“I would visualize things coming to me. It would just make me feel better. Visualization works if you work hard. That’s the thing. You can’t just visualize and go eat a sandwich.”

                                                                                                         - Jim Carrey

Visualization combined with inspired action can be one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s toolbox for success. 

When you look at elite-level athletes, you will notice that the difference between them in athletic talent is oftentimes so minuscule it is almost non-existent.  It is the person who creates the trifecta of combining the power of their body, mind and spirit...

“Be Prepared... the meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previously thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.”

                                                                                                    - Robert Baden-Powell

Although I never made it beyond Cub Scouts in Mrs. Larson’s Den in elementary school, I have always admired the scouts' motto “Be Prepared”.  I have come to believe in leadership that being adequately prepared can be the difference between breaking through obstacles and simply letting them overtake us as we revert to old and familiar...

“In life, finding a voice is speaking and living the truth.  Each of you is an original.  Each of you has a distinctive voice.  When you find it, your story will be told.  You will be heard.”

                                                                                                            - John Grisham

As human beings, I believe one of the most amazing...

“Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day.”

                                                                               - John Wooden, coaching legend

Legendary basketball coach, John Wooden is famously quoted for saying – “Make each day your masterpiece.” 

Coach Wooden retired in 1975 as the winning-est coach in college basketball history, leading his UCLA Bruins clubs to an unprecedented ten NCAA college basketball national championships. 

Although his official title was “coach”, Wooden referred to himself as a “teacher”, not only of basketball, but of life. 

The...

“(A) process orientation (versus outcome orientation) . . . asks ‘How do I do it?’ instead of ‘Can I do it?’ and this directs attention toward defining the steps that are necessary on the way. This orientation can be characterized in terms of the guiding principle that there are no failures, only ineffective solutions.”

                                                                                   - Ellen Langer, Mindfulness

Think of the last time you faced a major challenge in your life. 

You may be at that place right now as you read this.  How many times are we caught up in the mind game of whether we can successfully tackle a challenging situation?  Our minds can go in all types of crazy directions that...

“The smallest change in perspective can transform a life.  What tiny attitude adjustment might turn your world around?”

                                                                                                  - Oprah Winfrey

I continue to be amazed how simple shifts in consciousness can have such a profound impact on our lives.  Despite the label we put on our current conditions or the fear of what is up ahead, our worry and displeasure can simply evaporate when we choose to change our perspective and the see the positives of a given situation. 

Several years ago, I found myself in a position I never dreamed I would encounter – divorced and playing the role of a single dad.  After a...

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

                                                                                             - Mahatma Gandhi

In January of 2018, while conducting my Discover Your Breakthrough You board breaking experience workshop here in Denver, I had the honor of meeting an American treasure, the Reverend Harold Middlebrook of Memphis, TN. 

Rev. Middlebrook was a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the organizers of the March on Washington in 1963 where Dr. King delivered his I Have a Dream speech, organized voter registration in Selma, AL following the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and was with Dr. King when he was...

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.”

                                                                                           - Neil Gaiman

Every six months, I receive a new group of Black Belt Candidates from our martial arts organization to train in preparation for their upcoming Black Belt Testing with me. 

Since most of these candidates are my student’s students, this is the first time many of them have trained with me.  As you might imagine,...

"Making a choice that is one percent better or one percent worse seems insignificant in the moment, but over the span of moments that make up a lifetime these choices determine between who you are and who you could be.  Success is a product of daily habits - not once-in-a-lifetime transformations."

                                                                                            - James Clear, author, Atomic Habits

It is once again the beginning of a new year, and many of us have great aspirations for making monumental improvements in various aspects of our lives.  This is usually the time of year when we set intentions for improving our health (usually in the way of releasing weight or improving our diets and/or...

“Most dying people regret not the things they did but the things they didn’t do.”

                                                                                           – Olga Rickards

If you are like me, the end of the year is a time of reflection of what was completed and experienced over the past 12 months and what is to be pursued and created in the upcoming year.

Many times, the pursuits we are inspired to embark upon in the new year get quickly put to rest by our fear of possible failure.  This is especially true when we have the “evidence” of our past to rationalize our not taking risks.  It is then easier to accept playing small, because although it is uncomfortable, it is safe. 

...