The challenge of the amateur is to know when to stop and when to push through. I still remember what became known as the most challenging run of my life … twenty excruciating miles. It was a few weeks before a marathon I’d promised to complete, and I simply had to extend the distance of…
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“They say there’s no harm in daydreaming, but there is.” -Charlaine Harris When I run, I wish I could say I was fully focused on my surroundings. I live within running distance of a waterfront with half a dozen bridges, a beautiful (although steep) inactive volcano, and if I go a bit further, several nice…
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“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” –Dorothy Parker I strive to live in a sense of wonder, yet often I fail. Even on the road, where I feel most at home, I become acclimated to beauty and experiences. This champagne on my First Class flight is flat! … The…
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“When I wake up in the morning, I feel like any other insecure 24-year-old girl. Then I say, ‘Bitch, you get up and walk the walk today.’” ―Lady Gaga One time I failed at something I’d worked at for a long time. I felt terrible and spent a week moping around, complaining about it. My…
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A while back I was emailing with Julien, and one of his questions reminded me of a story I like to tell… “A lot of people probably relate to the idea of leaving behind their responsibilities and heading out to a new life, but they’re not in the situation where they just say “screw it”…
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Hi, everyone—the 2013 Annual Review continues! All posts will be open for comments from readers. In this post: looking forward to next year. But first! On Monday I published a roundup (not sent by email) of the first batch of posts from readers who are also doing Annual Reviews. We’ll update this one with many…
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Hi, everyone—the 2013 Annual Review continues! All posts will be open for comments from readers. In this post: links from several of our readers who are also undertaking their own reviews. Over at World Domination HQ I’ve come down with post-review bronchitis (yikes!), but not to fear—I’ll be back on Thursday with one final post…
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Hi, everyone—the 2013 Annual Review continues! All posts will be open for comments from readers. In this post: looking back at the highs and lows of the year. *** As explained in this year’s introduction and invitation, when the review begins I first look back at what happened over the past twelve months, making two…
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Hi, everyone—the 2013 Annual Review is here! All posts will be open for comments from readers, and I’ll share a roundup of reader reviews at the end of the process. In this post: how it works: an overview and explanation. “Most people who talk about goals just say, ‘you should have goals.’ They don’t tell…
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Being between things is tough. There’s a bright future ahead! You can picture it, just out of reach in the near distance. But there’s a muddied present in front of you. Things are messy and take longer than you think. You experience setbacks as you proceed toward the goal. What can you do? You could…
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“If you really want to be happy, no one can stop you.” -Anonymous As I was editing a new book manuscript, one story caught my attention. A man makes a lot of changes in his life. He adopts a new lifestyle, sells his possessions, and spends his time on intentional experiences. So far, so good.…
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“The past always seems better when you look back on it than it did at the time. And the present never looks as good as it will in the future.” -Peter Benchley Back in the days when I still had hobbies, a few friends used to come over to the house for weekly gaming sessions.…
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The sun came out over Portland on Saturday morning in what felt like the first time in weeks. It was a beautiful fall day, and I decided to ride my bike to lunch. Except for one problem: when I walked into the garage, my bike wasn’t there. Dolt! Where had I last left it? I…
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*** “Don’t settle: Don’t finish bad books. If you don’t like the menu, leave the restaurant. If you’re not on the right path, get off it.” –Chris Brogan I used to feel obligated to finish bad books or stay in restaurants I didn’t like. Then I adopted Chris’s rule, which I’ve used for years but…
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From time to time, it’s good to sit back and ask yourself a few questions. Here’s a starting point. *** Are you happy? Are you doing something you enjoy? A good way to look at is: how much time do you spend on the good things? Who are the good people in your life? Do…
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