Author: Jim Best

Preparing for Personal Turbulence “This is your captain speaking. We’ve reviewed the latest weather reports, and we expect moderate turbulence during the first thirty minutes of our flight. For your safety, please remain seated with your seatbelt securely fastened. Our flight attendants will remain seated until conditions improve.” Most of us have heard an announcement like that.Some passengers barely notice.Others grip the armrests.A few wonder if they should have taken…

When we hear the word hype, we usually think of sports, entertainment, or social media.  The rookie everyone says will become a superstar.  The singer with a chart-topping album before anyone has heard the second song. The CEO expected to transform an entire company. Hype often carries a negative connotation. We assume it means exaggerated expectations that someone probably won’t meet. But what if we’ve misunderstood it?What if the real problem…

Freedom Is Yours. Are You Claiming It?   One of the statements from my most recent No Cry Zone podcast generated far more conversation than I expected: Reluctance is relentless. It does not respect your goals. No one really argued with it.In fact, one longtime listener replied, “I just wish it wasn’t so.” I understand that reaction. We all wish our good intentions counted for more. We wish our dreams…

You Gotta Bring More Than That to Knock Me Off My Peg Back when I was growing up, we played baseball a lot. Most of the time it was actually softball, but we simply called it baseball. If someone wanted to play with a hardball, we’d do that, too.  It sort of depended on who brought what that day.   We were anywhere from nine to fifteen years old, and…

Several (now convincingly UnReluctant) readers who celebrated the 1st Annual UnReluctant Day contacted me, wondering “What of the document?  What have you done with the document?” The document, of course, is The Declaration of UnReluctance.”  I, as they used to speak back in someone’s day, enclose it herewith:  (It’s pretty cool, and refreshingly powerful.) The Declaration of UnReluctance In this, my Year of Bold Intent, and the Pursuit of my…

The Truth Is Out!  When I was in my early twenties, I was as reluctant as many people are today.  Likely more. I didn’t like looking foolish. I didn’t like feeling awkward. I didn’t like rejection. I didn’t like not measuring up. I didn’t like being judged. I was full of what I now call misguided defensiveness.  Looking back, I was also emotionally immature and, let’s just say, professionally unfocused.…

There’s a reason we introduced Kayak Jack during our UnReluctant Day No Cry Zone. He doesn’t spend much time wondering if the water might be cold, if the current might be too strong, or if someone else has a better kayak. He has one simple philosophy:“Look - this reluctance? You’ve got to blast through it.” That’s exactly what this week’s Best Proof of Living is all about. Resume a physical activity that you unintentionally…

Just because quitting has a bad reputation doesn’t mean it doesn’t have useful application. Sometimes the healthiest and most intelligent decision you can make is to quit. Quit making excuses. Quit unnecessary guilt. Quit self-defeating habits. Quit pretending. Quit waiting for permission. And now I’d like to suggest something else that’s worth quitting: Detrimental reluctance As we approach UnReluctant Day on June 30th, it’s worth recognizing that not all reluctance is…

What Am I Reluctant to Do? Just Ask. One of the hardest things about reluctance is that we often don’t recognize it in ourselves. We have reasons, explanations, and justifications. We tell ourselves we’re busy, waiting for the right time, or simply not interested.  But to the people who know us well, our reluctance may be obvious. Here’s an exercise that takes courage.Ask someone you trust—a spouse, close friend, family…

I love getting feedback from readers and listeners. It’s true - I enjoy the positive feedback more than the negative, but, in fairness, I learn from both. My most recent The No Cry Zone podcast episode was titled The Subtle Saboteur.It was about reluctance. After all, UnReluctant Day - June 30th - is almost here, so I naturally focused on the subject. And yes, I probably made two or three… dozen… valid points…