What slinging fish taught me about business and human behavior A typical seafood counter display When I was in college, I worked at the Safeway in Bowie, MD. I did lots of jobs in the store, but I think I learned the most while working seafood. I liked working in seafood most because it was like running my own business. Most days and nights, it was just me behind the counter, and I had a...
What a high school ceramics class taught me about slowing down and enjoying life Sometimes the most important things are right in front of us A Geek in Ceramics Class When I was in high school, I took two semesters of ceramics. Yeah, you read that correctly, ceramics! I really enjoyed it. I made figurines, pots, mugs, faces, and monsters. Not only that, but I made some great stuff that probably got thrown away before...
Should We Save Uncommon Words? A Question of Language Evolution I found SaveTheWords.org which lists uncommonly used words. If you select one of the words it defines the word and allows you to adopt it meaning you "hereby promise to use the word, in conversation and correspondence, as frequently as possible to the very best of my ability". I like the site and I love learning in general, but the site got me thinking that...
A few weeks ago, my son Tyler, my mother-in-law, and my wife were sitting together in a doctor’s waiting room. As we waited, Tyler spotted a woman across the room and, without hesitation, loudly asked, "Hey dad, why does that lady have crazy mean eyebrows?" I immediately looked at her. She immediately looked at me. For a few heart-stopping seconds, it was just the three of us caught in a very uncomfortable triangle. Thinking fast,...
Beyond Rewards and Punishments Pay people enough to take the issue of money off the table. So pay people enough to take money off the table so they aren't thinking about money, but rather the task/work at hand. Three Factors for Better Performance Join the Conversation Which of these three factors—autonomy, mastery, or purpose—motivates you the most in your work? Have you experienced the limitations of traditional reward systems?
There’s something uniquely haunting about the fears we’ve carried the longest. They embed themselves deep within us, often formed in childhood or shaped by early experiences. Unlike fleeting anxieties that come and go, these foundational fears don’t just whisper—they echo. Over time, they can morph into quiet narratives that influence how we see ourselves, what we believe we're capable of, and how we interact with the world. Old fears aren’t necessarily logical. They’re emotional, powerful,...