High Performance Leadership

Here's another guest entry from my friend and fraternity brother, David Spiegel.  Late yesterday afternoon, as I was finishing my last run of the day, my daughter Becca called me. She was having one of those "I think you need a Snickers" days. Without rehashing each and everyone one of the multitude of things that were annoying her, suffice it to say she was less than a happy camper. As she ranted on and on, barking about the challenges of the day, each description ended with her saying "what does it matter?" She was not questioning the event itself. She was questioning why she bothers to make the choices she does, trying to create the life that she wants. What does it matter if I watch what I eat....the scale doesn't move! What does it matter if I workout as much as I do? The damn scale still doesn't move. What does it matter that I get blood work done? The doctor doesn't care to understand my lifestyle. He has pre-f...

"I never saw a pessimistic general win a battle." -- Dwight D. Eisenhower "The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails." -- John Maxwell Are you feeling optimistic? I like that sense of "things will be great, things will be better" and the energy it takes to make that true. It's hard to summon up energy for change when I'm pessimistic. That doesn't mean carrying an attitude of everything-will-work-out-no-matter-what. We do need to work. We do need to focus. We do need to set meaningful goals and then work like heck to achieve them. But staying optimistic helps. Then, lead. Take charge. Move ahead. Help it to happen. What are you optimistic about today? -- Doug Smith