Helping folks with practical tips to manage themselves better
August 29, 2026
My son called recently, upset about a collaborative engineering project that had not gone well. He felt he had done everything right, but something else, unanticipated, had caused it to fall apart. We ended up in a bit of an Read more…
August 28, 2026
Before I became a technology entrepreneur, I spent many years in a large financial institution. The instinct there was always to avoid anything new, because it must not fail. And thanks to that fear of failing, we would not attempt Read more…
August 25, 2026
I used to wear urgency like a badge. Always on. Always responding. Always moving. I told myself this was leadership. But I had unconsciously trained everyone around me to believe that everything was a fire. And once you do that, Read more…
August 23, 2026
A man once asked a painter to paint his small boat red. The painter arrived early in the morning with his brushes, sandpaper, and paint. The boat was old, but well-loved. It had carried the family across the lake for Read more…
August 22, 2026
Someone does not respond the way you expected. A colleague leaves you out. A customer goes quiet. A friend says something that feels dismissive. Our mind is quick to build a story around it. They do not respect me. They Read more…
August 20, 2026
Some of my best teachers, mentors, and coaches had one thing in common. They almost never gave me the answer. They created the conditions for me to figure it out myself. There is a big difference between being told something Read more…
August 18, 2026
I think of myself as a good problem-solver. Someone brings me a problem, I offer a solution. At work, with my team. At home, with my wife. With my children. A problem shows up, and my mind immediately starts fixing Read more…
August 17, 2026
A young man went to a Zen master. After practicing for a time, the student went off on his own with instructions to faithfully send a letter to the master every month, giving an account of his spiritual progress. In Read more…
August 16, 2026
There are questions in life that need answers. Which treatment should I choose? Should I take this job? Is this relationship still right for me? The answer changes what you do next. Seek it. Ask. Investigate. Do not hide behind Read more…
August 15, 2026
A senior executive shares a problem with you. You discuss a possible solution. The conversation is alive, the need is real, and you agree to come back with something. You spend a week perfecting the proposal. By the time you Read more…
