"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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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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Over the course of my adult life, I've been privileged to know many successful people. Not all of them were "successful" by conventional standards, if you're simply talking about net worth or square footage. But if you define success as making a positive, lasting difference with the one life you've been given - each of these folks would unquestionably successful. As I've been able to watch and learn from these people, I've noticed they each share a set of common characteristics. Over the next few posts, I'll unpack four of them: They held higher standards. They worked their values. They had relational strength. They refused to play the victim card. Standards, Values, and Success If you hold only low standards, then you will find yourself right in the middle of mediocre. If you settle in for too long, the mediocre middle becomes comfortable and cozy and harder to leave. Successful…
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I believe two things are true about most people I meet. First, they want the world (their family, neighborhood, school, planet) to be a better place. Second, they would love to help make that happen. The space in-between intentions and actions is where the answer is found. I want to share with you one powerful shift that I believe has the potential to bring about transformational change. It's what I call "progressive generosity." But what is it? Conventional thinking: My income increases, I have more to spend. As a result, my expenses, debts, and obligations increase as well. Transformational thinking: My income increases, I have more to save, invest, and give. As a result, I have more saving and giving power. Which of these two ways of thinking do you believe is most common? It's unfortunately obvious -- conventional thinking. All too often, our spending increases to the level of…
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