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Note: The following story is based on a true story. Two Similar Guitarists, Very Different Responses   Jack and Tim are lifelong friends and passionate guitar players. While not exceptionally gifted at the beginning of their journeys, both guitarists worked hard to improve through practice, private lessons, and playing gigs. Their progress was noteworthy, but they had a long way to go on stage with B.B. King, John Mayer, and other guitar legends.   Both guitarists kept climbing ranks through their senior year. Feeling ambitious, they auditioned for Berklee School of Music – a prestigious music school in Boston – hoping to learn from the best guitar teachers in the world. They prepared day and night for their auditions before arriving and giving their all.  Unfortunately, despite their impressive accomplishments, neither got into their dream school due to the highly competitive nature of the audition process. This news was shocking to both since Jack and Tim were revered as some of the best up-and-coming artists in their town.    How Jack and Tim responded to their rejections developed an asunder rift in their journeys.    Tim decided that if he wasn't good enough to learn from the best teachers in the world, he should hang up his instrument. It was game over in his mind, and his journey as a rising guitarist ended abruptly.    After wallowing in his defeat, Tim chose a safe career in mechanical engineering. He graduated and married his college sweetheart, for whom he played love songs but never went much beyond that on guitar.    From time to time, Tim would open the case where his guitar resided long-term and strum a few chords in meditation, only to wonder what would have happened if he had gotten into Berklee . His what-ifs came in waves as he reminded himself each time that he wasn't cut out for being a guitar legend and was happy with his engineering career.  In stark contrast, Jack was disappointed but perceived the rejection as a detour to his original path rather than a roadblock. His commitment to continuing training and forging a new path led him to become one of the greatest guitarists of all time.   Following his audition, Jack connected with the judges following their decision and collected notes on where to improve. He used the data as his basis to amend his deficiencies independently.    During his journey, Jack worked as a freelancer to control his time while perfecting his guitar craft. He tapped into free resources such as YouTube, local musician forums, and lesson books he borrowed from the library. Luckily, his lucrative side hustles afforded him access to further private lessons to tackle problems he didn't recognize independently.    It took years of grinding, but Jack committed to the process. He posted videos of live and studio sessions on all social media platforms, his website, and music websites. He built momentum little by little with persistence until the right person noticed him at the right time.   It took Jack seven years after his rejection from Berklee to break through, but he did. It's true that his progress was a gamble with no guarantee of a favorable outcome, but the more he connected with his audience through his content production, the more he increased his odds of landing his lucky break.    Unlike his peers, Jack did not have access to an impressive alumni network to vouch for him. He worked on connecting with his community through his artistry and approachable personality. He remained optimistic through various setbacks and plateaus, always asking himself and those he trusted how he could successfully differentiate himself from his fellow musicians.  Around 25 years later, Jack received his first Grammy for his breakthrough solo album, which made him a household name among fellow guitarists. With no music school to his name, he carved a completely different path to success through continuous skill-building and marketing himself throughout his journey.  Tim, now a wealthy executive at a Fortune 100 company, turned on the television that day, only to see his long-lost friend accept the Grammy. Despite having a loving family, a great house, and wealth beyond what most Americans have, Tim's reality sank in. Somehow, he missed the memo that he could have kept going even if he didn't get accepted into his dream music school.    A few months later, Tim reconnected with Jack and offered to fly him out and stay at his place. Jack accepted, anxious to see his old friend from over 30 years ago. As they were catching up, Jack offered Tim some impromptu guitar lessons that turned into a jam session.    Despite the rust, the apex of Tim's playing returned quickly. Mentally, he felt the years he put on were melting away as he communicated his messages through his guitar instead of presentations at board meetings. A subtle youthfulness in Tim's eyes revealed itself as Tim and Jack took turns showcasing their talents.  As Jack prepared to return home, he reminded Tim it was never too late to return to his artistry. Tim felt inspired to play again with a look that his wife hadn't seen in his eyes since his college days of playing love songs. It didn't matter that Tim wouldn't win a Grammy—he only wanted to connect with his lost artistry again.    Tim acknowledged that if he could try again, he would, but he came to terms with his decisions in life. After Jack left, Tim played his guitar a little more often until the end of his days. The haunting what-ifs returned in waves as he recognized that a single decision from his teens changed his trajectory forever.    This Force Separated Jack From Tim    Let's assume Jack and Tim started with nearly identical backgrounds and abilities. Following their stories, we witnessed two contrasting approaches to handling a major setback. What separated their fates was their response and how they carried themselves onward.    Tim decided to end his music career. In his mind, pulling the plug on his passions to pursue a safe career was his best option. He lived a good life, achieved economic security, and raised a loving family. Still, one thing remained in the back of his mind as the years passed: He wouldn't return to his passion until his mid-50s.    Jack chose a dramatically different response and went against the grain. Sure, it wasn't easy for him at first, as he had to accept that he didn't meet a certain deadline.  However, he succeeded on his timeline by continuing to learn and adjust his skills and abilities.  His achievement required more time than normal, but his persistence ultimately won a Grammy.    In the end, both paid different prices for their paths. What distinct factor led to a chasm between their adulthood experiences?     The Deadline Illusion     What separated Tim's and Jack's responses boiled down to the Deadline Illusion : the belief that certain major achievements must occur at a certain stage of life. This relentless façade is a source of frustration, disappointment, and anxiety that weeds out aspiring dreamers prematurely.     Unfortunately, dreamers do not normally impose these illusions on themselves. In fact, most dreamers believe they have all the time in the world, which leads to unending procrastination. As a result, their urgency to act is often stifled as they wonder where all the time went.     So, if the sources are not internal, what external sources cause us to believe in the Deadline Illusion ?      Parents, teachers, and peers are common reasons why we give up on our dreams prematurely.      Before we point fingers, we must recognize that it's easy to blame these agents as malicious culprits. They are only doing what they think is best for our long-term well-being; in some cases, they are correct. However, they tend to overdo it, causing many dreamers to give their ambitions a second thought.     With parents and teachers, they were raised in a stricter world where making deadlines held significant merit. Due to their limited opportunities, they were urged by their parents and teachers to pick something on the straight and narrow and stick with it. Although our options have opened exponentially, it's hard for them to fathom how different the world has become in two decades.     Our peers, on the other hand, will often antagonize us if our performance is lacking, such as on tests, auditions, athletics, and more. Depending on their intentions, their scathing remarks on our shortcomings may cause us to give up on our pursuits if they incur less mental torture in our interactions. We allow our desires for short-term relief to sabotage our long-term aspirations during a period where they can be best cultivated.     Instead of pursuing meaningful goals and dreams, these agents steer us towards secure and complacent lifestyles that avoid risk, confrontation, and drama. Usually, their experience is through a path they were prescribed that provides security. In turn, they believe they have to pay it forward.     However, security often comes at the price of something we all desire: freedom.      Freedom to create. Freedom to dream. Freedom to try. Freedom to explore. Freedom to fail and learn from it.     As we swing the big leagues and give it our all in our younger years, these agents hope we work it out of our system and eventually align ourselves with a more secure path.  They do not consider what's best for the people as they impose these deadlines upon them.     Didn't get into a performing arts college by your senior year of high school? Maybe it's not for you, but at least you tried… now get a safe job. Didn't become an NCAA all-star? At least you can coach and watch others try their luck. Failed math in high school? Don't dream of ever engineering anything.     These extreme rationalizations of our failures attempt to justify giving up on personal goals and dreams. Part of the illusion transitions us to "someday syndrome", where someday becomes an excuse to put off further action because we believe tomorrow is guaranteed. And then, time slips by, and we wonder why we haven't achieved what we wanted yet.     Some Exceptions     In the spirit of transparency, there are some exceptions to the Deadline Illusion. Pursuits requiring peak physical condition are subject to a deadline of our physical pique or being in a certain age group. But everything else? Nahhh.     Here are a few exceptions:     – 1 – Playing Professional Sports     Playing sports professionally requires excellent physical condition. Some people may be genetically built to stay in peak condition for longer periods than others. Still, once that window passes, the probability that a younger, stronger athlete will take them climbs upward.     However, peak physical condition doesn't guarantee victory. Tom Brady played football in his 20s and 30s before retiring in his 40s. Despite his impressive accomplishments, it's unlikely his body would be able to perform at his level of expectations once he reaches his later years.     Others have proved themselves to be quite versatile in their older years. Sir Christopher Lee, who played Count Dooku in Star Wars, proved quite versatile by improvising the jump to meet Anakin and Obi-Wan without any props or help from the stunt team.     – 2 – Winning Awards Reserved For Younger Age Groups     There are awards out there reserved for younger age groups. These awards encourage younger generations to give their best to their craft. We must be careful not to let it be perceived as a threat to our abilities if we're past that age, but rather, just an opportunity for younger people to improve themselves.     Why Deadlines Once Mattered     The Deadline Illusion wasn't created by accident. There was a time when deadlines mattered because our society didn't have as many options historically as we do today. These changes have dissolved the circumstances that once held these changes true.     Unfortunately, despite the changes, illusions take significantly longer than expected to die out. These illusions live beyond their years as we continue to cling to familiarity and perpetuate their existence. The old saying goes: Most people fear change, even if it's for the better.     Acknowledging that reality has changed is the first step to overcoming these illusions. Before we discuss further steps, here are the major factors that influenced the prominence of these illusions:     Cultural Expectations & Traditions     Many of our expectations about life's trajectory are rooted in our immediate culture and upbringing. Growing up, we adopt perspectives on how the world works from encounters with adults and peers. It’s not uncommon for some cultures to predict the trajectory of their kids' lives from birth.      Could you imagine being told at birth that you’re supposed to be a doctor or a great ruler when you may not have the personality or capabilities to pull it off? In contrast, could you also imagine being told you’ll be a janitor for the rest of your life when you’re capable of much more?  The mismatch of capability and opportunity results in millions leading unfulfilling lives saturated with unnecessary friction.     In America, we have more freedom to explore our interests than other cultures, but with a catch. After graduating from high school, we're expected to pick a path for our careers and ambitions. Because of this pivotal moment, tremendous amounts of pressure around grades, extracurriculars, and other activities are stressed by teachers, parents, and guidance counselors to differentiate students from one another.     In Western culture, it’s common to assume that if we don’t receive admission into a prestigious school, nail an audition for a world-class performing arts program, or win prestigious awards when we’re young, we are doomed to mediocrity.      We watch our peers climb steep metaphorical mountains of achievement, only to leave us behind in the valleys of struggle. These achievements are outstanding for marketing ourselves for future opportunities, but are they worth it?     While competition is healthy in moderation, going overboard on achievement in every category creates undue hardships that sabotage meaningful progress. The endless quest to check every box and amend every deficiency has us running around in an unsustainable manner.       We’ve made it an expectation that we must achieve big in our teens, and from there onwards, we have nowhere else to go but up. But as most of us know, life doesn't work like that. Life has natural ups and downs that we're either fortunate to experience or must endure, but how we handle each season is far more important than always being on the upswing.     Another type of cultural expectation blinds us to the mountains and valleys:     T he Reverence of Child Prodigies    One of the worst comparison traps stemming from the Deadline Illusion  is comparing our adult abilities to child prodigies. When we do this, we make the horrendous mistake of believing that talented children have nowhere else to go but up in their skills and opportunities, contradicting how reality operates.     Social psychologists have dispelled these illusions for many child prodigies. Most prodigies end up far worse off later in life because they don't build resilience to life's turbulence. High expectations coupled with a lack of coping skills turn them to destructive influences such as drugs, sex, and entertainment to distract them from their struggles.     Even with the best guardrails, such as mentors, talent managers, and other adults in their lives, child prodigies are subject to the same influences as their peers. These guardrails may do more harm than good, causing prodigies to rebel and destroy their guardrails to explore what else is out there.     Regardless of our talents and dispositions, we are all subject to the rollercoaster of life. Where we start is influential in determining whether we enjoy or endure the journey.  Starting too far up only sets most of us up for a big fall, whereas if we spend more years climbing up, we get stronger and appreciate the view even more when we overcome adversity.     Nowadays, late bloomers who prove it's not too late to get started are emerging. Grandma Moses painted her first painting at 76. Colonel Sanders started his chain business when he realized social security wouldn't cut it.      These late bloomers have a wealth of experience to contribute, and despite the life problems that come with aging, they persevere.     Lesser Access To Information & Training     Several decades ago, significant barriers stifled educational opportunities for the public. To receive a meaningful education, people had to enroll in schools, know how to use libraries or know carefully guarded masters in a particular field. Often, gatekeepers determine who receives a golden ticket to access such private information.     Thanks to the Internet and its near-limitless resources, these barriers have dissolved. Anyone with an internet connection has access to an ocean of information. We can learn at our own pace and become masters in multiple fields if we pursue them.     While college is still required for a handful of higher-end professions, the rest only require certifications, on-the-job training, and/or a willingness to learn and adapt to a changing market. Even with lower barriers to entry, most of these fields have not reached peak saturation yet.     Anyone can learn to code through training books and coding tutorials. A quick visit to YouTube can reveal how to set up a professional music production studio. Filmmaking is on full display as well.  Want to learn how to become better at sports? Many tutorials will guide you on how to throw the perfect spiral with a football.     The key to harnessing this information is having an innate desire to learn, master, and improve current skills and knowledge.     Different Market Dynamics      Market dynamics greatly influence how we expect professional careers to unfold. The influences that were prominent a generation ago are not the same as those prominent today.     In the mid and late 20th century, most professionals were committed to one company for their career. Job security was real, and most saw losing a job as a black mark. At one point, the resume alone secured the job, and a college degree was a major differentiator in hiring, career advancement, and commanding respect from others in the industry.     Nowadays, these factors have taken a backseat to the power of results, flexibility, and commanding attention. People have learned to look past vivid orators who paint rosy pictures without fulfilling their promises. Tech companies move quickly as they adapt to increasing headwinds in the marketplace. Job security is a career relic that has diminished in its power in professional career choices.     With these changes in the marketplace, the number of opportunities afforded to us has exploded. Still, some continue believing these illusions because they make them comfortable, despite the fact that many stories and data points in the other direction.     Overcoming The Illusion     We can overcome the illusion in the same way we stopped thinking Santa was real– realization. In Buddhism, it's called enlightenment. In Christianity, it's discernment. Whatever you believe, the truth is what we seek.    To sober ourselves from the illusions and enter a world enriched with opportunity and adventure, there are several steps to dispel the illusion once and for all:     Analyze Mindset    This is the hardest step for many of us. It's easy to operate, assuming our actions perfectly align with our perceptions. Depending on its application, this strong sense of self can work for and against us. Ultimately, we believe that perception is reality, even though our perceptions are often beyond their glory days.     The best way to overcome this illusion is to analyze our mindset. As we take inventory of our beliefs, we must recognize which beliefs aid us and which hinder us. It's difficult to know exactly which ones to let go of unless we have an emotionally charged experience that forces our hand.     The good news is that the mindset can be changed and recalibrated. Awareness and acknowledgment are catalysts for change. However, we must recognize that these transformations take time and patience with ourselves as we rewire our mindset.     To best overcome the illusion, we should do what comes next.     Look At Reality As Is     Everyone has dreams and goals they want to achieve someday. These goals naturally distort our perception of reality as we work hard to transform the reality around us. There's nothing wrong with that, but we must differentiate when our perceptions are an asset or a liability.     Therefore, admitting that our perceptions aren't fully accurate is the first step to overcoming these illusions, especially the Deadline Illusion . Once we own it, we'll notice that our world won't end because we're several years past the deadline.    Instead, we'll experience a massive sense of relief as the pressure of hitting a subjective deadline lifts off our shoulders and leaves us free to progress in our own time. This kind of liberation allows us to enjoy the journey instead of rushing it at full force.     As we own and transform misaligned perceptions, we should continue collecting data to verify that we're not subject to the whims of these deadlines anymore. What we do next is also important to ensure that our corrections are concrete.     Read Stories     It's unlikely that we're alone in our struggles. A simple Google search returns thousands of stories from blogs and advice-based forums. These stories are told in one of two ways: either as how they overcame their struggles or to present a problem for other users to read and chip in their two cents.     While our circumstances in our struggles will be unique, other stories can provide ideas to overcome our conflicts. From there, we must piece together what's needed to overcome the illusions that hold our dreams hostage. Whenever we get stuck, we can go back to old stories or find new ones for reference as we change how we approach problems in life.     These stories inspire us with the energy to take control and change our perceptions, but we must keep the momentum moving by doing what comes next.     Get Creative     There's a great caveat about becoming free of the Deadline Illusion : our situation is unconventional. Unlike children who may not be burdened with adult responsibilities, we must acknowledge the realities we face. We may not have as much free time, so we must spend each spare second wisely.     We must recognize that most solutions in life are not obvious. We differentiate ourselves in the process by deviating from conventional wisdom to attempt uncommon approaches to life that aren't popular. In the right company, this is an asset, but the wrong people will view our deviations as an annoyance and liability.     By overcoming the illusion, we're already committed to an unconventional path, so it only makes sense to continue forward. Therefore, we must get creative with executing while ensuring our actions are perceived positively.     There are numerous ways to be creative in our approaches, but we won't be able to discuss tactics here. The best advice to get started is to let your mind explore possibilities per your unique situation and commit to a starting point. Then, go and correct course. Along the way, your results may not match your expectations.    Remember: If we try to swim with the fish and do things normally, we will fail.       Take Action    Being all amped up to overcome our illusions is meaningless without action. Anyone can become aware of it, but acting to transform our lives is the greatest differentiator. Unfortunately, most people will recognize and think they've got it under control, only to slowly creep back into their old ways while burning valuable days and weeks in their lives.     As we get creative with our approaches, trial and error are required to overcome our situations. We are always operating with incomplete information. Therefore, it's imperative to have the right balance between planning and execution. My mix is 20:80, but what works for you might differ depending on your situation and personality.     As we discover our breakthroughs, we should note them and figure out ways to amplify those smaller victories into larger ones. It takes time, and the best solution may not surface immediately. However, implementing a constructive solution that moves the needle forward is better than waiting forever for the perfect solution, which might be gone in the blink of an eye.     Likewise, with failures, we must take note and learn from actions that yield unfavorable results. In these cases, acknowledging failure as a guardrail is crucial in trying better ideas. Failure is the best remedy because it shows that we're fighting the good fight, and we need to keep that momentum going rather than stall out and waste it.      As we continue, keep amplifying what works and redirecting what doesn't. Adjust, adjust, adjust. Before we know it, we'll get to our intended destination if we do not allow the illusion to return.     Overcome Through Action    The Deadline Illusion  is a persistent mirage engineered to keep telling us it’s too late to try. We believe in many reasons, such as getting older and becoming more responsible, recognizing that sometimes people younger than us have more skill and freedom, and other narratives that are not relevant to our lives.     Luckily, we have many more stories and resources to dissolve the illusion right before our eyes. Achievements that were once impossible in our mid-to-later years may now be accessible later in life. We no longer need to work towards impossible deadlines for major achievements, but rather work at a sustainable pace that allows us to enjoy the journey.     While recognizing the Deadline Illusion  is an important first step, awareness is not enough. To overcome the illusion once and for all, we must take action to prove to ourselves that this deadline is utterly meaningless. It takes patience, trial and error, and optimism to overcome it, but it can be done.     What has the Deadline Illusion  held you back from, and what's your first step to dispel it once and for all?

7000 miles. 19 states + 1 province. 25 days. 800 photos. 200 new ideas.   Up to this point, I had never done anything like this before. Either I would periodically take a one-week staycation, or I would travel to familiar sites: my parents’ house, my in-laws’ house, or see some friends from other cities I used to live in. When leaving the area, I would fly to my destination.   This time was different. It was time to pack my bags, see the country from the ground view, and connect the dots from coast to coast.   Up until this road trip, the longest road trip I ever took was after college. I drove from near Erie, Pennsylvania, to Kansas City, Missouri, and returned using a different route through Kentucky and West Virginia. The longest day drive stemmed from near Des Moines, Iowa, to Colorado Springs, Colorado.   It was time for another road trip. This time, my journey would be longer in both time and distance to properly visit states, cities, and landmarks that I would otherwise miss.   From California to New York State, I took my time exploring the country by limiting my driving time to eight hours per day. This decision enabled me to see some sites along the way, enjoy the places I was staying in, and visit a few friends without any hurry.   During my road trip, there were a few noteworthy highlights I hadn’t realized until they became apparent to me, including:   On my trip, I visited three new national parks that were dream destinations in my 20s: Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore, and the Badlands. When I arrived in Omaha, Nebraska, I realized I finally had a continuous, connected vision from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. I chased and captured my first storm on a pro camera in Western Kansas.   To my surprise, there were no major interruptions or setbacks. Not everything went according to plan, but many good, unexpected surprises overshadowed any setbacks.   I packed lightly with only the essentials. Music is essential, so my guitar and saxophone were at the top of my packing list. During my stay at various places, I never received a complaint about playing either instrument.   Of course, I knew I had to pack my Sony Mirrorless camera to capture beautiful scenery, wildlife, and people along the way. I snapped over 8000 photographs and kept nearly 800 of the best ones.   Additionally, I captured 200 new creative, entrepreneurial, and technological ideas by having Siri take a note for me as I enjoyed the road, scenery, and lodging in strange and familiar lands.   My 5 Realizations From An Epic Road Trip   This reflection documents several key ideas and realizations from my road trip. The old saying goes that evaluated experience is far more valuable than raw experience.   Below are five of the major realizations I had throughout the trip that were reinforced time and time again.   -1- Worst Case Is Exactly That–Worst Case   The idea of a road trip brings mixed emotions: excitement for the thrills to come with bucket list items to knock out, and the horrors of the worst things that can happen.   When it comes to the worst case, it's easy to imagine everything going wrong:   The car could break down, lose a tire, get swept up by a tornado, or get into an accident, A thug could break into the car and steal hidden valuables, I could get hijacked from driving through inner city Chicago to get around a major accident on the interstate,   The list goes on. For all the worst-case scenarios that could happen, none of them happened. That's because worst-case scenarios have barely any probability of occurring.   Mostly, I had an enjoyable experience driving throughout each state. Other drivers were friendly, people enjoyed saying hello, and everybody wanted to get along their way. It was amazing.   While it’s possible that adversity can strike, as long as we do our due diligence to protect ourselves and treat others with respect, there is hardly any reason to believe that any road trip will encounter major adversities. Business operates similarly. We should be aware of possible worst-case scenarios, but we shouldn't spend precious time trying to prevent them when we could be generating revenue, improving our operations, ensuring our stakeholders' successes, and so on. Tim Ferriss, your words make far more sense than ever before.   -2- Every Destination Has An Opportunity Cost   While driving from coast to coast, there are endless opportunities for sightseeing and experiencing new things. There are two sides to the coin in any adventure: the expected and the unexpected.   This reality creates two equally valid temptations:   The first temptation is to spend more time in our current location because there’s no guarantee that the next place we visit will be as good. Here, the opportunity cost is losing time to enjoy hidden surprises. Additionally, we may underestimate how much we appreciate the next destination.   The second temptation is to get to the next destination faster to maximize the time spent there. Similar to the first temptation, the cost is the hidden treasures that may be missed along the way. More importantly, the next destination may not meet our expectations, and backtracking would be time-consuming and fruitless.   With these opportunity costs, is there a way to optimize the maximum enjoyment of a road trip? This question may become a classic in a microeconomics class.   The answer: No .   Complete information is unattainable, and there's no way to know without hindsight. When venturing into the unknown, we will never truly know what is out there until we experience it first-hand. Additionally, what one person perceives as boring may be adventurous for someone else. Therefore, the best course of action is to move forward by making the best decisions possible with limited information and actively embracing our experiences. It’s as simple as that.   However, there is one guarantee: precious time will be lost if we choose to overanalyze how to best enjoy the road trip before proceeding. As we all know, time is not a renewable resource.   Therefore, the best approach to a road trip is to adopt a flexible mindset that maintains reasonable certainty about planned activities while embracing the uncertainty of thrills that appear along the way. This mindset works well in business, too.   -3- Some Plans Wash Out, While The Surprises Make Up For It   Initially, I had about 60 potential destinations to visit. These were national parks, cities, homes of friends and family, and other desired destinations. However, not all plans worked out, while others were a real gamble.   In some unfortunate cases, the weather made enjoying outdoor destinations impractical. Other destinations were closed for maintenance, repairs, staff meetings, or other reasons beyond any traveler's control.   Even when I successfully reached some destinations, they didn’t live up to the hype. The visits, which I thought would be more involved, were short and sweet. In these situations, I found myself with surplus time. It didn’t necessarily make them bad; it just changed the flow of the anticipated game.   On the flipside, there were other destinations I had never heard of before, which turned out to be some of my favorite moments from the trip.   One of my favorite moments was towards the end of the trip. I arrived at my hotel in Goodland, Kansas, and the sun was setting and vivid in color, immediately attracting my attention.   I pulled up the weather radar and noticed some red in the cells 15 miles west of my location, which indicates heavy storms with possible lightning. In my mind, the thought of seeing my first tornado was a thrill. I pounced on the opportunity by grabbing my camera and tripod to drive west towards that vivid sunset. As I approached the Kansas–Colorado border, I noticed a windmill farm where the sun was setting and snapped the following picture:     As the sun disappeared, I noticed that the lightning was increasing in frequency. Sometimes, it was crackling through the sky, and other times, it was slamming the ground. It was scary but captivating.   Before my final moments of escaping the storm and not getting struck by lightning, I captured some pictures with my Sony. Here is one of my favorite moments:     After capturing Mother Nature's display, I bolted to the hotel to shack up and ride out the storm. The microburst brought plenty of lightning and thunder as the near 60 mph winds thrusted heavy rain and dime-sized hail on the town. While the storm was thrilling, there was no tornado. Luckily for me, my car fared just fine. Capturing the storm was a great reminder that plans are always subject to change in business. Adaptability is far more important than a rigid vision. When an opportunity presents itself, it's crucial to pounce before it passes.   -4- There Is Beauty Everywhere   Many people consider coastal states a photographer's paradise for scenic photography. In California, we have ample beaches, numerous mountain sides, and Mediterranean scenery that enjoys some of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen. The Pacific Northwest and Alaska bring their own natural treasures.   However, all 19 states plus the one Canadian province I visited had beauty. Whether it was wildlife or unforgettable landscapes, every place I visited had something to offer.   I will admit that becoming a photographer has trained my eye to look for perspectives that might be missed or taken for granted. However, it’s one of the most substantial rewards of being a photographer and a skill that enhances all other areas of life, including business.   If we know where to look, change our perspective (and perhaps our mindset), and adjust our focus, we may capture an epic and unforgettable shot. Here is a gallery of a few surprise landscapes throughout North America:     -5- On Average, People Love To Help Out   Many people love to poke fun at the middle of the country for being boring, flyover country. I am fortunate to live on one of the coasts, where I enjoy some of the best weather, food, arts, and technological innovation that life offers.   However, driving through the country–specifically the Rockies and the Midwest–reminded me of a life that goes to a much slower beat. At this tempo, people are more inclined to lend a helping hand for situations big and small. It was a nostalgic reminder of how much I appreciated the people of Iowa during my first two years of college.   Throughout my journey, I met numerous strangers who held doors with a genuine smile. Whenever I checked into a hotel, the front desk agents were terrific and always asked if I needed any additional accommodations. Waiters and waitresses asked thoughtful questions about my travels and life back in California.   People in these parts of the country are genuine and hard-working. Most of them are ordinary Americans with careers, families, and modest lifestyles that move at a far different pace. Others have big dreams and aspirations, as I did growing up, and they are leveraging their small-town roots to learn what's out there for them.   That’s when it hit me that these parts of the country generally value social currency more than anything else. The locals pride themselves on lending a hand to someone in need and ensuring they feel welcome.   While driving from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Omaha, Nebraska, I decided to take the back roads along the Missouri River to change the pace from driving on the interstate. It was only a 180-mile drive, so I figured I had ample time to enjoy the road and stop along the way. Within the first hour, I noticed a persistent clicking in the back of the car, which led me to suspect that something wasn’t right with the vehicle. Naturally, I pulled over to inspect the car to see if I could identify the problem. I discovered that one of my backpack straps was hanging out of the trunk, and the plastic piece at the end kept hitting the car.   It wasn’t even one minute after I pulled over when somebody drove from their driveway to ask if I needed help. She was a very sweet, retired lady who offered me a place to stay and leftovers from lunch.   As wonderful an offer as it was, I told her that I pulled over because a plastic part from my backpack kept hitting the car. She laughed at this and said she was glad to see I was okay. She revalidated the offer if I wanted a place to rest for a little while. I politely declined her offer, but I sincerely appreciated it.   Our encounter was a good reminder that offering to help others is what business is all about. Just remember to be a servant, and not a doormat.   A New Chapter In Business   Even though I didn’t get to do everything I wanted, I had the road trip of a lifetime. I was able to take time off from my business, do some things I wanted to do, and build some new, long-lasting memories that I’m using as a springboard to push me forward in my new chapter. There's something to be said about being able to walk away from the everyday grind and experience different walks of life throughout the country. It's a great reminder that we don't always need to go fast. In business, direction is far more important than speed.   As I return to the city lifestyle, these realizations will serve as cornerstones for moving forward. In my own city, I look forward to uncovering new opportunities with fresh eyes by building long-lasting relationships with my community. Since returning, I've visited new events and asked people about their interests. Perhaps Dale Carnegie is right: you can make more friends in two months by taking a genuine interest in someone else than in two years talking about yourself. Hopefully, I will be able to get my new ventures just right by ensuring they serve the needs of my immediate community.   Should You Do A Road Trip? Yes. Ultimately, I recommend that everyone take a road trip at some point in their lives. A great road trip doesn't need to span multiple states and several weeks. Something as simple as going four hours out of town for a weekend can bring new changes and direction. A road trip represents a break from our natural routines to teach us the humility needed to trust that unfamiliar situations will work out. Additionally, seeing new sites can trigger new ideas, which cannot be obtained from executing the same routines in familiar environments. Along the way, we will capture new ideas and memories that serve as a springboard to build a better future. We will see how the dots connect to identify similarities and differences of distinct cultures and lands far better than if we are anchored in one area.   In addition to the people, we see changes in the residents of Mother Nature along the way. In America, we're fortunate that the wildlife is bountiful. Here are some other wildlife highlights from my road trip:     The pictures seen throughout this article only serve as the tip of the iceberg. For the full photo album of my road trip across America, click here .   Thank you for reading. I hope this article has inspired you to take your own road trip someday!

Think back to a recent conversation, performance, or piece of writing that made an impression. What’s perplexing is that an impression lingers in our minds long after words were spoken, songs were sung, or scripts were performed. Details fade, but the impression remains.   The question becomes, “What was it about that experience that leaves an impression?”   At first, we can speculate about the details, even if they are difficult to recall. However, the details only serve to carry out our experiences. There's a reason that we forget what people say but remember how they make us feel. Therefore, it's how that experience ends that leaves the lasting impression we carry onward.     Even though first impressions set the stage for how we believe our experiences would unfold, the ending ultimately decides whether the impression is favorable or not. In many cases, an experience can start off oddly or unexpectedly, but the finale brings it all together to leave a final mark.   For musicians, this is something we know to be true as we land our final note. Therefore, there are techniques musicians rely on to ensure that songs end memorably.   This reality extends beyond music and has become a principle that applies to nearly all endeavors. From private, intimate conversations to worldwide shows and broadcasts, the final note bears the most weight in determining whether the experience leaves a beautiful memory or misses the mark.   From my experience across multiple disciplines, I know that music is the most effective vehicle to communicate the importance of powerful endings. We don’t have to be musicians or have any knowledge of music theory to determine whether a musician's playing or singing leaves a good impression or sours the experience. We just know. Intuitively.   Therefore, I will demonstrate the importance of the final note using a short and sweet passage on the saxophone. There will be variations of this passage with heavy emphasis on the ending. These demonstration videos will be embedded throughout the article and include graphs to incorporate a multisensory approach to my demonstrations.   The Tension & Release Principle   Many of us have seen thriller movies where suspense dominates the plot. In these movies, we lean in as we try to predict what will happen next, especially in horror movies.   The best thrillers glue us to the edge of our seats as we watch characters navigate mazes riddled with traps. We attempt to predict when these traps will be sprung and ensnare their victims. As tension builds, we brace ourselves for the surprise… whenever that may be.   Out of nowhere, the threat suddenly appears and releases the mounting tension through our screams and sudden gasps. We can't help but become hooked on the drama as we watch it unfold. Seasoned writers know to leverage an unpredictable pattern of tension and release to keep viewers hooked. Thrillers that leave lasting impressions on the audience are created by filmmakers, scriptwriters, and actors who inherently master the Tension & Release Principle . They understand the drama of anticipation and attempt to figure out ways to mount the tension while releasing it at the least anticipated moment. That pattern is visualized on the graph below:   Tension builds up until the release point, at which point tension can either sharply or slowly decline. The cycle often repeats itself multiple times in performing arts, such as music, stand-up comedy, and theatre.   The Tension & Release Principle  applies to our relationships, careers, and hobbies to make them more interesting and engaging. While it may not be as stark and dramatic as a thriller movie, its application significantly reduces dull moments.   In other words, the Tension & Release Principle  is a cornerstone of anything we find interesting.   Music is engineered to provide tension with catchy hooks, memorable melodies, and instrumentation that resonates with listeners. It can be as short as a simple 5-second jingle or a full-blown 1-hour symphony.   Demonstrations of Tension & Release   To better apply tension and release, let's analyze a handful of scenarios through variations of a short, two-bar jazz phrase to demonstrate the differences between utilizing the principle well and falling flat on its face.   Demo 1: No Tension, No Release   Ever had an experience so boring that watching paint dry became a much more appealing alternative?   It happens to the best of us. Unfortunately, life isn’t filled with masters of the Tension & Release Principle . Naturally, we are more inclined to excuse ourselves from these monotonous experiences as much as possible.   When the Tension & Release Principle  isn’t harnessed, the experience drags out and becomes lifeless. Think of when someone goes on numerous bewildering tangents that don’t add up. The incessant verbal droning does nothing but burn precious time.    This level of droning occurs in all types of experiences, including music. Here’s an example on the saxophone of what I mean:     While my saxophone playing was technically correct, its delivery was very flat and monotonous. The playing would pass a technical audition if that's what was required, but it doesn't emotionally connect with an audience.   For most listeners, those two bars became a passive experience. As a result, the listener’s attention shifts from “How will this end?” to “I hope this ends soon.”   Here is a visual curve of the experience:     The curve is flat because nothing happens. Naturally, when there's no buildup of tension, there's nothing to release. As a result, there is no memorable impression.   Here are some other ways where technical competency is demonstrated but doesn't connect emotionally:   A writer who delivers accurate, detailed facts for preventing deforestation but has no stories to use to make an emotional connection and a call to action. An actor who fumbles with the script cannot add relatable characterizations to their performance. A public speaker who delivers the words of a speech but fails to use vocal variety, hand gestures, and ingrained emotion to make an emotional appeal to the audience. A photographer who tells the subject to smile without a compelling reason. A teacher who delivers a monotonous lesson because "it's part of the curriculum."   In short:   No Tension + No Release →  Forgettable Experience   Therefore, we must add tension and release to the experience if we ever hope to capture the hearts of an audience and leave a favorable impression. Demo 2: Some Tension, No Release   We’ve all been in situations where the tension builds and builds and builds… and then, nothing.   We scramble to understand what happened or wonder if we missed something important. Questions run through our minds as we try to make sense of the cliffhanger.   Unfortunately, this is one of the most common experiences. Hype is built around a new idea, product, or service, only to never come to fruition. At best, the lack of delivery is due to negligence. At worst, a con artist who doesn't plan on delivering anyway.   Here's how this situation is demonstrated musically:     This musical phrasing improves on the first video. Some notes were changed, mixed with dynamics, adding some variety to elevate tension throughout the passage.   However, the final note felt like an airplane that wasn't ready to land yet. The tension increased throughout the phrasing, but without the release, it’s difficult for the listener to determine whether that was the end.   Here's the curve of the buildup:     It starts off well, and the experience builds tension throughout, but the final note doesn't release the built-up tension. Instead, it leaves listeners on a cliffhanger. This is why the final note truly counts in musical passages.   Here are other examples across different disciplines of when tension builds but does not get released:   A writer who writes a brilliant passage but has no closing paragraph or takeaway message. An actor who builds up a ton of drama but suddenly disappears, never to be seen again. A public speaker who commands a captivating message, only to say “oops, my time is up” as they step off the stage. A photographer who shoots a photo session but doesn’t deliver any photos. A teacher who asks a question, gets responses, but moves on to the next topic without acknowledging any responses.   In short:   Tension + No Release →  Cliffhanger     In all these cases, tension builds up to the final moment, but there is no resolution. This situation leaves an impression of bewilderment and incompleteness.   Demo 3: Build Tension, Land With Runaway Tension   Ever listened to a brilliant talk, read a beautiful passage, or listened to a talented musician who delivers a phenomenal experience throughout, but then the ending seems completely off from the rest of it?   Something as minor as a contradictory remark, a paragraph that doesn't belong, or a dissonant note can sour an otherwise world-class experience. It doesn't seem fair that such a small segment of the experience taints the rest, but it's the impression that sticks with us.   Here’s a quick example of what I mean:     In this take of the passage, everything was played well until the final note. It soured the mood because it was completely out of place. At best, it could have been a transition note into a different ending that was left incomplete. In either case, the tension spikes dramatically as shown below:     Here are additional examples where tension is built and aggressively throttled by an abrupt ending or incomplete performance:   A grant writer whose work builds a solid case for increasing educational funding, only to undermine it by claiming that its previous spending was wasteful. An antagonist in a movie who suddenly turns into the good guy at the end with absolutely no explanation. A public speaker who delivers a beautiful address to hundreds of salespeople in the solar industry but then pitches reasons to sell oil and gas products. A photographer who delivers a wedding album of distorted photos. A math teacher who cannot follow the simple rules of algebra to solve equations or simplify mathematical expressions.   In short:   Tension + Bad Release →  Agitation   These situations demonstrate that while building tension is part of the game, the release must decrease the tension at the end, not increase it. Additionally, if tension overbuilds, it risks distorting the experience while eroding credibility and professionalism. Given the choice between an abrupt cliffhanger and a tension spike, most audience members would choose the cliffhanger.   Demo 4: Build Tension, Then Release   Finally, after all the tension built into this article, here comes a good example of applying the Tension & Release Principle . Releasing tension that is built throughout is the key ingredient to leaving a lasting impression. Not only is it important to release the tension, but also do so at the right rate–not too slowly, and not too quickly. Additionally, tension must be built at the right rate. Mastering the optimal rate of building tension requires trial and error, high social intelligence, and an intuitive understanding of our workflow.   When tension is built wisely, its release provides a lasting impression that the audience remembers long after the details fade.   Musically, here’s what I mean:     As the tension builds throughout the passage, the final note releases it to emphasize the conclusion. It leaves the final impression that simmers in the listeners' minds. Additionally, a well-placed final note tricks us into thinking everything around it was relatively interesting.   Again, it’s more about the impression that lasts, not the details. Therefore, investing our best efforts into what lands the impression is vital.   Graphically speaking, here is our desired journey.     Across different disciplines, it's important to know how to treat the final note of our work to leave a favorable impression. Here are more metaphorical examples of how a well-placed final note resonates and compels the audience to act:   A writer delivers a thorough article on improving the state of a community, providing tangible action steps with immediate application. An actor delivers an inspiring performance throughout and defeats his adversary at the end. A public speaker leaves their audience with a tangible action plan that can be applied after the round of applause. A teacher has his students think through a problem and reveals the correct answer with a clear explanation. A photographer provides a great photoshoot experience, delivers sneak peeks, and then delivers the final album in a timely manner.   In short:   Tension + Release →  Impression   In each situation, the experience builds optimal tension that captivates an audience. Then, it releases the tension to leave a favorable impression that improves an audience's lives or unlocks peace of mind. That’s the best way to build tension and release.   Applying The Lesson   It’s time to turn our attention to ourselves and figure out how to apply the Tension & Release Principle  to achieve the best results possible.   Having a background in performing arts isn't necessary to master it in our own experiences. However, becoming a master requires creativity and patience through trial and error. For each of these steps, it's important to write it down for progress to become more clear.   –1– Begin With The Ending In Mind   In Stephen R. Covey's classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , the first habit introduced is to begin with the end in mind. Many eager people make the mistake of getting started without determining their ultimate destination.   In a world that values speed, what makes having the end in mind valuable? It's the direction. If the plan is to drive north from Atlanta to New York, we should not choose a highway that travels west towards Los Angeles. Remember this: No amount of speed will compensate for going in the wrong direction.   Therefore, determining our 'why' is the most critical delivery aspect. From there, we can shape the journey to build tension and land on the final note of the journey.   –2– Write Out The Desired Impression   Many beginners make the mistake of defining the end and not realizing the impression it delivers. It's not enough to have intention; execution matters. People are not mind readers, but most have enough social awareness to evaluate their experiences.   The best way to engage impressions is through using a multisensory approach. When landing on the final note and delivering an impression, we must ask:   What does it look like? What does it sound like? What does it feel like?   The more senses engaged, the better. Once these questions are answered, we can package it into one final question:   What should the audience take away at the very end?   –3– Connect Tension With Release   It's worth reiterating that tension and release are not isolated from each other. The mechanisms that lead to that impression must be aligned with its delivery. Otherwise, the misalignment may result in more unwanted tension and leave the audience agitated.   When determining how much tension is required, it's best to answer these two questions next:   How much tension should be built right before the release is delivered? How fast should the tension be mounting from start to finish?   For some, this will be intuitive, while for others, it requires explicitly thinking it out and documenting the steps as a recipe. We must use our best judgment on what works best for us and proceed accordingly.   –4– Put It All Together   Now that the impression has been formulated, it's time to build a roadmap from start to finish. Determine the actions that will build the necessary tension right before the punchline is delivered.   For those who use the intuitive approach, documenting the process is still highly recommended. While it might require a little more time and effort, it allows us to review what's going on and select aspects of the process to modify and improve.   An important aspect of building the roadmap is making sure it is practical and manageable. If we stretch ourselves too much, we risk building tension beyond what's tolerable for the audience and ourselves.   Therefore, we want to focus on getting it right first and then tweak it down the road as a stretch goal, where appropriate.   –5– Review The Impression   The final part of the journey requires us to imagine ourselves as statisticians. This is where the testing and review begin to further evaluate whether we're leaving the impression we desire on our audience. Once our planning is completed, we must deploy and practice it.   First and foremost, it's important to document and record our work for review. In the beginning, it's difficult to evaluate ourselves, especially if it's a video, because we're not used to seeing ourselves from a second-person point of view. However, the video doesn't lie and will capture everything we do.   Regardless of how cringy it may be, we need to muster the courage to review it to know how we're perceived.   As our own hardest critic, we want to catch detrimental aspects of delivery before others do. The easiest way to do this for ourselves is to have AI generate a list of yes or no questions relevant to our situation.   Once we've done our due diligence, it's time to test it on a smaller audience. Deliver the performance and ask for feedback, especially on the impression a few hours or a few days afterwards. While there may be specific questions we're interested in our own situations, there's only one question that needs to be answered:   Did the impression meet expectations?   If yes, continue optimizing it until there's no point to improving it or a ceiling has been hit. If no, ask what needs to be changed and fix it. Plan on testing the changes again in the near future.   Even if the desired impression landed the first time, repeat the test to ensure consistency. There's nothing worse than a false positive in the beginning. For those who enjoy flowcharts, consider this:   Land The Plane Smoothly   Our experiences will become more mindful with the application of the Tension & Release Principle . It feels good to end things on a good note to know we can focus on what's next. Not all parts of the journey are weighed equally in the eyes of the audience. While many producers become obsessed with making the middle of any endeavor as smooth and perfect as possible, it is often the ending that will be remembered by the largest chunk of the audience.   Therefore, more careful attention should be paid to delivering a smooth landing. Of course, the process of building tension is important, but it’s the impression that stays with us at the very end.   When the ending is mastered, try allowing it to resonate a little longer. Here's a bonus demo to demonstrate what I mean.     In this final demo, the playing was very similar to the previous demonstration. In addition to a few pick up notes, the musical phrase slowed down at the end. This gives the listener permission to breathe a sigh of relief as the music comes to an end. In the graph below, we can see that the green part of the journey lasts just a little bit longer.     Optimal Tension + Optimal Release  →  Optimal Impression As we come to a close on our journey of tension and release, think about how to apply it to our crafts. Becoming a master of the Tension & Release Principle can not only make us more effective in our craft, but enjoy life a little bit more. This combo will help us land our final note in each experience to leave an impression for all to enjoy. Enjoy the journey. Start well, build tension, and release your final note wisely so that you may leave a favorable impression.

Let's get one thing straight: creativity is not reserved solely for artists.  Everybody has some degree of creativity.  Sure, artists are bound to exercise creativity more often than others, but that doesn't mean they are the only ones who can do so.   Creativity is a mental muscle like our physical muscles.  When we exercise, it helps us get stronger.  When we neglect it, it experiences atrophy.  It's that simple.   There are countless instances where we exercise creativity without realizing it.  Rewriting sentences, rearranging the living room, and delivering more compelling presentations harness creativity to transform things from good to great.   Therefore, it’s up to us to find ways to recognize and use creativity more often. As this article explores, creativity doesn’t need to be flamboyant or awe-inspiring.  Little changes in our lives are valid applications of creativity.   Top Five Reasons   Here are the top five reasons why everybody should exercise creativity regularly, regardless of their gifts, skill sets, and professions:   1 – It Serves As Our Mental Gym   We all have thoughts and ideas that occupy our heads. The most important ideas will motivate us to make them a reality.   When we want to be in shape, we don't just wish for fitness. We get up, exercise, push ourselves, and rest.  Then, repeat with variations of exercises until we gradually see results.   Creativity is the mental equivalent of the physical gym. We must practice repeatedly to strengthen our creative muscles and abilities until we improve.  It’s unreasonable to believe that one creative session is enough to conjure, build, and polish our ideas.   When we devise new, innovative solutions, it is easier to do so when we have done the work ahead of time.   2 – Builds A Bank of Ideas   Music and the arts are not the only outputs for creativity.  Ideas are the easiest way to express our thoughts with unique twists and vantage points.   The beauty of creativity lies in its near-limitless potential.  However, we cannot generate millions of ideas and expect to remember them all.  This is where documentation becomes essential.   Depending on our skills and preferences, we can document our ideas on a notepad, digital notebook, or even an Excel spreadsheet. Our goal should not be to find the absolute best method but to find “a” method that works for us.   Begin by documenting one idea, then another, and continue this process. Soon, we will have built a bank of ideas to be stored, discarded, or continued.   Best of all, our bank of ideas can be combined to create unique twists.  Combination is the most common form of creativity.  Our ideas are ingredients in the stew pot; mixing them in the right proportions may yield flavorful results.   3 – Creativity Requires The Compound Effect   It's easy to believe that creativity automatically generates elegant solutions. However, extraordinary results emerge from years of hard work, refining, and determining what works for our target audience.   In Ed Catmull's book Creativity Inc. , the high-level executive of Pixar admits that everything conceived starts as an ugly baby. In other words, the initial idea must be workshopped repeatedly until it becomes presentable.   Famous Pixar characters weren’t created in a day. Buzz Lightyear, Dash, and other beloved characters required new iterations and updates to become what we saw on the screen.  While it may seem odd to those who only see the results, the process is great news because it shows anyone can do it.   Our best ideas are unlikely to be the ones we initially jot down. Sure, they have potential, but they’re unlikely to be presentable. However, that's okay, as harnessing our creative juices to produce remarkable results requires time and effort.   In the beginning, aspiring creatives should have only one goal: practice.   Practice generating, refining, and grasping what the audience seeks from our ideas.  This process strengthens our creative muscles.  Once we clear the clutter from the attic, genuine ideas with tremendous potential will emerge.   4 – Recognize Your Own Creative Patterns / Biases   Despite our preconceived notions and perceptions of creativity, everyone has unique patterns and biases regarding how it works. In other words, pure, abstract creativity does not exist because all the dots are uniquely connected.   As a result, when we consider some of our favorite artists, we acknowledge that they each have unique creative methods. No single creative method is inherently better than another; everyone has their own approaches to what suits their style.   Analyzing our creativity biases makes it easier to identify our creative affinities.  As an example, I enjoy producing instrumental shorts that feature stingers at the end.  In other words, I repeat the final note of the passage after a rest, but in a different octave.     Just because we recognize patterns in our creativity doesn't mean we are less creative. What’s important is that we realize how we approach creativity by the end of the day.  This awareness allows us to own our creativity, enabling us to challenge it later and explore new ways to be creative.   5 – Creativity Generates Happiness   This is one of the most critical points that is often overlooked.  Many underutilize their creativity because they believe it’s too big for them, which can lead to feeling stifled.   The purpose of being creative shouldn't be to indulge in an endless splurge all the time. Instead, it should focus on sharing ideas with our audience at a reasonable level. Once we achieve that level, we often experience greater satisfaction in our creativity than if we were to keep everything bottled up in our minds.   After a good workout, we experience the release of endorphins, which make us feel good about the hard work and pain endured in the gym. Similarly, mental workouts reward us when we devote our minds to bringing a project to life instead of binge-watching Netflix.   One final note: our intentions are just as important as our results. Engaging in creativity to become rich and famous may lead to failure and feelings of suffering.  However, if we pursue creativity to exercise our minds and explore our potential, we can discover many rewards, such as clarity, peace of mind, and new skills and abilities.   Build That Creative Muscle   The creative muscle lies within us.  Some may require a little dusting off to get back into creative shape.  The road might be much longer for others, but it is worth it.  The good news is that we all possess that initial potential.   When we were younger, our curiosity ran wild.  However, as we grew up, our creativity became stifled as we conformed to societal standards dictated by our teachers and employers.  Other events in life have further buried our creativity underneath layers of our minds.   The good news is that we all can dig ourselves out, and no one is unredeemable.  It all begins with a single step in the right direction.  Steps become yards, yards become miles, and miles become light years.  However, it is up to us to decide to go on that journey.  As we journey further, we will enjoy creative victories, big and small.   What are some ways you're going to explore your creativity? Share an idea below.

The human experience incorporates a broad spectrum of emotions that shape our lives. Some individuals are naturally wired to experience certain emotions more than others. These differences stem from unique biological and psychological factors that control how we perceive and interpret our experiences.   Most emotions are generally categorized as positive, neutral, or negative. However, some feelings are rooted in multiple categories due to their mix.   Positive emotions are instances that bring happiness and make us feel good. Naturally, we desire happy experiences to occur as often as possible. Joy, contentment, and love are among the range of emotions that we seek.   Neutral emotions appear to fill the void but don't sway the pendulum one way or the other. Feelings such as contentment, indifference, and calm are examples.   In contrast, negative emotions are feelings that challenge our comfort zone. As a result, we tend to want to alleviate them swiftly. While these emotions aren't inherently harmful, they can lead to adverse outcomes if left unaddressed. Common negative emotions encompass sadness, despair, and anger.   This article explores anger as a universal tool for change. When appropriately harnessed, anger compels us to act and make necessary changes. We will see how anger stems from our situations and unlocks the energy needed to correct them.   The Misconception About Anger   Anger serves as an emotional tool that drives change. It is not a singular emotion but a blend of frustration, hurt, disappointment, fear, and powerlessness. This emotional surge generates short bursts of energy and compels swift action to enhance our world.   Unfortunately, anger is associated with misplaced stigmas. Consequently, those who lack emotional mastery often offer misguided advice, particularly to children and young adults. One of the unhealthiest approaches to anger is to ignore or bottle it up.   Even religious scriptures guide their believers to manage anger appropriately. The Holy Bible reveals that God is slow to anger, not entirely devoid of it. The Qur'an states that the strongest person is the one who ultimately controls their anger. The Dhammapada provides its perspective on anger: the one who masters their rising anger is the charioteer.   Whether mortal or deity, there is a unifying theme in managing anger: it must be used responsibly.   If anger is not necessarily evil, what is it?  Anger is an amoral tool for change, and its presence isn't the problem.   How it is harnessed often determines the difference between creating constructive and destructive outcomes, winning and losing the game, and building trust versus breaking trust. Like most emotions in life, anger is inevitable.   Therefore, whether good or poor outcomes are experienced hinges on how it is directed.    The most significant changes in the world resulted from the righteous and constructive use of anger. Martin Luther King Jr. channeled his anger and that of fellow Black Americans and allies through peaceful protests in the streets of America. Gandhi expressed his anger through nonviolent protests against British rule in India.   However, history depicts these two as benevolent civil rights heroes. So, what differentiates these two leaders from others who use anger for change?   Ultimately, they harnessed anger to manifest better outcomes. Both MLK and Gandhi showed that anger provides the energy for change. Leading by example, others followed suit, utilizing their rage for the better.   Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to be afraid of anger. Everyone can become angry. We must be aware of how anger is managed. In the right hands, it can lead to powerful change. However, in the wrong hands, it may result in destructive outcomes.   How Anger Is Vital For Change   It's worth another iteration: Anger is an amoral tool for change, not always a destructive force. It’s an integral part of our emotional package. However, left unchecked, its consequences can be more dire than other emotions in the toolbox.    Therefore, it's essential to harness it responsibly as it arises. Here's what anger provides when channeled correctly:   Anger Provides A Burst of Energy   It's tough to enact change when feeling lethargic or powerless, which yields inaction. While it might not cause immediate suffering, doing nothing can lead to regret and resentment.   On the other hand, anger offers a surge of energy that enables swift change. We no longer need to dig deep or build momentum to access this energy–it is readily available.  We must harness it effectively to avoid unintentionally worsening the current situation or bottling it up, which can lead to long-term resentment.   The question becomes: how do we harness anger to manifest constructive changes to our situation?    Anger Compels Us To Act   Have you ever noticed that things tend to move more quickly when people are angry?  That’s the lightning effect of anger.  People act on instinct and navigate problems as if they are TIE Fighter pilots.  If they blink, they may crash, so they lock into their issues head-on.   The energy unleashed reactively must be directed swiftly toward constructive purposes. Most people struggle with anger through inappropriate actions. When anger targets a person instead of the issue they caused, it leads to disaster and resentment.   Mastering our emotions is the only way to manage anger wisely. Coping methods and if-then statements are two techniques that can improve anger management.    Anger Connects With Others   Everyone experiences anger at some point, with some feeling it more intensely than others.  In fact, some of us might be feeling angry while reading this article.   Our shared experiences of anger and the wish for change bring us together. Numerous motivational speakers and political leaders emphasize that feeling angry and upset about situations is a normal response. When people forge emotional connections, they are more inclined to collaborate in seeking solutions. Properly channeled, anger can drive profound change.   How we express our anger can evoke various responses, from respect to ridicule. Adults who shout and wave their arms are perceived as nothing more than overgrown children. In addition, many psychologists consider suppressing anger a red flag that can lead to disastrous consequences.   How To Harness The Anger of Others   Since anger is a common and universal emotion, leaders must strive to understand it thoroughly to connect with their followers. Identifying what provokes anger in others is not difficult. The real challenge is figuring out how to channel that anger effectively to generate constructive outcomes.   As leaders learn to harness the anger of others, they must take three important steps to better channel it:   Understand The Power of Anger   To utilize anger, we must first understand it.  As we’ve seen, anger is an amoral tool used to change our immediate circumstances through the energy that emerges in response to our situation.   As the energy rises, our bodies feel compelled to act swiftly in response to the sudden surge. One of two outcomes will follow: either anger is properly harnessed, allowing us to rectify the situation quickly, or we lose control and find ourselves at its mercy.   Many individuals lack sufficient training in emotional control, often resulting in negative outcomes. Examples of such detrimental effects include property damage, inflicting harm on others, and heightened conflicts.   Think of anger like electricity. Electrical power is neither good nor bad; it is just a phenomenon produced by both natural and man-made imbalances of electrical charge between two or more points.   When electricity is conducted correctly, it provides tremendous value. Engineers and physicists harness electricity through circuits and conductors.  These methods channel and regulate electricity to power electronics, send electricity across countless miles, and light up our homes.   However, when we lose control, it leads to destructive and potentially deadly consequences.  Some disastrous examples include dry lightning that starts forest fires, circuit overloads that cause fires, and industrial accidents.   Therefore, we need to engineer ways to harness anger properly. Once we understand its potential, what follows is critical to directing it.   Recognize What People Are Feeling   Now that we understand the mechanics of anger, we must recognize what triggers that emotion in others. While everyone is wired differently, we share common values and expectations for living civil lives. Anger emerges when these values and expectations are not met or when they become disrupted.   When misalignments occur, anger emerges from our awareness of the wrongdoing. However, because of societal norms surrounding the expression of anger, people feel conflicted. They are unsure if their anger is justified and–more importantly–how to express it appropriately.   This is where we, as leaders, come in.  Leaders coach people to harness their anger and improve their situations constructively.  We show them how to channel such a powerful emotion properly.  Most importantly, we remind them that feeling these emotions is okay.   When good examples of leadership are right before them, people feel comfortable replicating their characteristics.   Channel Anger For Constructive Purposes   Leaders must guide them through the process once people recognize that they can channel anger for positive purposes. Unfortunately, human nature shows that accepting change often takes longer than we would like to believe.   Depending on the situation, there are many effective ways to channel our anger. A typical example is elections. If we are dissatisfied with the politicians in power, we make our voices heard by voting.   The same principle applies to entrepreneurship. If we are dissatisfied with the economic solutions available, we can create a business around providing a better product or service.   Ultimately, properly channeled anger can help resolve conflicts between people.  This doesn’t mean that both parties should enter with iron fists, ready to fight. Instead, they need to harness their anger as a motivating force toward their desired outcome while remaining calm enough to communicate, listen to one another, and discover common ground in their disagreements.   As we coach individuals in their emerging skills, we must reward them when they excel and correct them when they veer off course. Ultimately, we need to serve as examples and encourage people as they learn to harness their anger constructively to enhance the world around them.   Embrace Anger As A Tool   Anger is a powerful tool, and learning to harness it constructively is a lifelong skill we must continually refine. Societal norms and misguided stigmas have hindered people's ability to channel their anger effectively. Consequently, many individuals suppress their anger, ultimately leading to destructive outbursts due to the tremendous pressure.   Leaders must exemplify wisdom in their use of anger. Moreover, anger should not be a default emotion; instead, it should emerge as a response to critical situations. Once we master anger as a powerful tool, we can manage it to achieve results more swiftly than by passively expecting the problem to resolve itself.   Now it’s your turn: What is one constructive way you’ll embrace anger and channel it toward improving your life or community? Share your thoughts below.

When I moved to the West Coast, I moved to Portland, Oregon–the multitool capital of the world. The city is home to two prominent multitool companies: Leatherman and Gerber .   As I settled into my new region, I noticed a handful of people who always carried multitools. At first, I thought they were strictly pocketknives carried in self-defense, but then I asked someone about it.  It was a risky move, I know.   The man I asked showed me some features of his multitool, including saws, screwdrivers, awls, knives, and more. Instantly, I knew I needed my pocket companion, which contained more than a dozen tools in a snug pocket device.   Naturally, most multitool carriers were passionate about the outdoors, which made sense since a vast wilderness surrounds Portland.  Mountains, beaches, and nearby forests are in every direction, making it easy to find recreational activities.   Both major manufacturers sold multitools at local markets and outlet stores, making it easy for me to acquire multiple multitools for my arsenal. Thus, my obsession began.   Multitools Are Great Investments   Let me begin by stating that multitools are like any other investment.   Cheap investments yield a low-quality multitool that could break early with regular use. However, higher-end investments are worth their weight in gold, and companies that produce them back them with excellent warranties.   Investing a bit more money in a multitool is wise for peace of mind. This doesn’t mean spending hundreds of dollars on something that fits in your pocket, but I highly recommend spending more than $20.   I’ve tested numerous multitools at home, at engineering job sites, and in the great outdoors. They have saved me multiple times in every environment. Because of their value, multitools are an essential component of my inventory.   I’ll explore a few of my favorite multitools below.   My Three Multitool Picks   While the perfect, ultimate multitool does not exist (yet), investing in different multitools with complementary functions can improve our adaptability to unusual situations.   It’s natural for multitools to have overlapping functions, as each unit includes the most common tools designed to tackle everyday scenarios. However, I believe it’s far better to have redundancies between tools if something happens.   Here are three multitools that have served me well since my obsession began:   Leatherman MUT   This multitool is rugged to the core. Its build is heavier than others, as it was made to clean guns and perform heavy-duty utility work.   Although I don’t use this on guns, it has been a reliable tool in my daily experiences for addressing minor issues that arise. The Leatherman MUT is equipped with the following:   Needlenose Pliers Regular Pliers Premium Replaceable Wire Cutters Premium Replacable Hard-wire Cutters Strandard-wire Cutters Electrical Crimper Combo Knife Saw Replaceable Cutting Hook Hammer Bolt Override Tool Replaceable Bronze Carbon Scraper Cleaning Rod Replaceable Firearm Assembly Carabiner/Bottle Opener Large Bit Driver   This multitool can be further enhanced by acquiring the drill bit pack and a drill bit extender, which provides additional torque when screwing and unscrewing different bolts.   Gerber Dime Don't be fooled by this thumb-sized multitool. Although an investment around $20, it is one of the most valuable tools in my arsenal. It is equipped with a dozen handy tools for emergencies.    Unlike the Leatherman MUT, the Gerber Dime has spring-loaded pliers, a critical feature in many cases where the grip on material needs to be reworked.    The features of this multitool include:   Needle Nose Pliers Spring-Loaded Pliers Wire Cutters Tweezers Bottle Opener Fine Edge Blade Retail Package Opener Scissors Medium Flathead Driver File Small Flat-Heat Driver Lanyard Ring   Victorinox Evolution S54 Tool Chest   Swiss army knives are famous multitools that have become the mainstay of survival in Swiss Culture. Standard tools that include the basics are great for curious people who wish to enter the field.   Additionally, Swiss produces much larger multitools with upwards of 100 tools built into them!   I have discovered that the larger Victorinox Evolution S54 Tool Chest Plus offers a high ROI due to its versatility. I must admit I bought this multitool before inflation, and its price has doubled over the past five years.   For the right user, that price remains an investment.    The tools on the S54 Tool Chest are as follows:   Key Ring Toothpick Tweezers Wood Saw Reamer (Awl) Metal Saw Magnifying Glass Can Opener Compass Serrated Edge Scissors Combination Pliers Fish Scaler Large Blade Corkscrew Nail File Universal Wrenches (M3, M4, M5) Phillips Screwdrivers (1, 2) Bottle Opener   Combining Multitools Is Key   Multitools are useful pocket-sized gadgets for handling life’s curve balls. While no one-size-fits-all multitool can do everything, thoughtfully choosing our multitool sets can prepare us for most circumstances.   Some multitools are made with care and require investment, while others are more generic. Based on your needs, it is beneficial to consider both options–budget versus luxury—and determine what is best for you.   Do you have a multitool you find helpful?  Leave a link in the comments section below!

Sometimes, All We Need Is A Few Seconds Life is filled with profound lessons, usually delivered as little, subtle reminders. Sometimes, we face significant events that deeply impact us and leave a lasting impression. These reminders often stem from falling short of expectations during major life milestones, such as a game, a relationship, or other important occurrences. Small lessons often accumulate in our memory banks. Initially, they may not seem significant, but as we navigate new experiences, the value of these brief yet impactful lessons becomes apparent. Here are some of life's quick reminders, presented in no particular order:   1 – People Come & Go It’s one of the most brutal truths to accept, but it must be repeated as long as we live. Generally, people come and go in our lives at intervals beyond our control. Some remain for our entire lives, some for a few seasons, and others only briefly. Everyone is the main character in their own story. Their aspirations take them to different destinations. Some are meant to settle down and live in a particular area, while others seek fulfillment by sailing the seven seas. Just think about what has happened to your friends since graduating from high school. Unfortunately, some people who enter and exit our lives are purely transactional. As long as they perceive some benefit to having us around, they will keep us. Once that benefit disappears, we are thrown out and never spoken to again.   We must value those we cherish in our lives. No one can predict what tomorrow may bring or if someone will choose to leave, pass away suddenly, or disappear completely.   2 – There's Always Something Better Than We Desire   It is admirable to have goals that motivate us to improve ourselves and achieve great results. Motivation is the cornerstone of progress, but without a reason to strive for continuous improvement, it simply doesn't happen.   However, there's a fine line between pursuing better and pursuing an ideality.   When we pursue an ideal, we aim to align our conditions with perfection. Any deviation from these conditions becomes a source of suffering; the greater the deviation, the greater the suffering.   Meanwhile, striving for improvement opens numerous possibilities. We may have some idea of what we wish to achieve, but we also have a variety of outcomes we would accept.  The results sometimes exceed our initial expectations, and nothing feels better.   3 – Better To Adapt Than Demand Perfection   Just as there is always something more desirable than what we currently have, it's wiser to adjust to our circumstances and improve them instead of insisting on perfection. We operate in the reality of incomplete information, which makes the definition of perfection arbitrary.   The old saying goes that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Therefore, the ability to adapt is much more important than demanding perfection. When we adapt, we learn from our current situation and adjust to its conditions to squeeze out a win.   Of course, there are exceptions. When inventing a new solution to a long-lasting problem, persistence is key to finding the path that brings the invention to reality. It may take longer than expected, but the rewards are tremendous.   4 – Don't Feed The Trolls   The Internet is an endless source of content. Some content is informational, some is entertaining, and some is collaborative among users.   Forums often attract individuals seeking solutions to their problems. However, these spaces also create opportunities for trolls to emerge, providing misguided advice that derails progress.   Naturally, some will seek to fight back against these trolls by attacking them verbally. However, trolls remain immune to keyboard warriors and will always find ways to sidestep their words. Furthermore, dealing with trolls can significantly damage a serious individual's credibility.   One universal best way to deal with trolls is to starve them out. A troll that receives no attention will become sad and leave to conduct their business elsewhere.   5 – Nothing Goes Up Forever   It’s thrilling to join a group, event, or business that’s on the rise. The view improves considerably over time when we hop on the roller coaster during its ascent. The stunning view along the ascent makes everyone feel optimistic about the future.   However, it is often naive to think that the roller coaster will continue to rise forever. Ultimately, what goes up must come down. Popular fads and brands from ten years ago have become obsolete relics today. Companies at the top of their game have fallen and serve as stark reminders that change is inevitable.   In nature, we know that a species' population growth cannot continue indefinitely. As the population increases, its members consume more resources, resulting in fewer resources available in the future. Consequently, those who cannot obtain the resources needed for survival will perish, leading to a decline in population.   The same reality of nature is reflected in businesses, organizations, and any long-term endeavors. Therefore, we should learn to enjoy the upswing when it occurs and embrace ourselves when things start going downhill.   6 – Calculated Risks Are Required For A Better Life   There's an unfortunate stigma passed down from generation to generation: risk leads to ruin. Everyone seems to be clamoring to uncover the easiest path to success. This misguided mindset is responsible for more regret than anything else.   Here’s the reality of risk:   A life without risk is not worth living and tells no story.   Unfortunately, people continue to believe they will ultimately be better off if they avoid risks, as nothing will emerge from the woodshed to threaten them. While playing it safe may keep most obstacles and challenges at bay, it also eliminates opportunities to improve and position us more favorably.   Nearly every business, idea, and success story involves risk. However, these risks are not taken haphazardly. The key to most success stories lies in taking calculated risks, where failure is possible, but success is significantly more likely and rewarding.   When risks pay off, we reflect on them positively, expressing our gladness for taking them. However, not all risks are guaranteed to succeed. When they fail, we shouldn't simply give up – instead, we should consider what we can learn from the experience, adjust our strategy, and try again.   7 – More Connections Mean More Options   Nothing is sadder than a talented hermit who cannot connect. The stories of such individuals—homeless musicians, penniless intellectuals, and other masters who are so focused on their craft that they struggle to communicate with the world around them—are poignant.   Often, the reason these people are not successful is not that their skills are inadequate. Instead, they fail to connect with the world around them.   The good news is that if they can master some form of discipline at a deep level, they can also learn to connect with others. To broaden their social circle, they simply need to adopt the same skills and philosophies as everyone else.   Most people don't connect with the world around them because they believe they have nothing to offer.  On the contrary, people love pleasant surprises, so those with rich skills need to add value to others and expand their network.   The return on investment is not immediate. It’s a lagging metric that takes time to take effect fully. Connecting with others requires time and trust, as most people who forge new connections want to ensure their new connections are genuine.   The good news is that most people outside our current social circle don't have an opinion about us. This presents an enriching opportunity for us to connect with them and start new, fresh relationships that lead to a better outlook in life.   As our social circles grow, so do our opportunities.   8 – The Compounding Effect Works Everywhere   This is one of my favorite concepts to teach students in precalculus, finance, and any other skill or subject: The earlier you start, the better off you'll be. This advice is a cornerstone of the stock market, but it applies well beyond investing. Early investment in skills, people, knowledge, physical well-being, and every aspect of a person's life reaps great rewards.   What makes the compound effect genuinely remarkable is that it isn't always related to our active efforts. Our actions trigger our subconscious mind to work on and resolve issues without our awareness.   Ever struggled with a problem, slept on it, and suddenly a solution made sense? There’s a reason why sometimes sleeping on our problems is better than worrying about them.   The compounding effect relies more on our subconscious abilities than on our conscious ones. However, we must try to engage our subconscious mind with that specific avenue.   Unfortunately, most people don't start early because they want an immediate reward from their investments. Since most things in life don't offer immediate returns, most people miss far more opportunities than they realize.   The compounding effect works only when you play the long game, where momentum builds slowly at first and then gradually becomes overwhelming. Once this stage is reached, very few things can stop the wielder of such momentum from uncovering new opportunities.   9 – Nobody Wants To Be Told They're Wrong   This reminder stems from the fact that nobody wants to be perceived as an NPC. For those who aren't Gen Z, NPC stands for non-playable character. These characters are programmed to do a finite number of things, go through life's routines without realizing it, and break into a new routine.   As such, we all want to believe that our frame of mind and thoughts are fully justified. After all, we have left ourselves for our entire lives, so we've witnessed how everything has come together for ourselves.   When we receive feedback to correct ourselves, it's natural to search for flaws in the source of the criticism. The most stubborn individuals will dig in and defend their position, even if they are at fault. As a result, both sides accomplish far less while fuming and attacking each other instead of addressing the root problem.   We must recognize that we will always work with limited information. No one has a complete understanding of reality.  The more perspectives available, the closer we will get to the truth.   This insight offers further reasons for collaboration. When the right individuals come together, they can significantly boost their collective progress rather than tackle it like a solitary soldier.   Instead of telling someone they're wrong, offer a chance to hear their side. There may be some missing context that needs to be considered. Afterward, make a judgment call on collaborating toward a converging viewpoint.   Bonus – Days Go Faster When We Get Older   As a middle-aged Millennial, this truly resonates with me.   I remember when five minutes felt like a long time in elementary school. We had five minutes for a snack, which was enjoyable. Then came the lengthy classes, which seemed to drag on endlessly. When can I go home and play in the park?   Then came five minutes in high school. They passed more quickly. I felt like I had to hustle to get from class to class, but it was manageable.   Now, I feel like I lose five minutes every time I blink my eyes. Okay, I just checked, and it doesn't seem to happen, but it sure feels that way.   As we grow older, we accumulate more time and experience. Life presents us with more opportunities, and boredom is not an option for the most ambitious among us. It is said that the more engaged you are in life, the faster time appears to fly by.   However, I feel fantastic about what I'm doing these days. It’s better to live a fast-paced life filled with fulfilling pursuits than a slow life of boredom.   It reminds me of a good song from high school: “ Don't Blink” by Kenny Chesney . Although I didn't listen to much country music growing up, I still enjoy this song. Enjoy!

With the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, many of us were forced to stay home and forbidden from going out unless absolutely necessary. For me, this meant the end of my engineering career, as business dried up instantly due to the effects of the pandemic.   While there were good intentions behind the lockdowns, they created a void of time for many people, including myself.  For those of us who love being active and productive, we abhor these vacuums.   Instead of trying Netflix, I chose to learn coding after waiting in vain for about three weeks for the lockdown to end.  I had some prior programming experience from writing scripts to solve engineering problems, but I genuinely wanted to understand how coding worked once and for all.  I believed it would be a valuable skill upon my return to the industry, making me more competitive in the job market.   Coding evolved from a mere activity to a full-blown obsession for me. I recall spending days in my apartment, only venturing out to grab groceries or meet with my fiancée (now wife).  Given all the time I dedicated to learning to code, you'd think that, given all the time I dedicated to learning to code, the pandemic would have wrapped up sooner, but it dragged on and on and on.   I enjoyed it so much that I was ready to abandon traditional engineering and pursue software engineering. While I did not end up in software engineering, my critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities sharpened dramatically.   Still, there were some other skills that would have been more beneficial in the long term if I had invested more time in them.   What I Wish I Spent More Time On   Even though coding was a highly sought-after skill before the sudden tech bust of 2022, I really wish I had spent more time mastering photography.   During the pandemic, being indoors with others wasn't an option, so many people spent time outdoors. In hindsight, I should have taken more pictures and walked more, as it would have been a healthier use of my time.   As I plowed through one coding challenge after another, I noticed that my willingness to go outside had dwindled significantly.  My fiancée joked that I was becoming a shut-in as we planned to move to California after the wedding later that year.  However, I felt it was a better investment of my time to master this skill to increase my marketability when arriving in the new lands of sunny SoCal.   Maybe she had a good point.   Why I Wish I Spent More Time on Photography   Although coding remains a significantly more marketable skill than photography, there are several key reasons why I wish I had spent more time on photography, or at least balanced my day between the two:   Go Outdoors More   Learning to code required me to sit down and tackle problems methodically, step by step. While I enjoyed the process, it was quite time-consuming, and by the time I completed a major problem, the sun had usually set. This meant that engaging in photography with my entry-level camera equipment was not really feasible.   In hindsight, I would have spent my mornings taking photographs and going for hikes when the lighting was optimal. This would have kept me active and healthier by getting my steps in and allowed me to see more of the Pacific Northwest before my days were numbered.   Additionally, I would've gone less stir crazy being indoors all the time if I had balanced photography in the mornings against coding later in the day.   I Had The Equipment Ready   Even without the best equipment at my disposal, I still had enough to capture beautiful moments in nature. There's something wonderful about taking a camera with you and how it ignites conversations with other outdoor enthusiasts.   Mark Twain’s wisdom resonates here: It doesn't matter where you start. It's more important to start now and learn better tools than to wait for perfection.   If it's on the shelf, it collects dust. A camera should be used to capture beautiful moments!   Already Had Experience With Photography   While I wasn't a professional photographer then, I was quite seasoned and had mastered the basics. My fiancée and I loved taking photos together, so we already had a good amount of experience and were eager to improve further.   On the other hand, my coding knowledge was still relatively new. Despite my previous experience in engineering and numerical analysis, coding presented its own challenges because I was not familiar with all the languages, syntaxes, and technologies available for building software. This made it difficult to persuade potential employers that I could continue making progress.   Additionally, there were times when I was stuck on certain concepts for a few days. Tools such as ChatGPT weren't available to bail me out. Instead, I sought answers on Stack Overflow.   Back then, I didn't believe that one could thrive in the arts without a lucky break.  Now, I see many others doing what I wish I had the courage to attempt.  However, I'm glad that I pursued photography more consistently rather than giving it up entirely.   How Programming Improved My Photography   At first glance, it might seem counterintuitive that my photography skills had somehow improved after spending days and weeks indoors on coding projects.   These seemingly small projects taught me how software operates on a larger scale and how most operations can be entirely reversed. This piqued my curiosity about other software used in other pursuits, such as Sibelius for music notation, Logic Pro for music production, Microsoft Word for writing, and Excel for data analysis.   Though I wish I had spent more time outside at the end of the day, I'm glad I invested as much time as I did into coding.  Here's how it poured back into my photography to make it better today:   I Played Around With Lightroom/ Photoshop A Lot More   While this may seem disheartening, I no longer assumed that software was somehow magical.  Instead, I understood there was a logical flow of tasks performed under the hood when editing photos.  Because of that, I became more curious about all the knobs and menu items in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom than ever before.   I suddenly questioned my usual routines by experimenting with different filters, lighting, color schemes, textures, and effects. It became easier to identify the steps and processes needed to create the desired final product. Even with some training on the software, certain operations remained unclear until I envisioned how computers were transforming data structures.   Consequently, my photos appeared more professional, despite using entry-level equipment.  It was gratifying to realize that my limited results were due to my efforts rather than the equipment itself.  Furthermore, I sensed that I had significantly more creative opportunities with photography and graphic design than I had ever experienced before.   I Realized The Immediate Applications of Object-Oriented Programming   Have you ever looked at a piece of software and realized that it's just a master application? This application is divided into objects, enabling you to tinker and build something new. When I understood this, it helped me think about editing my photos more concretely.   All I had to do was highlight which objects needed adjustment and go through each one step by step.  The magic was no longer in the potential possibilities of hoping for the right result.  Instead, the magic lay in the consistent results produced because I knew how to reach my end goal.   I Became More Explicitly Strategic In My Photoshoots & Edits   Code requires logical thinking to direct the computer to execute instructions to complete a task. Because code is the language of computational instruction, it became more natural for me to think strategically when using software.   I realized the value of developing systematic methods for editing photos to ensure even brightness, color correction, and detail enhancement. Suddenly, the seven years of random photography had finally clicked, and I could confidently produce consistent results.   Now, as long as my camera functions properly, I feel very confident editing everything captured. I expect little hiccups here and there, but these are more of an exception than the rule. More importantly, I enjoy sharing my photos with clients on my personal website and on social media.   It All Worked Out, Anyways   Learning to code was a great experience that benefited all my pursuits. Nowadays, I use code to build my own micro-AI, but as I continue my journey as a photographer, I feel more confident that I'll be able to quickly master new software implementations in Lightroom and Photoshop.   It's easy for me to criticize myself for not balancing coding and photography, but nobody knew how long the COVID-19 pandemic would last.  We all thought it would be over by Easter, but it lasted much longer.  That's why it's more important for me to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances.   Reflecting on my experiences, I realize that coding was the missing piece of the puzzle to balancing creative and logical thinking. Coding has opened many doors for me, enabling me to work faster, at a higher caliber, and with more enjoyment.    Hindsight is 20/20 (literally, in this case), but I'm glad I invested upfront in learning the craft of coding. I continue to reap the benefits of deep, balanced, creative, and logical thinking.

Green bubbles. Blue bubbles. Why not both?   As a former diehard Android user, I understand why many people use Apple.  Their products are very customer-centric, but are slow to roll out new features.  Despite green being my favorite color, the blue text message is aesthetically more pleasing in their messaging app than the green one.   However, Android has a lot to offer in its own right.   When I signed up for a new phone plan with my wife, we took advantage of the “buy two, get the third free” offer.  I had been debating whether to get a separate phone line for my business, and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to get an iPhone.   Despite being an avid MacBook Pro user for over a decade, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the iPhone.  I have always enjoyed the built-in stylus of a Samsung Galaxy Note.  However, there was uncertainty in 2021 about whether the Note would continue at the time before it was merged with the S-Series as the Ultra.   I figured the Note’s retirement was an opportunity to explore the iPhone.   Is iPhone Necessarily Better Than Android?   As I became more familiar with the iPhone, Samsung announced the S22 Ultra as the successor to the Note series.  It seemed like the perfect time to ensure I had the best of both worlds for a true comparison.   After three years of playing with the two, I noticed their strengths and weaknesses respectively.   The Android ecosystem is known for introducing features ahead of others.  Localized AI, the Swype keyboard, 108 MP cameras, and 1 TB of storage are among the breakthroughs experienced first on Android phones.   Additionally, Samsung's S-Pen is still a favorite feature of my S22 Ultra. I can use it to pull out my phone, handwrite a note, or sketch a drawing without distractions, and then put it away for later analysis.   In contrast, Apple is known for getting it right. In the past decade, I've seen Apple transition from being a technology pioneer to a perfectionist. They regularly delay implementing many Android features that Apple users crave.   But when they implement them, they feel solid… smooth…, and just right. It's as if they teased us with these features and then surprised us.   Now that I've used both phones for about three years, I feel that it's easy to determine whether one is necessarily better than the other.  Is one better than the other?   . .   No, not at all. Both are great in their own ways.   Both phones function as top-tier devices and provide access to all the major apps expected of them. They feature great cameras and complementary accessories, such as wireless headphones, watches, and tablets that can be paired with them.  Additionally, all these devices operate within their own ecosystems to communicate with one another.   The only question is: if you had to choose one, which would you pick? Personally, I couldn’t.  I lean towards having both for the different reasons mentioned above, so it really comes down to preference. The Actual Benefits of Two Phone Ecosystems   It may seem odd to have two phones in separate ecosystems. After all, both Android and iOS offer synergistic benefits when pairing their mobile devices with their own watches, tablets, earbuds, and desktops.   However, each ecosystem is designed with a specific audience in mind. Having both ecosystems expands the possibilities available on both devices.   Here are some benefits I've noticed from enjoying the best of both worlds:   My Complaints Dwindled Significantly   Having options is great. If one phone cannot do something, I pull out the other to see what it can do.   For example, I prefer the iPhone's color composition, but I record videos on Samsung because the audio isn’t skewed. I trust Siri to take notes for me on the fly, but I use my Samsung S-Pen when sketches are more appropriate.   Both phones are excellent in their own ways when their strengths are highlighted. There is much more overlap than I anticipated, which is to be expected given their price tags.   I Never Worry About Battery Life   Having two devices handy means that I do not need to rely solely on one of them. This is great for long days when I might need to get my steps in but also flesh out a project on my mobile device.   I’ve had both devices since early 2022, and their battery lives are rolling strong.  They only need an hour of charging to get back up to full speed.   Since I usually evenly divide what I do between these devices, their use is cut in half.  This prolongs both of them when compared to users with a single phone.   I Could Unplug From Business When Needed   Having two phones with separate numbers enabled me to separate business and personal endeavors. On days I take off, I could use one phone that my family has access to and be at peace.   Naturally, I started on Android, so the S22 Ultra is my personal phone.   Additionally, I use my Android to sketch ideas initially and refine them on Apple. Whether I’m writing, drawing, or making music notation, the Android is my go-to device for personal creative endeavors that bring new life.   Of course, both devices have a Do Not Disturb feature that disables notifications, but further separating them as a business rather than personal eliminates an aspect that cannot be entirely removed from a device.   Temptation.   After all, checking for messages that go to one phone from another device isn’t possible without workarounds.   Both Phones Provided Perspective   Having both iOS and Android has given me a new perspective on things. Although I was a hardcore Android user thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Note series, I’ve always enjoyed the seamlessness of Apple products.    I no longer complain about how one device lets me down. I simply pull out the other and see if I can solve the problem. Each device has strengths and areas for improvement. Additionally, both devices seem to get the updates needed to address any issues.   Most people won’t need two devices, but for those who do, they will see how both devices can complement each other.

In our youth, we were told that we have amazing potential inside each and every one of us. Adults asked us a common question to jumpstart our curiosities:   “What do you want to be when you grow up?”   Excited youth with their imaginations running wild respond with answers such as astronaut, doctor, athlete, rockstar, and many other highly prominent positions. Some might not be sure of a profession, so they’ll default to John Lennon’s answer of being happy.  Others might blissfully smile, say they don’t know, and ask for ice cream.   Adults love children's answers for a clear reason: children lack the life experience that adults have gained. Naturally, children respond to these questions freely since they don’t have practical considerations to weigh.   Unlike adults, children’s imaginations are not morphed by health, material, or social constraints. Whatever occurs in their mental theatre forms the child’s foundation for reshaping the reality surrounding them.   Moreover, children don’t evaluate their abilities by years of experience or past accomplishments. They simply venture out to engage in activities, often to enjoy themselves, laugh, and play. They learn through their adventures, playing in the mud, accumulating a few bruises on their knees and elbows, healing their injuries, and then setting out to do it all over again at the next sunrise.   As adults, we’re conditioned to translate years of experience into skills and abilities. When a child who hasn’t yet learned multiplication performs a demanding Beethoven Sonata on the piano flawlessly, it astounds us. Depending on our perspective, we’re either filled with awe and inspiration from their performance or become resentful, thinking we could have achieved that too if only… (insert your reason here).   If we’re resentful, the question beckons: How did we arrive here? Was there an event that made us drop everything and go on the defensive, or did the aggregate sum of thousands of different instances lead us to go from a hopeful youth to a regretful adult?   Our Conditioning Limits Us   For most of us, a single event doesn’t flip the switch on us to go from offense to defense.  Likewise, it isn’t the sum of thousands of experiences that dulled away our vibrant little light.  The answer lies in a blend of both hypotheses: a series of little instances that suffocated our flame, coupled with a few major instances of failure.   Does this sound familiar?  It makes for a sad story, but it’s all too common.  Consider the following:   Life in elementary school involved a lot of playground time, coloring pictures, arts and crafts, and learning about various subjects to keep us curious and engaged. However, as we progressed into higher levels of education, our scope narrowed to tunnel vision as the rules became stricter. The freedoms that we took for granted in the beginning started peeling away.   Somewhere between our first day of kindergarten and walking across the stage to receive a piece of paper that declares our completion, our conditioning creeps in and takes hold of us. During that time, we heard the word “no” countless times from hundreds of adults, leading us to expect it to be the default answer in the real world. Rather than exploring possibilities, we were taught to follow directions and do only what we were told, and then we would be rewarded for what they defined as success.   Due to enduring this conditioning for over a decade, we transform from curious and youthful spirits into confused young adults.  Reflexively, we spend more energy raising guardrails to prevent failure instead of taking risks on a rewarding journey.  The memories of that flame we held fondly when we were younger become buried under our conditioning.   Whenever a nostalgic memory surfaces in life or our newsfeeds, we recall the subtle taste of our repressed feelings, only to revert to our conditioning. Now caught between our programming and our aspirations, an internal struggle emerges that will accompany us throughout our lives.   Why are we encouraged to run wild when we’re young and hopeful, but as soon as we reach adulthood, we experience waves of endless commands that chastise us for dreaming while requiring us to accept reality and follow directions?   If any of us reading this feel shaken, we are certainly not alone. We will not be the first or last to feel it. What we need to recognize is that a socially engineered design keeps us in these cycles.   The Cycle That Limits Us   Earlier, we examined and simplified the string of events occurring to us growing up.  However, despite an unquantifiable number of occurrences, these events can be broken down and categorized as parts of a cycle designed to loop on repeat until we are trapped or run out of steam.    The cycle can start from anywhere in the loop shown above, but the most common place for the cycle to start is:   We Try Something / Ask For Permission   We have an idea of something we want to accomplish and desire nothing more than to see it realized. Depending on our personality, confidence, and the context of our situation, we start in one of two ways.   If we’re ambitious go-getters who are bursting at the seams, we just do it — whatever that is. As young hopefuls, we don’t worry about the nuances of permission and bureaucracy — we simply act to make it happen. Sometimes, we think it’s too easy, and we're often right because we don’t have the constraints that adults face daily.   On the other hand, if we’re more polite and reserved, we might ask an adult for permission to begin. As young idea generators, we have no idea how to anticipate how adults will respond to our requests or whether different adults might give us different answers. We just want to get that green light from somewhere to begin!   Some people successfully bypass any safeguards that adults put in place. Either their idea works miraculously, and the adults in their lives celebrate with them, or they get the support of the right adults to try their idea, as long as the outcome doesn’t adversely affect others.   However, some aren’t as fortunate. For that enthusiastic child bursting with ideas, they may be hindered by an adult who makes it their goal to stop them from acting. The more subdued child might mistakenly ask the wrong adult — someone who doesn’t have their best interests at heart — for permission to do something they believe has great potential.   In both cases, these actions are the spark that could ignite the adults they upset in the next part of the cycle:   We Get Reprimanded / Told No   As go-getters, we hustle only to see our ideas crash and burn right in front of us, or they work out wonderfully, yet we remain unaware of the real or perceived consequences that arise. Alternatively, as polite and diplomatic dreamers, we fall in love with an idea and feel the need to consult an adult, only to find out that they are utterly disgusted by it.   When our ideas irritate an adult, we are pulled aside and told to stop. These tyrants remind us to follow the rules and be on our best behavior, like everyone else. In higher-stakes situations, we might lose treasured privileges such as recess or sitting with our friends.   Adults are quick to tell us how our ideas won’t work by listing all the problems they will cause. Unfortunately, we don’t realize that some adults aren’t qualified to teach and mentor us, but are in these positions for a steady paycheck or ulterior reasons.   What happens next in the cycle is when the damage truly takes hold.   Inner Confidence Begins To Fade   After being criticized for our visions, conflict brews in our minds with ourselves, our peers, and the adults we once viewed as our advocates. The energy we should devote to pursuing these ideas is now spent figuring out how to overcome resistance. By wasting time on unlikely scenarios, small fragments of our ambition are chipped away as the flame that fuels our aspirations grows dimmer and dimmer.    Sometimes, our rejections are so dramatic that our ambitions are devastated. The years it took to build our confidence can be destroyed overnight. As a result, complacency fills the void once occupied by ambition, and our actions shift toward doing whatever it takes to fit in, get along, and avoid conflicts that might arise if we deviate from that path.   Every loss, big or small, takes its toll until we can no longer justify keeping the flame burning. When the rewards of following the crowd and living a modest life become far easier to obtain than the alternative, it’s natural to pursue the low-hanging fruit.    High school cliques and cultures are a great example of how it pays to fit in rather than live as an outcast. Once we graduate, the desire to fit in doesn’t disappear—it just looks different. We pursue finding a company with an approachable culture that will pay us in exchange for our time, energy, and individuality.   No wonder so many people extinguish the flames of their youthful aspirations.   We Lose Steam For The Next Opportunity   While most losses don’t dramatically impact us, their long-term presence influences our capacity to endure mental hardships. Shaped by past failures and experiences, we transition from being risk-takers to risk-averse individuals. As new variables arise, the resources we once depended on to tackle these challenges must be reallocated for our survival.   One of the greatest misconceptions about life is the expectation that things will become less painful once we overcome a certain hurdle. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this preconceived notion is often contradicted by both nature and society.    It isn’t that we don’t learn from our mistakes; it’s that pain is always a part of change. Every season is different for us… in some seasons we’re powerful, and in others, we’re on the run.   In seasons when we’re in fight or flight mode, we tend to let pain put us on autopilot, steering us away from golden opportunities that we should pursue. Consequently, we minimize risk as much as possible, settling into our comfort zones. Over time, we lose the physical and mental energy needed to tolerate risks that could bring big ideas to life, leaving many unrealized ideas to rest in the grave with us.   Steps Towards Breaking The Cycle   The key principle we must recognize as adults is that reigniting youthful dreams is within our grasp. However, due to the conditioning we experienced, breaking the cycle and rekindling these long-forgotten aspirations won’t be easy. Regardless of the harm endured, it’s ultimately our responsibility (though not necessarily our fault) to undo our conditioning.   Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for reclaiming our dreams. Our strengths, situations, and environments shape our unique circumstances. If we’re fortunate, it may just require a little bit of dusting off, but in the most extreme cases, it may require a profound, long-term transformation.   The ultimate question is: What is the price of the opportunity to return to a youthful state? Does the cost justify the reward? Are my aspirations mere pipe dreams granted by others, or is the true North Star embedded in my life’s purpose?   To answer these questions more accurately, let’s consider the following steps to set us up properly:   Understand That Failure Was Once Demonized   In a different time, failure was seen as a black mark and a curse. It filtered out the dirt in the field, leaving only the diamonds. Anyone who experienced a major failure was seen as a hopeless project that should be abandoned.   Today, we live in a completely different world. Now, we view failure as a crucial stepping stone to success. We don’t press the panic button if something doesn't work out. Instead, we ask why it didn’t succeed, learn from it, and try again differently.   Unfortunately, the school system still operates as if perfection is necessary for truly inspiring success. Students become stressed when they receive a grade lower than an ‘A,’ fearing that their opportunities are disappearing before them. Just in case we need this reminder:   Nobody has a perfect batting average.  No one.   As a professional outside the school system who has worked closely with students for over a decade, I can tell you that having straight ‘A’s isn’t sufficient or a sole requirement for most things in life.  It’s better to demonstrate improvement on a transcript than maintain a golden standard because the real world is about persisting through adversity.   Nowadays, we’ve recognized and improved our ability to equip children to handle failure and bounce back from setbacks. However, improvements in the current educational system do not retroactively affect adults. Thus, we need to be proactive and recognize the work we must do for ourselves.   Recognize The True Role of Failure   Failure is just as important as success. Bill Gates himself has said that success is a lousy teacher. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for success; we should pursue challenging goals that bring out our best. All it means is that when we win, we must avoid becoming arrogant and continue to be as sharp today as we were yesterday.   It’s easy to forget that many great innovations resulted from failure. Sticky notes were born from a failed adhesive experiment, and penicillin came from improperly conducted experiments. Jazz music is simply a collection of mistakes that harmonize beautifully.   While it’s true that some innovations were intentional, we must remember that planning for success isn’t the only path to achievement. Thus, asking ourselves how to harness failure is crucial to using it as an opportunity and teacher rather than a gatekeeper.   Respond Mindfully to Failure   There’s an old saying that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it. While it’s true that some events have dire consequences for our well-being, the reality is that we often perceive them as worse than they actually are. The saying goes: don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.   Therefore, whenever we experience failure, we have two choices. We can either throw in the towel and accept defeat, or we can leverage the situation and create something new.   We must avoid adopting a black-and-white view of failure. It’s easy to fall into the mindset of being perpetually victimized by failure or constantly attempting to turn it to our advantage. There are times when accepting a loss is more appropriate than trying to salvage it, just as there are occasions when making the most of a failure is essential.   The key is to be mindful of failure and not let it dictate our responses. If a setback has little realistic impact on our well-being and overall goals, it makes more sense to focus on more significant matters. On the other hand, if the culmination of several years of hard work leads to this moment, we should do whatever we can to turn the tide in our favor.   Everything comes down to perspective when it comes to failure. Make decisions wisely, as there’s a profound difference between correcting a small imperfection and addressing a fatal flaw.   Keep Pushing Against The Status Quo   Once we recognize the power of responding to (not necessarily against) failure, it’s time to figure out ways to keep it going. As we realized before, failure was once demonized in society. Although we’ve made progress in changing our views, there’s still much work to be done.   Because the fear of failure is ingrained in us to this day, subliminal messages to avoid failure will still pop up from time to time. This could happen through advertising, a performance review, losing a key client, or some other event that causes us to retreat.   While setbacks are never desirable, they are simply that — setbacks. We know we can change the way we view failure, but we must acknowledge that changing our perspectives will not eliminate failure from our lives. It’s all about harnessing and leveraging it.   So instead of giving in to fear because one aspect of our business isn’t working out, let’s be grateful for the other aspects that are going smoothly. Feel free to replace business with career, relationships, skills, and other important areas of our lives.   A technique I’ve often used to maintain resilience in the face of failure is the If-Then technique taught by Heidi Halverson. Simply put, it’s an effective way to reprogram ourselves like a computer so that when we encounter an undesired situation, our default response is chosen in advance. An example goes as follows:   If I do not secure venture capital from investor X, then I will improve my pitch deck and secure it from investor Y.   The If-Then response automatically determines how we react to adversity. After writing down our If-Then statements, we need to review them consistently to counteract our conditioning. The repetition from reviewing results in gains that program our desired responses to become second nature.   By proactively reprogramming our responses, we defy the status quo, increasing the likelihood that we will respond favorably. Of course, there’s no need to be rude about it. Just say, “Thanks for the opportunity; next!”   Learn From Others The likelihood of experiencing something that someone else hasn’t is nearly nonexistent. The Internet makes it easier than ever to confirm that without fear of judgment. With just a two-second search on Google, Reddit, or other search engines, these stories come to light quickly. In these forums, we encounter different types of responders. Some are inquisitive and ask additional clarifying questions, and at times, internet trolls can infiltrate the conversation. Fortunately, some people genuinely want to help by sharing details about a similar situation they’ve been through. The best responses usually follow a prompt like this: I experienced X as well, and I tried Y, but ultimately succeeded by doing Z. In their responses, they highlight the similarities between their situations and ours. Ideally, they will also share what strategies they tried that didn’t work, but ultimately, their responses convey what actions led to their breakthrough. The key is to learn from how the other person responded to their situation. While their suggestions are not guaranteed to work for us, they provide a solid starting point. Once we have that, we can build momentum to overcome our current challenges. Additionally, with the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, we can narrate our stories and receive suggestions on tackling our problems. Many of AI’s features are currently in beta testing, so we should approach whatever results we see with cautious skepticism. Ultimately, there’s nothing quite like having a good old-fashioned conversation with a real human being—a friend, a stranger, a professional, or a mentor. Most people inherently want to help and be seen as valuable to those they interact with. Therefore, we should leverage that to create a win-win situation for everyone involved.   Secure Your Own Oxygen Mask First   We have explored new ways of handling failure, which have allowed us to shift our perspective. Failure is no longer the dreaded beast it once was, and we now have more opportunities to make progress than ever before.   For those of us embracing this rewarding paradigm shift for the first time, it is tempting to have a strong desire to share the new gospel of leveraging failure. However, a key takeaway we must apply is that if we want to help others, we need to take that advice ourselves first.   Of course, we don’t need to wait until we have our lives completely together before assisting others. What we need to do is ensure that if we face any major obstacles or roadblocks in addressing how we deal with failure, we shift our focus to where it matters most.    Nothing is more disheartening than watching someone who has helped many while neglecting their needs. We must create new narratives of self-realization where we have successfully made that shift ourselves, allowing us to teach others by leading by example.   What is the first thing you plan to tackle on your journey from fearing failure to embracing and utilizing it?

Julie is a high-performing student at a private college preparatory school. Her challenging classes will allow her to enter college as a sophomore and graduate from college one year earlier. Additionally, she participates in theatre and plays in a city junior orchestra.   For many years, Julie has exemplified an organized student who plans her commitments.  Her calendar is filled with dedicated blocks of time for academic study, practicing the clarinet, and socializing with friends.   During her senior year, she faced new challenges—becoming the principal clarinetist in a junior orchestra and a playwright-director. Her responsibilities increased substantially, and she faced time famine amid her new leadership roles.   True to her values, Julie knew she had to prioritize fitness. Her family had a history of being overweight, and she aimed to break that cycle. Moreover, she observed how much more alert and productive she felt when she exercised.   Although Julie attended study hall throughout the day, it was dedicated to preparing for the school's big play. During most study halls, she primarily focused on planning and logistics to ensure efficient meetings with everyone involved.   A New Philosophy   As expected, her physics teacher assigned another difficult and time-consuming assignment.  Before dismissing class, he wrote one piece of advice:   Foot by foot, inch by inch, life's a cinch.    This famous philosophy, used by Coca-Cola, is interpreted as follows: the homework assignment was not intended to be completed in one sitting but in manageable increments.  The problems aimed to test everything they had learned up to that point, with some unexpected curveballs along the way.   Looking for anything that could help, Julie decided to try it out to see if it would help her balance her commitments.   The Balancing Act Begins   Later that week, Julie was in an unusually lengthy evening rehearsal with her orchestra.  At first, she felt anxious as she navigated the balance of completing her homework and getting to bed at a reasonable hour.   "Should I stay up later and sacrifice sleep?  Should I go for speed on my homework? Would I be okay with a few incompletes?" were among a lengthy series of questions she attempted to resolve mentally.   Then, she remembered her physics teacher's mantra: Foot by foot, inch by inch, life's a cinch.   While the orchestra director focused on drilling the string section, Julie grabbed her homework from her nearby backpack to tackle a small part of the problem set. Upon initial inspection, Julie noticed an easy place to start in the homework minefield. Thanks to her decision to tackle smaller and easier parts first, she solved the problem swiftly and moved on to the next problem.   The orchestra briefly called on the wind sections, surprising Julie until the director clarified his request for the brass section, not the woodwinds.  She regained focus and made headway on the next step of the problem, despite the brass players playing a loud passage directly behind her.   As she scribbled down the final step, the orchestra director signaled everyone to play in the middle of the passage.   Julie regrouped with everyone in the rehearsal for the next half hour before the director called for an intermission. Then, Julie opened her homework again and focused on a smaller part crucial to solving a more difficult part of the problem. Elated, she finished the problem and closed her book just in time for her best friend Hannah to greet her.   Instead of feeling anxious during her social intermission, Julie started enjoying herself more. By tackling commitments in smaller chunks, she felt a sense of momentum and control. As she embraced her newfound free time, she became more engaged with her friends than usual.   When the orchestra director called for the second half of the rehearsal to begin, she felt confident that she could complete more items in shorter time frames.   Seeking Smaller Strides   As the second half of the rehearsal began, Julie discovered more small pockets of time to get ahead.  Each moment contributed, bringing her closer to completing her homework a week before it was due.  Although she did not finish everything during her odd moments at rehearsal, she completed her assignment just 25 minutes before her usual bedtime.   For the first time, Julie went to bed without worrying about her commitments for tomorrow.   Julie woke up the next day feeling energized and ready for the day ahead. As she entered school, she visited her physics teacher for review. She only needed to correct one minor error before it was due later that day.   That’s when Julie realized the power of odd moments beyond her physics homework.   She listed other areas where she could harness odd moments, such as other classwork and musical studies. When encountering difficult passages, Julie would listen to challenging sections on repeat until she could recall them passively.     Then, she would practice those smaller segments repeatedly within a minute, starting slowly and gradually increasing the speed. Before she knew it, she was mastering her music faster than ever.   Julie noticed that using odd moments improved her overall school performance and allowed her to enjoy life more. She continued harnessing these odd moments for her play, workouts, and other demanding areas.   The year flew by, and Julie aced her final exams.  She graduated as valedictorian of her class and made fond memories with many friends.  She discussed taking advantage of odd moments in her speech, which nodded to her physics teacher.  Her colleagues gave her a standing ovation for her powerful speech.   Following high school, Julie received a full scholarship to her first-choice university to study physics.  She continued to apply the inch-by-inch philosophy to her studies and participated in the arts for fun.   Seconds Add Up   Julie recognized the value of odd moments and made them count.  While she had to adjust to switching gears, she recognized that we have the same amount of time available each day: 24 hours, 1440 minutes, and 86,400 seconds.    During her senior year, Julie changed her mindset from requiring large amounts of time to begin essential tasks to utilizing quick methods to gain momentum in seconds. Although there were occasions when she required longer periods, those were more the exception than the rule.   Those who regularly use time management techniques tend to schedule their days in 30 to 60-minute increments.  Some people believe it's better to focus on a few tasks for a solid 1 to 2 hours a day, while others use 5-10 minute blocks due to the nature of their work.   Let's analyze further breakdowns.  Given that we should be sleeping at least 8 hours a day, this is how many time slots we have when we dissect our time periods further:   ·       30 minutes – 32 slots per day ·       20 minutes – 48 slots per day ·       15 minutes – 64 slots per day ·       12 minutes – 70 slots per day ·       10 minutes – 96 slots per day ·       5 minutes – 192 slots per day   From our own experiences, we know that not every engagement in our day fits neatly into these segments. Some activities require more time than others, while others require only a handful of seconds.    For example, when writing pieces of content, I carve out 10-minute segments to do the following once I have an idea:   Craft the headers Write the outline Use speech-to-text to write (HUGE TIME SAVER!) Listen to my writing via Speechify Refine and wordsmith via Grammarly Stage my writing for publishing   Having a strong template and fluid process broken down into smaller stages is incredibly liberating. It works for 99% of my projects. The other 1% are handled on a case-by-case basis when extras are required, such as producing visual aids.   The Greatest Myth With Time   It's easy to mistake the correlation between an activity’s importance and the time spent on it.  Naturally, we invest in the most critical activities while eliminating mind-numbing activities.   We want to believe that more significant pursuits deserve more of our time.  However, this may not always be the case.  There are several reasons why we think that important activities require substantial amounts of time:   When switching activities, pain signals are tied to the transition. We are conditioned to view our activities hourly, particularly in the context of our professional careers. Naturally, it's easier to focus on one large item when it's the only item. The problem stems from unforeseen little interruptions, requiring us to change gears to address them.   If we expect uninterrupted focus and then battle dozens of interruptions in a day, our days are riddled with false starts, and we only achieve a fraction of what we set out to do.   However, with an odd-moments mindset, we understand that interruptions can happen anytime.  We have a lot going on, so we're mentally prepared to adjust as needed to get through the day. The pain points are expected and embraced as part of our daily grind.   Rather than spending large chunks of time on these primary pursuits, we now limit our time for each endeavor.  Consequently, we are more focused on that moment than if we had an hour.   I'm sorry, Abe Lincoln, but six hours should not be spent sharpening an axe to chop down a tree.   5 Techniques To Harness Odd Moments    Many techniques are available that can work wonders for our individual needs. Naturally, some of the tools listed will be more relevant than others. Readers are encouraged to create their own techniques that work for them.   Here are some of the techniques I've harnessed that have accelerated my progress in nearly all endeavors:   1 – Create An Odds & Ends List   Odds-And-Ends Lists (OELs) are a great way to plan what to do with unexpected odd moments. Typically, these items take 2-5 minutes to complete, but everyone has a different threshold for how much time constitutes an odd moment.   Personally, I like using Microsoft To-Do for my OELs because they're very easy to categorize, but pen and paper on sticky notes work just as well.  The real question is: What works best for you?   2 – Use A Manual Stopwatch   A manual stopwatch is an excellent tool for timing unique moments.  Smartphones and smartwatches can perform the same function, but an analog watch provides one advantage that smart devices typically lack: focus.   When the watch is started, it is easy to feel the burst of energy that propels us to complete the task in the small window of time. To increase a sense of urgency, use a countdown method to wind down the timer to zero instead of a lap method.   For those feeling more adventurous, try using an odd amount of time to complete a task, such as a 23-second challenge, a 3-minute challenge, or some other unusual time interval.   3 – Go For Volume, NOT Quality   It's easy to seek perfection when doing things. The idea of getting it done right the first time, so we don't have to go back, has echoed in the halls of many schools.   However, reality doesn't operate that way.  My writing and other skills don’t either.  The perfect method is rarely available or at the tip of our tongues.  Waiting for it to emerge is the greatest source of chronological entropy.   When we get started, we should expect not to have the best method available. However, we should expect to adjust the course as we acquire better tools on our journeys.  The key is to create momentum and continually adjust toward our goal.   Therefore, we should aim for volume.  Volume, volume, volume.  Quality is subjective.  Keep producing and churning out our work as much as possible.   When the time comes, we edit by sculpting our work. In practice, eliminating excess rather than adding additional items is much easier. As we sift through our work and make it nice and lean, the diamonds in the rough will appear right before our eyes.   4 – Set Up Systems That Make It Easy   It's challenging to make use of odd moments if we don't know how to utilize them.  While flailing about may appear to be a temporary strategy, it can foster a misleading sense of achievement when we spend our odd moments on unproductive tasks.   Therefore, it's best to have a system that harnesses odd moments. We don't need to code new software to achieve this, as excellent solutions are already available that we must learn to use effectively. It's all about creating a workflow that works for us.   Depending on the line of work, it may make more sense to have a digital, analog, or mixed system for harnessing odd moms. I strongly advocate for a mix, as both provide advantages over one another and create a more complete picture.   For writing, I simply use an iPad with LTE enabled, a Magic Keyboard, AirPods, and Microsoft OneNote. While AirPods are great for listening to music or utilizing noise cancellation to focus, they truly excel when using speech-to-text, as I'm doing now.  OneNote is excellent for writing because it syncs seamlessly across all my devices (iOS, Android, and Windows).   Additionally, I use this setup for other purposes, such as editing photos on Lightroom Mobile, making basic beats on Logic Pro, working on basic coding projects, and directly accessing my codebase on GitHub.   Everyone will have a system that works for them, depending on their line of work. Trial and error are required to find what works best, but once it's found, odd moments become all the sweeter.   5 – Practice & Set Reminders   Odd moments are not occasional; they occur daily.  There's no reason to expect that odd moments won’t happen to us.  Even if there are no gaps in the schedule, interruptions will prevent us from executing everything precisely as planned. Therefore, harnessing our odd moments serves as a perfect plan B.   However, I've found it more productive to intentionally schedule 30 minutes of odds and ends. Here, I let myself go wild as I randomly attack minor tasks that require a few minutes. It's almost like a speed run—how much odd stuff can I get off my mind in these 30 minutes?   Unintentionally, I have discovered a side benefit to scheduling blocks of odd moments: they have become automatic.  Now, when I encounter unexpected downtime on a day when I know I need to get things done, my odd moments come in and fill the void. While it's not ideal to engage in them, it certainly beats being stalled and waiting for something else.   Thus, we should treat harnessing odd moments like a muscle and carve out regular time for it. We must allow ourselves to pursue them by scheduling time and setting reminders. It may feel strange at first, but that's how odd moments work, after all.   Start Harnessing Odd Moments Now   Harnessing odd moments is a skill that requires time to develop.  As Julie demonstrated, the initial adjustment can be challenging, but the results of this effort are readily apparent in accomplishing tasks.   When we're used to our routines of simply scheduling our time, it can feel strange to try being more spontaneous by embracing unexpected moments.  Over time, it becomes more natural to seize those unusual moments that would otherwise add up to hours of wasted time.   There are more techniques for harnessing these odd moments. It's up to us to do our research and devise the techniques that work best for us.   Only a few items require extensive undisturbed time to complete. When necessary, we should establish guardrails to deter as many interruptions as possible. Otherwise, we should expect unexpected turns in our day, which we can now harness.   What techniques will you use to harness the power of odd moments?

Today, significant concerns exist about AI's looming threat to our professions. Regardless of the industry or our roles, AI will inevitably affect our professional careers to some degree.     For some, it will be for the better.  For others, not so much.      Naturally, dystopian imagery of being replaced and living on the streets is commonplace as greedy business leaders can their employees. These misguided leaders believe that AI can outperform their employees in a fraction of the time and cost.      However, those who have attempted to replace humans with AI have failed miserably. Currently, AI doesn’t understand the human touch in our work and isn't self-sufficient at running a business.     For all the tasks AI can perform quickly, it’s not very adept at providing guidance or understanding the real-world changes we experience.  Additionally, AI has no stake in business, unlike humans who work for compensation and recognition.     So, how will AI transform everything? That’s what we’re going to explore today.      Who AI Will Actually Replace      Before we explore how AI will transform our careers, we must acknowledge that it will threaten some individuals.      Consequently, AI is likely to reduce or eliminate individuals who fall into one the following categories:      Those who do not have a good reputation in their field,  Professionals who refuse to grow in their skills and abilities, and  Workers who are in monotonous and repetitive positions.      These displacements will present short-term difficulties for a sizable number of people.  Technological innovations improve business productivity and product quality, reducing the number of human hands required to deliver the product or service.     However, innovations produce long-term benefits for society. Here are some examples of technological innovations:      Harvesting machines replaced farmhands.  Motor vehicles replaced horse-drawn carriages.  Personal computers replaced professional typists.  Spreadsheet systems replaced professionals who used paper calculations.  The Internet siphoned significant amounts of paper and radio advertising.      Despite their disruptions, none of these innovations created a vacuum.  In fact, most opened new doors for opportunities that paid better and provided better working conditions.     While AI can accomplish many tasks, it will never replace creativity, individuality, or the desire to grow.     The Real Role of AI      Now that we've clarified some of the cloudiness looking from the AI storm, it's time to define its role:     AI will be a supplement, not a substitute, for high performers in nearly all professions.        Despite its advancements, AI cannot replicate the human touch. No matter how sophisticated it becomes, AI will never fully understand reality in the way humans do.     The marketplace was established by humans to serve other humans and benefit humanity. AI's capabilities will evolve to deliver impressive results as it becomes increasingly prevalent. However, it will always necessitate the essential human touch to remain relevant.     For example, Adobe Photoshop has become highly sophisticated in analyzing photos to differentiate subjects from backgrounds accurately.  Additionally, it’s excellent at handling fundamental aspects that compose images, such as color, lighting, and detail.     Nowadays, AI functions are integrated to remove unwanted elements. When an object is selected, it analyzes the surrounding pixels and fills in the image—it’s as if no one was there to begin with!    Additionally, this feature has also migrated to our phones, allowing us to edit photos promptly before sharing them on social media.     However, technology cannot produce realistic photos of people. Fortunately, photographers won't be out of business anytime soon, but those who fail to adapt to leveraging AI may find themselves left behind.     Photographers aren’t the only professionals embracing AI. We can also do the same in our own professions and explore the next section.     Leveraging AI To Your Advantage      It's worth reiterating that AI is the new chapter of our economic evolution. Therefore, it's better to embrace it than to understand it while it's still in its elementary stages of development.     Here's how to best do that:     Start Early    As we discovered with the Internet and social media, the same truth applies here: the earlier we start, the better off we will be. This is true for two reasons.      If we use AI long-term, we naturally integrate the necessary skills into our psyche. Understanding AI's capabilities is crucial, but recognizing its limitations is even more vital. Knowing its limitations will prevent us from falsely believing that AI will always bail us out.    Second, predicting the future of AI is much easier when we start early. While there will be breakthroughs and disruptions in the evolution of AI, they are less likely to catch us by surprise if we begin sooner.  Professionals can anticipate and adapt to these innovations through experience.    The main reason for mastering AI now is the same as investing: the earlier we begin, the more our insights and intuition build upon themselves later.     Try A Variety of AI     Not all AIs are created equal. Some AI applications, such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Copilot, are generally designed to incorporate large language models (LLMs) for various tasks. Other AIs are explicitly developed to focus on a narrow range of activities.     Each AI application has strengths and weaknesses. The best way to evaluate them is to assign the same tasks to each model and examine their results. Does one model generate better writing? Can one create superior marketing images? Does specialized AI outperform general AI for a certain task?     Everyone has differing opinions on the quality of work, so it's best to identify the AI applications that best suit our desired output.     Master Prompt Engineering     Prompt engineering is the process of designing inputs for AI to understand, interpret, and return the best output possible.  Most LLMs utilize prompt engineering, which means we must understand how to interact with the LLM to get the best output possible.     All LLMs are created differently, so prompt engineering techniques that work for one may not work for another. Achieving our desired results requires substantial trial and error, but it is worth the effort.      However, anyone can usually learn how to best interact with an LLM by simply asking it how it works.      Usually, the best prompts are conversational. While they don't need to be overly polite like they would with another human, most effective prompts have the following characteristics: they are concise, provide good context for a problem, and offer specific directions on the desired output.     Understanding prompt engineering takes time, but many companies seek mastery in this skill set. Start early, and you'll find yourself with plenty of work, whether as a prompt engineer or a professional who uses prompts in other areas to complete tasks more efficiently.     Jump In Now!       Whether we like it or not, AI is here to stay. As AI becomes more accessible to the public, there is a stigma that it will take jobs away. The only professions AI is likely to eliminate are those no longer necessary in the broader scope of the marketplace.     Therefore, entrepreneurs and employees should find ways to enhance their skill sets by learning to utilize AI. To succeed in this field, it’s not necessary to be a software engineer or developer; however, having a basic understanding of the back end of AI is essential for using it effectively.     Currently, we’re far from AI automating everything and achieving perfection. There are numerous subjective opinions on what constitutes good work by AI. At this time, there are still many tasks that AI cannot perform, which provides opportunities for individuals to handle them manually and for developers to discover solutions.     However, we’ve seen that in the age of social media, those who did not embrace it were left behind. If they make the same mistake with AI, they risk facing a similar fate.     Therefore, it’s best to understand AI from a general viewpoint to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each AI application. From there, it will be easier to see how AI evolves and embrace its new realities. Only time will tell how quickly AI will grow from today, but that isn't an excuse not to try.     Start early and watch the magic unfold.