Decisions
Procrastination is just borrowed time
Procrastination isn’t about putting tasks off until it’s almost too late. Procrastination is about borrowing time your future self will have to pay back.
Decisions
Knowing when it’s time to stop
Knowing when it’s time to stop can be hard. When are you throwing good effort into something that should have ended already? Examples: I’ve written before about action planning and quit criteria, but today I’m thinking about the feeling of being done. Not about achieving goals or meeting deliverables. Not Read more
Decisions
To achieve results, let go of the outcome
Most executives would say that if you want to achieve results, you have to have a relentless, unyielding commitment to the outcome you want. Seems reasonable, right? Focus on your goal if you want to achieve your goal. But actually, the opposite is true. Focusing too much on the outcome Read more
Decisions
Avoid catastrophizing and magical thinking with these two questions
People think of catastrophizing and magical thinking as letting your imagination take control of your decision-making, either out of fear (catastrophizing) or toxic positivity (magical thinking). Often, however, catastrophizing and magical thinking stem from a failure of imagination. What gets people spiraling into irrational decision-making is an inability to think Read more
Decisions
Create an action plan because intention has a half-life
You always need an action plan because intention and inspiration have a half-life. An intention means nothing if you don’t follow through on it. An action plan is how you follow through. On Sunday, I helped the attendees at the San Francisco Writers Conference create their action plan after four Read more
Courage
New mistakes are the key to lifelong learning
Learning from your mistakes isn’t so you stop messing up. It’s so you can go out and have fun making new mistakes.
Decisions
Do it yourself? Or hire someone? Four questions to help you decide.
You can do it yourself, or you can hire someone to do it for you. Here’s how to decide. PLUS: free self-publishing class
Decisions
How not to fall off the identity cliff
When change happens, people often fall off an identity cliff. Here’s how to build identity resilience to thrive through change.
Decisions
What gets attention grows; what gets neglected withers
What gets attention grows. That is, put your effort where you want results, not where it’s easiest or most convenient.
Career
Stuck in a web of bungee cords: ambivalence in decision making
Three ways to clarify your decision making when you feel like you’re stuck in a web of bungee cords pulling you in different directions.