Hi. I'm Erik.
Officially, my bio says I am an author, mentor, speaker and facilitator. But that doesn't quite capture who I am.
You can learn quite a lot about me in different places throughout this site, particularly through reading my blog posts. For now, however, I’ll give you just three words that are at the core of who I am, what I believe and what I’ve spent the last 30+ years doing:
People. Choice. Change.
What I mean is that I have an unusually successful track record of helping people of all kinds – both individuals and groups – to interact differently with each other and the world, to see the truth that “you always have a choice,” and to experience the life change that comes with positive forward movement.
I’m good at it. Really good. And I still get just as excited to see that light go on in people’s eyes and minds about the power of choice – about getting ”unstuck“ – as I did when I first began.
Would you like to know more? Are you stuck and looking for ways to move forward in your life, your group or your business? Are you looking for new ideas on how to put the power of choice into action toward making a bigger difference in the world and living like it matters? I'd love to hear from you.
Hi. I'm Erik.
Officially, my bio says I am an author, mentor, speaker and facilitator. But that doesn't quite capture who I am.
You can learn quite a lot about me in different places throughout this site, particularly through reading my blog posts. For now, however, I’ll give you just three words that are at the core of who I am, what I believe and what I’ve spent the last 30+ years doing:
People. Choice. Change.
What I mean is that I have an unusually successful track record of helping people of all kinds – both individuals and groups – to interact differently with each other and the world, to see the truth that “you always have a choice,” and to experience the life change that comes with positive forward movement.
I’m good at it. Really good. And I still get just as excited to see that light go on in people’s eyes and minds about the power of choice – about getting ”unstuck“ – as I did when I first began.
Would you like to know more? Are you stuck and looking for ways to move forward in your life, your group or your business? Are you looking for new ideas on how to put the power of choice into action toward making a bigger difference in the world and living like it matters? I'd love to hear from you.
Congratulations on a very practical, thoughtful and useful book. Great advice ... and compelling. Nice work. Thank you for what you are doing to change people's lives.
Karen May
Vice President, People Development
Congratulations on a very practical, thoughtful and useful book. Great advice ... and compelling. Nice work. Thank you for what you are doing to change people's lives.
Karen May
Vice President, People Development
Filled with wit, humor and poignantly real stories, The Best Advice So Far shares collective wisdom through a new lens, as well as practical application for living like it matters (because it does).
I believe in this book. I’ve lived it. And I’ve seen the difference that the principles have made in the lives of countless people, like Dezi M. from Pennsylvania who had this to say:
And I know it can make a difference in your life, as well.
That’s why I want to get you started reading it right now. CLICK HERE to download the entire first three chapters (plus a BONUS chapter that has been one of the most popular . . . “so far”).
Over the last 25 years, I’ve been a facilitator, speaker and personal mentor to several hundred people. In more recent times, I realized that, no matter how many people I might positively impact one on one, that scope was limited. I also realized that the core principles or “advice” I was passing along over the years, while not new to me, certainly were new to most people. The value in writing a book, then, seemed apparent. A book would allow me to share a good amount of positive, life-changing stuff with an unlimited number of people who might not otherwise ever come across it and whom I might never have the opportunity to meet in person.
I acknowledge briefly in “The Big Idea” section above that the title, The Best Advice So Far, may cause some to question what exactly I mean by it. I am by no means claiming that I’ve somehow invented the best advice the world’s ever heard. In fact, if something is true, it’s always been true. I didn’t invent it. The title actually arose from the repeated exclamations of those I’ve mentored over the last two-and-a-half decades: “Wow, that last thing we talked about was the best advice so far.” But I make it clear from the Preface that The Best Advice So Far is a collection of the best advice I myself have heard and applied personally so far, and which I now share in writing with others.
I’m an eclectic kind of guy by nature. And The Best Advice So Far is no exception. It doesn’t quite fit as Self Help, Psychology, Inspirational, Motivational, Spiritual, Anecdotal or any of a number of other single sub-genres of nonfiction. However, if you were to mash all of the above together with a few other things (e.g., Humor, How-To, etc.), you’d have whatever the genre of this unique book is.
Really, categories aside, it’s meant to feel like a conversation between friends more than anything else.
This book can NOT change your life. In reality, no book or advice or program or mentor can. Only you hold that power. But what this book does contain is practical truth – truth which you can choose to embrace and to put into practice. Therein lies the power of change.
The Best Advice So Far is not intended to be read all the way through in one sitting. While there is certainly a flow and progression to the ideas, each chapter also stands alone. It is meant to be read and pondered, experimented with – not merely “finished” or skimmed. It is my hope that the book will be less of a “good read” and more of a go-to resource for your life.
I’ve been encouraged many times to nail down a specific target audience. And as a writer, I’d generally agree with this approach. However, after much consideration, I just couldn’t identify one type of reader. Why? Because the theme of The Best Advice So Far – that you always have a choice – is universal. It applies to all ages, all races and nationalities, all careers; to individuals, groups and organizations.
In short, the target reader is Everyman (and woman).
The reader is invited into each chapter of The Best Advice So Far with an engaging story or essay, all based in personal experience. This is followed by a succinct and unique central principle (the “advice”). And then, for those who are serious about taking some risks and making changes regarding that advice, the rest of each chapter focuses on experimentation and practical application strategies. There is also an Appendix of “Questions for Reflection and Discussion” that will allow you to extend your learning and application even further.
I carefully designed The Best Advice So Far to be flexible and far reaching in scope.
The book is organized so that the chapter titles can double as a kind of “menu” for those interested in inviting me to do keynote talks, workshops, group discussions and facilitation.
It also contains an Appendix of “Questions for Reflections and Discussion.” This was designed to be helpful for personal consideration or journaling, as well as for small group discussion (e.g., for book clubs, classrooms, workshops, etc.) or assignment work (e.g., for use as a coursebook, in counseling situations, etc.).
The Best Advice So Far is also a perfect gift, and has been given often by readers to their friends and family for: birthdays, graduation, weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and other times marking a new beginning.
People who have not yet read the book sometimes ask me, “What’s up with the lemonade?” So I thought I’d answer that question right here.
Remember the feeling of hope and possibility and adventure you had running a lemonade stand as a kid? Well, one of the chapters in The Best Advice So Far is entitled “Lemonade”; It’s based on advice passed along to me by my best friend some twenty years ago. In short, it’s about my “rule”; to always stop at lemonade stands – a choice which, even in its simplicity, represents an others-centered mind set (as opposed to merely a me-centered one), as well as serving as a reminder that we can choose to remain childlike in many ways as we grow older, without being childish.
Three decades of experience mentoring, speaking, educating, facilitating and developing workshops led to the writing of The Best Advice So Far, TRIED & (Still) TRUE and ALTERNATE REALITY . While I love being a writer, my first passion is people (in fact, people are why I write in the first place). I have an unusual ability to connect, to see beyond what is to what is possible, to help people get unstuck and to inspire change. How might I best be able to help you, your group or your organization see challenges and each other in a new light, and [re]gain positive forward momentum?
Three decades of experience mentoring, speaking, educating, facilitating and developing workshops led to the writing of The Best Advice So Far, TRIED & (Still) TRUE and ALTERNATE REALITY . . While I love being a writer, my first passion is people (in fact, people are why I write in the first place). I have an unusual ability to connect, to see beyond what is to what is possible, to help people get unstuck and to inspire change. How might I best be able to help you, your group or your organization see challenges and each other in a new light, and [re]gain positive forward momentum?
“You always have a choice.” That statement is simple but powerful. It’s life changing. And it applies to every single one of us.
Groups, companies, organizations – they are all made up of individual people. Real people. It’s easy to forget that sometimes, and to see only “teams” and “committees” and “projects” and “roles.” My aim is always to bring it back to the level of the person and the choices each person can make.
What I’m saying is that the target audience for what I do is you. Whether you are an individual needing life coaching, a group looking to hone your interpersonal skills, or a large business at an impasse with regard to issues or goals, “You always have a choice.” From that starting point, the possibilities are endless.
The what?, why? and how? tabs above will provide plenty of ideas as to the kinds of things we could do together in the live setting, in order to gain positive forward movement.
If you haven’t already, I invite you to read the who? tab above, before reading this section. It will provide context for the list of suggested live interactions listed here.
The following is a list of some of the live options others have requested and enjoyed:
life coach / personal mentor – keynote address – conference presenter – tailored workshops (part-, full- or multi-day) – group facilitation (topical) – conflict resolution – brainstorming / problem-solving sessions – HR / professional development training – live readings with Q&A – guest author (book club, educational, etc.) – guest lecturer for school or university – school collaborative or camp group courses
Do you have something else in mind? I love creative collaboration and would be happy to talk more with you about bringing your idea to life. Also, be sure to read the how? tab here for more information on tailoring live options to meet your specific needs or goals.
If you haven’t yet read the who? and what? tabs above, please take a moment to read them. They’ll help put this section in context.
The central idea in everything I write and speak about is this: “You always have a choice.” And I realize you have many choices available when it comes to bringing someone in to present, facilitate, train or consult.
So why choose me? What do I offer of unique value? I’m glad you asked.
First and foremost (and as odd as it feels to say it about one’s self), I just have an innate ability to connect with people and to get to the heart of things. Why was Mozart Mozart and not just another good pianist or composer among the millions? I don’t know. He just was. He had that je ne sais quoi that was part of his being, and which allowed him to stand out. I have something like that, as well … only with people.
At heart, I am a storyteller. What this means to you is that, whether we’re doing one-on-one life coaching, small-group workshops or a presentation to a thousand people – interest and engagement will be high. And really, who needs another boring meeting? (I sure don’t.)
I also embrace creative flexibility. So while the core concepts from which I operate remain constant, I can tailor talks, trainings or whatever else we do to your specific situation, theme or needs (see the how? tab above for more on that).
“You always have a choice.” With this statement serving as the central theme in everything I do, it should come as no surprise that you have plenty of choices regarding the way we might approach live options.
This is about you. Your group. Your company. Your needs and goals.
Of course, I can help with ideas and suggestions. For instance, though reading the book is not a prerequisite to live interactions by any means, one popular approach is to refer to the table of contents from The Best Advice So Far and peruse the chapter titles for themes that resonate with you.
It all starts with connection. Why not visit the contact form and introduce yourself. I’m not a high-pressure kind of guy, so it will just be two real people talking, not a sales pitch. If you decide that what I can bring to the table is a good match, great! We can discuss the details and begin creating a plan for making our ideas a reality.