Better Persuasion Through Acceptance I was at a sales seminar about a year ago, when I heard a piece of advice so stereotypically salesy that I nearly did a spit-take: “you can’t be willing to take ‘no’ for an answer”. Sure it was actually not that candidly said, but distilled down, that was clearly the… Read More »Why You Should Take “No” for an Answer
Why the Demand for Positivity and “Solutions” Is Misguided and Stifles Growth I was in a meeting once where a high-ranking executive at the company said the following (which I’m paraphrasing): “I don’t want to hear people whining about what’s wrong at the company. Be positive and bring some positive solutions.” At first blush, maybe this… Read More »How to Harness the Overlooked Power of Negativity
As we rush to foster the valuable goals of creativity and innovation, let’s not use the wrong means to achieve them. I’ll be transparent with you: I majored in Philosophy in college. And now, I spend time in the business environment talking about productivity, improvement, and innovation. Did I make a mistake? Absolutely not. On paper,… Read More »The Problem With Teaching Entrepreneurship
There’s an old Zen story I heard a little while ago, and I was immediately struck by it. The origin isn’t exactly clear — it’s attributed to Gerry Shishin Wick. It goes something like this: Mr. Sei lived in a small, poor village. He owned a horse and was one of the wealthiest members of the village.… Read More »Mr. Sei’s Horse: A Cautionary Tale about Quick Judgments
Two Simple Practices to Forge a Healthier Path There are times when I wake up and from the jump, I feel like I’m way behind. I feel like I’m in slow motion. I feel like I’m already stumbling through the day. I spill coffee everywhere. I skip working out. I fail to catch up on… Read More »Radical Compassion: A Radically Different Approach to Productivity and Growth
credit: Tirachard Kumtanom The T.L.C. Method I’ve placed a higher emphasis recently on journaling — and why shouldn’t I? The list of benefits we can derive from keeping a journal are numerous and have been documented for years. It heals trauma and relieves stress Helps you be a better problem solver Makes you more creative The list goes… Read More »A Better, Easier Way to Journal
Let it R.A.I.N. I think we can all agree that mindfulness is beneficial. Being mindful helps you listen better, eat less, prevent aches and pains, and numerous other benefits. Being mindful tends to be easy when you’re feeling good. When you’re productive, crushing it, or relaxed and confident, mindfulness tends to come easy. The challenge is… Read More »A Simple Method for Mindfulness When Things Get Tough
Though I have written in a critical fashion about hacks and tricks before, I cannot deny their appeal. And I think I may have figured out just why they are so appealing. Essentially, hacks and tricks work for the same reason that placebos do. They get you to believe that things can get better and… Read More »Productivity and the Placebo Effect
Credit: Scott Webb Biases can be dangerous. They can lead to misjudgments, mistakes, losses, suffering, and irreparable damages. But there is one bias that I’ve identified as the mother of all biases — at least when it comes to personal productivity. The mother of all biases is the action bias which is a double-edged sword. It is: The… Read More »The Mother of All Biases: The Action Bias and the Power of Restraint
There is so much information available, and new information is coming to light at a break-neck pace. How do you decide which information is important, and process the information that is? The answer is simple: you have to pay attention. Not just be aware, but actually focus — be attentive, process and make connects. You need to… Read More »How To Dramatically Sharpen Your Attention And Focus
