Every day you go to work to make money to pay bills. Does that sum up the totality of our lives? My bride recently paid two outstanding bills – in full. I was so happy that we would no longer have to deal with the yoke of finance charges, and…

Did you start this year off with a bang? If so, great, and continue your journey! But if you were planning to set the world on fire and then somewhere along the way your flame of consistency and dedication began to flicker, do not worry! I am here to help…

Do you ever feel like you can’t get through your daily to-do list? Is there too much going on in a single day that life just gets away from you? Stevie Johns here, and I have created the “Every Day List” to supercharge your daily effectiveness.In the hustle of our…

It is that time of year again—the time when you are ready to create your list of New Year’s resolutions. Well, O’ Brilliant One, you’re in luck. My dear friend, Emily Haruko Leeb, and I have got you covered with a list of 24 tips to help you CRUSH 2024!…

Reading is so important in acquiring knowledge. The older I become, the more I realize what I don’t know, and I make it an imperative to read on a daily basis. I am not asking you to give me a badge or trophy for reading. I want to encourage you to challenge those in your sphere of influence to read. I’ve curated a list of books that I’ve read over the last year that challenged me. I still continue to refer to them. Here are my favorites, which are a mix of personal development, leadership and business acumen, trauma, and sleep.

If you know me, you know one of my favorite things in the world is to hug people with my words. That is why I do what I do. I strive to bring more kindness to this planet. Now, I want to ask you a question. How exactly do we…

6 Lessons for My 25-Year-Old Self Lately, I have been observing and admiring the next generation of leaders and often find myself thinking of who I was at that age. While that time in my life was fun, exhilarating, and filled with so many wonderful memories, I cringe at…

In the recent State of the Global Workplace report, Gallup (2021) found that thriving employees report significantly fewer health problems; less worry, stress, sadness, depression, and anger; and more hope, happiness, energy, interest, and respect. However, the report states that roughly seven in ten employees are struggling or suffering in…

Many years ago, my friend Merryl said to me, “The next time you’re in Montecito (Santa Barbara), California, I want to introduce you to my friend Lynda.” I had no idea who Lynda was or why she wanted me to meet her. Well, I said “yes” because I trusted Merryl.

7 lessons from a Spiritual Pilgrimage Where in the world is Bhutan? I’d never heard of it, and I do recall being awake and alert during geography class. Nevertheless, thanks to a digital atlas, aka Google Earth, I was able to locate one of the world’s last kingdoms. Well,…

A few weeks ago a dear friend of mine called in somewhat of a panic. Her company had just been acquired by another one and the operational team of the new parent company would be evaluating the entire team. Within 90 days they would decide who would stay and who…

I was talking with an executive the other day and we got into a discussion about the crises of the stock market, crypto, the war in Ukraine, and the real estate industry. One of the comments he made was that leaders are inserting themselves into more meetings to protect their…

Top Trends of Brilliant Companies Dear Brilliant Companies, If you want to attract talent and then ensure that those employees are not scrolling through Indeed.com to find their next gig, then consider a handful of steps that can make all the difference. (I can already hear what you are thinking:…

Developing quality relationships is the second distinct condition you can cultivate to increase your AE (Absolutely Exceptional) factor. Quality Relationships. Relationships are the currency of your future, and the core theme and purpose of all social engagement is to create relationships. That is why www.facebook.com,…

“Don’t drop the monkey on me” were the words that I heard from a CEO of a company. I looked at him puzzled and wondered what in the world did he mean? As the facilitator, I wasn’t sure where to go with this and then, he explained to a room…

Pounding feet, dozens of sneakers, sweat, conversation, and a buzz in the air! This is what I witnessed while teaching a class at an insurance company. During lunchtime I saw men and women walk past me, and then a few minutes later I saw the same people walk right by…

Scientists experimented with laboratory rats to measure their motivation to live under different circumstances. They dropped a rat into a jar of water that had been placed in total darkness, and they timed how long the animal would continue swimming before it gave up and allowed itself to drown. It…

When you made your first appearance in the world, you possessed the potential to be exceptional. I believe that we are all pre-wired to achieve, create, and produce amazing results. However, sometimes we disqualify ourselves through unplanned setbacks, limited thinking, and a lack of exposure.When I was in Bhutan a few months ago, I recognized a fire in the eyes of men and women who have taken personal inventory of their abilities and realize they are absolutely exceptional.As I talked with each of them, I realized that they would never settle for the status quo or accept the crumbs of opportunity when they could own the bakery. They had high Absolutely Exceptional (AE) factors.Here is the first of three distinct conditions that you can cultivate to increase your AE factor:

Recently, my friend Kyle Wilson invited me to join an inmate group in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and spend two days with the effervescent Dr. Denis Waitley. This experience has been the highlight of the year for me. Dr. Waitley is 89 years young and the author of the best-selling book, The Psychology of Winning. He attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., and is the former chairman of psychology for the United States Olympic Committee’s Sports Medicine Council. Here are seven insights I learned from Dr. Waitley:

There are times in life when you meet a client that totally gets it. Signet Jewelers is that client. For them, employee experience is the top priority. Executive leadership models care and compassion for everyone. Meanwhile, the field executives are laser-focused on accountability while demonstrating empathy. Anyway, as we worked together over the next couple of days, Signet demonstrated three behaviors that confirmed that culture starts with love.