I know from talking to many of you that there are big things you want to accomplish that you feel called to move forward. And one of the significant obstacles to doing that is fear. Fear of failure, fear of looking bad, fear of disappointing people, even fear of success, and everything that comes with…
Several years ago, I took a trip to Texas with some college friends, and we decided to go on a guided trip into a cave. That hole you see on the left edge of this picture, next to the sign; THAT IS THE CAVE. Yeah, we went down into a cave that was no bigger…
Fear keeps me from moving forward. Sometimes that’s exactly right. When I’m hiking on a high ridge, looking down at a one-hundred-foot drop, my fear might tell me I need to find another way around! But in my life, fear is most often keeping me from doing the significant and impactful things that I am…
Matt Krause replied to my emails this week with his method for getting past The Resistance. It’s so good I had to share it with you (Italics added for emphasis): Hi Brad, I love that Steven Pressfield book. I read it about the same time I was writing my first book, and one of the…
On Tuesday, we talked about how we all have a voice that tries to undermine any changes we make or steps we take toward our goals. And the more important the goal or significant the step, the more resistance we feel! In my battle with The Resistance, one practical step has made the biggest difference…
I set some ambitious goals for 2023, and I’m clear about the small steps I need to take to move me in the direction I want to go. But as I take those steps, I hear a voice inside my head that’s not helping me. In fact, it sounds like it’s working against me! Do…
The first project I ever led was a debacle. The design didn’t work; the product shipped late with huge cost overruns. Then it failed in the market – no one wanted to buy it. I got my first chance to lead a company just as my marriage was falling apart. I quit the job I…
I was at a holiday party last month, and it was full of agency owners. As I walked through the crowd, I must have heard this snippet of conversation a dozen times. “How are you?” “Oh, I’m so busy, just slammed. It’s really overwhelming…” Each time I heard it, I got more disturbed. Why do…
Many folks are making predictions for the coming year this time of year, so I thought I’d make a few of my own. With over 20 years working with agency founders, I’m very confident that you’ll find that these predictions will hold up. 1. More change is coming Sure, the last two years have brought…
In the last three years, I’ve worked with several founders who made their businesses smaller, intentionally. Their businesses had grown in ways that became a burden. For some, it was generating the work to cover everyone’s salaries. For others, their size created a firm that was no longer a fit for the work they loved…