One of the best ways to deal with your change-related fears is to face them head-on. When you do this, you will often find that things are not as scary as you made them out to be in your mind.

Over the last two years, I have gained a new appreciation for the importance of marketing to raise awareness and to build a brand. Social media plays a much bigger role than I realized when I was working in large companies and didn't really have to think about it too much.

Each year, Fast Company sponsors the World Changing Idea Awards to recognize some of the game changing ideas that address some of the biggest challenges we face.

A good metaphor for VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) is flying an airplane through a thunderstorm. Similar to VUCA, a storm is charged with negative energy. This makes it difficult to navigate, unless you have learned how to harness your own energy as a superpower.

When you smile at someone, you send a message that they are valued and worth the smile that you just gave them. Smiles build morale and confidence.

Tony Robbins famously said, "For changes to be of any true value, they've got to be lasting and consistent." Do you agree with this? When you make a change, what actions do you take to sustain the change?

When facing significant change, it is tempting to want to study everything you are seeing. You want to analyze. You want to figure it out.

Did you know that June 1 is "National Say Something Nice" day? Most of our parents told us "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Our parents taught us this because once we say something nasty, we can't take it back --- it's out there. This is especially true on social media --- our words live on...

Emotional intelligence is the key to both personal and professional success, helping individuals cope more effectively with a VUCA storm.

Back in 2001, I climbed Mount Fuji with my friend, Mike. It wasn't a technical climb, it was more of a hike in high altitude. We did this very soon after I landed in Japan so I was a bit loopy from the jetlag. Probably not the best idea but we did it anyway.

Like many people, I've struggled with perfectionism. One thing that helps me is recognizing when something needs to be "great" versus when it is OK to deliver "good".

Caffeine is my biggest vice, it’s got a hold stronger than a puppy with a new squeaky toy. I start the day with coffee and then shift to Diet Coke. I tried to quit once and it didn’t go well…

According to Angela Duckworth, author of the book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, grit is the passion and sustained persistence applied to long term achievement. Grit combines resilience, ambition and self-control in the pursuit of goals.

My dogs are not Zoom-friendly

Worry and anxiety often stem from a lack of control. When facing extreme change, it is a natural tendency to worry about things we cannot control.

Developing the growth mindset is essential when dealing with the conditions associated with VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity).

Everyone faces mental health challenges at some point in their life - it could be grief, stress or a challenge that would benefit from professional help such as depression or anxiety. One thing that can help EVERYONE is finding a way to decrease stress levels by focusing on things that you can control.

Fear is in your head and often comes from questioning. “What if I fail? What if, what if, what if?” You need to stop questioning, “what if” and begin asking yourself more actionable questions that provide a sense of control.

Lesson #7 - Find a great partner.

Lesson #6 - Invest the time to learn and outsource key items to professionals with more experience.