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Have you ever watched highly competitive sports with your kids? Let's talk about the kinds of messages our kids get from these games. 

Many years ago, Lou Tice coached high school football. The Pacific Institute still does a lot of work with college and professional athletes. Lou always said that he tried to make it clear to the kids he coached, that the point of competition is to bring out the best in us. It's great to win, but for every winner there's a loser, and sports isn't about always being the winner. It's about playing the game to the… >>>

Some people say that long-term goals are the kind you need to set if you really want to get anywhere. Other people say that long-term goals are too distant to get their arms around. Here's another way to look at short- and long-term goals, and it's backed up by research out of Stanford University as well as other leading edge studies.  

The best kind of goals to have is a combination of short- and long-term. If you have only long-term goals, you may indeed find it rough going. The realities of life are that most of us have many pressing… >>>

Are you planning to make a change in yourself? Today, let's take a look at some tips on how to go about getting the best results. 

Maybe you want to lose weight, get into good physical shape, or quit smoking. Maybe you'd like to learn to do something new, or do something you already do better. Maybe you want to work on your anger, like we talked about yesterday. Whatever it is you want to do, there are three things we now know about self-directed change that can help you.  

First, set goals that aren't too big, too difficult, or… >>>

When you are learning something new, what helps you learn more easily and what interferes with the process? Today, let's talk about learning styles.

There are different styles of almost everything you can do or buy, from playing a guitar to picking out a new car. But, did you know that there are also different styles of learning? We have learned that some folks are visual learners; they literally need to see relationships with their eyes before they can understand. Other people learn best when they can hear new ideas.

Some people like to think a problem through before they… >>>

What kind of skills are today's employers looking for?

Contrary to what you may think, having high-powered technical skills or an advanced and specialized education are not all it takes to land a good job in today's job market. Recent articles show what employers look for in a new-hire.

At the top of the list are people who can communicate effectively, think critically and logically, and who continue to learn throughout their lives. Also high on the list are people who can demonstrate positive attitudes and behaviors, responsibility and adaptability. And, finally, employers want people who can work well with… >>>

Is it dangerous to teach kids to question authority? What do you think? 

Most folks who survived the 1960's are familiar with the phrase "question authority." While producing a cable TV news show for kids, columnist Linda Ellerbee found that most nine- or ten-year-olds didn't know what it meant.  Some thought it meant that you should go to a police officer if you had a question.  

Now the other day I was talking to a second-grader who told me that he liked school except that the teacher made the kids stay in their seats all the time and he didn't… >>>

If you own a business, you know how important it is to develop systems for getting things done. But have you ever thought about a system for making changes in your personal life?  

If you were to ask, you'd find that most people would like to make at least a few changes in their lives. They want to weigh less, stop smoking, start exercising, get better grades, build better relationships, and get a better job... all kinds of things.  

But if you ask specifically about how they plan to do it, often the picture begins to blur. They're not quite… >>>

After what seems like a lifetime, the constant background noise of your teen and their friends is gone, and the need for a home-grown taxi service is over. Silence is a new experience, and a little bit out of your comfort zone. The entire situation is not normal. What do you do?

This time of year, as school is back in session, families with teens heading off to college are beginning to notice the Empty Nest Syndrome. All of a sudden, the demands of parental time and attention simply disappear. It is especially apparent if all the kids are gone,… >>>

The family is the main place where we develop our self-esteem. It can also be a place where self-esteem withers.  

Virginia Satir was a family therapist who influenced and touched people all over the world. She was a pioneer in the study of self-esteem, and had this to say about families: "Feelings of worth flourish in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible - the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family."  

But if you grew up in a family where one or both parents were abusive,… >>>

Let's look today at the idea of purpose and how this idea can help you as you continually move toward a better life.  

For over 40 years, Lou and Diane Tice have been developing educational programs, giving seminars, and talking to people all over the globe for a single purpose:  They wanted to do as much as they could to build a better world, and chose this way to do it. Diane still does.

Associates of The Pacific Institute have put a lot of time and energy into helping other people develop and strengthen their own clear purpose. Sometimes we… >>>