Sandy Morford, CEO of Los Angeles-based Renovo Solutions, understands the significant challenges and opportunities of leading an organization through difficulty. As a small start-up company several years ago, Renovo Solutions was faced with a frivolous lawsuit by a much larger competitor. The intent was pretty clear: shut down Renovo through financial hardship. Morford …
As a young CEO many years ago, I was given the opportunity to build and lead a new medical center from the ground up. In the beginning the medical center was without funding, property, buildings, medical staff, or patients. Obviously, it was a huge undertaking, and a significant responsibility for a young leader. In …
In the busyness of the daily grind, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and never-ending to-do lists, it’s easy to get worn down and frustrated. Some days, it seems like nothing ever goes right, and all you can do is dream about that beach vacation that might never happen. Unfortunately, I can’t help you achieve that beach vacation. …
Today’s article is a guest post by Emily Sirkel, COO of the Dan Nielsen Company: We all have something we dread doing. Cold calls. Certain household chores. An uncomfortable conversation (you know the one). Going to the dentist. Washing the cat. Your daughter’s first date. And so on and so forth… For …
We all love the extraordinary. Extraordinary is a word used to describe those things in life that take us by surprise and infuse a moment with just a little bit of magic. You might smile and tell your mother that her pot roast is wonderful, or mention to a coworker that the concert …
Some people seem to have all the luck. You know, those people who score the coolest assignments at work, find the best shopping deals, win random radio contests, marry gorgeous spouses, raise genius kids, and whose investments always pay off ten-fold. You know, those people you love to hate. Are some people really …
“Here’s conventional wisdom: Success makes you happy. Happiness permits you to be generous. In fact, it actually works like this: Generosity makes you happy. Happy people are more likely to be successful.” – Seth Godin I believe there is truth in both statements. Success, happiness, and generosity all go hand in hand—but not necessarily …
It is the year 1963. A twelve-year-old boy sits in a pew at the back of an all-black church in Birmingham, Alabama, scribbling out math problems to pass the time as the service stretches on. Suddenly something the guest speaker says catches his attention: “If we can get the children to participate in this peaceful …
As a person who loves to learn something new every day, I tend to spend a lot of time thinking and brainstorming new ideas. I’m especially fond of brainstorming while walking or exercising, and also really enjoy brainstorming with colleagues. Often when I’m excited about a good idea, I send myself multiple voice messages to …
Balance. It’s something I believe we all want, but all tend to struggle with. There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day or days in the week to fit in work, family, exercise, and a social life—not to mention hobbies, travel, or volunteer opportunities. What is the secret? How do we …
“Yes, talent is important. So is education and experience. But in the end, it is our character that makes or breaks us.” – Michael Hyatt We typically don’t think much about a house’s foundation until we start noticing cracks in the walls or doors that are sticking. Unfortunately at that point there’s already …
I have long been passionate about achieving greater success and helping others achieve greater success—however you define success. Today I want to take a closer look at exactly that—how we each define success. Darren Hardy, the founder and publisher of SUCCESS magazine, has the unique opportunity to intimately speak with some of the most …
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” This optimistic sentiment may not always be true, but there definitely are silver linings in a lot of difficult situations—if we choose to look for them. Last September, one Atlanta family chose to create their own silver lining in the midst of a …
We tend to put a much higher premium on action than we do thought. Though we’ve often heard the adage, “It’s the thought that counts,” we all know that just thinking about something isn’t the same as doing it. Even people who ‘get paid to think’ have to communicate those thoughts so that someone can …
By many standards, I have led a very successful life. I worked my way up from humble beginnings to enjoy a long career well suited to my talents and personality. Early in life I made some wise investments that are continuing to pay off today, enabling me to live comfortably and enjoy my ‘retirement.’ And …
One of the very best gifts that we can give to others is absolutely free, and yet extremely valuable. When given thoughtfully and sincerely, this gift will bring smiles and lift spirits. It will not only please and affirm the recipient, but also bring joy and satisfaction to the giver. Giving this gift is like …
“Maybe the most important promises that you ever make are not promises to someone else, but they’re promises to yourself.” – John C. Maxwell In one of his “Minute with Maxwell” videos, renowned author and speaker John Maxwell speaks about the word promises, touching on the critical importance of not just making promises, but …
As much as I’d like to, I can’t do everything. I’ve lived enough years to come to terms with the fact that there are simply some things I am not cut out to do. I will never be a figure skater, violin virtuoso, astrophysicist, or computer hacker.
Yes, I believe in my potential and my ability to learn new things. Yes, the possibilities are virtually limitless. But even out of all the things that…
...In the first chapter of his recently published book titled Sometimes You Win – Sometimes You Learn, John Maxwell correctly explains that many, if not most people believe and live the philosophy of “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The message is: hope to win, expect to lose, and live with the results either way.” …
I have long believed and frequently repeated the phrase, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” Now I don’t mean that I have to do everything myself, or that I can’t delegate or ask others for help. I mean that I have to take responsibility for my life, my goals, and my …