I grew up analyzing and planning. I achieved a lot—a PhD, playing at nationals, the MBA, and a bunch of other things. I get more done now. More importantly, I enjoy what I do now more. It’s more attuned to my values. Instead of analyzing and planning so much, I figure out ways to start doing things. Back then I would have worried about doing things wrong, which kept me[…] Keep reading →
Do you ever get a gift that’s almost what you want, but not quite? People who know me know I don’t like books, as I wrote about in “Less, please“. Sometimes someone gives me a book. I don’t want it. I can get it from the library across the street from me. Now I have to feel weird selling to a bookstore for $5 something you paid $25 for. What[…] Keep reading →
A reader and former NYU collaborator sent me this article from Fast Company under their “Leadership” heading: “27 Questions To Ask Instead Of “What Do You Do?” She knows my passion for effective and meaningful conversation, making people feel comfortable sharing their vulnerabilities, and supporting them on things they care about. Longtime readers will remember how I disparage “So what do you do?” as a leach that saps passion from[…] Keep reading →
My Inc.com article today, “Habits Are Contagious. How to Make The Science Work for You.” began Habits Are Contagious. How to Make The Science Work for You. Research finds that we transmit habits like diseases, or like cures. How to use that insight to make the habits you want stick. Studies show that quitting smoking and losing weight spread through networks like diseases do. Many other behavioral changes work similarly.[…] Keep reading →
My post today on Inc.com, “16 tips to start habits you want and stop ones you don’t,” begins 16 tips to start habits you want and stop ones you don’t You know successful habits create success. The challenge is doing them. Here are tips from someone who hasn’t missed his daily habits in over five years. In January 2011 I started writing on my blog daily. I haven’t missed a day since, meaning[…] Keep reading →
I’ve been answering questions on the social media site Quora for about a month. My responses are getting more views and upvotes, so I thought I’d put some here, since the posts there are like posts here for readers who don’t feel like going there. I’m thinking about making a standard Saturday practice of collecting my responses here from there for the week. Since I have a month to catch[…] Keep reading →
My Inc.com article yesterday, “Get to Know This Emotional Cycle: It Will Improve Your Life” began Get to Know This Emotional Cycle: It Will Improve Your Life Healthy, active, productive activities are often hard to start. Learn this cycle to identify when to use your willpower to help. Yesterday was rowing day. It was also the first hot, humid, sticky day in New York City. I didn’t feel like doing[…] Keep reading →
I got a few short clips from my presentation on entrepreneurship when I spoke at Princeton’s Elab recently. In this clip I describe how to use behaving entrepreneurially to get job offers. If you want similar experiences, take my entrepreneurship course. It develops you in small steps to work up to handling interactions like this. Even if you don’t, call valuable people. Err on the side of making things happen.
My Inc.com post today, “These 2 Magic Phrases Make Persistence Pay Off,” begins These 2 Magic Phrases Make Persistence Pay Off Persist too much and you risk annoying people. Here are 2 simple phrases so people will appreciate your persistence. You know persistence pays off. It can get you that sale, that interview, that dream job you wanted. Often it’s the only way. You also know too much persistence can[…] Keep reading →