When we see what others have, is our basic reaction to notice what we’re missing or express gratitude for what we have? I’ve thought a lot about about this question over the years but came back to it recently when I found myself feeling a little jealous over all the vacation posts popping up on […]

Have you ever found yourself in a hyper-productive period? You’re making progress on your goals, checking boxes on your list. It’s like music to your ears. But to everyone else in your life, it’s more like noise. When I first started in publishing I was determined to succeed. I would get to the office at […]

Starting things is simple. It’s progress that’s hard. Nothing makes that truth come alive like looking back on your week and seeing what didn’t get finished. When we begin a project there’s all kinds of enthusiasm. We’re energized by that surge of excitement that comes from novelty and our own creativity. But that surge is […]

I’ve been thinking a lot about sleep recently. Most research shows that we don’t get enough, and our deficit is seriously hurting our productivity, our physical health, even our mental well being. Leaders and business writers like Arianna Huffington and Tom Rath are devoting more time to the topic. Greg McKeown’s Essentialism, a book I’m […]

Did you know many of your favorite Disney moments from the 1930-1970s were birthed from a mastermind group of animators? Walt Disney referred to them as “Nine Old Men.” While still in their twenties and thirties, when Walt first coined the phrase, this mastermind group brought to the world such classics as Snow White and […]

Success has many determining factors, including dumb luck. But I’ve been thinking of one lately that’s largely indispensable and totally learnable—persistence. Have you ever felt like bailing on that one thing you know you’re supposed to do?

The desire to create lasting transformation in the world is what really drives us as leaders, right? Since the news of her death, I’ve been thinking a lot about Maya Angelou. Her legacy offers several valuable insights for living a life of true significance. The odds were against Angelou in her early years. Her parents […]

Several years ago, we had an English Setter named Nelson. He was gentle and patient. He let our grandchildren pull his tail and climb all over him. He only had one real fault. Whenever the door would open, he would bolt like a convict, drunk with his new-found freedom. It would often take twenty or […]

[guestpost]Matt Perman is the former director of strategy at Desiring God and is now an author, consultant, and speaker on productivity and leadership from a faith-based perspective. He is the author of the recently released What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. He blogs What’s Best Next and you […]

If you are anything like me, you’re already thinking about the year ahead. How will it be different than this one? What might be possible? What do I want to accomplish? It’s time to begin thinking about goal-setting for 2014.

It’s easy to get lost in the moment when hiking through a place like the Colorado Rockies. It happened to me recently. After following a winding trail up a flower-covered slope, I returned down the same trail—or so I thought. It was several minutes before I realized that I was in the wrong place. Things […]

The older I get, the more I believe that gratitude is the answer to almost every problem we face. I recently watched this short video that reminded me of its importance.

When you experience an involuntary emotional response, whether positive or negative, it is often a clue. You have stumbled onto something that will lead you toward or away from your destiny. It’s important to pay attention. For example, not many people know I majored in music for my first two years of college. I played […]

This is a guest post by Bryan Kelly. He lives in Chicago and interviews experts like Michael Hyatt, Chris Brogan, and Jeff Goins about presentation skills. You can watch his web show and follow him on Twitter. Regardless of your skill level, every platform builder can benefit from the six scientifically researched insights I’m about […]

I am on sabbatical for the next few weeks. While I am gone, I have asked some of my favorite bloggers to stand in for me. This is a guest post by Lucille Zimmerman. She is a licensed professional counselor and the author of Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World. You can […]

When I speak publicly, I often ask how many people believe in the power of written goals. Every hand shoots up. Yet when I ask how many of them have written goals for this year, very few hands go up. This always surprises me, given the fact most people know intuitively (and research has proved) […]

According to psychologists, most people have a greater fear of public speaking than of death. As someone who trains speakers professionally, I can attest this is true. It certainly was for me. Even after I had been speaking publicly for years, I still struggled with fear. Even when I was well-prepared. This happened nearly every […]

I’ve had my share of pain and setbacks. I’ve experienced a catastrophic business failure. I’ve been fired by clients. I’ve struggled in my marriage. I’ve had children with chronic and debilitating diseases. And I’ve had my own health crises. Fortunately, right now things are going well (knock on wood). But I do struggle with one […]

You can learn a great deal from famous people. But according to this guest post from my friend, Skip Prichard, you can learn just as much from the ordinary people you encounter in everyday life.

We live in turbulent times. If we are to overcome the obstacles in our way, we must develop mental toughness. Former FBI agent LaRae Quy shares five ways.

If you are out to accomplish something significant, you are going to be spending a lot of time outside your comfort zone. Here are seven ways to maximize the experience.

Earlier this month, my wife Gail and I took a two-week vacation. We unplugged from e-mail and social media. Here’s what we experienced.

I just started journaling a few weeks ago. So far, I have loved it. I have experienced seven benefits from the practice.