Blind spot vs. Sweet spot
That blind spot! I’m not talking about the back of the retina where the optic nerve enters the eyeball, that place lacking cones or rods that causes us to lose vision at... »
Articles
10 tips for excelling at work
We build our work with our attitudes and actions day by day. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind if we want to excel in our jobs. Volunteer. In the old folk tale of th... »
When work is play
Believe it or not, young children like to help out. It’s true! Children actually enjoy and take pride in being helpful until they are “taught” otherwise. It’s only when t... »
The counselor
I’m a perfectionist. I like to do things well and thoroughly, no matter how much time it takes. In my decision-making, I’ve come to recognize that my main motivation is a... »
Almost a marriage
For nearly 20 years, I’ve been with the same team running an NGO in the former Yugoslavia. “A marriage!” some people have commented. Yes, in a way it is. It has required... »
Taking back control
There’s so much that you need to do each day, so much that you want to do, and so much that others expect of you. You feel pulled in all directions. Pressure. Tension. An... »
The mountaintop
In his very last speech, given in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968, the day before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King imagined God asking him what era he would l... »
Building a life
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire, and he told his boss of his plans to leave and live a more leisurely life with his wife. He would miss the paycheck, but he need... »
On the cusp of the year
When I come to the end of one year and am on the cusp of the next, I’m generally optimistic about what’s ahead. I like to rejoice in the victories of the past year, the p... »
The bus ride
One typical rainy spring evening in Rijeka, I was sitting on bus number 18 going home after a long day—at least, I thought it was bus 18. There were about 30 other passen... »
Climbing the New Year
Even the best climbers need guides when they climb unfamiliar mountains. In fact, only a foolhardy novice would try to go without one—a novice like me. Years ago, I was o... »
Yolo or carpe diem?
Most people have heard the acronym “YOLO” thrown around for the past couple of years. It stands for “you only live once.” Pop stars and celebrities have made it a catchph... »
When less is more
It’s a clichéd résumé line, but I’m a goal-oriented person. For as long as I can remember, I’ve set goals, and in particular New Year’s goals, and then worked to achieve... »