I recently had the privilege of working with one of the top financial advisors in the country. She wanted to rebrand her firm, and with good reason: It didn’t reflect who she really is, and what she and her team really stand for. Common problem. And who could blame her? She’s a little too busy…
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3 Questions to Ask Before You Do Your Next Talk
READ MORE: 3 Questions to Ask Before You Do Your Next TalkThere’s nothing like getting tapped to speak at an event or conference—it’s not only nice to be asked, but it speaks volumes about what people think of you: That you have something of value to share with their community, and they want it. That said, there are three questions I ask myself before I accept,…
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Don’t Get Good At Things You Hate
READ MORE: Don’t Get Good At Things You HateA recent episode of This American Life (#598: “My Undesirable Talent”) told the stories of people who had become really good at things they regretted. One of them was a guy named Zora, born to Ugandan parents and raised in Fresno, who went off to college and pretended to be an African exchange student. He did a whole Coming to…
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How to Make Your Work Matter
READ MORE: How to Make Your Work MatterWhether you work for yourself or someone else, there’s one thing I know about you: You want your work to matter. Even, or especially, if you’re afraid it doesn’t. Maybe your boss or clients heap praise on you. Maybe they don’t say a damn thing. But you want it to be good, and you want…
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3 Wrong-Headed Ideas You Have About Your Brand Voice
READ MORE: 3 Wrong-Headed Ideas You Have About Your Brand VoiceYour real-life voice is distinctly you: I know it’s you because of how you sound when you walk into a room, answer the phone, laugh. I know your sense of humor, tone, volume. Your voice is who you are with my eyes closed. You have a way of speaking and interacting in the world that…
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Stop Searching for Your Passion (Do This Instead)
READ MORE: Stop Searching for Your Passion (Do This Instead)There’s tremendous pressure to “find your passion” lately. Too much pressure, if you ask me. It’s also misleading: If I tell you to “find your passion,” we must presume that it’s been lost, like a set of keys or that coupon for a free burrito at Chipotle. Not only is it lost, it’s now a…
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Passion is Not a Business Plan: Why Mission Trumps It, Every Time
READ MORE: Passion is Not a Business Plan: Why Mission Trumps It, Every TimeYou’re passionate about what you do. But is anyone else? I mean really—are they? Everyone loves to talk about how pivotal passion is: find your passion, live your passion. But the fact is, passion itself is not a business plan, nor an imperative for anyone else. Your job is to make me care about a thing,…
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Why Questions Are a Crutch (So Stop Asking Them)
READ MORE: Why Questions Are a Crutch (So Stop Asking Them)I teach people how to speak in the media, on stage, and to each other with power and conviction. And there’s one crutch in particular I train people right out of: Asking questions. Want to make a stronger impression? Make a statement. Ideally, one that could be argued or flat-out disagreed with. That’s when you know…
