Giles Stewart

In Atomic Habits, James Clear writes: “You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than your current results.” Lately, I have been very focused on results. I always set a goal each time I row. Because when I do, I know I am rowing with a purpose. It doesn’t matter what type of … More Trajectory

A few years ago at a leadership seminar I attended, one of the speakers posed a question: “How long does money last as motivation?” I immediately shot up my hand to answer. When called upon my response was “two weeks.” The speaker was a little dumbfounded by my response but I explained. I felt that … More Choose Inspiration Over Motivation

Earlier in my life I was never much for setting goals. But now, I set goals for everything. I have health and fitness goals, I have financial goals, I have recreational goals and of course, I have rowing goals. And since January is a time when many of us make new year’s resolutions (goals), I … More Goals

I love to row. I love everything about it, especially the rewards of the effort in terms of health, fitness, and sense of accomplishment. But, I will admit, it’s a fight. A fight with resistance. It seems crazy to me that sometimes I have to fight myself to get on that rower when I love … More Fighting Resistance

Late in my career, maybe too late in fact, I started down a path seeking self-awareness. In a coaching meeting my mentor asked me, “Giles, are you self-aware or do you just think you are self-aware?” Because I’m a confident person (most times) I rushed to answer “of course I’m self aware!” But as I … More Me, Myself, and I

Patience Isn’t a Virtue – It’s a Challenge I’ve never been a patient person. Ever. I was that annoying little kid in the back seat of the car saying “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” (Side note: The more I reflect on my life, especially my childhood, the more … More Patience

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt Just by human nature we compare ourselves to other people. We generally don’t want to do it, but sometimes we just can’t help it. We wind up judging ourselves, letting negative thoughts and feelings enter our minds and affecting our behavior or performance. I struggled with … More Comparison

“A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.” I saw this uncredited quote recently and thought about a rowing experience of mine. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING? I row alone. I don’t go to a gym (I guess lately you couldn’t anyway). … More Encouragement

Imagine your mind in a state of peacefulness, tranquility, solitude, and reflection – ALL WHILE YOUR HEART IS RACING AT 160 BEATS PER MINUTE!!! That’s what rowing is like for me. Eighteen months ago, when my rowing journey began (I had no idea it was going to be a journey, but it became one) I … More Rowing and Mindfulness