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…
It All Starts With A Belief
What is your belief? What is at your core? We all believe in something even if it is that there is nothing. Whatever is the…
Night Guy v. Morning Guy
Night Guy v. Morning Guy by Jerry Seinfield I never get enough sleep. I stay up late at night, ’cause I’m Night Guy. Night Guy…
Coming up Against Our Edge
We all have “edges”, areas we do not go, areas we hold back from, areas we are not comfortable in, areas we shut down in.…
Three Must Do’s
1. Lock Down Your Why To be effective you must be motivated, enthused, and on a mission every day. This requires that your life be…
Two Things Hyper Successful People do Regularly
1. Successful People are Voracious Seekers of Knowledge “It’s hard for me to understand why [getting an MBA] is a better use of time and…
Two Beliefs That Make All the Difference
Thoughts are Things/Words Have Power Your-self talk is incredibly powerful; it shapes and molds your self-concept and thus the opinions of others, for the world…
Can You Take it?
Much energy goes into teaching how to be a good giver of feedback, how to be a good coach. Which is all well and good,…