Welcome to 2018! We know that 2017 was a challenging year for many of you for various reasons and that you’re excited about the new year. Unfortunately, the change of date alone won’t provide a change in your life. BUT what will change your life is changing the way you go about leading your life and leading in your life. In our December 11th post, Take Small Steps, we offered you a simple tool to begin to think about the areas of your life…
It’s December 25th, defined as Christmas Day by much of the world. Some celebrate the religious meaning of Christmas, others celebrate family and friends, and some just think of the day as the 25th of December with no meaning attached. Whatever your relationship with December 25th, we wanted to take this opportunity to get you thinking about the gifts you bring to the world. You have your own unique gifts – the ways you love, lead, provide, support, enlighten, build,…
We’ve been contacted by many of you over the years saying that you’re unhappy or worn down by your work and are considering a change. You feel like your company isn’t the same place anymore and you’re unmotivated or frustrated. You’re looking to update your resume and cover letter and see what’s out there that will be better than what you currently have. At first glance, this makes a lot of sense and yet it’s often the wrong first step.…
Good morning, Living in Portland, Oregon, means that we’re within 30 miles of “the path of totality” – the path where one can see the total eclipse of the sun later this morning. In our office, we’ve had lots of discussions about whether it’s really necessary to seek out a viewing spot that will be in the path of totality; we wonder, “how much better could 100% be than 99%?” Well, after doing some reading, the difference between…
There’s a lot written on following your passion in work and life. Yet, unfocused passion won’t get you where you want to go. Think for a moment about the things you’re passionate about. Recently, when we asked several clients about their passion, they listed a wide range of things, including great food, dance, the qualities of good coffee, cheese, wine, etc. When we work with clients to define their purpose, it’s often a compelling and active list. Purpose…
Do you remember that feeling of simple childhood joy, like you could do anything you dreamed? Do you remember the many times you were asked as a kid what you wanted to be when you grew up? Without even knowing it, that question probably shaped your current work satisfaction, and it may be limiting your success today. Many of us have chosen life and work based on childhood dreams and/or the values that someone else held for us when…
During this season of graduations, we were recently encouraged to watch a commencement speech by Jim Carrey. He was speaking at Maharishi University of Management and the audience of young people seemed absolutely thrilled to have him there. We watched the video expecting the typical Jim Carrey humor and little depth. Much to our surprise, we walked away with two thought-provoking nuggets that we will be speaking about this week and next week. Go Jim Carrey! In talking about his…
We have recently been reading the book “The WAR of ART: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles“ by Steven Pressfield. We have heard a range of reactions to this book but what spoke to us the most was his exploration of “resistance,” and why most of us struggle to bring our most cherished gifts to life. Pressfield describes the power of resistance to derail our efforts and the increasing power resistance commands when those efforts are…
We recently came across another Chinese proverb that reminds us of a powerful reason for stepping fully into your life and claiming your leadership. Your ability to grow and nurture people is central to your organization’s, your community’s, and your family’s success. If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain If you want ten years of prosperity, grow tree If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people -Chinese Proverb Over and over again, we have…