Category Archives: Life lessons

(#332) 100 Years of Resilience

Posted on October 2, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

“Life is not about me, it’s about others.” -Frances Bartlett Kinne- It is 1917 and Oregon beats Pennsylvania (14-0) in the Rose Bowl.  German U-boats stalk international waters. The US Supreme Court upholds the 8-hour workday for railroad workers.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in ageing, Appreciation, authenticity, Being REMARKABLE, effective teaching, empathy, Excellence, fitness, Gratitude, legacy, Life lessons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

(#331) Quieting The Mind

Posted on September 25, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

My goal is to quiet the restless mind briefly now and then build to a more sustained practice later.  I have had an on-again/off-again affair with meditation. I’ve read about its benefits. Talked with people who have practiced and praised … Continue reading →

Posted in Life lessons | 2 Comments

(#330) I Saw Two Kids Playing

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Every step of the journey does not need a checklist. I saw two kids playing on the beach. A simple scene with important subtext. Like most children, they remind us about the importance of: No checklists I did not notice a … Continue reading →

Posted in Life lessons | 1 Comment

(#328) Waiting For A Life Guard?

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

What have you been fearful of leaping into—but would really like to experience? What are you curious about doing or exploring? As I type this week’s blog post, Hurricane Hermine is about to make a Florida landfall.  Beaches and residents … Continue reading →

Posted in action, Anxiety, Appropriate Behavior, assumptions, authenticity, courage, Failure, Goals, growth, habits, happiness, hope, Life lessons, Life's purpose, risk-taking, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

(#324) What Motivates Your Reasoning?

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

It can be very easy to point out the window… The challenge is to look into the mirror. A quote attributed to Alan Alda reminds us that our “assumptions are the windows on the world. Scrub them off every once … Continue reading →

Posted in assumptions, awareness, confirmation bias, Critical Thinking, decision making, leadership, Life lessons | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#323) Who Sets Your Agenda?

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Why let someone else interrupt my thought process and mindset with what they see as something I “need” to know “right now” from the “world out there”? Every cardio machine in our local gym has the ubiquitous television monitor attached … Continue reading →

Posted in awareness, Life lessons, Mindfulness, mindset | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

(#322) Excellence And The Ordinary

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Those striving for and maintaining excellence constantly want to know more—get to the next level. Early in her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth referenced a 1980s sociological study titled “The Mundanity of Excellence.” Intrigued by … Continue reading →

Posted in action, Being REMARKABLE, Grit, growth, habits, intentional growht, Life lessons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(#320) No Need To Be An Island

Posted on July 10, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Regardless of your calling or situation, collaboration and communication are powerful forces. There is no need to be an island.* One aspect of teaching that I enjoyed was that each time I entered the room with my students, I could … Continue reading →

Posted in assumptions, authenticity, awareness, collaboration, collegiality, Communication, Connection-Disconnection, intentionality, Life lessons, Mindfulness, Personal growth, problem solving, Reflective practice, Relationship, resilience, teamwork | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#319) Relationships and Leadership

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

The demagogic hot head may catch attention—for a while. But soon he will burn his staff out. Relationships. The concept keeps appearing in one way or another. If we fail to pay attention to the importance of authentic human connections, … Continue reading →

Posted in leadership, Life lessons, Relationship | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

(#318) Bigger, Shinier, Newer Not Necessarily Better

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Maybe I can help start a small movement for change in the big box. Until March of this year, I belonged to a small, unobtrusive, not fancy, neighborhood beach gym. For eighteen years. Like Cheers, everyone knew your name. A … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, awareness, branding, bureaucracy, Civility, collaboration, engagement, fitness, Friendship, growth, institutional climate, institutional culture, Life lessons, Mindfulness, mindset, resilience, teamwork | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments