The turning of the year is, for many of us, a time of reflection. What happened in 2017? What was good? What was not so good? And what do we WANT to happen in 2018? It also just so happens to be the time when most business owners are planning and budgeting. It makes sense…
We live in a world obsessed by action and success. And in a world hooked on action, the only way to be different is to stop. ~ @thelazyguru Hi, my name’s Brad.And I’m a workaholic. For a significant portion of my career I lived my life with my foot on the gas—and the pedal pushed to…
It’s taken weeks, lots of calls, meetings, and late night reworking of the numbers, but it looks like it’s really going to happen. The biggest deal you’ve ever pitched is closing. They’re going to say yes! It’s thrilling, scary, and the rush you feel takes you headlong into the challenge! So you go to tell…
Stop for a minute and think about how you’re feeling right now. Are you feeling tired? Overwhelmed? Do you feel like you have more to do than you can accomplish? Are you asking yourself to do more—to be more—than you’re comfortable doing and being? Now think back to the end of your last vacation; you…
What a morning. I opened up my computer and found a pile of email that arrived overnight. No bonfires, luckily, but I know it’s going to take an hour just to look at them, never mind respond! My younger associate just stopped by to let me know she needs my attention. I know my family…
In both the art and the business worlds, the difference between the amateurs and the professionals is simple: The professionals know they’re winging it. The amateurs pretend they’re not. ~ Amanda Palmer, The Art of Asking There’s a voice I hear all too frequently. I might be taking the stage at a speaking gig, walking…
Ahh, to be young. I remember the summer I was 10 years old. It was the summer of all summers. My family was living in the San Francisco bay area, in a house that was just a short distance from what (in Chicago) is known as a forest preserve. That 165 acre park was my…
Conferences, whether they are industry-specific trade shows, inspirational/motivational events, or learning opportunities around a specific topic– bring up mixed emotions for me. On the one hand, I think about spending a lot of money to travel to another city, spend time away from my family, eat crappy conference food…etc., etc. These are all things that…
When I talk to business owners, I tend to hear “business is great”–a lot. “We closed a bunch of new business! My employees are rockin’ it! Going to work feels like I’m on vacation!” But then, if I get the privilege of working with them, I hear a different story. “How do I start making…
It only takes a minute each morning. Before I open my email, before I get started with my work, I stop and write down three (or more) things I’m thankful for. It’s a simple thing. Just a brief pause in an other wise hectic day, but there’s some kind of magic in practicing gratitude. As business…