LATEST BLOG POSTS

I wrote before about how the longer I go without flying, the more people talking about flying sounds like they’re talking about heroin. They sound like they’re craving. They don’t care how much they’ll allow their life to fall apart to make it happen. They don’t care whom their habits hurt. They sound entitled, often whiny. My friend who works with addicts described the squalor they allow themselves to live[…] Keep reading →

I just got back from seeing (and hearing) my niece perform in her junior high school orchestra. On the back of the music program, a section described the value of learning music — not how great learning music was, but how music developed skills and prepared students for other things in life, like math. What happened to us as a culture that anyone feels compelled to justify learning music in[…] Keep reading →

I finally saw how to see reducing versus reusing and recycling. The distinction is subtle until you get it. Then you see that missing it leads people to counterproductive behavior and, egregiously, feeling good about that counterproductive behavior, leading them to do it more. I read yet another person posting about recycling who didn’t realize or address that if we keep producing plastic, it won’t matter how much we reuse[…] Keep reading →

You may have read the empty boat parable. I don’t much like it. I get its point, it sounds too contrived and fortune-cookie-like. The people who say it tend to sound new-agey, which is not a community I associate with. Yesterday morning, I experienced the point of the story without the contrivance. First I’ll share the original for those who haven’t read it. A young farmer laboriously paddled his boat[…] Keep reading →

When last we heard from Dov, about a year ago, he had limited driving his James Bond Jaguar, enjoyed the experience beyond expectation, and said he was considering getting rid of it. For a year I’ve wondered what came of his commitment. Many people “forget” or give up on commitments to bring mugs with them to cafés. What could I expect from a guy who aspired since childhood for a[…] Keep reading →

My book, Initiative, launches in two days. In it I start by describing how Shark Tank, other media, and other parts of our culture that claim to promote entrepreneurship actually discourage it. A few months ago, I met Mark Cuban, one of Shark Tank‘s main figures, at NYU-Stern and saw him playing his Shark Tank role with students presenting. I was impressed with Mark and initially with the format, but[…] Keep reading →

Burpees began eight-and-a-half years ago. Burpees begat other bodyweight exercises and stretches. Bodyweight exercises begat kettlebell exercises. Kettlebell exercises begat bigger shoulders, biceps, thighs, and calves. As I got more fit, I wondered how I wanted to look. At 47, I probably don’t have the testosterone to get jacked, which I think is the technical term for having unusually large muscles. But I never wanted huge muscles. I also don’t[…] Keep reading →