The Line Between Right and Wrong

By Jim Owen

Do you agree with the cowboy principle that “right is right, and wrong is wrong, and there’s nothing in between”?  Or perhaps you are more inclined to think like a young university student I met in a Penn State classroom not long ago.

Kent Noble and I were honored to conduct one of our Standing […]

March 26th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on The Line Between Right and Wrong|

Discovering your life’s currency

By Kent Noble

It may not surprise you to learn that success and happiness seem to go hand in hand. According to a New York Times opinion piece written by Arthur Brooks, president of a public policy think tank in Washington, D.C., research shows that people who feel they are successful are twice as likely to say they are […]

February 24th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Discovering your life’s currency|

Frigid Days, Warm Hearts

By Jim Owen

It’s already been one of the worst winters in years, and a new line of storms is slamming much of the country with heavy snow, punishing winds, and sheets of ice. The weather has been so severe that many areas have declared states of emergency.

But, dangerous and difficult as this extreme weather can […]

February 7th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Frigid Days, Warm Hearts|

Real-Life Stories of Cowboy Ethics in Action

By Jim Owen

“What you give is what you get.”  Life really does seem to work like that, doesn’t it? My job title at the Center for Cowboy Ethics is “chief inspiration officer,” and it’s one I take seriously. So imagine my delight when, right on the heels of my last blog post, on “being a difference,” a […]

January 24th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real-Life Stories of Cowboy Ethics in Action|

The New Year’s resolution I didn’t see coming

By Jim Owen
For years, “Make a difference” has been one of my guideposts for life. Through my books and speeches, as well as the activities of the Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership, I‘ve hoped to inspire others in ways that meaningfully change their lives.Now I’ve got a new mantra. Last month I was honored […]

January 7th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on The New Year’s resolution I didn’t see coming|

Finding Happiness in the Holidays

By Jim Owen, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer, Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership

I’m often asked, “What’s the payoff for integrity?” That’s a topic I touch on in my speeches, and I’ve got several answers. But to me, the most compelling one is that being clear on what you stand for, and living by those beliefs, […]

December 23rd, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Finding Happiness in the Holidays|

Competing with Heart

By Jim Owen, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer, Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership

If you’re the kind of person who cultivates Try in your life, you probably find inspiration in the stories of others. And once you start looking, you discover there are stories of Try all around us. Recently I happened on a running blog with […]

December 11th, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Competing with Heart|

Cowboy Gratitude: Giving Thanks for Our Partners

by Jim Owen, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer, Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership

In this season of giving thanks, the cowboy is, as always, a source of inspiration. Throughout their history and right up to the present day, cowboys have rarely possessed much in the way of material goods.   Yet they know they are rich in […]

November 25th, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Cowboy Gratitude: Giving Thanks for Our Partners|

Living the Cowboy Code – It’s Also about Community

by Jim Owen, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer, Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership

For anyone who wants to be someone of character and live an ethical life, knowing what you stand for is essential.  But cowboys remind us that having a code to live by isn’t enough.  What matters is living your code, and how it shapes the […]

November 13th, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Living the Cowboy Code – It’s Also about Community|

The Goldman Sachs Story: Why Every Business Needs a Code to Live By

by Jim Owen, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer, Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership

As someone whose first career was in the investment industry, I was fascinated to read the Wall Street Journal’s recent review of a new book called “What Happened to Goldman Sachs.”  Written by someone who, like the book’s author, had formerly worked at the firm, […]

October 15th, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on The Goldman Sachs Story: Why Every Business Needs a Code to Live By|