If you know me at all, you know that giving back is core to all I do. I’ve always wanted to make a difference and knew at a young age that I wanted to be philanthropic when I grew up. What I didn’t realize was that it wasn’t a destination to reach; I could give back at any age. I…
In a world that often values perfection and success above all else, it’s easy to forget that failure is an essential ingredient for growth. The truth is, you can handle more than you think, and it’s through the occasional taste of defeat that your true potential is unleashed. What if we thought of each failure as an attempt? The effort…
It’s hard being a beginner, especially with well-established habits. I’m beginning a new practice with time off. It’s started with this question: What would I do with today if no one knew about it? In other words, what would be my activities of choice if I had no responsibilities for other deliverables or to other people? It was amazing for…
Frequently in my work with leaders and their leadership teams, I facilitate dialogues they are waiting to have. They may not always know it, but they are. The beauty of being an “outsider,” a consultant, someone paid to help them gracefully work through the tough stuff, is that you must be willing to be fired almost daily. Some days are…
Dan Sullivan is a great teacher. He offers a ton to entrepreneurial, lifelong learners and one of his most powerful questions is the R-Factor question (R stands for relationship – in this case, it’s helping you establish a relationship with a bigger future). Here’s the question: “if we were sitting here three years from today, looking back on today, what…
Where’s the biggest impact? (Or what’s most impactful?) It’s a small question, and when you use it to filter priorities, things clarify and simplify. Too many people are afraid to simplify, worrying they’ll forget, leave things out, mistakes will happen, or balls will drop. There is a time for detailing descriptions, however, to focus and have the maximum impact, you…
I often say we need to create space in order to have the space to create. Do you have the space you need? I find mental space happens naturally for me when I spend time in nature. There are fewer distractions, which gives me the opportunity to turn inward and focus on observing myself. Being outside also provides new perspective,…
One of my colleagues was having a tough time with overcommitment and feeling completely swamped. She was chatting with several of us and asked, “who will I disappoint today?” What a rough question. No good answer follows. What it suggests is there is no way to honor my commitments so I accept there’s nothing I can do. It wreaks of…
How much of my self-worth is tied up in what I do/produce? My immediate response: too much. In fact, it might be how I measure all my worth based on what I do/have done. The good news, I can change that. What if I tweaked my thinking to offer the world something more valuable? What if I changed my beliefs…
A spark ignites an idea. It fans the flame of possibility and refinement follows. When you create meaningful time for reflection, there’s space for what’s present and what could be. If we keep our heads down doing the work remaining in the weeds, we have no perspective for the horizon. It’s like looking at the world from the 10th floor…