success

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Everything You Love or Like Needs Maintenance

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Everything You Love or Like Needs Maintenance

Consider the regular maintenance required for things we depend on: cars need oil changes, homes require upkeep, smartphones need software updates, and our bodies need exercise and nutrition. 


We often neglect these essential tasks until something breaks down. However, proactive maintenance can prevent these breakdowns. While maintenance may seem mundane, it's the unseen effort that ensures everything functions optimally. If we value something, we should prioritize its upkeep. If you care about it, keeping it in top shape is worth the effort.

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7 Tips to Embrace the Messiness

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7 Tips to Embrace the Messiness

One of the concepts I'm passionate about is helping individuals and leaders manage their chaos and pain as they strive to water their bamboo. When it comes to change, things can get messy. I often say, "It's messy in the garden," and this idea perfectly encapsulates the process of planting and nurturing our dreams--but there will be weeds and dirt along the way we need to address.

Liam St. John on Passion, Perseverance, and Risk-Taking

Liam St. John on Passion, Perseverance, and Risk-Taking

Liam St. John auditioned for The Voice seven times before finally being invited to the live blind audition, where both Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani gave Liam an opportunity to move on. The difference? Liam found his voice among his passion for making music.

In this episode, you’ll hear about Liam’s passion and perseverance for music and how he continued to Water the Bamboo even when it wasn’t visibly growing.

Orlando Williams on Starting, Pivoting Careers, and Overcoming Tragedy

Orlando Williams on Starting, Pivoting Careers, and Overcoming Tragedy

In this incredible Water the Bamboo story, you’ll hear from Orlando Williams about his pivot from professional athlete to business owner, why he’s so intentional about everything he does, and why he encourages people to get started.

D’Wayne Edwards on Design, Loving Work, and Reimagining Education

D’Wayne Edwards on Design, Loving Work, and Reimagining Education

Since he was a child, D’Wayne Edwards has had an incredible gift to draw what he sees. At age 17, he won a Reebok design competition, beating out professionals and college students nationwide. Since then, D’Wayne has built an incredible career and reputation as an elite designer and creative.

In this episode, you’ll hear D’Wayne’s Water the Bamboo story about how he built his career and eventually launched his own design school during a sabbatical at Nike.

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Why Delaying Gratification is a Predictor of Future Success

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Why Delaying Gratification is a Predictor of Future Success

One of the essential concepts from Water the Bamboo is delaying gratification. Our society is plagued with instant gratification--we have one-click shopping on Amazon, instant movies on Netflix, and so many other examples where we have instant access and availability to what we want in the moment.

Dawn Rasmussen on Rebuilding Your Career for Marketability

Dawn Rasmussen on Rebuilding Your Career for Marketability

Dawn Rasmussen knows that when something scares you bad enough, you should probably run towards it. And that’s what she encourages people to do when it comes to their careers.

Making a career change is scary and challenging for so many people, and this episode with Dawn Rasmussen will give you the energy and strength you need to progress or rebuild your career.

Marc Patrick, Global Marketing Leader at Beyond Meat on work ethic, continuous learning, and not being distracted by shiny objects

Marc Patrick, Global Marketing Leader at Beyond Meat on work ethic, continuous learning, and not being distracted by shiny objects

Marc Patrick began his career as a receptionist, answering and redirecting calls, and now he’s a global brand and marketing leader at Beyond Meat.

So, how did he get here?

In this episode, you’ll hear how Marc’s work ethic and Bamboo Circle played key roles in his career growth, and why he will never stop learning and growing.

Don’t miss this insightful conversation with one of the world’s brightest marketing leaders.

3x Olympic Gold Medalist Shannon Boxx on focusing on one thing, perfectionism, and overcoming adversity

3x Olympic Gold Medalist Shannon Boxx on focusing on one thing, perfectionism, and overcoming adversity

In this episode, you’ll hear how Shannon Boxx went from a good soccer player to great, and how she learned to focus on one thing at a time in order to achieve her goals. During her professional career, Boxx also was dealing with an autoimmune disease called Lupus, and she’ll share how she has overcome that diagnosis and is still battling it.

Ignore Your Critics

Ignore Your Critics

Many years ago I wrote a poem about critics and one of the stanzas went something like this:

“Critics critics there are many, but you will never see statues of any.”

People who have great success are just like you--seemingly ordinary people--but they have developed a strong and unwavering conviction and expectation that they will achieve their visions.

Leadership and Management – both are needed!

Leadership and Management – both are needed!

Frankly, I get tired of people bashing management because it is almost impossible to function without good management. “Management” is the only group in an organization that people openly bash. I have read countless organizational consultants and strategists praising leadership skills over management skills as superior and more important.

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The Simple Truth of Mastering a Skill

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The Simple Truth of Mastering a Skill

Mastering a skill takes years, whether it is teaching, becoming a great leader, a parent or world-class speaker. Like the Bamboo Farmer that I reference in my speeches and my first book Water The Bamboo the key to mastery lies in one’s ability to be focused and disciplined for years.

Leadership Lessons from the Greatest Hitter of All Time

Now that your NCAA Final Four Bracket is busted – thank you University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers! – we can start talking baseball. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to appreciate the lessons that can be found in baseball. I was not much of a baseball player growing up, but I did make the thirteen-year-old "All Star" Babe Ruth team (I didn’t make it because of skill – there were barely enough 13-year olds in my region to field a team).