Damn, what a crazy week. Last weekend, I conquered a fear and went skiing for the first time in 20 years (when I accidentally hit a black diamond at age 6). On Tuesday, I dislocated my shoulder during a workout. …

I walk down the street and wait at the crosswalk. A dusty gray van lets me go first. I wave. Ten seconds later, just as I go across the sidewalk, I hear a loud “honk!” The hair on my arm stands at attention, my heart pumping through my chest. …

“We’ll begin with our 135th Anniversary Celebratory Chardonnay.” The sommelier walked around the long, wooden table to each of the ten seats and began pouring. The aroma of the wine filtered through the cave and hit on all five senses. I feel my toes curl. Man, that smells good. I’m…

There is a Japanese business concept, Kaizen, which means “continuous improvement.” This is the process that built Toyota Motor Company. It’s the process that ancient samurai warriors used to prepare for battle. It’s also the process that you and I can use to become better versions of ourselves. It’s January…

I’ve had a lot of time over the holidays to rest, reflect and get juiced up again for the year ahead. A large part of my process is understanding the past year: Did I accomplish my goals? What were my major themes? …

“Who is so talented that they can afford to bring only part of themselves to bear on a problem or opportunity?”, Ryan Holiday pondered in his book “Stillness is the Key”. This rings true on multiple levels. Who is so talented that they can afford to bring only part of…

The worst gift I ever received was during a “White Elephant” game at a Christmas party a number of years ago. After what seemed like hours of choosing and stealing gifts, I ended up with a book titled “How To Look Smarter In Meetings”. Maybe the gift was fine. I…

I saw a post this week that illustrated how a man in India planted a tree every day for 35 years and created a forest larger than Central Park. This feat is quite outstanding for multiple reasons. First, it’s a selfless act. When the man began planting trees 35 years…

It’s the holidays. The time of year to give gifts, to have fun, and invest in relationships. Let’s not forget to take some of that downtime to invest in ourselves. Over the years, I’ve found no investment that pays off like reading the right book at the right time. Whether…