How can a person live "meaningfully well"

In this article by Umair Haque that was posted on the Harvard Business Review blog he explores what it would take for one to live meaningfully well. He offers 3 lessons to people in their 20's -- but they are obviously worth reading regardless of your age or station in life.

Cultivate, create & forgive.

Marring the right/wrong person...

I recently came across this article by Timothy Keller on the Relevant website regarding why Americans "never marry the right person." The gist of this piece is that we misunderstand compatibility.

Whether you are married or not what Keller has to say is worth your time.

Don't over think decision making...

I am speaking to myself if no one else. I have a major tendency to over think decisions -- even the seemingly unimportant ones.

I am almost certain i have posted this article here before but regardless it is certainly worth reposting. This piece by Jocelyn Glei on 99% website is terrific and includes 5 tips in regards to daily decision making.

An update from Bono...

Recently Bono submitted this piece to the NYT on the current status of the AIDS epidemic and the effort to eliminate it. He saved the last paragraph to encourage America to keep its act together.

Worth reading.

A peak at Leonardo da Vinci's daily tasks...

Who wouldn't want to look at the to-do list of someone like da Vinci? In this article on the NPR website we get to look inside his personal notebook and read what he pondered on a daily basis.

The info shared here is just to whet your appetite for an upcoming book on the same subject matter by Toby Lester.

Can forgiveness impact your status?

According to Teresa Norton's post on the Harvard Business Review blog it does. This is a thought-provoking and insightful piece on how forgiveness affects a person's estimation of self-worth.

Creative animated video to inspire runners

Saw this on the Adventure Journal blog which i enjoy very much. Mostly because they post things like this that inspire me to be outdoors.

Creative & compelling video.

Is there a conspiracy behind conspiracy theories?

Seth Godin posted an very interesting entry on his blog regarding "conspiracy theories" and how they come about and why the average person embraces them.

Here is a line from the article that intrigued me greatly: "Doubt is something people often want to buy, particularly if it gives them comfort."

Is criticism ever really constructive?

In this article by Tony Schwartz on the Harvard Business Review blog he discusses whether criticism is ever really constructive. He discusses how giving feedback can be difficult to deliver not just for the person receiving it but for the person giving it as well.

This is a very helpful piece to read and reflect on regardless of the role you play in your organization bc the reality is we all find ourselves in the position of giving feedback as some point.

a sister's eulogy...

This piece written by Mona Simpson, Steve Jobs' sister, has no doubt made its rounds all over the world wide web -- but its worth posting even if for the millionth time.

It is very moving & beautiful.

Mindset After Failure is Profound...

In this article by Jonah Lehrer on Wired.com he discusses the profound importance of a person's mindset after failing at a task. Even more importantly for me, as a father, he discusses the profound impact of our words/instructions/comments to children after failing or succeeding at a task.

Intuitive Decision Making...

Author Donald Miller wrote this concise yet profound blog entry regarding the validity of making decisions (quick ones at that) using intuition alone.

I found it similar to Malcolm Gladwell's Blink which is entire book dedicated to the topic. And of course anything by Gladwell is top-notch.

I recommend reading both the article and Blink.

Ben Franklin - master of social skills...

In this enlightening piece by David McRaney of You Are Not So Smart.com he discusses the myths & truths behind why we like or dislike certain people. It was very eye-opening for me and certainly caused me to stop and think. He uses Ben Franklin as the case study but certainly dives into deep research and study on the topic.

This article is quite lengthy but worth the read.

Hydration during exercise - a new theory

Well actually -- its not so much a new theory as it is a contradiction to what we have been told (a better word is probably "sold") for a long time. When it comes to sports drinks and/or water are you over-hydrating?

This article might lead you to believe that you are. It is very interesting to say the least. And i must say the point Dr. James Winger of Loyola University Medical Center makes seems very logical.

Competition - good or bad motivator?

In this article by Seth Godin he makes a strong point about the advantage or disadvantage of using competition as a motivator. I found this piece to be very profound on several different levels and areas in my life.

Short & sweet as usual by Godin.

Encounters with Steve Jobs...

I have not had any...but all these people have and they shared a bit about it.

They are certainly compelling stories. Stories that cause me to ponder -- what is it about someone that has such an impact on others. Is there such a thing as "it?" A quality that you are born with. You have "it" and others don't. And this makes you special -- or at least more special.

Either way this is a compelling read.

Good questions...

I have found that pondering profound questions is a very good thing.

In this article on the Harvard Business Review they reflect on several potentially life altering questions that Steve Jobs posed in his 2005 Commencement address.

Profound indeed.

Small Wins vs Big Wins -- which wins?

This blog entry by Dan Pink is an interview with author & Harvard Business School Professor Teresa Amabile about her latest work "The Progress Principle."

I personally have not read the book yet -- however the interview alone shed some very profound light on the topic of progress in the workplace particularly concerning the culture of the workplace and supervisor/employee relationships.

This entry is worth the read alone -- and i imagine the book is a must read.

While i am at it i recommend checking out Dan Pink's "stuff." He is a good source of info on Twitter and the 2 books he advertises on his blog are very enlightening as well.

Beginner Training for a Triathlon

Rachel Sturtz of Women's Health posted this article on Active.com regarding training for a triathlon. There are some very solid training/technique tips here regardless of your experience level. However, the info is more geared for the beginner.

Wanna be faster...

Active.com posted this piece that includes 8 different articles on how to improve times throughout your triathlon disciplines: swimming, cycling, running & transitions. The articles cover everything from training exercises, to equipment to the mental game.

A very solid piece that should offer numerous ways to improve.