Problem Solving 101

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." ~ Albert Einstein My riding lessons are a constant source of inspiration and realization for me and I've found that lesson learned in the ring translate into valuable principles for more effective living. The most recent realization came as a …

Continue reading Problem Solving 101

True to Yourself

"I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." ~ Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass, the social reformer, writer, statesman and former slave was known for his oratory eloquence and his faithfulness to the cause of equal rights for women and African Americans. He lived in a tumultuous era and spent …

Continue reading True to Yourself

Great Expectations

"You can't base your life on other people's expectations." ~ Stevie Wonder Some people live their lives in total disregard of the expectations of others, while others base their entire sense of self-worth, purpose and meaning on how well they feel they are living up to the expectations of others. My concern this morning is …

Continue reading Great Expectations

On Friendship

"But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restored and sorrows end." ~William Shakespeare In a life of some 39 years I have encountered a great many people. No matter how rich, poor, tall, short, wise, foolish, serious, playful, famous, unknown, old, young, and so on they may be or …

Continue reading On Friendship

The New American Dream

I came across an interesting passage in Seth Godin's Linchpin yesterday evening that I wanted to share with you, as always, with a few of my thoughts on the topic. Godin noted a seismic shift in the way work happens in our era, as distinct from earlier times and summarized his thoughts in this description …

Continue reading The New American Dream

The Art of Expression

"It is not enough that a man has clearness of vision, and reliance on sincerity, he must also have the art of expression, or he will remain obscure." ~ George Henry Lewes You can have the best product in the world, but if you don't package it correctly, it will be lost in the crowd. …

Continue reading The Art of Expression

A Cure for Superficiality

“Democracy needs to be reborn in each generation and education is its midwife.” ~ John Dewey, Twentieth Century Education Theorist A friend of mine recommended New York Times columnist David Brooks' recent TED presentation to me yesterday (David Brooks: The Social Animal) and after having listened to it I am pleased to pass it along …

Continue reading A Cure for Superficiality

The Value of Apprenticeship

It is my great pleasure to announce that my brother-in-law and I completed our two year falconry apprenticeship yesterday! We couldn't have done it without the guidance and support of our sponsor, Buster Brown, the patience and stoicism of our trusty Red-tailed Hawks, Lexi and Heath, and the words of advice from many others in …

Continue reading The Value of Apprenticeship

The Open Doors

The first step to effective problem-solving is to realize that a problem is nothing more than an unassembled solution. The more challenging problems typically require more intricate solutions, yet on occasion you might have the good fortune to resolve a complex and seemingly insoluble matter with stroke of genius. When you approach a new challenge …

Continue reading The Open Doors

Your Pool of Resources

I stumbled upon something in my meditations this morning that would, properly employed, save a lot of people a lot of times and go a long way to improving life on earth for everyone. That something is a simple habit that I had the good fortune of learning at a relatively young age, after admiring …

Continue reading Your Pool of Resources