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Category: Enjoying The Journey

How To Keep The Fun Alive In Things We Take Seriously And/Or Work Really Hard At

Published on November 15, 2025

1. Alignment: Make sure you’re aligned with whatever it is you’re serious about and working really hard at. If you’re playing a sport to please your parents (because they’re living vicariously though you) or you’re practicing law because a younger you thought it would pay a lot of money (turns out, you also have to pay a lot in stress and time committed)—then obviously, it’s not going to be fun because you’re not doing the thing for you. See maybe you don’t align with the sport your parents are pushing you to play… but, you do find yourself drawn to a different sport or can’t help but doodle and draw when you’re passing time. Doing things because you enjoy the means is play… doing things because of a specific end is work. Prioritize doing more of the things you would do even if you weren’t being paid to do them—things that maybe you’re even paying to do. Enjoying the means is the crux to having fun.

2. Prioritize play: Once you’re in alignment, the second part is to give yourself permission to not take yourself so seriously and be more playful. Being playful is a mindset and a skill that’s developed just like any other muscle. Maybe you joke more or answer questions in silly ways or smile in the midst of busyness or cheer somebody up who’s beating themself up or model taking responsibility in a more lighthearted way… Ultimately, this step isn’t something that should require too much conscious effort… it’s something that should naturally arise when you’re aligned and you’ve given yourself permission to do so.

Lessons From The Playground

Published on September 14, 2025

There is so much we can learn by watching kids play at a playground.

How does one start to play? By picking something, doing something with/on it, and making it fun. A much better strategy than watching and waiting for somebody to invite you to play.

How does one play with others? By inviting them to do the fun thing you came up with or by asking others doing fun things if you can join. Sometimes this happens without even exchanging words—it can be communicated in energy. A much better strategy than sitting on the bench bored or like you’re “too cool” for any of it.

How does one keep playing without losing the fun? By playing with others who are fun to play with; by sharing the playground and being open to others’ play ideas; by making sure you’re having fun and contributing to the overall fun of the space. A much better strategy than playing with those who cheat, are mean, or hurt others; who don’t share the playground and don’t listen to others’ ideas; and who aren’t having fun or contributing themselves.

At the end of the day, our daily lives aren’t that much different from what happens on a playground… it just seems that kids are so much better at doing it and that it’s something we somehow forget along the way.

Keeping Death Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

Published on July 3, 2025

In all Bosnian cities, they place cemeteries in the city centers—in the prime real estate locations—so as to remember those who have come before… and to serve as a reminder of where we’re all heading.

Contrast this with most other cities in the world… and what will you find at the city centers?

And maybe more importantly to consider… where are the places for those who have passed in those cities? What about the places where those who are about to pass go? Where do we (you) ever stumble across death in our lives (besides the news where we’re desensitized to all things violence and death)?

…Keeping death out of sight, out of mind doesn’t help with life.

In fact, I’m of the opinion that it makes us forget where we’re all undeniably heading. And when you forget where you’re heading, you forget to make the most of the trip along the way.

Favorite Moments Rhyme

Published on February 8, 2025

Close your eyes and bring to mind your favorite moment from yesterday…

Now bring to mind your favorite moment from last week…

And then bring to mind your favorite moment from last month…

And keep going back for a year… maybe two… maybe ten…

It’s impossible to know for sure what your favorite moment of tomorrow will be.

Or from next week, next month, or over the next few years…

But one thing is for sure… your favorite moments from your past are excellent indicators as to what might lead to favorite moments in your future.

Maybe not in an identical way… but at the very least in a way that rhymes.

…Trust the rhythm of your life.

Lost In The Mix

Published on February 3, 2025

One of the worst things you can do at the start of a journey of learning… is compare yourself to those who have already reached mastery.

Suddenly, you’re going to see they’ve put in 10,000+ hours and if that’s where you want to be… then tick, tock, tick, tock… the clock is going to feel like you’re biggest adversary.

Deliberate practice for that long… you’ll tell yourself… is for a younger, more independent, freer me. And you’ll start looking for and finding the reasons why mastery isn’t probable.

But, like a clock stared at while working a dreaded shift at work… it’s the perspective that becomes the greatest obstacle towards achievement—not the gap of time.

And rather than count how many hours you have to spend before you reach a certain level or count how many steps ahead of you different people are… what you really have to do is what they found a way to do for all that time that lead up to mastery…

And that’s to get lost in the steps… to get lost in the hours… to learn from the masters and to never compare… to turn off the top 1% highest achievers achieving on repeat via algorithmic feeds and to focus even just 1% of your daily energy on building your dreams…

And not to do it to beat… or prove… or impress…

But, because that’s what living looks like… lost and completely absorbed in the mix… feeling young, independent, and free.

Stitching Together Life Experiences

Published on January 28, 2025

Like a DJ, I love the idea of seamlessly stitching together one beat of one experience of my life to another beat of an upcoming life experience.

…How can I take what I learned and play it like music in my everyday life?

…How can I stay in touch with the people I’ve met and turn single beats into a rhythm?

…At which point in my life’s track am I—the intro, the build, the drop, the breakdown, the second build, the second drop, the second breakdown, the outro, etc—and how can I fully embrace this section of it while also planning ahead where I want the next phase to take me?

What I love about watching great DJs is that they masterfully balance being present and dancing to their sound while properly planning ahead where they want to go.

And whether you realize it or not… what you do daily shouldn’t feel so much different.

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

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.