Note: CliftonStrengths is a Gallup product. The information below is my interpretation based on my coaching others as a CliftonStrengths certified coach. Use this link to find content directly from Gallup. This post builds on the post from yesterday about setting...
Not all goals are created equal. Often, we set goals that we don’t have final control over. Revenue targets, market share, promotions, merit increases, etc. Someone else is determining our fate. What we can do is to create the conditions that make the outcomes...
Some people feel alive when they chase a bold, audacious goal. Others make progress when they focus on one small step at a time. Neither is right or wrong. It’s about what motivates you. Why It Matters We often get stuck because we're following someone else's...
This year, the word that started to come to me was tone or tune. The idea of setting the tone and tuning my approach. There was an underlying theme of music. I was drawn to the Year of Wonder book with a classical music score each day. Then, the idea of tone turned...
As we head into a new year, many people are setting goals. We imagine the person we want to become. One technique that I’ve been doing for at least 10 years is writing a letter to myself. I start with “Dear December Lori”… The voice is looking back at the year....
A Misogi goal is a bold goal chosen for growth, not comfort. It’s meant to stretch us. It’s not guaranteed to succeed. And it’s bigger than our normal goal-setting systems. The idea gained popularity through stories like Jesse Itzler’s extreme challenges. However, at...
We have spent time reflecting on 2025. Setting goals both large and small for 2026. Now, we can shift our focus to finding inspiration to keep us on track in the year ahead. People use different approaches. A word of the year. An inspirational quote or song. A symbol...
A manifesto is not a plan. It’s a declaration. A line drawn in the sand. A statement of who we are, what we stand for, and the world we intend to build. Most people focus planning on objectives, strategies, and tactics. A manifesto sets the vision. It starts at the...
I’ve chosen a word of the year every year since 2015. What started as inspiration has evolved over time into something a bit different. Today, I treat my word like a personal operating system. An operating system runs quietly in the background. Shaping priorities,...
Increasingly, people are starting side hustles. Some may be pursuing a hobby turned income generator. Others may be taking on freelance work as “career insurance”. Still others might be starting a franchise or small business. No matter what your path is, a business...
Q4 is strategic planning season. Setting goals and plans for the year ahead. As I think about this, I realize how much this is really about priorities. We took a plan at the beginning of the year and worked to make it come to life. Yet, things happened. The world...
Life is a funny thing. We set goals. Make plans to meet them. And then start taking actions. Sometimes we get to the finish line. Yet. Sometimes we quit. Sometimes we self-sabotage. Sometimes we procrastinate. When the goals seem so clear, why is it so hard? Why do we...
During the 4th quarter, I start feeling the shift. The mental recap of how the year has gone. What I’m proud of and what didn’t go as planned. What could I have improved. What brought me joy. The list goes on. Then, moments start to appear where I’m dreaming....
Last Week to Sign Up! If you are interested in joining me on the journey described below, sign up for the standard program or the VIP personalized program at the links provided. For additional information click here. Companies know that going into a year with a plan...
The title Stop Trying immediately caught my attention. My whole life, “trying” has been my way of exploring. Testing out new ideas, new roles, new possibilities. It’s been a word that gave me permission to be curious without pressure. So, when I saw a book...
Ever feel the urge to learn something new but don’t know where to start? Often, we have skills in mind like storytelling, design thinking, or data visualization. But the path forward feels foggy. Books pile up, courses are purchased and not completed, videos multiply,...
An episode of Self Improvement Daily talked about the Psychology of Possibility. The content was based on the work of Ellen Langer. She is focused on the psychology of possibility and how small changes make a difference. Her approach is centered around exploring what...
I saw a reference to a hope chest, and it stopped me. I’ve written about the hope formula and described hope as our window to the future. This made me consider how we might modernize the idea of a hope chest. Taking an old tradition and giving it a twist in our modern...
This time of year, in Michigan, the milkweed pods start to burst with seeds. As soon as I start seeing them, I start taking pictures. I am drawn to the wispy pieces that will carry the seeds to new locations. The possibilities they represent. Seeds in our Life The...
Where has the year gone? Today, September 22nd, leaves us with 100 days this year. There is a lot you could do with 100 days. However, I feel like this 100 is really a 60/40 split. 60 days from now it will be Friday, November 21st. The Friday before Thanksgiving week...
Have you heard about “the great lock in”? This year, people are using September – December to get focused. “Locking in” on goals they had for the year and haven’t yet accomplished. The suggestion is to pick just one goal. Some say you can do up to 3 in different areas...