Last April, BBC wrote about how my favorite Taiwanese snack, Kuai Kuai (乖乖), became a cultural phenomenon. Kuai Kuai, which translates to “behave” or “good behavior” in both Mandarin and Taiwanese, isn’t just popular for how good it tastes. Packages of the beloved corn snack are also thought to be...

Change at any scale can be hard. 

Here are three practices to help manage it: 

Work small: break down big changes into small, well-defined steps.  Create value: make it clear to each stakeholder how the proposed changes map to their values. The more value they see, the stronger...

When something doesn’t work: that’s new information about what isn’t effective, what to try differently, and what not to do next time. 

When something does work: that’s new information about what is effective, what to pursue further, and what may be worth trying again. 

Success, or “failure” —...

When you ask yourself “what’s the worst that could happen?”, your mind skews towards fear. 

When you ask yourself “what’s the best that could happen?”, your mind skews towards possibility. 

Before making a pivotal decision, seek to have the full balance of both perspectives. 

Don’t just fear...

A colleague I used to work with had a reputation of asking three questions at the beginning of every meeting: 

“How are you doing?” He was very good at reading people and if he sensed that you were giving a canned response, he’d immediately follow up with: “How are...

Change happens over time, not in a day. 

Celebrate the good days. 

Be kind to yourself on the rough days. 

Don’t over-index on either, and remember these 3 words: keep moving forward. 

In the long run, consistency > intensity. 

There are two things you can find in any situation: reasons and ways. 

Reasons why you can’t do something.

Reasons why something is destined for failure.

Reasons why things should be different. 

or

Ways you can do something. 

Ways you can change the trajectory of your work. ...

The glass-half-full versus glass-half-empty analogy is great because it succinctly highlights your ability to choose how you react and respond to a situation.

Put another way: at any given moment, your life is like a mad lib or a blinking cursor with empty white space waiting for you to dictate.

...

“Can’t” isn’t inherently bad. Sometimes we are sufficiently preoccupied and we can’t — or better yet, won’t — do something. 

That’s okay — even preferable when we’re trying to manage our workloads and hold the space we need in order to thrive mentally and at work.

Other times, “can’t”...

Several months ago I audited where I was allocating my energy. 

The whole exercise presented a humbling reminder that energy is a finite asset that can either be diligently invested or clumsily thrown away.

A few activities where I have thrown away my energy include:  Complaining  Checking things more...