The thin line of choice we face every day between us and the world Photo by Katerina Pavlyuchkova on Unsplash “Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated.” The quote above is from Confucius. I think about it from time to time — whenever my list of things to do seems to have swelled to larger… Read More »To Make or to Be Made
No matter your environment, practicing humility in speech is a great step toward being a better person Photo by Adam Nir on Unsplash In Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, he lays out 12 virtues that would serve as his guideposts for becoming a better person. Temperance Silence Order Resolution Frugality Industry Sincerity Justice Moderation Cleanliness Tranquility Chastity But Franklin… Read More »The One Virtue Ben Franklin Prized Above Them All
Some thoughts about a famous 20 year-old quote and what it means for how to learn and strategize Photo by Sammy Williams on Unsplash In 2002, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was conducting a briefing about the possible link between Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. At one point, a member of the press asked… Read More »Known Knowns, Unknown Unknowns, and Everything in Between
The internet is saturated with content about mindfulness. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more widely discussed phenomenon in a wider array of different spaces — from business to technology to mom-blogs to the world of sports. The buzz about mindfulness continues to be loud. There are apps, journals, classes, books, podcasts, and so on.… Read More »What I Do When Meditation and Mindfulness Practice is Too Much
The benefits of simple, deep rest sessions as an alternative to the baggage of a practice Photo by rayul on Unsplash The internet is saturated with content about mindfulness. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more widely discussed phenomenon in a wider array of different spaces — from business to technology to mom-blogs to the world of sports. The… Read More »What I Do When Meditation and Mindfulness Practice is Too Much
An off-beat guide to better investment — both financial and social I recently finished the book The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. It’s a great, concise book that does triple duty as an autobiography, confessional of a dying man, and collection of frank and quirky advice. One of my favorite stories from the book is so short, it’s… Read More »The $100,000 Salt Shaker and Other Worthwhile Investments
On approaching 40, my pretend rocket ship, and my 7 year-old self-improvement coach Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash Watching my kids grow up has been an experience truly unlike any other. And I’m not referring to how fast time flies, and how quickly they grow, and all those old clichés. That all happens, yes, but… Read More »The Merits of Never Fully Growing Up
On sculpting a life you can be proud of Photo by The Digital Marketing Collaboration on Unsplash A few days ago, I turned 38. As I read that sentence to myself, it’s still hard to reconcile with how I see myself. 38. That’s almost 40! That’s the age of my parents — my friends’ parents — Mr. and Mrs. Whatever. But… Read More »What Can You Do Without?
The simple ethical principle that’s stuck with me for over half my life Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash I’m always on the hunt for simple principles for better living. So here’s one that I’ve held dear for quite some time. It goes back to my early days in college — right after I failed at being an illustration major,… Read More »“A Kingdom of Ends”
Of Tempo, Timing, self-knowledge, and listening to feedback Photo by Abbie Bernet on Unsplash I love the power of a good question. A good, simple question can refresh stale thinking and change how you view yourself. It can get your mind back on track, and out of a rut. Here’s a good one, which I lifted from… Read More »Are You Rushing, or Are You Dragging?
