When a leader is giving you negative feedback, and they start making it personal and/or start shouting, remember that it’s more about them than it is about you. The things that frustrate us most remind us of our own sore spots and weaknesses. While, yes, you probably should have double-checked […]
Category: change
“This Is For Your Own Good”
Whenever anyone gives you advice and tells you “This is for your own good,” I assert almost in every case it’s actually for their own good. This is not to say that it isn’t for yours as well, but the very nature of the reasoning behind why you would say […]
I Was Wrong
People seem to have an allergic reaction to saying “I was wrong.” Well, I was wrong thinking Bitcoin would never go over $10k. I was wrong about when I thought the COVID vaccines wouldn’t be available in the US until July. I was wrong about thinking I would have kids […]
Desperation
If you are seeking to change someone’s mind, desperation should be a last-ditch effort in order to get your way. Changing someone’s mind requires the other person to go through the mental hurdles of admitting that their initial assertion was incorrect, and that they should now believe something new. Desperation […]
Archive and Grow
The one good and bad thing about doing things in public is that there’s a record of what you’ve made. I can look back on my old artwork, or my old blog posts, or things I said on social media from years ago. The bad – or maybe, less fun […]
Knowing vs. KNOWING
Often we know facts, inspirational sayings, and quotes from thought leaders. However, I’d posit we don’t often KNOW the lessons embodied by those pieces of information. This is because knowledge is helpful, but falls short if there is no context. As highlighted in the toxic culture that plagued Uber, “Do […]
Recording as a Mirror
I highly encourage you to record yourself talking in a meeting. It will be highly uncomfortable, as if you haven’t really focused on public speaking, will probably be shocked at the amount of verbal fillers (“um”, “uh,” “like,” “right?, “you know,” etc.) that you might use. Editing my own podcasts […]
Sticks vs. Carrots
I am fortunate enough to have gotten my first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is an achievement not only in privilege, but also in the herculean efforts put in by scientists, public health officials, and the government in terms of funding and incentivizing the rapid development of vaccines. We […]
Self-Improvement Toxicity
I believe in personal development and self-improvement. I also believe that you’re enough as you are. These might seem to contradict themselves, but I believe that positive self-improvement is where you’re embracing yourself as a worthy, amazing human being, and looking to grow and optimize your skill sets, mindsets, and […]
Adam Toledo
It all seems like too much. Another child (13 years old!) shot to death with his hands up. This is, sadly, the America I know. The America where I always look for idling cars when I’m on walks. Where I choose vacation spots based on the likelihood that I’ll be […]