Perspective

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A personal newsletter for family & friends.

My humble attempt to share what I've learned while keeping it somewhat entertaining. If you're a nerd like me, you may enjoy the founder & book notes — they're raw jots, not narratives.

94 articles · 131 min total reading

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10 Lessons from 30

I turned 30 recently. Here are 10 lessons I'm carrying forward. 1. Be kind Kindness is a choice. Kindness is an expression of love or goodwill...

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7 min

Feb 20

2026

2 articles · 9 min

An Analysis of My Favorite Writer, Murakami

I've read every Murakami book in sequential order of his writing — from Hear the Wind Sing to The City and Its Uncertain Walls. All of his novels,...

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5 min

Mar 17

The Alter Ego Method

Performance coach Todd Herman spent over two decades working with elite athletes — including the New York Yankees and Danish Olympic teams —...

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4 min

Mar 15

2025

38 articles · 49 min

The Score Takes Care of Itself

I just finished The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh. In short — it's a book about how to be great. An Outsider's Path Bill was an outsider...

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3 min

Oct 10

Do It to Your Absolute Best

One of the worst pieces of advice that I got in my 20s was to divorce my heart from my work so that I could allocate more time elsewhere. This was a...

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1 min

Jun 26

[Founder Notes] Akio Morita

Steve Jobs was inspired by Akio and wanted Apple to be more like Sony. The trait that sticks with me most: relentlessly resourceful. Building a great...

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2 min

Feb 28

[Founder Notes] Andrew Carnegie

Your attention is precious, so guard it. Almost all wealthy men get rich from one thing. Find that domain and become a master in it. Control your...

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1 min

Feb 27

[Founder Notes] Benjamin Franklin

Self educated. Frugal. Created 13 virtues, one of them frugality. Wrote a ton. He created things and then shared them with the community — the public...

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1 min

Feb 25

[Founder Notes] Bob Noyce

Charming, brilliant, warm. Jobs-esque, but kind. Kind of boring to read because he reads like he was just great at everything. Always learning....

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1 min

Feb 23

[Founder Notes] Charles Goodyear

Probably the most obsessive and persistent founder I've read about yet. Spent 20 years trying to make vulcanized rubber, full-time. He had what people...

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1 min

Feb 21

[Founder Notes] Claude Shannon

Claude Shannon may have been, by all accounts, a rare and universal kind of genius. There is much to learn about how he approached...

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1 min

Feb 19

[Founder Notes] Coco Chanel

"Stories sell." Payless opened a pop-up, created stories, marked up 300x, and sold out. There is benefit in being weird and different. High-level...

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1 min

Feb 17

[Founder Notes] Conrad Hilton

3 failures in his 20s: politician, banker, miner/manager. Big break: hotels for big oil workers. Weirdly, the first hotel was bought for about $40k...

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1 min

Feb 15

[Founder Notes] Danny Meyer

Be careful overgrowing. Growth is not inherently bad, but before you grow it is necessary to have the infrastructure in place — a growth system,...

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1 min

Feb 13

[Founder Notes] David Luedtke

Kept his head down. Always building. Obsessed. Frugal — got mad when someone sent paper clips over mail because it would weigh more. Made his fortune...

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1 min

Feb 11

[Founder Notes] Elon Musk

Look to history. The people tell you about human nature. The difference between icons and everyone else is their software, which can be changed by how...

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2 min

Feb 9

[Founder Notes] Evan Spiegel

Ever studied product design? Look at everyday designs and think about how to make them better. He learned from his first venture that it's better to...

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1 min

Feb 7

[Founder Notes] George Lucas

Maintain ownership and control. Stay small or own less money. When showing Star Wars, only one person liked it: Spielberg. To maintain control, Lucas...

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1 min

Feb 5

[Founder Notes] Henry Ford

Obsessed work. People may not see the future you do and may fight vehemently to get you to do what others are doing. Don't aim left or right. Aim...

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1 min

Feb 3

[Founder Notes] Henry Singleton

The CEO has two primary jobs: capital allocation and operational efficiency. Productive guide: every day work on the most important thing. Don't get...

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1 min

Feb 1

[Founder Notes] Herb Kelleher

Pursue perfection of one thing. Southwest = intra-country transport. Stay frugal. Southwest was profitable every year because they didn't go extra....

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1 min

Jan 30

[Founder Notes] Jack Ma

"Jack knew people." We are more importantly a community than our marketplace. "Let's be responsible to our customers." Don't be greedy to get the...

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1 min

Jan 28

[Founder Notes] James Dyson

"I am a creator of products, a builder of things, and I got my name on them." 15 years of struggle. Roughly 12,000–15,000 prototypes to build the...

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2 min

Jan 26

[Founder Notes] Jim Clark

Change = wealth in many forms. Change begets more change. "Growth is just another word for change." The impatient: change and motion beget money....

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1 min

Jan 24

[Founder Notes] John Carmack and John Romero

Team of two. Frugal: enough money to code, eat pizza, and drink Coke. Focus on making each percent matter. That was Carmack. If someone doesn't "get"...

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1 min

Jan 22

[Founder Notes] John D. Rockefeller

His good side is as good as his bad side is bad. Concentration is powerful and underutilized. Focus on the customer and frugality. Obsessed about...

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1 min

Jan 20

[Founder Notes] Ken Langone

A lesson on human nature and developing trust. Start with the negative when convincing someone. Then they fact-check you and see that you've already...

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1 min

Jan 18

[Founder Notes] Leonardo da Vinci

Be curious relentlessly. Curiosity is distinguishing software. Seek knowledge for its own sake. Procrastinate in a useful way — allow time for...

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1 min

Jan 16

[Book Notes] Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

Arnold writes self-help, and he may be one of the few people actually qualified to do it. 1. Have a clear vision. Imagine everything you want to do —...

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2 min

Jan 14

[Founder Notes] Marc Rich

Left his company because of a money gap. Worked hard — so hard he told his wife she could only get two time slots a week. That's the kind of obsession...

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1 min

Jan 14

Welcome to Perspective

Hey friends and family, I'm excited to launch Perspective — a personal newsletter where I'll share thoughts, updates, and reflections on life's...

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1 min

Jan 14

[Founder Notes] Mark Zuckerberg

In the creation of Facebook, Mark was a total creep. Fueled by lust and an obsession with computers and the ability to bend the world around him. That...

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1 min

Jan 12

[Founder Notes] Michael Ovitz

Obsessed — started at 7am and ended at 9pm. Made a ton of enemies. Had to reconcile some relationships later in life. Played hardball. When people...

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1 min

Jan 10

[Book Notes] $100M Offers

Build Your Offer 1. Ask what they really want. The dream outcome. 2. List the problems and limiting actions in detail — the core things preventing...

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2 min

Jan 9

[Founder Notes] Nolan Bushnell

Cherish the pink hair. Hire the obnoxious. Steve Jobs believed he was always right and pushed hard and longer than anyone else to make it happen. One...

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1 min

Jan 8

[Book Notes] A Wild Sheep Chase

Loss is the core feeling of this book. Loss of a best friend. Loss of a business partner. Loss of a girlfriend. Loss of a cat. Loss of purpose in...

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1 min

Jan 7

[Founder Notes] Phil Knight

"Let everyone else call your idea crazy. Just don't stop. Whatever comes, just don't stop." Half a century later, that may be the best advice any of...

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2 min

Jan 6

[Book Notes] Emergent Strategy

"This may only be a dream of mine, but I think it can be made real." After finishing Emergent Strategy, I feel as though I am washed in a way of...

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3 min

Jan 4

[Founder Notes] Ray Kroc

Started building his craft for years, around age 29. Had a series of failures and kept going. Headstrong, like almost every entrepreneur. Got screwed...

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1 min

Jan 4

[Book Notes] Finding the Next Steve Jobs

Nolan Bushnell, creator of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, created multiple creative companies, and the book explains how he was able to do so. Many of the...

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2 min

Jan 2

[Founder Notes] Richard Branson

Limit downside. Cap downside. Maximize optionality and revenue streams. Maintain optionality. While starting Virgin Air, he limited everything to 1...

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1 min

Jan 2

2024

23 articles · 28 min

[Founder Notes] Sam Walton

Obsessed work. Obsessive about learning everything there is to know about retail and competition. Flew prop planes to survey strategy across the...

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1 min

Dec 29

[Book Notes] Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

In his fourth book Murakami takes his fantastical elements to a whole new extreme. Characters still do not really have names — they mostly have...

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1 min

Dec 27

[Founder Notes] Stan Lee

The toughest part is knowing when to write "The End" and where to end it. Most people retire to do what they've always wanted. I'm already doing...

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1 min

Dec 26

[Book Notes] Hear the Wind Sing

Murakami was different from what I expected. The novel is mostly centered around a few weeks in August of the author's 21st year. It's beautiful, but...

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1 min

Dec 24

[Founder Notes] Steve Jobs

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Create a reality distortion field — a combination of charisma and absolute faith. "Nature loves simplicity...

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1 min

Dec 23

[Book Notes] Invention

When designing anything, every component must have a purpose. Much like a shark that must keep moving to stay alive, manufacturers must keep...

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1 min

Dec 21

[Founder Notes] The Dao of Capital

Capital should be thought of as a verb, not a noun. It is a method or path toward an end. The best path is often what appears to be a roundabout...

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2 min

Dec 20

[Book Notes] Jony Ive

Jony developed his design instincts as a child, molded by his father. Five important activities shaped him: questioning why everything was designed...

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3 min

Dec 17

[Founder Notes] Warren Buffett

What some people call obsession, Warren calls focus. His focus is on profitability and good financial standing. Negotiate from a position of...

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1 min

Dec 17

[Book Notes] Long Walk to Freedom

I understand why Hite wants to study law in her free time. Law gives power. Knowing the rules and how to enforce them provides power. This is...

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1 min

Dec 14

[Book Notes] Norwegian Wood

My favorite one yet. Absolutely beautiful and melancholy prose. It's the first book where Murakami gives characters real names. There are far fewer...

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1 min

Dec 11

[Book Notes] Pinball, 1973

There is still a lack of names, but there is a fuller return of understanding from "the twins," the women, the Rat, J, the professor, and even the...

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1 min

Dec 9

[Book Notes] South of the Border, West of the Sun

The main protagonist lives listlessly and without purpose outside of the romantic relationships he is in. He is alone from birth, raised as an only...

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1 min

Dec 7

[Book Notes] Sputnik Sweetheart

After finishing Sputnik Sweetheart, this is probably my least favorite Murakami so far. Sumire is a classic Murakami wild and free female motif for...

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1 min

Dec 4

[Book Notes] Supercommunicators

What does learning a language mean to you? Ask about needs and desires. Ask better questions. Start a negotiation by saying: I don't know what you...

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1 min

Dec 1

[Book Notes] The Billionaire and the Mechanic

Larry Ellison is one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our times. After studying a couple hundred founders, I feel like he and I have a lot of...

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1 min

Nov 27

[Book Notes] The One Thing

Goal Setting Use goal setting backward from a someday goal: five-year goal, one-year goal, monthly goal, weekly goal, daily goal, right now. The...

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2 min

Nov 24

[Book Notes] The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

"How well can you really know someone?" The novel is a story of desire, loneliness, betrayal, reflection, and self-transformation. "Something trivial...

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1 min

Nov 21

7 Lessons from Huberman x Goggins

1. You already know what to do; you just don't want to do it — you're lazy. 2. You have to first examine the inner self and determine what you want....

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2 min

Sep 9

Signs of Burnout

Procrastination. Avoiding responsibilities. The biggest driver of burnout is not feeling appreciated. When you feel it coming, mix it up. Take a...

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1 min

Mar 14

Rockefeller's Rules of Trade

Rockefeller's rules of trade: 1. Follow the laws of trade. High class. 2. Keep to broad and sure lines, and study their reason. 3. Watch the natural...

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1 min

Feb 29

Notes on Leadership and Respect

Leave places you're tolerated for places you're celebrated. Leadership comes down to two things: self-awareness, and the willingness to put yourself...

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1 min

Feb 14

Notes from Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the best animes ever created. It is rich in philosophical inquiry, exploring meaty human ethical questions like...

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1 min

Jan 31

2023

9 articles · 9 min

Mirror Exercise

Take a mirror. Look into the pupil — the eyes of the reflection. Try to hold it as long as you can. See the other person. Another individual is...

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1 min

Dec 31

Make Life Like a Video Game

What if you treated life like a video game? Step 1: Get clearer objectives. Clearly define the goal. Clearly decide the steps. Clearly define the...

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1 min

Oct 31

You Can't Fix the World Until You Fix Yourself

You can't fix the world until you fix yourself. If you die, you die. But if you quit, you'll die for sure. Two lines. That's it. Some truths don't...

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1 min

Aug 31

You Are Enough

What would it look like if you believed you were enough? If I were smart enough, I'd be confident in my abilities. If I were focused enough, I'd use...

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1 min

May 31

Celebrating Rejection

Today, I had my first brand seriously consider us and say no. They were sticking to their guns with affiliate marketing even though we provided a lot...

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1 min

May 4

Listen to the Inner Guide

There is a version of you that already knows the answer. I call mine inner J. When I was at Reverie, I listened to him — and I was most at...

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1 min

Apr 30

Thoughts on Dance

I got back into West Coast Swing for a bit. And I learned a lot from a dance teacher of mine. Here are some of those lessons: "Every song has a story...

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1 min

Mar 31

Thoughts from Kobe

If practice is more intense than Game 7, then Game 7 will be easy. The best way to prove your value is to work. You always want to outwork your...

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1 min

Feb 28

Thoughts from David Bowie

"I want to work well." "Unless you love the process, your dream will remain your dream." "Don't waste one day. Don't waste one minute." "I detested...

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1 min

Jan 31

2022

4 articles · 4 min

How Do I Unblock Myself?

Three ways to unblock yourself: 1. Discipline. 2. Incorporate the scariest parts of you. 3. Sacrifice that which no longer serves you, even if you...

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1 min

Sep 30

I Got Bored One Night

Objective: build an app that acts as a Pokemon emulator on my phone. 1. Download PyBoy to computer; test environment 2. Build super basic Flutter app...

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1 min

Jun 7

The CEO and Product Problem

Most CEOs want to be a product leader. The challenge is that most CEOs know the problem intuitively. While this may be helpful in finding initial...

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1 min

Apr 19

Hesitation Towards Important Conversations

I physically respond to the thought of important conversations — especially ones I'm afraid won't go well. A tightness. A pull away from the thing I...

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1 min

Feb 28

2021

4 articles · 4 min

How to Break Down Learning

There are 4 pillars of language learning, split into 2 categories: input (listening, reading) and output (speaking, writing). The most important...

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1 min

Aug 31

Blessings Come to Those Who Work for Them

A friend of mine just launched her app. 6 months ago she was freaking out about her operations contract expiring. The company she contracted for...

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1 min

Jul 5

Ownership Means Bringing a Solution

Notes from a 1:1 with Naomi: The biggest difference between an analyst and an associate is the amount of ownership: and ownership means bringing a...

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1 min

May 13

On Not Talking Much

When I was younger I wasn't much of a talker. Even now, people compliment that I have "a way with words" — which largely comes from a combination of...

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1 min

Jan 31

2020

3 articles · 3 min

A Large Fly Landed on My Computer

A large "friendly fly" floated into my room and landed on my personal computer. It was odd. Like a camera on the ground in a forest. My apartment is...

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1 min

May 31

Path of Service vs Path of Serendipity

There are two paths. The path of service marshalls all of your resources towards a mission for others. The path of serendipity marshalls your...

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1 min

May 19

The Day I Decided to Step Back Up

When I left LinkedIn I was absolutely gassed. I had two weeks in between jobs to catch my breath. I got super into making ramen from scratch, matcha...

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1 min

Mar 29

2019

5 articles · 7 min

Observations on Japan

I'm on a bullet train leaving Tokyo for Kyoto. It feels serene. Beside me, she sits editing the many, many pictures that we took earlier in the day....

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2 min

Nov 26

What Am I Afraid Of?

What am I afraid of? I'm afraid of being attacked because I let people know too late. I'm afraid of the pain that went into this work last time. I'm...

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1 min

Nov 11

Your Values as a Coat of Arms

Create purpose at work by connecting your values to your work & excel by leveraging your strengths in everything. I asked myself: what were the three...

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2 min

Jun 4

Say What You'll Do

The secret to success as learned from Thomas: Say what you'll do. Do what you said. Say what you did. General advice: 1. Stop catastrophizing...

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1 min

Jun 2

Bees as a Sign

Bees — bringers of good luck and prosperity, industry, love and also fidelity. The lesson of the bumble bee is to become focused. Whether to awaken...

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1 min

Jan 28

2018

3 articles · 7 min

Stuck

Stuck. F**k. Am I stuck? Buried in a mountain of rust. Fired from giant cogs like dust. Stuck. Internally, I feel like I'm not going anywhere. I...

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2 min

Jun 13

The Unreflected Life

The unreflected life is not worth living. The depth of this statement is one that I seem to more fully appreciate daily. I've just finished The Art of...

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2 min

Apr 23

Toska

Toska. Its literal definition is melancholy. But that doesn't do justice to the depth of emotion this word evokes. It is a feeling of spiritual...

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3 min

Feb 25

2017

2 articles · 4 min

You Earned This, Act Like It

I was running late to work, so I decided to pay for an Uber to be in the building for a meeting that morning. My driver talked about how his day...

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2 min

Oct 17

Redemption & Transformation

Malcolm Gladwell has an episode entitled "The Road to Damascus" in which he tells the story of a conflict between the CIA and the public media over an...

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2 min

Jun 26