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I was teaching a storytelling workshop last month when one of the participants lamented that his parents had “only given $250 in pocket money” per month while he was attending college. And this was in 2005 when $250 could be stretched considerably further than today. My instant reaction was to recoil. I have not received…

The weather has finally turned. I stand on the precipice of the golf season at last. A time of unknown, unimaginable possibilities. Golf can often be frustrating, disappointing, and even ridiculous. But there are also unforgettable moments of glory that make every duffed ball, shanked drive, and missed putt worth the pain that golf can…

While performing in Schenectady, New York, a couple of weekends ago, I drove by this restaurant, which, as far as I can tell, could be: “First Prize Mike’s Frankfurts along with First Prize Hots with our Sauce” or… “First Prize Franfurts” and also “Mike’s First Prize Hots with Our Sauce” Or maybe just “First Prize…

“Sweet Child O’ Mine,” the iconic song from Guns N’ Roses’ 1987 album Appetite for Destruction, has a fascinating creative story. The opening guitar riff—possibly one of rock and roll’s most famous guitar rights—was not planned or even written. The band’s guitarist, Slash, used that opening riff to tune and warm up. One day, the…

A friend sent me a photo of this post-it, written by his daughter. __________________________ Dear Future Self, Have a good lunch. Hope you did well on your science test 2-day. Sincerely, 7:30 AM Alana __________________________ His daughter has heard me speak about the importance of “taking care of your future self.” I’m a big believer…

I visited my friend’s high school English class this week. I talked about storytelling, writing, and creative productivity. I also answered questions about my life. But as I often do, I also shared life lessons — organically, of course. Someone asks me a question, or something is said, and in response, I fire off a…

Years ago, my friend Shep told me to watch the movie “Hot Fuzz.” I had never heard of the film or its director, Edgar Wright, but knowing Shep, I decided to give it a shot. Elysha and I sat down and watched the movie and loved every minute of it. I’ve rewatched it several times…

Here’s a good rule of thumb for your business or organization: If you need to allow the people in your organization to remain anonymous while completing an employee satisfaction survey, a professional development evaluation, or any other kind of workplace appraisal in order to receive honest feedback, your organization lacks psychological safety. The need for…

The number of times when you say something unkind about a friend or colleague – and then that bit of unkindness makes its way back to the person to whom you directed the unkind remark – is staggering. In other words, say something unkind about someone, and that someone will often find out exactly what…

Sometimes, the apology note is so spectacular that you find yourself grateful for the transgression.