Recently, I was reading a review about Laird Hamilton’s life that will be seen in an upcoming documentary called “Take Every Wave.” Laird is a legendary big wave surfing star who, according to the write-up, is as polarizing as he is acclaimed. I know a bit of who he is from magazine articles and his one-time marriage to volleyball star Gabrielle Reece, so in reading the write-up I was curious about how he pushed himself to set aside his fear of the water and waves and sharks and whatever else lurks in the ocean to become the master of the elements. […]
Fearless or Fearful
You’ll notice that over time they become fearful of speaking up–in case they are wrong–or they become fearful of putting in extra hours in case no one notices (so why give it more than the basic requirement) or, for many, I see that they are fearful to step out of or away from the comforts of their home, their job or their group of friends. I find it curious that so many once-fearless people now seem to make a place for fear at their table and allow fear to eat every meal with them in their ever shrinking world. It’s […]
Leaving Greatness in the Graveyard
A while back I saw a motivational video about pushing through the pain to achieve the goal of greatness. It was a video of famous and not-so-famous athletes who worked hard day after day, night after night, to be the best, understanding that success is a mixture of blood, sweat and tears. Today they are recognized sports figures who are greatly rewarded by their abilities. As the video is playing you can hear voices—sort of sounds like preachers in the background giving the message of determination, power, fight and success—and there is one section of the video where the words […]
Is your life a grand adventure?
I’m reading a great book about a lady’s travels throughout the world, and each page takes me to another outdoor café or museum or cathedral. I have walked alongside this lady as she tries new foods, buys tiles and trinkets and smells the scent of the city where she and her husband are exploring. I can get lost in a book pretty easily, and I have found that I tend to like books that have an element of education for me and not just a sappy story. I admit I spend a lot of time reading, and it’s a habit […]
Feeling stuck is a FEELING, not a fact
If I have heard it once, I have heard it 100 times, “You know, Deb, I’m stuck in life and I don’t know how to move forward.” Well, I say usually, one step at a time is a good place to start and soon the feeling will pass and you can get started again. Why? Because feeling stuck is a FEELING, not a fact, and, for many listening today, you’re wallowing in a feeling that is not based on anything but your emotions at this time and for whatever reason you’ve chosen to give. No doubt some days, weeks or […]
Learn to handle things on your own
People aren’t always going to be there for you. That’s why you learn to handle things on your own. You know what I think one of the hardest things in life is? It’s when you have to do things on your own. I do tend to work alone—it’s just the nature of my business—but sometimes I like to work with others; I just like to hear what they think, or I like to see the process of working together to accomplish a goal come to realization. I also like the comradely that happens when you put good people together to […]
Don’t Be a Clapper
Recently in an interview session, I asked my client what was the best advice she’d ever received and she replied, “Don’t be a clapper.” What,” I said, “what does that mean”? She said that all her life her parents had told her never to stand on the sideline of life but to jump into whatever opportunity came her way so she wouldn’t be one of the crowd, the audience or those in the stands, enjoying the action but never participating in the thrilling excitement of the game, the sweat and tears of the action. She said that those sideline people […]
The only person you are destined to become
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. Ralph Waldo Emerson Decisions, decisions, decisions. They are such a big part of our everyday life, and no matter how many times you and I decide to go with the flow and let life “work out,” in the end we all make decisions that will have a lasting impact. I like today’s thought because, once again, it is a reminder that we all choose our outcome. I know that many will argue with me on that thought because they have bought into the belief that […]
Turn Yourself Around
I just finished reading a great book called “The Map Thief,” the story of Forbes Smiley, III, an esteemed rare maps dealer, who, as the book jacket says, “…spent years doubling as a map thief—until he was finally arrested slipping maps out of books in the Yale University library.” It was a great book, and I learned a lot about maps: how they were created, and how, by simply changing a border, you could change a nation, but, beyond my own education about maps and their value, was the story of the failings of a guy who committed crimes against […]