A lot of people have already taken their big summer vacation, or are, at least, planning to do so. Most of my clients, however, have no such plans. These are “eat what you kill” hard workers who get paid by billable hours, commissions, or by selling their own wares—people for whom a vacation is a […]
“(You can) cooperate fully, humbly and joyfully with inspiration.” I love that line which I recently read in Elizabeth Gilbert’s new book, Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear. I was listening to an NPR interview on Sunday morning in which Gilbert was sharing insights with On Being host, Krista Tippett. What captivated me was something […]
This is a confession that I probably don’t need to make. But here goes. Drum roll… I’m an overachiever. Shocking…well, not so much. I’ve actually done some soul-searching over the years to figure out what makes me tick and why I’ve made the choices from a very early age to push myself – from excelling […]
Your life changes forever when you lose a loved one. Of course, the world goes on around you, often like nothing at all has changed. But your world will never be the same. One thing is for sure, you see the world in a new light when you are grieving. You see triteness, you see […]
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of speaking with a woman from New York City who interviews entrepreneurs around the nation. Our talk only lasted about 45 minutes, but we covered a lot of ground, ranging from my explaining what RefuseOrdinary is all about, to sharing the highlights of our last family vacation to […]
Since my last blog post was on limit-busting, I thought a good follow-up would be something that I encounter in my work (and life) every day. In fact, I often end a client presentation with a drawing inspired by Seth Godin’s book, The Dip. It’s a way for me to visually share with my clients […]
I was sitting with my dear friend Beth recently as she shared a story of a recent visit to a new doctor. This guy was no ordinary doctor. He’s a seventh-generation healer in New Zealand who has a deep understanding of multiple disciplines and healing modalities (which is a fancy way of saying, this guy […]
It was 8:45 PM. My wife Amanda and I had just stepped off the plane at Dulles International with our daughter, Logan, half-asleep in our arms. We were exhausted, but happy to be on our final leg home after a family trip to Lake Tahoe. A 50-minute flight to Richmond, and we’d be back home […]
I think of myself as a pretty happy guy. In fact, when it comes to mental conditioning, managing stress and keeping a positive outlook, I’ve been an avid student, practitioner and teacher for many years. So what happens when life throws you some really hard curveballs? Can you always be positive? I don’t want to […]
Prior to the advent of the internet, face-to-face interaction was the quintessential skill required for getting ahead in all areas of life—personally, socially, and professionally. Nowadays, the exact opposite seems to be the case: social media is the new prerequisite, both for social advancement and also for gaining a competitive edge in the marketplace. This, […]
