After playing 22 seasons—with teams including the Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox—Griffey began photographing professionally, covering Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the NFL, Indy Car and perhaps most notably, the 2025 Masters.

The 55-year-old baseball legend transformed a hobby into a rewarding “second act,” and career change consultant Joseph Liu says you can, too.

Do you have what it takes to change careers?

Liu, who hosts the Career Relaunch podcast, says Griffey is a good example of showing how someone can marry their past profession with their current interest.  

“On the surface, playing baseball and taking photos may seem completely unrelated…” he says. “[But] part of photography is about anticipating and deciding what image you’re trying to capture, so in this case, his sports instincts can actually help improve his photography. It just shows how your profession may evolve as your life evolves.”

Liu has interviewed more than 100 people who changed course mid-career to pursue a new interest. Whether they were an Army sniper turned children’s magician or an investment banker who became a couple’s counselor, they generally share three characteristics:

• Clarity: “They take time to get clear on what matters to them, what they feel is missing [and] what they want to have more of,” he says. “Even if these people don’t know exactly what their second act is going to be, they can define the characteristics of [it],” whether that be flexibility, more autonomy or more meaning.
• Confidence: “They amass both the internal confidence to know they’re doing the right thing and also outward confidence to project that to others,” he says. This confidence originates from “[defining] their values and [making] decisions that serve those values,” he explains.
• Courage: “It often takes a bit of a leap of faith to step off the beaten path and follow a nontraditional career, so having that bravery to follow your instincts, to trust yourself is critical,” he says. “Without courage, the changes tend to be too small or too incremental to make a really major difference in a meaningful way.”

Starting a second career

Knowing it can be difficult to make that leap, Liu recommends starting with microactions.

“Dip your toe in with no excess pressure… [that] you’re going to start making money right away,” he says. Start small by taking an evening course or buying that piece of equipment that allows you to explore that hobby of yours.

“Test it out. See how it goes. See how it sits with you… how much you enjoy it [and] how much traction you gain.”

Griffey first picked up photography so he could attend his kids’ sporting events and not be a distraction. His presence at youth games caused a buzz, as he was still an active baseball player.  

“I figured, nobody’s messing with the photographer. Let me pick it up; let me try it,” he said in an interview on Mornings @ The Masters. “I got a couple photographer friends who sent me a couple of cameras and lenses and said, ‘Here you go.’”

Although at that time Griffey likely wasn’t considering photography as a second career, his actions introduced him to a new skill, and Liu says talking to people who are currently “doing the things you want to do” is an important step. It’s easy to overanalyze a situation and make assumptions, but a conversation with someone who’s already working in that space can be encouraging and a shortcut to the information you need to make the change.

“The final [step]… is to err on the side of action,” Liu says. “Actions are what open up opportunities… [Don’t] feel like you’ve got to make the perfect move into this new sector, but broadly move yourself toward the direction that you think might be promising.”

Should you pursue this professionally?  

Learning a new skill or picking up a post-retirement hobby doesn’t automatically mean it should be a second career. In fact, Liu cautions people against making that assumption.

“Just because you enjoy doing something on the side doesn’t mean you’re going to still enjoy it if you’re doing it professionally, especially if your livelihood depends on it,” he says.

Liu says asking yourself the following questions is a way to overlay practical considerations on a genuine interest or hobby.   

1. How energized do I feel by this? “It’s important, if you’re going to pursue a second career, that it really energizes you because it takes a lot of effort to branch off and do something different,” he says.
2. Does a market exist for this? This is a practical, yet necessary question, which Liu says should be followed up by:
3. Do I have a way of reaching that market? Can I access the customer base or reach the people I want to work with?
4. Can I make enough money doing this?
5. Do I have the skills and credentials to be credible in this space? If not, can I gain those skills and credentials?

If you decide to proceed, Liu says do not dismiss your previous experience and assume it’s irrelevant.

“There’s a lot of imposter syndrome when people change careers, and they think ‘I didn’t come from this background, [so] I don’t have a right to play in this new space,’” he says. “[But that’s] not useful. If you can embrace it and see it as a differentiator, that can actually help you sell a unique story to people that separates you from traditional applicants.”

Should you pursue a second career in retirement?

Although the promise of a second career can be exciting, Liu says it’s not for everyone and no one should feel compelled to continue working, if they’re able and want to retire.

“If you’re at the point of retirement and you feel like it’s time for you to just kick back and relax, I feel like the choice is yours,” he says. “No one should feel pressured to necessarily have a second act or encore career.

“It goes back to the idea that everyone’s career path and career journey is quite unique.” 

Maybe the joy of making homemade bread is in sharing it with friends and family, but perhaps your memoir would resonate with readers around the world. The choice to pursue a second career or turn a hobby into a money-making venture is a decision specific to you and your circumstances. Whatever you decide, being intentional is key, according to Liu.

“Thinking your career is going to just naturally evolve on its own and that one day this is just going to work out…” he says. “That’s just not what happens.”

Photo by Ground Picture/Shutterstock.

The post Hit a Home Run with a Second Career appeared first on SUCCESS.

“But, hey, you’re clearly making it work,” the chat concluded. “Until you’ve got your Ph.D., five courses, two textbooks, and a bestseller, and you finally hit that point where you need the crisis communications game just to fix your own life!” 

Clearly, ChatGPT thought that I was putting too much pressure on myself. But it also revealed something to me inadvertently: It knew a lot about me and might be able to help me with the existential crisis that had led me to overcommit in the first place. 

So I started probing it more with questions, like “What kind of work would I be good at?” and “What commitments do you think that I should drop?” And honestly, the tool gives great advice. (With any advice, however, I always step back and ask myself if the advice is good because it’s what I want to hear or if it’s good because it’s actually helpful). 

So, the large language model (LLM) crossed this threshold from being a tool I occasionally used to help prep assignments and outline ideas to somewhat of a life coach.

As a journalist and undergraduate instructor who teaches and writes a lot about human-machine communication, maybe I am better equipped to understand my own relationship with artificial intelligence. But I also wanted to learn more from other people in the game. 

AI life coaching

Unsurprisingly, if you Google “AI Life Coach,” you’ll find the websites of umpteen startups that have the same idea. Since ChatGPT entered public conversation, entrepreneurs have been pushing the boundaries of AI and our personal lives, offering everything from assistance with dating app messages to creating immortal replicas of your personality that your loved ones can talk to after you’ve died. 

Social media ghost writer Katie Middleton uses ChatGPT for content inspiration frequently, but she also was able to turn to the chatbot for help getting through some burnout a few years ago. 

“I was having a hard time keeping up with everything and figuring out how to manage everyday life with ADHD [and] executive dysfunction,” says Middleton. 

She had seen TikTok creators who were using ChatGPT to help them manage their own burnout and routines, and she decided to ask the app to help her put together a plan to work within her own capacity.

“It has been life changing,” says Middleton. “It told me when I should work, when I should rest, additional things I could [do to generate passive] income I may have been missing due to burnout.”

Middleton’s experience and mine are not new. In fact, our reliance on AI for life advice goes back to the 1960s. 

The Eliza effect 

While generative AI is a fairly new concept to the general public, the study of human-machine communication is not. In fact, there is an entire academic discipline devoted to its study. 

Our tendency to anthropomorphize—that is, assign human traits—to AI dates back to the earliest AI chatbots.  

In the 1960s, MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum developed a mock virtual psychotherapist named “Eliza” that would chat with users via text message. Eliza was not nearly as complex as today’s AI chatbots—it used pattern-matching and substitution rules to generate responses. When it didn’t know a word, it would simply say something like “please go on” or “What is the connection do you suppose?” 

Users would often begin to perceive Eliza as human—even when they knew that Eliza was not human, with Weizenbaum’s secretary even requesting time alone with Eliza. This became known as the “Eliza effect.”

Our attachment to AI is less about the AI output than our own human nature and our tendency to form psychological bonds. In 2018, MIT researcher Kate Darling gave a TED Talk about our tendency to feel empathy toward machines. She explains her own discomfort (and the discomfort of research participants) toward “hurting” baby dinosaur robots. 

But even today’s sophisticated AI chatbots are not humans. It is not possible for a computer to have an idea about the world around it. Instead, LLMs learn from large sets of training data and use the data to determine what to “say” or produce as an output. 

Despite this, some individuals find it easier to trust machines than other people. 

Chatbots as trusted confidantes 

Jaime Banks, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, and she conducts research on human-machine relationships. In particular, she focuses on how we make sense of machines and the perceived outcomes of these interactions. 

While Banks does not work specifically with AI life coaches, she says that conversations she’s seen in her research on shared understanding often do ask for life advice. 

“I asked people to give me their ChatGPT, like a couple of turns of conversations, so that they can focus on that conversation,” says Banks. “And a lot of them do look like that, right? They’re asking [it], ‘How do I deal with this situation? What should I be doing to advance this way or that way in my career?’”

In some ways, this makes perfect sense. People already have an easier time disclosing private information to other individuals through computer-mediated communication. 

“Some of that has to do with anonymity, some of it has to do with control, some of it has to do with perception of distance,” says Banks. And so it’s not unreasonable to think that if we just take the human out of the equation entirely, and it’s just the person in the machine, then that may feel even more safe, right?”

You’re still talking to robots

Whether you are using AI as a life coach or not, one thing important to remember is that you are talking to a robot, especially when evaluating its feedback. ChatGPT will give you the advice it thinks you want to hear. Its main goal is to give you a desired response, and these responses can still result in hallucinations (where the LLM makes up information) and other undesired responses.

So it is still beneficial to sit with the information that it gives you or do more research on what it says. It’s also important to remember that we are talking to a computer and that its only concept of the world is what we have given it. Although conversations with AI can feel very real, if we step back and return to what it says, we may realize that the help we are asking for is too nuanced for a chatbot to truly understand. 

“There is a distinction between how we think about it when we’re using it and how we think about it when we step away,” says Banks. “And perhaps those are both useful ways of evaluating any kind of feedback it may give us.” 

Photo r.classen/Shutterstock.

The post My AI Life Coach: How’s ChatGPT as Career Counselor? appeared first on SUCCESS.

In 1934, John Wooden began developing the widely known Pyramid of Success framework for character development, leadership and personal growth. He later used it while coaching the UCLA men’s basketball team, which won an impressive 10 NCAA Championships in 12 years. Known as one of the most successful college basketball coaches of all time, Wooden said that “success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

The John Wooden Pyramid of Success remains profoundly relevant today in leadership, education and personal growth since it addresses fundamental aspects of human character and achievement that transcend time and changing circumstances. New generations can benefit from fresh approaches based on his teachings as teams, families, corporations and schools explore the Pyramid of Success. 

For those looking to overcome challenges to be the best they can be, digging into the Pyramid of Success could be just the ticket.

The Foundation of the John Wooden Pyramid of Success

The Pyramid of Success serves as a road map for individual and team excellence. Because Wooden was unhappy with conventional definitions of success based only on things like winning or achieving high grades, he developed this new strategy for developing character and achieving personal excellence—not simply for winning basketball games. That’s why it stuck for so long and is still sought after decades after its introduction.   

In essence, the Pyramid is Wooden’s visual road map for achieving a deeper version of success. 

There are 15 building blocks in the Pyramid of Success, organized in the following categories, starting at the bottom of the Pyramid:

• Foundation: Industriousness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, enthusiasm
• Second tier: Self-control, alertness, initiative, intentness
• Heart of the pyramid: Condition, skill, team spirit
• Nearing the peak: Poise, confidence
• The pinnacle: Competitive greatness

He later added “the mortar” to the framework, which consists of 10 blocks along the sides of the Pyramid that hold it together: Faith, patience, ambition, adaptability, resourcefulness, fight, sincerity, honesty, reliability and integrity. 

These powerful principles of building success matter across athletics, education, professional settings and life overall. Wooden’s approach is holistic in nature, recognizing that true success integrates personal development, relationship skills and achievement.

Pyramid Application in Modern Leadership

Coaches and educators are integrating the Pyramid application into modern leadership training and life skills development. They break down the 15 building blocks into actionable daily practices and reflective exercises so students can build new habits based on these key points. 

Schools find value in the Pyramid of Success because it addresses the whole person. It is applied beyond academic achievement to help students grow personally and be more prepared when on the field or working at a job. By focusing on building qualities like self-control, alertness, initiative and poise, youth can better navigate today’s complex world. 

Universities and organizations have created leadership institutes centered on Wooden’s philosophies, bringing these principles to students across disciplines. The programs pair traditional classroom learning with community service projects where students must apply concepts like industriousness and cooperation in real-world settings. 

Adapting the Success Pyramid for Today’s Youth 

As more young people today view success in a holistic way that integrates personal fulfillment, social impact and authentic self-expression, the Pyramid of Success may be more attractive. Mental well-being, work-life balance and meaningful contributions to causes people believe in are priorities that correspond with Wooden’s philosophy. As young people navigate rapid technological change like AI, developing soft skills to interact with others and exemplify leadership is more important than ever.   

The Pyramid of Success aligns nicely with social and emotional learning programs in K-12 education, like a growth mindset, making it easy for schools to incorporate the framework. Schools implementing these approaches may experience improvements in both academic performance and behavioral outcomes, validating Wooden’s belief that character development and achievement are interconnected. These values from the Pyramid can also be used to help youth when faced with real-world challenges.

Creative Ways to Teach the Pyramid of Success 

Today’s educators and leaders are finding innovative methods of teaching these principles in engaging ways. At the most basic level, digital platforms offer interactive self-assessments of the Pyramid of Success, while organizations can integrate Pyramid concepts into team-building exercises. 

More interactive learning experiences that help bring Wooden’s framework to life may include a build-a-Pyramid workshop in which participants build their own Pyramid, a Pyramid escape room that includes challenges based on the key traits of the Pyramid of Success, a life-sized board game in which players advance by identifying how they’ve demonstrated Pyramid traits in real scenarios and Pyramid trading cards that highlight examples of each trait. With each learning tool, participants must demonstrate their understanding of each trait to show how they can ultimately succeed in the game and in life.   

Building Lasting Character Development 

Wooden’s philosophy is based on the belief that long-term character and leadership growth can be achieved with consistent daily habits. When continuously reinforced, these principles create lasting progress. In fact, regularly practicing these personal qualities reshapes neural pathways, making these behaviors more automatic over time, which can lead to resilience and emotional maturity.   

Mentors, parents and organizational leaders can create environments that reflect Pyramid values. One of the best ways is to walk the walk and demonstrate key traits, such as friendship, loyalty, cooperation and enthusiasm daily. 

Parents can incorporate the Pyramid into the home environment by praising their children’s hard work rather than their natural ability. They can also use family activities to build cooperation, such as choosing family projects where success depends on everyone contributing. It’s also helpful to bring Pyramid principles into everyday conversations, like while watching sports or discussing school experiences. 

Organizational leaders can take similar action at the office by incorporating Pyramid language into organizational culture, such as during performance reviews and team meetings. Designing programs that reward Pyramid behaviors, like taking initiative, can also be effective. Finally, companies can start to structure team development around Pyramid blocks. 

The beauty of Wooden’s approach is that mastery is never complete—there’s always room for growth. By creating environments where these values are continuously reinforced, mentors, parents and organizational leaders can implement coaching life skills to help others build the foundation for lifelong character development and true success. 

Passing on the Legacy of the Success Pyramid 

John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success is an invaluable blueprint for cultivating character in the next generation. It offers timeless wisdom that transcends generations yet speaks directly to our current challenges. These principles are more relevant than ever, as instant gratification and superficial metrics of achievement dominate. 

In the current culture, more people can benefit from Wooden’s emphasis on foundational characteristics like industriousness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation and enthusiasm. To be as successful as possible, start incorporating Pyramid principles into your leadership, coaching and mentoring practices today. 

Photo by Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

The post Teaching John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success to a New Generation appeared first on SUCCESS.

“Any person in that situation where they just feel like they have no control over their life or they just feel like they’ve got a bit of a victim mindset, I will do anything that I can, anything in my power, to help pull them out of that, to recognize that they can change the world by first changing themselves,” Whittaker says.

The first step is to get clarity on who you are and where you want to go.

“In my experience, the people who feel like they’re treading water—it all comes back to one… main thing that they’re struggling with. They’re not clear on who they are, and they’re not clear on where they want to go,” he says.

Once you know who you are and where you want to go, then you can “win the day.”

A winning formula

Whittaker’s formula to “win the day” is to incorporate wonder, intent and nurture.

Wonder provides a spark of curiosity and purpose that drives your highest potential. “When you’re connected to wonder, you’re intensely curious about how great you can be from your one extraordinary life—and committed to doing what it takes to achieve it,” Whittaker says.

Intent is the deliberate focus and structure that amplifies your daily performance. “When you’re connected to intent, you intentionally choose to surround yourself with people who inspire you, create an environment that motivates you and engage in daily rituals that energize you.”

Nurture is about stepping outside your comfort zone to identify and take on challenges that drive growth. “A lot of people think that when they adopt this ‘win the day’ mentality that they are somehow going to be immune to adversity when, in fact, it’s the complete opposite,” Whittaker says. “You will be faced with adversity, probably every single day, but how you respond to that adversity when it inevitably strikes is what separates ordinary people from extraordinary achievers.”

Find your winning traits

To better understand who you are, Whittaker recommends finding your winning traits. Think about a time when you performed your best professionally, he says. “Maybe it was speaking on stage, maybe it was recording a podcast, maybe it was closing a sale—anything like that,” he says. “What were the characteristics that you embodied in that moment?” Some examples include ambition, collaboration, compassion, courage, creativity, curiosity, leadership, optimism, perseverance and reliability.

Pick no more than three traits, and then think about how you will show up every day leveraging those three winning traits to make the impact you want to have, Whittaker says.

Small changes help ‘win the day’

Whittaker offers a 10-question quiz at jameswhitt.com to help individuals create a personalized “win the day” action plan. He also has a podcast and has written several books, including Andrew Carnegie’s Mental Dynamite: How to Unlock the Awesome Power of You.

Curious about how to get started? Whittaker suggests incorporating four small changes into your morning routine.

1. “When you wake up in the morning, make the decision to win,” he says. Otherwise, you’ve automatically made the decision to lose. If we wake up and we make the decision to win, it shakes us out of our passiveness. 
2. Have a clear intent for the day and how you want to show up, he says. Otherwise, it’s going to be so much easier for you to fall victim to distraction and procrastination.
3. Affirm your success by saying something like, “I’m going to win today” or “Today is going to be a great day.” When you expect good things to happen, you will notice that they occur much more frequently, he says.
4. Start a morning journal routine. Write down three things that will make each day a win. They could be professional, physical and personal. Whittaker says he’s been journaling for four years and likes to go back and see how he was allocating his energy three or four years ago compared to the present day. The benefit of journaling compounds the longer you do it, he says.

Focus on what you achieve

There is no question that these are stressful times, so Whittaker encourages people to focus on what they can control. “It’s very easy to fall into the trap of a recurring negative news cycle,” he says. Instead, he urges people to focus on improving their minds by taking 20 minutes to listen to an audiobook or a podcast or scheduling a conversation with someone who inspires them. “These are little things that you can do every single day to feel better, improve your mindset and become the person that you want to be,” he says.

Don’t forget to look back at what you have already achieved in your life and remind yourself of the challenges you’ve overcome, Whittaker says. The challenges we’ve overcome shape the mindset we have today and give us confidence, he says.

Whittaker has worked with Olympic gold medalists and other people who have been extremely successful at the highest possible level in their field. “[When] that chapter of their life ends, that is a really, really difficult time,” he says. What they need is clarity on their mission and their purpose, things that Whittaker says have been there all along and aren’t just about sports.

“The secret is the mission is not something that ever has an end date,” Whittaker says. “It’s something that is with you [to] the end of your life.”

Photo courtesy James Whittaker

The post How to Win the Day appeared first on SUCCESS.

I didn’t always hate this about myself. Mostly, I liked that I could walk into a room and talk to pretty much anyone. I liked making people feel at ease and comfortable and seen. But, sometimes, I wondered what was going on underneath all that bustling around. I wondered what it would have been like to walk into a room and just… be. I wondered if I could have been at a party, sitting in a corner just existing and not passing appetizers or conversation starters. I wondered who I would have been if I wasn’t talking. I wondered if I would have existed at all.

I thought about my talking more and more as my kids grew up and left the house. They had been the people I talked to and talked about. They gave meaning to my prattling on, like they gave my life meaning. Then they were grown and gone, finding their own meaning, and this changed the quality of my people-pleasing. The people I most wanted to please were away, and maybe I needed to stop for a minute. I needed to take a beat between my old life and my new life.

I needed to just be quiet for a minute.

So I spent three days in Quebec City at le Monastere des Augustines, a 17th century convent and wellness center, to live in silence as the nuns who built this space did for their entire lives. The Augustine sisters were fully cloistered until the 1960s, spending their days in silent prayer and tending to the sick people of this small Canadian city. They pleased people without a word spoken. They healed people, they were midwives, they offered children sanctuary if their parents could not raise them. These sisters did not speak. They chose silence forever. And so I thought I could choose silence for three days, just to see what it was like.

The monastery is not silent for everyone. I thought this would be a challenge. I thought I would trip up the first time someone spoke, and I would want to ask them questions and make them comfortable. Fortunately, for me, when I arrived the staff gave me a button that said “silence,” which is the same in French and English, a button I tapped a few times if someone spoke to me. Everyone staying at the monastery (which was converted into a wellness retreat and museum honoring the Augustinian sisters in 2015) is asked to eat breakfast in the little restaurant, Le Vivoir, in silence. We all have the choice of staying in a private room in a renovated section of the monastery or in one of the former nun’s rooms with shared washroom accommodations. I preferred the latter, sleeping in a clean, spartan twin bed overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. I had my own sink for brushing my teeth, a small table for writing and a large wardrobe for my clothes. A space for me to hide in case I wanted to talk. I thought I would be desperate to talk. 

I was wrong.

A quiet came over me as soon as I unpacked my small suitcase of leggings, sweatshirts, slippers and pajamas. A far cry from the 21 layers of clothing the sisters wore every day, but the ritual felt similar—a meditation of simple details. A notice of my tiny life and who I might be within it. The space I might hold in this quiet. 

My phone pinged with messages from my sons, my partner, my work. I silenced them like I silenced myself.

The silence was easy for me. Easier than I ever would have believed. I smiled at people with my eyes if we were in the little shared reading nook outside my room at the same time. I joined yoga classes in the old stone cellar, French yoga classes that I understood with my eyes closed. I listened and listened to our shared breathing. I breathed my own breath. I was still in myself for three whole days no matter what. On a morning meditation walk through the old city, I listened and said nothing. I went to dinner on my own at a lively pub around the corner, Le Bedeau, where I sat at the bar and let everyone else’s conversation wash over me, unbothered. A small miracle.

I slept as well as I had as a little girl every night, tucked into my twin bed with a book and a hot tea and my own thoughts that felt slower and clearer. I walked a bit slower too. I meandered. I wandered. I went for a sunny afternoon at Strøm Nordic Spa, where I floated and plunged and exfoliated and did not say a word to anyone. They were all fine without me, a concept that terrified me before but now left me feeling soothed.

After three days of quiet, I understood something about myself. No one needs me to fill their spaces. The world won’t fall apart if I don’t fill someone’s drink or offer them a hot dip or make conversation. I can choose to be that person, the people-pleaser and the chatterbox. I like her sometimes.

But I like this new silent woman too. She holds her space. She pleases herself.

Photo by Song_about_summer/Shutterstock

The post A Silent Retreat at a Monastery Taught Me How to Hold My Space at 52 appeared first on SUCCESS.

In an ideal world, a business would have a professional on hand to perfectly capture images for their website and social media. The reality is this isn’t always feasible. New and smaller businesses tend to have limited staff, and there might not be budget for getting help.

That doesn’t mean your photos can’t still look great.

We spoke to three photographers and marketing experts and pulled together their favorite tips and tricks to for beautiful photos that anyone can take.

1. Strive for authenticity, not perfection.

Between overly staged brand photos and the flood of AI-generated content, customers are more interested than ever in finding businesses with a human touch.

Public relations expert Sarah Schmidt’s favorite advice for her clients is, “Polished looks like a billboard—real looks like a recommendation…. Authentic content converts.”

Basically, your goal should be to help a potential customer imagine themselves as part of your brand. Just like real life, it shouldn’t feel perfect and sterile, but like a lived-in space that feels like home.

2. Lighting is everything.

Good lighting can produce a photo that’s sharp, easy to see and high quality. Bad lighting can cause blurry or grainy photos that are downright unusable.

Utilize sunlight

Natural light is the easiest, cheapest and best light to use for most photos, particularly for those newer to photography. 

Take it outside: If you can shoot outside, perfect. Do that. You’ll always get the most light that way. Shooting in the shade or on overcast days can help you avoid harsh shadows and glares.

Use windows: When you can’t shoot outside, windows are your next best bet. Pick a time of day where you’ll get the most sunlight without harsh sunbeams. (North-facing windows are great for this.) When you truly can’t avoid harsh lighting, use a white poster board or put foil over a piece of cardboard to reflect the light back toward your subject. 

Give Your Light Some Help

Sometimes, sunlight won’t be enough on its own (or simply isn’t an option). Fortunately, there are some easy, cost-effective ways to add light.

Buy a cheap light: If you’re regularly running into this problem, a $15 to $30 light might be worth the purchase. Check out a small portable light or a ring light. Light boxes can also be a huge help with small subjects.

Create your own diffused light: For the cheapest fix, photographer Jacob Dunn and OH Marketing Group founder Tiffany O’Connell suggest placing parchment paper over an existing lamp. Just be careful not to let the bulb touch the parchment paper because the heat of the bulb can burn the paper and even start a fire.

3. Clean your gear.

It might seem obvious, but cleaning your lens can make a huge difference. Phone lenses are exposed to numerous elements, and a quick clean can help remove everything from pocket lint to oils from your skin. This doesn’t just prevent unsightly dots or smears showing up in your photos—it can actually help your lens get more light. To clean your lens, simply use a microfiber or lens cleaning cloth to gently wipe the surface.

4. Make the most of your smartphone’s lenses.

Each lens on your phone offers a slightly different perspective and will change the way your subject looks. For instance, front-facing “selfie” cameras are typically not as flattering as using the 1x camera on the back of your phone. The .5x lens is great for making a room look bigger but will distort a person or animal. The 2x lens can help you achieve a blurred background, but that makes it less than ideal for landscapes.

This simple diagram shows you where to change lenses and how to “flip” from the back lens to the front lens. The screenshot was created with an iPhone 12 Pro.

How to switch lenses: In your camera app, you should see numbers just above the button that you use to take the picture. These may seem like a quick way to adjust your zoom, but in reality, they’re switching which lens is in use.

Zoom with your feet: Zooming in on an image is a way of cropping it, meaning you’re lowering the quality of the photo before you’ve ever taken it. By physically moving closer or further away, you can better benefit from the different lenses and the effects they provide.

The same object photographed from roughly the same position using different lenses. From left, the .5x lens, 1x lens and 2x lens were used. 

5. The basics of backgrounds

If you need to create a simple, cheap background, there are easy ways to do so. A poster board can work wonders for small subjects. Just tape it to the wall and floor with a bend in the middle, and voilá—you have a scrappy “infinity” background like all the pros. Blankets, tablecloths and shower curtains are great for larger subjects and can be sourced from existing items around your home.

For a tile or marble look, check out your local flooring store. Often, they have floor tile samples for free or cheap that you can use to create the impression of a high-end environment wherever you’re shooting.

6. Staging like a pro 

When choosing what will be in your photo, there’s one big thing to keep in mind: What is the star of the picture? Every prop and layout should enhance the main subject and direct focus to it, not be so flashy that it distracts from it.

If you’re trying to show off your latest product release, keep the space around it simple and unobtrusive. If you’re aiming to show off a space as being cozy, consider adding a few “lived in” elements, like a cup of coffee. Remember that “lived in” doesn’t mean “dirty,” so be sure to clean your space thoroughly. No one wants to look at dust, greasy fingerprints or pet hair. 

7. Pay attention to orientation

Before you ever take a photo, consider why you need the photo and how you’d like to use it. As a general rule, if you expect it to be viewed on a phone (such as on Instagram or TikTok), go vertical, and if you expect it to be viewed on a computer (such as with a website), shoot horizontally.

When in doubt, shoot both ways so you’ve got what you need regardless.

Photos by Anna Wenner

The post Easy Ways to Boost Your Photography Skills and Benefit Your Business appeared first on SUCCESS.

Not just the type of flower, mind you, but the exact same flowers. They traveled hundreds of miles and survived multiple moves. 

Until writing this article, I didn’t even know why. I just knew that thanks to my family, the peonies had followed me in every place that I’d lived, like a shadow that I couldn’t quite shake.  

My love/hate relationship with peonies

The first place I remember the peonies was at my mom’s childhood home (the home of my grandmother, aunt and cousin). I helped my mother dig some of them up and plant them at our house. When we later moved to a new home with the rest of my family, the peonies went right along with us. 

Every Memorial Day, we’d visit my grandmother’s parents’ graves—which have peonies planted upon them. While we were there, we dropped off flowers of our own (also peonies).

It’s not that I ever hated the peonies… they just weren’t my favorite. See, peonies tend to be covered with a whole lot of ants, and as someone who’s always preferred the “Great Indoors,” that was pretty unappealing. 

More than that, though, I took them for granted. Just like my mother and grandmother, the peonies had always been there. 

A mother’s dying wish

In 2018, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer. Within a month, my mom had gone through surgery and started chemo. After two months, we’d moved her, my grandmother and my aunt into new homes and sold the house where I’d grown up. Frankly, the last thing on my mind at that point was flowers. 

Yet, my mother insisted we bring the peonies. 

They weren’t the only flowers we saved from the old house, but they were certainly the ones I was most exasperated by. Gardening wasn’t my favorite task anyway, and between the stress and the fact it was February at the time, getting the peonies hadn’t exactly been a priority for me. 

However, when your terminally ill mother asks you to help her dig up flowers, you dig up flowers. 

Though we did transport the peonies to the new house, they never made it into the ground. In the chaos of everything, we left them in a bucket with no water or dirt for months. We kept meaning to plant them, but never had the time or energy. 

Not too surprisingly, the peonies died. 

Though my mom never said so, I always suspected that she was a little sad that the peonies hadn’t made it. I tried to be understanding, but honestly, I was just relieved to have one less thing on the to-do list. I figured we could always get new peonies eventually. 

Then, my mom died, too, and it didn’t really matter anymore. 

The peonies’ return

When I moved to a new home, I brought as many flowers with me as I could because they reminded me of her. 

This time, it was my roommate who was patiently resisting the urge to roll her eyes as I insisted I needed to dig up “just one more” before we left. (The “dead mom” card is nearly as good as the “I’m dying” card when it comes to getting help moving flowers.) 

What we couldn’t move, of course, were the peonies. 

I hadn’t realized how much this was bothering me until my mom’s friends reached out to ask if I wanted any flowers. Peonies tend to multiply easily, and my mom had spent years sharing extra with our friends, family and community. Suddenly, I found that generosity circling back around. 

That fall, my mom’s friend brought several peonies—the same peonies I remembered—and we planted them at once. 

Green thumbs aren’t genetic

Though I’d spent my life helping my grandmothers and my mom garden, I’d never planned a garden or tried to single-handedly keep one alive. Let me tell you—it’s not nearly as easy as they made it look. 

See, Kansas has an abundance of clay soil, which isn’t ideal for most flowers. Suddenly, I was learning about “amending the soil,” testing for acidity and a whole lot of other things I’d never really paid any attention to. 

However, even as half my plants withered and died, and I repeatedly forgot to water them, the peonies persisted. 

They didn’t just survive—they thrived.  

Why the peonies thrived 

I started looking into why the peonies were doing so well when everything else was such a struggle. 

I learned that peonies can live more than 100 years—which made sense, considering the peonies in my own yard were older than I was. I learned, too, that peonies “thrive on neglect” and tolerate a huge range of soil types and pH levels, which was why they were so forgiving of (almost) every way they were mistreated. Though all peonies are considered pretty hardy, the ones in my garden have survived six different moves that I know of (which was a stark contrast to the hibiscus flower that I planted the same year, which managed to wilt and die in the time it took me to carry it across the yard). 

I learned why we had so many peonies. Apparently, my aunt had rescued them from a neighbor’s yard when it was taken over by new owners. The previous neighbor had been known for breeding award-winning peonies, and my aunt asked if she could dig them up and keep them rather than letting them get thrown away.  My family didn’t have much money back then, and flowers were sort of at the bottom of the list of things we could afford. But free? Well, that was a price that even we could swing. 

As my gardening improved, I also learned why my family always took peonies to the graves on Memorial Day. It turned out, most of the other perennials in my mom’s garden bloomed too early or too late. But the peonies? Always right on time. 

Learning from those who came before us

Four years after my mother died, my grandmother died. 

Every day since, I’ve fumbled my way through life, wishing I could ask them why they did things the way they did. More often than not, I eventually figure out the answer through my own trial and error. 

Often, when I’m watching the peonies bloom, I think back on how far they’ve come. I consider the generations they’ve seen through, the hardships they’ve endured and the way they keep blooming anyway. 

I think of my family. 

I didn’t understand back then why we needed to keep the ant-infested flowers close. Now, I do. 

Now, I know that they’re easy to care for and free to share. I know that they live for ages and bloom at just the right time.

And I know that, as usual, my mom knew best all along.

Photo by Tom Merton/iStock.com

The post What Peonies Can Teach Us About Learning From Those Before You appeared first on SUCCESS.

Whether you’re navigating a career transition, seeking deeper emotional intelligence or striving for a more meaningful existence, personal growth counseling can offer the clarity and support you need.

What is Personal Growth Counseling?

Personal growth counseling is a therapeutic approach aimed at helping individuals unlock their potential through guided self-discovery, emotional healing and intentional goal setting. Unlike traditional therapy, which may focus on treating clinical issues such as depression or anxiety, personal growth counseling emphasizes self-improvement and purpose-driven change.

This form of counseling supports individuals who want to:

• Improve their self-awareness

• Strengthen their emotional intelligence

• Overcome limiting beliefs or behavioral patterns

• Clarify and pursue personal or professional goals

While traditional therapy may explore past trauma, personal growth counseling often blends therapeutic techniques with coaching principles to foster present and future growth.

Benefits of Personal Growth Counseling

Whether you’re seeking transformation in your relationships, mindset or career, personal growth counseling can be a powerful tool. Here are some of the top benefits.

1. Enhanced Self-Confidence

Counseling can help you recognize your strengths, reframe negative thinking and develop a deeper sense of self-worth. These are all key traits for thriving in both personal and professional settings.

2. Improved Emotional Regulation

By learning to manage emotions like stress and anger, you can respond more constructively to challenges and communicate more effectively.

3. Greater Leadership Skills

Through self-reflection and skill-building, counseling can strengthen your leadership capabilities such as decisive decision-making, empathy and influence.

4. Clearer Purpose and Direction

Many people enter counseling feeling as though they are “stuck.” A counselor can help you clarify your values, define goals and map out a plan to get you there.

5. Better Relationships

As you become more self-aware and emotionally grounded, your relationships with everyone around you—partners, friends and colleagues—often improve.

6. Greater Resilience

Develop tools to bounce back from setbacks with a growth mindset and optimism. Learning how to improve your resilience will help you approach things more positively, and will likely boost outcomes.

7. Stress Reduction

Counseling can teach relaxation and mindfulness techniques that improve your ability to cope with life’s pressures.

8. Improved Work-Life Balance

Learning to set boundaries and prioritize your well-being without sacrificing productivity is critical. It helps you balance tasks, obligations and stressors more smoothly when everything gets the right amount of attention.

A Therapeutic Approach to Growth in Personal and Professional Life

Personal growth counseling often integrates proven psychological methods to create meaningful progress. Some of the most common approaches include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps identify and challenge negative thought patterns
• Solution-Focused Therapy: Emphasizes finding practical solutions and building on strengths
• Motivational Interviewing: Encourages internal motivation for change by exploring ambivalence
• Mindfulness-Based Practices: Promotes present-moment awareness and emotional clarity
• Goal-Setting Frameworks: Such as SMART goals or GROW models, which break down aspirations into achievable actions

These approaches can support sustainable change personally and professionally by examining one’s thoughts and feelings and combining this inward reflection with actionable strategies.

What to Expect During Psychological Counseling for Personal Development

Many people are curious about what actually happens during a personal growth counseling session. Here’s what to expect:

Initial Assessment

Similar to standard therapy, your first session typically includes a thorough examination of your current challenges, background, and what you hope to achieve through counseling.

Goal-Oriented Discussions

Subsequent sessions focus on identifying obstacles, setting short- and long-term goals, and determining the best ways to achieve them.

Skill-Building Activities

You may engage in journaling exercises, practicing your communication skills, visualization techniques or through guided meditations.

Progress Tracking

A good counselor will help track your progress over time and adapt the approach as needed to keep you moving forward and on the right path. Consistency is key to ensuring improved growth.

Ongoing Support

Sessions also provide a confidential, judgment-free space to explore emotions and reflect on growth. The whole process should be tailored to you: Your needs, your pace and your aspirations.

How to Find a Personal Growth Counselor

Choosing the right counselor is key to your success. Here are some factors to consider:

• Credentials: Look for licensed therapists or counselors with training in personal development therapy or coaching.
• Specialization: Ensure they have experience helping clients with goals similar to yours, such as career development, self-confidence or emotional growth.
• Therapeutic Style: Some clients prefer a structured, goal-oriented approach, while others seek more open-ended exploration. Figure out what you need and ask how the counselor typically works.
• Comfort and Rapport: A strong therapeutic relationship is critical. You should feel heard, understood and most importantly, respected.
• Practical Considerations: Availability, pricing, location and session format all matter.

Many counselors offer a free first-time consultation to see if they’re a good fit. Take advantage of it. Sometimes, it can take time to find someone you gel well with and who can really help you achieve what you need.

Focus on Your Personal Growth

Personal growth counseling is more than just therapy; it’s a transformative partnership that helps you evolve into the person you’re capable of becoming. Focusing on emotional wellness, mindset shifts and practical strategies gives you the tools you need to overcome inner blocks and pursue meaningful life and career goals that matter to you.

Whether you’re striving to become a better leader, improve your relationships or simply feel more fulfilled in yourself, counseling can be a powerful step forward.

Photo by Ilona Kozhevnikova/Shutterstock

The post How Personal Growth Counseling Helps with Personal and Professional Success appeared first on SUCCESS.

We’ve always been an on-the-go family, from day trips to extended camping road trips. But when Ailigh landed at a school with a two-week spring break, we realized we couldn’t afford not to prioritize international travel. If not now, when?

Looking back, I see how each of our adventures reshaped the way we think, plan, spend, and dream—rewiring not just how we travel, but how we live.

Rome: our family travel training wheels

Our first big trip was on the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2022. I found great flights to Rome at a price we could afford. Italy still had many restrictions in place to keep people safe, so we decided it would be less stressful to spend our entire vacation in one place.

Two major lessons we took away from that trip: traveling during periods of uncertainty means no crowds, good prices and plenty of access without advance planning. For instance, the Vatican Museum typically caps attendance at 35,000 people per day; it was capped at 7,000 while we were there. There were times we enjoyed galleries entirely alone. Second: We are lingerers who talk to the third-generation gelato maker and then return each day for a scoop. Staying longer in one place is our speed.

No vacation time is wasted packing, schlepping and traveling between destinations, leaving space for everyone to recharge and discover something unexpected. For us, that included an after-dark photo safari for my husband David; flea market finds at a sprawling Sunday market for Ailigh; and the aperitivo hour—an Aperol spritz, snacks and people-watching on Piazza di Santa Maria—for me.

Every memory from that first trip to Rome is preserved like a photo taken during the golden hour—glowing, timeless, full of promise. When we start to doubt whether we can pull off the next adventure, those photos remind us why we must.

Peru: traveling in times of unrest

My mom died unexpectedly just after the new year. By the time we’d traveled, made arrangements and held her service, spring break was suddenly upon us— and we hadn’t planned a thing. I was settling into the idea of staying home—until I looked back at our Rome photos and felt an urgency. These spring breaks are valuable time for us as a family, and I didn’t want to let this one go.

That’s how I found myself considering an invitation to Peru, a month after Machu Picchu reopened following nationwide protests that had shut the country down. The Cusco-Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu corridor remained nearly empty of travelers, in part because the U.S. State Department hadn’t updated its Level 3 Travel Advisory since Dec. 22, 2022.

Another lesson surfaced: You have to dig beyond the headlines because sometimes advisories are outdated or apply only to specific regions. As a precaution, I registered our travel plans with the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, packed light and bought travel insurance that included “political or security evacuation.” In the end, none of it was needed.

Few people had returned to visit Peru, and we had Machu Picchu nearly to ourselves. When we reached the iconic ridge where explorer Hiram Bingham stood in 1911, the site was obscured by clouds. Our guide, Joseph, gave us a history lesson in the rain until the wind swept the clouds away, revealing the ancient Inca city in the sky. The light shifted from moment to moment, as though compressing multiple visits into one.

We didn’t rush back to Cusco. We stayed another night to reflect on it. David and I relaxed in the hotel’s Andean Sauna, a eucalyptus hut heated with river stones. When we returned to our room, Ailigh was soaking outdoors in the private warm pool surrounded by the Peruvian cloud forest, drinking hot chocolate and streaming her favorite movie. No theme park could match a magical experience like this.

One evening in Cusco, Ailigh asked if she could linger longer on her own after dinner. We said “no;” she was only 13. Watching her confidence grow as a stranger in a strange land is one of the most rewarding aspects of traveling as a family.

The future we didn’t see coming

Since saying “yes” to Peru, we’ve taken two more big family trips. In Scotland, we connected with relatives and navigated the challenge of driving on the left side of the road. Most recently, our return to Rome took us deeper into the Eternal City, exploring quieter corners that made the city feel like our own.

Travel has also begun to take a solo shape. Ailigh spent three weeks in Rwanda with a global studies program through her school. I turned a four-day conference in Istanbul into three weeks of travel across Türkiye. David reunited with an old friend in Europe and checked a few long-held dreams off his list, including a backstage pass at the Paris Opera House.

Now, at age 15, Ailigh is ready to fly the nest—earlier than I expected. She doesn’t even have her driver’s license. But next fall, she’ll spend a semester in Italy. In her application essay, she wrote, “Going to Italy for a semester is a sample for the rest of my life—a hint at the exploration that will happen, and the people I will meet and the impact they will have on my life.”

It’s not lost on her dad or me that these months away will shape how she imagines her future. It’s already shifted how we see our own.

As Ailigh prepares for her semester in Italy, David and I are sketching out a trial version of our own—maybe a few months living somewhere new, a preview of what retirement in another country could feel like.

How do we pay for all of this? That’s another essay. But each trip rewires our priorities a little more, guiding conscious financial decisions and intentional trade-offs. Travel isn’t a reward for how we live. It’s how we choose to live.And soon, Ailigh will be finding her gate again—only this time, in a country of her own choosing, without us beside her. That was always the hope, wasn’t it? That all of these shared miles would one day become her compass.

Photo courtesy of Megan Padilla

The post How Family Travel Rewired Our Lives—and Our Future appeared first on SUCCESS.

At the Qualtrics X4 Summit, Meyer offered a rare perspective from a business leader with regard to hiring employees. “I really don’t give a damn what your IQ is,” he said. “We are hiring for HQ [hospitality quotient] … What an IQ basically says is one’s aptitude for learning. What HQ is, is the degree to which someone is happier themselves when they provide happiness for someone else.”

Meyer determines whether a person has a high HQ by looking for six emotional skills: integrity, optimism, intellectual curiosity, work ethic, empathy and self-awareness. This refreshing departure from the typical metrics used to measure your potential to thrive in the workplace got me thinking about how crucial it is that the same line of thought be applied to college admissions.

A more holistic approach to evaluating students for college admission

As the mother of a bright, multitalented and compassionate teenager who is in the throes of applying to colleges, I was pleased to learn that more universities are now screening student applications using a holistic review process similar in concept to Meyer’s HQ approach to hiring.

Many colleges now take into consideration evidence of one’s character alongside their SAT and ACT scores, GPA and class ranking. An applicant’s leadership roles, extracurricular activities, work and volunteer experience all increase their chances of standing out in a pool of applicants.

This holistic review enables students, who might not have even been given a second glance due to a low SAT score, a better chance at securing admission to college. (Many top universities still require an SAT score for admission. For example, Harvard University enrollees boast high SAT scores.)

However, the tide is turning on test scores being submitted as a mandatory requirement. According to FairTest, over 80% of four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. did not require college hopefuls to submit an ACT or SAT score for admissions consideration in fall 2025. They were evaluated on their GPA instead.

Whether an applicant is deemed worthy of entering certain colleges and universities has historically been determined by their intellectual abilities. But it’s prudent to change the focus and make it more kaleidoscopic. Students should be evaluated based on multiple facets of their existence. Someone can score a 1600 on the SAT, but are they also a good person who will thrive in school and be a beacon for others?

Susie Watts, author of Beyond the GPA, How to Give Your Student an Edge With College Admissions and college consultant at College Direction, says that students should amount to more than a listing of their numerical data.

“Students are more than just their GPA and test scores. They bring diverse experiences, perspectives and unique attributes that enrich campus life,” she says. “By considering personal backgrounds, extracurricular involvement and individual challenges, colleges can create a more inclusive and vibrant community that encourages not only academic success but also personal growth and collaborative learning, ultimately preparing students for a diverse world.”

The soft skills colleges seek in applicants

Katie Beringson, MEd, director of admissions for the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Arizona, evaluates potential students to ensure they have the soft skills required to be veterinarians.

“We actively look for empathy and compassion in applicants…. Test scores are limited in what they can tell us about a candidate and cannot reflect an individual’s capacity to show empathy,” she says. “Our questions during the supplemental phase and multiple mini-interviews allow us to score our applicants’ responses based on empathy, teamwork, resiliency, etc. We believe these qualities are essential for our future veterinary professionals.”

Beringson shares that grades are just one piece of a larger puzzle to be granted admission to the program. “We want students who will not only survive vet school but also become excellent veterinarians,” she says.”To be exceptional, it’s not just about getting high grades; it’s about heart, determination and how you treat animals.”

Amy Addams, director of student affairs alignment and holistic review at the Association of American Medical Colleges echoes this sentiment. “Strong academic performance alone doesn’t make a good doctor,” she says. “While medical knowledge and the ability to apply it are essential, patients and communities also need physicians who are compassionate, who listen, communicate well and treat each person as a whole, without making assumptions about them.”

Addams also notes that students should be assessed holistically given their overall life experience. “Understanding an applicant’s context is crucial,” she says. “This includes their family, educational and financial background; the community settings they grew up in, lived in, worked in; and the opportunities or challenges they’ve faced along the way. Did they have access to enrichment opportunities or support? Did they have to work to pay for college? Did they excel in an activity that required discipline, resilience, coaching and commitment? These factors not only shape who they are, but also offer insight into their academic potential and motivation to pursue medicine.”

How HQ directly applies to college admissions

Dan Lee, co-founder of Solomon Admissions Consulting, has spent more than a decade helping students gain entry into elite undergraduate and graduate programs. He affirms that these institutions do indeed look beyond grades and test scores. “Top universities can fill their entire incoming freshman class five to six times over with students with perfect grades, perfect testing and amazing extracurricular activities. So, yes, they have to look beyond just grades and testing to select their incoming class,” Lee explains.

He explains that students who want to attend the nation’s most prestigious universities “have to have it all to be admitted—perfect grades, perfect testing, a compelling application [and] high intellectual vitality.” But Lee says that colleges also apply each facet of Meyer’s HQ philosophy to their evaluations of applicants.

Below, Lee outlines the emotional skills lauded by Meyer and how each applies to college admissions.

1. “Integrity: Top colleges look for academic integrity. If a student has been reprimanded or expelled for academic dishonesty in high school, that’s typically disqualifying at the top colleges.
2. Optimism: Top colleges look for future academic leaders in their fields. Most of these leaders who will make an impact will be optimists by nature.
3. Intellectual curiosity: Top colleges use a metric called “intellectual vitality” to measure applicants’ intellectual curiosity outside the classroom. Activities that bolster the intellectual vitality rating include conducting academic research with a professor in high school.
4. Work ethic: Top colleges already screen for work ethic. A smart student with high testing and poor grades due to a poor work ethic will not be admitted.
5. Empathy: Top colleges screen for empathy. Many top colleges rescind offers to admitted students who post racist or bigoted remarks. 
6. Self-awareness: Top colleges already screen for self-awareness through their essay questions.”

Colleges and businesses want people who can make an impact

Danny Meyer delivered the commencement speech at his alma mater to the Trinity College graduating class of 2024. In his speech he explained that he was “rejected from Princeton, rejected from Brown… and wait-listed at Trinity. Accepted nowhere.”

“I sat down to write the most important letter of my life to Trinity’s dean of admissions, explaining why I knew that we were just right for each other. I committed to enrolling if Trinity would take me off the waitlist,” he added. Meyer was accepted at Trinity, where he earned his degree and went on to become a celebrated alumni who has received multiple awards from the college. He experienced firsthand the importance of being evaluated above and beyond standard protocol.

“The personal trait most important to college admissions is impact,” Lee says. “Can this student make an impact if admitted? Most top colleges look for high impact students.”

It takes more than a high IQ to make an impact, which is why HQ should also be evaluated during college admission and hiring processes. This will help populate college campuses and the workforce with well-rounded people who have the emotional skills to excel, while creating the kind of ripple effects that make the world a happier place.

Photo courtesy of PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

The post HQ: The Trait That’s Just as Valuable as IQ appeared first on SUCCESS.