The Blog

Author’s note: When referring to terms as philosophies, they are capitalized. When referring to modern-day common usage, they are not.

Epicureanism and Stoicism are enduring ancient Greek philosophies and remain relevant. 

Why?

Like other philosophies of the time, Stoics and...

What are you certain about?

Are you absolutely sure about that?

I mean, really, really, absolutely certain.

It’s said that in this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.

But even those absolutes appear to be challenged these days.

So, if there...

Ready to live without limits in the second half of life?

There’s a moment when we realize there’s more living behind us than in front.

It can be depressing and even triggering.

But the second half of life is also an awakening that you and I haven’t yet even come close...

Success is not the measure of your ability.

Neither is failure.

In my work as an encore life coach, I look past success AND failure.

Here’s why.

We conflate success with our ability to make good decisions.

We confuse failure with our inability to make good decisions.

But here’s the...

The journey to make a difference in the second half of life is fraught with contradictions.

The biggest one that I witness (and experience) is navigating grandiosity and insignificance.

Your life’s calling should be big, right?

It can certainly feel that way.

After all, we’re...

Can you figure out how to play your game by playing someone else's?

When I first started to learn to play jazz guitar, several teachers told me that to become a better improviser, I had to transpose and learn solos from other great guitarists.

It was bullsh*t advice.

Sure, they could...

Seneca was a well-known (some would say “notorious”) businessman, political advisor, and writer who lived during Nero’s rule of the Roman empire.

He even served as an advisor to Nero before the emperor sentenced him to die by slitting his own wrists.

But that’s a story for...

Decisions matter. They matter a lot.

Why?

First, every decision to do something is also a decision not to do many other things.

Second, deciding not to do something is a decision and works exactly the same as above.

Third, a bad decision can end your ability to make ...

To play your game is to define the difference only you and craft it into a meaningful endeavor done with and for people you care about so you can live your legacy.

However, while you pursue what you want on your terms without compromising on the content of your character, there are...

Are you winning the game of life based on the rules you learned in school and on the job but not feeling the thrill of victory?

You’re not alone.

Many begin feeling lost and empty in midlife despite following the rules of the game of life established by society.

Although, you can recognize...

What are mistakes, really?

The etymology is clear.* The prefix mis- (meaning “badly” or “wrongly”), changes take (meaning “grasp”) to “grasp badly or wrongly.”

In other words, we didn’t get what we tried to grasp when we made a mistake.

But...