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In elementary school, reading the sports page didn’t appeal to me. But that glossy free standing insert, with its colorful pages of promotional offers, holiday sales and new product launches, enraptured my attention. From the ad copy to the pictures to the names of the items, my marketing education had officially begun. In high school, playing in a grunge rock cover band wasn’t my thing. But learning how to…

Here’s one of my favorite cheesy jokes. A man walks into a bar and sits next to a women with a dog. He asks her if her dog has ever bitten anyone. She says no. The man reaches down to pet the animal, and the dog jumps up and takes a chunk out of his hand. Hey, I thought you said your dog’s never bitten anyone, shouts the man….

Once during a five hour bus ride, the woman across the aisle from me had ants in her pants. Do you remember hearing that phrase as a child? Parents and teachers would use it to describe kids who are unable to sit still, due to anxiety, excess energy, or impatience. Anyway, the women next to me spent the entire bus trip executing the same series of tasks. Check the…

Bankruptcy lawyers report that the number one fear of all clients is, they’re going to lose everything. After all the documents are signed, they’re going to be out on the street, homeless, and everyone will know. This is largely myth. Declaring bankruptcy doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be destitute. Read any bankruptcy firm’s website. They’ll report that it’s unlikely that you’ll lose all of your personal property. Assets like clothing,…

One of my coworkers joked that the only reason she stays away from the dishwasher is, she’s a real feminist fighting the good fight. That’s admirable. Good for her for standing her ground and not upholding that outdated gender stereotype. On the other hand, there’s a fine line between honoring your cherished values and not being a good office citizen. If your team is stressed out and the dishes…

If you had to choose between waiting for the storm to pass, or learning to dance in the rain, which would be more appealing to you? If you interpret the riddle from a literal standpoint, it mostly depends on footwear. If you’re wearing hiking sandals that have strong ground traction and washable waterproof leather, then dance away. Take the long way home from work and enjoy the wet adventure….

Let’s assume it’s true that when the mind is stretched by a new thought, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions. Why stop with the brain? Surely the same metaphor applies to other organs. In my experience, anytime I’ve been willing to stand in the fire of my difficult feelings and not run away from them, my heart is actually what expands and never shrinks back to its…

Would you still work after hours even if it violated company policy? Many modern professionals say yes. Employees are always just a tap and a swipe away from their jobs, so it feels like no skin off their back. And yet, the cumulative cost of this efficiency in the form of anxiety far outweighs whatever value is created for the client. Becker’s landmark study demonstrated that an employee doesn’t…

Time is a story. Einstein himself proved that it expands and contracts based on our subjective interpretation of it. Here’s an example from my experience. When I set aside regular, quiet time to get the rest that my body and mind crave, something magical happens. I suddenly seem to have more time, not less, for all the other demands in my life. The act of relaxing creates more minutes…

My first book was written during my senior year of college. Eighty pages of stories and observations about a guy who wore a nametag every day. It wasn’t that good, but it was mine, and that’s all that mattered. After graduation, I published it, and the book went viral. It fundamentally changed the trajectory of my life and career forever. That was over twenty years ago. Feels like another…