In East Asian cultures (China, Japan, and Korea), the lunar new year always has three different attributes. There’s one of twelve animal spirits, one of five elements, and a yin or yang energy attribute. This year (2021) is the year of the yin metal ox. The last time we had this particular combination was 1962.…
One of my favorite exercises that I’ve performed every year since he first introduced it is Chris Brogan’s Three Words. Rather than create resolutions which are difficult to keep, the three words exercise puts together three words that form your mantra for the coming year. My twist on it is to restrict it to just…
A PSA for my American friends to remind you that if you voted by mail, go and check that your ballot has been received and accepted by your state. It’s like ordering something from Amazon, you can check your status and updates. If it has not been accepted, you need to vote normally. DO NOT…
Stephanie asks, “Is there a good system for centralizing ideas? What tools do you use?” For images, I store stuff in Camtasia’s SnagIt. For other stuff, I used to use Evernote, but I’ve since switched to the open-source package Joplin because of its full support for Markdown, one of the most powerful markup languages a…
Daniel Johnson Jr. recently asked: For every one of my strengths, there is a balcony and a basement level. The balcony level of a strength is when the strength is showing up at its peak effectiveness. The basement level is when the strength can potentially become a weakness. For example, I’m one to whom strangers…
The pandemic has changed many things, but one of the things it changed most for white-collar office workers was disabuse companies of the notion that working from home was an impossibility. We have proven that it is possible for business to get done using only virtual tools. It may not be as efficient, and it…
We read businesses, marketers, CMOs, and authors writing about marketing strategy, about which strategies are working and which aren’t. But have we ever asked, “what is the purpose of marketing strategy?” Defining Marketing Strategy For the purposes of this article, let’s define strategy using the standard definition in Leading Innovation: Strategy is the menu. Tactics are…
“How are you staying positive?” “Positive thinking is an absolute must in these times!” “What do you do to maintain a positive mindset?” I understand these questions and their intent. For some people, positive thinking is part and parcel of their personalities and culture; if they and the people around them aren’t happy, they feel…
Isaac asks, “How are you keeping your mental health afloat right now? With the covid news everywhere, its really hitting me hard. I deeply wish I could stop looking at social media right now, but its my job!” Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Consult a qualified medical professional immediately, especially if you feel…
