Category: Positive Thinking

Seth Godin writes Why ask why? and calls “Why?”  “the most important question”. I think Seth Godin is an insightful marketer and I love reading anything by him, but on this I disagree. “Why?” is quicksand. The word has inertia built-in to it; it lacks its own forward momentum. It focuses attention on the problem; focus… Continue reading Avoid "Why?"

I bet you never called someone a hypocrite and ended that exchange with an increased closeness and respect for each other; the word is filled more with smugness than utility. Accusing another that way gives us a feeling of superiority, but what a hollow feeling. If someone claims to be a certain way, and you… Continue reading Time to Retire "Hypocrite"

The term role model is lacking.  It fails to convey its own potency… it sounds passive, belying its real nature. It fails to convey its scope… as if there is a limited number of things one could role model. It comes with a sense of burden: if you are a role model today but not… Continue reading Upgrading "Role Model"

Success is going from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. Winston Churchill

An anthropology professor told me that in some cultures people like to play a game called “what if everything is a message for you”. It’s a great game because it promotes regular reflection and introspection, always a healthy thing to do. I also like it because when seen in this way, it is irrelevant whether divine… Continue reading Everything is a Message for You

There is a Taoist tale from the Lieh-Tzu about a man who loses and gains different things. Among the people who lived close to the border, there was a man who led a righteous life. Without reason, his horse escaped, and fled into barbarian territory. Everyone pitied him, but the old man said : “what… Continue reading What Makes You Think This Is Not A Good Thing?