When I started working for myself full-time, it opened new possibilities. My wife (Colette), and I began imagining what this job change could mean. What was now possible that wasn’t possible before? One of things we pondered was where to live.

I was no longer tied to an employer and a locale.

Sure, this was my hometown, and my parents and my brothers’ families were here. Also, many dear friends whose hearts were part of ours. And a church that we loved. But we felt hungry for a...

^{Photo by Anna Tarazevich from Pexels}

Hey, hey, Happy New Year! I hope your year is off to a good start. I’m not big on creating resolutions for the new year, but I do like to evaluate what changes to make. In Dream Big, Bob Goff says that he quits something different every Thursday. I’m not going that far, but I like the idea of considering what to quit and what to add. Here are three changes I’m making in the new year.

#1: More Writing, Less Podcasts

Last July we started...

Today’s my last day at EnergyCAP, the family business where I’ve worked for the last 18 years. In July, I stepped down from my full-time Human Resources role to serve part-time. I wanted to spend more time developing my own business, Chris Heinz Co., and the Christian Life Calling Institute.

But after trying that for a month, I decided it wasn’t working. I couldn’t give either workplace the time, focus, and attention they needed. So, I chose to leave the family...

You find two kinds of people in life and work—those who pursue self-awareness and those who do not. Those who do not can become those who do, but it usually takes an act of disruption—even violence—to upset the status quo of self. I think we’re better off knowing ourselves than not.

Here are five reasons why:

You’re stuck with yourself, do it for you.

Face it, you’re stuck with yourself for life, so why not make the most of it? You can either go through...

I have for the last few days been caught up in a passage by Henry Drummond. Drummond was a natural science lecturer in the late 1800’s. He lived only 45 years, but was a Gospel preacher and writer as well, impacting the world marvelously in areas of science and faith.

His writing stands on its own, but in this post, I will share excerpts from his 1890 work, “The Greatest Thing in the World,” and then comment sparingly.

“The Gospel offers a man life. Never offer men a...

What’s the difference between coaching and counseling? Most people don’t know. We shared previously that according to the 2017 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study, only 30% of the public correctly identified coaching among other modalities such as mentoring, consulting, and counseling.

We already discussed the difference between coaching and mentoring, so now let’s tackle counseling. There’s a time for counseling and a time for coaching—Lord knows I’ve...

As of today, I’m no longer working full-time at EnergyCAP. I’ve moved to part-time status to make room for growing Chris Heinz Co. and the Christian Life Calling Institute. I’m grateful for my history and excited about the future.

Five years ago almost to the day, I posted this on Facebook:

It was an opportunity to shift my career from software marketing to personal development. Like new steps, I didn’t know how it would go, but I knew that personal development was...

A study looked at the early lives of 300 exemplary people who left indelible marks on the world. These were 300 world changers like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill, Gandhi, and Clara Barton. They contributed in various ways across various times and in various industries but held some things in common. What did the study find?

Among these 300 exemplary people:

• 75% were troubled by poverty, broken home or difficult parents
• 74 of 85 fiction writers and 16 of 20 poets saw...

If you hang around motivational speakers, influential teachers, and inspirational coaches long enough, you’re bound to hear something along the lines of, “Just follow your passion.” As if following your passion is all you need for everything to work out. But what if you do follow your passion and then go bust?

Like I did. Several times.

Passion can be a powerful indicator and companion in life calling, but it can also get you off track. It turns out passion is...

I am so grieved and upset about the news reports of sexual misconduct and abuse by a very well-known international Christian leader. I am sorry for his victims, family, ministry supporters, and the damage this will do to the cause of Christ. This isn’t the first time a leader with a prominent life calling has fallen, and it won’t be the last.

But let his fall teach us something about our call. You don’t have to be famous to learn something here.

Depth of character matters...