An extraordinary Life Coach is probably not smarter, richer or more academically accomplished than her clients. She may not be older, wiser or more worldly than her clients either. But if she's really good at supporting them to live a more optimal and fulfilling life, it's a good bet that she has made one transformative shift for sure. She's turned pro!

One year ago, during this week, still shell-shocked from the events of October 7th, I wrote the following article, Have Freakin' Conviction! I could have never imagined that over a year later, our brothers, sisters, and children would still be held captive by the most evil and genocidal cult alive today. But I also couldn't have imagined how much more robust, connected, and powerful the Jewish people would become because of this unspeakable tragedy.

The rising generation, also known as Gen Z, has its work cut out for them! With nearly a decade of experience coaching this generation, I've witnessed their unique traits and behaviors. First, let me tell you what they are not. They are not stupid, uneducated, lazy, irresponsible, and a plethora of other negative attributions they're generally given by parents, bosses, and those of their cohort who don't suffer from the particular misunderstanding I'll speak of here.

I have a bone to pick with the Happiness Crowd! Through the last decade, we've been obsessed with exploring, chasing, and finding happiness. Look through any airport bookstore, and you'll find countless authors promising happiness—only if you follow their specific formula. This is Happiness…The How of Happiness…The Happiness Project…The Happiness Equation…The Meaning of Happiness…and my personal favorite (not really!)...Growing Up With A Bucketful of Happiness!

When did ambition become a four letter word? Think of the last time you used the word “ambitious” to describe yourself or another person. Was it in an entirely positive context? Did it sound a little cringy even when it was meant to be a compliment?

Last week's blog post, "Are you a Time Thriver or Time Survivor?" generated many responses, ranging from recognizing ourselves as one or the other type to wanting to learn more about the "how to." Those primarily interested in tactics and strategies would be better served contacting a Time Management Coach. But if you are willing to dig deeper into your mindset and understand your unique beliefs around time and life and the more profound beliefs that are causing your experience of being a Time Survivor, I can help.

I used to believe that our most valuable resource is time. After all, it's the one commodity no amount of money can buy. And the fact that no one knows just how much remains for each of us in our lifetime, makes it even more rare and valuable. But after years of coaching people of all ages, genders, and life circumstances, I believe there is something even more valuable than time alone. Our Time Mindset.

When you hear or read the word "detour," what's the primary emotion you experience? Do you feel excited, optimistic, and energized? Or hesitant, doubtful, and cautious? I'm going to guess that for most of us, it's the latter set of emotions. Nobody I know wants to voluntarily take a detour, whether it's on their way to work or on the life path they've chosen.

Growing our commitment muscle is arguably the most significant lever of success we have the power to enforce. Yet so many of us commit to an end goal at the cost of suffering through the journey. If the process of achieving a goal feels like suffering rather than hard work, we might want to reconsider that goal. My last blog delved into the profound meaning and value that commitment brings to our lives.

I'm obsessed with Ease. Let me be clear. Here, I'm not talking about Easy. Easy is about doing less, taking shortcuts, and staying inside our comfort zone. Easy says, "I don't want to do hard things." Easy seeks pleasure at the cost of joy and borrows from your Future Self. Easy is what so many of us are in pursuit of. But the truth is what we are genuinely seeking is ease.

Today is my birthday, although most everyone thinks it was yesterday. I did this intentionally, so I could be present for everyone's well wishes yesterday and spend this day in reflection and gratitude. I also want my actual birthday to be a day of giving something back to my community of clients, supporters, friends and family.

I’ve been thinking about commitment. Why does commitment have to be such a zero-sum game? Or does it? Regarding most behaviors, a little bit is better than nothing. The foundation of successful coaching is helping folks take one small step at a time. Small steps forward can be a powerful strategy for attaining seemingly daunting and impossible goals.

Coaching is all about helping my clients get to “simple.” Let me explain. Albert Einstein explained the four ascending levels of cognitive prowess: Smart, Intelligent, Brilliant, and Genius. But do you know what Einstein, arguably the most intelligent human ever to grace this planet, considered an even higher level of intelligence than ‘Genius’?

The more years I collect, the less time and attention I give to arguing, convincing, and explaining. I love Benjamin Disraeli’s advice to “never explain, never complain.” People who have known me for decades have noticed this shift. But they think it’s because I’ve learned to manage my emotions.

“My child needs to grow up!” Nope. Your child needs to wake up. This is my response to parents who confuse “growing up” with “waking up”. I mean waking up to life’s truths their well-meaning parents tend to (over)protect them from.

One problem, particular to this moment in history, is how easily obsession can be conflated with extremism. As a parent, I want my children to use critical thinking, question authority, and appropriately distrust their news sources. I want them to leverage their curiosity to dig deeper and learn more. But what happens when they exhibit those behaviors and their resulting beliefs seem extreme, or at least extreme to me?

The Coaching field remains a mystery to so many people. My mission is to dispel as many myths and share as many truths about Coaching as possible on this chosen career journey. One crucial aspect of the coaching relationship I haven't shared yet is the most important predictor of client success: how great Coaches choose their clients. What differentiates "Elite Coaches" from "Good Enough Coaches" is their impact.

In a previous article, When Giving Makes You Exhausted… I confessed to being a thief. A thief of ideas. I wrote that everything I share, I've heard, read, and learned from someone else. And whether you realize it or not, this also applies to you. It took me a long time to realize that every bit of knowledge, every belief, and every insight human beings gain is ALWAYS the downstream effect of what we consume.

In a recent conversation with one of my clients, Ruth, we delved deep into the subject of fear—its origins, its influence, and how we can navigate it in our daily lives. As you read along, keep in mind that Ruth is one of the most courageous women I know. But fear lives in every single one of us, and it’s worth learning about. I hope this brief dialogue between Ruth and me sheds light on why fear so often holds us back and what we can do about it.

I engage in more coaching conversations each week than the number of clients I have. Many who say they’re ready to be coached never do the work. They’re not lazy—they’re committed, capable people who hesitate despite knowing the focus, time, and resources required to make real change.