"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard." Tim Notke Work smart AND hard instead of work smart NOT hard. One small word change, using "and" rather than "not", makes a world of difference to your outcomes. The problem with the "Work smart NOT hard" approach There is nothing wrong with the phrase "work … Continue reading Work Smart AND Hard
success
Output Leads to Growth
"A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work." Colin Powell The hard truth about output and growth There are some things to know about how output leads to growth. To get good at something you must put some hard work into it. To become good at creating anything … Continue reading Output Leads to Growth
Perfection is a Myth
“Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” Alan Cohen. Fully embracing the idea that perfection is a myth has enabled me to become more productive and more confident than ever about my creative output quality and value. It is getting better for me all the time. My … Continue reading Perfection is a Myth
Compound Personal Growth
What is compound personal growth and why should you even care? I often talk about using the "Baby Step" approach to achieve goals, make changes, and create new and lasting habits. I wrote a blog post on this which you can read here. There are several particularly good reasons why I recommend embracing the baby … Continue reading Compound Personal Growth
Be Your Own Best Friend
Why should you be your own best friend? Well, doing so is a powerful gift that you can give yourself and others. For you it makes sense because having a trusted best friend always on hand is clearly a good thing. How about for others? Well, when you are best friends with yourself, others will … Continue reading Be Your Own Best Friend
“Project You”
This extensive article is all about encouraging you to adopt a scientific approach to your self-confidence development with you (hence the term “Project You”) as the main object of your study, research, and experimentation. Some questions. Do you struggle with overwhelm when thinking about self-confidence? Do you just try random things and hope something sticks? … Continue reading “Project You”
The “Baby Step” Approach to Goals
Have you ever given up on a big audacious goal whenever the going got a bit tough or it seemed like too long to wait to achieve it? Welcome to the club. It will likely have been more to do with your approach to goal achievement than your actual willpower or grit. The baby step … Continue reading The “Baby Step” Approach to Goals
Personal Principles and Emotional Intelligence
Before we begin Personal principles and emotional intelligence can offer you a very practical and values-based personal decision framework. Most people make decisions every day without ever being clear about the principles guiding them. As a result, choices are often driven by habit, pressure, or convenience rather than intention. A personal philosophy, or set of … Continue reading Personal Principles and Emotional Intelligence
Managing Relationships & EI
Before we begin By mid-life, most people already know that relationships matter. What they underestimate is how often recurring relationship problems are the result of unexamined patterns rather than bad luck or difficult people. Managing relationships is where emotional intelligence becomes visible. It is the point at which self-awareness, self-regulation, and understanding others either translate … Continue reading Managing Relationships & EI