Mastering Stress & Overwhelm

Why “Just Do It” Is Great For Nike But Not For You

When it comes to “motivating” others (and ourselves) there are three well-known phrases I see and hear a lot: “Just Do It!” “No excuses!” “No one owes you anything!” As a former psychotherapist and now as a coach for the past decade, I have spent thousands of hours with individuals and couples and also with […]


Go From “Here” to “There” Faster & Easier

In 2007 Ursula Burns became the president of Xerox Corporation. In 2009 she became the CEO and In 2010 she was also named chairman of Xerox. That’s quite a success story, but like all success stories, there is a beginning. For Ms. Burns, that beginning was as an intern for Xerox in 1980. If you […]


Dark Night of the Soul & Taking Responsibility

About nine years ago I wasn’t doing well–in fact I was going through what some have called the “dark night of the soul.” I was burned out, angry, confused and couldn’t see any way things were going to get better. Things did get better, by far. It took work and it took some time. And […]


What’s Holding You Back Isn’t What You Think

When a speaker asks a group, “What is the biggest thing that keeps most people from pursuing their l dreams?” the answer is almost always “Fear.” Fear seems to be behind a lot of things without us even knowing it. The salesperson doesn’t ask for a clear “Yes” or “No” from the prospect because they’re […]


The Courage to Be Unhappy For a Time

Sometimes the reason we’re not happier is because we don’t want to be unahppy for a tiime while we deal with things we want to avoid. It takes courage to be unhappy for a time but it’s the work we can do to create more happiness and fullfillment in life and at work.


How to Feel Invincible, Despite the Critics

Invincible: Too powerful to be defeated or overcome. Synonyms: indestructible, unconquerable, unbeatable, indomitable, unassailable. I just read a story that made me stop and think. The story is just a story, meaning it never happened—however, the point of the tale happens all the time in real life in different ways. I’m going to share the […]


How to Choose How You Feel, No Matter What

What would life be like if you had control over how you feel regardless of what’s going on in your life at the moment? Most people don’t think that’s possible. Let me explain: About twenty years ago I was in a post graduate psychology class with twelve other psychotherapists. We were discussing “depression” and one […]


Why This New Study On Happiness Is Wrong

If you want to be happier, you might want to ignore this new study–or at least see the holes in it. Here’s what it says: “A new study suggests you won’t be as happy as you are now for about another four decades. Australian researchers say happiness follows a predictable trajectory as we age, with […]


Unleashing More of Your Potential: Three Keys

In the past several years I’ve worked with several organizations that are leaders in their industries. The individuals and teams I coached or trained are doing well and they know it. They also know they have more potential and they want to know how to unleash more of it. That’s why a noted health organization […]


Instant Happiness

About a month ago I delivered my two day workshop, “Leader as Coach” for a large organization. Everyone there was very smart and accomplished and wanted to learn how to coach their teams. On the second day, I was ready to have them do an exercise that demonstrates the power of positive feedback and how […]