“Morris is getting worse,” he said. Michael wept while sharing the news. “He remains unable to speak. I’m concerned that as he gets older, we will need to place him in an institution. I don’t think we’ll be able to manage this much longer.” “And Aimee is so sweet,” explaining how his daughter was trying to help despite her own serious issues. “But with her C.P., she will need back surgery to fix a problem she has with her spine.” “I also worry about how the world will treat her,” he went on. “She is beginning to become aware that she is […]

I have been reading (yes, me reading!) the book Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s just amazing what this man has done with his life. What stands out among many themes is how Arnold blames no one for anything. According to his philosophy, you get what you get and build what you make of your life. In one of the chapters, Arnold speaks about his life, dealing with his father, and his challenges. He reveals how he chose (and still chooses) not to allow those things to impact who he is. He talks openly about the fact that many of […]

Well, another Thanksgiving in the books. This one had extra special meaning for me. It marks the second year in our new home and new town. It’s been a year very much in transition, both professionally and, in many ways, personally. I can honestly not think of a year where I thought more about my mortality than this one. ‘Seeing my children continue to grow and mature, watching what they do and how they think about things. And how we influence those behaviors, good and bad. I’ve thought a lot about how different my life has turned out than what I had […]

Remember life before 9/11? You could travel without taking off your shoes. The flight attendants would make REAL food for you on the plane. They could carve meat with a real knife, and the silverware was, well, silver! Then it all changed. We had to take our shoes off. Plastic forks and knives. Limits to what you can and cannot take on the plane. Heightened security everywhere. But then, relatively quickly, we saw innovations spring forth. There was Clear. Then, TSA Pre-Check.  (Yes, Clear was before TSA Pre-check!) We could pay for services, both private and governmental, to help make […]

There is nothing worse than unused potential. The idea that one can do and be so much more yet chooses not to. I’m not saying that everyone has to strive for total optimization like some machine, and you definitely have the right to be exactly who you want to be. But wouldn’t it be so much more fulfilling to see what you really CAN be? To push those limits and see what you can do? Maybe try your hardest and leave it all out there, even just once. By pushing far out of your comfort zone, you might just show […]

Are you stressed or depressed? Words that sound so similar but have very different meanings. Or do they? How often have you said, “Man, I am so stressed?” Now think about this for a second: how often have you said, “I feel so depressed.” Or “I am so sad today and don’t know why.” Probably never. Very seldom do we (people in general) sit with our feelings. Instead, we’re always moving on to the next thing or simply saying to ourselves, “I’ll deal with that later.” We may even subconsciously treat an admission that we’re depressed or feeling something as […]

When people are not looking or recognizing it, doing what is right is where true interpersonal satisfaction comes in. Growing up in Los Angeles, my grandfather was an immigrant from Russia. He and his three siblings grew up in an orphanage. It’s called Vista del Mar in Culver City and is still there today. His father died on the long journey to the U.S. from Russia. My grandfather’s mother was so poor that she had to make the choice to give up her children – all four of them – just to guarantee their survival. So, she placed all four […]

“Can I ask what the deciding factor was in selecting us?” I asked. The client, sitting across the desk from me, put his hand to his chin, thinking about it for a moment. “You guys were the only ones that came at us with a unique approach,” he said. “That’s great,” I replied. “But what exactly? Sorry to ask, but I always like knowing what we did or did not do well.” “Sure, no problem. I understand,” he said. “You didn’t make a recommendation or pitch a product. You came to us with questions and a solution, if and only if the results […]

I am very uneasy. The world. Our world. I know you probably feel the same way recently. I’m also very uneasy about the things people are saying, what they express, both publicly and privately. In my business, I have always felt most comfortable being uncomfortable. Living in that discomfort to get to a better result. Embracing it. In life, I suppose I have acted somewhat the same way, too. However, the events of the last couple weeks have changed my view on so many things: what is really important and what is not, the response that one should have. To speak […]

What is Uber? Of course, the ride app takes its origins from the word in the normal lexicon. And the dictionary defines “uber” as “Denoting an outstanding or supreme example of a particular kind of person or thing.” I think, so far, the company is right on the mark. Do you remember when Uber first came on the scene? Will Farrell was in the commercials, doing what Will Farrell does: fancy car, bling, cool shoes, and rockstar looks, making it all fun and approachable. Uber was JUST a car service then. Or so we thought! Today, Uber has grown to operate in […]