Several years ago, a young professor named James Pennebaker at the University of Virginia conducted a series of experiments with his new classes. He would divide them up into groups for just 15 minutes, and ask them to talk about anything they liked. These groups were comprised of students who didn’t know one another, so […]
Jeri Finard has made some valuable decisions on her way to the highest echelons of business. She stopped trying really hard to get ahead, she listened closely to trusted mentors, and she stopped following the conventional wisdom of focusing on your competition. I had the privilege to interview Ms. Finard last week in New York. […]
They were unbeatable, invincible. The supergroup, the dream team. There must be thousands of ten year old boys in New England that play soccer. About forty of the best players from the very best teams were hand-picked to be evaluated by the best coaches. Of those top forty, twenty-eight were cut. They picked twelve players […]
Paul Templer is from Zimbabwe. He grew up in Harare with my dear friend and college roommate Anton. So I had the privilege to meet Paul over twenty years ago while he was traveling, and visiting us, in the States. At the time I recall he was a free spirit, wild, fun, adventurous. The summer […]
“Dad, they’re huge!” The other team was way bigger. Faster, and more physical too. At one point during the game my son Will was being marked by one of their defenders who looked like he might trip over him. But the match remained even throughout the first half as our team deftly moved the ball […]
The results were clear: Higher levels of optimism, increased life satisfaction, and decreased negative feelings were all associated with students’ expressions of gratitude. – Jeffrey Froh, Professor, Hofstra University Recently, at dinner in our house, we went around the table and mentioned a few things we like about school, our work, our music lessons, our […]
Bobby Brown is one of the few freestyle skiers on the planet who can execute a switch double misty 1440, a fantastic move that entails skiing backwards off a ramp, spinning sideways in the air three times while holding one ski, and landing backwards. It’s an astonishing feat to watch—and a maneuver that was totally […]
I thought he was kidding. Until I watched him do it right in front of me. He didn’t do it fast and flashy like a televised spectacle, but he solved the Rubik’s Cube before my eyes in a few minutes. I was impressed, but not in the kind of way that I felt inspired to […]
“Teaching is the highest form of understanding.” – Aristotle Sometimes Charlie, who is two years older than Will, comes and helps out at our U11 soccer practice, just as he did this evening. Eleven year old son Will often finds his brother’s presence annoying and intrusive at his practice, but the other kids really like […]
Before the game I approached the other coach. Usually we share a few friendly words with the visiting coaches, but I wanted him to understand what he was up against. So after we exchanged handshakes and said hello, I pulled him aside out of earshot of our teams and said, “Look, I just want you […]