The Problem with Positive Thinking In the 53 years since Norman Vincent Peale first introduced his book, The Power of Positive Thinking, many others have written on the subject. The terms positive thinking, positive mental attitude (PMA), and positive mindset are commonly used today.
What Tempts You? Checking your e-mail 100 times a day…Watching mind-numbing TV vs. a program you truly enjoy…Having a cigarette just two weeks into quitting… Inhaling nacho chips when you’re not even hungry (my personal favorite)…Pressing the snooze button instead of getting up a little earlier to exercise… Picking up the phone instead of working […]
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, […]
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 […]
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.
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?
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:
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 […]
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.
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.