Joseph Campbell is a towering figure in the power of myths. He may be best known for his collaboration with George Lucas on Star Wars and is famous for his saying, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” This metaphorical reference went literal on me on a recent trip I made to Sandia Cave. As a kid, I wanted to be either an archeologist or an oceanographer. I remember painstakingly digging outside of my suburban townhouse until after sunset (belated apologie

Business leaders, like triathletes, must be careful to not fall into a "windmilling" pattern when they seek to go farther faster. I know - because I was once a windmiller. A triathlete, I sought to double my race distance, and before I knew it, I was windmilling. "Windmilling" swimmers are working hard, but they do not fully leverage the "catch" and "pull" stage of a stroke. A significant amount of the propulsive benefit of every stroke is lost - it literally slips through th

As a former triathlete, I was planning to write about the long, arduous road to victory in triathlon - whether one's deeply personal victory of completing a new challenge, or standing on a podium.  There is no doubt that patience is a crucial muscle to develop; and if you choose the sport of triathlon (like any sport or significant undertaking and endeavor), development of patience will be essential. Progress is sometimes invisible.  The glory of a strong race finish is certa

A year ago I took a life-changing 6-week class through my local county adult education program on meditation. I had tried meditation over the years with no success.  Nothing seemed to "happen."  When I finally learned (and I am still a total novice) how to truly quiet the mind and body, for the first time in my life I 'heard' my body.  I could hear my heart keeping pace. I could hear my blood swishing through my body.  I could imagine the wondrous universe of exquisitely orch

Dedication, devotion, commitment. These are all synonyms for pledging one's whole self to a task or purpose or another person.  When we think of commitment, most of us think of committing to someone else. We're not in that equation. All real commitment ultimately begins with making and keeping promises with oneself; and faithfully showing up day-in, day-out to honor this commitment. I used to fear commitment. I saw it as closing off options. Triathlon training at any level, l

I reflected in a previous post about being physically stopped recently and being fully sidelined (again) from a sport I love - triathlon. I was not able to walk due to fractures in both feet. The time off gave me an unmatched stretch of time to reflect.  The reflection yielded an epiphany that changed my life.  I decided in that week to launch the coaching company of which I have dreamt my whole life, but had been too busy to pursue fully. It was ironically in being stopped,

If you caught the US Open’s epic first round matches back in 2013 on ESPN, then you likely saw – and heard – the grand slams of Serena Williams in her first-round match this evening with Francesca Sciavone. It is evident that Ms. Williams came to the blue for business. Yet as points systematically mounted for Ms. Williams, the champion that captured my attention was Ms. Sciavone. Few sports are more grueling as elite tennis.  Matches can last hours. The singles player is a lo

Anticipating the arrival of a New Year can bring conflicted feelings for me. At its best, a New Year can be a time of rest (with the holiday), and of valuable reflection and renewal. And it can also sting. The New Year can arrive as a painful toll of another year of unfulfilled dreams, which sometimes feel nowhere in sight. It had been a tough year. As the holidays approached, I was fortunate to glimpse the cloud of despair on the horizon conjured by the prospect of forcing m

Hark! Here in D.C. we are in the midst of a "historic" snowfall. I witnessed its auspicious arrival last night as I headed out of my building to take in a private concert of Last Train Home with some friends. The magic was beginning. My urban neighborhood transformed into a Dickensian village, with the early snowcover affirming the promise of the accumulation to come. There's a mystical quality to a good snowfall. I am transported into the tranquil space of a snowglobe, where

There’s a lot of buzz today in Washington, DC – and across the country – about who’s coming to power. We don’t need an election to tell us who’s coming to power in business and government though -- Millennials are. This generation is now the largest in the US workforce. Harvard Business Review says managing Millennials keeps CEOs awake at night.  It should - 70% of Millennials are already in leadership positions, but 65% report not feeling prepared. [Watch my recent talk at a