On Monday I spoke on Initiative at Google in Chelsea, Manhattan. (EDIT: here are video clips from a future talk there) It was my first time speaking with them (here’s my speaking page, by the way, for those looking to book an amazing speaker who will get them promoted for hiring me). It reminded me that I started using Google in graduate school because they used GNU/Linux before anyone else[…] Keep reading →

I wrote an in-depth piece answering why we as a culture and as individuals tend to lack initiative, as developed in my book, and how to develop more initiative. It presents more from my book than most reviews or excerpts I’ve posted. The piece is called Initiative: Why We Lack It and How to Develop It and appears in a community site for coaches and people getting coached called The[…] Keep reading →

Want to lead people so they want you to lead them again? To take initiative effectively? Many people ask counterproductive questions, like “How should I do X?”, “How do I convince someone to do Y?”, or “What do I need to know to become a leader?” The most effective question is “How do I learn to lead?“, or in entrepreneurship and taking initiative, “How do I learn to take initiative?“[…] Keep reading →

I wanted to share the story behind Initiative‘s cover. Layout The designer first sent a few cover designs. They were contemporary and appropriate for 2019, but they didn’t feel right. I couldn’t point to anything wrong with them, but they didn’t resonate. When we spoke to review his first designs, I told him that they felt “now,” but I considered my book timeless. It’s not about making apps, blockchain, or[…] Keep reading →

In two days I’m speaking at the Science, Industry, and Business Library branch of the New York Public Library on my book, Initiative. The logistics: 6pm to 7:30pm 188 Madison Avenue (34th St and Madison Ave) Conference room 018 Here’s the event description from the official announcement: Want a proven method to bring your passions to life and work? Look no more.   People everywhere in all walks of life[…] Keep reading →

I’m speaking at the Science, Industry, and Business Library branch of the New York Public Library on my book, Initiative. The logistics: 6pm to 7:30pm 188 Madison Avenue (34th St and Madison Ave) Conference room 018 Here’s the event description from the official announcement: Want a proven method to bring your passions to life and work? Look no more.   People everywhere in all walks of life feel stuck in[…] Keep reading →

Chatting about my upcoming book, Initiative, a friend and fellow blogger, Joe Byerly of From The Green Notebook, asked if people could learn to take initiative. I saw his question as rhetorical, since he’d read an advance copy, so he knew I’d taught just that, but he wanted to see how I’d answer. A lot of people believe you can’t. First, there’s a big reason why, independent of the answer,[…] Keep reading →