could do?

Perhaps Australia can take a cue from the UK. My colleagues have mentioned Barclay’s Pingit a number of times as an industry example of a real-time mobile money transfer service. Facilitated by UK’s Faster Payments Service, Pingit is revolutionary and somewhat of a marketing dream. It answers customer wants for instant access to cash, and more recently with the release of the latest version of Pingit, it answers the wants of corporate users wanting to transfer an uncapped value of cash instantly from one account to another. Real money in real time… bank account to bank account.

Now with all this talk on innovative payments, and all these events showcasing the latest in mobile and NFC technologies, everyone seems to be asking the same question, what of cash?… Are we becoming a cashless society? Many argue that we are…

Whilst cash can be considered the most liquid and real-time of monetary instruments; it can still be used anywhere, anytime – even on the moon! – But it doesn’t do a few really important things well. Firstly, it doesn’t travel well; it is physical thus constrained by the laws of physics. Next, it doesn’t store well; cash is realized value and on its own its value depreciates (thanks inflation). Finally, it needs constant maintenance. Cash needs complex and regulated banking systems to effectively manage it. Installing ATM’s so cash is readily available for people everywhere is an expensive investment. This is a problem, particularly in emerging markets where traditional banking isn’t practical in areas cut-off from basic financial services.

If taken as an indicator of the relevance of cash, developing countries are embracing mobile payments technology- some more than others… Why? One of the reasons is because many people in countries such as India don’t even have bank accounts! They represent a significant part of the “unbanked” world. Interestingly many of them have a mobile phone… Another interesting observation is that India has one of the fastest growing telecommunications industries in the world. Conventional payment methods are not seen as conventional in certain geographies so there is a logical connection between the “unbanked” mobile user and the ability to make payments using their phone.

So are we going to replace notes and coins with bits and bytes? Personally, I would say no. Just as there are drivers towards becoming cashless, there are inhibitors as well and simple scenarios will always exist where cash is the easiest and preferred payment method. Maybe this is just my generational view, just as it might have been for my parents who were raised on cheques and saw cards as a convenient new payment concept; I might just be seeing the same about mobile, NFC and social media payments.

Kaching and Pingit are paving the way for innovative new payment initiatives but the move to cashless is simply a matter of convenience. Like Sydney trains, having a nice carriage and user experience is all good but if service is disrupted due to creaky and old infrastructure, then that’s definitely not cool.

If only Australia could “Kach-up” with the rest of the world…

2. Don’t be a crazy clicking fool. Approach all unidentifiable links with caution. If you receive a suspicious looking link that you think might be a spam post, do NOT click on the link and ALWAYS change your password immediately if you do click on it by accident. If the link is shortened and you can’t see the URL clearly, then best to avoid clicking it until you have updated your security software on your computer. People unknowingly click on links which allows hackers to access your details, spam your contact list and make you feeling like a fool!

3. Regularly double check your privacy settings. The wonderful world of social networking is an ever changing one which means new preferences and privacy laws are constantly being updated to protect its users. You can’t always trust their systems and checking your settings once in a while gives you a little more peace knowing you have some control of your privacy.

4. Just because your friend did an online survey or quiz, doesn’t mean you have to. Minimise your activity with social apps requesting you to complete online quizzes and surveys that have absolutely no benefit for you. Not only are these applications time wasting but you are simply granting them to have access to your profile and information.

5. Discretion with important information is wise. If you really want everyone on facebook to know that it’s your birthday then hide the year you were born. Refrain from mentioning your birthday at all on more public social sites such as twitter and linkedin. This, along with other tidbits of important information is what thieves and hackers can use to potentially steal your identity. See my previous post, A facebook for every face.

6. Don’t be a vulnerable little damsel. There is no need to broadcast your activity on a daily basis in a public forum as hackers like to follow patterns and regular activity. Stick to one private social site which you can use only for your family and friends. Don’t “check –in” every time you go out and if you must tell everyone you’re overseas, only allow your close friends and family to see your check-in posts.

7. Think before you post. If you like having an online personality then think before you post. Swearing, derogatory words and bullying on social networking sites can get you into a lot of trouble if reported. If you must get something off your chest and tell all your friends, be wise with the words you choose to express your feelings.

8. Keep your system safe like your baby. As well as keeping a smart attitude about being safe on social networking sites, keep your system up to date with regular updates and good security software. If you don’t have updated security software then just be careful and always be cautious of potential threats that can harm your system. See point 2.

Sure I love Apple. As a brand it represents knowledge, hope, power and innovation. As a product it represents simplicity, quality and perfection. With its stylish design and fluid lines, I felt very welcomed walking in. The experience of the Apple store itself is meant to leave people wanting more. For Apple lovers it’s like visiting a toy store.

Well before my Apple iPhone, I came from humble beginnings. I used a Nokia, Samsung and Motorola before being introduced to one of the greatest revolutionary products the world has ever seen.  I’ve devoted many hours to backing, syncing, and restoring my iPhone, setting up iTunes, searching, downloading, organizing and scrolling through various applications while waiting in lunch lines and bus lines. I have made a loving and long-term transition to the iPhone and have remained reluctant to stray with other brands on the market… but one thing I haven’t yet done to round-out my Apple love, is to make the transition from Windows to Mac.

So I walked over the stark white tiles in the brightly lit store, narrowly missing the enthusiastic Apple employee greeting me as I quickly made my way over to check out the sleek Mac laptops. I was hoping to have a quick look then go on my way, but alas he walked over with his mega-watt smile and began his Mac spiel.

Now if you’ve ever watched Zoolander, you might remember the “Man vs Machine” scene where Derek and Hansel look curiously at an old iMac computer like primitive men discovering fire, having been told the files they need are “in” the computer. They then proceed to tip it over, shaking and bashing it in while making frustrated monkey-like noises. Well if you can picture this… that’s me with a Mac.

I can go a little crazy trying to use a Mac. Like many other Windows users, I feel like a clueless baboon trying to do the most basic of tasks. Where the hell is the print button?!… I am forced to search Google forums for easy to follow guides for Mac dummies. The sleek design, the fast and intuitive operating system, it’s all so exciting yet intimidating to the average Windows user, already set in our ways. So I just stood there listening as I was whizzed through a summary of the laptop variations, while I pictured Derek Zoolander hovering in the background, growling at this sophisticated piece of machinery.

So am I just one of many who are yet to make the transition from Windows to Mac? I am told over and over again how much simpler the Mac is compared with Windows. Yes it feels like you need a rocket science degree at first but then apparently it all comes naturally and you become accustomed to using it- just like riding a bike. Perhaps this expensive, sleek looking bike could be comparable to the rough and dirty three-wheeler that is Windows… mine has a tendency to crash and it can be an effort to maintain.

What other brands out there make us feel this way? Perhaps my views are biased but I don’t think there are many. Apple is in a class of its own. The Apple brand has widened the gap between itself and other brands by astronomical proportions. Humans have such an overwhelming desire to satiate our appetites for a little luxury. The bigger, the faster, the sleeker… the better!  Steve Jobs knew what people wanted and created this cult-like following of Apple worshippers all over the world.

I still face the idea of transitioning from a Windows to a Mac with trepidation and slight embarrassment for not yet welcoming the whole Apple family into my life. I could stay with my Windows 7 PC. After all, Microsoft is anticipating a release later this year of their latest Operating System upgrade, Windows 8. Supposedly us Windows users will experience a faster start up, fewer CPU processes, less memory lag and an overall better performance than previous Windows versions ever did… but of course Apple being the extraordinary brand that it is, has already kept its customers happy, having ticked all of the above boxes with its own recently released Operating System, Lion.

So standing there next to the Apple employee and his mega-watt smile, surrounded by all of the store’s brand new goodness, I was left contemplating my forthcoming predicament. (It’s such a first world problem isn’t it?) Do I go out and purchase the shiny new Mac hardware and sit there for hours in a mind-numbing game of learning how to use a completely different Operating System? Or do I soldier on with Windows, take a chance and pray that upgrading to Windows 8 later this year will be the cheaper, easier option that will hopefully leave me feeling more tech-savvy than Derek Zoolander?

Looking past the shiny laptops, something else caught my eye… The iPad! I  was gone in a flash. There I was… in this new Apple store, a non-religious-Apple-user-cum-iPhone-lover, standing there next to a 12 year old, both of us playing with the display iPads like little kids on the loose in Toys-R-Us. Oh how I forgot all about the laptops.

Perhaps I can ease my worries with an iPad first. Steve will be happy with that.

Now as oddly intrigued as I was to discover that some of my friends are creating two facebook profiles, the more I come think about it…  the more I think it isn’t such a bad idea.

It was only a few months ago that the whole debacle about employers checking job candidates Facebook profiles, came to public scrutiny by the whole world. Those employers weren’t so ashamed to admit it either. After all, who would want to hire the drunken lout making his weekend activities visible for all (prying) eyes to see?

Companies’ refusal to hire potential employees based on their Facebook profile seems ridiculous and invasive to most Aussies. Here in Australia, you’re probably considered un-Australian if there’s not a beer in your hand. It’s what we do well. We’re social people. But at the end of the day if you’re a free spirited wild child on the weekends and you give permission for a potential future employer to look at your real profile, then expect to see some disgruntled faces and a possible job rejection.

This is just one example of how the lines of Facebook privacy are blurred beyond our reach. We can convince ourselves that changing our profile settings to private will shield us from  unwarranted attention from thieves, hackers, ex-boyfriends, or from employers… but what is considered private these days?

Facebook executives recently announced changes to it’s privacy policy. They are allowing its users, nearly one billion I believe, to vote on the changes. They’ve informed us all of the Timeline changes and also how to remove our details from the insidious grasp of third party applications. Our information is used to determine what ads are displayed on our profiles. For the singles it might be dating site ads. For new mothers, it might be ads displaying local child-minding services.

Besides these Facebook ads, which people’s eyes glaze over anyway, the Timeline concept can be useful because you can see what you were doing 2 years ago when you got your first car, or when you took that memorable overseas trip. There’s no need to scroll through your posts, simply click on the year that you want to view. Unfortunately, timeline is also great for hackers wanting to know details and past events from your life. What year you were born. Where you like to shop. What your dog’s name is. What the name of your first school was. What your mother’s maiden name is….. sound familiar? Yes these are generally the pieces of information we use to identify ourselves to banks when asked to verify our bank security questions. Fraudsters use this information to access your accounts… the possibility of stealing your identity becomes very real.

And so my friends, are we really safe even having a Facebook account at all? Now don’t get scared and delete your profile. You can never really run away from Facebook *evil laugh*…. Once your details and your embarrassing photos are online, they will always be out there in cyber space, just floating around waiting to possibly be plucked from obscurity and into the hands of criminals or even worse- future employers.

There are two ways you can combat the foes, fraudsters and Facebook nazi’s….

1. Live a meaningful but private existence WITHOUT Facebook (smart and simple… but in social networking terms, it’s social suicide).
2. Live a meaningful but private existence WITH facebook. Just refrain from disclosing your personal details such as your exact date of birth. Refrain from posting questionable photos or activity on your profile.

Now if you are like my friend with two faces, and you really want to separate the private you from the real you, then you could create two facebook accounts. Do what you will to make them visible to whoever you will. Whatever you decide to do, you can put your best face forward but the cracks will always show if you’re not careful with what you post….complete privacy is but a mere privilege now.

Business

1. LinkedIn- Social app for business. Connecting you with millions of others in your industry.

2. Cardmunch- I spilt coffee on someone’s business card the other day… oops. This app lets you take a photo of a business card then converts the data to your contacts list. Fairly accurate too.

3. Dropbox- Save your files in dropbox and it sync’s with all your computers, iphones, ipads. You can access your files on your online account and even share your files with friends.

4. Evernote- Lets you organise your notes, create to-do lists, record voice reminders then sync with your computer. Very handy.

Social

5. Facebook- Got to keep connected with my friends and family.

6. Twitter- Great for links to articles, what’s going on in the world now and funny one liners.

7. Viber- I joined viber recently. It connects you to friends and family anywhere in the world for free. Great if you can’t get network coverage but you do have access to wi-fi.

8. Skype- One of the most secure and encrypted ways of having a conversation via instant message for free. Video Calls skype to skype is free while normal call rates are also cheaper.

Health

9. Heart Rate- Uses your iPhones camera to detect the pulse in your fingertip. Just put your fingertip against the flash lens. I monitor my heart rate regularly. So far so good!

10. Dreamtalk- Finally! An app that proves someone is snoring.. or it might even prove that you’re the snorer!

11. My Fitness Pal- Largest iPhone app food database with calorie information. Includes a tonne of exercise routines too.

12. Runkeeper- My running buddy got me onto this. Use it to work out your speed, map out your running route and reminds you how far you’ve gone.

13. Sleep Cycle- Monitors your sleep patterns. How many times do you toss and turn a night? This app let’s you know if you’re getting a good night’s sleep and wakes you up gently when you’re not in deep sleep mode.

Photography

14. Camera+- Why use the normal iPhone camera app when you can use camera+?

15. Instagram- This app was sold for 1 Billion dollars…. Wow. Make your photos look vintage then upload them and let people follow your photos.

16. Frametastic- Frame your photos.

Travel

17. Tripview- Australia only- Tells me when the next Sydney train is coming… or not coming.

18. Tripit- Plan your trip and keep all of your travel data together. No more searching for confirmation emails or itineraries!

19. Whereis- Australia only- voice guided navigation. With all the new little bars and restaurants popping up in Sydney, this has helped me find them.

20. Parkpatrol- Australia only- My boss got me onto this. Just check in your area and this app will remind you of when and where you’ve parked. You get a little warning signal to go and check on your car. Great for avoiding those nasty fines!

Games

21. Bejewelled Blitz- You’ve got to be fast! Extremely addictive…

22. Angry Birds- Angry little birds knocking buildings and blocks down. What’s not to like about that?

23. Where’s Wally- You could be searching for a while…

Music/ Entertainment

24. Shazam- Who sings that song?… Shazam it! Also connects you to itunes if you want to buy it.

25. SoundHound- Same as shazam but recognizes songs even if you’re in a noisy bar.

26. Spotify- Connects you to millions of songs. Just login to facebook to listen to your favourite tracks and share your love of music with your friends.

27. IMDb- Huge database of movies, quotes, actors and more

Miscellaneous

28. Inspire- I’m one of those people that are addicted to “a quote a day”. You get access to thousands of inspiring quotes from Einstein, Aristotle, Churchill, Roosevelt… you name it.

29. 20 Minute Meals- Jamie Oliver delivers his best easy and fast meals. Great for when you need ideas

30. Aussie Slang- And lastly, here you’ll find a funny collection of our wacky Aussie slang and sayings

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