Do you believe in destiny? I do.

I'm not alone. Several philosophical and spiritual disciplines argue that personal, interpersonal, and extrapersonal events unfold as they are meant. Many quantum physicists concur that the cosmos and everything in it are ruled by determinism.

An implication of...

We can probably agree that negative self-talk does not serve our efforts to improve ourselves or improve our well-being. My guess is that fewer of us would agree that positive thinking can have the same unhelpful effect.

That's okay. I'm not sharing these reflections for agreement. I'm searching...

About ten years into my career as a full-time professional musician, I decided I'd had enough. Playing out 300 days a year, crappy meals, crappier lodging, cranky bandmates, fickle audiences, and slippery venue owners had me feeling burned out and over it.

I announced my decision to quit music...

Difference-makers like us strike a posture that is often outward-facing. We're generous and eager to serve. We care, and we give.

But there's a danger to this approach. Unselfish magnanimity has its limits. If you give and give and give, at some point, you will simply give out. 

What to do?

In sports, halftime is a scheduled pause in play. An opportunity for teams to reset–a time to rethink strategy and recalibrate tactics before resuming play. It's scheduled chronologically, midway in the action, but sometimes provides space for a timeless and even transformative moment.

As a...

What the heck does delight have to do with making a difference?

Plenty.

Human beings are hardwired to be attracted by and embrace delight. Unexpected pleasure or joy is what makes moments memorable, even mundane or challenging ones. 

Ever had an especially great server at a restaurant? My...

The last time I wrote about identity, I addressed the perils of clinging to identity narratives. Today, I wonder if rethinking the grammar of identity might promote a healthier and more holistic way to think about who you are while holding space for who you aspire to be.

We most often...

When was the last time you experienced overwhelm?

For me, I negotiate with overwhelm on a daily (almost hourly) basis. In fact, I'm dancing with it right now as I try to write this. What do you say when you don't know what to say? What do you say when you can, in fact, say anything?

Here's...

You're probably familiar (maybe painfully so) with my fondness for ancient wisdom. If so, you may have heard me reference the quote, "Know thyself."

This is the most well-known maxim inscribed above the entrance to the Temple of Apollo, where the ancient Greeks sought prophetic insight from the...

Human beings have always made sense of themselves, their circumstances, and each other through narrative. I'm telling myself a story about myself, about what's going on around me, about you, and even telling myself a story about the story you're telling yourself about me.

It all gets...

 A time-tested and scientifically vetted 3-step process to help you be the curator of your experience, the steward of your perception, and an agent of your destiny.

Stillness in the Storm

Life in the ancient world was full of adversity. If you lived to adulthood, you likely endured war,...