Over my lifetime I have become an avid reader of all things personal and professional growth. I’ve also come to learn that many people don’t have time to read, don’t like to read or don’t know what to read to help them live a Fantastic Life. This blog is a shortcut to articles and stories that I’ve found helpful. There are thousands in this library, organized by topic and by Fantastic Life rule. Even better, I’ve summarized each entry and highlighted what’s most important. So you don’t have to.
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Be a Zebra
Why be a zebra? Zebras have an incredible skill: when a zebra escapes a lion, it goes right back to grazing. The alarm turns off.
Persuasion
I’ve been a longtime fan and student of Robert Cialdini and his research on persuasion. His work outlines six core psychological principles that help us
Keep Moving
Science (a 47-year-long Swedish study) now tells me I physically peaked at 35 years old. Bummer. But the bigger takeaway is not that we slow down
Volunteering
I have a new topic that has been near and dear to my life over the last 40 years: giving back to the community. I
Setting Boundaries as a Leader
Leading is not easy. In fact, it is damn hard. I learned the following lessons the hard way by not setting boundaries and overextending myself for
It’s not about you
I spent the first 53 years thinking about my career, my achievements, and, well, generally about me. Then I got cancer. During Chemo and radiation,
Don’t Die Protocol
I thought the subject line would grab your attention. The article below about Bryan Johnson’s health protocols caught my attention right away. And then the first
The Healing Power of Nature
Short message today (and one I have generally sent before): Get outdoors more. We were meant to be outside in nature. Getting outside is not
Follow These 3 Daily Habits to Live Longer
This quarter, I wanted to share some simple rules we all should consider incorporating into our lives from people who have lived to 100 or
Systems over Scoreboards?
I follow everything James Clear says to make my life better. And yes, one of my rules for a Fantastic Life is to set goals.
The Household Nest Changes – But So Do We
We raised 4 kids. They are all launched and doing great. There is a huge transition from having kids in the house to being an
Discipline
Discipline has gotten a bad rap lately. Somewhere along the way, “I don’t feel like it” started sounding like wisdom. It’s not. Discipline isn’t about
Mindful Eating
Here is something I am personally working on, so I thought I would share. Mindful eating isn’t a diet—it’s awareness. Slow down, pay attention, and stop
Longevity
Ezekiel Emanuel’s story about his parents (below)—both vibrant into their 90s—reminds us that health isn’t just diet or discipline. It’s connection. Real, everyday connection. — Connection
Find Your Specific Knowledge Through Action
I love Naval’s idea that we only find our “specific knowledge” by getting into the arena and doing the work. You don’t discover your strengths
Pursuing the Impossible and Why
I’ve been setting big goals for a long time. And many times, I’ve been chasing more than one at once—building a business, raising four kids,
Matching Decisions
In the Zero Hedge blog below, the author hits a bullseye, quoting Henry Hazlitt, who hits on a truth: match the decisions you make today
Mental Toughness
In my opinion, mental toughness is a real differentiator. The sport GOATs know it, and so does anyone who’s pushed through a tough stretch in
Characteristics of High Value People
We live in a world that keeps tallying everything—followers, titles, opinions. Real value has nothing to do with any of that noise. The highest-value people
Productivity Is Not Only About Checking Boxes
We all want to be productive, right? Create a to-do list, get stuff done, check the box. Rinse and repeat. But that’s NOT actually what we only
The Climb
I have been on the climb for a long, long time, and what is crazy is that I have been on several different mountain summits
Add Years to Your Life
I follow Peter Diamandis and attend Abundance 360 annually. Peter is my go-to for anything future-focused—and a trusted advisor when it comes to longevity. Below are his 11 resolutions to add
Henry Miller’s small book on turning 80
Below is a wonderful blog from Farnam Street summarizing Henry Miller’s book, On Turning Eighty. Published in 1972, only 200 copies were printed, but the
LIFEies Wrapped 2025
2025 was another year of showing up—week after week—and paying attention to what truly resonated. LIFEies Wrapped gives us a clear look at what hit,
Embrace Change this Year
It’s officially 2026! Happy New Year! Let’s get to learning something new. Here is the first question I ask myself at the beginning of the
Time with Family
We work hard, and we chase goals — but family is the anchor that makes all of it meaningful. Every time I unplug and spend
Part 3: The Art of Doing Nothing
Naval Ravikant’s X thread below touches on meditation in its simplest form…. you do absolutely nothing. No journaling, no thinking, no planning — just sitting.
Part 2: Press Play for Two Meditations to try out
I still believe meditation is great for me. So over the past few years, I tried two guided meditation apps (Calm and Headspace) so I could build
Part 1: Practicing Mindfulness
We’re starting a new series on practicing mindfulness for the next few weeks. Today is very simple. No incense. No chants. Just five ways to
Be Grateful
The older I get the more I value gratitude. I have come to realize you simply can’t have enough of it. (I have written about