Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth. I’ve waited to share something I discovered reading his autobiography a few months ago. First some context. It’s the day of your release. You’re a revolutionary, fighting Apartheid, imprisoned for 27 years, much of it in an 8 foot by 7 foot cell or, if outside, breaking rocks. Meanwhile, you’ve become a global celebrity. Over 200 million people watched your London[…] Keep reading →

People describe the burpees I do as a lot and hard. While the number, approaching 100,000, is big, for six-and-a-half years, it’s not that many. I keep trying to reconcile the disparity. Here’s how I look at it. If burpees are the single best exercise, which fitness experts have said, and if they aren’t the best, they’re close, then doing them is an efficient way to stay fit. In other[…] Keep reading →

My Inc. article yesterday, “Elite Universities, Failure, and How They Just Don’t Get It,” began Elite Universities, Failure, and How They Just Don’t Get It Elite universities don’t get failure, revealing a deep strategic flaw in U.S. education. Some solutions are easy. A recent New York Times article, “On Campus, Failure Is on the Syllabus,” reports on how elite American universities are trying to prepare students for things not going[…] Keep reading →

What’s more exotic, a mango or a turnip? In New York City, and most of the U.S., you can buy mangoes at many stores. Turnips are harder to find. People say they travel to experience new, exotic things. But they don’t see that there are new things in their back yards. What’s sweeter, ice cream or an apple? Ice cream has more sugar than apples and for most Americans, who[…] Keep reading →

My Inc. post Monday, “I Do Burpees Daily Because I’m Lazy and Full of Excuses,” began I Do Burpees Daily Because I’m Lazy and Full of Excuses Not having a skill so useful as discipline is a reason to do them, which transformed my life. When I tell people about my burpee habit, their most common response is to suppose I was born with superhuman discipline. I do them daily,[…] Keep reading →

I met Emilio Ron at an event for public speakers. We started talking and he invited me to be a guest on his new podcast, Inspirational Chronicles. The following fits into the conversation we recorded: He invited me to record in the studio he set up. Somehow, despite living in Manhattan, I agreed to take the train—not even the subway, but the Long Island Railroad—all the way out to Long[…] Keep reading →

There are plenty of books on habits. Too many, if you ask me. You don’t need books to start habits. In my experience, self-awareness will get you farther. In particular, starting new behavior creates new emotions and reactions. Paying attention to them will guide you how to follow up to improve them more than reading—if you pay attention to everything you can. That level of self-awareness takes time and effort[…] Keep reading →

Today Kevin Brown, host of the Create Your Life radio show and podcast, released his interview of me. Kevin and I met public speaking and became friends. He got me to share a painful anecdote I’ve never shared publicly before. As hard as it was to share it, I thank him for giving me the space and support to share it. Listen to our conversation! Listen to our conversation! Kevin’s[…] Keep reading →

Speaking of approaching 1,000,000 meters rowing, my friend who was coxswain at Princeton who suggested how to improve my form, responded It’s really impressive that you’ve been so intentional about improving your form! I wrote back to describe my process of improving my form. Since I don’t know how to evaluate my form, I don’t know if I’m improving it, but I’m happy with the process I’m going through, so[…] Keep reading →