“What others say and do is a projection of their own reality” ~ Miguel Angel Ruiz Projection is a defense mechanism where we take a part of us that we don’t like (i.e. our arrogant-self, selfish-self, or our untrusting-self, etc.) and project it onto someone else. For example, if we look at someone and…
“Sometimes, the best way to recharge is to unplug.” ~ Chris Butler A short time ago, I took a 2 week period and simply unplugged from my business. As difficult as it was to walk away for 2 weeks, I was reminded of the importance of taking time to unplug in order to recharge…
“Never tolerate poor performance in yourself or others.” ~Larry Winget We’ve all been there. You have a poor performer on your team, yes, the one you refer to as your problem child. The one who takes up an inordinate amount of time, energy, and resources, and who consistently under-performs. Below is a list of…
Over the course of my life I have read and been influenced by a great many books. It always seemed like the perfect book appeared when I needed to read it the most. A few weeks ago I was asked to share some thoughts on my latest book, Extraordinary Results for Life, and to recommend 5…
“I could deny it if I liked. I could deny anything if I liked.” ~ Oscar Wilde I recently read a 60 Minutes story about appliance repair people who were ripping people off. They stated they replaced parts, but didn’t, and then charged exorbitant fees to replace those parts that weren’t broken. The reporters, went…
There have been thousands of books written on the topic of personal growth. If you search ‘personal growth books’ on Amazon.com you will find over 100,000 titles. And while personal growth can be a very personal topic, it certainly doesn’t mean that personal growth is all about YOU! In fact, research shows that having a…
Lights, Camera, Action …. You’re On! “If all the world’s a stage … please stick to your own script!” – Joe Contrera With all of the chaos unfolding over the world, I am struck by the level of judgment being projected by others onto the world’s stage. When I speak of projection, I am speaking…
Life continuously offers us opportunities to change and move forward in your growth and development. This may mean that you need let go of the past and embrace your present situation. It may mean that you need to view an old problem from a new perspective in order to find a solution. Or, it could mean that you need to attempt something difficult or different, something that pushes you past your fear and far beyond your comfort-zone.
The Power of One … At times it can be easy to forget the idea that it takes just one idea, action, or belief to transform the world. Whether that be the world-at-large or the much smaller world that you inhabit, especially the one in your head. Most of us have forgotten the impact we…
Bad Habits: Are You A Fixer Upper? A mentor of mine, Dr. Nido Qubein once told me … “Joe, be careful who you spend time with because that is who you will become.” There is another thought that says if you look at where you’ re spending your time and money … that is a…