It’s confession time. I have an addiction. I don’t remember exactly when it started. I don’t remember how I got hooked. I just know that I have a problem. I love watches. That’s right, watches, those things that told us the time before we had cell phones. My problem is so bad it’s a joke around the … [Read more...] about The Dulling of Shiny New Things
Search Results for: Craig Van Slyke
Ben Franklin, Tranquility and the Folly of Traveling during Super Bowl Weekend
You would think an experienced traveler would have more sense, but I scheduled not one, but two trips during the recent Super Bowl festivities. The second of these trips was to visit with alumni. My date of departure for the second trip was the day after the Super Bowl, which also happened to be the … [Read more...] about Ben Franklin, Tranquility and the Folly of Traveling during Super Bowl Weekend
How to be Happy: The Virtuous Life
Last month, I described how I was going to undertake the self-improvement method created by Benjamin Franklin. The goal of Franklin’s method was to “arrive at moral perfection” by living in accordance with 13 moral virtues. This brings up the question, “What is virtue?” While I’m certainly no expert … [Read more...] about How to be Happy: The Virtuous Life
Ninety Days with Ben
Benjamin Franklin – founding father, inventor and wit – is an icon of early American history. One of Franklin’s most interesting endeavors is relatively unknown. In his autobiography, Franklin describes a “… bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection.” (Franklin was nothing if not … [Read more...] about Ninety Days with Ben
The Joy of Gratitude
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. Many families have a tradition in which each family member stands up and declares their thankfulness for something. While such traditions are great, thankfulness, or gratitude should be more than a once-a-year tradition. Gratitude should be a constant part of our … [Read more...] about The Joy of Gratitude
How to Deal with Annoying People
Dealing with annoying people is a sad fact of everyday life. Sometimes, there is just no way to avoid annoying, irritating people. While you may not be able to avoid these folks, there are ways you can reduce the annoyance factor. Consider this. For someone to annoy you, two things must exist. … [Read more...] about How to Deal with Annoying People
New BizJack Publication Highlights Student-Oriented Business Stories
The colors are familiar: the ultramarine blue and olive-grove green that are found in the logo for Northern Arizona University. The two colors and the NAU logo are some of the elements that create the design of a new publication, BizJack News, debuting in this November issue of Flagstaff Business … [Read more...] about New BizJack Publication Highlights Student-Oriented Business Stories
Failure IS an option
I teach a first-year seminar on self-leadership. One of my favorite topics is dealing with failure. My main message is that failure is an event, not a permanent condition. I illustrate this point with a C.S. Lewis quote, “Failures are finger-posts on the road to achievement.” Many of us take the … [Read more...] about Failure IS an option
Living Between the Drought and the Deluge
As I write this, we are well into the monsoon season, which for me marks the start of the transition from summer to a new academic year. It’s also my last chance to take a real vacation. My wife, Tracy, and I, just returned from a wonderful week vacationing in Ireland. The only hitch was that it … [Read more...] about Living Between the Drought and the Deluge
Dealing with Leadership Change
Just a week ago (as I write this), the Northern Arizona University community learned that our next president would be Dr. Rita Cheng. This announcement ended a season of much speculation, but it brought about considerable uncertainty – “What will our new president be like?” “What changes will she … [Read more...] about Dealing with Leadership Change