The Blog

In any endeavor worthy of your time and talents you'll face challenges, obstacles, and problems. There's a time and there's a place for educating yourself, preparing, and planning for these moments. There's also a time to dive in and thrash your way to clarity and resolution.

Thrashing is...

The composer knows the rules. He's studied and done his homework. He writes well-crafted arrangements. Specific and carefully chosen instructions are included. The work of a composer reflects his character and purpose, especially when played by those who know how to do as instructed.

The...

It's the day after Thanksgiving here in the States.

If you participated in this tradition built upon gratitude and family, you have a  choice to make today about how you want to begin the next holiday season.

Begin the season of generosity and goodwill with a frenzied foray into...

A 100-year-old Stayman Winesap apple tree in full bloom is a pretty majestic sight.

That's all my wife, and I remembered from a tour of the 38-acre farm in Check, Virginia, that we purchased soon afterward.

We raised our two sons there, in addition to dogs, cats, chickens, fruit trees, berry...

• “I’m not good enough.” Or, “I’m a work in progress.”

• “I’m stuck.” Or, “I’m ready!”

• “I can’t catch a break.” Or, “There’s opportunity in every obstacle.”

• “I’m...

Grace is the act of extending forgiveness or mercy. The word itself comes from the same root as that of gratitude and is embedded deeply into the practice of generosity. Grace requires and promotes excellence of character which includes both moral virtue and ethical will.

Grace is central to many...

Is “what happens next” due to fate or the exercise of your free will?

It's comforting to believe you control what happens next. But do you? What if what happens next has already been decided? What if everything that happens is fated?

"My formula for greatness in a human being is amor...

Art transforms culture. Art elevates and enhances generations. Philosophy and jazz are just two examples of art that changed the culture in which they were born.

Yet when these arts were dragged into the halls of academia to be dissected and disseminated, they died. Sure, you can argue that...

Contemplating life's big questions can make you really uncomfortable. But if you seek meaning and significance, it's worth it.

Here are some that I've asked myself many times:

• What is the meaning of life?
• Why am I here?
• What's the point?

And the answers I arrive at are never final....

Certainty and confidence are tools of the status quo. They cultivate fixed mindsets, false beliefs, and inertia. Certainty and confidence discourage imagination, innovation, and investigation. Even worse, they dissuade the human instinct for curiosity, courage, and creativity.

And the...

It begins, like an itch, with awareness. You see a challenge or an opportunity.

You pay attention. The itch intensifies. You begin to ask questions like  "What's going on here?" "Is this worth paying attention to?" and "I wonder what happens next?"

It's time to decide. Are you...

In the game of life, are you playing a finite game or an infinite game?

James Carse's short book about this is worth tracking down and reading.

The Finite Game Approach to Life

A finite game has clear rules and ends with clear winners and clear losers. 

Winning a finite game of life means...