“Perfection is like chasing the horizon. Keep moving.” – Neil Gaiman
Is there anything more futile than perfectionism? Being perfect is simply not attainable. We all know this. The rational part of our brain agrees that we cannot be perfect. But yet something remains deep inside ourselves that drive us to perfectionism. If we can be perfect than we can also achieve acceptance, accomplishment, assurance. Read more
Here’s a rundown of the presenters from Day 2 and some of their points that resonated with me:
Rasmus Ankersen: “Treat success with the same skepticism as you treat failure.” Be cautious not to become complacent. Because chances are you are either lucky, or your victories will have a short lifespan. And if you want to improve put yourself in a setting that is designed for development and not comfort. Read more
My wife and I attended the Global Leadership Summit for two days in August. Here’s a rundown of the presenters from Day 1 and some of their points that resonated with me:
Craig Groeschel: “We can make excuses or we can make a difference, but we cannot do both.” How to become a leader that people love to follow: 1. Have a heart to care. 2. Have a passion to inspire. 3. Have a willingness to empower. 4. Have the courage to be vulnerable. Read more
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” – Corrie ten Boom
The story we tell ourselves goes something like this:
Sure, I don’t like to worry, but if I do worry, at least I won’t be taken by surprise when the hardship happens. And if I’m not taken by surprise, then I may be able to cope with hardship. And maybe I may even be able to find a way to lessen the hardship. Or find a way to avoid the hardship altogether. So yes, worrying does me some good.
But that’s an inaccurate story. And if you were able to look back at a record of all the times your worries amounted to nothing, you would know without a shadow of a doubt that worrying does not serve the purpose we like to believe it does. More often than not, we are worrying to not be caught by surprise or solve hardships that never materialize. Read more
Let’s talk about something that we all typically struggle with (myself included): achieving rest. The title of this news report says it all: “Everybody is exhausted.”
Generally speaking, we need more sleep, are overstressed, and don’t take the time off work we need and deserve.
Even when we get downtime it is often not spent in a way that is refreshing. That’s because we rarely unplug and get away from things that buzz, ping, and beep. Our Social Media news feeds produce more info than our brains could ever possibly process. There are always more shows to binge-watch, and video games to get entirely immersed in, and email threads to reply to. There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these items (smartphones, Netflix, video games, work), but we must consider the effects of sensory overstimulation on our minds that were created to have a regular cadence of rest. Read more
Freedom is a worthy pursuit. We were not created to be enslaved to tyrannical rule or the bondage of addiction, abuse, and shame.
However, while freedom and independence is a precious gift we must also be careful not to make it out to be the ultimate prize. That is because our pursuit of individual freedom can lead us into some perilous scenarios. What we think we want/deserve/need to be free can turn out to ensnare us in even more confining traps. Read more
Here’s my recap of Day 2 from the Global Leadership Summit in 2017.
There’s a saying you hear every year at the Global Leadership Summit. And it’s that attending the GLS is like drinking from a firehose. The sheer amount of information presented is incredible. What’s more, all of it is so valuable. It challenges the conventional thinking. It prompts me to reflect on my own life. I feel both motivated and mentally fatigued at the end of the conference. But here’s a brief recap of the speakers and some of the points shared from Day 2 at GLS:
Former Google employee, Laszlo Bock, pulled back the curtain and shared what he has learned from working at Google. He suggested that to find meaning in your work start by considering why you are doing what you do, why your coworkers do what they do, and being in close contact with the beneficiaries of the work that you do. Favorite quote from the session: “Treat your people right, and they will do amazing things for you.”
For two days in August for the last seven years, my wife and I have attended the Global Leadership Summit. It is an annual conference hosted by Willow Creek Church outside of Chicago. What follows are my notes from Day One of the 2017 Summit.
Notes From GLS DAY 1
Today was the start of the 7th Global Leadership Summit my wife and me have attended. For seven years it has proven to be one of the highlights of our year professionally, personally, relationally, and Spiritually.
The amount of content delivered in these two days is truly top-notch. It provides a year’s worth of material to digest and to learn from.
Here are some highlights from Day 1:
Bill Hybels spoke on the ten rules for building respect:
Leaders Must Set Examples of how to have differences but not demoralize
Have Spirited Conversations but be respectful
Don’t interrupt
Limit volume and belittling words
Set examples with words and deeds
Don’t stereotype
Take responsibility for your actions
Form opinions carefully
Show up and do what you say you will do
Identify a code of civility and enforce it Read more
“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” – Abraham Lincoln
We all make mistakes. We all fall down. Fail. Miss the mark. That’s an unavoidable part of life.
You can choose to believe that you are defined by these moments. Or, you can choose to believe you are defined by how you respond to these moments.
I’ve often thought about what I would say if I ever had the chance to give a Commencement Speech at a graduation. The commencement speeches I’ve witnessed are often filled with encouragement and optimism (“Don’t be afraid to dream big dreams.” “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” “The future is what you make of it.”). It’s as if the main theme of many of these speeches can be summed up by saying: “Hey Graduates, you did it. You’ve accomplished this great goal. Now continue to ride this wave of achievement into the future and make the world a better place.” A sweet sentiment and a worthy charge to a class on the precipice of a major life transition. But I’ve often questioned the lasting relevancy of these messages.
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Husband. Father. Therapist. Speaker. Leader. David has a passion to help people reach their fullest potential in life, relationships, and business. Recognized as a trusted Therapist by Doctors, Pastors, and Educators. David has over 10 years of experience providing relational counseling, launching therapeutic programs, and leading seminars.
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