#28 – Leap

“Leap, and the net will appear.” {John Burroughs} If you are feeling “ready” to step out, to risk, to greet an uncertain future, you’ve probably waited too long. There is no such thing as “ready.” There is only now. Feel the fear and do it anyway. It’s time to act.

#1 – Read More Poetry

Between now and March 22, I am happy to share “50 Ideas Worth Fighting For.” “Poetry is language against which we have no defenses.” {David Whyte} Do you know that feeling, that feeling of something being so overwhelmingly right and clear that you have no words to describe it? That’s what poetry’s for. Do you

Gifts On the Trail

Last Saturday, on my way up the Mt. Woodson trail, a Buddhist monk passed me heading the other direction. Later, as I finally made my way back down, I came across a clutch of prayer flags placed atop a boulder. I assume the orange-robed monk left them there, but I can’t be sure. What I

A Stone of Hope

“Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Poem for a Sunday Morning

Chinese Foot Chart {Kay Ryan} Each part of us alerts another part. Press a spot in the tender arch and feel the scalp twitch. We are no match for ourselves but our own release. Each touch unlatches some remote lock. Look, boats of mercy embark from our heart at the oddest knock.

A Development Exercise for Your Weekend Enjoyment

Respond to this statement five times: “I am the kind of leader who…” Then, respond to this statement three times: “Right now, my team is…” Finally, respond to this statement just once: “The most important thing I can learn next is…” Once you’ve completed your responses, decide which item about your team is most important

You Are the Sun

“Businesses must view people not as resources but as sources. A resource is like a lump of coal; you use it and it’s gone. A source is like the sun – virtually inexhaustible and continually generating energy, light and warmth. There is no more powerful source of creative energy in the world than a turned-on,

This is the World

Welcome to the world of reality — there is no audience. No one to applaud, to admire. No one to see you. Do you understand? Here is the truth — actual heroism receives no ovation, entertains no one. No one queues up to see it. No one is interested… True heroism is you, alone, in

Hidden Treasure

According to girlscouts.org, “Going for the Girl Scout Silver Award—the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn—gives you the chance to show that you are a leader who is organized, determined, and dedicated to improving your community.” According to my daughter’s research, self-esteem in girls takes a steep drop (30%) between the ages of 8 and 14. Motivated to

From Theory to Practice

Oh, what I would give to have my ideas show up on the page, in the speech, in the classroom, in the coaching session as beautifully formed as when they first took flight in my imagination. Alas, it never happens that way. Not once, not ever. So I persist, as you do, in taking the