How to change a bad habit that you’re already doing into an intentional one that can give you a huge boost toward your goals Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels How do you get that extra push toward achieving your goals — beyond simply writing them down and developing a plan? What kind of tools are out there that… Read More »Harness the Power of “Synthetic Experience” to Supercharge Your Growth
Even if you don’t sleep enough, have too many demands to juggle, and don’t eat right, doing this activity twice daily can help keep you going Photo by Claudia Barbosa from Pexels Like many working people today, I spread myself pretty thin. I only get 5–6 hours of sleep most days, and work a full-time job, while… Read More »The Nearly Effortless Practice That Reduces Stress and Helps You Feel More Relaxed and Ready Every…
Photo by Cam Adams on Unsplash We crave the certainty of a formulaic approach to personal growth, but in many cases, it serves to hurt more than it helps There is something wrong with the way that many of us approach personal growth, and it has everything to do with ignoring a basic principle of life: certainty… Read More »How to Avoid 2 Hidden Dangers on Your Self-Improvement Journey and Feel Better About Your Progress
On what it will take to finally become the vibrant, unified nation that we’ve always know we can be Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash Dear Brothers and Sisters of the United States of America, For so long, we pretended that things were fine when they were not. Some of us believed that amends had been made,… Read More »Love Letter to a Resilient People
Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash These two Japanese concepts shed a new light on how inspiration and creative thinking work To live life creatively, you need inspiration. But don’t let the name fool you. This isn’t the inspiration we’re used to hearing about. It’s not the gift of a muse. It’s not an elusive, temporary magic.… Read More »Ichigo Ichie and Shoshin: Cultivating Inspiration in Your Daily Life
When everything feels overwhelming, focus on the ‘MVM’ Photo: Patrik Giardino/Getty Images About 11 years ago, I got kicked out of graduate school, lost my job, ended a long-term relationship, and found myself in a new town where I didn’t know anyone. I was completely lost. Luckily, I began dating a woman and things got serious… Read More »A Universal Formula for Doing Big Things
The important difference between the ways we convey our message to others credit: Pete Souza/US Government In 2009, Carlton Philadelphia was departing the White House staff after a 2-year stint — which began under president George W. Bush. As had become customary during the tenure of new president Barack Obama, departing staff were allowed to bring in their… Read More »Showing vs. Telling, Feeling vs. Knowing
What we miss when we get caught up in the realm of big ideas, big battles, and big personalities Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash There are some images that stick with you through the years — not because they’re the kind of thing that would make headlines or attract a large crowd — but because they’re simultaneously both simple… Read More »The Little Things Are the Big Things
An exploration of the costs and benefits of believing in a little more… Photo by Manyu Varma on Unsplash I grew up Catholic. I went to Catholic school 5 days a week, church on Sunday. I was an altar boy. By and large, I was Catholic because in Chicago in the 1980s and 90s, if you could… Read More »Just a Spoonful of Mysticism
Examining how a worn out cliché might be helpful to us — just not in the way we might think Photo by Jacob Jolibois on Unsplash Throughout my life, I have consistently heard the phrase “everything happens for a reason”. Sometimes, it’s said because something bad happened, and it’s supposed to be comforting. Sometimes, it’s said because something good… Read More »What Do You Mean ‘Everything Happens for a Reason’?
