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5 rules to prevent your “big next” from becoming a big mess.

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The recent launch of my new book, Free the Genius, was a tutorial for me in how to stretch beyond old limits to my own “big next.”

If you’re building something new and different, let these universal rules-of-the-road help you stay on track and in motion.

What is a “big next”? It’s that idea, dream, or contribution that you must bring to life. It may feel impractical and difficult to achieve . . . yet, it won’t leave you alone until you begin. It’s your big next.

Here are five principles I just learned and re-learned that you can apply to bring your big next to life:…[Continue Reading]

If a client tells you they’re going crazy, should you call 911?

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Mel asked me to meet him for a drink at an out-of-the-way dive bar. He wanted to talk away from the office where people wouldn’t overhear us.

After a quick hello, he jumped right into why he wanted to talk.

“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Do you think I’m losing it? I’m beginning to think I must be crazy.”…[Continue Reading]

He imitated his way to the top. And so can you.

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Willson Contreras, the 26-year-old catcher for the Chicago Cubs will play in his first All-Star game tonight. That’s one of the biggest honors in his profession. When he found out he’d made the team, he cried.

You probably would have too if you’d have worked that hard — especially if one of your idols had tried to hold you in place, telling you to “respect the ranks” as you started gaining ground.

Regardless, you can steal his path to all-star status starting today. And perhaps your success will threaten some of your idols, as well.

Playing in the All-Star game was a predictable outcome.
Contreras used a method that almost every superstar or uber performer in any field, including business, has used since the beginning of humanity. …[Continue Reading]

One important question to ask yourself at New Year’s

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Something small but important happened to me this weekend. It could help you change the way you think about 2018 and beyond for yourself.

On Friday, I drove back to my hometown in Illinois to spend some time with family. My parents’ old house is for sale, so I stopped by the house to check it out.

I was locked out.
I usually enter through the garage door but the door opener had a dead battery. No luck. And all of the doors were locked.…[Continue Reading]

Seeing his world changed mine

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In November 2013, I spent 10 days in Nepal trekking in the Himalayan Mountains. There were no paved roads above 10,000 feet, which meant no motorized vehicles.

It was just silence and the unfamiliar.
Beneath the quiet sky, we ascended, descended, and ascended more, for hours each day. Around every turn was wind, sun, and endless ranges of jagged peaks shooting toward the heavens.…[Continue Reading]

How your double standard is failing you

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I love reading biographies of great people — warriors, titans, artists, athletes, crusaders for a cause.  There’s a theme that runs across them.

Not only did those people have historic impact. They’re full of foibles and flaws.

Sometimes, it’s shocking what poor judgment or bad behaviors such brilliant people could exhibit. That is, at least when they were out of the public view.

And still, they changed the world.…[Continue Reading]

Rethinking your sources of wisdom

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I sat and listened intently as my mentor shared with me some pretty amazing wisdom. His perspective and experiences were so different than mine that I needed to stop him every few minutes and ask for clarification.

Not everything he said made sense, but parts of what he shared was exploding in my brain. I’d just never thought of things the way he was describing them.…[Continue Reading]

When this guy talks, nobody moves

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Could you boil your best life’s insights into 18 minutes? That’s what you’re expected to do in a TED talk.

Lt. Colonel Scott Mann, Green Beret (retired), is one of the most impressive human beings I’ve met. An amazing leader and teacher in combat and civilian life.

Scott just condensed some of his hard earned lessons into a TEDx talk. I think you’ll want to put them into action.…[Continue Reading]

Legalized mind control that keeps you watching the Olympics

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For 10, 15, and 20 years, elite athletes have been preparing to win Gold in Rio. But for much longer, TV network executives have been preparing in a different way to guarantee you’ll stay tuned in.

Their secret is 100% relevant if YOU want to win Gold in the areas that matter to you.

How do the TV networks keep you coming back?
It’s hidden in plain sight: Storytelling.…[Continue Reading]

A Band Director schools us in how to build a talent hotbed

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What’s it take to build a dynasty?
A good friend, Sarah or “Ms. Reck” to her students, directed her final band concert last Thursday after 32 years of teaching. She was a maestro at building a talent hotbed, a place where great talent is disproportionately concentrated. Cultivated over time, talent hotbeds can grow into dynasties.

Her mastery applies far beyond teaching…so pay attention students!
Sarah reluctantly agreed to let me write about her work so we can all learn. Confession: To get her agreement, I might have failed to mention I’d use the words “talent hotbed” and “dynasty.”  Forgive me, Ms. Reck!…[Continue Reading]