H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, the XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet once said: “To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else.” Our habits, tendencies, and behaviors construct who we are. Good or bad, we move through life defending our ways of being. We make excuses for our actions if they ruffle feathers. Our explanations are the justifications we…

With but few exceptions, it is always the underdog who wins through sheer willpower. ~ Johnny Weissmuller The common thread of many successful people is the struggle they overcame to achieve their achievements. But for many, the challenge of being the underdog fueled that desire to succeed. At the top of his career, Michael Shumaker, the Formula 1 race car driver, moved to team Ferrari, even though they had not…

Genius is the gold in the mine, talent is the miner who works and brings it out. ~Marguerite Gardiner We are born with innate gifts; the key to life is discovering them. Once uncovered, using them to actively help others through creative expression, service, or sharing wisdom is paramount to our purpose in life. The tragedy of life is not death but having these gifts and letting them die within…

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” ~ perhaps said by Shakespeare   The term multi-hyphenate has replaced the term jack of all trades.  However, I believe multi-hyphenate is redundant to being a human being. We are all multi-dimensional and multi-faceted. It is unfortunate when I hear underlying insults affronting those who identify as jacks of all trades, suggesting someone has not…

In the midst of movement and chaos keep stillness inside of you. ~Deepak Chopra In Buddhism, there is a Tibetan word called shenpa, which roughly translates as the urge, or the hook, that triggers our habitual tendency to shut down. We have all seen it happen and have been there: the arms fold across the chest, a stance is taken, the jaw tenses, and we may lose eye contact. Remember…

“One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist…..Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist” ~ Stephen Hawking Striving for perfection is an unattainable reality. Perceived perfection is a relative concept according to one’s social and cultural viewpoint. Ideas of perfection can and will always remain a relative ideal. Often equated with ambition, we aim to go above and beyond to…

“The further you get away from yourself, the more challenging it is,  yet not to be in your comfort zone is great fun.” ~ Benedict Cumberbatch It takes courage to explore who we are and risk moving from our comfort zone to achieve greatness. Whether in business or our personal lives, we grow from moving from the known to the unknown. Encountering the unknown can be frightening, unpredictable, and challenging.…

The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking. Separate them from the situation, which is always neutral, which always is as it is.” ~ Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose   Success can be quantified as achieving a certain level of recognition. It can also involve accomplishing an aim or purpose or attaining…