In December it gets way too dark, way too early (at least in the northern hemisphere). Here in Chicago, the sun sets around 5:00 and then it's a long, cold night. And the days themselves can be pretty grey. It's not very motivating. Then you add in the busyness and distractions of the holiday season, and it can be hard to focus and find motivation. Especially when you get to the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Too often, I see people just bounce around like an aimless pinball during that week. They're half-in and half-out of business mode, half-in and half-out of relaxation mode, and 100% not-engaged in anything. So … [Read more...]
5 Secrets for Creating Lasting Personal Growth
updated December 2020 I want to learn to speak Spanish fluently. And after 3 years of almost daily Duolingo lessons, I'm getting there. I'd had it on my list of New Year’s Resolutions for almost a decade. Have you realized that New Year’s Resolution is a short-hand way of saying this part of my life that I’ve been trying to change for the last ten years? But when I think about it, I realize that my Spanish, while not fluent, is actually not horrible. I can read esta bien, but my conversational skills need some work still. That’s not great, but considering I took 4 years of Latin in high school, it isn’t bad either. So maybe I … [Read more...]
And We’re Back at the Beginning
In the closing days of 2014, are you looking back at the year that passed or are you looking forward into the next? I've found that most people do one or the other. They rehash the previous year, the good or the bad. And they rate themselves on how it went. Or they plan out the upcoming year, with goals, resolutions, and dreams. Sometimes, in a fit of introspective intensity, they do both! Which is better? I'm sitting at my desk, thinking about what I want 2015 to look like and the goals of 2014 that I hit (wrote a book) and missed (did not learn Spanish fluently). And I realized that the analysis of the past and the dreaming of … [Read more...]
The 6 Simple Secrets to Effective Holiday Networking
It's a cruel irony. As the end of the year approaches there are more demands on our time for festivities and celebrations and time with family. There's holiday travel and children off from school who need minding. There are parties to go to and presents to buy. And at the same time we also feel the looming pressure of year-end goals and unfinished plans. How can you balance working and personal fun during the holidays? Why Holiday Networking Rocks If you are building your professional network, it can seem like you have to take the holidays off. It can be much easier to throw our hands up and say, "I'll put my focus on my … [Read more...]