I would love to tell you I only succeed. Not a chance. I “fail” more often than I want. That’s because I experiment a lot. However, my experiments don’t line up in neat little test tubes like this image. Too often, I let an experiment run for too long. That’s when I have to dig […]
How Do We Dig Ourselves Out of Failure and Find Some Success? Read More »
I had a big business surprise from one of my book distribution partners earlier this week. That upended all my careful plans. Since I’d been away from my office, this was my week to “catch up.” Ha! Foiled again. By definition, surprises are things we cannot anticipate. And this one was a doozy. While I
How Do You Manage Surprises? Read More »
As a society, we reward grit, that ability to persevere. We tell ourselves, “One more minute/hour/day, and then we’ll get what we want.” I also value perseverance. That grit helps me not just for my walking and workouts, but for my writing and other product development goals. Perseverance is how I accomplish “everything” I want.
When Is It Time to Pivot Instead of Persevere to Accomplish What You Want? Read More »
Back when I was in school, my teachers suggested I was capable of much more. I didn’t live up to their expectations. Now, some people tell me my vertigo is the kind of challenge that fits into the category of: “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Or, they say, “God doesn’t give us more than
Whose Expectations Do You Choose to Satisfy and When? Read More »
Too many of my friends and colleagues worry about their place in the world. Some of them were recently laid off. Others, mostly the self-employed, have trouble getting clients or selling their products. These people have this in common: they are no longer sure that anyone values their work. That unsureness causes many of these
Which Kind of Value Do You Offer When—And to Whom? Read More »
Last week, I took a fiction writing workshop in Las Vegas. It was five days of intense learning and writing. (I had a blast and can’t wait to take the next workshop.) The first time I took a writing workshop, I learned that I had trouble adjusting to the timezone. Add in the writing, and
How Can We Use the Knowing-Doing Gap to Help Us to Change? Read More »
A few months ago, in October 2023, I noticed a strange pimple on my nose that bled after I washed and dried my face. I checked with my doctor who said to see a dermatologist. I didn’t panic, but I made an appointment as soon as I could. (An urgent reaction.) The diagnosis was squamous cell skin cancer.
How Can We Combine Our Feelings of Urgency and Calm to Be Most Effective? Read More »
It’s that time of year again—resolution time. I have never succeeded with resolutions, so I abandoned them years ago. I like what Daniel does with words for the year. (See his newsletter, Reconcile, for his first word of 2024 and how he adopted this practice.) However, while I write a lot, three words don’t quite
How Do You Choose to Measure Success? Read More »
At this time of year, many of us give and receive presents. I hope your gifting experiences were delightful. But we don’t just give each other—and ourselves—gifts at one time during the year. We often give ourselves gifts throughout the year. And while there are some physical things I would like to receive, I more
Which of Your Past Presents Do You Want to Keep and Which to Discard? Read More »
Professionally, I work in the tech sector. Right now, when tech is making money hand over fist, many companies are laying people off. Not one here and one there, but significant percentages of people. In my experience, companies do need to make rapid-enough decisions about when to lay some people off to save the company
Who Benefits and Who Loses from Other People’s Actions or Decisions? Read More »