A great dread fell on him, as if he was awaiting the pronouncement of some doom that he had long foreseen and vainly hoped might after all never be spoken. An overwhelming longing to rest and remain at peace by Bilbo’s side in Rivendell filled all his heart. At last with an effort he spoke, and wondered to hear his own words, as if some other will was using his small voice. “I will take the Ring,” [Frodo] said, “though I do not know the way.” This is the turning point of Act One in J.R. Tolkien’s classic book, The…

“I’m getting on the jumbotron tonight.” It’s good to have a goal, and this was mine on June 11, 1998. I was a broke college intern who scored Stanley Cup tickets when a customer backed out at the last minute. My beloved Detroit Red Wings were hosting the Washington Capitals at Joe Louis Arena. Mom said she would look for me on TV, which is what every mom says when their kids go to a sporting event. Sure mom, I’m sure you’ll pick me out of the 40,000 screaming fans. Look for me in the red jersey. On the way…

We recall our mentors with an abundance of positive memories. We associate achievement with their guidance, direction and attention. Whether they were teachers, coaches or managers, they cared enough to invest in us. They saw something and decided that we were worth betting on. What gets lost over time is how often our mentors pissed us off. Think about your greatest mentors. Did they push your buttons? Did they nudge you out of your comfort zone? Were they willing to call you out? Did they let you feel sorry for yourself? What mindset did they accept? The best leaders in…

Most people inadvertently offer advice that is better for them the person they are trying to help. This article looks at a better approach.

“Clack, clack, clack.” In boxing, the sound of two pieces of wood smacking together signals ten seconds remaining in the round. To Muhammad Ali, the warning was his cue to make an impression with the judges. All three of Ali’s fights with Ken Norton ended in decisions. After he lost the first fight by decision, a fight in which Norton broke his jaw, Ali was determined to win over the judges in subsequent rematches. Very often, in close rounds, [Muhammad] Ali would flurry at the end so that the impression he left in the judges’ minds was that he won…

With one of the league’s most talented teams, the Dallas Cowboys underperformed in 2019. The Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, will likely be searching for a new head coach once this season ends. With a position like the head coach of America’s most covered professional football team, the candidate will have plenty of background. But, what if that person had zero insight about Jerry Jones and his management style? Jerry Jones would explain that he has collected a treasure trove of talent and his expectations are nothing short of a Super Bowl. He might lay out his Super Bowl expectations and…

Sports fans can relate to the sweet joy of watching another team fail. This sensation is all too prevalent in your career as well.

“Was that a dog barking? Can you please put him outside for the rest of this conference call?” The barking did not come from a dog. It came from me. This is a story of rebellion, corporate sabotage and immaturity. I was a sales manager at a Fortune 500 company, reporting to an executive trying to break the world record for the longest and most pointless conference call. It. Never. Ended. Every Thursday, twenty miserable managers dialed in, hoping to get off in less than four hours. Two-hundred and forty minutes of soul-crushing bureaucracy. This executive used this weekly conference…

Lamar Jackson is proof of how doubt can be used as fuel to take your performance to the next level.