When Setting Goals, Be Careful not to Set Limits as Well
It’s ironic but when we set goals, we can inadvertently set limits as well. When you hit your goal, is that your internal signal to…
Hard Work Alone is Never Enough
Much has been made of the theory that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. The idea was popularized by Malcolm Gladwell…
Learned Helplessness, Learned Effectiveness
Learned Helplessness is a mental belief that you are unable change a situation and a resulting unwillingness to continue trying; a sense of powerlessness that…
Dreams are Easy
Anyone can have a dream and anyone can daydream their life away. But are you willing to commit to a viable action plan to make…
Thought-Watching
The steady stream of thoughts in our head, our self-talk, is so constant that we lose awareness of their impact. Yet thoughts are things and…
You Will NEVER Get it ALL Done
Face it, Live with it, Deal with it: You will never get it ALL done. And if you think you have, it’s an illusion. And…
How Strong is a Chain with a Broken Link?
Q: How strong is a chain with a broken link? A: Not strong at all. The same holds true in large measure for any service…
When Positivity Turns Negative
Folks, I’m a huge advocate of a positive mindset. Positivity is NOT a magic wand but most everything in life goes better when you walk…
Train It, Trust It
“Train it, then trust it” is a mantra for athletes about releasing worries in the moment of performance and having faith in the depth of…
How Strong is your Mind Moat?
We all know what a moat is, a protective ditch that surrounds valuable real estate. Moats are usually wide and deep and down here in…
Positivity is NOT a Magic Wand
Anyone who thinks that positive thinking will solve all their problems is delusional. That is not positive thinking, that is wishful thinking. Life is full…
Who is in Control?
What (or who?) runs your life? Where do you think the locus of control lies? Folks divide up into those that believe the locus of…
Leaders that Don’t
To be effective, a leader must be comfortable being in charge, at ease with being in command. They must give direction with the calm confidence…
Something Stands in the Way
There is always something in the way of anything meaningful, anything of significance you wish to be or accomplish. If there weren’t, you’d already have…
Effective Caring
As emotionally evolved humans, we all want a better world so at one level we care about many things, most beyond our ability to impact…
Seven Habits that Drain Your Energy
Taking it personally: It’s rarely about you. Really. Lugging the Past into the Present: The Past should be a place of Reference, not Residence. Junk/Fast…
Renew Your Strength Daily
You would never go a day without feeding your body; why would you let a day pass without feeding your mind? Without going to some…
Nudge Yourself Forward
Please pass on grand, sweeping, “overhaul”-style New Year’s resolutions. Instead, resolve to simply nudge yourself forward, bit by comfortable bit, to being your best self…
Reading the Newspaper in the Morning
If there is one thing I know how to do, it is how to be mega productive, how to hyper focus, how to laser in…
How Strong is a Chain with a Broken Link?
“How Strong is a Chain with a Broken Link?” is a rhetorical question if ever there was one: a broken link = a broken chain.…
Playing the Insurance Game
In the context of business, what I call ‘”Playing the Insurance Game” is when someone, particularly one in a position of responsibility or authority, does…
THE CYCLE OF INQUIRY
“There is very little difference between people but that little difference makes a big difference.” – W. Clement Stone One little difference that makes a big…
The Power of Upstream Thinking
You are walking by the side of a river when you hear screams of distress: a child is drowning. You plunge into the water and…
Caging Your “What If Monkey”
“What If Monkeys” are always asking “What if it doesn’t work?” And while there is certainly a need to evaluate risks and have plans to…
Separating Fear Management from Danger Management
“Fear is an emotion induced by perceived danger or threat… Fear in human beings may occur in response to a certain stimulus occurring in the…
What is Your Ikigai?
Ikigai is a Japanese word for “reason for being” or more loosely translated, “the reason why you wake up each morning.” What makes your life worthwhile, what…