Why Do We Lie?

Yes, this I know to be truth, we all lie. In fact, by the age of four, 90% of children have grasped the concept of lying and it is all downhill from there. According to a study by the University of Massachusetts, 60% of adults cannot carry on a 10-minute conversation without lying at least once. Most lie an average of three times during that brief time span.

FUN FACT: The average American lies eleven times per week. I do not lie that much, so I know some of you out there must be raising this average with all your tall tales. (Probably a lie on my part).

Why do we feel compelled to lie?

Continue reading…

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Well, 2022 is rapidly coming to a close. So … are we having fun yet?

In the business world we are notorious for putting fun last on our list of priorities as a New Year kicks off, and as a result, never getting to it. We’re so darn busy throughout the year trying to meet our annual objectives and “putting out fires” that we don’t set aside time to have fun.

With what we’ve suffered through these past few years that needs to change.

The negative trends in business as a result of the pandemic, downsizing, restructuring and economic uncertainty have collectively taken a huge toll on the workplace. And a huge toll on the workforce tasked with doing more with less.

Continue reading…

How’s Your Heart Today?

It’s a question I posed to a dear friend recently, for a different reason, who has been going through a difficult time. However, it’s a great question and one we should ask ourselves to start each day.

Why?

Because we’re headed in a direction that will ultimately lead to dark consequences for America and for mankind. Unless we change our thinking, make major societal changes, and fix our heart problem.

Today our country suffers from a heart problem. At an early age we learned to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil, and love from hate. We were taught to love one another, despite our differences. But is this how we operate in our daily lives?

Continue reading…

The Gift of Joy

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 4-7.

Is joy a feeling or a state of mind? Are joy and happiness the same thing? Why is joy a gift? When was the last time you experienced real joy like the child in this photo?

What is joy? Definition … “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: delight (rejoice)”.

Continue reading…

No Vote Equals No Voice

It is now a little more than three months and counting until the Presidential Election 2024.

Hopefully, the turnout at the polls will reflect the 2020 numbers or better. The 2020 election had the highest voter turnout of the 21st century. Roughly 66.8% of the eligible voters voted in the general election.

What were the rest of you doing on Election Day 2020?

My dad was ‘old school’ and pretty vocal on his position when it came to exercising the right to vote. If there was any kind of political debate within earshot at his local watering hole, my dad would respond by asking, “Did you vote? If no, then you don’t get to express your opinion.” For dad and others like him, no vote equals no voice.

For many of my dad’s generation, voting was not just a right granted to them as a U.S. citizen, but a privilege and an obligation to help build a better America.

Continue reading…

Who’s Behind the Curtain?

Hint: It’s not the Wizard of Oz, or is it?

Just the title of this article can make some conspiracy theorists go crazy. In the COVID-19 era, ask yourself this, “is any of this real, or are we living in a Twilight Zone episode?”

Conspiracy theorists … Who doesn’t love a great mystery, right?

We all have a unique worldview. It’s formed by our expectations, assumptions and ideas about the way the world works. By the time we are five years old, we have already acquired 50% of the knowledge we will learn in our lifetime. This includes language, thinking, problem-solving skills, and yes, biases too.

Conspiracy theory or fact?

Dr. Ben Carson is someone I believe to be a high-integrity leader, with a strong moral compass. Even he has made reference to the “Puppet Masters” and people behind the curtain trying to control us. What I’d like to know is who are these people, and what is their end-game?

Continue reading…

We Are Not Lost

Oilman Eddie Chiles had a campaign in the early 1980s with the slogan “I’m Mad, Too, Eddie!” His classic trademark sign-on, “I’m Eddie Chiles, and I’m mad as hell,” created an incredible demand for bumper stickers that read “I’m mad too, Eddie!”

Well guess what? It may be time to bring those bumper stickers back. Because there are a lot of folks around these days who can relate. We are not lost. We are just on the wrong path. And we are mad as hell about it.

Mad at our government and politicians, mad at the news media, mad at the police, mad at the COVID-19 pandemic, mad at the economy, mad at the bar closings, etc. Oh, and let’s not forget the special interests group attempting to rewrite history. We are mad as hell at them too! The list goes on and on.


“A season of darkness will not change until you choose to become the light.” – Jim Gardner

Continue reading…

How to Overcome an 8-8 Mindset

No, this is not another fan rant about the Dallas Cowboys lackluster performance on the football field this year. Although there are some similarities we’ll draw upon here. Rather, the article is about you. If you’re a business leader who seems to be stuck in neutral and unable to find the ‘winning formula’ to move to the next level.

None of us grew up with the notion of being average, just being good enough.

Whether it’s in sports, music, grades, business, etc. We have all been ingrained with the notion of being the best in our chosen pursuits. Does this seem realistic? There is nothing wrong with the quest for excellence. However, not everyone can ascend to the top of the pyramid and stay there. Real life just doesn’t work that way. And that’s OK!

Are your expectations aligned with reality?

Let’s talk for a moment about the ‘BIG LIE’. The big lie is what we tell ourselves when we have a bad day, or when things are not going our way. “Things will get better”. They won’t. Things are not going to get better until what? Until we do. In order to consistently achieve success at any level we must take risks, make changes and sacrifice to get there.

Continue reading…

How to Create a Winning Culture

Do you believe that creating a winning culture is vital to the success of your business? If no, skip to the next article. If yes, what steps have you taken to build a winning culture within your organization?

Each year Fortune and Forbes magazines’ complete extensive surveys and publish their respective lists of the “Best Places to Work”. These surveys rank the top companies in a broad range of categories including job satisfaction, pay and benefit programs, attitudes about management, internal communication, hiring practices, training, and diversity efforts.

What makes these businesses great companies to work for and recognized leaders in their respective industries?

Whether your business is a start-up or well established, it’s important to recognize that everyone wants to be a part of building something special — a great company. And culture is an undeniable part of the fabric of any great company. A lot has been written about culture and its importance, but do we really understand what goes into creating a winning culture? Continue reading…