Have you ever run a marathon? I personally have not, but I know people who have. But of those I know who have run a marathon, not one of them has ever won a marathon. However, if you know anything about marathons and race culture, then you probably know that you don’t have to win …
I learn a lot by watching the people around me. I have long been a people-watcher, and I’ve discovered that not only do I learn something about each person I watch, but I also learn something about the people around them. And often, I even learn something about myself. Today as I walked laps around …
In his book The Little Book Of Talent: 52 Tips For Improving Your Skills, Daniel Coyle discusses ‘hard, high-precision skills’ versus ‘soft, high-flexibility skills.’ According to Coyle, hard, high-precision skills “have one path to an ideal result; skills that you could imagine being performed by a reliable robot.” Soft, high-flexibility skills “have many paths to a good …
Tip number six in Daniel Coyle’s book, The Little Book of Talent, is “Choose Spartan Over Luxurious.” Coyle correctly explains that we love comfort—state-of-the-art practice facilities, oak-paneled corner offices, expensive fluffy towels, and all kinds of other luxurious creature comforts and statements of status. Coyle asserts that “luxury is a motivational narcotic: It signals our unconscious minds to give …
Some people are habitual procrastinators. It doesn’t matter what it is—doing the dinner dishes, paying a bill, or writing a term paper—they put it off until the last minute. But even if you’re not a notorious deadline pusher, it’s likely there are at least a few things you tend to procrastinate about. Maybe it’s starting …
There are certain success traits that sometimes feel unattainable. Especially when you read those lists of “25 traits essential for success,” or “top 10 characteristics of successful people,” etc.—it can be overwhelming! There are just too many ‘essential’ success traits to possibly develop and practice them all. Also, I am a firm believer in …
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 …
All leaders who aspire to achieve greater personal, professional, and organizational success should be focused on leading and teaching resilience. Resilience is what makes the difference between those who give up and those who press on and reach their goals. And that’s a very important thing. Just imagine the ramifications within your organization. Imagine what can …
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 …
“Success is a lousy teacher. It makes smart people think they can’t lose.” – Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates. If that statement is true—and I believe many, if not most times it is the absolute truth—each of us should take very serious pause to closely examine the huge ramifications of that statement and that truth in our lives and …
“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 …
In chapter 12 of his recent book titled, Sometimes You Win – Sometimes You Learn, John Maxwell writes the following: “To me, a mature person [and leader] is someone who has learned from losses, has gained wisdom, and possesses a strong emotional and mental stability in the face of life’s difficulties.” If you read this column regularly, …
“What are you becoming?” This is a critical question every leader should frequently ask him or herself—and answer in detail. This is also a question every leader should frequently ask each and every direct report and team member. Not only is the question critical to achieving your potential and reaching your personal and professional goals and dreams, it is …