Vision: From Start to Finish
How did James Cameron direct a movie as incredible as Titanic or Avatar? How is Alicia Keys able to write world-class music in an era when few elite performers pen their own lyrics? How does Pixar keep churning out animated blockbusters? The answers all involve vision. The best leaders are able to see a vision…
Read MoreReview: Put Your Dream to the Test
10 Questions to Help You See It and Seize It Dreams are not strictly nocturnal. They invade our waking moments, too, sneaking into our mind’s eye to paint tantalizing pictures of who we desire to be and what we desire to do. Are our dreams legitimately worth pursuing? Do we have what it takes to…
Read MorePerseverance
Perseverance is not an issue of talent. It is not an issue of time. It is about finishing. Talent provides hope for accomplishment, but perseverance guarantees it. Running Past Failure As a small child, Vonetta (Jeffrey) Flowers dreamed about being in the Olympics. She ran everywhere she went, and gained a reputation among her school…
Read More5 Reasons Why Dreams Don’t Take Flight
Most of us never see our dreams come true. Instead of soaring through the clouds, our dreams languish like a broken-down airplane confined to its hangar. Through life, I have come to identify five common reasons why dreams don’t take flight. #1 We Have Been Discouraged from Dreaming by Others We have to pilot our…
Read MoreAccidental Growth Vs. Purposeful Growth
In 1940 two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald, started McDonald’s Barbeque Restaurant in San Bernardino, CA. Typical of the drive-ins of its time, McDonald’s offered an expansive menu from which customers could order and then be serviced by carhops. Through time, the brothers noticed a trend in their sales. A small number of items on…
Read MoreCross Examining Credibility
In a criminal trial, the outcome hinges on the credibility of the witnesses called upon by the prosecution and the defense. Throughout the trial, jurors scrutinize each person who takes the stand, attempting to discern whether or not their words can be trusted. As they decide the case, jurors weigh heavily the statements given by…
Read MorePrinciple-Centered Planning: Part 1
If you’ve ever gone whitewater rafting, then you know the importance of planning. Whenever the raft approaches rapids, the guide has to plan the best route to navigate safely through them. If the guide fails to plan, then the raft can easily smash into a rock or capsize. Four Types of Planning Passive planning happens…
Read MoreCharacter: The Key to Sustaining Momentum
Tiger Woods exploded onto the national stage in 1997, when, as a 21-year old, he won golf’s most prestigious event, the Masters. Not only did Tiger win the tournament, he shattered records along the way, making the world’s best golfers look like amateurs. Within a year of becoming a professional golfer, Tiger had attained the…
Read MoreAligning Opportunity
The unrelenting release of full passion, strength and abilities is amazing in the life of a leader. Yet, it rarely happens that passions, abilities and opportunities all line up at the exact same time. Often times someone’s passion is high, while their abilities are low or the opportunity isn’t right. Or, perhaps, the opportunity arrives,…
Read MoreFeel the Fear and Do it Anyway
Used with permission of Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born into wealth and prestige, and as a young Harvard graduate, he seemed destined for success. By the age of 30 he was elected as a state senator, and a few years later he was appointed as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. However, shortly…
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