Skip to content

Category: Archives

The full collection of explorations.

On Following The Pulls Of Our Pendulum

Published on January 26, 2025

Sometimes, like a pendulum, when you push too hard or for too long into one area of interest you find yourself feeling this natural pull in the exact opposite direction and away from it.

This is what happened to me with personal development.

I was HEAVY into the personal development scene for years. I read all the books. I listened to all the podcasts. I went to all the seminars. Heck, I even created a personal development quote curation website.

And then, one day, I just couldn’t listen to another personal development podcast… and I started listening to music instead.

And then, on another day, I just couldn’t read another personal development book… and I read a novel instead.

And then, on yet another day, I just couldn’t spend my vacation days on another personal development seminar… and I decided to go to a music show instead.

…And you know what?

I feel like I’ve personally developed far more following the pulls of my pendulum and listening to my inner compass than I ever would’ve if I kept shoving personal development down my throat.

This isn’t to say anything negative about personal development books, podcasts, or seminars. It’s simply to say… sometimes we need to pay more attention to the personal in our continued development.

Our inner guidance knows the way. We just have to pay close enough attention and honor it.

On Failing Yourself

Published on January 24, 2025

The only thing worse than failing is not having tried in the first place.

Because not having tried leaves you in life’s most dreaded place: with regret.

…And until you actually believe that, I hope you realize you’re failing yourself.

Playing At Boiler Room

Published on January 23, 2025

There’s a young, up-and-coming DJ who has popped into my feed over the past few days who posts short clips of him DJing with a simple message overlay that says:

“Day 29 of posting sick transitions until I play at Boiler Room.”
“Day 30 of posting sick transitions until I play at Boiler Room.”
“Day 31 of posting sick transitions until I play at Boiler Room.”

…And so on.

I love this so much for a few reasons:

1. He’s making his goal known. To the world, yes—but, most of all, to himself.
2. He’s actively doing something that’ll lead him towards that goal—he’s not just puffing air.
3. He understands that it’s going to be a process and has committed to a daily practice that—at the very least—is going to make him into an incredible DJ… and at the very best—is going to result in him playing at Boiler Room… and more.

Inner Work Prompt: What’s one of your big goals? And what might you commit to doing daily that’ll get you there?

We Are Never Carved From Stone

Published on January 22, 2025

Yesterday I mentioned a sudden interest in music… and how, at 35 I’m playing around with the idea of playing around with music.

Most people at 35—or in this general age range we’ll say—typically assume they know who they are, what they like/dislike, how they want to live their life, etc…

But, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

As I said yesterday, we are never carved from stone. We are always a river flowing towards something new.

And if you’re paying attention… you might notice some “pulls” in different directions… “pulls” that might very well be worth following…

Here’s what my “pulls” towards music looked like:

  • I noticed I get triggered when music is cut without a good fade.
  • I prefer to listen to music over podcasts or silence or audiobooks in all of my downtime.
  • I’ve been obsessed with DJ tutorial videos and how to seamlessly (and brilliantly) transition one song to the next.
  • I’ve adopted a belief (from Burning Man) that music IS the space—oftentimes more so than the space itself… and I’m acutely in tune with the energy and vibe the music being played brings (or should be bringing).
  • I’ve experienced first hand the unifying power of music—and how it connects people of all races, religions, colors, creeds, or political affiliations. It is the antithesis—the antidote even—to so much of the division that is only getting worse in everyday life.

Inner Work Prompt: Reflect on the past year of your life. Have there been any “pulls” in your life that might be worth following and creating a space for?

Keep On Playing

Published on January 21, 2025

One of my young employees told me yesterday that he’s not sure he wants to be a martial arts instructor when he gets older because he feels a pull towards science.

“…You’re 14,” I told him.

And then proceed to say something along the lines of: Of course you’re not sure what you want to do when you grow up. To think you should know what you want to do for a living at 14 is crazy. And anyone who tells you or makes you think you should know that by 14 is crazy.

…Lean into your interests. If you feel a pull, follow up. But, keep your doors open. You just don’t know how things will play out… the key, I think, is to just keep on playing.

And this is advice that I think is as true at 35 as it is at 14 as it is at 44 as it is at 76.

We aren’t carved from rocks. We’re constantly flowing as a river.

I’ve been surprising myself lately with my sudden interest in music—something I’ve never really been drawn to… and I’m 35. My current plan is to play around with it and see how it plays out.

…Advice I’d pass along to you if you’re feeling any sudden pulls in life, too.

The Job Of The Teacher

Published on January 20, 2025

“The job of the teacher is to create the conditions for the student to explore their incompetence long enough to learn something useful.”

Seth Godin

The job of the teacher isn’t to make the student feel bad about their incompetence. Nor is it their job to paint incompetence as a kind of failure. And it’s definitely not about creating conditions where the student feels worse about their incompetence than when they started.

The job of the teacher, as Seth outlines above (and is worth stating again), is to create the conditions for the student to explore their incompetence long enough to learn something useful.

The job of the teacher is to spark a curiosity about an incompetence and show the student where competence could lead them. The job of the teacher is to make the student feel safe, seen, and heard and create the type of environment that allows for experimentation, mistakes, and expression (for growth isn’t possible without them). The job of the teacher is to inspire the student to want to come back to another session after each one is finished—to be future focused and not overly zealous at the current one.

And whether you want to admit it or not—what all of us need to come to terms with is—we’re all teachers. And each of us is either helping those around us learn something useful… or we’re—either knowingly or unknowingly—facilitating incompetence.

…Who are the students in your life?

Temporary Status

Published on January 19, 2025

In victory, we remain humble… and hungry. Because victory is only a temporary status. And arrogance only makes it more so. Maybe even immediately so.

In defeat, we remain hungry… and humble. Because defeat is only a temporary status. And self-loathing only makes it less so. Maybe even permanently so.

Because most of all, the goal should always be to keep on playing. Because life is only a temporary status. And spectating only makes it feel more so. Maybe even unknowingly so.

P.s. ICYMI you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week here.