“The world needs you to share your gifts and go for your dreams. There aren’t enough people who have the courage to go for it.” Lewis Howes As your friend, I want to ask you a question, “Do you have courage?” I mean, really, do you have the courage to do the thing you keep talking about, wishing for or hoping one day will come true? I sincerely hope you do, and I celebrate your success if you are living the dream. That being said, I also know, by watching countless people run to the edge of success, look into […]
Encouragement for Your Life
Dreams are Free
I have a lot of great opportunities but one of the ones I’m privileged to be a part of is TEDx for which I am the speaker coach. TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics – from science to business to global issues – in more than 100 languages. For a number of years, every Sunday, it was my practice to choose and watch […]
Everyone thinks of changing the world
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself – Leo Tolstoy Change is a funny thing. We all want it for about a week, then it loses its shine and we’re back to being the same. Not that being the same is all bad–we seem to revel in it since that is “who we are”–but remember that for a fleeting minute we dreamed a bit higher and considered the option of being a bit more noble and a bit more… well… better, but, alas, it was just a quirky consideration best left for another day. […]
Oh, To Be Remembered
Oh, To Be Remembered This time of year I often think about Lucille Ball. We lost her 26 years ago although it doesn’t seem that long. I can remember coming home from school and watching I Love Lucy and laughing along with the cheesy laugh tracks on the screen, or when I was home sick, you could still find her show on some off channel for the reruns. I often use her life adventure in one of my talks about leadership. If you know her story, it is an amazing tale of survival. To be able to have the star […]
Today is a new day
Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it…If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, there is always another chance for you. And supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. Mary Pickford I like the thought for today. Maybe it’s because I just got back from speaking in Pennsylvania where I heard, once again, how failing in the past is messing up the […]
Be Impeccable With Your Words
Today’s message may not be for all of my amazing readers. If the words do not add encouragement to your life, pass by this issue, and please come back next week. Be Impeccable With Your Words “Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” ~ Don Miguel Ruiz The Power of Words I would dare say that you know how to wield the power of words in the lives […]
It is the courage to continue that counts
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”–Winston Churchill I am working with a terrific young man who will be giving the valedictorian address at his high school graduation in a few weeks. It’s been fun to hear him reminisce about his early days in high school when he “didn’t care,” to realizing one day that he was just a few points behind the smartest guy at school and knowing that with a little work he could overtake him, because, as he said, no one knew he was that smart since he […]
What is taking up space?
What is taking up space? (The parable of the fig tree) Recently during the Easter weekend, I came across a reading about the parable of the fig tree and it got me thinking about the truths that were in the story and how they relate to me and maybe to you. (Mark 11:12-14) The story relates the incident of a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit, and since it was not producing, it had no value. Was it a beautiful tree? I suppose so, but it had a larger purpose, and that was to bear fruit. How disappointing […]
Do what lies clearly at hand
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? That is a question that has come up a lot lately with some projects that I am working on. Sometimes despite my best intentions I look down the path of life and wonder – what do I do next? I am sure it is an issue that many face since, in our world of plenty, we have many great choices. And sometimes there are more ways than one to get to the finish line. But how do you know what road to take? And what measurements should one use […]