Do you ever get started on a project only to be interrupted five minutes later by a notification? That notification leads down a social media spiral, from which you emerge only several hours later, disheveled and confused, and not any farther along on your original project. This is not meant to … [Read more...] about Block Those Notifications or How to Better Protect Your Attention Span
Let the Process Be a Process — And Don’t Forget to Play
When people come to me for advice, certain themes tend to come up time and again from different voices, across livelihoods, and types of projects. Whether it be business thought leaders, writers, or artists, folks seem to have difficulty with the process being a process. “It’s a process” is a way to … [Read more...] about Let the Process Be a Process — And Don’t Forget to Play
How to Push Through a Plateau
Picture this: You’re on a hike, gradually going up and up and up… and it’s getting hard. Sweat is dripping down your back, your hamstrings are on fire, and you already wish you packed more snacks. But even through the discomfort, you keep going. Why? There might be many reasons. Your friend … [Read more...] about How to Push Through a Plateau
Stop Giving Into Imposter Syndrome and Start Giving Yourself Permission to Flourish
What would shift for you if you spent more time doing what you're called to do instead of asking for permission to do it? Today's atomic essay is about how I caught myself before asking for permission or guidance to do something I didn't need either to do. It's strange how we ask other … [Read more...] about Stop Giving Into Imposter Syndrome and Start Giving Yourself Permission to Flourish
We Need More Brave People, Not More Smart People
If searching for the smartest next move is keeping you stuck, focus on your most courageous next step instead. It's hard to outsmart a problem that's needing more heart. There’s no shortage of smart people in this world; there’s a shortage of courageous people. Think of all the smart people … [Read more...] about We Need More Brave People, Not More Smart People
Do You Have Trouble Moving Projects Forward?
While it may seem like working on several projects in parallel is a good way to keep things going, we're often better off to move fewer projects further than juggling more for longer. My neighbor came to the above realization on his own as I was giving him a quick intro to the Momentum Planning … [Read more...] about Do You Have Trouble Moving Projects Forward?
Do You Resist Projects That Are Easy?
A lot of people struggle not because they can't imagine how what they're struggling with could be easy, but because they're uncomfortable with it being easy. So I ask: what's wrong with something being easy? (Notice your own honest reaction to the question.) Every day, I invite my clients and … [Read more...] about Do You Resist Projects That Are Easy?
Unleash Yourself: How To Make Your Next Interview Your Best Interview
All too often, we make ourselves fit available options rather than making options fit us. It's true of job-searching, partner-seeking, or life-building. I believe that we are better served when we flip that and make the options fit us. Too many of us are trying to figure out how to package … [Read more...] about Unleash Yourself: How To Make Your Next Interview Your Best Interview
How Boundaries Prevent Burnout Before It Starts
We live in a society that's constantly busy. Whether we're dealing with the stress of managing our ever-changing schedules or just the general ups and downs of life in the working world, one thing is abundantly clear: we are collectively feeling burned out. We’ve talked about burnout before, and … [Read more...] about How Boundaries Prevent Burnout Before It Starts
3 Ways to Deal with Your Crisco Watermelons
Most collaborative projects start out simple enough but somehow can end up getting slipperier and more chaotic as time goes on. Here are 3 things that you can keep in mind when dealing with a project that gets as slippery as a Crisco watermelon. One of the traditions of the Boy Scout summer camp … [Read more...] about 3 Ways to Deal with Your Crisco Watermelons
4 Statements Leaders Need to Be Saying More Often
A client of mine is going through a catalytic shift in her career where she's bringing on someone to manage her current business while she's moving on to manage someone else's business. It's going to be a challenge, especially with learning how to shift between founder-CEO in one business and … [Read more...] about 4 Statements Leaders Need to Be Saying More Often
Stuck on the Intro? Write it Last.
Don't let the blank screen and ghosts of deleted intro paragraphs haunt you and keep you stuck. You don't have to start writing from your intro; you can start in the middle and come back to your intro once you've figured out where you've gone. When I was a philosophy graduate student, I had … [Read more...] about Stuck on the Intro? Write it Last.
Launch Your New Career: Leading Turnarounds and How It Shaped My Career
Leading through a turnaround or big mess scenario creates springboards for your career. In today's atomic essay, I share the two most significant big mess scenarios that shaped my career. In The CEO Next Door, the authors note that one of the three major career catapults for executives is the Big … [Read more...] about Launch Your New Career: Leading Turnarounds and How It Shaped My Career
Work From Home Workers Need Nudges To Go Home
When you're working on-site or in the office, there are lots of cues and norms about when it's time to go home. Without those cues and norms, WFH workers are struggling to stop working. Leaders, it's on you to nudge your WFH teammates to "go home." One of the underrated benefits of leading a … [Read more...] about Work From Home Workers Need Nudges To Go Home
37 Universal Verbs to Use for Your To-Do Lists
A common trip-up when people are making their to-do lists is that they’re either not using verbs in front of action items or the verbs aren’t working for them. In an earlier post on writing effective to-do lists, I showed how using verbs helps us create momentum on our projects so we don’t spend … [Read more...] about 37 Universal Verbs to Use for Your To-Do Lists
How Much of Your Team’s Time Is Spent Looking for (Metaphorical) Keys?
Many owners and leaders avoid making SOPs, checklists, and workflows because it takes time from doing the actual work. But when you look at what doing the actual work entails, it's spending time doing stuff that SOPs, checklists, and workflows would prevent. After nearly 15 years of running with … [Read more...] about How Much of Your Team’s Time Is Spent Looking for (Metaphorical) Keys?
How MailBrew Has Helped My Digital-Primary Reading Practice
The internet is massive (to say the least), with information swirling around in an infinite number of places. Even if you’ve narrowed down your favorite social platforms and websites to a couple of dozen, it still takes a lot of brain space to stay updated on everything. Add to that the challenge of … [Read more...] about How MailBrew Has Helped My Digital-Primary Reading Practice
3 Ways to Pay off Dunkirk Spirit Debt
Dunkirk Spirit is the extraordinary effort that teams have to muster to accomplish strategic imperatives while overcoming the effects of poor planning, coordination, communication, or unforeseen developments that require an urgent response. It's a reference to the heroic effort of civilian sailors … [Read more...] about 3 Ways to Pay off Dunkirk Spirit Debt