“It is solved by walking.”

                                                                            - St. Augustine

In May 2014, I undertook one of the most amazing experiences in my life as I walked the Camino de Santiago. 

The Camino or The Way as it is known, is a 500-mile pilgrimage across northern Spain.  My trek began in the town of St. Jean-Pied du Port in western France, ascended into the Pyrenees Mountains and then descended into Spain where I would spend the next month trekking 17-18 miles per day across the beautiful Spanish countryside to my ultimate destination, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Legend has it that the Camino began in the 9th Century as a way for early Christians to pay penance for their misdeeds by making the arduous pilgrimage to the city of St. James (Santiago), the apostle reputed to have brought Christianity to Europe. 

Today, the Camino serves as a means for thousands of pilgrims or peregrinos annually to take a respite from their everyd...

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment.  When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit.  When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”

                                                                                                - Art Turock

Several years ago, I was in a conference and heard a speaker make a cute little statement regarding the concept of commitment.  It went like this...

“I had bacon and eggs this morning for the breakfast, the chicken was involved, but the pig was COMMITTED."  

That statement, as trite as it might be, has always stuck with me.  How committed am I really to the things I say I am committed to? 

Or as super coach, Steve Chandler asks, 

"Are you interested or are you committed?"

 Ready to FINALLY be committed, check out my Breaking Through Coaching Program!  

Throughout my career as a martial arts instructor, I have been privileged to tea...

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions.  The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”

                                                                                           -  Zig Ziglar

Thanksgiving 2022 will soon be upon us. 

It is certainly an understatement to say that 2020 has been an unusual, and in many cases, a very challenging year.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that spread across our country, it caused many of us to celebrate out last twoThanksgivings in a limited and very different way from how we have done in the past.

For me, this the first year I will be back around a table full of family and friends. 

However, what I realized today is, even though I consider myself to be someone who lives life with a high appreciation for what I have to be grateful for in my life, there are still things that I have grown to take for granted – one of those is spending h...

"Don't ever doubt that one small single event can trigger an unstoppable chain of events that gain momentum with increasing force, and nothing is ever the same."

                                                                                                 - [email protected]

One of the vivid memories I have of my Grandma Natzke, as I was growing up, was her joy of playing the game dominoes.  During the course of my childhood, she attempted to teach me several times how to play.  Although I never acquired her love of the game (nor do I think I remember how to play it), each time I see someone play or speak about dominoes, I get a warm memory of my grandmother.

Several years ago, I was introduced to a video on You Tube that continues to bring forth my warm thoughts about dominoes, albeit in a much different way.  In fact, I was so taken with it that I now include it as part of my keynote talk.  It is called Domino Chain Reaction.

In it, a man who looks like ev...

Fall down seven times, get up eight (and have a laugh along the way)" 

                                                 - Ancient Japanese proverb (with an addition by me)

I was recently reminded of a story I wrote about in my book, Black Belt Leadership several years ago.  

This story was initially intended to share a memorable personal story about parenthood.  However, after some reflection, I believe it can also serve us all as we explore our personal path of life-leadership and our in our quest to effectively, compassionately and courageously lead others.

When I first moved to Colorado several years ago, I decided to take up skiing for the first time.  Being an athlete and growing up in the Midwest, I had avoided skiing because of the potential of injury and lack of proximity to the ski resorts, but now the mountains were calling.

Being on skis for the first time, I was excited for a new physical challenge.  The excitement, however, was soon replaced by con...

“Leadership ………. is like a big door that swings.  But that big door of leadership swings on the small hinge of character.”

                                                                           - Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.)

Last week I shared with you part one of a two-part mini-series on leadership and the outstanding quote above by Admiral James Stavidis (Ret.)

In part one, we discussed the first 5 of nine attributes on character in leadership that I created as the acronym C.H.A.R.A.C.T.E.R.  These were:

C – Commitment to Serve, H – Honor Your Word, A – Attainment = Accomplishment + Becoming, R – Rise to the Occasion and A#2 – Admit and Own Your Mistakes and Move to Correct Them This week, we will continue with the remaining four “character” attributes of being a leader.

• C #2– Capability – The world of leadership places a strong emphasis (and with good reason) on accountability. Holding yourself or others accountable for their actions is seen a strong
...

“Leadership ………. is like a big door that swings.  But that big door of leadership swings on the small hinge of character.”

                                                                                 - Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.)

A couple of years ago at this time, I was listening to an interview with Retired Admiral James Stavridis, who was out promoting his new book on leadership, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character.   

I have to admit, I was half-listening to the interview while I was working out, when the admiral said something and made me immediately stop and go running for a pen and paper to write it down when he shared,

“Leadership is how we influence others.  It is like a big door that swings.  But that big door of leadership swings on the small hinge of character.”

These words have stayed with me over the last year, and in my opinion, are even more needed now than when I first heard them.  Since listening to this interview.  I h...

The biggest competition is myself. I am not looking to follow others or pull them down. I'm planning to test my own boundaries.”

                                                                   Rain, South Korean singer, songwriter

About 4 years into the owning of my martial arts studio, I experienced, what I felt at the time was a true business crisis. 

One evening, a friend and fellow martial arts instructor called me to tell me had a received a promotional fax (yes, this story happened a while ago) announcing the opening of a competitive martial arts school just a mile east of my school’s location. 

Not only was this a competitive school, but it was part of the largest, most successful martial arts school chain not only in Denver, but in the entire country.

During his call, fear, anxiety and worry flooded my mind. 

What was I to do?  I had worked so hard to bring my business to a point where it was finally experiencing success and was that all going to go away...

“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”

                                                                            - Carl Gustav Jung

Welcome to the final installment of our three-part series entitled, “The 3 C’s of Creating Breakthroughs.”

In our first segment, I discussed “C number one” which is to Clarify Your Vision. 

Last week I discussed the “Second C” of Creating Your Plan, which comprised of the following four elements. 

• Begin with the end in mind – then break it down
• Identifying who can hold you capable in breaking through
• What obstacles to you need to plan for? And…
• What celebration will you take part in when you achieve breakthrough?

If you would like to take a deeper dive into these and other principles to achieving breakthroughs, download my free report…

The Top Ten Big Ideas to Creating Breakthroughs

In part three of this series, we will explore the “final C”, Consistent Action.

I love the opening quote from Carl Jung...

A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

                                                          - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Welcome to part two of our three-part series entitled, “The 3 C’s of Creating Breakthroughs.”

In our first installment, I discussed “C number one” which is to Clarify Your Vision.  This was comprised of asking yourself and answering the following three questions…

• What do you REALLY want?
• What is your BIG WHY? And…..
• Who do you need to BE to create your breakthrough?

If you would like to take a deeper dive into these and other principles to achieving breakthroughs, download my free report…

The Top Ten Big Ideas to Creating Breakthroughs

In part two of this series, we will explore the “second C”, Creating a Plan.

As the opening quote so deftly states, “a goal without a plan is just a wish.”

While this may seem like a cute play on words, there is much wisdom in this statement in guiding us in our quest to breakthroughs in...