Robert Frost wrote one of the most quoted poems of all time. He urged the reader to make the bold choice. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” What a crock of you know what. In today’s world, who...
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Don’t Like This Post
I want you to do the hard thing. But I don’t think you’re capable. But just in case you’re paying attention I’ll tell you what I want you to do anyway: don’t like this post (1). If you even read this, which you probably won’t (because the average reader spends about a minute and...
Continue readingThe Fallacy Of Before And After
We love transformation stories. An overweight recluse who now has ripped abs and confidence. A homeowner who buys a condemned house and restores it to its 1940s glory. An author who only had ten followers and is now on the bestseller list. We put two pictures side by side and say “See? What a...
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If Its Not Ready, Let It Bake Longer
You’d never take a loaf of bread out of the oven halfway through baking it. You’d end up with a doughy blob you can’t eat. You’ve got to let it bake longer. It takes patience, diligence, and self-awareness. Ok, we’re not talking about bread here. We’re talking about your ideas. Sometimes you have a...
Continue readingConfidence Is Easy
When things are good confidence is easy. It’s when nothing feels right that our resilience is tested. We have to dig deeper. A baby who goes to sleep easy teaches us nothing about how to be a parent. A baby that refuses to sleep and fusses no matter what we do forces us to...
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Do You Want To Win A Gold Medal?
When I started rowing, winning a gold medal was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to learn to row because it terrified me, and somewhere deep inside, I knew it would change my life. So when one of my first coaches asked me “Do you want to win a gold medal?” I...
Continue readingWhen Your Ideas Get Stolen, And They Will Get Stolen
Reposted from LinkedIn: Seth Godin 🌔 was right when he said people are going to steal your ideas. I work hard to share my ideas with you. And if I’m doing my job well people will share them and build off of them. They might even blatantly copy them. But at the end of...
Continue readingWhat Do You Do?
“What do you do?” It’s a common question. Small talk. I’m a doctor. A concert pianist. A mechanical engineer. That doesn’t tell us much. A better question might be “How do you make an impact?” I help people manage cancer diagnoses. I inspire people with my sonatas. I build bridges that keep people safe....
Continue readingProblem Solvers Or Makers?
There are problem solvers. And there are problem makers. Problem solvers notice something difficult and see the opportunity to make it better. Problem makers notice something difficult and whine about it. Problem solvers self-reflect, empathize, take the blame, and keep moving forward. Problem makers fire off the cuff, yell, and chastise. Problem solvers connect...
Continue readingThe Beautiful Thing About Curiosity
Kids ask a lot of questions. You’ll answer one and then they’ll have a follow up. Their curiosity is impossible to satisfy and that’s a beautiful thing. Sometimes it might feel easier to say “I don’t know” or “because I said so.” But that’s a disservice to you and to your kids. Contrary to...
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