There aren’t many phrases in English more recognizable than “the pursuit of happiness.” But what could happen if we turned it around? That’s exactly what Chris Guillebeau does in his new book, The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life. At just 36, Chris has already led an amazing […]

Have you ever noticed how the people in your life affect you? The impact can be so significant that one of the best things we can do to change our lives for the better is change our peer group. In the 1930s C.S. Lewis started a small literary circle called the Inklings. The group started […]

If you look at the major news stories in business, politics, diplomacy, whatever, it’s pretty hard to miss that most of the crises we face are crises of leadership. I once worked for a man who couldn’t pull the trigger on a project, ever. I would bring him a request with all the supporting documentation. […]

We all know our words are powerful. We can slice someone to pieces with just a few syllables. That’s bad enough, but what happens when we turn that power on ourselves? As a young man, the writer Peter Leonard showed a short story to his famous father, novelist Elmore Leonard. Instead of encouraging his son, […]

Emotions are powerful, especially if we let them work in our lives without paying full attention. They can derail our goals if we let them. In my experience there are four emotions that usually come mixed in a powerful cocktail, sure to undermine our goals: fear, uncertainty, doubt, and shame. Most of us succumb to […]

For the last few years I’ve taken a short sabbatical each summer. I’m looking to rest and focus on intense relational time with Gail. The challenge is unplugging from the Matrix. Anyone who’s attempted it can relate to the difficulty. I’m at the computer or on another device a large portion of the day, every […]

When I left Thomas Nelson a few years back, it seemed like every other person I met asked if I was retiring. I bristled every time I heard the question. In fact, the more I think about the purpose and meaning of work, the more I’m convinced that nothing destroys our sense of purpose and […]

Are you waiting for someone to give you permission to lead, grow, or move in your organization? What if you already have all the permission you need? I was recently invited to sit on a board and observed something there I’ve seen countless times in other settings. Some people around the table had no trouble […]

The two most powerful words in the English language are yes and no. Unfortunately, they’re also the hardest to master. Like you, I have more opportunities and requests than time and energy. I’m better than ever at discerning the good from the bad, but I still sometimes agree to a project or meeting, instantly realize […]

You might be familiar with The Shawshank Redemption. Remember the storyline? Andy Dufresne, innocent of any crime, is saddled with a life sentence in Shawshank Prison. The experience nearly kills him and his hope for freedom. I filtered the movie through my own experience. Stuck in my day job, I felt imprisoned from my potential. […]