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Woody’s latest film reminds us that the world may not be without purpose, but it’s not without magic.  That’s a deeply comforting thought. One that can help inform and ennoble our existential priorities.  Because no matter how many times we fatalistically wonder to ourselves, what the hell is the point of all this, there is always an asterisk at the bottom of the page, pointing to the moments when the magic…

Michelangelo said that every block of stone has a statue inside of it, and that it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.  The operative word, of course, is discover.  Not create or build or invent or make from scratch, but discover.  To chip away and allow that which is already present to reveal itself.  It’s a counterintuitive approach that takes some getting used to, but once you…

Some things cycle into your life for a season for a reason.  And that’s okay. In fact, each of us must build our capacity to recognize the point when relationships, cities, jobs and other life phases no longer have anything original or important to teach us.  It’s like a sixth sense. A spiritual law of diminishing returns. And it requires a rare combination of gratitude and detachment that allows us…

I once stumbled across an application for a sales position that made the following disclaimer.  We are an evangelical ministry, and our strategic plan is to use prayer to attract new customers.  Well then. That’s certainly one way to run a business.  Hope it works out for that company.  Although in my experience, the best way to get new customers is through the attraction of working, not the arrogance of…

The unusual receptivity of their creator’s eyes. If we are to convey the distinct timbre of our thoughts and make pronouncements truly worthy of the world’s attention, it all beings with the quiet moments that we notice out of the corner of our eye.  The openness to allow those unremarkable events to fill our soul with remarkable delight. And the audacity to put them wax and carry our truth…

Patterson, the number one selling fiction novelist of all time, gives this advice to budding fiction writers: Don’t think about the sentences, think about the story.  That’s been his approach to writing dozens of bestselling novels for over thirty years. Rather than showing off with snazzy sentences, he focuses on the core of the scene. And it’s that story which grabs the reader’s attention quickly, makes them hold on…

A comedian friend of mine performs at a variety of open mics around town, almost every night of the week.  His personal challenge for improving his comedy game is, he tries to throw himself off a cliff once a night.  Meaning, there has to be one joke, one moment, one movement or one expression that terrifies him. Because it’s risky. It’s dancing on the edge of danger. The bit…

When I first went into business, I would prepare for sales calls by spending twenty minutes in bathroom, quoting my fee in the mirror.  It was humiliating. But that’s how scared I was. And in those early years, you have to take your confidence where you can get it.  Of course, there’s nothing more maddening than the first time you actually do get the guts to ask for the money, and the…

Here’s an interesting riddle.  You can’t spell comparison without the word prison.  Think about it. That’s exactly what happens inside of our minds when we indulge the thief of joy. We add ten pounds to the bar wondering what the other guy is doing. We look at the people around us for evidence of why we’re not good enough or smart enough or successful.  When the reality is, who other…

Tyson said it best.  Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.  Which is a holy mantra for the boxing world, but also helpful metaphor for the real world.  Because there are always invisible forces working against us. Peer pressure, power structures, tribal gravity, social influence, family guilt, group dynamics, to name a few.  And despite our most honorable efforts to stand by our values, the…