Standing at the crowded coffee bar, I waited patiently to catch the attention of the server frantically busy filling orders. A tall German woman strode up next to me and,…
Posts Taggedchanging behavior
Are You Working Hard Enough?
Hard work: it’s the secret to success, we’re told from an early age — by our parents, society and pretty much every person who achieves notable success. But what exactly is “working hard” and how do…
Want to Bounce Back From Disappointment Quicker?
Do you know the story of the Chinese farmer? When his horse ran away, the neighbors came around to commiserate, “So sorry to hear your horse ran away.” And the farmer said,…
The Curse of Finishing Second (and Five Habits of Happy High-Achievers)
After finishing third in the men’s 100 meter race at the Rio Olympics this week, bronze medalist Andre de Grasse excitedly embraced Usain Bolt, who had taken the gold. While…
The Time I Got Busted Not Paying Attention
On Saturday afternoons, I take one of my favorite class workouts, Forza, based on samurai sword fighting, with martial arts fitness instructor Ilaria Montagnani. After the warm-up and technical exercises,…
What A Flight Attendant Can Teach Us About Creating Certainty in An Uncertain World
Recently, on a cross-country flight from New York to California, the flight attendant announced: “We’re heading into a thunderstorm so the seatbelt sign will be on for the next 45…
Are You Leveraging the Power of Curiosity?
My dad likes to tell this story from my childhood: I was three years old, we were eating dinner and my mom chastised me for chewing with my mouth open, saying…
How To Stop Being A People-Pleaser (and Take Back Your Power)
“This feels too nice and polite to come from a ‘mental toughness coach,’” was my coach’s feedback when I asked him to review an email I had sent introducing myself to…
How Much of Your Life Do You Want To Spend In Survival Mode?
In The Art of Possibility, Ben Zander tells this story: Inscribed on five of the six pillars in the Holocaust Memorial at Quincy Market in Boston are stories that speak…