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Category: Archives

The full collection of explorations.

Hope Is Not A Strategy

Published on June 25, 2021

Hope is not a strategy.

  • “Hopefully, I’ll wake up on time.”
  • “Hopefully, I won’t get too busy.”
  • “Hopefully, I’ll do better tomorrow.”

Strategy is action-oriented.

  • “Here’s how I’m going to wake up on time.”
  • “Here’s how I’ll manage my tasks.”
  • “Here’s how I’ll do better.”

Hoping for change is about as helpful as praying for luck—it isn’t strategy, it’s lazy.

Even if change did happen luckily, wouldn’t you prefer to be the cause of change in your life? Rather than supernatural forces and serendipity doing the work for you?

The most successful among us don’t rely on hope or luck, they act. Will you?

Moving Forward In Darkness And In Light

Published on June 24, 2021

Observing—even learning from—other people’s mistakes can illuminate a path forward for you.

But, having your path illuminated is much different than trudging through the darkness yourself.

Use both to keep moving forward, but don’t expect one to act as a substitute for the other.

Some lessons can only be learned in the dark. And some roads are too hazardous to travel without light.

Don’t Offend The Universe

Published on June 23, 2021

It took us 13.8 billion years to get to today.

And you’re gonna waste it on…?

Complaining? Overthinking? Hating?

The universe is offended.

Let’s use this small slice of eternity in the most grateful, thoughtful, loving way(s) we can.

No waste.

When Arguments Are Needed

Published on June 22, 2021

With vulnerability and authenticity, arguments aren’t needed—genuine connection happens seamlessly.

When walls are built around emotions and facades cover feelings, arguments act as the storms that tear down those “fronts” to finally expose what’s fortified underneath:

Vulnerability and authenticity.

Where Best Moments Come

Published on June 21, 2021

I find that the best moments often closely follow the worst ones.

  • The moments of compassion that closely follow pain.
  • The moments of gratitude that closely follow grieving.
  • The moments of redemption that closely follow injustice.
  • The moments of decision that closely follow breaking points.
  • The moments of vulnerability that closely follow heated arguments.
  • The moments of presence that closely follow run ins with death.

If you find yourself in some of your worst moments, hang on. Allow the depth of the experience to move through you. Let it deepen your roots into the ground.

Remember that, eventually, your worst moments will be no more. They will pass as all moments do—best and worst alike. And, more solid into the ground, you will be able to reach higher into the sky than ever before.

How do I know this? Because it’s how great heights are only ever reached. Not in spite of the worst moments—as a result of them. Not without deepened roots—precisely because of them.

Where Ripples Ripple Best

Published on June 19, 2021

Where’s the best place to make a pond ripple?

Answer: there isn’t one.

Where’s the best place to make a difference?

Answer: there isn’t one.

Right where you are is as good as any.

Just start turning your ideas into actions and toss them into the pond.

The ripples will follow.

Who Brings Out The Best/Worst In You?

Published on June 18, 2021

Question #1: Who brings out the best in you?
Question #2: Who brings out the worst in you?

And now for my real question: Is it really ever anyone but you?

In other words, sure, it’s easy to think that the best people will bring out the best in you and the worst people will bring out the worst in you. But, what comes out from you shouldn’t ever be dependent on them.

What comes out from you should solely be dependent on you.

Everybody should get your best. Not because they deserve it or have earned it—maybe they haven’t. But, because regardless of who you’re surrounded with, even the worst, nobody has the right to control your state of mind.

Life is too short to spend even one minute (that’s sixty seconds we’ll never get back) in your worst state.

And that’s not all—it perpetuates. Their worst state becomes your worst state which likely will become someone else’s worst state. We have to become the alchemists of our minds. We must learn to convert anger to patience; frustration to perseverance; pain to creativity. We must choose to break the cycle.

Otherwise, we might as well pass over the quality of our life to the people nearest to us throughout our days. And hope for the best.