Last week, our family spent 5 days at Disney World. We are expecting our third child in September and realized it might be a while before we get the chance to go back, so we surprised our 5 and 3 year old with an impromptu trip.

There are countless lessons to be learned from Disney – the experience, the culture, the imagination and creativity.

Everyone knows the deal. Disney is a magical place where memories are made. Where everyone, no matter how you old you are, becomes a kid again, if only for a few days.

And, although it may sound a little cliché, it’s true. Continue Reading…

There’s always two ways to do things – the easy way or the hard way.

Often times we opt for the easy way. It takes less time, less thought, less energy. It usually comes with lower risk or a smaller investment.

For example, there’s the chef who chooses to make her stock for sauces and soups from a store bought base. Something that comes in a jar that she can just scoop into some hot water. Voila! Chicken stock the easy way.

People choose the easy way over hard way because the hard way can be daunting. It’s a path where outcomes are less certain, and definitely not guaranteed. It usually requires more work, a different level of effort, maybe even learning a new skill or two. Continue Reading…

To get the full effect of this post, there are a few steps.

1. Read this post from Bob Lefsetz, a music industry veteran. He captures the story from Billy’s point of view.

2. Watching this MSG performance is optional for this post.

3. Watch the Vanderbilt video below. But before you do, here are few things to notice.

On this blog I talk about taking chances, going after what you really want, facing your fear. I talk about how you have to embrace risk and judgment and raise your own hand.

It’s rare to find a real life example of all of those things. You’re about to see it.

:24 – You have to pick yourself. If you don’t have the guts to put yourself out there, why should other people take a flyer on you?

1:22 – From the first note, it’s clear that this kid is in no rush. Chances like this don’t come along often, if ever, so enjoy them.

4:30 – When you get your chance, give it everything you got. Don’t be afraid to be creative. Every now and then you get to improvise a little. There’s some space to show people your uniqueness, your gift. Take those chances.

2:05 and 2:16 – It’s hard to narrow down to one or two spots because it is evident through the entire clip, but these are good examples. Look at how much fun he is having. Look the smile on his face – the one that goes from ear-to-ear that says, “I am playing piano for Billy Joel right now.” It’s so great.

And then there’s the part you don’t see in the video. The years of lessons and practice. The coaches and commitment. You don’t see the choices and the sacrifices made in order to get that good. To get so good that when the time comes you have the confidence to say, “I belong up there.” I know I can do this.

Enjoy!

The beginning of a new year has an energy all its own. The calendar provides a natural close to yesteryear and a fresh start for everyone. You can choose to wash your hands of the year that ended or carry forward the momentum you’ve built. The choice is yours. Personally, I find it refreshing and energizing.

That being said, I’ve never been big on resolutions this time of year. But these last few weeks I’ve spent a lot of time really thinking about how I want the next year to look. There’s a lot going on right now that I’m excited about. For starters, SCC Partners is off and running, with a lot of interest from both organizations and individuals. Our first course is going to be launching mid-February, and I’m really happy with how it’s shaping up.

I’m also part of the Actionable Book Club with 21 other talented people. I already read a lot, but this is different. This group is about action – taking the concepts from business and personal development books and making them actionable. You’ll hear a lot more about this as the year goes on.

There’s no shortage of posts around the web offering strategies for resolutions, setting goals, or building new habits. The one that resonated the most with me was from Chris Brogan. He recommends choosing three words to help you focus on your goals for the year.

“In an effort to tell bigger stories, I’ve found that the concept of three words allows me to think in more dimensions about what I want to do with my life and it lets me apply lots of tangible goals instead of what most people do when they focus on just a finite task.“

Instead of focusing purely on individual goals, I like the idea of identifying a few major themes to serve as a framework for the year. I think having the themes will create a helpful way to decide what to say yes to, and more importantly, what to say no to in the coming year.

Here are my three words:

Student- In the last few months, I’ve read a few books on learning. Not only is it a fascinating topic, but I am now convinced more than ever, that if you are not committed to life-long learning, you are screwed (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). It’s impossible to grow if you are not open to and seeking opportunities for growth. Aside from that, learning new things is fun. I’m going to be exploring some new topics this year and going deeper in others.

Execute – 2012 was a year of planning and leaping. I spent a lot of time and energy shaping my new company, which involved clearly defining who we want to help and how we can use our strengths in meaningful ways. Late in the year it was finally off the ground and I had left the corporate job I had had for the previous 12 years. Now it’s time to execute.

Present – Life moves fast….really fast. It’s easy to caught in the current and miss the important parts if you’re not paying attention. Now that I work from home and have a lot more say over my schedule, I have more opportunities than I did in the past. There is more freedom (and less excuses) to take advantage of the little things…picking my son up from school, doing a puzzle at 10am with my daughter, or a Tuesday afternoon movie with my family. I want to make sure I take advantage of it this year.

Do you have 3 words? Feel free to share them in the comments, I’d love to hear them!