Today I’m going to share with you a little bit about the background of the establishment of the nonprofit I established, and a little bit about what it’s like to take risks. By way of illustration, I’ll share with you two different quotes from two different people about the same type of thing. The first quote: If you are anyone who has ever tried something new, or you are an entrepreneur, you’re probably familiar with the quote “The Arena.” When…..
One of my favorite movies of all time features a trampoline, a creepy arcade carnival mechanical soothsayer and one of the most romantic songs ever recorded, Moonlight Serenade. The movie’s protagonist, Josh Baskin, trapped within his prepubescent prison, yearns to be Big. Isn’t that a common yearning for us all when we launch our businesses, projects and organizations? Don’t we all wish that we had unlimited budgets, plush offices in some groovy building and an ability to dominate the market?…..
In honor of Random Acts of Kindness Day, today I’ll share a few ways you can show kindness in your every day life. At their essence, manners are the recognition and respect of self in other. When we use good manners, we are actually acknowledging our own worthiness of being treated well and with respect. In so saying, I of course realize that not everyone practices good manners. There are many rude (and psychologically wounded) people walking the planet. Whenever…..
The most important aspect of being a great listener is being fully present during your conversations. You must be “here” in order to hear at the highest level. “How do I listen to others? As if everyone were my Master speaking to me His cherished last words.”— Hafiz There’s a saying: that in order to learn, we must listen more and to speak less. The proverb of having two ears and one mouth dictating the ratio of listening to speaking…..
We optimists sometimes get a bad rap, usually accused of being naïve, stupid, or most commonly, “unrealistic.” On the contrary; I would say that optimists are extremely realistic. They see things as they are — as they exist. • I know what it’s like to be fired. • …have a spouse cheat on me. • What it’s like to be betrayed in public—blindsided by those who I thought I could trust. There have been some seriously dark nights of the…..
Who occupies the driver’s seat in your life? Are you the pilot? Or are your outcomes determined by ceding power to others? When I consider possible mentors and role models, a cartoon character like the comic strip scamp Calvin seems like an unlikely choice. But should it be? “From now on, I’ll connect the dots my own way.” — Calvin In a rare reference to the number, quantity, interactivity with or any other reference to my social media accounts, faithful…..
Earlier today, in honor of Giving Tuesday, I sent out a tweet promoting the Jane Addams Resources Corporation (JARC), a nonprofit that teaches welding to people in order to help them not only get well-paying jobs but also to develop capacity-building skills. This was the first organization that gave me a chance when I first moved to Chicago in order to scale the nonprofit I established. A brief timeline: Within two weeks of moving to Chicago in 2103, the job…..
[ALT TEXT: Did you know: The first poor grade I ever received was from Mrs. Ring in the fourth grade. It was for my penmanship, which she deemed, “borderline illegible.” I vowed to improve my technique. A lesson I took away from that experience is that even the best message is useless unless it can be effectively communicated]. I lived in Iowa when Barack Obama was running for president (both terms). As someone with over three decades of media experience,…..
I wonder how many people reading this watched the original television series MacGyver when it originally aired? Aside from being Selma and Patty Bouvier’s celluloid object of desire and the inspiration for SNL’s Will Forte creation MacGruber, this TV character is that rare proper noun that has been “verbed.” To MacGyver something is to bootstrap and/or apply a life hack that transforms something from nothing to save the day. If you are starting anything from scratch, be it a business,…..
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Your ability to let go determines your level of success. Whether positioned as an ability to deal with flux or operate within the theoretical, the essential element that successful, independent people share is an ability to suspend their need to control situations or outcomes and to trust in the process. Almost every time I think of the phrase “let go,” I am reminded of the whale scene from the Pixar…..