The Blog

Play your game all in and full out.

That’s my mantra.

But what does that mean (and where does it come from)?

I was assigned the Bhagavad Gita in a 7th-grade world religions class.

I loved the story but didn’t fully understand all the references.

For instance, I remember asking my...

Ever had your feelings hurt or been frustrated by something that was said or done to you?

Have you ever hurt someone else’s feelings or frustrated them because what you said or did was misunderstood?

Why is that?

There’s a gap between the intention of your thoughts, words, and deeds...

This is my 500th blog post.

Time to celebrate, right?

I’m not so sure.

When I began blogging, I didn’t define “success” by a specific number of posts (word count, readership numbers, etc.).

I began blogging to figure things out for myself and iterate and improve upon ideas...

Too many well-meaning difference-makers heed the gospel of grit and grind.

This is dangerous.

Following these false prophets only increases the likelihood of burnout or blowing yourself up.

If you’re working toward a worthwhile goal, some rigor is required.

But here’s what the...

Increasing your peak performance frequency and consistency is a recipe for disaster.

Achieving a new “personal best” daily can only lead to burnout or blowing yourself up.

For instance, elite marathon runners don’t train by trying to beat their previous day’s time day...

What is “hopium?”*

Hopium is a portmanteau (blend of words to create a new term) of the words “hope” and “opium” used to describe a fictional drug to help one stay hopeful in times of stress.

But relying on hopium is as dangerous as the drug embedded within its...

It's really challenging to get done what needs to be done to make a better living while making a bigger difference.

I find this especially challenging as an independent freelancer and solopreneur.

However, I've learned that you can get more done in the same amount of time or...

We live in a world that appears to reward certainty.

“Confidence is belief in yourself. Certainty is belief in your beliefs.”—Kevin Ashton, How to Fly a Horse

You don’t have to look too long, hard, or far to witness powerful people prospering from certainty about...

What do you want?

I mean, what do you really, really want?

That’s a wicked question (and wicked questions are hard to answer because the answer evolves as you move through randomness and time).

And how you move through randomness (AKA uncertainty) and time matters. It...

Do you ever feel like your wheels are spinning but not getting any closer to where you want to be?

I sure do.

Quite often, actually.

And my usual response is to try to do more (and try to do it all faster).

What about you?

Here's the thing. Usually, I'm packing more sh*t into the car and stepping...

Humans are enamored with complexity.

We’re creatures who love to add more.

Why?

The undisciplined pursuit of more provides seductive dopamine hits that feel good in the short term.

Although this robs you of the time and energy needed for the long-term pursuit of what you really want.

...