Success Advice
Inspiration Is For Amateurs. It’s Time To Take Action.
Doing your best work isn’t easy. No way around it. Sometimes, coming up with a good idea feels a bit like pushing a giant boulder uphill. It just won’t move.
If we’re being real, creation can be downright painful sometimes. But nothing numbs the pain of doing your best work like a little shot of inspiration. Ahh, sweet nectar of motivation, let me sip thee!
I think the world is addicted to inspiration. Look on Instagram. Look on YouTube. The majority of the material on these platforms is palliative in nature. It makes us feel good about what we’re doing. Even if we’re not doing much.
Why? It feels good to get motivated — even if you don’t do anything or take any action on that feeling. Before you say anything about MY Instagram account — YES, I do post motivational quotes. I’m not saying this type of content is inherently bad. When used as a tool to get work done in short bursts, inspiration can be an extremely powerful resource. I just think that we often mistake the tool for the work.

Perhaps the best thing about inspiration is the deep feeling of focus and clarity you feel when you externalize your reasons for doing something and attribute your work to some source besides your own mind. That’s when you’ll catch yourself saying things like, “I watched this video on YouTube and it really inspired me….” Or, if you’re having trouble getting work done, you might say…“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m just not feeling inspired today.”
Both of those statements make inspiration seem like it’s something outside of you. Something that creeps up on you, unexpectedly, somehow taking possession of you and finessing you into action. What’s worse, because you feel like inspiration just “happens,” you actually sit there and wait for it. Then, you even take it a step further: you depend on it to get anything done.
Maybe you’ve caught yourself saying, “Yeah, I could start this idea I’ve been thinking about…but I’m just not that inspired right now.” And surprise, surprise, nothing ever gets done.
Why? Because inspiration is fleeting. It’s a temporary feeling, not a permanent state.
What’s the problem?
You can’t wait for inspiration. If you do, it’s not going to come. If it does, it’ll be a welcome surprise. But it’s not going to help you. I mean, let’s think about this logically for a second: what’s the value in only doing your best work when you “feel” like it? That’s like saying, “I only want to go to the gym when I’m feeling good.” Well, DUH!
Of COURSE you want to go to the gym when you feel good. You feel good, so everything you think about seems like a good idea, but what about the days you don’t feel good? What about the days you don’t feel inspired or motivated? What happens then?
Undoubtedly, days of exhaustion, self-doubt and creative slump will outweigh the days where you feel like a modern day Michelangelo. Should you just retire to your quiet corner until a picture of a lion on Instagram spurs change and lights a fire inside you?
No. You can’t let your feelings dictate your behavior. Feelings are variable and ephemeral: they come and go.
Guess what? Your work only counts on the days where you DON’T want to do it. It only counts when you’d much rather be doing something else. The call to your craft is NON-NEGOTIABLE.
When asked how many “reps” he did of a certain exercise, Muhammad Ali famously said, “I don’t know. I only start counting once it starts burning.” The cold reality is that, sometimes, it’s a real struggle to get your best work into the world.

That’s why so many of us admire great creators, artists and thinkers but so few of us will ever become one. If you wait to be inspired to do your best work, you’ll be waiting a long time. Most likely forever. Inspiration is not coming to get you. But you can seek it out.
What’s the solution?
Do it on the sunny days and the rainy days. Stop giving yourself a “pass” to leave your gifts on the table, unopened. Stop allowing yourself the excuse not to create. The ironic part is, as you push through the uncomfortable stage (as all students on the road to mastery must) you’ll find that the struggle actually leads to more inspiration, despite the fact that there was none there to begin with.
“If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” – Michelangelo
It’s a feedback system. You don’t get inspired, then do great work. You do great work, then get inspired.
When are you going to start taking action? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
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Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)
The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)
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The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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