Lou Tice

How often do you find yourself feeling irritated by things that other people do? If it is all the time or even every day, you will want to pay attention to what we are going to talk about today.

People who are easily irritated usually blame others for it. But to find the cause - and notice I did not say blame - they need to look inside themselves and not at those around them. Now, irritability can have many causes, but one of the most common causes is too many restrictive zones. In other words, one has too many… >>>

I want to ask you a question with far-reaching implications: Would you rather be right or happy? Today, we are going to look at several possible answers.

Some people sacrifice a lot in order to be right, because they think the way to be right is to make other people wrong. They spend a lot of time and effort doing so. Of course, people who are set up to appear wrong or poorly informed aren't crazy about the feeling, so those who make others look bad, also make themselves disliked.

People who need to be right don't take many risks… >>>

What is the difference between things you need and things you want? For some people, there really isn't a difference.

All of us have legitimate needs. We need to have food to eat, water to drink, air to breathe. But, all too often, when we listen closely to how we talk to ourselves and others, we will hear about all kinds of pressing "needs": "I need to get that promotion."  "I need to sit by the window."  "I need her to call me."  "I need you to stand up for me."

And, most often, we will also hear about the… >>>

If I asked you to tell me what makes life worth living - in a single word - what would your answer be?

During a break at one of my presentations recently, we were having a conversation about what makes life worth living. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that what makes life worth living can be summed up in a single word. That word is - "You!"

Here is what I mean. Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote about a summer day during his childhood when his mother sent him out to pick a quart of… >>>

What would it take to make you happy? Think about your answer for a moment, because we have reasons to be happy every day, even if the world around us seems to have come unglued.

Now, I know some of you think that if you only had this or that particular thing you would be happy.  Others believe that if you were only in love with someone wonderful, who loved you back, then you would be happy.  And there are probably still others who believe that if God would work a miracle and cure you or someone you love of… >>>

Do you believe you can exert control over your future, or do you feel that you are at the mercy of fate?  There are a lot of folks who feel that their lives, and the world around them, are spinning out of control. Today we are going to talk about how beliefs affect what happens to us.  

The amount of control you believe you have over your life has a great deal to do with what you are willing to try, and therefore it also has a great deal to do with what you accomplish. 

Jungian analyst John Sanford tells… >>>

Have you ever heard it said that the things you see and dislike in others are things you probably dislike about yourself? Today, let's look at this idea in a bit more depth.  

When you see things about other people that you don't like, can it teach you anything about yourself? For instance, if you look at someone and think, "He's angry, and I don't like that," could it be that you don't like it when you, yourself are angry?

If you look at someone and say, "She's really scared. Why doesn't she just do it?" could it be there's… >>>

If you are a parent or grandparent, you know there are plenty of rules for raising kids. Today, I'm going to tell you why ignoring these rules can sometimes be a good idea.

Some years ago, in his book, How to Parent, Dr. Fitzhugh Dodson said that, "Raising a child is a human relationship, and human relationships cannot be reduced to a set of rules."

I agree. Rules are only guidelines, and both you and your child are unique. Each of you is a product of a special combination of genes and environment that has never existed before. What's more,… >>>

The finest professional animal trainers never punish their animals, except as a last resort or to prevent injury. They know that punishment only suppresses undesirable behavior temporarily. Once the punishment is withdrawn, the behavior tends to return.

They also know that punishment teaches their animals to hate and fear them - the last thing a trainer wants. If you've ever watched the "dog whisperer", Cesar Millan, you know what I mean.

It is no different for people. Just think about it: How well do you learn from someone you would much rather avoid? How well do you respond to someone… >>>

Two weeks ago, we got into our goal-setting and visualization process, and while you may not be seeing a great deal of change yet, you should be feeling the tension growing between where you are and where you want to be. This is perfectly natural, in fact, it is necessary. Keep the picture of where you want to be growing ever stronger, and your behavior will follow.

Now, I received a response from a person who is concerned that all these "wants" are beginning to sound selfish. Any time you put the word "I" at the head of a sentence,… >>>