What Do You Treasure?

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The Heart of the Matter

I still have the draft I wrote nearly 14 years ago — a few paragraphs that describe what is most important to me in life.  Certain words emerged strongly, clearly, and easily.  These words are what I consider to be my “core values,” a term we dismiss, perhaps somewhat skeptically, when we hear it used by leaders of countries and corporations.  Countries, companies, and individuals often fall short of their ideals, yet it is critical to know them and keep aiming. Read more

Allowing the Space Between the Notes

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Musical Metaphor

Miles Davis, as quoted by Adam Shatz in a New York Times Book Review (1), often said that the biggest challenge in jazz improvisation is “not to play all the notes you could play, but to wait, hesitate, let space become a part of the configuration.”  Likewise, in a television profile, Placido Domingo commented that one of the singers he most admired was Frank Sinatra because of his talent for phrasing and pausing in between the words he sang. Read more

What’s In Your Way?

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The Scenario

Jill, a marketing director, has just been assigned a high-exposure project and great opportunity.  Without an addition to her staff, however (which she was told is unlikely), she is concerned about being able to meet the aggressive deadline. Read more

Motivation Doesn’t Last

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Fleeting Inspiration

It’s great to hear a compelling speaker or to read an inspirational book, but why is it that sometimes the motivation we’re sure of in the moment seems to evaporate before we can say Monday morning? Read more

Daring to Doubt

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Turning the Table on Your Doubts

Knowing I have a voracious appetite for things inspirational, a friend of mine gave me a calendar that has a different quotation each month.  One of them, in particular, struck me: Read more

The Year 20__ , How Do You Picture It?

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Future Snapshot

When my husband and I were preparing to get married three years ago, our minister asked us to write down how we pictured our lives 40 years from now.  We chuckled at the assignment which we presumed was usually given to younger couples in their 20’s.  (We were 37 and 47 at the time.)  Jess’ initial response was, “Well, in 40 years, I just hope I can hear what she’s saying!”  We did actually complete the exercise independently, and it was very meaningful to compare notes with each other afterward. Read more

Your Vision: Define It, Wear It, Share It

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Claiming Your Life Vision

It is human nature to dream and wonder.  It is the human spirit at its best when we actually dare to claim that dream. Read more

Act On What You Know

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Contemplating New Directions

In the last issue, I talked about gathering clues on your way to determining the direction to take.  I encouraged you to notice bits and pieces prior to having the solution in full view.  Like a puzzle or mosaic, the whole picture eventually emerges. Read more

Clues to It

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Take The Pressure Off

She was 27 years old and the pressure conveyed during our phone conversation was palpable.  Dissatisfied with her current job, she had a strong feeling she was meant for greater things but just hadn’t been able to put her finger on it yet. Read more

3 Questions: Move from Overwhelm to Momentum

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Overwhelm: Don’t Get Too Used To It

It seems that a fact of modern life is getting acquainted with the state of overwhelm.  We are overwhelmed by the speed of information coming at us, conflicting demands on our time, and the myriad of choices we have.  While it’s true that being in overload from time to time comes with the territory, there is a significant difference between overwhelm as a temporary state and overwhelm as a bad habit or way of life.  The cost of operating this way all the time is that urgency tends to rule and our ability to solve problems or be creative is eroded, along with our overall effectiveness and sense of accomplishment. Read more