A few years ago, I approached my uncle for help in solving a desperate situation.

I had to make payroll in just a few days, and I wasn't sure how I was going to do it.

I needed $20,000, and I had...I don't know. Maybe half that? It was bad.

I was grateful to have him (and a select few other outstanding human beings) to turn to in this situation, but I felt so much shame at being in such a predicament in the first place. Why had I let things get to this point? I had been promising too much and charging too little. I was a failure as a business owner.

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When I consider the common threads in the work I enjoy (and, for that matter, the pastimes I favor), it comes down to problem-solving.

It would be nice if I could enjoy the feeling of strolling down the corridor at the music school I created, listening to the sounds coming from each studio and cherishing its existence. "I made this happen." But no, actually. The magic of simply experiencing it is lost on me. It's not why I do what I do. I'm more interested in how to make it better.

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My biggest breakthroughs have happened during times when I was the most disciplined.

In those times, I was engaging consistently in an activity, like yoga, meditation, writing, or classical piano, that required heavy concentration and commitment.

Emerging from such a period of focus and follow-through was a key idea, decision, or opportunity that changed the course of my life.

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As we motored the sailboat gently into its slip at sunset, there was bedlam on the dock.

A couple dozen people were hanging out there and upon a large sailboat adjacent, eating and drinking—but mostly drinking. “Welcome to Laurie’s birthday!” they shouted.

It took awhile for someone to come over and grab our lines to help us tie off (something we didn’t strictly need but is always nice to have).

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A few years ago, I hired two employees at the same time, for the same role.

It wasn’t some kind of reality show competition. If they had both performed well, I would have kept them both on.

However, after a few weeks, there was a clear divergence in the behavior of these two people. One of them read all of the books we recommended, asked questions, sought feedback, and integrated what she was learning into her daily work. She aligned herself with the values of the company. The other didn’t do the reading, avoided feedback, and aligned himself with peers and subordinates. At the end of a probationary period, we parted ways.

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