Aging is a matter of the mind. And yet I tell my body everyday that and it still aches and hurts every time I go out on a run. The truth is that, for the most part, aging stinks. But you can live a long time and never get “old” a.k.a crabby, bitter and demanding. Well, by those standards there are days that I could be considered old, very, very old. We can’t stop gravity and time from slowing us down,but we can stop aging from robbing us of a full life. If you don’t think so, just take a look a this video. Question: How do you stay young?

I love the fact that what I do for a living matters.  I could make more money if the core of my business served more corporate clients instead of not-for-profits, churches, authors, and Christian publishers. But I know I wouldn’t be any more fulfilled than I am today. Walking side by side with men and women who have given their entire lives to serve others has been humbling and yet so rewarding. As I spend time in Europe with people who have given their lives to bring hope to the often called “dark continent,” I’m reminded that what I do and what my team does is making a difference. My prayer today is that you’ll look for ways to live out your dreams and find the courage to seize the moment when opportunity presents itself. If you were able to chose any profession or line of work you want, what…

It was perhaps one of the best meals I’ve ever had. And I have had a lot of good meals. Restaurante Casino is top rated by Zagat. I made reservations based only on the reviews I read on my phone, hours before flying into Madrid. I had high expectations, but was not sure what to expect. The experience exceeded my expectations by a mile. While the food tasted great (all 15 courses), what made the overall experience unforgettable was the attention to every detail from the moment I called them to the last goodby as a couple of the staff escorted us to the VIP elevator. “Just a reminder, jackets are required for gentlemen” said the voice over the phone on a courtesy call on the day of my reservation. In the sum total of my valuation of the night, I think about the food as much as I recall…

Organizations are always looking for a competitive advantage that will get them more consumers, clients, or traffic. After all, times are difficult and most businesses, specially retail, are in survival mode. Often it is not the latest social media strategy or expensive marketing campaign that is the difference between winning or losing a sale, but making sure we do the basics well that will make the most difference. My traveling companion’s computer bag ripped. Yesterday afternoon we walked the streets of Madrid looking for a replacement. We had passed a store with a great selection and reasonable prices, even for Europe. After lunch we decided to purchase a bag there. We arrived at 4:30 pm and the store was closed for “lunch” (the Spaniards take lunch around 2:30). They were not set to open until 5:30. We walked a couple of blocks and bought a more expensive bag from their…

I have been saying for a while now that technology and communication have fused into one discipline. I don’t think you can communicate effectively in our culture without using digital media. I was reminded of that Saturday night during my late dinner in a tiny Armenian restaurant in Madrid. Restaurant Vartan has been in business for over 33 years. It does not have a website and it is tucked away in a side street away from the city crowded streets. If you do not look for it diligently, you’ll miss it altogether. The fact that I have never been to Madrid and that there are over 3,000 sit-down restaurants in the city to choose from, and that I found my way into Vartan was a feat against all odds. While the establishment does not have a web presence, I found great reviews on the Trip Advisor app on my iPhone.…

The job of the innovator is to create a new culture. But the job of the communicator is to speak the language of the culture, or create a new language in order to communicate effectively. Recently, I heard David Kinamman, president of Barna Research, talk about visualcy. I immediately understood it and it gave name to a trend I have been aware of for quite some time. Content is moving from passive to interactive from literacy to visualcy The average American teenage consumes 34 gigs of information a day, mostly video games and television Printed words account for less than 0.1% of today’s total communication The average teen spends more than 10 hours a day looking at media What are the implication for communicators? How is this shift impacting how you communicate?

Sometimes a book comes along that hits you like a ton of bricks. “Empty Promises” is that kind of a read. My friend and pastor Pete Wilson’s new book is not only something I’m proud to be part of, but it truly is a powerful reminder of how easy it is for me to be trapped by the dangers of the empty promises. When asked about the book, Pete says, “I wrote this book because I see a natural drift in my life. It’s a drift toward things that do not satisfy me, have never satisfied me, and have no hope of ever satisfying me, but I still continue to pursue them anyway.” How ironic is it that although we’ve had gadgets, relationships, success, beauty and all these things that the world says, “This is what satisfies you,” we’ve had those things…and we’ve tasted them….and they didn’t satisfy. So much…

On a recent flight, I sat next to a man who had just started a new business. Unless you’re in Brazil, India, or China, starting a business anywhere else in the world at this moment is a difficult proposition. The recession has not subsided and economic indicators are all over the place. My new friend, Mike, is creating incentive management software for auto sellers. Nissan is his first client. What a way to get started by landing a big fish…no, landing a whale. But then I thought about when I started my own business and decided that this is a perfect time to start a new venture. I started The A Group ten years ago this past November, a couple of months after 9/11.  I have learned big shifts in the economy, such as our current recession, create openings in opportunity because it often changes the rules of the game.…

What should I wear for Easter Sunday? If you happen to be living in the South or Southwest of the US, that’s a question a lot of guys ask this time of the year. More than any other weekend, Easter Sunday brings out boldness in even the most fashion-timid of guys. And nothing says spring more elegantly than white pants. For several years the white pants have been in a status of hiatus, relegated to tropical islands and part of the esoteric “resort wear.” But lately they are making a come-back. Lacoste, Dolce and Gabbana, and Gucci have all featured white pants in their 2011 spring and summer collections. Gucci and Guess have great looking white jeans versions. But wearing white pants come with responsibilities and warnings. No Pleats.  Don’t pull out your 1985 college edition of the white pants. Right fitting. Dark colors can look ok if they are…

I was stuck in my career until David Foster offered me a job based on the potential he saw in me. Late into my twenties, I worked on the staff of a small, traditional congregation, but my heart yearned to reach those outside the faith with a non-traditional approach to church. My experience, however, showed a completely different type of ministry. During that time I felt like being in a no-man’s land where my desires and opportunities were not in sync. David’s vote of confidence in my abilities was the catalyst that changed the course of my entire career. Sometime in the early hours of Monday, David woke up in heaven. He was only 58. During my nearly seven years of working for him, I learned a lot from Dave, but a few of these lessons are salient in my mind today. Church should be a safe place for the…