The One Who Cries Wolf
Most of us learned the story as children. A boy, bored and craving attention, shouts that a wolf is attacking the sheep. The villagers rush to help. There is no wolf. He laughs. He does it again. They come again. Still no wolf. Eventually, a real wolf appears. He cries out, but this time no […]
When Comfort Becomes the Risk
The National Institute of Mental Health and the Gallup News Service often cite public speaking, heights, and spiders as our greatest fears. Those no longer shape my decisions. Avoiding growth, however, nearly did. I had plenty of excuses for not going. I prefer keeping my schedule open so I can decide in the moment how […]
What Does it Mean that ‘No Good Deed Goes Unpunished?’
Most of us have heard the phrase at some point, usually said with a sigh or a half laugh: “No good deed goes unpunished.” It often comes out after someone has tried to help, only to find themselves stressed, blamed, or worse off than before. On the surface, the saying feels cynical, even discouraging. Why […]
The Power of Listening Before Speaking
When Stephen Covey wrote The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he wasn’t just offering a collection of strategies for professional success. He was outlining a philosophy for how to live and interact with others in meaningful ways. Among the habits he introduced, the fifth one, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood,” is […]