Parker Houston

How Badly Do You Want to Change?

by Parker Houston | Aug 1, 2024 | How People Change

Today’s Big Idea—Research identifies six stages of change people pass through when trying to change their behavior. Leaders need to understand these stages in order to make...

The Greater the Awareness, The Greater the Choice

by Parker Houston | Jul 25, 2024 | Personal Leadership, The Science of Mindset

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” –Victor Frankl One...

What is the good life?—Research on the 7 Habits of Happy People

by Parker Houston | Jul 18, 2024 | The Science of Happiness

“Our greatest fear in life should not be of failure, but of succeeding in life at things that don’t really matter.” –Francis Chan The Big Idea: Whether you lead a business,...

Work…Reimagined

by Parker Houston | Jul 11, 2024 | Boost Your Organizational Health

Several years ago, I decided to learn more about investing in order to plan for retirement. I read a few books and took some classes. It all seemed so confusing at first....

The Relationship Between Happiness and Success

by Parker Houston | Jul 4, 2024 | The Science of Happiness

The modern formula for success is broken. In today’s world, most people act as if they believe that happiness will be a guaranteed result of success. But if that were true,...

Are You Over-Gripping the Steering Wheel of Your Life?

by Parker Houston | Jun 27, 2024 | Mind and Body, Self Leadership

“Just hold on loosely, but don’t let go. If you cling too tightly, you’re gonna lose control.” –Donnie Van Zant, .38 Special A few years ago, I hired a personal and...

Stop Fighting the Operating Rules of Your Brain and Work Smarter (4 Key Strategies)

by Parker Houston | Jun 20, 2024 | Optimal Performance

Growing up, my parents always encouraged hard work. I started my first job—a paper route—at age 12. I had to wake up at 5am and used my roller blades while my dad drove our...

Just Like Me…

by Parker Houston | Jun 13, 2024 | Personal Leadership

You’ve heard me say it before, but it’s worth repeating—the brain is a prediction machine. The brain’s primary purpose is to keep us alive—and the best way to stay alive is...

10 Best Practices for Hiring (and Keeping) a Top Team

by Parker Houston | Jun 6, 2024 | Top Teams Made Simple

Ever since I became a manager 14 years ago, I’ve been curious about best practices for hiring. I’ve been part of organizations that struggled to keep vacancy rates of over...

Feel the Fear, Then Do It Anyway

by Parker Houston | May 30, 2024 | The Science of Mindset

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.” –Henry Ford In 1987 psychologist Susan Jeffers wrote her bestselling book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway,...

Organizations With a Structured Onboarding Process May Retain 50% More New Hires

by Parker Houston | May 23, 2024 | Boost Your Organizational Health, Top Teams Made Simple

Right after graduate school I began working at a maximum security prison. The pay was good, the work was exciting, and they offered student loan forgiveness programs. I was...

Perfectionism—The Secret Thief of Dreams

by Parker Houston | May 16, 2024 | The Science of Happiness

Most of you have probably never heard of Lord Acton, but I bet you have heard the phrase, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” attributed to him. John...

The 80-20 Rule

by Parker Houston | May 9, 2024 | Productivity Best Practices

“If you don’t have time, you don’t have priorities.” —Tim Ferriss The BIG Idea—A minority of your actions create the majority of your results. Wilfreid Fritz Pareto...

Find Yourself By Getting Lost

by Parker Houston | May 2, 2024 | Personal Leadership

Last week I checked off a bucket list trip by backpacking the Lost Coast—with two friends I’ve known for more than 20 years. After living in California my entire life, this...

Run Your Household Like A Great Company

by Parker Houston | Apr 25, 2024 | Family Leadership

Starbucks has become renowned for their atmosphere of impeccable customer service. In fact, just go online and you will find a wealth of books written about business...

Live Your Life That the Fear of Death Can Never Enter Your Heart

by Parker Houston | Apr 18, 2024 | Personal Leadership

Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion. Respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love...

What Are You Resisting?

by Parker Houston | Apr 11, 2024 | Personal Leadership

Until he was 29 years old, Eckhart lived in a near-permanent state of severe anxiety and suicidal depression. He was miserable, living in a constant state of internal...

Nature-Deficit Disorder

by Parker Houston | Apr 4, 2024 | Personal Leadership

Thank you to my good friend and colleague, Dr. Tracy Weyer, for inspiring this post. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2020, Americans spend about 90%...

A Non-Anxious Presence

by Parker Houston | Mar 28, 2024 | Personal Leadership

Several years ago a mentor of mine used a term I had not heard before—he said he wanted to be a “non-anxious presence” for people. I didn’t really get it at first, but after...

Jose Alvarenga—Surviving More Than A Year Lost At Sea

by Parker Houston | Mar 21, 2024 | Personal Leadership, The Science of Mindset

If you have never heard of Jose Alvarenga, you will want to hear his incredible story of survival at sea. I first heard this story last year while reading 438 Days—by...

Understanding the Role of Pay in Motivating Your Team (and What Else Drives Them)

by Parker Houston | Mar 14, 2024 | Boost Your Organizational Health, Top Teams Made Simple

Several years ago, I was having a conversation with a fellow leader who was having a difficult time with their team. The team was disgruntled and disengaged. At the end of...

Get To The Point

by Parker Houston | Mar 7, 2024 | Personal Leadership

“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” –Blaise Pascal After writing a blog for several years and teaching classes regularly, I have found deep truth in...

The Five Science-Based Practices of the Thriving Organization

by Parker Houston | Feb 29, 2024 | Boost Your Organizational Health

If you have been in the workplace for a while, chances are good that you’ve had a job you didn’t love. The research we discuss today will help you understand what was...

The Legend of John the Dwarf

by Parker Houston | Feb 22, 2024 | Personal Leadership

A mentor of mine shared this story with me several years ago. John the Dwarf—also known as Saint John Kolobos—was a Coptic desert father born in the year 339 in the town of...

The Cost, Cause, and Cure for Workplace Burnout

by Parker Houston | Feb 15, 2024 | Boost Your Organizational Health, Personal Leadership, Top Teams Made Simple

Shortly after graduating from college, I was talking to a friend who was living in Central America. He had dropped out of college our senior year, and we all wondered what...