I eat a lot of mixed nuts and peanut butter. As far as I know, they’re all healthy to someone without allergies. I eat a lot of them. I found a site that shows pictures of two hundred calories of various foods. I like and eat a lot of broccoli. Here’s two hundred calories of broccoli: Looks like an amount that would go a long way to filling me up.[…] Keep reading →

Do you believe you’d have more meaning, purpose, and drive if you could just find your passion? Do you look at people more successful than you and presume they succeeded more because they were lucky enough to find their passion and that if only you were so lucky to stumble on something to drive you, you’d also succeed? I propose a different perspective: that we create passions, not discover them.[…] Keep reading →

“I did such a great job, I deserve this.” Who hasn’t said that in front of some cookies or ice cream? “I worked hard. I earned this.” Who hasn’t said that before lazily neglecting something important, calling it indulging themselves? “This employee has never made a mistake. Let’s promote them.” How many managers have rewarded box-checking behavior like that? If you tell yourself, and behave accordingly, that something unhealthy is[…] Keep reading →

Next time someone you hear “It’s not what you know, it’s whom you know,” tell them who said it they still don’t get it. More important than whom you know is your skill and ability to meet people. If you can meet people and make meaningful connections, then you can create for yourself the “whom you know.” It’s not what you know or whom you know. It’s how well you[…] Keep reading →

This summer’s #1 bestselling business book, Triggers, by Marshall Goldsmith, describes how not to worry about things not worth worrying about. I’m going to improve what he wrote. He created an acronym, AIWATT, which he rhymes with “say what,” short for the first six words of this question: Am I willing, at this time, to make the investment required to make a positive difference on this topic? If you are[…] Keep reading →

I just clicked send. My friend John is going to edit the article. When he sends it back I can submit it. I don’t have to think about it because I’ll know to act when I get his email. Have you ever missed a deadline this way? Or lost contact with someone? Or worried about when you’d hear back? Or forgotten about something important? Relying on your memory for following[…] Keep reading →

Talk about leading people and a lot of people will talk to you about convincing people as a way of leading them. I recommend against this strategy. Convincing someone implies logically debating. Changing someone’s behavior means changing their motivations, which means changing their emotions. Logical argument evokes emotions of debate. Convincing motivates people to disagree. They also feel like you’re trying to impose your values on them. If you disagree[…] Keep reading →

I did someone a favor and didn’t get thanked. No big deal. I’m not offended, but I’m not inclined to help them again. I read about leaders who send handwritten notes to people in their teams and the loyalty and dedication such little shows of appreciation create. I’ve written “how to get a mentor in two easy steps that work.” Showing appreciation influences people a lot. It doesn’t take much[…] Keep reading →

My mom grew up on a farm. I forget the details, but she said the family of six would have about a pound of meat for a meal (or maybe for a week). Dessert would be an apple. Americans today routinely eat over a pound of meat in one meal and turn down apples in favor of sweetened delicacies only royalty enjoyed a few generations ago. Poor Americans today have[…] Keep reading →