I just celebrated a birthday.  That’s my personal New Year and it’s a time to reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m headed.  In celebration, Shannon and I took a trip to Chicago. We played, we walked, we ate, and we enjoyed good theatre.  

HAMILTON has been widely acclaimed and for good reason!  

It’s genius writing with doctoral level research into the time period for accuracy overlaid by a modern cast with modern lyrics and dialogue.  This Wednesdays With Wayne isn’t about my critique or review of this stage play.  

Nope. I’m not reviewing the play; I’m bringing you a strong concept that comes from Aaron Burr’s character: “Talk less.  Smile more. Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for.”

Burr was known for being wishy-washy.  And he lost a lot because of it. When you take a stand, you make a declaration about what you value.  You let others know what’s IN and what’s OUT for your life. You get more of what you focus on. If you’re focused in the right directio...

In preparing a speech recently, I offered to share it with some family members, noting that I’d just run through it.  My son interrupted me, “Practice Like You Play.”  

When advice that you’ve given to others boomerangs back at you, it’s pretty significant.  

I wouldn’t hit a field, a sports court, or a dojo in a halfway state.  Even in practice, if I’m in, I’m in. And so the words resounded strongly with me.  

I have a habit of waking up “ready.”  I am ready to take on the day because I’ve prepared for each day the night before.  Some people make their lunches. Some people pick out or set out their outfits. And I have a habit of High Performance of reviewing my schedule, loving the calls I see I have (that’s a mindset shift of “get to” vs. “have to” and I really do LOVE the people I’ll be having calls with), and looking at places for 1) my “to-do” items, and 2) my empty or “white space” time.  

Doing that allows me to keep my head in the game and to continue to love what I do.

So...

“Zipper”

The note, discretely written on the back of the hot tea label was discretely slipped to me with that one word written on it.  

I was speaking in front of a large group and I have to admit, there would be other notes I would have rather received.  That said, I’m glad that one of the attendees found a way to let me know that, in fact, my zipper was down.

I lost my train of thought and while the note was discreet, I chose to fix the issue and then disclose the note to my audience.  And now, in this week’s Wednesdays With Wayne, I’m choosing to share my embarrassment with you.

As a leader, you’re going to make mistakes right out there where others can see them.  

You are human and by not trying to be other than that, you allow your audience – your team, your family, the community – to trust you even more.  Yes, you could beat yourself up for being unprofessional or whatever other words come to mind. You aren’t perfect.

And in that moment of imperfection, as my zipper was dow...

I trust myself.  

This simple sentence lets you get over the fear of the unknown.

This lets you get beyond stage fright or even not being “perfect” at whatever it is you think you might be judged on.

Trust is about honoring another person.  And, oddly enough, trust is NOT about other people.  It’s about you. Trust is knowing that you have the ability to respond congruently, in alignment, with your truest self and that you’ll get through.  

Trust is about knowing that you will respond to any situation in alignment with your best self.

That means that when you feel judged, you can remind yourself, “I trust myself to continue in alignment.”  When you wonder whether you’re “good enough,” you can remind yourself of that very thing, as well. When you wonder whether you can get through a particularly difficult time, remind yourself that you will continue in alignment with you.  

You know why that is so important?  As you read this and other Wednesdays With Wayne posts, you’l...

It continues to surprise me how many people seek permission to be better, to step up into their greatness.  Even in working with my high-level high-performance clients, people you might think would be “crushing it” out there, the question of “is it okay to do this?” arises for them.

So the nudge you get from me in this week’s Wednesdays With Wayne is simply this:  Not only do you have permission to step into your next best version of yourself, but it’s necessary to do so.   

Just imagine yourself today making the same decisions in the same way you did ten years ago!  The you of a decade ago thought about things differently and therefore discerned what was best for yourself based on knowledge you had then.  You’re not that same you.  

Get it?  You’re not that same you.  And now, as this version of you, it’s imperative that you take your next steps deliberately and decisively.  You didn’t know you could decide whom you were to become. Now you know. Now that you know that you have choi...

On this path to Significance, making our difference in the world, we strive, we climb, we slide, and we stride.  It’s messy. Luckily, we’re now in a place to acknowledge that “messy” is the norm. Before the internet, the axiom most lived by was, “never let ‘em see you sweat.”  

We all have those teeth-gritting moments wondering if this is going to work.  As a parent, as a business leader, as someone who wants more in your life. There’s a lot of faith you put into yourself.  It looks like hope and it feels like grit (or something that rhymes with that).

And onward you go.  You’re here. You’re reading this.  You’re getting your head back in the game.  Good for you! Seriously, good for you.

Look back at where you’ve been and you’ll notice something about your path: What you thought were the things holding you back were the lessons you endured to get to where you are.  What felt like stumbling blocks were the things that taught you and helped you grow.

No one looks forward to struggle....

At lunch with a Silicon Valley thought leader, we discussed what it takes to be deliberate in every aspect of your life.  We spoke for hours and an amazing analogy dropped onto the table:

One sharp sword is better than a thousand dull ones.

At the time, we were discussing how some people (myself included) hold onto things too long sometimes.  We hold on because we’re used to them being there. We hold on because they’re comfortable. We hold on because they might be useful someday.  We hold on because of what we put into getting them and so there must be value in there somewhere.

That nonsense relates to things, relationships, jobs, and habits.  

We hold onto things because when we acquired them, they had some value.  That perceived value was for the present or for “someday” when they might be useful.  

We hold onto relationships because of something that we saw and had.  And when two people, as individuals change and develop over time, sometimes you have to evaluate whether you’re ...

I was just on ABC TV #ABC15 in Phoenix talking about happiness. Now, more than ever, we need to find that grounded place within us that lets us know it’s going to be okay!  With the storm of “stuff” we face every day, how can anyone be happy?  Have you seen the news?  

There are a lot of tugs on our emotions.  There are a lot of reasons to feel upset. And, you’re allowed to feel anything you wish.  No one is saying that you need to be jolly in the face of terrible upset. In fact, being human is so essential.  And having empathy as a human is so wonderfully double edged, isn’t it?  

But feeling bad doesn’t serve you and it doesn’t serve the people around you.  No amount of your feeling bad will help someone else who is in pain.  

Think about that.  Empathy is essential.  Understanding another human’s emotion has been highly correlated with success in life.  And, if you live in that place you have crossed from Empathy (feeling for) to Sympathy (feeling with).   Feel, understand, and g...

A dew-drop glistens on a leaf as the pomegranate tree sways in the breeze.  A squirrel stretches to reach the bird feeder for extra treats. The train whistles across the straight, miles from where I sit.  And my attention is drawn to all of it, simultaneously and sequentially. I can hear the clock ticking. I can hear the fish tank bubbling.  I feel the hard wood chair I sit on as the well-worn seat cushion is no longer supportive. My breathing is slow and, now that I pay attention to it, deliberate.

Now I Am Aware.

What might seem somewhat poetic is a space that we can each bring ourselves back to.  A simple mindfulness for NOW.  

This helps you with your leadership, your parenting, your partnership.  Sure. More than that, this helps you with you. Your current awareness puts everything, EVERYTHING, else in perspective.  

We humans have gotten to a place of URGENT that we seem to live in crisis wayyyy too often.  We need to fix that.

We need to put more time into planning some empt...

Thor holds out his outstretched arm and his hammer magically finds its way to him.  From the world of Stan Lee, “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.”

You are granted an opportunity to do something grand; you get to meet someone you’ve idolized or create something special.  And something inside you churns.

This thing you’re committing to, you begin to wonder whether it’s the right thing and if you are the one to do it.  Personally, that feeling has hit me multiple times over my lifetime. You might relate: The first time I landed a big contract on my own, I didn’t know if I was worthy of the contract.  The first time I bought a car on my own, I questioned whether I was really worthy of a new car. Perhaps the questions of value were fleeting. And though passing quickly, the personal assessment was real.  

Remember first dates, job interviews, and as an entrepreneur, opening for business for the first time?  Scary times, and we all made it thro...