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Pressure is a choice. If we complain that life is crazy and we’re stuck in the weeds and we’re feeling so far behind in everything, that’s on us. I’ts nobody else’s fault that we’re bogged down. Pressure is an elected attitude. And yet, we act as if the fear of missing out is some disease we catch like the common cold. But it’s really just a self inflicted wound….

Few things in this world cause more emotional and existential distress than the thoughts we think. It’s our biological inheritance, for better or for worse. And if we have any intention of living fulfilled and flourishing life, then we are obliged to learn how to orient ourselves around these thoughts. To do so, it’s helpful to view those responses on a continuum. We introduce calm by having an awareness…

Why couldn’t it have been me? We have all asked that question before. It’s the broken record that envy keeps spinning inside our heads. Because apparently, the conditions of our happiness have not been met. We are seeing the difference between life as it is, and how much better it could be. And we’re simply not having it. But the problem with envy, contrary to our puritanical origins, is…

One of the claims of my nametag manifesto is the end of incivility. If everybody wears nametags, we are instantly and consistently accountable. We lack constant invitations for selfish behavior. There’s less incentive to get away with bad behavior, because there are always people watching to positively modify our behavior through healthy doses of social pressure. It’s actually one of the reasons lying is so hard for me. Not…

Divine discontent is part of our biological endowment. According to evolutionary theory, dissatisfaction has survival value. The endless treadmill of the human mind has hardwired biological pressures to always be on the lookout for the bigger better deal. Because without that motivational drive for perpetual bliss, we will surely get eaten, beaten or starve. Just look back at our earliest ancestors. Those who attained perfect contentment were typically left…

When something doesn’t work the first time, we are tempted to globalize our disappointment. Sometimes we define the task as impossible and just give up. Sometimes we define the idea as impractical and switch gears to something more proven and safe. Sometimes we turn inward and define ourselves as incompetent. But whatever our response is to that initial failure, the result is the same. It becomes harder and harder…

Here’s a question comes up every once in a while. Have you ever considered not wearing a nametag for a period of time, just to see if it feels any differently? The short answer is, sure. The idea has been considered. Going nametag naked, as it were, would make for fascinating experiment within the experiment. It would no doubt yield some very interesting insights and experiences. But wearing a nametag…

An auteur is someone who applies a highly centralized and subjective control to many aspects of their creative work. They have a distinct style and a thematic preoccupation. Their indelible touch is reflected on every frame, every page, every track, every move, every whatever. And their voice and vision shines through, regardless of outside interference. French filmmakers coined this term the fifties and sixties. Their theory listed three attributes…

One of the ways we can take the pressure off ourselves is by giving up trying to figure out other people. We can be curious and compassionate and make a concerted effort to acknowledge and appreciate people’s many motivations. But while human beings are predictable in the extreme, on an individual day to day basis, most people are incomprehensible cosmic anomalies. And that’s okay. It’s actually quite entertaining. Liberating,…

If opinions are not something we are terribly precious about, that’s a huge advantage. Not having to be right gives us agility. Brown’s book on emergent strategy puts it best: The easier being wrong us for us, the faster we can release our viewpoint, and the quicker we can adapt to changing circumstances. Adapting allows us to know and name needs in real time, as opposed to wishing and…