"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." That saying is attributed to Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher whom historians believed lived in either the 6th or 4th Century BC. Without scooters, bicycles, or Uber, I imagine they did much more walking (and possibly reflecting) back then. The saying has lasted because of its simple truth: to get anywhere you want to go, you have to start with the first step. Until the Star Trek transporter becomes a reality, the need for intentional action and directed effort will be necessary if we want to reach our preferred destinations. If the first cut is the deepest (h/t to Sheryl Crow), the first step towards improvement or change is often the hardest. Why is that? Based on my almost thirty years in the people business, I've found it's one of several reasons. First, let me debunk a few of…
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Based on my interactions with all varieties of people, I believe most every person wants at least four things: More joy Peace with their Creator Peace with themself Peace with others If you are like me, while I want to experience more joy and peace, I'm just as likely to experience fear, anxiety, discouragement, and doubt instead. This may come as a surprise to you, but not every moment of my life is filled with overflowing joy. I have had seasons in life that were anything but peaceful. Whether or not we have put our finger on the reason, everyone from Adam and Eve to Kanye West has been searching for someone or something that will solve their problems or ease their pain. God not only recognized our problem, but he proactively took the initiative to bring about a solution. The solution wasn't a secret formula, available only to a…
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There is a common myth that many people have about those who are successful. It gets passed around in conversations. It might be used as a dig or jab. In some ways, the myth is used to justify a person's own lack of success. What is the myth? Success comes easily for successful people. "They didn't have to face the same challenges I did." "They didn't grow up in my family." "They had everything handed to them." According to the myth, successful people never had to overcome hardships, face down any challenges, or start over due to failures. At this point, it might be helpful to return to a distinction I made at the beginning of this series. Here is what I wrote in the first article: "Not all of them were 'successful' by conventional standards, if you’re simply talking about net worth or square footage. But if you define…
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As much as are enamored with the idea of being self-made, self-taught, self-anything-that-is-good-or-positive ... we also know it isn't true. Behind every self-made person is a network of individuals, teammates, coworkers, clients, and more than a few surprised in-laws. The Scottish poet John Donne is the one who wrote this famous line: "No man is an island." It is actually the opening line from a longer poem. Here is the opening stanza: No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. The successful people I have known understood the interconnectedness of success. While they might have been the innovator or visionary, the execution of their vision depended on the efforts of other people. Rather than see this dependency as an indication of weakness, it was a strength to be nurtured and developed. To move up the ladder as…
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Years ago, I had a conversation with a retired fellow about what he did for a living. I'll paraphrase his response: "I really didn't like my job but it paid the bills and allowed me to do a few things I enjoyed on the weekends." Even though that conversation was almost twenty years ago, I still remember the profound sense of sadness I felt. Not for me, but for him. For over 30 years, he had worked a job that he really didn't like. Out of 168 hours a week, the average person will spend 40-60 of those hours at work - if not more. That's a significant chunk of time to spend doing something that you don't enjoy, or even worse - that you dread. I believe our Creator has designed us with an internal need for meaning. I am at my best when I can connect the task…
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