Have you ever been in a situation where you were able to get so into a task that you were able to do it instinctively and you were able to perform it almost perfectly? A lot of people refer to this as getting into the zone. However, it is often referred to by many psychology professionals as “flow” and it is best described as a mental state in which you are completely immersed and focused on a task or activity. Most people have experienced this at least a few times in their lives. Whether it was because they were doing an activity they were particularly passionate about or skilled in or they w ..read more

“Sing, goddess, of the anger of Achilles …” These are the opening words of Homer’s Iliad, one of the most famous stories in history. Written almost 3,000 years ago, the fact that Homer leads off with a line about Achilles’ anger points to the fascination we all share with the emotion. Anger is a normal, healthy emotion and not everyone who struggles with anger issues will be as violent as Achilles. However, struggling with anger can be a real burden that can hurt you and those around you, especially those you most care about. But that does not mean we should get rid of all anger; it is a vita ..read more

Out of all the forms of media throughout history that have inspired the common person, literature is one of the most persistent and longest lasting. Literature stands apart from many other mediums to the point that it is often considered to be its own category, while most other mediums either fall under art or journalism, though they may intermingle depending on the medium. While not having the same glitz and glamor as film or video games, literature is often more respected and usually better stands the test of time. Literature has the power to directly communicate the thoughts and ideas of a ..read more

Have you ever been so angry that you could hit something? Everybody has had that kind of experience, whether you have been insulted, you got into a heated argument, you saw something bad happen on the news, or you just had a plain old bad day. In many of these instances, that anger can become overwhelming. This also applies to other strong negative emotions, such as stress or even sadness. Some people treat these emotions in the unhealthiest way possible and take it out on others, whether it be verbally or sometimes physically. But many people treat them in a way that makes it more manageable ..read more

“Follow your dreams” is a common cliche that people are constantly inundated with, especially when we are kids. However, often it is a phrase that is completely meaningless. It often lacks the context of what your dream is and what situation your life is in. It is such a worthless cliche that some people think it is a childish notion and that abandoning your dream is what it takes to be successful. There is an unfortunate truth that not everybody is able to follow their dreams and the simplicity of simply saying “follow your dreams,” belies the difficulty of actually pursuing your dreams. Actu ..read more

One of the primary responsibilities of a sales representative is making sales pitches. Whether it be in person or over the phone, a good sales pitch is critical to the ongoing success of a sales rep’s career. Like in many professions, there are a lot of people who are able to fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to giving their sales pitch. However, there are also a lot of people who need to plan out their sales pitch and make sure everything is prepared before they go in and possibly make a fool of themselves. If you are more of a planner than a pantser, then one of the best ways for ..read more

In his work as a motivational speaker and sales trainer, The Sales Coaching Institute’s principal Doug Dvorak travels somewhere almost every week. As a frequent flier, he has always made it a habit to fly United because it was convenient, and they were usually fairly reliable. That said, he would never have described himself as being loyal to United or a “die hard” patron. That all changed in November 2023. On his birthday, Doug had to take a flight from Boise to Dallas. At one point during the flight, the flight attendant came approached him and asked him if he was Doug Dvorak. When he answer ..read more

A Renaissance person – also known as a polymath – is someone who is an expert in a wide array of areas and subjects. Examples of exceptional polymaths include Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Condoleezza Rice, Issac Newton and Oprah Winfrey. However, perhaps the most exceptional of them all was Leonardo Da Vinci. What distinguished Da Vinci’s genius was its universal nature. The world has produced other thinkers who were more profound or logical as well as many who were more practical, but none who were as creative in so many different fields. Da Vinci was a man of boundless drive and curi ..read more

In 1910, not long after he left the Oval Office, Teddy Roosevelt gave one of the most influential speeches in history at Sorbonne University in Paris titled Citizenship in a Republic. Within this speech lies an extremely influential passage referred to as The Man In The Arena: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again ..read more

Billie Jean King is a former world No. 1 tennis player, a pioneer for women’s professional sports and an advocate for gender equality and social justice. Billie Jean knows a lot about pressure! To survive and thrive in her pressure-cooker of a life, King once said she believes: “Pressure is a privilege. It only comes to those who earn it.” She understood the reason she was under so much pressure was because she was at the top of her game. She found a way to make the pressure a source of confidence and motivation. For a lot of people, the thought of being under any sort of pressure can be overw ..read more