Chrysler and GM will emerge from bankruptcy with completely new looks. The logic is that the new Chrysler and the new GM will be in a much better position to compete companies like Toyota. As GM vice chairman Bob Lutz put it, “We will be smaller, leaner and we’re going to be a powerhouse.” Unfortunately,…
People have an insatiable need to be appreciated. If you can satisfy this need, you will have them eating out the palm of your hand. One very easy way to do this is to complement people, in a sincere way, for any number of reasons: things they have accomplished, the outfit they are wearing, how…
A smile has such a profound positive impact on those around you that it is the one thing that is used more often than sex in advertising. So, if you want your life to change dramatically for the better, try this: Tomorrow morning, before you get out of bed, make the decision that you are…
With all the good will that gets passed around during the holiday season, it’s the perfect time to repair any strained relationships you might have in your life. People are generally in a great mood, which makes them far more open to forgiving and accepting forgiveness. So, if you have any strained relationships, now is…
For a number of years, my wife conducted gift making workshops during early December. During these workshops, she would ask the participants to share their most cherished holiday memories. Not once did anyone recall a specific gift. It was always about something they had done with someone else, something they had done for someone else…
Setbacks–those unfortunate events that impede our progress toward our goals–can be frustrating, as well as stressful and painful. As unwelcome as they are, setbacks always have a silver lining because they force us to look at the world through a new set of eyes. As a result, a setback could be the very event that…
In sports, the people who hustle are the ones who get noticed and create opportunities for themselves. The same holds true in other aspects of life. When you hustle–apply your best efforts to the opportunities and challenges that life brings your way–sooner or later you’ll get noticed and good things will start to happen. Yes,…
When someone wrongs us, our natural inclination is to get even. The problem is that nothing good ever comes from getting even–it chews up lots of time and energy, puts you in a negative frame of mind and takes your attention away from what’s truly important. In addition, the anger and resentment that go along…
When most people think of Girl Scouts, they visualize smiling young ladies in green uniforms trying to sell them those delicious cookies. When I think of Girl Scouts, I am reminded of one of the songs their leaders teach them from early on. It goes like this, “Make new friends and keep the old. One…
It’s not uncommon to hear people making excuses about why they didn’t take advantage of the opportunities that life sent their way. You’ll hear things like, “I could have done this or that….” Then come the excuses: “…but at the time my kids were little,” or “but we had just bought a new house,” or “but…