Jun 6, 2018Am I addicted to struggle?A sober alcoholic grapples with resistance to the idea of treatment with psychedelics — My drinking was always about the whoosh. The sensation nestled between the second and the third drink where the world would melt away. My cares and concerns melting off me into the ether, and for a brief fleeting moment I found what I was looking for relief. Relief from the…Alcoholism3 min read
Published in Mission.org·Jul 13, 2016What do you wish you’d considered before joining a startup?8 things I wish I’d known before working at my first startup. — Six years ago I was ready for a different work experience. My resume was chock full of traditional administrative positions that paid the bills but held little interest or excitement. …Startup9 min read
Published in Mission.org·Jul 7, 2016Yesterday I felt good, today I feel broken.To practice self-inquiry is to experience and move through discomfort. — Sometimes the work to a whole life feels limitless and broad. An ever-expanding field of opportunity ripe for exploration. Sometimes the work feels raw and vulnerable. Petrifying, aggravating and overwhelming. I’ve been cultivating a practice of self-examination for over eight years. I am committed to a life-long process. But today…Self Improvement2 min read
Published in Reboot: Better Humans Make Better Leaders & Better Leaders Create Humane Workplaces.·Jun 29, 2016How to Optimize For PeopleLess hustle. More authenticity. Less strategy. More purpose. Less hours. More efficiency. Less outcomes. More experiments. Less secrets. More transparency. Less instructions. More understanding. Less happy. More whole. Less fear. More inquiry. Less politics. More productivity. Less culture fit. More conscious conflict. Less people performance metrics. More vulnerability. Less diversity. More inclusion.Leadership1 min read
Published in Mission.org·Jun 1, 2016Crying is not unprofessional. It’s human.Sensitivity is a virtue, not a disgrace. — I was seated across from my new boss, just 90 days into my new role overseeing operations and community for a professional network. I was trying my best to follow proper managing up techniques to express that I was feeling the crush of an Everest of work on my plate…Mental Health7 min read
Published in Reboot: Better Humans Make Better Leaders & Better Leaders Create Humane Workplaces.·May 25, 2016Someones got to leadFinding the service in going first — A year and a half ago I dove back into the pool following a twelve year absence. My formative years had been filled with swim meets, practices and awkward poolside team photos. Once my hips arrived in my mid-teens, I simply was no longer fast enough to be a real…Leadership4 min read
Published in Reboot: Better Humans Make Better Leaders & Better Leaders Create Humane Workplaces.·Apr 26, 2016It’s not you, it’s the startup life.It’s not just founders struggling with burnout, depression or mental health at startups. I should know. It happened to me. — My startup story starts in Loveland, Colorado. I had shimmed my degree in electronic media into a project management position at a fast-growing, then fast-failing company. Founded by a dot com success story, the company sold educational resources to aspiring entrepreneurs. It was my first taste of the entrepreneurial adventure…Startup10 min read
Published in Reboot: Better Humans Make Better Leaders & Better Leaders Create Humane Workplaces.·Jul 13, 2015What To Do When You Are DepressedKnow That You Are Not Alone Depression lies. It tells us that we are the only person who has felt loss, who has felt failure, who has felt desperation, who has felt nothing. This simply is not true. Image credit: Brenda Clarke There are litanies of other people who have…Depression3 min read
