Practice makes perfect. Have you heard the phrase? Of course you have… and it’s wrong. Practice makes permanent. You need a coach, mentor, advisor, leader, or friend who will help you see what you’re repeatedly doing (often unconsciously) so you can correct the habits that are in the way of your success. It’s likely you’ve practiced them a lot. Don’t…
Rainy day notes. They’re a real thing if you’ve ever worked with me. What are they? They are little acknowledgments you do with groups you work with, share life with; the people you call friends, colleagues, or family. They’re simple, kind, and one of the best tools you can use if you’re having a “rainy day.” You know why? Sometimes,…
I’ve long said, “success can be a learning disability.” Why? Because for leaders, the curse of complacency can set in. You’ve worked hard and fought your way to the win. You’ve challenged yourself and your team to reach success, the goal has been met and now you are tired. This happens when your team and work/life balance are not structured…
Your psyche will tell you what fits. Part gut, part intellect, and part experience, these things inform our bodies what to feel. When I’m prepping for speaking, a workshop or session, I’m happy to work long hours. I look forward to creating value, and the work strangely doesn’t feel like work. Shorten that presentation to 10 minutes for a room…
Being a beginner is a blast when you let yourself be just that: a beginner. If you read blog 269, you know I’m learning to play drums. When I was a kid, it was a chore to practice. I had a flute and I didn’t want to learn how to play it, but I did. With drums, it’s different, I’m…
In the beginning, it’s all up for grabs. If you want to observe yourself and your shortcomings, speed bumps, mental limitations, and trigger points, try learning something new. I’ve always wanted to play drums. When I was in 5th grade, I played cello to get a start with an instrument in the hopes of playing drums in 6th grade. It…
From ChatPack: If you had to choose one scent to be carried lightly on the wind every time the wind blew, what scent would it be? Sometimes, I need a question to get my thinking started. When I first read this, I thought, “I don’t really love many smells if they are manufactured, because they trigger headaches for me.” Then,…
You’ll always find the evidence you’re looking for. I was having a conversation with my son recently about excellence. He told me other people aren’t like me; they think good enough is good enough. Fair point, and it’s true. Further into our discussion, I told him how years ago I had seen a video of Tiger Woods describing excellence in…
What a gift to have time with a friend you love. I spent the day with my dear friend Mahtab today. It was a weekday and we were both away from work. I was helping her with her vacation and we had a few things to take care of beforehand. We also grabbed brunch and talked for hours. During these…
Old habits die hard. No matter how many opportunities I have to recognize the patterns which inform my behaviors, I am continuously surprised how it confronts my thinking when a pattern is interrupted. Today, all of the parking spaces I “usually” park in were full. When I realized I was driving around our relatively small parking lot to see what…