Several months ago, a former executive at our company made a commitment to a third-party via email. It is obvious that he didn’t research the cost of his promise nor did he get anyone else’s approval. Neither I nor my CFO was aware of the obligation until the other party brought it to our attention. When I learned that the commitment was north of six figures, I gasped.

Why is it is so difficult to change? Whether it is our personal lives, our organizations, or our communities, real and lasting change is difficult. According to Chip and Dan Heath, the primary obstacle is a conflict that’s built into our brains. In their new book, Switch, they explain this conflict and, more importantly, how to overcome it to create the outcomes you want. In a moment, I will tell you how to get a free copy of this book.

Social media has changed everything. It is now possible for you to take the thing you are most passionate about, create a social media platform, and build a real business than makes serious bucks. In his new book, Crush It! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion, Gary Vaynerchuck shows you how. In a moment, I will tell you how to get a copy FREE.

Whenever I write or speak on the topic of delegation (as I did yesterday), I always get a question from someone who says, “But what if you don’t have a staff? How can you delegate?” This question typically comes from staff people, technicians, stand-alone professionals, or start-up entrepreneurs. It’s a great question. I recommend four strategies.

I was completely swept up in the moment. I forgot about the day. I stopped worrying about the future. For a few precious hours, I was lost in the music. Overwhelmed by the beauty and the wonder of God’s goodness in giving me this unexpected gift. I teared up several times. As I always do in the presence of true art.

I was blown away by the iPad demo video. The hardware and the operating system are impressive. However, when I watched Steve Jobs’ full presentation and demo, I felt that the iBooks application, while beautiful, was missing some key features.

Real leaders go first. They never ask others to do what they have not done or are unwilling to do themselves. They lead by example. Like the Apostle Paul, they are willing to say, “Follow me, as I follow Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Like Lt. Col. Moore, they are the first on the field and the last off.

Over the years, my wife, Gail, and I have developed a set of conversational rules that we use at the dinner table. We have ever written these down. They are largely unarticulated. However, over the years we have done our best to maximize these opportunities and to make eating more about the discussion than the food. Here are eight things we do to create engaging dinner-time conversations.

When I read a non-fiction book, I typically practice these ten disciplines. They help me get more out of the books I read and insure that I retain the information longer.

For the last few days, I have been thinking about how to achieve really big goals. How do you do really hard things? How do you push through the inertia that threatens to keep you in your current state? How do you increase your probability of accomplishing what you set out to do? Whether you are trying to write a book, lose a bunch of weight, overcome an addiction, or land a new job, I believe these six items will help you achieve your goal.