If you had asked me last week if I’d be moved by a closing performance by Queen at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, I’d say, umm, probably not. But then on Thursday, I watched Bohemian Rhapsody, and that changed everything. Have you seen the movie? You kinda can’t take your eyes off Rami…
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Mary Gauthier Wants You to Start Singing a NEW Song
READ MORE: Mary Gauthier Wants You to Start Singing a NEW SongThere’s a song by recording artist and folk singer Mary Gauthier that guts me, every time. It’s called “Mercy Now,” and the song moves, achingly, through concentric circles of forgiveness: Starting with her father, who could use some mercy now…and ending with her country, which could most definitely use some mercy now. (Lord have mercy,…
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You Can’t Just Say “Hi” Forever (Even If You’re This Cute)
READ MORE: You Can’t Just Say “Hi” Forever (Even If You’re This Cute)I was in Whole Foods the other day, browsing the gluten-free cookie aisle, and I heard this little voice pipe up. “Hi!” And there, parked in a stroller by the almond milk, was an adorable baby girl, waving emphatically at me. “Hi! Hi!” “Well hello there,” I said, delighted, walking over. “What’s your name?” And…
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Highlights from a hot church weekend, circa 1987
READ MORE: Highlights from a hot church weekend, circa 1987Ever go on a church retreat? I did. Antioch Weekend at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in Roseland, New Jersey. In the 80s. You got to wear your Jordache jeans and sleep over at host houses and hang out with kids you didn’t know (read: boys you didn’t know) from public school. Hot. We…
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Criticism Will Kill Your Talent
READ MORE: Criticism Will Kill Your TalentEver hear of a woman named Brenda Ueland? She was before your time, and mine. And she did not mince words. “I hate orthodox criticism,” she wrote, “…small niggling, fussy-mussy criticism, which thinks it can improve people by telling them where they are wrong, and results only in putting them in straitjackets of hesitancy and…
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Lunch Trays Do Not Inspire Brilliance (So Stop Looking For Them)
READ MORE: Lunch Trays Do Not Inspire Brilliance (So Stop Looking For Them)OK here’s what happened: A woman emailed me recently and said she wanted help creating a TEDx talk. I said sure. In fact, I could do her one better—I invited her to join me for the Pop-Up Story Salon in Manhattan that week. This would give her the chance to roll up her sleeves and…
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Stop Searching for Your Passion (Do This Instead)
READ MORE: Stop Searching for Your Passion (Do This Instead)Four years ago I gave a TEDx talk called “Stop searching for your passion.” This is not news. I memorized every word of that talk. I delivered it in a room of around 1500 people. And I walked out of there and thought, “Ok! that was fun. I hope someone outside of that theater ever…
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The Key To Finding Your Quirk (And Trust Me, You Have One)
READ MORE: The Key To Finding Your Quirk (And Trust Me, You Have One)A few weeks ago, I told you to be wary of advice. Even mine. Why? Because it’s tempting to believe that if we just follow the right advice, we never have to make any mistakes. Ever. If your whole goal is to avoid mess, mistakes, and effort by stepping gingerly inside the footsteps of others,…
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Do You Know Why You’re In The Room? (You Should)
READ MORE: Do You Know Why You’re In The Room? (You Should)Look at your calendar real quick. I bet you have stuff scheduled today, and several things this week, that involve being in a room, real or virtual, with other people. Some of those meetings are obviously work-related, because they happen in a conference room or conference call. Others are pretending to be fun (drinks!) but…
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Everything is Sexy (Kind of)
READ MORE: Everything is Sexy (Kind of)You don’t know HOW many times people have said to me that the biggest problem they’re having with messaging—no matter what it is—is that whatever they have to say (sell, promote, announce) isn’t sexy enough. But in fact, it is. Why? Because there is no such thing as a boring topic. If you think something…
