Truth be told, when I first began working out with Ryan Morrissey at PEAK, I think I initially felt like he was "nitpicky." Did it really matter if my feet were perfectly place such that I was standing over the arch of my foot, engaging my glutes and my core? (The answer is "yes"... it actually did matter). I [...]
A World Championship ahead and World Class people helping along the way...
I am working with many clients these days on goal-setting. That, by itself, is not a big switch. We still focus on SMART Goals. We focus on setting process goals that are within one's control. The switch is that we're using a really cool tool called "Goalscape." You can see it pictured below. With Goalscape, we're able to prioritize [...]
If you’re experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it’s important to understand how the different parts of your brain function. Post-traumatic stress is a normal response to traumatic events. However, PTSD is a more serious condition that impacts brain function, and it often results from traumas experienced during combat, disasters, or violence. Your brain is equipped with an alarm system [...]
It’s a good idea to have a choice of coping strategies to meet the specific needs of each situation you face—some “problem-focused” and some “emotion-focused.” During severe stress, you might find that your old ways of dealing with problems aren’t doing enough to help. For example, your preferred way of coping in the past might have been venting to [...]
This column is inspired by my dear friend and colleague, Wendy Bay Lewis (1949-2013). Through the vehicle of this column, Wendy and I often tried to share wisdom or insights with our community. Our column started out titled, “Work Matters,” and became “Business Matters.” If we kept it going, we might have lobbied for “Life Matters” and “Death Matters.” [...]
Anniversaries of loss sometimes have a way of creeping up on us. Often times, around the same time each year, I notice myself getting a little sad or a little grumpy, and I can’t think why… And then at some point it occurs to me that it is once again the anniversary of my mother’s death. Several years after [...]
A recent study on a species of birds, discussed on NPR, suggested that when one generation has abundant resources available for their young, the next generation, lacks work ethic. Is this a matter of parenting style? Doesn’t seem to be. Psychologist Jean Twenge, who authored Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled — and More Miserable than [...]
Starting or returning to college is a lot to get used to, even if you already know your way around. Here are a few concrete tips to get off on the right foot this year. Sleep (There Is No Better Fuel) If you want to be alert through the day, you need eight hours of sleep. With fewer than [...]
I’m sure we’ve all been struck, in some form or another, by how much social media (particularly Facebook), is changing our social world. Two observations (positive and negative) regarding these changes have struck me in particular. Facebook recently reminded me of a book I read several years ago called, “Mutant Message Down Under,” by Marlo Morgan. One of many [...]
Setting good boundaries with those you love (or put up with) can sometimes be challenging. People often hit snags because they really care about the other person, and/or they really care what the other person thinks of them. It can help to picture a boundary literally be drawn between the two of you… a divider [...]
Ever try being assertive, but feel like you’re ineffectively going in circles? Some struggle with being more assertive because what they believe is assertiveness is accompanied with guilt. And so they avoid being assertive until they “just can’t take it any more.” The pressure cooker releases and the argument with their (spouse, friend, mother, father, boss, whatever) is ugly. Sometimes they [...]
Whether you know it or not, you’ve probably engaged in “triangulation,” and not just as a kid when you ran to Mom because Dad just said “no” (or vice versa). Similar triangles can also happen with leadership or any work group, committee, or organization (including military) where two people talk about a third. On the surface, triangulation can look [...]
Think of a goal that you’ve been working for lately or that you’re about to go after. How about all those New Year’s resolutions? Do you know why you want it? In other words, what’s your motivation? Do you simply love what you’re doing, or is there a reward you are pursuing? Being clear about what motivates you can [...]
Goal setting can be a useful tool in many arenas. Experts say that 90% of the time, setting specific and challenging goals leads to better performance than “do your best” goals or none at all. Goals can direct attention, mobilize effort, increase persistence, and help you form good strategies. Famous sports figures such as Olympian Michael Phelps have achieved [...]
