As we come to realize that these “interesting times” are likely to be with us for some time, we are also beginning to accept that we must find ways to adapt. While the form that adapt and accept takes will be different for each of us, one thing is true for all of us; we must focus on what … Read More
Selfcare
Just For The Record
Just for the record, we introverts don’t like this any more than extroverts. You are probably asking yourself, where is this coming from? I had a conversation last week with an extroverted friend of mine, during which he said: “I know you introverts are secretly loving this.” People often have the belief that introverts aren’t … Read More
Everybody Needs A Coach
“Everybody needs a coach. It doesn’t matter whether you are CEO, a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player, we all need feedback” so says Bill Gates & Eric Schmidt in this 1.25min TED Talk. Perhaps a bold statement. And yet, doesn’t every professional athlete and every famous performer have one? … Read More
The Choice
The Choice The intellect of man is forced to choose Perfection of the life, or of the work, And if it take the second must refuse A heavenly mansion, raging in the dark. When all that story’s finished, what’s the news? In luck or out the toil has left its mark: That old perplexity … Read More
Can You Forgive Yourself for Not Being Beethoven?
In interviews with Rolling Stone and CBS last year, Billy Joel shares why he stopped writing songs. “I just wasn’t as good as I wanted to be. It was driving me crazy. And it was wrecking my personal life too, just not being able to be satisfied.” That frustration led to a bout of drinking, he … Read More
We Need Tools to Build
I’ve had more conversations about stress management in the last couple of weeks than ever. Is it perhaps the turmoil in the world? Turmoil in our government? Fears about a coming recession? Whatever the reason, what I do know is…. We acknowledge that we need tools to build a house or a car or any physical … Read More
The Gift of a New Year
A new year, a new beginning. An opportunity to choose.. What is important to me? What important thing have I been neglecting? Health perhaps? What am I willing to change, perhaps stop doing, so that what is important actually gets my attention? What actions am I willing to take to turn my resolutions into actions and my actions into habits that extend beyond … Read More
The Challenge of Perception Habits
Recently, I wrote two blogs about habits. The first, here, was about decision fatigue and how activity habits simplify our lives by reducing the number of decisions we have to make. The second, here, was about the dark side of habits, how our response habits can cause us to treat situations that feel similar as the same, … Read More
Another Form of Diversification, Expectation Diversity
Last week I wrote about ego diversification. And it reminded me of another sort of diversification, that of diversity of expectations. Whether in a personal situation, or a business situation, expecting one person to fulfill all our needs is usually a recipe for disappointment. Most of us long ago realized that if we spend 100% of … Read More
Ego Diversification
What does it mean to diversify your ego? Does that even make sense? In the investment world, diversification is de rigueur. Anyone who works with an investment advisor has heard them talk about the benefits of holding a diversified portfolio. The reasons are pretty straightforward, asset classes typically move differently and when one class is underperforming, … Read More