This is Johanna Rothman’s February 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this email. Steve, a long-time colleague, described how he feels about his career: “I feel as if I’m balanced on a small ball and it won’t take much to push me off. One bad management decision—poof! […]
Three Ways to Reduce Your Uncertainty by Reinforcing Your Human Value Read More »
When my younger daughter was in high school, her principal continually invited us to events. He thought we would “build community” with “meaningful connections” that way. But I already went to high school. And the last thing I wanted—maybe not the very last, but close to it—was to return to high school. My daughter could
When and How Should We Build Community to Connect With Each Other? Read More »
I learned a lot about my mental models last week. That’s when several people asked me “obvious” questions about specific software tools. I hope I was reasonable when I answered. But I assumed they exhibited learned helplessness. Wasn’t the answer obvious to everyone? Clearly not. Then, this week, I did exactly the same thing. Twice.
When Is the Problem Not Learned Helplessness or Confusion But Our Mental Models? Read More »
2020 has challenged all of us. We’ve learned to work at home and live where we work. Some of us have learned to teach and parent and work. All of us have learned the art of social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-washing. So why am I asking about how we might challenge ourselves in the future?
Where Will You Challenge Yourself? Read More »
Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots retired this week. He’s 29 years old. He chose this time to transition to something new. Some transitions are easy for me. I only had one time where I stayed at a job too long. I bought the health insurance for our family, so I stayed for the
When Is It Time to Transition? Read More »
It’s Olympics time. And yes, it’s time again for “the thrill of victory and agony of defeat.” I watched that agony as an ice dancing couple fell during their performance. One second, they’re gliding along, looking as if they’re going to medal. The next second, they fell to the ice. They got to their feet—gracefully, I
Who Is in Your Corner? Read More »
I was thinking about the election. (I know, this week, who hasn’t?) We appear to be a fractured society. That means at least half of us didn’t get what we wanted. Even if you voted for the winner, the realities of politics and promises pre-election never quite work out the same way post-election. We encounter
How Can You Get What You Want? Read More »
I’m in a writer’s workshop this week, having a blast. We write a lot: openings and short stories. Since it’s a fiction workshop, I feel quite vulnerable as a writer. I’m learning how to write fiction. I can’t tell if it’s any good. I can’t tell if my author voice is working. I’ve been receiving
What’s Your Context? Read More »
Rather than be predictable and ask you what you are thankful for this week, I thought I’d ask you a different question. But first, let me tell you a story. I’m a good amateur cook and baker. I like to cook dessert. I don’t need dessert. I like dessert. Last week, we had dinner with
What Haven’t You Changed? Read More »
I was speaking with a coaching client the other week. We were talking about all of her responsibilities. She talked, I wrote. I’d written a half-page of responsibilities, some of them tactical, some of them strategic. I asked, “What else are you doing?” She paused, and said, “I think there’s more, but I have to
Are You Taking Time to Think? Read More »