There’s no sugarcoating the staggering facts: student loan debt has reached record levels, totaling over $1 trillion. Student debt in our country is now more than car loans or credit card debt. Under current law, student loans are one of the very few types of debt that can’t be discharged, even in bankruptcy court. On the other side of these cold, hard facts is the psychological toll debt can take. The gre...

When you’re an expert in any field, people may regularly ask to “pick your brain,” buy you lunch or some other form of asking for advice. For free, of course. If you feel conflicted at time like these, it makes perfect sense. Your schedule is packed, yet your instinct might still be to jump in and help. In fact, your generosity and desire to make a difference likely played a huge part in you going into...

At some point in your career, you’ll undoubtedly cross paths with colleagues that irk you. Maybe it’s the presumption that their opinions are the only correct ones on the planet or their blatant brown-nosing to get on the boss’ good side. Perhaps you can’t stand how their arrogance, moodiness or quick temper puts a damper on the company culture. Difficult co-workers can high-jack your emotions. Th...

When you’re a fast-rising millennial stepping into a managerial role for the first time, there’s certainly a lot to think about. You’ve probably wondered if your older colleagues will consider you experienced enough. Or maybe you’ve thought about how the shift in responsibility will affect your work-life balance. But many new managers have a worry that’s seldom addressed, even though it&r...

Think about the last time you felt fear and anxiety take control of your day. Maybe it stopped you from making an important contribution in a meeting because you felt like your opinion wasn’t worthwhile. Or maybe a simple email took you hours to write because your inner critic kept telling you it wasn’t good enough. That YOU weren’t good enough. What did you do? How did you respond? For a lot of...

Politics is already a sensitive subject at the office. The touchiness has been amplified recently. Yet whether it’s in the office, during happy hour or even on social media, politics will likely come up. Although it’s easier said than done, plenty of experts maintain you should never discuss politics at work under any circumstances. After all, it can be divisive. You’re talking about people’s wor...

Well, that’s a wrap. My first TEDx talk is in the books! Getting up on stage to share a message about why you should listen to your inner critic and quit making it your enemy was a tremendous honor. Speaking at TEDx was an exhilarating, challenging experience that I’ll write more about in the future. I’ll also share the full recording of my talk once its available, so stay tuned. And make sure we&rsq...

Picture this: You’re in an important meeting with senior leadership. The CEO is sharing the firm’s strategic plan, including how the company will “leverage big data to gain visibility into market opportunities producing measurable ROI”. Um…what? You do a quick scan around the conference room. Heads nod in agreement as the CEO concludes. Self-doubt kicks in. “Am I the only one who h...

We’re living in a golden age of entrepreneurship. There’s never been a more favorable time for founders, freelancers and members of the side-hustle generation seeking to define success on their own terms. Look around and you’ll find no shortage of inspirational figures leading the way. They are today’s visionaries, including self-made women who have built history-making brands with genius, guts...

Another meeting is coming up at work, and you’re dreading it. Like so many professionals–probably many more than you realize—it’s not a comfortable environment for you. Maybe you’re shy, introverted or you genuinely enjoy listening to others’ ideas. Perhaps it’s important to you to show respect by deferring to the leaders at the table. Situational factors can play a part too....