I practiced Judo for a couple of years. Judo is a martial art that combines throws with wrestling. And is referred to as the gentle way, where the goal is to use your opponent’s strength against them. Maximize efficiency and minimize effort.  Our Sensi Ed Maley drilled discipline, respeciit, and constant improvement into us.  I earned the rank of brown belt, yet the belt most impactful to me is my white belt. I still display it to remind me always to be a student.  Paradoxically, the man who has failed and one who is at the peak of success are in the same position. Each must decide what he will do next and choose the course leading him to the future.  Judo Jigoro Kano, founder of Judo  By Eric Papp

  Responsible = ability to respond  Responsibility is one of the most underutilized character traits in the United States today.  We instead keep ourselves distracted with our phones than confront issues in our professional or personal lives. And, we settle for coping mechanisms that "get us by."  The word responsibility is often used in a negative context. Yet when you look it up, you'll discover two entirely different synonyms.  Blame, Guilt, Liability or Power Influence, and Control  Most organizations want a culture of ownership but suffer from the abdication of accountability.  Abdication of Accountability  Performing employees get more work and less time to complete it.   Conversely, underperforming employees get less work and more time.  An overwhelmed manager doesn't have the emotional bandwidth to have coaching conversations, so her good employees pay the price because the work has to get done.    by Eric Papp

  Even Jesus of Nazareth, the most influential person who ever lived, asked this question to his disciples.  Whether we like to admit it or not, we care about what others think about us. And sometimes the opinion of others outweighs our own identity.  I recently saw some relatives I hadn't seen in years, and after a long time of listening to them about their medical challenges, what their children are up to, grandchildren, etc. So I thought they would ask me about myself. (I was excited to share what I was up to with them.)  Nothing.  And, in their presence, I felt like I had to somehow "prove" myself to them. Like I needed their approval. lol   Have you ever experienced wanting the approval of someone you hadn't seen in a while?  And then a question surfaced in my mind; I wondered, "Who do they say that I am" then, after further reflection, I came up with  It doesn't matter.   I reminded myself of who I am and what I'm up to, which was reassuring.    It also reminded me that listening to others and taking an interest in someone is a gift. And you c ...

  Do what you love.  It is often the most common advice to young people looking for a job. And some find it after years of pursuit.  It sounds like it's such an easy thing to do, but it can be challenging.  And if you have bills to pay or a family to support, that can increase the pressure to "make it."  After graduating college, I knew I wanted to be a professional speaker, but I needed to figure out how to do it. So I joined three toastmaster clubs to improve my craft and went back to personal training to support myself and pay off my student loans. Two years later, I started working for Skillpath Seminars earning $225 a day. I did this for about two years until my skill set and confidence were at a point I could make it on my own. And since then, it's been a long, challenging, and lonesome road of "doing what I love" And now, over ten years later, I'm charging 44x than when I started and have become a new person.  The advice I would give about doing what you love If you pursue what you love, be prepared to pay the price because success might take lo ...

(image of my daughter Ellie, who grabbed my book while I was changing her diaper) The first sale is to yourself. The problem with belief and certainty is that it is not a one-time event but a muscle that needs daily training. A salesperson may start strong, have a high level of enthusiasm for their product/service, and have some successful selling, but how do they react when they hit a slump or no's start to come in? If you are not cultivating certainty and belief in yourself and what you sell, the weeds of self-doubt will eventually overtake you. And when they do, we settle for comfort, stop prospecting, and create reasons to justify our situation. BTW, Everyone is in sales. By Eric Papp

How does the Holiday typically occur to you? Stress Are family members not getting along? (different political views, past experiences, etc.)  Last minute shopping and trying to find the perfect gift?  Are you deciding how to spend time with both parts of the family? Success I'm off from work.  Surrounded by the people you love the most?  I count my blessings and make my blessings count.    By Eric Papp