Matthew Arnold Stern » Insights

More wisdom from Jim Rohn

Matthew Arnold Stern — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:25:12 +0000

Once again, the Jim Rohn newsletter brought me information I need at the time I needed it: We have all experienced the blowing winds of disappointment, despair and heartbreak. Why, then, would each of us, in our own individual ship of life, all beginning at the same point, with the same intended destination in mind, …

Beyond a doubt

Matthew Arnold Stern — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:24:02 +0000

I subscribe to the Jim Rohn newsletter. Recently, I received an excellent article called “Facing the Enemies Within.” It lists ways of thinking that are enemies of our efforts to succeed. One of them is doubt: Sure, there’s room for healthy skepticism. You can’t believe everything. But you also can’t let doubt take over. Many …

What is good technology? — Part III, or why I got a Mac

Matthew Arnold Stern — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:17:58 +0000

When I first started shopping for a replacement to my aging Dell laptop, it was almost a foregone conclusion: I would get another Windows laptop. I have been using Microsoft Windows for 20 years and invested a lot in software and data. However, I was getting tired of buying disposable laptops that last three years …

The Eagle in the Chicken Coop Revisited

Matthew Arnold Stern — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:53:49 +0000

“The Eagle in the Chicken Coop” is one of my most popular speeches. I think one reason is that it’s more honest than the original New Age fable. Eagles don’t stop being chickens the moment they see others being eagles. Once someone is used to being a chicken, it’s hard to convince that person to …

The lesson of the myrtle tree

Matthew Arnold Stern — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:27:25 +0000

Last fall, we bought a pink crepe myrtle tree to plant in the front yard. When the gardener planted it, the tree was filled with delicate pink flowers. It added lively color to a yard that used to have a plain and hard-to-keep-green lawn. Neighbors complimented us on the new look for our house. Then …

The other side of the closet

Matthew Arnold Stern — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:22:36 +0000

Every gay person has his or her coming out story. What is often not told are the experiences of the family members and friends they came out to. This is my story. On 24 March, 1992, I was in the Bay Area on a business trip. My brother Randy offered to drive down from Marin …

A lesson about confidence from Toddlers and Tiaras

Matthew Arnold Stern — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:13:35 +0000

There’s a lot one can say about TLC’s show Toddlers and Tiaras (such as “What happened to all the outrage about JonBenét Ramsey?”) Once in a while, it actually shows something useful. In one episode, it provided a lesson in the importance of self-confidence. At the “Rodeo Princess” pageant, three girls were competing in the …

Tebow! So?

Matthew Arnold Stern — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:15:26 +0000

Why is everyone making such a big deal about Tim Tebow? Sure, he wins football games. Sure, he’s exciting to watch. So what if he wants to kneel and pray after a great play? Anyone who complains about displays of religiosity in sports hasn’t watched baseball. I’ve seen plenty of ballplayers cross themselves before they …

Goals, not resolutions

Matthew Arnold Stern — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:20:10 +0000

I’ve said it before, but I’ve never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions. It’s better to set goals, and make sure that they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-targeted. But goals, like resolutions, can be set with all of the best of intentions and still be tossed aside and forgotten within weeks. How …

Why bother to be thankful?

Matthew Arnold Stern — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:26:13 +0000

Thursday is Thanksgiving in the United States, but there doesn’t seem to be much reason to be thankful. The economy continues to limp along with no relief in sight. Congress appears to have failed in its efforts to end the budget impasse. Economies and governments are imploding throughout Europe. Our nation seems to be divided …