Happy for Others’ Successes?

I was with a group of friends the other day and my friend, Anna, was humbly sharing a rather big success in her life. As I watched the reactions around the room, it was rather mixed – from authentic delight to looks of “why is this happening to Anna and NOT me?” While this is

If You Want to Really Succeed . . .

To really succeed you need, what? You may think that it’s having the perfect goal, a huge amount of ambition, and unlimited energy. Well, that’s part of the equation – and some may say, a small part of it. So what is the driver of massive amounts of success? It’s largely your ability to build

The Fear of the Small

This morning an email popped up in my inbox and I felt fear bubble up into my mind. You may wonder, what was the issue? Well, to be perfectly honest, it’s wasn’t a big thing. It’s just that the email request something more complex than I expected and I felt a bit uncomfortable. Thank goodness

Beyond the Impasse

I was chatting with someone last week (let’s call him Ethan) who felt really stuck in his job search. While this is not uncommon, I wanted to better understand Ethan’s specific situation and how he was feeling about it. As our conversation continued, we both realized that two things were creating his impasse: He was

Are You Trying to Succeed?

“But Anita, I’m trying!” I hear this a lot and sometimes it comes from me. Trying is often a easy out when things didn’t go as planned or if a person wants to opt out and save face. The challenge is the “trying” default can lead to missed opportunities, reduced confidence, and regrets. So the

The Hidden Advantage

I was chatting with someone today who started school last week and I am sad to say that he had already eliminated his dream career paths – because others told him it was nearly impossible to enter those fields. The operative word here is “nearly”. To me, nearly means that at least someone (likely multiple

Thinking Inside the Box

Some people believe that the “best” kind of creative ideation is thinking outside the box. I believe that the opposite is true. Brainstorming within your constraints  actually requires bringing in greater levels of innovation and will likely yield ideas that can actually be implemented. Even if you LOVE thinking outside the box, periodically think inside

The Success Multiplier

While focus, hard work, and perseverance are key to success, there is one thing that accelerates advancement many times over. That is appreciation – which is a combo of gratitude and growth. When you deliberately do both, nothing can stop you. Have a great day, Anita

When More IS Better

I was with a group of friends yesterday and two of the people led us in a discussion. While I know one of the people really well, the other not so much. What I learned yesterday is that when a person is even a little vulnerable, a stronger, deeper, and more powerful connection is possible.

Success Starts By Taking a Stand

Last week has a clear and ever-present theme. Almost every person was “open to almost any career path and opportunity”. While on the surface this could seem like a brilliant approach and strategy, the opposite is actually true. To be really successful, you need to have a focus, take a stand, and choose a direction