Finding the right answer when world is yelling — Most people never get to experience one of the most magical moments of life. It’s rarely seen, because it occurs when everyone is focused on the disarray that surrounds us — we are looking somewhere else when it hits. And it seems magical because it’s so different from every other…

Yes, money was a factor, but I also made myself a promise — I walked into a windowless room lined with shelves, floor to ceiling. Every shelf was filled with binders. I grabbed one and opened it — hundreds of headshots filled plastic liners. One of my film instructors was giving me a tour of the film school I was attending. …

And the reasons why I’m writing now — I couldn’t write for six months. Before that, I wrote nearly 100 articles over a 3-year period — all in my spare time. I had built a pretty solid email list and a number of followers on a handful of platforms. And then I stopped. It wasn’t writer’s block. …

There’s something more important than the book — I wanted to teach my young kids to be entrepreneurs. And I wanted to spend more time with them. So I decided to write a book with them. “What if we make a million dollars, dad?” I stared at my daughter. I didn’t know how to answer the question. “Could…

#11: Buy better knives — I’ve learned a lot in the last 25 years — enough to convince me that I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was 25 years ago. It’s not that I didn’t know much, it’s just that I was wrong about so many things. I wish I were as smart…

How to use it, master it, and not let it ruin you — There’s one trait that can lead to amazing performances. It’s a trait that many admire, but also many fear. The trait creates a singular focus that cannot be broken until an aim is reached. It makes the holder impervious to both pain and pleasure. …

It’s not about the idea, it’s about the people — When I heard successful author Gregg Hurwitz speak around a year ago, he made one comment that surprised me. I used to think of a successful author as someone who sits in front of a computer and types all day. Almost magically, I pictured the perfect story just pop out…

Unpacking the tendency to find a solution without fixing the underlying problem — “Why hasn’t this problem been fixed?” I asked. “It’s been going on for years.” I was sitting down with a mentor. We were discussing a problem that I was experiencing and trying to resolve. I had a few ideas but wasn’t sure what to do. …

It’s okay to do something stupid… an inside look at the decision — I had just finished writing a tax opinion for a sophisticated client. It was near the end of the fiscal year, so my mind was swirling with thoughts of accounts receivable, bonuses, and which clients could pay by December 24. I had all of three minutes to stop and reflect…