A few years ago, I witnessed a dear friend (let’s call him Todd) living through the most difficult experience of his life. Over many months, his situation got so bad it seemed almost inescapable to him. The challenges he faced would make even the toughest among us blanch.
At one point, he was ready to just check out, not in a healthy way. Standing in his shoes, I could understand why.…[Continue Reading]
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]
I had the chance to have a brief conversation with celebrated, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Ron Chernow, recently.
While we spoke, he made a comment that rang a bell in my head that will no doubt be valuable for you, too, if you intend to make a meaningful impact in your world.
He’s a true virtuoso.
Chernow is best known for writing the book, Hamilton but every book he writes is an award winner. Chernow’s biography, Hamilton, inspired Lin Manuel-Miranda to write the earth-shaking musical of the same title.…[Continue Reading]
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]
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]
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]
A client of mine just earned a huge new role at his company. His progress really accelerated about five years ago when he changed his old approach.
It was the stuff no one saw him doing that got him there.…[Continue Reading]
Last Friday night, Morgan William from Mississippi State caught the basketball at mid-court with 3.9 seconds left in a tie game. Her window of opportunity opened and closed in less time than it took you to read this paragraph.
Her story is one that can inspire and instruct every one of us who wants to make our dent in the Universe.…[Continue Reading]
Cooper (aka, Coop) is a strapping 16 year-old kid who just didn’t know any better.
His ONE DREAM is to play college basketball. Okay, in full disclosure, he also seems to dream about Mexican food pretty often.
He knew the first step to his big dream was to play high school basketball. And he wanted to be ready.
He logged thousands of hours of practice and play through 8th grade. Thousands.…[Continue Reading]
On Sunday, Angelique Kerber won her first US Open Title and earned her first-ever #1 world tennis ranking. At 28, she’s the oldest woman to ever achieve the #1 ranking for the first time.
Ever worry your ship already sailed without you?
Kerber’s path to the top reminds us that there is always another ship to catch. That is, if you keep playing.
She shows us that late bloomers aren’t just slow or lucky. They’ve been preparing for years, readying for their opportunities.…[Continue Reading]
![By Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA (Willson Contreras, Jake Arrieta) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://www.davidmartinco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Willson_Contreras_in_2017_cropped-245x300.jpg)
