The Folly of Pleasing

. . . and not a camera. We project our thoughts and “sense-of-things” onto the World. Nothing in the world is stressful, or difficult, or complicated or beautiful, elegant or amazing. As Shakespeare said: “for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” We think we see things, but we really just…

There’s good reason to fear change, at least in the context of biology. Long time ago, doing things differently would most likely get you dead. Taking a different route, hunting a new valley, etc., often meant confronting dangers that could — and would — kill you, eat you, or otherwise make you dead. We are…

Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself. – Ancient Chinese Proverb As a coach this is something that I occasionally encounter: working with a client who says they want to change, but doesn’t take action (or takes incomplete action). It’s important to understand that change is hard. We are genetically programmed to avoid…

Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it’s cowardice. – George Jackson One of the great skills of life is discernment. It’s easy to tell the difference between black and white, hot or cold, up or down, . . . . But being able to tell the difference between patience and procrastination is…

I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. – Albert Einstein As a coach I am very curious. I ask a lot of questions. I am always reminding myself to wonder and be curious, to ask clients, and myself: “What else might that mean…?” “How does that happen… ?” “Could you see that…

The successful man is the average man, focused. – Ralph Waldo Emerson So many people think that anyone who is successful is different in some way. Better genetics, or up-bringing, or work ethic, or friends, or discipline, or education, or . . . . It’s not true. People who are successful work harder, longer. True,…