How to-do lists could be improved
I like to-do lists. But they can be flawed. We apparently think they’re better than they are. Nearly two-thirds of professionals use to-do lists, according to a LinkedIn survey. But only 11 percent of people who use them say they get everything on their lists done in a day. What explains the gap between how...
It’s okay to be obsessed
On Quora.com, a reader wanted to know what goes into the making of a great entrepreneur like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or Richard Branson. Justine Musk shed light on what it takes. As a former wife of one of the “extreme entrepreneurs” mentioned, she should know. “Be obsessed,” she wrote three times. “If...
Listening to nudges leads to new path
Andrea Kay has always been a visual artist. But it was never her main work. By day, she is a career consultant, writer of a syndicated career column, and author of 6 career-related books, including Life’s a Bitch and Then You Change Careers. She is also a radio host and appears on TV. About 10...
Bach’s compromise
Compromises can make great work possible. I know that sounds counterintuitive. But it seems to have worked for Johann Sebastian Bach, who could not rely solely on composing to keep himself afloat. At one point, he had to choose between a court appointment and a post as a church organist and music master. Each had...
How to reboot
People are increasingly questioning their life choices. Workers wonder whether they’re killing themselves doing work they don’t really want. Shouldn’t they be doing something more meaningful? Priya Parker, founder and researcher at Thrive Labs, a company that helps millennials identify their real purpose in life, has noticed that many of her clients let fear guide...
Mom on a mission
A mother puts her own spin on fitness. Lisa Druxman was a new mom when she had one of those aha! moments. All moms are looking to get back into shape after having a baby, she realized. And they were also looking to connect with other new moms. “I decided to blend my passion for...
Set a big, hairy, audacious goal
You may not have heard of Jack Canfield. But you have no doubt heard of his “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. Forty-seven of his books have landed on The New York Times bestseller list, he says. Canfield has sold over half a billion books. Besides earnings from speaking engagements, coaching, and teaching gigs, he...