7 cures for the common connector

Everyone is a connector.

You may think you’re not, but you are. We’re all members of tribes, we join groups we’re interested in, we gravitate towards people who are familiar. We’re social creatures.

Just because “Connector” isn’t listed on your resume doesn’t mean you’re lacking these skills. I see connectors in teachers, school counselors, grocery store clerks, fitness leaders, sales executives,…

Do you know your value?

Your value is much more than a dollar amount. It’s your time, your emotional investment, your energy, your connections. It’s your life.

Your worth is not just about confidence. It’s your dreams, where you’re going, what you want. It’s knowing what you need to get there and asking for it, unapologetically and with conviction.

By recognizing your worth, you’re helping colleagues and partners understand your art and the value of the…

Listen wisely.

There are times you’ll feel like giving up.

Something else will come along, tempt you, appeal to your vulnerability, try to lure you back to the world you wanted to leave in the first place.

And then…

• long hours
• sleepless nights
• infrequent, unreliable pay
• instability, uncertainty
• temporary narrowed vision, neglect of self and others
• an obsessive desire to work (all of the time!)
• scrapping, hustling, clinging, clawing
• frustration
• failing
• loneliness
• despair

What is louder: momentary discomfort or the dreams you have for yourself?

You’ll…

Read this when you actually want to get it done.

Writer’s block. It happens to the best of us. Procrastination, exhaustion, complaining, and straight up avoidance isn’t unique to you, either. When you’ve had enough wallowing and decide it’s time to actually get things done, here are 10 steps to lead you onto the path of production.

And yes, I followed my own advice to write this post (see image).

1. Get off Facebook.
2. Step away…
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3 simple ways to bring serendipity into your life

Some of the best connections happen when you least expect it. Call it luck, fate or serendipity, there’s something magical about meeting the right person at the right time. The secret lies in getting out of your comfort zone and letting serendipity lead the way. 3 tips to get you started:

1. Force yourself to be social.

The moments you don’t feel like meeting new people… I swear, if you can get…

19 things you can do instead of grad school

I’ve witnessed firsthand the business our education system has become.

I strongly advise anyone considering graduate school to carefully consider whether this investment is necessary in order to obtain the position and professional satisfaction they are looking for.

Many of the skills needed to thrive in our economy are not obtained in classrooms. You may want to consider these learning experiences before you sign your letter of intent:

1. Volunteer. Help your local…
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In 5 years…

I see this again and again with my clients. I’ve even done it myself.

We have so many choices, so many options, it’s difficult to settle on long-term decisions and commit. Paralyzed with indecision and uncertainty, we get in our own way and waver from one idea to the next. A helpful exercise:

Envision the person you’d like to become.

Think about your work life.

Your home.

Where you’d like to live.

Who you’re spending…

Tipping the scale

The first is always the scariest, most anxiety provoking, most intimidating. Getting beyond that initial hump becomes a matter of mettle and courage as you muster the courage you need to leap over fear.

Can you build a framework that sets you up so that if you don’t do x-y-z, you can recognize that fear has won? Fix your gaze, define your goal, and work…

67 things to feel absolutely OK about

1. admitting you’re wrong
2. changing your mind
3. carefully making decisions
4. stillness
5. failing
6. taking big risks
7. doing things for free
8. doing what you’re good at
9. doing nothing
10. charging what you’re worth
11. quitting
12. losing
13. aiming high
14. falling flat
15. guessing
16. your emotions
17. anxiety
18. nervousness
19. reading and rereading and reading two or three more times your working draft
20. standing in line
21. speaking up for yourself
22. disagreeing with leaders
23. backing down
24. making your own rules
25. recognizing your priorities
26. saying no
27. saying yes
28. revisiting your goals
29. rewording your story
30. waiting for the right moment
31. sending an email with a spelling mistake
32. rehearsing your conversation
33. practicing your pitch again…
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