We're All in This Together

Our 13 year old daughter Rosie said to me recently, "Dad, you don't always have to suck it up."  Her feedback stopped me in my tracks.  It had me reflect on how and why I do this, and also how much we're encouraged in our culture to "suck it up" at work and in life.  On this episode, I talk about the paradox of sucking it up and how it can be both necessary and detrimental to our success and wellb...

Trusting our instincts is an important aspect of growth and success in life, leadership, work, and more.  And, even in the best of times, it can be challenging to do this effectively.  Over the past few months and years, I've found it more difficult than ever to trust my own instincts, given all of the stress, change, and uncertainty we've been facing.  On this episode, we talk about both the chal...

I watched the Oscars live, like millions of people around the country and the world.  I was shocked and shaken by the incident that took place between Will Smith and Chris Rock, two entertainers whom I've had great respect and appreciation for over the years.  On this episode, I talk about what happened between them, my initial reactions, and, more broadly, how we can most effectively deal with th...

The paperback edition of my latest book, We're All in This Together , officially came out today!  So much has happened since I finished the manuscript for this book back in late 2019 and it first came out in the spring of 2020.  On this episode, I reflect on a few of the core themes of the book and my work, and talk about some of the most important things we've learned over the past two years.  I...

Like most busy people, I crave more free time and find it challenging to create.  However, according to my friend Jenny Blake, for us to thrive in our work and our lives, creating free time is not just a nice to have, it's essential.  On this episode, I talk to Jenny about why this can be so difficult, why it is so important, and how we can do it.  Jenny's forthcoming book, Free Time: Lose the Bus...

Like most of us, I think of regret in a negative way, and that it's something I try to avoid as much as possible.  However, I recently listened to a conversation that Brene Brown had on her podcast with Daniel Pink about his new book, The Power of Regret.  Listening to them underscored some things I think I'd known but didn't specifically realize were so important about acknowledging our regrets. ...

Given the level of stress, weariness, and uncertainty that many of us are experiencing these days, it can be challenging to keep things in a healthy perspective.  In light of the terrifying invasion and violence happening right now in Ukraine, I've been thinking a lot about the millions of people impacted by this.  So much of what seems hard in my own daily life pales in comparison.  On this episo...

There's a powerful and important difference between joy and happiness.  Happiness, like fun, is often dependent upon positive circumstances and situations.  Joyfulness, on the other hand, is an intentional choice we can make at any moment.  Inspired by Steph Curry's incredible MVP performance in the NBA All-Star game and the way he plays basketball, I talk about how we all can tap into the power o...

Being comfortable with being uncomfortable is an essential aspect of growth, change, and success in just about every aspect of work and life.  However, there is a difference between healthy and unhealthy discomfort, although it can be challenging for many of us, myself included, to recognize this important distinction.  On this episode, I delve into this dynamic and talk about some specific ways w...

Most of us appreciate when other people express appreciation for us.  Clearly some of us are more motivated by this than others, and it can be a bit uncomfortable to receive, but it's very rare to meet someone who feels over-appreciated or doesn't enjoy being acknowledged at some level.  However, the most important and most difficult aspect of appreciation is being able to do it for ourselves in a...

For a number of understandable reasons, especially these days, it can be challenging to slow down and savor our experiences.  The pace of life and work, the stressful and uncertain nature of things right now, and the tendency many of us have to plan and worry, among other things, all make savoring difficult.  However, when we pause and truly take things in, it brings us into the present moment and...

Many of us, myself included, tend to focus a lot on outcomes and goals.  And while this makes sense for us in many areas of life and business, what often drives our performance (or lack thereof) is our habits.  On this episode, I talk about the importance of habits.  I also break down some simple things we can do to adopt new habits we want, let go of ones that don't serve us, and stay consistent...

When things are hard, scary, uncertain, painful, changing, or frustrating, it's easy for us to freak out.  However, when we react in a knee-jerk way to stress (i.e. we freak out), it almost never serves us, others, or the situation.  In many cases, we make an already challenging situation more difficult.  On this episode, I talk about this phenomenon, why it is so common (especially right now), an...

As we find ourselves back in the throes of a covid surge, the increased stress and uncertainty can lead us to understandable feelings of fear, sadness, anger, and more.  On this episode I talk about how we can give ourselves permission to experience all of this in a healthy way, and also about the importance of staying in the present moment, even and especially with things being so challenging and...

Inclusion, belonging, and allyship are essential in business and life.  These things can be challenging and complex.  My friend and colleague, Ray Arata, is an expert in inclusionary leadership and the founder of the Better Man Conference.  He joins me on the show today to talk about these important topics and about his powerful new book, Showing Up: How Men Can Become Allies in the Workplace. Res...

I love this week between Christmas and New Years…it's usually a time to rest, reflect, and prepare.  On this episode, I talk about how we can consciously complete the year that is ending.  This past year has been challenging for me and so many of us.  And, if we're intentional about it, we can bring real closure to this year, which can create the freedom and space to create something new in 2022. ...

I threw out my back this past weekend and was in an enormous amount of pain.  This experience, coupled with the news of the omicron variant spreading rapidly, had me reflect on the humbling nature of life, especially these days.  Being able to embrace authentic humility is actually something that can give us a lot of freedom and power.  On this episode, I talk about being humbled by life and offer...

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the holidays.  I enjoy some of the rituals, food, music, gifts, and celebrations, but I'm not a huge fan of the pressure, expectation, disappointment, family dynamics, and grief that often accompanies this time of year.  On this episode, I talk about some of the things that can make the holidays challenging and share some specific tips for what we can...

We all compare ourselves to other people at times.  This can be benign and there can even be some positive aspects to it, but, for the most part, comparison is an ego trap that distorts our perception and causes harm.  On this episode I talk openly about some of my own struggles with comparison and some things we can do to navigate the comparison trap, especially these days. Resources: We're All i...

Life is full of wonder and joy, although sometimes it can be challenging for us to see and experience this, especially these days.  On this episode, I talk to my longtime friend, Andrea Scher.  She's an artist, life coach, and the author of the brand new book, Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake Up Your Creativity and Find Your Joy .  Andrea's approach to life and creativity is inspiring, accessible, a...

Gratitude is something that I've researched, written, and spoken about for the past two decades.  Even though I know how important, healthy, and powerful it is, I still find it challenging to be grateful, especially at certain times.  On this episode, I reflect on some of the things that can make gratitude difficult, particularly right now, and I share some specific ideas and practices for how we...

For us to successfully create or experience something important - whether it's a relationship, a project, a team, a family, a career, or anything else - a strong foundation is essential.  This foundation needs to be built and maintained consistently.  However, growth and evolution happen by us focusing on vision and embracing innovation.  On this episode I talk about the important balance of found...

Fear is something we all experience as human beings, but it's an emotion we often avoid, deny, or suppress to our own detriment.  With anxiety levels running high for many of us, especially these days, it's important for us to have more space for our fear and to learn healthy ways to feel it and move through it.  On this episode, I talk about why fear can be so tricky and uncomfortable, and I shar...

Patience may be a virtue, but it's definitely something I find challenging.  Given the pace, uncertainty, and intensity of life and work these days, I don't think I'm alone in the struggle with being patient.  On this episode, I talk about some of the reasons patience can be difficult, particularly right now, and I also explore some specific things we can do and focus on to be more patient with ou...

I can be pretty harsh and critical of myself at times.  And even though I know how important self-compassion is, I still find it to be challenging.  On this episode I talk about some of the reasons it can be hard for us to have compassion for ourselves.  I also explore the three components of self-compassion and talk about why it is essential for us, our relationships, and our teams.   Resources:...