I get a lot of emails from the local business newspaper celebrating the latest round of 40 under 40. I’m glad some people found success in their 20s and 30s. But that’s not my story, and it’s probably not yours either. I’m proud of what I have accomplished. As I approach my 44th birthday in… Continue reading Take your time and enjoy the process
Category: Reflections
Searching for the truth in conversation
I take interviewing people seriously because I’m searching for the truth and looking for wonder. Someone once told me during an interview to relax; it’s not 60 Minutes. True, it’s not. I’m not a journalist. I’m a soul explorer. In every pound of pain and joule of joy, I’m looking for pure human expression in… Continue reading Searching for the truth in conversation
Addicted to Infinity
It took longer than usual to recognize a significant problem that took root in my daily routine over the last few months: I’ve become addicted to infinity. Instead of spending time in the morning reading books, I was flinging birds at pigs and bubbles—over and over—until I completed the daily tasks or ran out of… Continue reading Addicted to Infinity
Give change a few days
Day one of my four-month journey to write my first book. I planned to get out of bed at 5:30 AM to make coffee, get settled into the couch, and begin capturing what’s in my mind. The alarm greeted me at 5:30 AM after an interrupted night of sleep. I stumbled out to make coffee.… Continue reading Give change a few days
Willingly embracing the identity of student
When we are young, we are labeled and identified as “student.” It is thrust upon us, forcing us to fit into a mold that we spend our formative years of life escaping from; we have no choice. If we aren’t good students, then we become defiant and rebellious. Desperate to find another way, to reveal… Continue reading Willingly embracing the identity of student
Becoming a better leader
I’ve been thinking about leadership for most of my life. From the early days of my life, I’ve been watching those around me make decisions for themselves and the family. Not to mention being a witness to the successes and failures of teachers and students through grade school into college. I wouldn’t have called it… Continue reading Becoming a better leader
Nobody Special: Finding Relief in an Exhausted World
I just got back to the computer after taking a week off. I didn’t really go anywhere—other than the beach, the coffeeshop, and the far away lands present in the books I read—but I did travel deep within myself and come face-to-face with a fear. Not just any old fear, but the deep kind Jay… Continue reading Nobody Special: Finding Relief in an Exhausted World
Misinterpreting my weaknesses
I’m stubborn, obsessive, and opinionated; I always thought these traits were weaknesses. Year upon year, day after day, I hid them from others and shoved those feelings aside in order to fit into a box, a genre, a lane. What I didn’t realize as I fought to find and blaze my own trail through life,… Continue reading Misinterpreting my weaknesses
Clarity is beautifully perplexing
When a question isn’t clear, the answer is equally unclear. You can replace “question” and “answer” with just about any word pairing and the logic remains true. Problem and solution. Process and outcome. Life and death. How do you find clarity? Now that is a question.
Email is the future…of what?
“They” say that email is the future of business. By cultivating an email list, you are able to sell directly to your customers, your fans, your loyal subjects. I get the emails daily from my mailing list provider: “Do these things if you want to grow your list and make a ton of money.” Of… Continue reading Email is the future…of what?