S:1527 Distinction: Willingness vs. Willfulness

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value, or attitude.) Willfulness can be about having a need. It can be a need to be first or to be right or superior. Willful people define themselves as better than others. They “know” the answer. Willfulness is a tool […]

S:1526 Principle: Buying a Mattress

(Principles are basic truths that, when applied, cause success to come to you more easily and more quickly.) Have you ever bought a mattress after lying on it for 5 minutes in the store? How did that work out for you? Did you get lucky and find it to be a great mattress for years? […]

S:1520 Distinction: Up vs. Down

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value, or attitude.) Imagine you are in your workshop, or your kitchen, or your office. Now imagine you have finished using a tool, appliance, or utensil. At that point, many people would put down what they had finished using. That […]

S:1515 Distinction: Learn From vs. Overwhelmed By

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value, or attitude.) Emotions. Part of the human experience. To feel emotions is a gift. And can sometimes feel like a curse. There are two aspects of emotions reviewed here. First, it takes awareness and training to be able to […]

S:1509 Distinction: Responsible vs. At Fault

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value, or attitude.) This is simple. Be responsible for what happens in your life. Own it. Know that – consciously or unconsciously – you have a hand in what happens to you. A responsible person is free. Feeling that you’re […]

S:1504 Distinction: Validation vs. Approval

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value, or attitude.) Approval can feel really good. Like being included in ‘the club,’ being recognized for a performance. Or meeting the standards of others. Approval is like an endorsement from outside. Approval can be need-based, which is the tricky, […]

S:1501 Distinction: Expand vs. Constrict

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value, or attitude.) A belief can be like a flywheel. When we hear information that agrees with a belief, it adds energy to the flywheel. This strengthens the belief. A risk of this is the well-known confirmation bias. It constricts. […]

S:1497 Distinction: Create vs. Allocate

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value or attitude.) There are people who are terrific creators. They may or may not be equally good at implementing and managing their creations. Think ‘starving artist.’ There are others who aren’t particularly good at creating but who have the […]

S:1492 Distinction: Obstacle vs. Barrier

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value or attitude.) This is a simple distinction. Easy to implement with immediate payback. A Barrier stops you permanently. You are a victim of it. Game over. Don’t even try. Example: You’re 49 years old, 4’11” and have always wanted […]

S:1486 Distinction: Living vs. Living

(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value or attitude.) There are many ways to describe and define Living. This Distinction is illuminating two of them – Living to Live vs. Living to be Remembered. Feels good to imagine being remembered – in a positive light. Plenty […]