I was convinced before last week I could not walk on fire. The firewalk is a staple of Tony Robbins’ “Unleash the Power Within,” a training event I attended last week in Chicago. For 15 years I have been absolutely convinced I could not, would not, walk on fire. For those 15 years, I have been encouraged, persuaded, even cajoled at times by a key mentor, to do it, to attend the Tony Robbins training. But I would not do the…
It’s Monday morning and I’m headed to Salt Lake International, headed to Detroit to see my sisters and family, then to Chicago to see Tony Robbins. Yes. That Tony Robbins. Entrepreneur, author, life coach, and philanthropist Tony Robbins is pretty well-known around the world. I have listened to and studied some of his teachings but this will be my first time to attend an event. I’m headed to Unleash the Power Within, aka UPW. I want to get the most out…
Four score and 75 years ago, on the first day of the month of July, our fathers of an age past, in the midst of their quest to preserve on this continent a new nation, commenced to fight for liberty on a swath of land called Gettysburg, dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. They were engaged in the midst of a great Civil War, testing whether this, our nation, or any other nation so born, and…
Let’s talk about the power of “Networking with Purpose.” We all accept by joining a networking organization like CONNECT Utah we are here to grow our business. That’s a given. We actually expect it. What we don’t always expect is when someone goes well above and beyond the norm. I’m very grateful since joining CONNECT-Utah for the many professionals who have been willing to share their knowledge and skills to help out. Such was the case with an…
The first connection was a quiet moment between two people in a sea of thousands. Another was with a man from Minnesota working long term in the West. A couple connected with their junior high principal at a gas pump of a Flying J. And a not so young man danced with his aunt on a creaky backyard deck. Friendships were started. Business relations were built. Family connections were extended. A THIRTY YEAR CONNECTION Elisa and I were engaged thirty years ago…
Separating families is bad policy, plainly wrong, and cruel. On the surface, it could seem “staying away” from the wall is the answer. Unfortunately, or perhaps, fortunately, it’s much more complicated than simply staying away from the wall. If I was a dad living in Mexico, and faced with a severely corrupt government, extreme poverty, violence on the street, sickness and disease, and no future, I would do everything I could to find something better. I would even walk across…
When a child expresses their desire to do something that seems impossible, or maybe just impractical, there are millions of ways to say it can’t be done… I don’t have time, not now, we’ll do that another day, you’re not old enough, you’re not strong enough, you can’t do it, that’s too far, too hard, what are you thinking, I don’t think so, let’s do something else instead. And the best one of all… No. Unfortunately, this childhood riddle is…
It’s a wonderful blessing we have of being fathers. Even with all the challenges of raising kids, even with the self-doubts that may discourage our efforts, and even with those times we feel we may have failed, there is incredible joy to be discovered every day being a father. I’m grateful today for the many fathers who figured a role in my life, particularly my own father. Of all Dad’s examples which permeate through my life, when times were the…
Next Thursday is a big day! I will be joining my good friend, Mark McKenna, for an exclusive webinar presentation called “3 Ways to Maximize Productivity without Sacrificing Your Sanity.” Mark is a performance coach and trainer and the creator of “Put Out the Fires,” a whimsical children’s book with an unforgettable message for businesses, teams, and organizations that has become an incredible tool for helping professionals fight fewer fires at work. How? By slaying dragons of course! In the free webinar training,…
My personal mantra… The story I most consistently tell myself will be the story that most consistently comes true in my life. So I tell myself a better a story! Every day. Every moment. I tell myself a better story. When I want to give up, I get back to work and tell myself a better story. When I crash, I get back up and tell myself a better story. When I succeed, I strive to be grateful and tell…