How Much is Enough?

How Much is Enough?

You’ve undoubtedly asked yourself these questions (or similar versions) many times…   How much do I need to make? How many square feet should I have in my next home? How much do I need to retire?   For most people, the answer to these types of...
Set Limits Find Balance

Set Limits Find Balance

Setting limits is the key to finding balance. It’s easy to say but extremely difficult to do. Are you up to the challenge?   Many years ago (imagine hair), I would end my workday, turn off my computer (imagine large box CRT + 18lb CPU) and go home without...
Chasing the Dream with Jan Broders

Chasing the Dream with Jan Broders

(Download Episode Here) (Subscribe to the Podcast Here) (Connect with CJ) Jan Broders went from fast-tracked success in the hospitality industry, to extreme burnout at the age of 27, requiring months of clinical rehabilitation. He then took a journey in exploration of...
College Pep Talks

College Pep Talks

How Does the Marketplace Perceive Value? As my son prepares to go off to college, I find myself offering a litany of life lesson “pep talks.” (I can tell he loves them by the rolling of the eyes…) Recently, I addressed the concept of compensation/salary/pay. My...
Responding to Divisive Issues

Responding to Divisive Issues

Recently, someone asked my opinion on one of the divisive issues being debated on the news and social media. My response caught them off guard – “I don’t know enough about the topic to have an educated opinion.”Long ago (after getting into many arguments where I...
Unfear with Guarav Bhatnagar and Mark Minukas

Unfear with Guarav Bhatnagar and Mark Minukas

(Download Episode Here) (Subscribe to the Podcast Here) (Connect with CJ) Fear and uncertainty have been undermining performance and well-being in the workplace for as long as we have had workplaces. Gaurav Bhatnagar and Mark Minukas show you how to reframe your ― and...
The Cost of More

The Cost of More

Today, there are countless apps designed to help make our lives easier and get more done. And I think we can all agree they’re working exceptionally well. You can be on a conference call at your kid’s soccer game, responding to emails and ordering dinner for pickup...
How to Quit

How to Quit

Sometimes, you should quit. This happens when you take on a challenge without understanding all the facts, or the rules of the game change midstream. When this happens—and it will—carefully consider the amount of time and effort you are committing to the project and...
How to Change Your Mistakes to Improvements

How to Change Your Mistakes to Improvements

Spend 5 Minutes Asking Yourself This Question It’s been said that there’s no such thing as a mistake, only life lessons. I don’t completely agree with this advice because it frees you of the responsibility to pay attention and improve. Instead, I encourage my clients...
Don’t Face Challenges Alone

Don’t Face Challenges Alone

As you may know, I’ve suffered from clinical depression and anxiety since I was in college. I can tell you from experience that sharing my story with people I trust makes even the most trying days bearable. Humans weren’t designed to face their challenges alone. We...
Win the Day

Win the Day

A big reason people quit is that they can’t imagine dealing with their current challenge for the next year, month, or week. They’re right. We can’t deal with a year’s worth of adversity all at once. That’s why we need to ask ourselves one simple question every...
Accepting Failure

Accepting Failure

Accepting failure is a choice we all must make if we really strive for peace in our lives. One of my favorite books of all time, begins with these powerful words: Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we...
Secrets to Building Relationships

Secrets to Building Relationships

A critical aspect of building relationship is the art of following through. We’ve all met the person who does an amazing job listening to our story but then forgets the conversation the next time we see them. We know we’re being sold something and usually call these...
How to Listen

How to Listen

Two simple tactics to help you listen well. Most busy professionals (myself included) struggle with keeping their mouths shut. We allow someone to get about halfway through their thought before we formulate our response and wait impatiently for them to finish. Here...
Start with a Blank Slate

Start with a Blank Slate

As a father, boss and corporate advisor, starting every conversation with a blank slate is extremely difficult for me. I’m often under the impression that people expect me to come to every conversation with the answers. Join me in resisting this urge. Try and approach...
Embrace Differences

Embrace Differences

As a leader, embracing differences is imperative. My son is a senior in high school, and it’s hard for me not to look at the next 10 years of his life and lay out the “perfect” career/life path. It’s almost like an experiment to create a mini-me. But, the important...
cj mcclanahan logo

Unlock CJ's Coaching Series

Achiever's Compass Coaching Series is designed to bring awareness and generate some momentum in the right direction. 

You have successfully unlocked the coaching series!