Shrinkingthecamel

LATEST ARTICLES ( 354 )

• The Spiritual Practice of Making Mistakes

  

  My friend Howard recently completed a major feat: running a half-marathon, which is an impressive 13.1 miles.As a formerly overweight kid in high school who... Read more

  Posted on 03 October 2011 LIFE COACH, SPIRITUALITY

• Want to Make Something Happen? Write It Down.

  

  I was cleaning out the basement last weekend when I turned my attention to an old file cabinet perched in a dark corner, minding its own business. Read more

  Posted on 27 September 2011 SPIRITUALITY

• Reality Check: Leadership is About Power

  

  It might upset some good Christian business leaders to think too much about power. “But we are servant-leaders!” they will say. “True leadership is about... Read more

  Posted on 21 September 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Shrewd as Snakes and Innocent as Doves

  

  When I was in third grade, there was a boy named Norman who terrorized the classroom. He was big and dumb, with a scrappy blond head of hair and the vile mouth... Read more

  Posted on 15 September 2011 SPIRITUALITY

• Don’t Panic – You’re Not Supposed to Have All the Answers

  

  I was talking to a friend recently who is second in command at a publicly traded billion-dollar company. He was telling me about an important project he was... Read more

  Posted on 09 September 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Want to See God at Work? Get Mobilized.

  

  I relished those first few years in the executive suite. Confident. Bold. That’s the image I wanted to project. But soon enough, the glimmer wore off, and I... Read more

  Posted on 06 September 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• How I Got a Number One Ranking on Google Search

  

  I recently discovered that one of my blog posts is ranked at the top of a certain Google search, which, as you know, represents the pinnacle of blogging... Read more

  Posted on 19 August 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Vacation Avoidance Syndrome: Why Aren’t We Taking More Time Off?

  

  On Saturday I will be departing for two full weeks of vacation, the first time in twenty five years of work that I have dared such an extended break. My wife ha... Read more

  Posted on 16 August 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Even Artists Have to Figure Out How to Make a Living

  

  Last week I attended a function where a friend’s daughter was the featured performer. For years I had heard about this girl’s passion for music, the special... Read more

  Posted on 12 August 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Writing: It’s a Nice Hobby, But I Wouldn’t Want to Do It for a Living.

  

  The other day my boss approached me and asked if I wanted to take on a side gig as a consultant, facilitating an off-site board meeting for a friend’s company. Read more

  Posted on 09 August 2011 SELF EXPRESSION

• You Must Inspire Yourself Before You Can Inspire Others

  What inspires you?You know what I’m talking about: every now and then something snaps you out of the weeds – some kind of internal force propelling you to... Read more

  Posted on 05 August 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Accounting For Joy

  

  Several years ago I found myself in a bit of a career funk. I was restless, annoyed, and generally prone to a good deal of whining. Read more

  Posted on 02 August 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER, SPIRITUALITY

• Research Says Money Can Lead to Greed. (Duh.)

  

  I once came across this shocking headline: “Cutting Calories Leads to Weight Loss.” A well-funded publicity campaign propelled this revolutionary news story to... Read more

  Posted on 28 July 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Six Words About Your Work

  

  Smith magazine, home of the six-word memoir, has joined forces with global HR firm, Mercer Consulting, to put on a very cool contest. They are asking people to... Read more

  Posted on 22 July 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• The Five Rules of Spiritual Engagement at Work

  

  For many of us, connecting work with spiritual life is an elusive quest. A few days ago, one bold soul came forth and asked quite directly how I personally... Read more

  Posted on 19 July 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Blogging is Stupid

  

  So here’s what happens:I’m dreaming up my next brilliant blog post while driving into work, say, or taking a shower or what have you, and suddenly this... Read more

  Posted on 15 July 2011 SELF EXPRESSION

• Three Questions You Must Answer Before You Die

  

  Every once in a while, it’s good to take an enormous step back and evaluate where you are in life. My friend Rob did this for me over breakfast the other day.... Read more

  Posted on 12 July 2011 LIFE COACH, SELF EXPRESSION, SPIRITUALITY

• Social Entrepreneurs: Get Ready to Change the World!

  

  In his book, “Lynchpin,” author Seth Godin takes the concept of work to an art form.Not that work isn’t going to be hard and monotonous some of the time. Read more

  Posted on 08 July 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Happy Accidents

  

  I was listening to a podcast of the radio show, On Being, as host Krista Tippet interviewed the astrophysicist, Lord Martin Rees, about how scientific... Read more

  Posted on 05 July 2011 SPIRITUALITY

• You Are Allowed to Have a Bad Day

  

  I woke up the other day and felt a little bit off.I went about my business, figuring these things usually wear out as the day progresses. But it lingered. My... Read more

  Posted on 01 July 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY