PLACE YOURSELF IN THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT

As humans, when we try something new we tend to stay on the outside, dipping our toe in the water perhaps. We need to play all-in. We need to dive into the middle of the pool. We need to jump into a new environment. Environment is a choice. Place yourself in the right environment.

THE PANTS FROM PARIS

People often times fall into a trap which they labeled as the “sunk-cost effect”. Humans tend to continue down a path or stay committed to a behavior if they have invested money, effort, or time into that path already. How do we break this sunk cost bias and assure ourselves that we aren’t continuing down a path simply because we already have too much money, effort, and time attached?

RUN THE PLAY

I’d put five average players on the court executing the perfect playbook over five All-Stars running on enthusiasm and high energy any day of the week.

IT’S TIME TO ADD SOME HEAT

What are the entrepreneurial lessons from fire?

Have the best fuel.
Apply a heat source.
Keep your oxygen flowing.

IF THE WORLD WAS ENDING

If the world was ending, would we think differently, act differently, be differently?

BE A CHILD AGAIN

At some point this week I realized that one of the most commonly printed, stated, and used words of the year has been RESILIENCE. As I stopped to think about it, I can certainly see why. It also made me realize that I was building a team, a group of friends, and a family that used that word consistently. It reminded me that I had placed myself in an environment that gravitated towards or focused on “resilience" in lieu of “pandemic” or “recession” or “social unrest”…all words that have also been quite popular in the media and the world outside…just not inside. More on that later.

A WALK IN THE WOODS

I spent some time in the woods today. And by “some time” I mean the entire day. I walked in the woods, I ran in the woods, I read in the woods, I climbed in the woods, I ate in the woods, and I slept in the woods. If you tried to reach me today, I apologize. I was only taking calls from the woods today. There were a lot of those, as long as I listened and was willing to take the call. Being in the woods wasn’t necessarily on the agenda for today but certain days you need to clear the agenda to open your mind in order to solve some problems.

WE ALL NEED A LITTLE MORE STRESS

This week on Monday afternoon  I was ready to rush out the door of the office after a long day of back to back appointments.  Of course, I had just one more appointment to get to before making the hour-long drive to meet my family for dinner later that evening. 

YOU CAN’T HAVE IT ALL

My message today may not be popular. And that’s OK, as I realize these letters are as much letters to myself as they are to the team. I write from a place of being willing to struggle with a topic much more than from a place of mastery of a topic.

THE PANDEMIC OF INDIFFERENCE

This week has been a challenge for all. As an organization, as entrepreneurs, as leaders, of course, we are no strangers to challenge. In fact, we often take them head-on, look for them, strategize weekly on how to solve them, and we have even said that how we tackle those challenges is our competitive weapon.

PULL THE CORD

This week I have been studying a group of CEO’s across multiple industries for a project I have been working on – retail, manufacturing, technology, financial, communication. I am a firm believer that we can learn from the past and reinvent for the future. I was reading about the original Toyota founder, Sakichi Toyoda.

THE KEY TO CONFIDENCE

This week while working on a project,  I was able to spend some time with a few business owners from different industries.  While I interviewed them I was looking for what the root cause of their success has been over a period of one year, five years, ten years, and in one case over a series of decades.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

I find myself too often thinking about tomorrow, next month, next year.  This world has a way of pushing us into the future without giving enough attention to today.  I could write on the topic of being present, living experientially, the stoic philosophy of being still ... but today, lets just focus on today.

I Am Flexibly Stubborn

What caused the sudden fascination with flexibility? I attempted (yes, I am going to use that word) yoga for the first time in my life. Perhaps it was my sudden realization around how inflexible I really was that caused me to think about where else in my life may I be demonstrating that.

That is because most of us are in a place where we “will be ok” no matter what.  We set goals, we have dream boards, we made promises to ourselves and even those around us, and then we set out unknowingly looking for reasons or excuses why it’s not possible or necessary to hit that goal, achieve that dream, or deliver on that promise.  Well this year showed up and gave us all a reason real quick.  We didn’t have to look too far.  And many have simply decided to take it.  I am calling on all of you burn that idea.

Stop Surviving. That Isn’t Your Choice.

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." - Maya Angelou

Redefine Your Perspective

I walked over to a large piece of driftwood that has been there for as many years as I can remember.  Although I came out before the sun came up to get in my morning run, I found myself sitting down and getting mesmerized for the next half hour…

It’s Time to Grow

You probably didn’t head into this weekend expecting a lesson in botany, but neither had I