Having recently had an opportunity to engage with some esteemed academic leaders, I must admit that I am simultaneously envious and grateful. Envious of their opportunity to be a professional THINKer and grateful for the things about which I am afforded the opportunity to think. Now I have never been […]
Category: Inspiration
I’m A Quid
There are many Latin phrases that are prominent in our language and given the fact that a large part of my job (really any job for that matter) is grounded on relationship building and partnership strengthening, it comes as no surprise that I am hearing “Quid pro Quo” more than […]
Self-Limitation
Have you heard about the experiment done years ago on jumping frogs that were placed in jars with lids? To refresh your memory, the frogs had plenty of food and water, and due to their natural instincts, they continually tried to escape. They banged their heads on the lids again and […]
Opportunities Realized
I know that I am far from alone in my sincere belief that life is one giant opportunity. Whether we care to admit it or not, we all miss more opportunities than we realize…it’s just math. The key is to minimize the number of opportunities missed and increase the number of opportunities realized. […]
Finding vs Looking
Earlier this week on my way to work, I found myself singing along with one of my favorite U2 songs. “I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For” starts out as follows: I have climbed highest mountainsI have run through the fieldsOnly to be with youOnly to be with […]
Give Yourself Credit
I know many people who are eager to take credit for the contributions they make and I tend to seek out people who are quick to give others credit for the contributions they make. What I don’t see all that often is people giving themselves credit. I am not talking about participation […]
The Mirror is Telling
I have the pleasure of speaking with and to each new Information Warfare Officer via video-teleconference (VTC). This is an opportunity I was afforded based purely on geography in my last job (I served as the Commanding Officer of a Command that shared the same base as the class) and […]
Going Home
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of going back to my hometown, Pleasanton, California. The purpose of the visit was to present a scholarship in my brother’s memory to a deserving member of Amador Valley High School’s Class of 2014. My parents and I did just that, but that […]
Picked
Just as many have inspired me, I continue to encourage others to take permission to do the things they want to in life. To pick themselves instead of waiting for others to select them. Despite my belief in that approach to life, I would be lying if I didn’t admit that it […]
Shortcuts
Over the course of our life, we have likely been reminded that there are no shortcuts to meaningful achievement and that those who take shortcuts tend to be lazy (e.g. don’t want to work for what they want) or selfish (e.g. success at the expense of others). I’ve been told that […]
Midlife Certainty
The term “midlife crisis” became part of our vocabulary in the mid-1960s as a means of describing a time in life where adults begin to truly realize that we are mortal and that our life may be more than halfway over. On the surface and despite the inclusion of the […]
Compelled to Believe
I heard it yet again last week at the tail end of a conversation, “You make a very compelling point.” I did not think the information shared was overly insightful, nor did I believe the argument that sound. Regardless, I had compelled another to believe the point I was making…or […]
Force of Enthusiasm (Guest Post)
LT Austin Henry Rutkowski studied International Security at Stanford and Oregon State University. He received his commission as a Naval Officer in 2007 and has served in Afghanistan, the Philippines, Japan and the Persian Gulf. He is currently stationed at Navy Information Operations Command, Fort Meade, MD. “To improve is […]
Boundaries
Early this month I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with a prized friend and mentor. We talked of many things including family, our individual efforts focused on inspiring others, the future of our ongoing personal experiments, updates on some of our respective proteges, and finished with a philosophical conversation […]
From Chosen by Others to Choosing Ourselves
I sincerely enjoy writing, sharing, and experimenting. In all honesty that is the reason this forum even exists. In 2013, I did all three in this very space. The examples of writing and sharing are both obvious and abundant, while the experimenting might not have been. During calendar year 2013, […]
Promises
As the year draws to an end, I find myself once again immersed in the annual season of reflection and goal setting. Over the years, I’ve shared plenty of thoughts about my troubled relationship with resolutions many of us make, yet have no intention of following through on. For me, establishing goals […]
Big E’s Big Four
On October 21st, my younger (and only) brother Erik (“Big E”) passed away. The circumstances behind his passing are not important to share, but the way he lived most certainly is. Over the past few weeks, the memories we shared and the lessons his example continues to strengthen within me […]
Shipped It
Those who follow this forum or know me personally can attest to the fact that I am a big fan of Seth Godin. In fact, it was his book Linchpin and the coaching of a few of my mentors that helped me to acknowledge the importance of “Shipping”. The premise […]
The Middle
I like Oreos as much as the next person, maybe more. Those of us who indulge in such junk food have likely experimented with eating them in various ways. We might dip them in milk, we might smash them before mixing in with ice cream, we might enjoy them one […]
Solution Providers
I have heard it said before that there are two kinds of people in this world…Those who believe there are two kinds of people in this world and those who are smart enough to know better. I fall into the camp that knows better. Personally, I believe there are three […]