Author: Rachel Hanson

A client of mine wrote about his consistent worry that he’s overworking his best people. So I asked him when he last asked them if they feel overworked? He hadn’t. Funny. Slow down, ask the obvious questions. If worry is consuming you, time to write or go get curious. We tend to spend way too … Continue reading Worry

The fires of competition and performance provide opportunities for a lot of lessons. A big one is learning to harness your nerves before a big game or big moment. Learning to feel them rather than fight them, interpret and-reinterpret them, and ultimately harness them for performance. Slow down and be present with those nerves. What … Continue reading Harness the juice

Betrayal stings. Facts. Building oneness, building anything, requires building a little dangerously. It requires baring your heart and soul. It requires extending yourself in service of another and a bigger aim. And occasionally that will bite you. A team I work with is dealing with this in real time. We unpacked the betrayal. Whose fault … Continue reading Betrayal and opportunity

Comfortable with the uncomfortable. What does this mean for me? More and more discomfort must be embraced and sought out. Why? Because it's easier than ever to remain comfortable. Distraction options are at an all time high. Standards of living, same thing. The more you embrace discomfort and do hard things, the more your comfort … Continue reading Discomfort

Studies consistently show a high degree of correlation between quantity of work and quality work. The more we practice something, the better we become. The more quality reps you get in, the more you improve. Crucially, the more you write, the clearer you get. We challenge our clients to write prolifically. I don't actually care … Continue reading Write more

Mergers and RIFs are the biggest culture crushers. Leaders tend to underestimate both the amount of fear(s) that will bubble up and the amount of time it will take to fully integrate cultures (thanks, Gu). Leaders are believers and leaders are connectors. Slow down and first get clear on what you believe. Why is this … Continue reading Mergers and RIFs

Hedonia is the pursuit of pleasure. The hedonistic lifestyle where decisions are made based on how much pleasure and enjoyment they bring me. Eudaimonia is a little more nuanced. It's the pursuit of happiness via pursuing meaning and/or purpose. Happiness is the lagging output, not the aim. Those who pursue meaning and purpose find happiness … Continue reading Eudaimonia

"You come to appreciate that the things you care about are the things that break your heart which are the things that give rise to excellence and fill your life with meaning and joy." - Brad Stulberg You don't get one without the other. You don't get all the best things without risking the scariest … Continue reading The Arena