Money Can and Can't Buy Happiness

In past blog entries, I discussed my studies on money and its relationship to happiness. My conclusion: making more does not necessarily increase your level of happiness – but it can. If you want to plow through a 50 page research study by Stutzer and Frey on this topic, you will gain an in depth […]

The Search for Mr. Adequate

Last year, I attended a “Renaissance Weekend” (these are private retreats for the accomplished leaders, and not Renaissance Festivals). One of the people I met was Susan Silver. She is special. In addition to being a wonderful human being, she’s had a successful TV writing career amongst her many accolades. But these days, Susan has […]

Letter From a Cancer Survivor

One important concept of Goal-Free Living is being present; being focused on where you are now rather than worrying about the future. In the process of giving up control, greater – and unpredictable – things emerge. This often gives you a deep appreciation for what you have…even when you don’t have your health. Here is […]

Skeptical About Skepticism

I recently went to a “skeptics” convention in Las Vegas. When I checked in, it looked like I was signing up for a Star Trek convention. There were some, well, interesting people. In total, there were 800 attendees discussing skepticism in all areas, from psychic abilities and conspiracy theorists to environmental concerns and biases of […]

Quote of the Day

Creativity is just having enough dots to connect… connect experiences and synthesize new things. The reason creative people are able to do that is that they’ve had more experiences or have thought more about their experiences than other people. Steve Jobs, CEO Apple Inc.

The Small Business Advocate Show

I just appeared on Jim Blasingame’s “The Small Business Advocate” show where I mentioned two articles from this website. To make it easy for you to find, here are the links: Compass-Driven Strategic Planning and the Goalaholic Quiz.

Podcast with Dr. Doug Gardner, Sports Psychology Consultant

While researching the goal-free concept, I was introduced to Dr. Doug Gardner, the former sports psychology consultant to the Boston Red Sox. What sets Doug apart from the rest in the sports field is his belief that a myopic focus on goals – whether in sports or in life – can prevent individuals from performing […]

The One-Third Life Crisis

After giving a Goal-Free Living speech at an event last June, I met Jeremy Neuner, a funny, creative, and intelligent 33 year old guy. He recently wrote me, asking me to be on his personal “board of directors.” Why? Well, he’s going through a bit of an existential crisis – a situation that many of […]

How to Tell If Your Intuition Is Good

Many years back, my friend Susanne and I played a trivia game. She was pretty good with the trivia. However, at one point, she got a couple of wrong answers in a row. “Urgh,” she blurted out, “every time I have a gut answer and change it, it was actually correct.” This made me curious. […]

My 2007 Theme

To everyone who shared their New Year’s Theme, thank you. Now it is time to reveal my theme. As you may recall, my theme last year was “impact” – making a difference in the world. This year, my theme is: “CREATING A MOVEMENT” What does this mean? Well, I’m not 100% sure. But it feels […]