TED
Lasting Memories of My Army Vet Dad
Saluting My Dad My dad passed away a month and 15 years ago. It will be another Memorial Day, Father’s Day and his birthday, without him. Here’s Dad, at age 66, getting his Masters of Public Health at UCLA after decades of private practice as an M.D. He gave me this photo, and on the…
Read MoreShow Them the Movie
Make the Connections When you author a book, the reader expects to do the work and have the freedom: make the connections, visualize pictures in their minds, read the last page first… When you speak, the listener expects you, the speaker, to do the work: draw them the picture, make the connections to their lives…
Read MoreFeel Like Giving Up? Not So Fast
Challenging Times Challenging times for hope. Where are our leaders? When will they lead? Here’s some leadership from my mom: “We. Don’t. Quit.” My mother would be 101 years old tomorrow. It’s been 20 years since I heard her voice in real life, not just in my head and heart. She taught me my most…
Read MoreBirthday: Who Are You Becoming?
I haven’t always loved my birthday. When I was 5 years old, the cruel Chicago winter got in my way. The Mayor issued a traveler’s advisory and my party was canceled. The next February, the same thing happened. My mom suggested a half-birthday party in August – in the yard – with Japanese lanterns. It…
Read MoreSetting Goals? It’s About How We Play the Game
Life is a contact sport. My second favorite contact sport is American football. I even wrote a book about it. Commitment to our goals is a given. It’s how we play the game that counts. Three football lessons are my New Year’s resolutions. 1. Shake off the bad plays. When a quarterback throws an interception,…
Read MoreIs Your Creativity Rooted in Faith?
‘Tis the season ‘Tis the season of faith. I’m not religious. I always thought the passage, “Oh, ye, of little faith” was addressing me. But I was mistaken. This year, I discovered two things, unexpectedly. Faith vs. Hope. Hope is wanting something to happen. Faith is knowing it will. After creating her speech, my client…
Read MoreIs Gratitude Wanting What You Have?
My Dad Knew “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” The quote says Anonymous. My family believed it. My dad carried in his wallet, all his life, a quote that he laminated. It said, “Happiness isn’t having what you want. It’s wanting what you have.” And I’m very much wanting what I have right now.…
Read MoreWhat’s the REAL Elevator Pitch?
Let’s be real. You don’t have 30 seconds in an elevator with a stranger – you have 10. How often are you in an elevator anyway? People are more likely to ask, “What do you do?” in a supermarket line, or on the sidelines of a kid’s soccer game, or in a protest against an…
Read MoreIs It Ever Too Late for the TEDx Stage?
On the contrary. It’s never too late. They say, “Age is just a number.” Sure it is. No “just” about it. As the number increases, so does your wisdom and your value. As Google’s Guidelines say: “Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.” Don’t you have more of those as your age number increases? So, respect the…
Read MoreQuestion: How Long Does It Take to Write Your TED Talk?
Answer: Your whole life. And we can get it up on our screens together in three months. What will you say? Here’s how you find out: Imagine this: You hear a booming (or very quiet) voice in your head that says, “You have 15 minutes more to live as you, on this plane, in this…
Read More