Detente was a term that I learned studying international politics in school. At the time, the Cold War was still alive and well between the United States and the Soviet Union [some of my Poli Sci cronies would say it's creeping back that way now with Russia]. The term referred to the two nations' governments …
“Lean In” : A Life Skill Worth Learning
I make a living as a business guy. What does that mean? Basically I work day in and day out to get deals done. I didn't think I'd ever define myself that way, but after twenty plus years I've gotten used to it. In fact, I've carved out a pretty good role for myself handling …
Little Spark, Big Motivator
I realized yesterday after it was done that the post I'd written wasn't as short as I thought it'd be. Had to leave that first sentence in though, since it was Fred Wilson's post that morning that spurred me in the first place. And giving AVC props just seemed like the right thing to do. …
Good Conversation is GOOD for You
Taking a page from one of my favorite bloggers, I'm going to keep this short and sweet today, going with the inspiration that's shaped the day thus far. Recently one of my oldest and dearest friends and I started connecting for quick, early morning chat sessions about once a week. Typically I'm on the road …
Follow the Muse to Good Things
It happened quite innocently really. A co-worker said to me this morning, "Have you heard of Pablo Casals?" I hadn't. Apparently he is one of the greatest cellists of all time, who died some forty years ago. My friend had heard a short piece on NPR interviewing another cellist, a much younger virtuoso named Amit …
K.I.S.S. (Redux)
I learned this acronym not long after I started working in the manufacturing industry about ten years ago. The context in which I heard it applied was during a meeting with a scientist, a couple of engineers and manufacturing manager talking about a design for a custom system we were building a proposal for. K.I.S.S.: …
Anticipate & Hustle: They’ll Serve You Well
This morning as we got settled in the car for the ride to day care, my older daughter lost it and went into a near-nuclear meltdown. She wasn't spitting, but was spitting upset that I wouldn't ask my wife to come back to the car to say "goodbye" one more time. We were already late, …
Continue reading Anticipate & Hustle: They’ll Serve You Well
Allow Yourself to be Inspired
From time to time people ask me where my motivation comes from, or comment otherwise on how I frequently seem to be upbeat, energized, positive. There are a few reasons why I end up being that way most of the time. One of the most important is that I allow myself to be inspired. There …
Hail the Champions! Post-Victory GOOD
PHOTOGRAPH BY BLIGH GILLIES, BIG UP PRODUCTIONS I got to thinking about great athletic accomplishments and how I've reacted as a fan to various, great victories. Being a San Francisco bay area native, I've thought about the San Francisco Giants recent run of World Series' championships and also the good seasons the Forty Niners have …
Being Extreme
Being extreme is easy, inspiring and even fun sometimes, but it's not very helpful when it comes to working with others. Channeled properly however, it can be life-changing. On the one hand, being extreme often stirs passion and motivates others to action. But it also can cloud thinking, distract from reality, and silence calmer, more …
1/2_Full, All GOOD 