We Get What We Tolerate
We get what we tolerate. Isn’t that a scary thought? There are people in our lives who will test us to see how much we will do for them, how much complaining we will listen to, or disrespectful behavior we will tolerate. Co-workers, family members, and friends will test us too. All in an attempt to discover our boundaries. Asserting ourselves trains people how to treat us. It means we speak up instead of avoid situations and embrace difficult conversations [...]
I’m Not Writing This Blog Today
That’s right, I not writing this blog today. If you are reading this, I’m somewhere in Southeast Asia walking with elephants, or meditating in an ancient temple that smells of musk and envelopes me in silence. I have left behind the pings from my computer, the full schedule of meetings, and the ever pressing need to be productive. Instead, I’m living life (at least for the next few weeks) in a very present state. What I hope to gain is [...]
Always Be Writing Your Resume
Always be writing your resume. Not that you will necessarily need it to sell yourself to the next employer, but because it’s the best way to direct your actions toward accomplishments that matter. Creating your resume challenges you to tell a story about who you are, what you’re good at, and what kind of impact you’re having on the world. This is one of those exercises where you might want to start with the end in mind. What do you [...]
What Dying People Don’t Say
Nobody says as they’re dying, “I’m so happy I lived a self-protected life.” Instead they say things like, I wish I would have let myself be happier, expressed my feelings more, and lived true to myself instead of what others expected. Early programing teaches us what not to accept about ourselves. Strengths, desires, feelings and passions that are not seen or nurtured we quickly deem as unwanted. We shove them into a closet, throw on the padlock, and create a [...]
Is Work Damaging Our Children?
Not long ago, I was sitting in a meeting with the CEO of a fortune 500 company. She is by all measure the epitome of a successful business woman whose time is limited and in high demand. Halfway through our conversation, her cell phone rang. Her voice softened as she picked up the call. She then looked at me as a smile wrapped around her otherwise stoic face. “Your soccer cleats are in the downstairs closet” she said to her [...]
The One Thing That Will Get You Ahead
People that are decisive get ahead. It’s really that simple. They don’t wait to know enough, or be enough, or get enough people to agree with them before they act. Instead they have the ability to look at any situation and quickly assess the relevant information and the levers to pull that do the heavy lifting. They see, consider consequences, and then do (hopefully in an ethical manner) what needs to be done to move forward. Like most strengths this [...]