Hey everyone, Last week I suddenly gave my 600th speech. I went back and pulled up the first 10 speeches I ever gave -- in my hometown library, at the local book festival, on the stage at TEDx Toronto. In…
I was invited down to LA to go on my favorite podcast. If you don't know The Rich Roll Podcast, well — you're in for a treat. It's often the #1 Education and #1 Self-Improvement podcast in the world for good…
Do you want to be a great leader? There is one skill you need to master that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: emotional fitness. If this is not what you expected, I’m not surprised. Every day, there are dozens of…
Since the pandemic broke out, I’ve given 165 virtual talks and workshops on emotional health and resilience skills. (No, that's not a typo.) I’ve had the privilege to share these skills with companies, teams, and leaders and got to do pro-bono…
In the early 2010s, I wrote a self-help book that catapulted me into a strange universe. I went from working an office job in the suburbs to walking onto TV show sets where I was often introduced as “Captain Awesome” or “The…
A lifetime ago (i.e., last February), I was in Washington working with the White House Leadership Development Program. After my session, I had the chance to visit the Capitol to meet with Congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle—a…
Who else has learned a thing or two this year about adversity and resilience? Some of us haven’t seen friends or loved ones in months. Maybe your travel plans have been torpedoed for the foreseeable future. Perhaps your “office” is…
This interview with Michelle Poler, originally appeared on Forbes. Michelle Poler’s career started with fear at her door — literally. A project during her master’s program at the School of Visual Arts led to challenging herself to take on her fears…
The article "How Michelle Poler is Keeping Me Optimistic" by Alyssa Swantkoski was originally published on Thrive Global. Amidst unprecedented times and ongoing uncertainty, there is one public figure whose mindset and actions have been keeping me optimistic throughout the…
The world has changed in ways that were unimaginable just weeks ago. Though humanity has a common arc for the first time in modern history, this crisis is affecting everyone differently. Some have become full-time teleworkers or homeschoolers (or both).…
We are living through twin epidemics—one physical and one emotional. COVID-19 has unleashed unprecedented fear, causing the public reaction to swing wildly between panicked toilet-paper stockpiling and laissez-faire Netflix binging. This recent public health twist comes on the heels of…
Nido Qubein’s inspiring story starts long before he took the helm of HPU in 2005. He grew up in the Middle East with parents of Lebanese-Jordanian descent, and his father died when he was only six years old. He moved…
Less than three years ago, Michelle Poler was balancing a full-time job as an Art Director at Young & Rubicam with studying for a Masters in Branding at the School of Visual Arts. Now, she’s the voice behind Hello Fears —…
Two people are determined to jump from a high cliff into the water. One has no problem with it, loves heights, the adrenaline and that empty feeling in the stomach. The other person is completely terrified to give the step,…
Be you, be yourself, be authentic. Have you heard this before? We’re always telling our friends and our kids to follow their hearts. Chase your dreams! Do what you love! Just love what you’re doing and the money will follow!…
Creativity is a fickle mistress. Especially when creating content. Sometimes, the words flow as fast as the coffee. Other times, well, not so much. It’s easy to create boring content. (Many people do it quite effortlessly.) But if you don’t have a…
How to build your dream team and lead them to victory How do great leaders inspire others to commit themselves to their goals? It’s not just that they have charismatic personalities, or that they give a lot of high-energy motivational…
Recently, I was lucky enough to see the mega-smash Broadway musical Hamilton, the powerful tale of Alexander Hamilton’s short and controversial life. As one of the largest musical theater geeks of all time, the excitement I felt for this absolutely cannot be overstated -- and in case…
My husband and I recently spent a week in Hong Kong visiting my little sister, who spent the summer teaching there at a local university. Upon our arrival, we consulted with a friend of hers to plan our first day…
It’s National Mentoring Month. However, High Point University celebrates and fosters mentorship year-round. One of HPU’s most prolific advocates for mentorship is university President Nido Qubein. Through one-on-one meetings, course offerings and more, Dr. Qubein guides students to become the…
