Inner Scripts, Outer Scripts
We all have words we say to ourselves, our “inner script”, and we all have the words we say to others, our “outer script”. If…
Seeing the Water
“Fish see water last” is a proverb which means we fail to notice, to be aware of, that which we are most familiar with, most…
What is your Success Set Point?
There is a theory that humans have a weight set point (or range of 5 to 10 lbs or even greater) at which our bodies…
5 Learnable Traits of Mentally Strong People
The discipline to master emotions ere they become your master. Harness and direct your emotions and they will be an incredible source of energy. Unchained,…
The Joyous Freedom of a Scout Mindset
A Scout mindset is an open one, an attitude of courageous curiosity and endless exploration. A scout mindset can best be understood as the antithesis…
The Discipline of Essentialism
Essentialism is the discipline, the skill, the ability to sort out the vital few from the trivial many, casting aside all but the essential, saving, hoarding…
Limiting Beliefs, Liberating Truths
A “Liberating Truth” is any realization that the world is not as we thought it was; in essence an unshackling of mental chains. Liberating truths…
Are You Strong Enough to be Weak?
“Are you strong enough to be weak?” is a catchy way of asking “Are you confident to be appropriately vulnerable?” To be open and authentic…
Three Things Expert Negotiators Do That You Don’t
Realize or not, we are all in the influence and persuasion business; we all negotiate to one degree or another. Thus, to create better relationships…
Understanding Understanding – The Expert Blind Spot
The “Expert Blind Spot” refers to the tendency to forget how much you know, how challenging a subject matter can be to a novice, to…
WAIT: Why Am I Talking?
Given that we learn most when we listen and nada when we talk, why do we choose to talk? All too often, it is a…
Base Metal into Gold; Weakness into Strength: Mental Alchemy
As far back as 300 AD, the ancients wrote of a “philosopher’s stone” that could transmute base metal into gold. Well, I can’t tell you how to spin gold…
You Can’t Hide You
Just like you cannot not communicate, you can’t hide you either. Your daily behavior teaches your values; every action reveals the belief system that motivates…
The Folly of Self-Doubting
“I don’t believe anyone ever suspects how completely unsure I am of my work and myself and what tortures of self-doubting the doubt of others…
Know-it-All vs. Learn-it-All: Which Are You?
Few would out and out admit to being a know-it-all; the trap most fall for is far more subtle. We are justifiable proud of our…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Backstage Behaviors
“Back stage” and “front stage” are terms coined by the late (1922-1982) sociologist Erving Goffman in his 1959 book, “The Presentation of Self in Everyday…