The Blog

In the ancient western world, the art of persuasion and influence was taught through rhetoric and was most often employed in political discourse and philosophical debate. Today we still see rhetoric used in marketing and mass media.

The ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, developed three types...

Trauma can break a person. It can also break you open to possibility. It took such a moment for me to realize that I was complicit in creating my own suffering.

Negative narratives I crafted about myself, my experiences, and how I measured up (or more often...

Do stories really matter?

The question is, of course, rhetorical. If you want to make a difference, you have to tell stories. And if you're going to make a bigger difference, chances are you need to tell better stories.

Having a great idea or a cause worth investing in is not enough. If...

For good reason, many are questioning authority these days. For far too long, authority has been unfairly and unjustly distributed.

We should, and we must, cease this historical pattern and work together to extend privilege and opportunity to everyone, starting with those from whom it has been...

Do you ever wonder if you could show up more fully in your life and make a bigger difference?

Me too.

The fear of dying with the difference only I can make still inside became very real to me when I nearly got run over while jogging across a crosswalk during my daily run to the cemetery and back....

Origin stories are often told as if they were well-planned road trips. The truth is, most meaningful endeavors are born of chaos, confusion, challenge, or crisis.

The epiphany that ended my odyssey to define what and who Creative on Purpose is for came thanks to a misstep that almost...

Is life happening to you or through you?

The victim's role is enticing. When the story you tell yourself is that life is happening to you, you're off the hook. "People and forces beyond my control are conspiring against me, oh woe is me." You might even seduce a few friends...

"Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." - George Bernard Shaw

You're a lousy listener. So am I. It's a human thing. We're just not programmed to tune in and understand someone else's perspective or experience.

You and I are telling ourselves stories; stories about who we...

Choose Your Genre. Choose Your Future.

What's the genre of your life story?

Is it a deadly disaster or an action adventure? A melodrama or a thriller? A horror show or a survival tale? A tragedy or an epic? A black comedy or an improv? A surreal show or superhero story? Outlaw or empire...

My wife and I homeschooled our sons. We invested much of that time in cultivating a love for storytelling. The boys were not only avid readers but also developed a love for crafting tales in various ways.

They also had a knack for inventing words to better describe things that existing words just...

• “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...