I saw this somewhere in the last few weeks and it rang true to me. The choices we make define us, always. Some may be smaller and some larger, but together they show who you are. Sometimes the choices that seem smaller show...more
Monday night I watched the college football national championship game between Alabama and Georgia. You probably know (or in case you don’t) Georgia won after it looked like their quarterback fumbled away the game with around...more
I heard someone say this on a podcast and it stuck with me. It is a way to reframe the narrative of change as we enter the new year or at any time. The point is to spend more time looking forward than obsessing on the past....more
Whether a customer list is, in fact, a trade secret depends on a two-step analysis to be applied on a case-by-case basis. The first step relates to efforts to keep the list secret. If so, the second step is a four-factor...more
I know, another person telling you to be thankful during the holiday season. Kind of, but not really. You should be thankful for what you have, year-round, not because it is this time of year. And, that is not what I am...more
Beginning in 2014, many of you probably read my blog regarding having a checkup for you and, if you have one, your business. This does not involve the doctor, but it does involve all the other professionals in your personal...more
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We are nearing the end of another odd year. In thinking about writing this post, I contemplated thankfulness and gratitude. I can’t say it better, so here is my annual blog for the week of...more
Who you associate with is important in business and in life. You should surround yourself with people who add value. In business it may be a mentor or connector. In your personal life it may just be someone who makes you...more
There are many facets to success. The road is different depending on your profession, but in all situations, it involves opportunity and preparation, as well as timing and hard work. The preparation and hard work count as...more
Thinking about celebrating is inspired by my wife, who has a big birthday tomorrow. We have made special plans with people we care about. In these times it would have been easy to not do so, have a quiet moment with immediate...more
In our scattered multitasking world focus still matters. Our brains aren’t built to do multiple things at once, at least not well. This is a problem when we have tasks or projects requiring focus and attention....more
We live in a world of entrenched people and positions. Right now, you may be thinking of politics and similar high-level issues, but I am not. I’m considering this on a day-to-day level in relation to your work and personal...more
Delivering outstanding advice to your client or customer is what you should strive for. My firm has defined its culture and “Deliver Outstanding Legal Advice” is fundamental #1 of the JW Way. Without this, nothing else we do...more
Those of you who know me are thinking about me and music, but that is not exactly what I am speaking to today. Instead, I’m asking what are the things you like to do that drive you, bring you joy and keep you centered? For...more
It’s been a long 15 months. Many people continue to work remotely, with some never to return to an office. Others never stopped going in to their workplace. One thing most of us didn’t do was take real and meaningful breaks....more
I know you think you can multitask. We all do at least with certain tasks or situations. In reality, none of us really do it well. Ever.
The obvious one is when you’re on a call or a Zoom meeting. We hear you clicking on...more
Routines and patterns are important to the thread of many of our daily lives. Things such as getting up at the same time, eating the same breakfast, and driving the same route to work are extremely common. If one of these...more
The title is a quote from Einstein, and it’s true. In addition to thinking it’s better to approach matters from a positive perspective, I think he is getting at being open to ideas. When someone has an idea, some people jump...more
Do you have a passion? I specifically am talking to a passion outside of your work. Maybe you like to play golf, paint, or play an instrument alone or with others. If you don’t, can you pinpoint where you lost yourself into...more
Efficiency and organization are important. We all work hard, but, if you’re going to put in the effort and time, are you reaching your goals? This could be the calls you planned to make in a given day, or tasks or projects on...more
I recently heard someone on a podcast say part of why he thinks his children have grown up to be good young adults included ingraining in them the idea of “doing the right thing, even if it sucks.” Many times, doing the right...more
Dreams are great. They can sustain us through hard times or hard work. They can lift us up and let us down. We can learn from them whether or not they are realized. Have you followed any dreams in your life? Most dreams die....more
We all make mistakes. Regularly. Do you think about what happened and try to learn from them, or do you beat yourself up? Or does it depend on the mistake and what and who it affected? Next time you make a mistake, take a...more
We’re a year from when schools, businesses and most of the country shut down due to the pandemic. Some businesses were able to transition in this environment with minimal disruption to productivity, while others weren’t. Your...more
Unity in diversity is an old saying, which is true in many contexts. In the workplace, diversity makes for a better and stronger workforce. It means more than tolerance of differences. It is the recognition and understanding...more