Have a Little Faith

What would it be like if there was no atmosphere? The sun’s rays would hit us in full force. We’d be fried; no amount of sunblock would help. The sky would be space black, not the gorgeous blue we see today, and life on earth would be cold and dark.But our atmosphere filters out some […]

Be Selfish and Change the World

When was the last time you were selfish? When did you last do something for yourself without caveats, qualifiers, or rationalizations, and it felt good and right? We’re taught that being selfish isn’t good. It is drilled into us. That isn’t a bad thing. We see examples all around us of selfishness and greed, examples […]

Diving Into the Wave

We recently took a family vacation to Hawaii and did some beach exploring. Snorkeling beaches. Body surfing beaches. Picnic beaches. Swimming beaches. So many. And so many aspects of life to contemplate while at the beach. Take the body surfing beach. I watched my teenage daughter tentatively wade out into the water. The waves weren’t […]

Three Words to Guide Process Improvement

You want to improve things in your work and your life, but it can be hard to know where to start and where to direct your efforts. Sometimes a simple phrase can get you going or keep you focused. When looking for process improvement, to automate routine tasks or integrate disparate processes, I propose using […]

Three Tips to Breakthrough Mid-Career Stagnation

You’ve stalled in your career and you wonder if it is you, or just the way it is. We’ve all been there, where we accept a drift away from rewarding work. Maybe you notice this… your mind lingers on daydreams longer than it should; or, you notice you’re getting more cynical and negative. Just like […]

Project Success Starts With Self Awareness

Credit: Photo by Etty Fidele on Unsplash

Self-awareness is an investment with well-documented benefits: better relationships, higher-performing teams, more competent leadership, lower stress. Generally, life is better being self-aware. For most people, self-awareness doesn’t come naturally. It takes some work. But where to start? When talking about project success, you start with people. There are tons of resources on building teams, getting […]

From Project Milestones To Many Mini Milestones

Credit: Photo by Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

We all want results… the gym, the stock market, and project milestones. Results equal success, right? Not necessarily. Sometimes results are just results. A project that’s on track, run perfectly, and achieves results may still disappoint. That’s especially true with technology projects. Why? Technology can fundamentally change how business functions. Needs shift, expectations change, and […]

Project in Peril? Talk it Through.

Credit: Photo by Cindy Tang on Unsplash

You’ve charged forward on a new project, embraced the change, and taken on new technology. Now, you’re in the throes of it. The complexity is escalating, and issues are popping up everywhere. You can’t tell if anyone is making progress and you’re secretly hoping it doesn’t go completely off the rails. But, hope is a […]

Using the Framework

Here’s a quick recap on the layers of the framework. Self is the person you are born to become, as of today. Practices are things you actively do, but they’re never complete. The ones I include are mindfulness, faith, and creativity. Manifestations are the self showing itself to you and the world. It includes your hobbies, interests, likes […]

Defining the Environment

The outermost circle of the Integrated Life Framework is the Environment, which I define as: The physical and psychological space we interact in. Our environment influences us and shapes us. We also can change our environment and create better opportunities for ourselves. Do you believe that? It is easy to forget, even when you’re not […]