For my entire career, I have worked alongside highly ambitious professionals. I have drafted countless talking points, helped leaders prepare for more than a few board meetings and Town Halls, sat beside them in public and private moments, and heard some of the most brilliant individuals hurl brutal criticisms at themselves (and others) because they believed it would help them perform better.

Just about every week, a client, friend, or acquaintance shares something with me that’s rather painful…and not like, “gee, that sucks” painful. I’m talking like, “I don’t share this with many people…” painful.

To be clear, it is a privilege to be entrusted with these personal and painful stories, as they are usually rich with insights. However, I can also tell you that there are two words that always come up that I wish we would all stop using: FIX IT.

Last month, my husband and I embarked on the trip of a lifetime. We dropped into the Grand Canyon to raft 220 miles of the Colorado River.

For 14 days, we loaded, floated, braced, paddled, splashed, and crashed through more than 80 whitewater rapids under the tutelage of five remarkable guides and their two assistants - most of whom were as strong in body as they were in character.

A client’s willingness to re-group and start over is all that really matters to me, and it’s all that should really matter to YOU because it's a integral part of the adult learning process…and it’s usually tethered to a whole bunch of other valuable information like…