Skip to content

Category: Living Well

Character Review Score

Published on November 1, 2025

One of the best things you can do for a business (outside of giving them your business) is leave them a positive review.

This is one of the—if not the—top criteria people who have never been to the business use to determine whether or not to come.

Only a small percentage of people will actually leave a review… but everybody, at the least, subconsciously reviews everything all the time.

And each of those reviews adds up to what society might say is the businesses success at doing business.

Think about how this might relate to you.

While we aren’t getting physically reviewed, per se, we’re always getting, at the very least, subconsciously reviewed.

And each of those reviews adds up to what society might say is the person’s ability to contribute.

And not just from a value add perspective (like running a business that adds more societal value than what it charges)—I mean from a character perspective.

Are you averaging a high score from all of the positive interactions you’re having with all of those whom you cross paths with throughout your day? Or are you averaging a low one?

The goal with this exercise isn’t to get you thinking that every interaction should be transactional and with the goal of eliciting a great review.

The goal should be to get you thinking about how you treat those who can’t do anything for you… the overwhelming number of people you cross paths with on a daily basis whom you don’t even consciously notice… the people who trigger and irritate you, etc…

…What would you say your overall average review score is?

Streaks and “X’s” > Pounds

Published on October 30, 2025

Remember that the ultimate test of a personal development system is what you do about it on your worst days—not your best ones.

Meaning don’t measure progress in how you performed when you were feeling well rested, motivated, and excited… measure progress on whether or not you showed up when you were exhausted, irritable, and over it.

Personal development is measured better in streaks and “x’s” on a calendar over pounds on a bar or lost on a scale. Get this right… and the rest will take care of itself.

The Simple Addition Of Good

Published on October 27, 2025

There are opportunities for good in everything we do.

  • We could go for a walk. Or we could go for a walk with a trash bag and pick up street garbage along the way.
  • We could post a selfie. Or we could comment thoughtful and kind things on other people’s selfies/posts.
  • We could make dinner for ourselves. Or we could make a little extra for our neighbors.
  • We could do our job and leave. Or we could do a little extra and help another employee out.
  • We could have a party and spoil ourselves. Or we could have a party with a purpose and point resources/efforts towards a charity or cause.
  • We could read a book. Or we could read a book and start a conversation, share our favorite insights/quotes throughout, or lend it to someone who you think would really benefit from reading it.

This isn’t to say you should always do things in this way.

…Sometimes, you just need to go for a damn walk or read the damn book.

But other times… what you might really be missing, that you might not even realize, is this simple addition of good in these tasks you’re already doing daily.

…The opportunity is already there. All it takes is a pinch of added intention.

Gigantic Intention

Published on October 23, 2025

Do you know what’s better than cursing the litter? …Picking up even just one piece of trash.

Do you know what’s better than judging those who are out of shape? …Going on even just one walk with one of them.

Do you know what’s better than watching algorithmic content that triggers you? …Deliberately watching even just one piece of content that inspires you.

Do you know what’s better than being endlessly too busy? …Reprioritizing and making even just one block of time work in your favor.

Do you know what’s better than being a perfect role model who falls short sometimes? …Being an imperfect role model who continuously seeks improvement and shares lessons learned along the way.

Do you know what’s better than gigantic intention? …Even just one small action completed.

Hating Your To-Do List Isn’t A Good Strategy

Published on October 19, 2025

Exercise isn’t something you ever complete.

Maybe after a session, sure, you can check it off your daily to-do list.

But, when tomorrow comes or maybe the day after that, guess what? …There it is again.

Understand this and maybe you’ll stop exercising in ways that make you hate exercise.

…Understand this and maybe you’ll stop doing all things that can’t be completed in ways that makes you miserable about doing them again the next day.

“Well… Life Goes On…”

Published on October 16, 2025

…This is what my friend with Alzheimer’s says at the end of most of his thoughts.

He’ll finish telling me a story about his life or sharing an idea or answering a question and he’ll say, almost every time,“Well… life goes on…”

Specifically, and maybe most potently in my mind, I remember him telling me how he went to several brain doctors to see what they could do to help him and they each essentially said,“Nothing really”—and I can still see him taking a long pause, taking a breath, and letting the words fall from his lips as naturally as the breath would’ve swirled into the surrounding air… “Well… life goes on.”

…Why utter these words so frequently?

…To me, it’s a statement of surrender.

…But, not in a bad way—in the most important of ways.

In the way that comes after the due diligence… after the heavy research and experimental trials and errors… after the “buying the best money could buy” and using every connection you’ve ever even faintly connected with…

Yes… after all options have been exhausted and the reality of a situation hovers overhead…

It’s a mantra that allows you to surrender to that reality… and rather than fight against life… it allows you to get back to the living of it.

Because just as there were names forgotten… there were dance moves remembered.

And just as cups of tea were lost… there were meaningful conversations found.

And just as memories were fading… new memories were made.

Because, yes, indeed…“life goes on.”

…But if we don’t surrender from the fighting, we’ll miss what’s available now and all that’s left to see.

Don’t Wish For Easier Jobs

Published on October 16, 2025

I started teaching adult martial arts classes when I was young.

I remember being in high school and college, getting in front of a class of parents, higher ranking black belts, and business professionals thinking to my self, “Who am I to be giving these people lessons?”

But, I was thrusted into the position nonetheless and forced myself to add as much value as I could to make myself feel better.

And most of what I taught was essentially just copy-pasted techniques, tactics, and strategies from my instructors.

…But, I can remember a few very distinct moments in my journey when I decided to take a risk and do something of my own.

Once such moment was a time I decided to completely change the format of the class and do self-defense first rather than last. My thought being that’s how it’s going to be in reality, so why do a warm-up for self-defense in class?

Another such moment was a time I decided to create a 12-week strength training program that would assign specific exercises, reps, and sets in each class (instead of just doing spur of the moment, arbitrary exercises) that could replace resistance training at the gym.

And another moment, one I still remember vividly to this day even though it has been 15+ years… is the moment I decided to give an off-the-cuff speech at the end of class highlighting things I learned from study… to hopefully inspire these people who were two, maybe even three times my age.

…And I’ve been working on that last one ever since.

My point being: don’t pray for easier jobs; challenge yourself to do the hardest ones… better.