admin on September 4th, 2010

It was an unusually beautiful spring day here in Michigan today.  We usually don’t reach into the 70s this early in spring.
So, there I was, driving along with the sunroof open and the tunes blasting.
Life is grand and beautiful.
As I was driving I came upon a young father with his young son on a tricycle.  [...]

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admin on August 28th, 2010

Way too much noise these days.
Do you like quiet?
I’m not even talking internal noise, just the external kind right now.
My old gym used to have music blasting 24 hours a day.  Now, I’m sure some people like that and it pumps them up.  I like it too sometimes.  Other times, I want quiet.
I prefer to [...]

Continue reading about Quiet: time to think

admin on August 21st, 2010

I was just reading my AAA Michigan auto club magazine.  On page 15 it says: “The average driver makes approximately 200 driving decisions per mile.”
Wow.
200?
I would have guessed maybe 10 or 20 at the most.
But, 200 seems wild to me.
Would you believe that a recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that [...]

Continue reading about Driving safe: please don’t crash

admin on July 31st, 2010

I think we have gift giving all screwed up these days.
I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and it was brought home to me by Seth Godin, in his new book Linchpin.
Here’s the main point.
True gift giving has no expectations.
In other words, when I give you a gift, I give because I want to.  [...]

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admin on July 24th, 2010

People usually don’t change when they are happy.
Think about that.
Why would you make changes when things are going fine?
Happy people don’t make changes.
Change is usually preceded by frustration, aggravation, irritation or even anger.
Those emotions spur us into action.
After recently moving, I didn’t finish unpacking and clearing out my basement until I got tired of seeing [...]

Continue reading about You Gotta Get Mad!

admin on July 17th, 2010

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.
Creativity.
My conclusion is that we are all creative, we just don’t all know it.
I think it isn’t about being creative.  Or trying harder.  Or taking creativity classes.  Or meditating.  Or whatever.
I think it is more about letting your creativity out.  That you have creativity inside you that wants [...]

Continue reading about How creative are you?

admin on July 10th, 2010

Most people play small.  Few play big.
You can’t win by playing small.  Just like you can’t win by watching.
Playing small is barely the next step above just watching in life.
Playing small means you are making some attempts at life.
You are putting yourself out there, just a little.  You are taking small, calculated risks.  You are [...]

Continue reading about Are you playing small or big?

admin on July 3rd, 2010

Most people seem to sleep walk through life.
Going to work or raising a family.
Busy.  Lots to do.
But, how many people are actually living?
Hopefully, by reading this, you are in the great minority of people alive!
Bad metaphor alert:
Think about life as a basketball game.  There are two levels to this metaphor.
First, are you in the game [...]

Continue reading about Are you in the game?

admin on June 26th, 2010

What?
Be ruthless?
Hang on, I will explain.
My last newsletter was all about developing an allergy to clutter.  Here’s the back end to that story.
It is one thing to become allergic.  It is another thing to do something about it.
Once you have a reaction to clutter, I want you to be ruthless about getting rid of it.
This [...]

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admin on June 19th, 2010

This is going to sound strange.
Really strange.
But, I want you to develop an allergy.  On purpose.
When was the last time somebody asked you to develop an allergy?
Yep, pretty strange.
But, if you don’t have this allergy, you might be setting yourself up for a more difficult life.  And, I’m all about making life easier for you [...]

Continue reading about Develop an allergy now!