Beyond Inspiration, Willpower, and Hard Work

How to Keep Learning, Growing, and Moving Forward

There are moments in life that just happen. When we’re young, we can learn a second language effortlessly. As adults, sometimes we feel inspired and suddenly tap into our creativity. We want to believe that all it takes to achieve important things is willpower. We think, if only we tried hard enough. We push ourselves to get things done through sheer hard work, but eventually we relapse into our old ways. Making progress is anything but linear, and to sustain it, we need a better approach. We must go beyond inspiration, willpower, and hard work. Continue exploring

Don’t Be Afraid to Make a Fool of Yourself

“A mistake that makes you humble is better than an achievement that makes you arrogant.” – Unknown

When I was in second grade, I was sort of a class clown. I remember feeling proud of myself because I could make the kids laugh, and I thought I was making an otherwise boring class more fun. Of course, that didn’t go well. I was shamed for being disruptive to the class. Many such things shape us in many areas of life—molding us to conform to societal norms and expectations. We grow up to seek external validation and recognition. We go on a quest to be smart. Unfortunately, we become afraid to make a fool of ourselves for the rest of our lives. Continue exploring

Three Degrees of Effort

A Mindful Path to Growth and Resilience

“Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” -John F. Kennedy

Have you ever wondered what effort is really about? Do you believe the only path to success is through more effort? Effort isn’t just about spending even more energy, more hours, more work—and more stress. It’s about how we apply energy to get what we truly want. Many people think that effort is about grinding longer and harder. But what if it’s more about alignment and connection than intensity?

The three degrees of effort are an approach to understanding how to apply more strategic effort to act on difficult learning and challenging setbacks. Continue exploring