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You know what’s really under-rated in a career – and it goes for journalists, CEOs, bankers, traders, musicians, athletes, or plumbers? The old codgers still have it: U2 360 Tour, Anaheim, 17 June 2011 (Photo credit: InSapphoWeTrust) Staying power. There are certain people in any profession who seem to rise to astronomical prominence like a supernova. They are the talk of the town for the moment. And then, as quickly as they arrived, they seem to disappear. There are others who are fixtures. They’re always there churning out great work; year after year, decade after decade. They have an uncanny ability to persist and continue making great contributions to their field, even as other generations of colleagues rise and fall like waves on a beach. I think back to the people in my industry I remember 12 years ago when I was starting out at a software company doing early Siri-type voice applications. A lot of the CEOs who seemed destined for greatness are doing nothing today....

"The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can't are both right." Henry Ford, an American industrialist and the founder of the Ford Motor Company, was accurate in this assessment. In fact, the way you think, how you use your mind to consider or reason about something, will impact every single thing in your life -- including business. One of the largest hurdles that most entrepreneurs have to overcome starts within the mind. Eliminating unproductive thinking and "self-doubt hurdles" in business starts with personal development. Simple activities can improve your awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, and build up your human capital. And an essential area of personal development is focused on how we "think." What's Eating Away Your Profit and Potential? "The average number of thoughts that humans are believed to experience each day is   70,000 ." Our mind can be likened to an orchestra director -- condu...

A robot for artisans who "hate computers", a leg cast that speeds up healing and a home water meter that can be installed without any plumbing experience are among the innovations created by student designers hoping to become the next Sir James Dyson. Alex Du Preez is one of eight students at London's Royal College of Art who won a share of £30,000 to support their designs. His "Hand Made by Machines" project allows craft workers to benefit from manufacturing automation without using software or a computer interface.   Photo: Jane Mingay These inventions are the result of students from across the UK being supported with £60,000 worth of bursaries from the James Dyson Foundation, the vacuum cleaner entrepreneur's scheme to support the next generation of designers and engineers. Alex Du Preez is one of eight students at London's Royal College of Art who won a share of £30,000 to support their designs. His "Hand Made by Machines...

 Editor’s note:  Derek Andersen  is the founder of  Startup Grind , a 12-city event series  growing around the world  to help educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. He’s also ex-Electronic Arts, the founder of Commonred and Vaporware Labs. A recent email from an entrepreneur and complete stranger read: “We need to raise money. Who can you introduce us to?” I quickly encouraged him to submit his startup to  AngelList  but a few days later he returned with, “I messaged the AngelList founder and he didn’t respond. Can you give me some tips?” This post is for you buddy. Approaching a well known Silicon Valley angel investor cold with the expectation that they’ll fund you, is like walking up to a beautiful stranger and expecting you’ll be planning a wedding by the end of the conversation. For the masses, if you want top tier funding, there is a process or roadmap in most cases you can follow (ignore the geniuses and e...