Seth Godin and I have a lot in common. Since Seth Godin is known by many as a front-runner thought leader, a revolutionary business guru and a many-times best-selling author, my premise might seem to be a bit presumptuous. But hear me out.

Although his latest book, The Icarus Deception, has sat on my pile of “must reads” since December, I finally made the plunge (pun intended) into its pages. The title refers to the popular myth that we learned in school: Icarus was the son of Daedalus, who, in order to help the two of them escape from the Labyrinth, fashioned wings from feathers and wax. As we learned the story, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high or the sun would melt the wings. Icarus, caught up in the ecstasy of flying, however, did just that, falling to his death in the sea. The part of the myth that we were not told (or at least that wasn’t stressed) was that Daedelus also warned Icarus not to fly too low, which would cause his wings to get wet and likewise be ruined. The interpretation of the myth has, for centuries, thus, focused mainly on the idea to not fly too high, to put a lid on your potential, to play it safe.

FLYING TOO LOW

Godin says that flying too low, however, is of greater danger than flying too high, as it (Read more…)

BEWARE THE I’Ds OF MARCH

Turning the calendar page to March, I was reminded that one of the most acknowledged days in the month is March 15, also known as the Ides of March. The history books (okay, also the history online research sites) tell us that the “Ides” indicates the day that is the middle of a month. In March, that falls on March 15th. In more modern knowledge, this is also the day on which Julius Caesar was

assassinated in 44 B.C.E., having been forewarned of this by a seer. Thus, “Beware the Ides of March.” (Technically, this exact verbiage was penned by William Shakespeare, based on the original story by ancient Greek writer, Plutarch.)

But when I flipped that calendar, what first popped into my wandering mind this year was (Read more…)

Organizations. Schools. Leaves. They all change.

I was reminded of this concept when I sat in the church in Arlington, Virginia last month at my nephew’s wedding. While many people in the pews saw Nick only as the upstanding 28-year old young man that he is now, I also saw the sweet toddler with tousled auburn curls and ready smile. And I wondered, “How did it happen? How did this change occur, seemingly when nobody was looking?”

There’s an interesting push and pull when it comes to change. On the one hand, the majority of people do not like change. It makes them feel insecure, unsettled and even a bit anxious. On the other hand, change has held fascination for us through the ages. For many centuries, people have been thinking about, talking about and experiencing change. Back in the Italian Renaissance (16th century), Michelangelo, a Master at changing a piece of marble into a pulsing, nearly human figure, greatly admired this musing of the great philosopher from ancient Greece, Heraclitus, “One cannot step twice in the same river.” One cannot step twice in the same river because (Read more…)

Is there anything sweeter than the softness of a newborn’s precious little feet? When my sons, Gavin and Collin, were born we went from planting tiny kisses on that soft new skin to playing a game called “Pee Yew!!” We’d take a giant whiff of their pint-sized feet, scrunch up our faces and shout “Pee Yewwwww” in the most exaggerated manner. The result? Peels of laughter from the boys with squeals to “Do it again, do it again.” Well, this was all fine and dandy until one day when Gavin, getting a little older, suddenly screamed, “Mommy, NO, NO . . . S-T-O-P!” I asked, “Why?” With great alarm, he replied, “’Cause you smelled all the Pee Yew out!” I chuckled and assured him not to worry: there was plenty of Pee Yew left where that came from.

Over the many years that I’ve been speaking to and working with organizations about Mastery and Excellence, I’ve realized that many people believe in the Pee Yew Syndrome when it comes to creativity. They regard it as a finite commodity: “Yep, I used to be creative when I was a kid, but then I used it all up.” Granted, they might not consciously realize that’s how they think about it, but, nevertheless, they do. In fact, a somewhat shocking number of people have said with conviction, (Read more…)

HOW’S YOUR BASAL GANGLIA THESE DAYS?

No, I’m not referring to a new spicy Middle Eastern recipe or the latest group dance done at summer weddings. What I AM referring to, however, has to do with your habits. Yes, your habits. And my habits. And everyone else’s.

“Basal ganglia” is rolling around in my head right now because it is discussed in a new book I’m reading that has kicked up a lot of buzz as of late: “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg. This focus on habit is in perfect alignment with my lifelong study of Mastery: in order to do our very best both personally and professionally, it’s necessary to continually examine our habits and understand what prompts and perpetuates them. That allows us to see which habits are serving us well (e.g., reading recreationally on a regular basis) and which habits we’d be better off without (e.g., armed with a giant-sized spoon, digging straight into the ice cream carton whenever nobody’s looking [not that I’ve ever done that!]).

. . . Now back to your “basal ganglia.” The B.G. is actually (Read more…)

4 Tips To Keep Your Passion Alive in Work & Life!

Periodically Ask Yourself:

1. What made me fall in love with ___________ in the first place?
Make a list and actively appreciate those things.

2. What is something new I can fall in love with now?
A new hobby or skill set, a friendship, an organization, an interest?

3. What can I eliminate that might be blocking my passion?
Unresolved problems, negative people or forces, long-term upsets, low-value time-suckers, lack of organizational or leadership skills?

4. What most excites me in life?
Oprah Winfrey said “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

Give yourself permission to explore your passions; the more alive you allow your passions to be in your life and your work, the more rewarding your experience will be!

January is an inspiring month: crisp, refreshing . . . a seductive blank canvas, just waiting for you to paint your vision for the year. A blank canvas is full of hope and possibilities. A blank canvas invites you to stand up and decide what kind of year you are going to paint. Will it be one full of choices you make that lead you down a different path from the previous year? And perhaps down an even better one? Will this be the year you decide to paint with your most brilliant colors, a year where living in black and white simply won’t do?

We’re almost halfway through January, but it’s still not too late! Envision filling your blank canvas with your most spectacular colors this year. Envision a year filled with one masterpiece after another. Record the steps you will take to accomplish this and then pick up your brush and begin.

Be the Master of your Life!

This morning I met a woman who is a friend, a neighbor and a fellow business owner for coffee at our local coffee shop. We met to discuss some possible affiliate marketing possibilities with our respective businesses. After 1.5 hours of sitting, sipping, talking and looking at different sites on her laptop computer, we agreed that we had made great headway. We each had gathered new ideas as to how to better our internet marketing efforts to move our businesses forward.

The interesting part is that we are in different businesses. She is a speech pathologist and vocal coach; my business is in keynote speaking and training on success and mastery. Yet we could use the same marketing tactics to expand our businesses.

Have you considered having a bit of a “master mind” experience with (Read more…)