Yes, there is validity to old chestnuts like, “where there is smoke, there is fire.” Patterns of behavior especially in times of adversity reveal character. But too often, we take what others say at face value, without question and judge accordingly.

The Ultimate Success Metric may not be what we think it is. Each of us keeps a personal scorecard, with which we judge ourselves and those around us. We measure everything from financial wealth to educational attainment, from athletic achievement to career progression. If I had to pick just one metric to define a life well lived, it would be…

“Becoming is a lifelong quest,” the leader said. “We are imperfect beings but the wisdom that is revealed in the very act of service can guide us toward life’s sunset, with great power in our hands and peace in our hearts. This is The Ultimate Truth.”

Our planet is populated with both bad and good people. Our job is to do what we can to bring those in darkness into the light. Ben Ferencz shows us that taking whatever action we can to alleviate suffering is the most powerful way to stay positive in a negative world.

Deconstruct every great achievement and you will find a linchpin at the center; that one indispensable person with the vision and the skills to make the dream real. Many of their names are familiar. Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk and Melinda Gates are household names. But every undertaking, no matter how big or small has a linchpin. It’s true…

A paradigm can either protect us from harm or blind us to danger. Re-validating that which we believe to be true is the only way to know the difference. Our paradigms are built on points of pain and pleasure that inject our minds with assumptions. And we know what can happen when we assume. Take the difficult conversation going on…

As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in our daily life will it outsmart us? Only if we let it. “AI” – Artificial Intelligence is the concept of creating a machine that is smart enough to think and act like a human being. We’ve seen it on screen thanks to the intelligent mind of Steven Spielberg. It’s invading our homes…

By Scott Westerman Deal directly with your current unpleasant reality but never lose faith that you will prevail. This is the essence of the Stockdale Paradox. It can change your life. Whenever I get the chance to lead a new team, the first book I share with them is Jim Collins’ “Good to Great”. In it, Jim and his gifted…

5 years ago, I wrote “The Last Monday Motivator“. Today, I’m back in the saddle again with some learnings and lessons.. In the interim a lot has changed. People are more addicted than ever to our devices, the Internet, to Netflix, to Facebook. The list of things competing for our time and attention is a long one. A year ago,…

Sydney J. Harris wrote for the Chicago Daily News and, later, the Chicago Sun-Times. He also authored 11 books and a syndicated column, Strictly Personal, that was regular reading for me when I was growing up. In 1980, he penned a New Year’s message focusing on those resolutions we love to make and so easily break. My friend, Russ White,…