Energy to Finish 2018 Strong

October 9, 2018 

We are in the 4^th and final quarter of 2018. Let us create the ENERGY to Finish Strong!

No matter whether you set goals for this year, or not. No matter where you are on accomplishing those goals, or not. The most important thing, right now, is to do yourself the favor of bringing all your enthusiasm and energy to your life to finish this year strong.

I love this metaphor from one of my mentors, Brendon Burchard:

“The power plant does not have the energy. It generates it.”

Energy is my favorite high performance habit because it flows through and enhances and accelerates performance on all levels – physically, mentally and emotionally.  (For easy reference, the 6 High Performance Habits, are: clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence and courage.¹)

So, today as we step up to the challenge of how to generate energy, I will offer 6 tips. The first 3 tips are all tactical and start...

Hello: I Am a … Role Model – here is your name badge for today… for every day. 

Indeed, I am a Role Model. You are a Role Model. We are all Role Models. The question is: When we show up in the world -- in our personal life and in our professional life -- what are we role modelling? How, exactly, are we showing up today… in this moment?  

I am inspired to write today’s Blog by the confluence of 2 recent events. First, in a recent coaching session on Influence – High Performance Habit # 5 -- we discussed this excerpt from Brendon Burchard’s new book, High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become that Way, (page 248):        

“High performers give a lot of mindshare to thinking about being a role model. Seventy-one percent say they think about it daily. They say they want to be a good role model for their family, the team, and the greater community. 
….

To be clear, high...

Courage to Continue   

September 11, 2018   

On this day, 17 years ago, I stood on the curb at LaGuardia Airport on my way to an important client meeting on the 99^th floor of the World Trade Towers. I saw the unimaginable --- smoke billowing from one of the Towers. I want to dedicate this Blog on Courage to all the heroes of that day – all the First Responders, the strangers who acted to save others, the people who tragically lost their lives, and to all the family members and friends who lost loved ones.

Today, I am writing about every day courage – the courage to continue. Winston Churchill famously said:

“Success is not final,
failure is not fatal: 
it is the courage to continue that counts”

What does courage look like to you in everyday life? How do you define courage? 
 

Initially, when I thought about writing on courage – I said to myself: “Who are you to write on such a deep and profound topic?”...

Create Your New Morning Ritual  

 August 14, 2018  

How you start your day is very important. Do you start your day off to the races with your head filled with your “To Do List?” Or do you start your day with gratitude, intention, and feeling grounded? Which way do you think best sets you up for success?

In my corporate career, I started my day at 4 AM. I made my cup of coffee, turned on CNBC to see what had happened overnight in the Asian and European markets, and to assimilate the market-moving issues that might be the focus for investors. If my Wall Street Journal was not at my door by 4 AM … I was pissed.

Ten years ago, I dramatically changed my morning routine—and transformed it into a ritual. Before I opened my eyes, I started with reflecting on 3 gratitudes for the day and took 7 deep diaphragmatic breaths. Then I arose, made my morning coffee, and settled in for an hour to read poetry, scripture and philosophy and...

Let's Get Clarity: Who Am I? Who Are You?   May 7, 2018

When was the last time you asked yourself the question: Who am I? 

What if I suggested it was important to answer that question without reference to your name, title, family, your business, your past, your particular circumstances? 

Let us take a deep breath and pause for a minute before we dive into these questions. Consider the instruction from Lao Tzu in Verse 15 from The Tao Te Ching, as translated by Stephen Mitchell:

"Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear? 
Can you remain unmoving
till the right action arises from itself?"

This verse is a gentle instruction to be still a moment and let your mind clear of thoughts and distractions. Just breathe. Be still. Let your intuition guide you to the core of who you really are – and your actions will speak your truth. 

I know these are deep questions.  

So, let’s get tactical. One of the...