"Half Full" by Jason Kotecki. 12 x 12 Oil on canvas. Original is SOLD. Prints and canvas reproductions available here. I like to think of myself as an optimistic person. After all, I am a lifelong Cubs fan who always believed in the hope-filled power of next year. Then again, when they lose three games in a row these days, feeling certain that they’ll never win another game again seems pretty pessimistic. The truth is, I’m probably a little bit of both. The optimistic side of me believed that Penguins Can’t Fly would be a New York Times best seller. It wasn’t. This defeat, along …
You & Improved
The Consequences of Your Courage
We just wrapped up Escape Adulthood Summit #6. I’m definitely tired, but also overflowing with joy from being around such awesome people that renew my hope in humanity. As Kim and I pulled away from the barn in the big yellow rental truck, she said, “Even if we never get to do another one, no regrets." She was referring to a discussion we had back in 2011, on a chilly night in a cozy cabin in Alaska. We talked about regrets that night, and asked, "If we only had one more year together, is there anything we’d regret?” The only thing that came up was the “live event.” For years, we …
Treadmills
There are two kinds of treadmills. The visible kind is usually found in gyms (and the dark recesses of your home, gathering dust.) After turning it on, you put one foot ahead of the other and walk. And walk. And walk. You can literally walk for an entire day, and yet you’ll be in the exact same place as when you started. It seems like an enormous waste of time. Except that the more time you spend on the treadmill, the more calories you burn and the more weight you can lose. This treadmill comes with a reward. The invisible treadmill focuses not on walking, but on things. It …
What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a common question we ask children. Comedian Paula Poundstone says it’s because we’re looking for ideas. The key word in that question is "be." Too often, we adults change that word to "do." It's the classic, tried and true opening line you’ll hear at every bar, party and networking event: So, what do you do? That one little word changes everything. When we ask kids what they want to be, they respond with an answer that sounds a lot like what they want to do. But if you pay attention, that’s not the case at all. Sure, they might say …
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No Rain, No Flowers
No rain, no flowers. Maybe it’s trite. But it’s also true. It may sound like optimism, and it is, but it’s also scientific fact. No pressure, no diamond. No fire, no s’mores. Why do life’s hard parts surprise us? We can look around see examples all around us that the good stuff never comes easy. The best night’s sleep comes after the hardest day’s work. We all want our lives to be awesome but then we yell at they sky when our comfortable little existence is disturbed. I, for one, am grateful that God ignores my whiny, short-sided complaints in order to grant the desires of …
Are You Leading the League?
With the Major League Baseball season heading into the All-Star break, a quick glance at the statistical leaders reveals that I am not leading the National League (or the American League, for that matter) in home runs. Truthfully, I’m not even close. Of course, there is one important detail that probably matters somewhat: I don’t actually play professional baseball. I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s pretty ridiculous to beat myself up for not leading the league in home runs if I’m not a professional baseball player. And yet we regularly feel bad about ourselves for being lousy at games …
You Learned This in School, But it Won’t Help You Now
Recently, I was conducting a day-long workshop in Vancouver for a group of business owners. I was encouraging them to get intentional about what they wanted out of life. I’m surprised at how often this step gets neglected. It’s important, because until we are clear on what we’re aiming for, we’ll end up aimlessly drifting along with the current, mindlessly following rules that don’t exist, while wasting time and energy making choices that don’t serve us well. One attendee asked, “But what if we don’t know what we want?” I don’t remember what I said in the moment, but I have thought about …
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The Best Policy is the One You Make Up After You Read This
If you’ve been following along for a while here, you know that I am a big proponent of breaking rules (particularly the ones that don’t exist.) What might surprise you is that I am equally cool with creating them, too, as long as you’re clear on the reason. I want to share with you one of the most liberating concepts I’ve come across, and believe it or not, it involves making and abiding by strict rules. It’s the idea of creating personal policies. You're well aware of how big companies devise all kinds of policies to protect their interests. You’ve heard it dozens of times: “I’m …
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Do You See the Magic Sitting Right Next to You?
We finally made it to Victoria in British Columbia after hearing about it from so many travelers who spoke of it with stars in their eyes. Kim and I have always had a thing for the Pacific Northwest, but between the mountain views, the ocean air, and the old British charm, it didn't disappoint. When we were preparing to board the ferry to return to the States, the customs officer seemed genuinely shocked to hear from us that people referred to it as a magical place. "Huh," he shrugged. "I don't know about that." I was surprised by his response, and a little saddened. I suppose I …
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When Your Life Feels a Little Off, Try This
When I’m working on a painting, I have to step back from time to time. I have to literally stop the activity of painting and be still before the work. You might think it slows down the process. What it really does is help me make better paintings. Otherwise, I can’t see the painting through the brushstrokes. If I don’t step away every so often, I’m liable to get stuck overdoing part of the painting and end up ruining the whole thing. Giving myself some distance helps me notice things I can’t see when I’m up close. I can examine the overall composition, the balance of color, and if the …
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