I don’t know a single athlete that rushes to the doctor at the first sign of trouble. I’m certainly not one of them! It may not make logical sense, but I think there’s a part of ourselves that believes if we avoid getting an official diagnosis, we can get moving forward. But trust me, any real injury is going to stop you from keeping up with your training schedule – whether or not you visit a physician.

As much as I talk about how important it is for leaders to support their teams, I think we must acknowledge the other side of the coin. Leaders need support too, and when they don’t have it, they can grow bitter, unmotivated, and ineffective. After all, getting anything done when everyone else seems to be working against you is like Sisyphus eternally pushing the boulder up a hill.

Conflict is an inevitable part of life. We’re all going to face it personally and professionally but our tendency, our human nature, is to avoid conflict at all costs. But avoiding conflict isn’t the same thing as having peace. And conflict, if handled properly, can lead to growth and positive outcomes for everyone involved.

While it’s a myth that leaders are born and not made, there are some key characteristics that make leaders worth following. Knowing the characteristics can not only help you hone your own leadership skills, but it can aid in identifying, training, and retaining new leadership for your business. After all, it’s not just the guy at the top who leads. Leadership and initiative among your whole team produces top-tier results.

However fit and active you may be, we’re all prone to periods of burnout and low motivation. Maybe you hit a plateau and feel discouraged about a lack of progress. Maybe the holiday season means lots of travel, disrupting your normal fitness routine. Whether you’re a chronic quitter or a seasoned pro hitting a stumbling block, it helps to know what you need to recharge your motivation and get back on track with your fitness goals.

In the minds of some experts, emotional intelligence (EQ) has become more valuable in the workplace than the intelligence quotient (IQ). This may be in part because testing intelligence with an IQ test is now considered inaccurate at best and problematic at worst. Our traditional understandings of intelligence are quite narrow – only accounting for a small part of what can lead to success in academia and the workplace.

For the most part, we exercise for the physical benefits: increased muscle, loss of excess weight, preventing heart disease and other maladies, and building up energy and stamina. But the benefits of regular exercise go far beyond the physically evident. If you needed another motivator to get up and get active, let this be it: regular exercise strengthens and protects your brain.

As I’ve discussed leadership here, I’ve often talked about some of the key qualities that make a great leader. From communication skills and confidence to introspection and vision, there are any number of traits that make leaders, well…leaders!

Creativity isn’t an inherent, unchangeable quality. It’s a muscle, a skill to be flexed and developed. Entrepreneurs in particular need a strong creative drive. Business leaders, too, should never underestimate the infinite value of a creative mind.

Feeling overwhelmed in the workplace is incredibly common. It’s not just something new hires experience, either. The constant pressure to produce, innovate, and achieve can wear anyone down. When your to-do list is long and you find yourself struggling, you need a strategy.

When it comes to watching what you eat, your waistline isn’t the only concern! Your nutritional decisions make an impact on your whole body, including the brain. As your most important organ, you want to do everything in your power to protect it!

I cover quite the mix of topics on this blog, all of which I’m personally involved and invested in. Believe it or not, these seemingly unrelated topics – endurance running and fitness, health and nutrition, entrepreneurship, and leadership – tie together in marvelous ways.

The quest for relevance is often futile. I think most of us have our hearts in the right place – we want to be helpful. Leaders have a vested interest in ensuring that the next generation can avoid their mistakes and leverage their many years of experience.

This year, it seems like a million bugs are going around. Between sinus troubles, cold and flu, and even COVID, just about everyone is bound to come down with something this season. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t have the time to be down for the count!

Entrepreneurs all knows how essential critical thinking skills are to our success. That art of objectively observing, analyzing, and evaluating information to make the best judgment call possible is something we do every day. But it’s far from the only critical skill we need to get by.

It’s officially a new year! Whether you went big with an NYE celebration or turned in at 9:30, it’s not about what you do in the single moment at midnight – it’s about what you do with every moment of the next year.

New year’s resolutions are overrated, I know. It’s the running joke that we bolster our resolve for a few weeks before sliding back into our old ways. Despite this trend, it’s never a bad thing to set your sights on bold and ambitious goals for the new year.

The year is winding down. Even as we turn our attention to holiday festivities, the end of the year for any company, any professional, and any leader is busy. We’ve got a lot of work to do before the new year begins! And, like many, part of that work will involve a year-end review.

In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business world, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone that isn’t stressed out. And that’s not even mentioning the economic climate, global unrest, and general uncertainties that can plague our thoughts.

Whether its for a birthday or holiday occasion, you never want to feel unsure about the gift you’ve chosen for the people in your lives. When someone in your life is difficult to buy for, it can create unnecessary stress. So, what do you get for the man in your life that has everything? What are your surefire “safe” – but still thoughtful – gift options?