You can't have a successful business and a balanced life. You have to choose. You're not pretty enough. Life is not Disneyland. You can't have fun all the time.

I listen to lots of podcasts. And while I have a few core podcasts I don't ever miss, I am constantly trying new shows out, looking for fresh voices I can put into my listening rotation.

Recently, I’ve had a peek “behind-the-scenes” of a number of very large businesses, and very successful entrepreneurs… and investors.

A young woman has quit smoking, been promoted at work, and run a marathon. An untested CEO takes over one of America's biggest companies and focuses on just one behavior pattern in the company, and very soon Alcoa is at the top of the Dow Jones. A marketer at Procter & Gamble notices a seemingly insignificant pattern while studying videos of how people make their beds. As a result, the company makes a small shift in advertising and Febreze goes from being one of the company's biggest flops to earning a billion dollars a year. What do all three cases have in common?

If you're a freelancer or service professional, you know the pain of the “problem client”. Once they are “inside your gates”, they cause nothing but trouble.

As we begin a new year, it's popular for many bloggers and podcasters to make “predictions” about the new year. I prefer not making predictions (unless I feel inspired to do so), but I will point out 7 crucial trends to watch for in 2015.

I've heard from a few folks that there might have been a hiccup in my podcast feed. One person asked me, “Why have you stopped making new episodes?” This makes me sad.

Have you ever suffered from depression or anxiety? Depression is a major problem in the world today. By the year 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression will be the number two cause of “lost years of healthy life” worldwide.

It has been said that as Christians, we live under Grace and not under the Law. This is true, and I rejoice in it.

We often treat the future as if it's a mystery. As if we don't have a say in it, or any control if it. And while there is some truth in that, there is a deeper truth also.

This is a special episode where I'm taking the time to answer a ton of questions from listeners and readers. I really enjoy these kinds of shows, and this one is no exception.

You want the coming new year to be your best year ever. What are the most important factors to ensure that's what happens?

Tomorrow has been stolen from us. Fear permeates the media, as we are deluged with endless messages about murder, betrayal, violence, rape, and horrifying acts of inhumanity.

Can we be honest for a second? It's not easy making progress against our big goals, is it?

It's the time of year when we all start to think about making resolutions and setting goals for the new year… and we're either happy about it, or cynical.

Chances are, you're thinking about 2015, and how you can make a “fresh start” in the new year. The very end of the year is the perfect time to set your objectives for the coming year. But there’s a danger in doing this, as well.