you need to achieve your outcomes to fulfill your purpose — “And I looked at this girl and she looked so sad. I thought to myself, we can’t leave these kids behind. We have to give them a chance.” I was standing in the back of a hotel conference hall somewhere in Florida. …

they’re actually two sides of the same coin — With a slight build and common attire, the figure walking into the city wouldn’t register among the other people going about their business inside the castle walls. The figure turns out to be Merlin. …

it only makes it harder for your team to hit goals — It was the middle of December, and I was standing in a log tower on top of a mountain. With my hood up and my hands in my pockets, I looked like a walking sleeping bag that refused to get blown off the tower by the repeated gusts of wind. …

You can’t be everything to everyone. Here’s how to set your focus and work backward to make the most of your time. — You can’t do it all. In fact, you shouldn’t even try. The business machine has perpetuated the false notion that if you’re not taking advantage of every new idea and hot trend, you won’t grow. …

I don’t know why I’m supposed to care about you — I walked down the block on my way home from the train station. My shoulder hurt from carrying my overnight bag, but I pressed on because I was almost there. I was aware of the signs and ads around me from the moment I got off the train. …

empathize with that micromanaging boss instead of vilifying them — We’re encouraged not to meet our heroes in real life. This piece of advice hinges on the assumption that our fantasy will pale in comparison to the reality that our hero is, well, human. If that’s the case with heroes, what about villains? The Micromanaging Boss has become a villain…

take on big projects better with shorter sessions — I don’t like locking people in a room for 8 hours. I realize answering the question “Where do we want to be in three years?” takes a lot of effort and thoughtfulness to answer well. But despite retreats and all-day sessions being the norm for this type of planning (and…

there are 3 types and each one uses your brain differently — Meetings. The dreaded time-suck most of us want to avoid. One of the reasons meetings don’t work is that we try to do too many types of things in one time slot. There are actually three types of meetings: 1. Update Meetings As the name suggests, you provide an update…

your purpose isn’t up; it’s forward — Have you been told your purpose is your North Star? As far as serving as an unmovable beacon that provides clear direction, the metaphor works. Unfortunately, it paints a mental picture that puts your purpose high above your head. When we see purpose that way, we think about it as…