I come by it honestly as entering the sixth decade moves me into the province of the crotchety and curmudgeonly. This milestone inspires reflection but not the creation of a “what I must do before I die” list. Nor am I about to deliver the typical old man’s speech, but this message is more personal than most. Reality Sets In When I informed people of my upcoming 60th birthday, I was inviting and...

What do I Mean? It is too easy to pursue the avalanche of “opportunities” coming our way from within, family, work, and friends that take us away from doing what we previously determined to be most important. We discover the most troublesome enemies of accomplishing our goals are not obvious time wasters like social media but virtuous activities we enjoy doing. To be diverted, you must know what...

Under the Light of Day Most of our self or external criticism cannot withstand the simple but often unasked question, “Is it true?” An objective self-assessment casts aside negative beliefs and their harmful consequences. A friend recently attended a high-brow executive leadership program at Yale University and I requested a meeting to discuss one of my serious issues. Before we could take our...

Last week, I wrote about the value of prudently selecting your tribe members. Today, I write about who you should avoid being, being with, and the peril of indifference when selecting your companions. Our moms told us not to hang out with troublemakers because she feared us becoming one. My dad told me, “If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.” Consider the impact interactions have on...

The words from a 1967 Beatles song remain true today, “Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends.” While we can attempt to go it alone, we should not. We are born with less knowledge than a turtle that knows to crawl out of its sandy nest and use moonlight to find its ocean home. Everything we know is taught to us; your mother had to bring you to her breast. The lessons may come at our...