“One more seminar. One more book. One more coaching session. One more practice run-through. Then I can start,” we think. Why not start now? Why not grow on the go? Why not learn while you live? Why not conceptualize while you create? Why not improve while you move? Who sold us on this false dichotomy… Continue reading You Haven’t Practiced Until You’ve Performed
Category: Tough-Minded Optimism
These are all the posts written in my first two years of blogging. At that time, the name of the blog was Tough-Minded Optimism and my primary emphasis was on self-help, new thought philosophy, and inspiration.
The Mark of Mastery
Never let leading take the lead over learning. Our greatest responsibility is not to the growth of others, but to the continual evolution of our own intelligence, our own integrity, and our own sense of imagination. The best way to reach the people we teach is by maintaining what Zen Philosophy calls a “beginner’s mind.”… Continue reading The Mark of Mastery
It’s Not Easy Being Right
“You can be right without being righteous about it.” -Ram Dass Why do people have such a difficult time admitting they’re wrong? Maybe (just maybe) because those who are right are not always so gracious about the fact that they are right. Sometimes we’re more invested in proving our point than in making it easier… Continue reading It’s Not Easy Being Right
Those Who Wish To Teach, Must First Learn to Respect
There’s an inverse relationship between the size of a teacher’s ideas and the size of a teacher’s need to make their students feel small. A lover of knowledge understands that education does not require humiliation; that a learner’s intelligence doesn’t need to be insulted as preparation for it being informed. The broader one’s understanding of… Continue reading Those Who Wish To Teach, Must First Learn to Respect
BYOJ
Some party invitations suggest “BYOB” for “Bring Your Own Beer.” I’d like to see one that says “BYOJ” for “Bring Your Own Joy.” If we all did that, regardless of the event, life itself would become a party. Sometimes the best way to have a good time is to make up your mind ahead of time that you’re… Continue reading BYOJ