WE ALL HAVE SELF-DOUBT

“Whether anyone says it or not,

we all have self-doubt,”

said my conversation partner,

a CEO, good husband, father, and friend,

who is also in great health.

 

He has self-doubt?  Just look at him!

 

Yes. He just said it.

 

And he nailed the truth.

 

(Beware of those who

seem to have zero self-doubts.)

 

What you do with that doubt matters.

 

Does it cause you to

reflect

or

retreat?

 

Does it lead you

to pause

or

to be paralyzed?

 

Like most things in your life,

you can make it

an asset

or

a detriment.  

 

We all have self-doubt.

MY PLACE, YOUR PLACE, OUR PLACE

“I’m still trying to find my place.” he said.

 

From all exterior assessments,

his place was clear:

nice house,

nice car,

good job,

nice wife,

nice kid.

 

But the place it looked like

he occupied

did not feel like his own.

 

He had carved it out

hoping,

praying,

it might become his.

 

Yet, after all of these years,

he felt like a stranger.

 

A man without a place.  

 

And the non-place he now occupied

didn't allow for him to admit

his dislocation.

 

Until it all

fell apart,

fell away,

and he lost

the place

everyone else thought he had.

 

And for the first time

in a long time,

he thought expectantly,

“Now what?”

 

You see

your place,

my place,

our place

is not defined

by things and stuff,

by titles and degrees,

or any exterior measure.

 

Our place is best carved

in our minds,

slowly,

methodically,

intentionally,

Every. Single. Day.  

HOME COULD BE

Everyone longs for home.  

 

Home could be

a welcoming smile

and

an outstretched hand.

 

Home could be

a hot cup of coffee,

carefully prepared.

 

Home could be

hearing a friend say

how much

they have missed you.

 

Home could be

colleagues who

challenge

and

carefully counsel.

 

Whatever home is

it’s always knowing

you are

wanted,

needed,

valued

right where you are

for who you are.

 

The best way

to find your home

is to offer it to another.  

 

You have the power to give someone

what they are longing for,

use it.  

INTO YOUR INBOX

When you “Subscribe”

do you consider what you are

allowing into you inbox?

 

Maybe it is something

helpful,

useful,

informational.

 

Maybe you do want to know about

the sale,

the opportunity,

the insight.

 

More often (people tell me),

when you give up your inbox information,

you really signed on

for

more noise,

more clutter,

more distraction.

 

You gave the sender permission to

barrage you,

hound you,

bug you.

 

I’ve begun to think of my inbox

like my mind.

I consider carefully what I let in.

 

(Thank you for letting me into your inbox.

I take seriously the trust you have given me.

I try not to contribute to the noise.

If any of these writings hit you, please Reply

and

let me know

or

forward to a friend.)

HUMAN INVESTMENT STRATEGY

For Leaders:

If humans are capital,

how are you investing

for growth?

 

Are you looking for an overnight windfall

by bringing in some bigshot

for a talk

and

a workshop?

 

Or are you

slowly,

methodically,

daily,

monthly,

yearly,

making deposits

of

knowledge,

training,

support?

 

For individuals:

How are you investing in yourself?

Are you making regular deposits

to your

mind,

body,

spirit,

relationships,

and

skills

or

are you

hoping that one day

you will hit the jackpot?

 

Investment strategy matters.

Those who win take the long view

and invest

Every. Single. Day.

WHAT’S FOR BREAKFAST?

Breakfast may

or

may not be

the most important meal.

 

However, it is what you

consume first

that you chew on the rest of the day.

 

So consider what your breakfast consists of:

email,

news,

social media,

negative self-talk,

bagel on the run

or

purposeful movement,

feeding your mind and spirit,

meditation,

prayer,

gratitude,

appreciation,

service?

 

You become what you consume

so

consider carefully this question:

What’s for breakfast?