The harsh reality is this: many people won’t be missed when they die. Sure, their friends and family will miss them. It’ll be weird that they’re no longer part of their life. But will society miss them? Probably not. And I think the reason for this is that many people are trying to be somebody…
I have a friend who seems to have all the luck. He gets floor seats to Laker games. He’s been on TV multiple times. People fly him all over the country just to hear what he has to say. He’s not really a public figure, but he’s treated like he is. It’s hard not to…
On Sunday, I decided to take a few weeks and give up coffee—all caffeine, actually. A friend at church actually begged to buy me a cup of coffee because he thought I looked horrible. Apparently I’m more addicted to coffee than I might care to admit. That manifest itself further on Sunday night when I got…
Have you noticed the difference between people who have followed their dreams and those who live with regrets? Sit in a room filled with retired people. You’ll instantly be drawn to the ones who share the risks they’ve taken. You’ll generally avoid the ones with regrets over all the things they didn’t accomplish. Let me…
In a sense, I am a god. Before you pitch stones at me, let me explain. I am the center of my universe. Everything I do is about me. I receive prayers in the form of emails and tweets—people asking me to do things for them or thanking me for things I’ve done. If someone…
One of the biggest myths I’ve seen perpetrated in people’s heart is this: The things that break my heart break yours. Now, I’m not talking about genocide or poverty. Those things should affect all of us. I’m talking about a passion unique to you. I’m talking about your unique voice. It’s easy to think everyone…
On Friday I told you that you have a voice that needs to be heard. Here’s the next question you need to ask yourself: Who’s hearing my voice? My voice is primarily one of encouragement and counter-intuitive thinking—with a few nuances here and there. And I’ve been working hard at writing from that voice. At…
There’s a weird notion in my generation in the ones following. It’s the idea that anybody can be famous. And to be honest, it’s somewhat true. Anyone can gain a following online and have people listen to their opinions. Anyone has the opportunity to make a viral video. Anyone can self-publish their own book (and…
Over the Christmas break I got an idea for a novel I want to write. It was magic. The idea was pure energy, and I had an amazing amount of focus. It’s like I could see the whole story arc in my head: characters, complications, climax… It was all right there. Unfortunately, when I approached my…
My 5 year-old niece holds a special place in my heart. I love her. She sometimes calls me up on FaceTime during the day, and I drop everything when I get that call. We spend the next hour talking about everything. I even find myself watching her put together a puzzle on the other end…