Be Great Where You Can!
In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins starts with the premise that Good is the enemy of Great. The argument is that it takes a lot of hard work and organization to create a good company, hire good employees, have good policies, etc. And once all that hard work is done, people have a […]
Rude vs. Unsafe?
A recent trip to Key West, FL, highlighted an interesting truth about branding. In the big picture, branding is about every single thing your business does. It’s not just your logo or your slogan. It’s how you deliver service, how you treat people, how you manage money, how you maintain systems, etc. In Key West, […]
The Value of Free is Overrated
I’m amazed at the behavior differences between giving something away for free versus charging something – anything. My city recently passed an ordinance (and the State of California did as well) that requires stores to charge ten cents for grocery bags. Now, people can either bring their own, buy an expensive bag, or get a […]
Reduce Travel Stress
My latest RFS video is posted now. I recorded it while traveling. It was a very stressful travel day for many people. It was the day Southwest Airlines’ computers failed and they had to ground their entire fleet for some time. Even under normal circumstances, many people create travel stress because they start with a […]
The Power of Mental Habits – and The Challenge of Changing Them
Over the last year I’ve consumed a large number of books on habits. Creating habits, breaking habits, good habits, bad habits, etc. It’s interesting how much we focus on the physical side of habits. For example, in your morning routine. You probably do the same things in the same order almost every day of your […]
Trying Once Doesn’t Count
I had a conversation with someone the other day about meditation. He expressed a very common belief: I tried that and it didn’t work for me. I couldn’t help wondering, “What do you mean by try?” Whether it’s meditation, exercise, playing the piano, learning a new language, or anything else, you can’t try once. Trying […]
Here’s Why Success Books Really Work
If you’re like me, you can get the same advice over and over for years and it doesn’t sink in – until the time is right. That’s why I read all the “success” literature I can. I read to keep thinking about changes in my life until it’s personal for me. I took a lot […]
Choosing Your Destination is Not the Same as Choosing Your Path
Very often we use the analogy of paths and destinations as if they’re tied together. You know, “You can’t reach your destination if you’re not on the right path.” Well that’s just not true. Trying to walk someone else’s path to your goals can never bring success or happiness. Trying to walk someone else’s path […]
Suffocate Your Fear with Love and Attention
We all experience fear. It keeps us from moving ahead. It even keeps us from improving our lives, improving our business, and improving our relationships. Probably 99% of our fears will never come true. Here’s a plan to kill your fears – with a technique you probably never considered. First, identify your fears. The easiest […]
Unplug in Style – and Help a Great Cause
One of the emerging trends in the U.S. is unplugging. As we become more connected to our technology every day, the need to uplug becomes greater. In fact, unplugging has become popular enough to have its own day. National Day of Unplugging was March 6th of this year. The day was started by a group […]
