“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” ~ the Dalai Lama When you think about some of the greatest philosophers who have ever lived and whose ideas are still relevant today…who comes to mind? Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, Socrates, Plato, Epicurus, Confucius…Contrera. Contrera???? Wait a minute, hold the phone, stop the…
“Without the why, the how and the what don’t matter!” ~ Dr. Nido Qubein More than 20 years ago, before anyone started talking about the importance of having a “Why,” an incredibly wise mentor of mine, Dr Nido Qubein of High Point University, told me, “Joe if you don’t have a why, the how…
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” ~Socrates Spiritual growth, personal growth, professional growth, business growth, relational growth, emotional growth, and on and on it goes! For those who feel like they are on a continuous, 120 mph, path of growth and busy-ness, I have a question for you: Are you happy? More Doesn’t Always…
Achieving Greatness…Need a Nudge? Years ago, I attended the National Speakers Association (NSA) Annual Conference in California. For those of you who don’t know NSA is an organization made up of some of the world’s best professional speakers. Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Les Brown, Dr. Norman Vincent Peal, and Og Mandino are just a few…
“Money Changes Everything” – Cyndi Lauper Two Sides of a Coin Money is an extremely powerful force. There is volumes and volumes written about its impact on people and society. Most people’s beliefs about money lie somewhere on a spectrum between two end points. On one end we have the belief that money is evil…
Goals – Hold’ em or Fold ’em! “You got to know when to hold ’em, Know when to fold ’em, Know when to walk away, And know when to run.” Kenny Rogers The above quote is actually off the soundtrack from the movie, The Gambler, starring the late Kenny Rogers. Which makes a whole lot of sense if…
Accountability & Success: You Can’t Have One Without the Other! Most of us want to be successful. If we were being completely honest, most of us, would also like success to happen easily. Isn’t that why we buy lottery tickets or read self-help books and never change? Do you think that’s why some folks believe…
The Underlying Need Driving Us All Over the last few weeks we’ve discussed the topics of Purpose, Self-Awareness, & Ego. This week we bring them all together to uncover the core need that drives all of us! It is unspoken and yet evident in nearly everything we do. Watch leadership speaker, Joe Contrera as he…
Leadership – Do You Draft or Pull? A few years ago I participated in a Sprint Triathlon (a shorter version of a triathlon which includes swimming, cycling, and running). During the event, I had an opportunity to notice two different approaches by two different racers. Both people were involved in the exact same race and…
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…