Whenever we set out to make things better in our lives — improve our career, grow our business, get in shape, make a bigger impact in the world — fear and doubt creep in. In her work coaching women and in her own personal life, Tara Mohr saw a pattern emerge, a problem she describes as women "playing small." Women are sitting on their big ideas rather than sharing them, holding back their most provocative questions instead of asking them. They are having a collective hallucination that they aren’t "ready" for that bigger role or next step. She made it the focus of her work to help women start playing bigger — pursuing their dreams for their lives and careers, and sharing their voices more boldly. Join me and Tara in this conversation where we explore these themes, and discuss ways to help women (and men) overcome barriers to playing bigger in the world. Here is the link to download directly: http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapefromcubiclenation/Tara_Mohr_Playing_Big.mp3 Or you can listen online here: To purchase her amazing book, Playing Big, out new this week, go here: http://www.taramohr.com/book/

If there is one thing that I have heard my dear friend Tim Berry (founder of Palo Alto Software and my personal Obi Wan Kenobi of business planning) say over and over through the years, it is: "All plans are wrong by definition. But the act of planning is essential to business success."   One of the main reasons I wrote Body of Work was to energize my network around the idea of consciously choosing what you create, contribute, affect and impact throughout the course of your life. And when "throughout the course of your life" becomes too overwhelming of a timeframe, I like to go with "what are you going to create in the next 12 months?" We are on the first day of December, 2014. You have 30 days left to spend some time thinking about your goals and strategic priorities for next year. I will be sharing tools and ideas this month to help you with this planning process. Here are three questions I ask you to ponder as you decide what to create next year: If 2015 were to be the last year I could create and contribute something uniquely meaningful to the world, what would that something be? Who do I care about serving next year? What do they need? What brings me great joy to create, and leverages my strengths? Brainstorm a list of ideas, whittle your list down to three, then have some fun with one of the simplest planning tools I know: a flip chart and a stack of post-it notes. I made a short video to help illustrate this tool. (Link to see it on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/K6g33Fw3dSg  ) Stay tuned for more tips on planning and crafting your body of work in the month of December. The world needs what you have to offer!

Ah, young love! Photo by my Pops, Lewis Stewart I remember the date that proved without a doubt that my husband Darryl was the man for me. We were in Northern California, and we started the day with strong Peet’s Coffee in Oakland. We drove to Phoenix Lake in Ross, where I used to go as a little girl, and hiked around the lake, drinking in the quiet beauty together. After lunch in my hometown of San Anselmo, we drove to Berkeley for a Pow Wow, where we enjoyed beautiful music and dancing all afternoon. That evening, we had a quiet dinner by the fire back at my flat in Oakland, looking at the twinkling lights around Lake Merritt. Both of us called it "the longest day in the world," because it seemed to stretch on forever, the slow pace allowing us to experience beauty all around us. Now, after having been married for a decade, we still recall that day with affection, since it captures the spirit of our relationship, and the nature of our love for each other. In the every day life of these past 10+ years, there have been struggles and arguments, sleepless nights carrying crying babies around, hard work, prayers, hugs, endless dish and towel washing (seriously, it is about a 10 towels to kid ratio each week), tender conversations, economic crashes and calamities, huge professional victories and celebrations, vacations, lots of grocery shopping and good and bad parenting days. In short, the life of marriage. The vision of marriage is a beautiful, powerful, tender thing that makes your heart swell. Yet that vision will not be realized unless you breathe life into it each day through your daily actions. Some actions are pleasurable and easy, others test your very will to live (thinking of my friend Emily Han who is currently in her last days of writing and editing her first cookbook. Keep going Em, your will to live will return once the book is done!)  Your work life is no different. The "perfect date" equivalent of your work is a gorgeous, shiny plan for 2015. Your plan may include: Fresh New Year resolutions A colorful vision board A squeaky clean business plan, with revenue projections that will solve your earthly problems and impress your parents These plans are necessary and inspiring. However, you must breathe life into them by articulating the plan details, and breaking them down into feasible, clear steps. How to breathe life into your plans for 2015 Articulate your vision: What do you want to create? Why do you want to create it? Who is it for? Why now? Why you? Define your plan: What are the individual components? What resources do you need to accomplish them? Which systems do you need to support them? When does each part need to be accomplished? Zero in on your immediate future: What do you need to get done this month? What do you need to get done this week? What critical task do you need to complete today? (In the spirit of full disclosure, this post is my immediate action item. I wanted to send it Wednesday. Then yesterday. Now it is Friday afternoon, and for the love of everything, you will get it today, even if I have to be here until midnight.) To give you a living example of how this works, here is how these questions break down for me: Example: What am I up to this year?  In 2015, I will work with individuals, organizations and brands who want to operate from their strengths, create meaningful and sustainable work, communicate openly and authentically, build their communities and live joyfully while doing it.  Why do I want to do this work? Because in this uncertain, unstable world, we need individuals, organizations and brands that have the skills to grow, change and adapt. We need to build our economy and get people back to work. We need to feel better about our lives and careers, and not waste our precious time doing work that is not meaningful. We need to solve serious social problems, and create a just and fair society for all. We need to get rid of the notion that in order to scale an organization, you have to make it a horrible place to work. We need to build open connections with our favorite brands so that they hear what we need and we share our love for them openly, and frequently (Did I mention how much I love Peet’s Coffee? They have never paid me to say that) Who do I want to work with? People who care about our future. People who care about each other. People who love to create. People who get me and want to work with me. Why me?  This is my work. I have deep experience working with organizations, I have deep experience working with individuals. I have deep joy bringing great brands to life. I have one of the best communities of diverse people on the planet, and I owe it to them. Why now? Have you read the news lately? Now, more than ever, we need a capable, engaged, collaborative community of people who will not let instability and fear run their lives. There are big problems to be solved, huge opportunities to be reaped, and beautiful things to create. What are the parts of my plan? Indispensable Course for Individuals (coming soon! Sign up for the wait list here) Indispensable Manager Workshop for Organizations (can’t wait to share more about this soon!) Indispensable Brand consulting work for select corporate partners like Citrix Indispensable Community Building through keynotes, great content and conversations  What is in my immediate future: Launch the first Indispensable program of the year in early February. Solidify my team for the year (I am currently hiring a marketing/communications assistant) Help my current clients reach their goals (which includes things like finishing a book proposal, closing a big sales deal, launching a new website, and marketing a new course) Begin Phase 1 of my marketing plan for organizations Kick my keynote speaking into high gear How it feels Exciting? Heck yes. This is the Year of Shipping Seriously. My heart is beating quickly as I am writing this. Will it be easy? Heck no. The living of this work is going to include ups and downs, twists and turns, heartache, exhilaration and hard work. Is it worth it? Absolutely. I can think of no other way I would rather spend my time and energy. Let’s do this You have great things to create this year. Whatever you wished you had done last year is gone. Focus on breathing life into your plans today, and watch your life bloom. — What are your big plans for 2015? Let me know in the comments. I would love to hear!

Pat Cadam (far right) and his crew from Pat’s Garage, leaning into the sunny side of life I am fascinated by the way that brands show up in the world. If any of you read my first book, Escape from Cubicle Nation, you may remember Pat Cadam, founder of Pat’s Garage. I wrote: "Nestled in the technology and industry heavy South of Market neighborhood was Honda shop called Pat’s Garage. On the outside, it looked like any other auto shop, with the requisite big sign and grease spots in the driveway. As soon as I stepped inside, I knew it was a special place. I didn’t feel my instinctive reaction which was "I will wrestle you to the ground if you leer, demean my lack of car knowledge or try to trick me into getting service I don’t need." Pat and his staff were welcoming, open and non-threatening. Their office walls were filled with art pieces and postcards from happy customers. The closest thing to a blond in a bikini on the wall was a picture of Hilary Clinton in S&M garb. I don’t remember exact message behind the parody, but it was in good taste and not disparaging of either Hilary or women in general. And the best part? Really, really great coffee. Not the watered down Folgers crap that you find at most shops, but jet fuel grade, organic and flavorful coffee. Served in real mugs. The more I got to know Pat, the more I was fascinated by his story of creating a totally unique and valuable business in a crowded niche. He once told me "My business is not really about cars, it is about people. When I focus on my customers and their needs and concerns, my business thrives." He chose to service Hondas because "I like the kind of people that drive Hondas. In general, they are nice, funny, down to earth and environmentally aware." Pat started his career as a schoolteacher and quickly learned that a traditional academic environment was not for him. So he carefully researched a business to open, based on his interests and skills. He seems to have picked the right one, as he always seems to be enjoying himself, and his customers have followed him loyally for over twenty years as if he were the Pied Piper." Indispensable Brand Pat embodies exactly what I mean by an indispensable brand: He offers something real and valuable to a market that needs it He works with a specific, defined niche His personality clearly shows up in every part of his business, from the message on his answering machine to his website to the quality of his work to his physical location He inspires trust, enthusiasm and evangelism in every one of his customers. You walk away after working with Pat and not only feel great having given him money, but want to tell twelve of your friends about his auto shop. I actually held on to my Honda longer than planned since I was so sad about leaving him. He attracts a great team. He values and supports his employees better than most leaders I met in entrepreneurial and corporate settings. He once told me, after explaining how he was paying for his mechanic to take a day off a week to take an art class, "When you learn what is important to people who work for you and support that, no matter if it is related to the work they do for you, they will be happier. That translates into better work and natural loyalty. Pat’s success was not a fluke. Pat’s Garage has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars, averaged from 497 ratings! And they were voted the Guardian’s Best Car Mechanic of the San Francisco Bay Area for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and….2014! I think the same things that make a company brand great also makes a personal brand great. I am on a mission to collect a list of diverse and interesting brands that people love, so that I can dissect what makes them tick and share the lessons. What are your favorite brands and why? I would LOVE to hear your examples. Share them in the comments below!

Chris Lee, me, Susan Baier and Brian Shea, plotting to revolutionize how small businesses grow  This week, I got to hang out with my dear friend and long-time client Brian Shea. We have known each other since Brian was working full-time as a corporate employee. With hard work and good planning (and a decent coach!), he quit his job and began a successful consulting business, working with large companies doing process improvements and software implementations. As he eased into working for himself, he began to build relationships with other small business owners, and learned about the overwhelm they feel when they balance running a business with marketing for future growth. So he has expanded his practice to include small business consulting, where he helps small business owners put the processes, people and technology in place so they can scale their business while having a great quality of life. (check him out here: http://sheaconsulting.biz/ ) In our animated discussions about the small business market, we talked about the kinds of projects that would be ideal to pursue in the future. Certain things were immediately ruled out. Get rich quick schemes? Not a chance. Solutions in a box that don’t take into account unique business needs? Out. Sales schemes that pressure buyers? Never. Rosie, Brian and Josh, horsing around at Saguaro Lake Ranch The reason these decisions were so clear is that Brian knows who he is and what he values. Here is what I know about him: He is passionate about process. He is always looking for a way to streamline and improve things. He is adamant about ethics. He refuses to force a wrong solution on a customer, even if it means it would make him lots of money. He is hilarious. He finds humor, and creates joy, wherever he goes. He believes that everyone has the right to meaningful work. He believes that companies can be healthy and vibrant, when they have the right people, processes and technology in place. These passionate beliefs have guided Brian through every step in his successful career, and they will continue to guide him as he grows new products, services and customer segments. What do you want? What career decisions are you wrestling with? Are you trying to decide what job to choose, what book to write, who to partner with or what business to start? Your decision criteria should be built around the core principles of who you are. What do you believe? What do you value? What piques your curiosity? What problems do you love to solve? Who do you want to serve? What gets you riled up? In Body of Work, I call these your roots, and they are the building blocks of great decisions. When you filter your opportunities through these criteria, it becomes easier to make better choices. Who you are amplifies and deepens what you do. Trust yourself.

Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Source: myswitzerland.com When I was 16, I left my home in San Anselmo, California and flew to Neuchâtel, Switzerland, where I was an exchange student for one year. I had taken French through junior high and high school, and knew enough to make small talk, but I was quite unprepared for the intense and immersive experience. I lived with a host family who was (thankfully) committed to speaking only French with me, even though they knew English. I remember having a headache at the end of each day, as I struggled to understand 11 subjects, including history, philosophy, chemistry and Italian, all taught in French at my high school. (Just try to learn Italian when you are trying to learn French. It didn’t work for me either). This was 1983, before the Internet. Phone calls home were very expensive. So I wrote letters, and checked my mailbox (the physical kind, this was before email) every day, desperate for a note from home. My Swiss classmates were pleasant, but a bit distant. I don’t think they knew what to make of a hippy teen from California, who did not have an organized pencil box, and had no idea how to take notes in class (the Swiss are the best in the world at taking perfect notes. They whip out their rulers, use different colors for emphasis, and have handwriting that would make Miss Manners proud). About two months into my immersion, my exchange organization, Youth for Understanding, hosted a weekend orientation for all the exchange students in the country. We met in Interlaken, and spent three days laughing hysterically, playing games and connecting with one another. I met my first Australians and learned that they "tick" a box while I "check" it. It felt amazing to be with people who deeply understood my unique situation. They were as perplexed as I was about ironing dishtowels, and shopping for food every day, instead of going for weekly groceries. I was understood, no longer the awkward, bumbling American that strained to follow a conversation and get jokes. After the weekend, I returned to my host family renewed and in good humor. I was more patient with myself in school, and began to develop some great relationships with my Swiss classmates, including two exchange students who were from Ghana and Venezuela. Because I knew I was not alone, I had the strength to embrace the challenge of learning French. After a few months, I was much more comfortable in class. By the end of my year, I was dreaming in French, and extremely fluent. In the years following, I lived in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. It became easier to immerse myself in different cultures when I knew that I was part of a larger community of students committed to learning about the globe. Many years later, when I began to design learning experiences, both in person and online, I built in community elements to the class structure. At the Lift Off retreats that I led with my business partners Charlie Gilkey and Angela Wheeler for 3 years, a big part of the design was harnessing the perspectives, skills, energy and resources of the entire group. Even though we stopped leading those retreats two years ago, many of the 75 people that participated in Lift Off are still deeply connected with each other (I featured one such example in the Collaborate chapter in Body of Work, where a group of Lift Off’ers collaborated with Kyle Durand on the prototype for ourdeal.com). In our Western popular culture, we have a romanticized view of what it means to be a creative, and celebrate the idea of lone geniuses. We see writers alone at the keyboard, pouring their amazing words into a bestselling book. We see scientists tinkering in their laboratory, making life-changing medical breakthroughs. What we don’t see are the writing groups who offer critique and support to fellow authors, the research assistants and graduate students who support scientists, or the friends and family members on the other side of the phone who talk those creative geniuses down from a bout of self-loathing. The creative process can be intense and lonely. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you need others around you to offer suggestions and alternative perspectives, and provide support. It is a rare person who can undertake a major endeavor like changing careers, writing a book, inventing a new product or creating a social revolution alone. In order to build a powerful body of work, you do need a clear point of view, personal responsibility, creativity and endurance. No one can create for you. But your experience will be so much richer if you select a posse of people to surround you who are as committed to your success as you are committed to theirs. We all need each other.

I have long been a fan of Malcolm Gladwell’s book Tipping Point, in particular, the "Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen" chapter where he talks about different personality types that impact social change. So imagine my delight when I met Erica Dhawan the author of Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence, with co-author Saj-nicole A. Joni. They have spent years delving into research about what they term "connectional intelligence" — arguably the most important skill currency of the 21st century. In this conversation, Erica and I discuss: 3 types of connectors — Thinkers, Enablers and Connection Executors How people are using connectional intelligence to solve complex problems and start movements How organizations can develop connectional intelligence Excerpts from our conversation: "A lot has changed since Gladwell his book came out in 2006. When he framed that term (connector), he framed that there were three personality traits: Connector, Maven and Salesman that play a central role in the creation of social epidemics. From my research, to be successful, to get noticed, to start a movement, we ALL are entering the category of Connector. The question is not if we are connectors, but which type of connectors are we?" You can connect with Erica Dhawan here: http://ericadhawan.com or Twitter @EDhawan Buy the book on Amazon: Get Big Things Done Download the podcast from this http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapefromcubiclenation/Pam__Erica_-take_2.mp3 Or play it here:

  These last few months, I have had the opportunity to travel the country and speak to a wide variety of groups. All the people I spoke with were united around a powerful thread: How to define, create and spread great work, individually and as part of an organization.   Fran Davis, President of the South Jersey chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, (NAWBO) fired me up with her mission to build the leadership capacity and impact of women business owners in New Jersey. I was honored to keynote their annual gala.     Tech leaders Sarah Evans, Kat Manalac from YCombinator, Marlo Rencher from SnapSure, Kimberly Bryant from Black Girls Code and Alyssa Martina inspired me to do more to support young women leaders in tech when I spoke at Brand Camp in Detroit, organized by Hajj Flemings.   I was super energized at my mentoring session with Bizdom Detroit, where I spoke with startups that are helping to revitalize the huge and powerful heart of Detroit.    I was honored to keynote to a group of 250 talented artists at the Native Americans for Community Action (NACA) meeting on the Navajo Nation. We discussed creating a powerful artistic body of work and solid business while honoring your values and teachings.   I spent time with marketing students at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, helping to prepare them to enter the new world of work. My friend Bret Giles, a digital marketing agency founder and professor at ASU, had assembled a panel of his business colleagues who were "pitched" by the students, who explained why they would make great hires. This mix of business and academia was a great thing to witness.   My awesome panel mates at South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW), Nailah Blades, André Blackman and Abe Cajudo, educated brands how to connect with diverse communities in a respectful way that builds sustainable businesses.  (This panel will be published as a podcast by SXSW in a few weeks - I will be sure to share the link as sure as it is available.) Great people are everywhere! Working with these diverse groups all over the country affirms what I have always believed: awesome, hard-working, passionate and inspiring people are everywhere. Working alone, isolated in our offices, sometimes it feels like an uphill battle to create great work, and build our organizations. But every single time I leave home to travel to the country, I meet amazing people doing amazing things. It is my job to energize my network, and connect all of you together. A key part of what will make you (and your company or organization) indispensable in the new world of work is to meet with, support and celebrate your network. It does not have to be huge. You don’t have to travel far from home, unless you want to. Here are 5 things I have done to build and activate my network that you can use to build yours. 5 ways to make your network a vibrant glitter ball of awesome 1. Learn about their strategic priorities and see how you can help  Every time I visit a new place or organization, I ask them "What are your top 3 priorities this year, and what kind of help do you need to complete  them?" Gathering this information will help you know exactly the kinds of ideas, resources and people you might share with organizations and groups in your network. 2. Look for natural allies and connect them Related to point #1, if you learn that a person or group in your network has a particular priority, and someone else in your network shares that same priority (or has resources or funds to support it!), make a connection. A simple email will do, like "Tim, I know you are working on increasing the diversity of your tech workforce this year. I just met Kimberly in New York, who runs a job board for African American and Latino engineers. You two should connect!" 3. Share photos and stories from your network on social media. I cannot tall you how many times I have received emails from people in my social communities who tell me "Thank you for sharing the world of XYZ organization, I had no idea they were in my area!" or "I first learned about X person through a post you shared on Twitter. We met in person, and we are now doing a project together!"  When you share the images and stories of those in your network, you open up all kinds of unexpected connections and opportunities. (You now know one ulterior motive for sharing the names and URLs of the groups that I visited these past few months in this article. Maybe you didn’t know about them, and maybe there are some mutual opportunities for you to explore!) 4. Mind the gap As a longtime training and development nerd, I was always trained to look for the gap between current and desired behavior, then to build a solution to close the gap. Use this lens to look for business opportunities, events, products, solutions and people to aid your networks. Here in Phoenix, after the economic crash in 2008, we had a huge gap for people who had been laid off, and the skills, connections and personal branding they needed to get new jobs. So our local community, spearheaded by Susan Baier, organized Laid Off Camp AZ, where we gathered volunteers from across our business community to spend a day helping our laid off friends rework their résumés, update LinkedIn profiles, hone interviewing skills and learn about freelancing and small business. 5. Make things happen for your friends. While at South by Southwest, hanging out in the PayPal Social Media Lounge, I saw my friend Ramon Ray, founder of Smart Hustle Magazine and Business Development manager for Infusionsoft. I was not there for 10 minutes before Ramon motioned over for me to meet his friend who was doing a video series for Cox Communications. "You should interview Pam!" Ramon said, and before I knew it, I was in the hallway, being interviewed for a Cox Business feature for their blog. I was so appreciative of that opportunity, and it made me want to reciprocate right away for Ramon. Amplifying and connecting your networks has so many benefits. Personally, it will help you solve problems faster, get things done, receive many opportunities and feel strong and supported.  On a bigger scale, it is the thing that will fuel our economy, create jobs, increase innovation, solve big social challenges and feed our collective spirits. Thank you so much for being part of my community. I cannot wait to get to know yours better!

There was a time in my life where I felt so stuck that I could not breathe. I was in an extremely toxic relationship. As much as I always tried to remain an optimist, I felt overwhelmed with doom. I lived with a constant ache in my heart, and dull panic in my head. At Christmas, I quietly expressed my fear to my sister in law Rose. I told her how stuck and afraid I felt, and about my elaborate plan to extricate myself from my relationship. In the month that my partner was away, I was going to organize everything, have multiple conversations to come to a peaceful resolution, and neatly tie everything up. After a few minutes of listening to me, Rose finally said "The only thing you need to do in this next month is prepare yourself mentally to leave. If you start to organize everything, it will never happen." As the month drew to a close, I finally went to see a therapist (to the great relief of my family and best friend) and after hearing me describe my situation, she said "Wow, it sounds like you feel like a prisoner." Hearing it described that way, from someone I had never met, was actually quite a relief. I was in a prison, albeit one that I had constructed myself, after giving away my power piece by piece, until I felt I had none. I left her office, and headed straight for a favorite childhood hiking spot, where I walked for an hour, with tears streaming down my face. And then I got a blindingly clear message: I had to move (I swear it was the trees that told me — this was in Marin County, after all!). It is kind of ridiculous, isn’t it? Of course moving was the logical thing to do in an oppressive relationship. And yet it was the one step that was unthinkable. I wanted to do anything else BUT that, because I knew that it would send my entire life (as messed up as it was at that point) crumbling to the ground. Many of us get ourselves in situations that feel impossible. Your career can start as vaguely unrewarding, and turn into a straightjacket of misery. Your casual drink to relieve stress can turn into a full-blown addiction. Your relationship can turn from uncomfortable to abusive. Your writer’s block can turn from mild procrastination to a full blown self esteem bashing panic attack. Your business stress can turn from a headache into a stroke. I realize that this may seem extreme to some of you, but in my experience, unhealthy situations escalate slowly and insidiously. I never would have believed that the strong, independent, positive thinking young girl that I was would get caught up in a horrible relationship. Yet there I was. If you, or someone you love, is stuck in an unhealthy situation, what is that critical step that you are afraid to take? The unthinkable step I think you know what it is. And you can feel it because it shows up as slow-rising panic, when you think thoughts like: "I could never go to the doctor and find out about the true state of my health." "As much as I want to, I cannot make my fingers move across the keyboard to write my book." "I could never tell my child who is an addict that I refuse to be codependent anymore." "I cannot take one hour off to stop working, because my business will fall apart and my clients will leave." "I cannot look up my credit score to begin to get out of this financial mess.""I cannot pick up the phone to call a recruiter to begin to find a better job." I am here to tell you YES YOU CAN. I will warn you that when you take that step, you will not feel a huge rush of courage, but rather a big wave of nausea. When I was packing my things to move out, in garbage bags that I had grabbed from my mom’s house on the way back from my revelatory hike, I was physically ill. I was shaking as I was packing. But I did not stop until I had gathered the very last of my things, and shoved them in my mother’s car. When I pulled away from the curb, drove to my friend MaryAnn’s apartment, and sat down to have a cup of tea with her, finally extricated from my self-made prison, I felt a wave of joy and courage. Courage is a symptom of taking the unthinkable step. As I write this post to you, in my backyard in Arizona, with my Chihuahua Rocky snuggled next to me, waiting for my husband to bring my kids home from school, I can tell you with an open heart and thankful tears that I am so glad I trusted myself enough to take the unthinkable step. It was not without messiness, and consequence to many I loved. As much as I appreciated my new life, I grieved the beautiful things and people I gave up to get myself to a better place. But it opened the door to unimaginable adventure and creativity. In the decades that have followed, I have done the best work of my life, and built a network of exceptional friends, clients and colleagues. I have grown a loving family. I have survived economic calamity, and come out swinging. Most importantly, when I find myself feeling fear, doubt or panic, symptomatic of ignoring what is obvious, I can now ask myself "What is the unthinkable step that I am afraid to take?" And with a little goading and support from friends, I take it. Your unthinkable step I hope that your unthinkable step is not out of a situation that is as frightening as mine was many years ago. Maybe you just need to tackle that damned kitchen drawer that is jammed with a bunch of junk and drives you crazy. Maybe you need to finally launch the website that you have been working on for the last 9 months. Maybe you need to stop the mad pace of your business and take a day out to hear yourself think, and define what you need to move your business model in a more sustainable direction. Whatever your situation, I think you know what your unthinkable step is. I encourage you to take it.

It is no surprise to long-time friends that I am a huge Star Wars fan, Yoda in particular. It began back in 1977, when I waited in a huge line at the Corte Madera movie theater to see the first film. I was carried away by the music, the special effects (truly groundbreaking at the time for those of us old enough to remember it), the Hero’s Journey storyline and the characters. I love Yoda because of what he represents: the wise elder, trained in the school of life, actively mentoring the young and impulsive. I don’t think we have enough Yodas in our lives anymore. The closest I remember is my grandfather Frank Webber, who was a kind and quiet man, filled with values and purpose. I could always count on Grandpa Frank to be rock solid in times of difficulty or ethical challenge. I miss him very dearly. In our busy professional and personal lives today, it is easy to feel adrift, or overwhelmed with pressure. An elder mentor can remind us that no challenge lasts forever, and that things get better. They can also remind us that the quickest path is not always the best. And that living a life based on values and ethics (the Light Side of The Force) may not always win friends or fill your bank account immediately, but is critical for the health of the planet in the long run. I realize not everyone is a Star Wars fan (my best friend of 30 years has yet to see any of the films, and my children are not interested in waiting in line with me when the latest movie releases in December), but hopefully you can relate to the character. Do you have a Yoda in your network? While I have many, many smart young mentors in my life, and a truly exceptional peer network, I realize that I have few elder mentors in my life, besides my parents and my mother-in-law. There is something very special about having people in your life who have lived for many, many decades, and can share wisdom and experience. This is why I keep Yoda in my office, as a reminder that someone is watching me navigate my day, making sure that my choices align with my ethics. If you do not have an elder mentor in your life, I encourage you to look for one. Maybe he or she lives in your neighborhood, or frequents your spiritual home, or sits at a cafe you frequent on your way to work. Maybe you are that elder yourself, and can reach out and give counsel to the younger peers around you. If you do have a Yoda figure in your life, I would love to hear how you developed that relationship. May the 4th be with you!