I always wanted to be a great man. I'm not, so far. How we describe our goals makes all the difference, not only in how we feel about ourselves, but in how we behave. Most of us understand the … more
Yay, I Failed!
Many people have trouble with the word failure because they link the act of failure to the person: I failed; therefore, I'm a failure. I'd like us to re-appropriate the term. Try this one on:
Failure is finding out what doesn't work.
It's our job to try something hard, maybe fail, reflect, try something else. What you don't want to do is never fail. If you never fail, you aren't doing anything difficult or interesting. "Yay, I failed!" stands in for the celebration "Yay, I tried something hard!"
When Whining Wins
I don't want to write. I don't want to write. I don't. I don't. I don't. Whaaaaaaaaaaaa! I remember a short conversation with another bleary-eyed father about the purpose of whining. His … more
But I Tried, Didn’t I? Goddammit, at Least I Did That.
It may be a little late for the season, but I figured out what we can give each other. First, a story. The old pickup truck was no match for the slippery hill. The back wheels spun a … more
Lance Armstrong: Why I Cheated
"Good ... [clears throat] Good morning. I'll get right to the point. "Yes, I cheated. "Yes, I lied about it. "I lied because you wouldn't like me if you knew I was cheating, and you … more
Shadow Roles Drive Us from the Back Seat
Our shadow roles whisper old familiar stories in our ears and, without our realizing, slip the wheel from the Pilot's hands and steers us over an old familiar bridge. We've been here before, the … more
The Great Thing About Rigid Rules
Generally speaking, rigid rules are for small-minded, scaredy cats. And so, for my Plan to Stop Sucking and Kick Ass I made a few rigid rules. For one, I'm giving up TV for a year. To me that … more
Get Lost in New York City, or Just Get Lost
My first day in Brooklyn I tote my iPhone from block to block consulting it for restaurant recommendations, checking the routes to the cafe where I plan to start writing this article, and then mapping … more
When to Drag ‘m, When to Drop ‘m.
My Love— We're together forever it seems. We know how good we are for each other. You love my ambition, and I revel in the peace you bring me each day. Run with me this time. Don't stay … more
Are You Facing Big Change?
I'm going through one of the biggest changes in my life, and I'm kinda scared. I'm losing my home, my wife, my business partner, and the community I built around my beautiful household. I'm not afraid … more
Get Out of Doubt: Three Steps
Unrelenting Doubt, like disproportional Debt, is paralyzing. It's worth making it a high priority to get out of Doubt as quickly as possible. A Pilot Fire dabbler sent me a note a while back: "I … more


