This morning, I sat down at my desk and was immediately faced with a slew of meetings. With no time to read, I felt a familiar frustration—a common occurrence for a business owner. But I recalled the wisdom of William Shakespeare: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” These wordsContinue reading If Your Day is Too Busy to Read
I don’t have time to write today’s post, but I’m doing it anyway. I’m an accountant, and with the tax deadline looming, my industry is slammed. I don’t do taxes personally, but I am a partner in the firm and that’s enough madness for one day. Anyway, I’m writing this at 7:45 p.m. after havingContinue reading There’s Always Time
Since the pandemic, the comfortable “Hoodie” has become my clothing of choice. That changed a few weeks ago when my wife and I started a new Apple TV series titled The New Look. It’s the story of Christian Dior, the French fashion designer. I love the series, but I also love that he goes toContinue reading Wear a Tie When Reading
Let’s do a thought experiment. Assume I give you ten thousand dollars and a book that teaches the exact method for converting your money into one million dollars by the end of the month. The only requirement is that you must follow its instructions perfectly. How would you go about learning from that book? WouldContinue reading A Useful Framework for Learning New Things (D-I-R-T)
Why should you learn something new? Maybe life is better lived without progress, merit, or hard work. After all, you can’t take your career with you when you die. The books you read will not pass beyond the grave. The things you build will likely be forgotten in a few generations at best. Despite theseContinue reading A Moral Obligation To Do Good Work
Yesterday was rough for me. It was one of those days where every little thing stacks up in the wrong direction so that, by the evening, you’re completely disheveled. I sat through several hours of administrative meetings at work (not my favorite), my son forgot about his dentist appointment, the gym was packed full ofContinue reading I Tranquilized Myself to Avoid Work
It’s Monday morning and we’re back to work. But what’s the point? Sure, we’re putting food on our tables and we’re keeping the bills paid, but there has to be a greater reason for all this running around. Maybe you love your work, or maybe you’re in a job because it’s your only option forContinue reading The Rat Race
Last night, I spoke with a friend who feels like a failure. He left a high-paying career for a blue-collar job and wonders if he’s sold himself short. He’s happy, but worried that he gave up the “better life.” It made me think of Henry David Thoreau shoveling manure. The nineteenth-century philosopher left his lifeContinue reading I Love Shoveling Manure
There are two kinds of people in this world, those who love Monday mornings and everyone else. We have complicated relationships with our work, which makes sense, given that we spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our spouses, partners, and children. A relationship that demanding is bound to have some baggage.Continue reading It’s Not Enough to Be Industrious