Category: Personal Reflections

  • A matter of perspective

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    Brad Heidemann
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    “Life cannot be calculated. That’s the big mistake our civilization made. We never accepted that randomness is not a mistake in the equation – it is part of the equation.” – Jeanette Winterson   Hi Everyone,  I write these letters every week and sometimes they are easy to write and other times I’m confounded. It’s not usually…

  • Your Career is Your Sport

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    Brad Heidemann
    in

    “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and…

  • The Power of a Smile

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    Brad Heidemann
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    “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” – Mother Teresa  The Power of a Smile… Have you ever noticed that a smile from someone can just make your day?  When I was a phone operator at Nordstrom (I’ve had almost every job at Nordstrom), we…

  • Be Like Mike

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    Brad Heidemann
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    “When you’re screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore, that means they’ve given up on you.” ― Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture)  In loving memory of someone who made me try harder…  We continue to enjoy good fortune in the marketplace. As I wrote yesterday, happy clients and perfect quality work create a virtuous cycle…

  • Beware of the Ides of March

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    Brad Heidemann
    in

    I am sure many of you remember this phrase from Shakespeare’s play, Julius Ceasar. First whispered by the Soothsayer, then falling into the dialogue between Brutus and Ceasar, finally, Ceasar dismisses the Soothsay as a dreamer and ignores the concern. In a moment of great foreshadowing by Shakespeare, the audience is warned of Ceasars’ peril.  Today…

  • Are you all in?

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    Brad Heidemann
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    Sometimes I write this letter wondering if I am shouting into the ether … I just pray that someone is reading, I know you do because the open rate is well above 90%. I love it when I hear from you.   If you have to do something each week come hell or high water, vacation,…

  • What is the big experience that has driven your life?

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    Brad Heidemann
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    Hi Everyone,  Normally, on a day like today I’d write about football and share some quotes from Vince Lombardi in advance of the super bowl, however; today I want to talk about something different.   What is the big experience that has driven your life?   Each of us has a series of experiences, things that have happened…

  • Actions

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    Brad Heidemann
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    When I was a young boy, about 13 or so, I decided one Sunday morning to go to church by myself. I did not grow up in a religious family, but I had a curiosity and wanted to understand more. It was an awkward and unnerving experience, I had a hard time following along. Fortunately…

  • The Difference Between Average and Exceptional Experiences

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    Brad Heidemann
    in

    “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” – Robert Kiyosaki  We live in a time of change where the established patterns of consistency and sameness are being challenged. The new mediums of the web and social media are positioning everyone to contribute to the next big cause, the next…

  • Showing That You Care

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    Brad Heidemann
    in

    Saturday evening, I was traveling home in an Uber after a long day. I was tired and ready for a good night’s rest. My best friend had given a podcast on meditation, mostly related to the mind-body connection. The two hosts had those dreamy, serene voices that you’d expect when talking about meditation. Although tired,…