your do-over (with step-by-step instructions!)

I’ll be the first to say that in real life, regarding important things, “do-overs” are few and very far between—if at all. Usually, there’s not a second chance to get something right. You either get it right or you get it partially right or even wrong on your first...

more of, less of & stop doing

As we finish up this year, I challenge you to start to think about next year this year! For some, it’s still time to focus on this year’s goals; and by all means, continue to press on to finish strong. Whether you are in this year’s race or focusing on next year’s...

thanksgiving day coping plan

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! You should begin thawing your turkey … and planning your survival strategy. Most of us will gather together on Thanksgiving Day with family and friends for good food and exciting football. Some of us look forward to this day all year,...

ready to quit?

A while back, in the course of one week, I had two different people from two different companies come to my office and talk about how challenging and frustrating their jobs were. Their comments were almost identical. They talked about how the company president was not...

passing the bear

Someone recently passed the Bear. Carson-Newman University head football coach Ken Sparks—the winningest active head coach in the country—earned his 324th victory on October 25 to pass Paul “Bear” Bryant and claim sixth place for himself on the...

you’re fired!

About once a month, I have someone in our sales coaching program come in and talk about losing a big customer to a competitor. As you might imagine, they feel rejected; disappointed; and, in some cases, downright angry. I get that. But no matter what their...

atonement

Today is a day to do something significant. Yom Kippur starts this evening and ends tomorrow night. I’ve been told that this is the holiest of holidays for the Jewish faith, and even Jews who don’t usually observe other Jewish holidays observe this one. Yom Kippur...

buying a pair of boots

Recently, one of my good friends asked me to meet him at Mark’s Outdoor Sports for the store’s big sale. My friend wanted to buy some hunting boots, and I thought it would be a good excuse to shop for some fishing stuff. Mark’s Outdoor Sports is legendary. People come...

waite phillips’s rules for business

This summer, I went on a 12-day backpacking trip with my 15-year-old son at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Even people not involved with Boy Scouts of America have heard of this famous camp. Philmont is legendary in the Scouting world with both boys and adults...

rafting safety

This summer, while vacationing in the North Carolina mountains, my wife and I decided to go on a rafting trip down the Nantahala River with two of our children. Each year we do something like this—rafting, tubing, canoeing, etc.—on a different river, usually in...