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Learners and Knowers

I read recently that legendary basketball star, Michael Jordan, once said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted with the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

When we fail we have two choices,

  1. We can complain about how unfair the world is and play the role of victim, or
  2. We can ask, “What am I meant to learn from this? What is the message? How can I use this to help me grow?

When someone presents us with an opinion with which we disagree, or judges us harshly, we have the same two choices: complain and play the hurt victim (our wounded ego speaking), or pause and seek the hidden insight behind the remarks.

Carl Jung once said, “Thinking is difficult.  That’s why people judge.”

Do you choose to learn from your failures? Or do you choose to judge yourself for failing? When you are criticized or faced with an opinion with which you disagree, does your ego cause you to push back and defend your position, or do you say, “Tell me more, I want to learn”? The difference is between an open mindset and a closed one; between being a “knower” versus a “learner”.

Are you a knower or a learner?

Show the Love for Ukraine

Show the Love for Ukraine

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, has removed all guest and host fees for bookings in Ukraine. The idea behind his move is to open a channel for direct support to Ukrainians. If you book an Airbnb reservation, (of course you won’t need to actually go!) all of the money will go...

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A Clinic on Inspiration and Leadership

A Clinic on Inspiration and Leadership

This is not a blog about politics.  It is a blog about leadership and inspiration (which, of course, is the same thing). Like you, I have been watching the daily unfolding of the horrors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I have not been shocked by Vladimir Putin—I...

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Creating a More Inspired World

Creating a More Inspired World

As many of you know, we launched a new movement, "To Create a More Inspired World", last year. The reason for this initiative is well captured in this essay by David Brooks in the New York Times. Our aim is to reverse the dystopian perspective that is understandably...

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Zoom Fatigue

Zoom Fatigue

A recent study from the University of Arizona suggests that “Zoom fatigue” is not caused by spending endless hours on zoom calls, but from the stress caused by having the camera always turned on, which forces us to stare endlessly at ourselves. In this study, half the...

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The Most Important Question to Ask Ourselves

The Most Important Question to Ask Ourselves

As we learn to navigate a hybrid world of work (for many, but not all), we have become preoccupied with issues such as technology, burnout, engagement, collaboration, recruitment, the pandemic, mental health, stress, how to motivate employees and many other...

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How Will You Handle Covid Vaccination Mandates?

How Will You Handle Covid Vaccination Mandates?

Science tells us that any of us can be carriers and spreaders of Covid, regardless of whether we are vaccinated or not. Vaccination is immensely successful in preventing people from dying or being hospitalized - but vaccinated and unvaccinated people are equally...

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The Great Reset

The Great Reset

Every day we are hearing about: A desperate shortage of qualified employees Employees' reluctance to return to physical premises More than 40% of employees thinking of quitting A general disillusionment with, and distrust of, big government and Corporations. In the...

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Can Love Ever be as Entertaining as Violence?

Can Love Ever be as Entertaining as Violence?

40 years ago, I made two decisions that have shaped my life: I refused to go to any movies where gratuitous violence (or violence of any form) was part of the script, and, I gave up my TV and have not owned one since. The second choice was made to support the first...

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Ask me a Question!

Ask me a Question!

For many people, the world feels less inspiring these days, so we decided to start a new movement to change that. We are building a community. As part of this ambitious initiative, I posted a comment on social media in which I said: "Ask me a question about...

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The Amazon Monopoly

The Amazon Monopoly

Warning:  This is a rant! There are millions of books on Amazon.com and hundreds of thousands of authors who earn their living—theoretically—from this market-dominant company. The mechanics of how this works for an author may not be obvious to the general public. ...

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A Very Special Offer

A Very Special Offer

One of the regular participants in our weekly Inspiration in the Cloud Zoom sessions (www.secretan.com/inspiration-cloud), and my good friend, Stephan Hein from London, UK, is offering a very special gift to us – he will present a Yoga Nidra session for us on March...

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