When you look in the mirror, do you see the person you always wanted to be? For most people, the answer is a resounding “no.” They don’t see a version of themselves that’s even close to reaching their potential. You fall short. You’re imperfect. You have so many flaws. And the more you focus on those perceived negative qualities, the more unhappy and unfulfilled you seem to be. The first thing we see when we inspect the human being in front of us is flaws, imperfections, and shortcomings. But you’re not alone because that’s just human nature. In fact, studies […]

This morning a client fired me. This morning, a client fired me. It wasn’t for anything I did, or anything I didn’t do for that matter. Instead, he told me that he simply wanted to go in a different direction, which is totally fine. At the end of our face-to-face meeting today, he thanked me for my years of commitment and work. He told me that he really values our friendship and wants to keep it that way in the future even. As we discussed the reason for his decision, he said that even though we did not always agree on […]

Two phone calls. Two different people. Two totally different needs. “Hey man, how are things?”  I asked. “Not great right now,” he said. “Why? What’s going on with you? Is everything ok?” My friend paused and sighed before replying, “My dad went in for his normal check-up. But when they did his blood work, they noticed his white blood cells were extremely low. So, they tested him, and he has an aggressive form of leukemia.” I offered what few words of consolation I could. “My mom is a mess. I don’t know what to think.” We talked a while longer. I listened, mostly saying nothing. […]