Category Archives: Insights
“You gotta play hurt”
I came down with a cold. It’s a disease that isn’t really considered a disease (even though complications from it kill about 4,500 people per year in the US). But our response is to gulp down some medicine and go about our business. That’s what I tried to do the other day. At work, I had some …
What I learned from earning Eagle Scout
Forty years ago, I earned my Eagle Scout award. It remains one of my greatest personal achievements. I learned many valuable lessons from Boy Scouts. In addition to life skills from first aid to paddling a canoe, I learned how to overcome mediocrity and that you can leave unsupportive situations to reach your goals. The most important …
Wars of attrition
Difficult challenges turn into wars of attrition. When we realize that victory won’t be quick and easy, we entrench ourselves and brace for a long struggle. This applies to our current political situation, and it also applies to personal challenges. Health issues, financial crises, family conflicts, office politics, addiction battles — they all become tests of endurance …
If you’re thankful for something, fight for it
If there was ever a year we needed Thanksgiving, it’s this one. This Thanksgiving does not call for platitudes about how we should be grateful for what we have. Gratitude demands something more. If we are thankful for something, we have to fight for it.
Thirty things I love about Orange County
On October 14, 1986, I got up early and drove from my house in Reseda to my new job in Irvine. This would lead me to move to Orange County where I met my wife and started our family. That reason by itself is why I’m glad I came here. Although I’ve been spending a lot …
