Although I'm already familiar with most of the topics in Ryan Holiday's new book, Stillness is the Key (book summary), I'm grateful that the book introduced me to this story. Holiday says: One of the best stories in Zen literature is a series of ten … [Read more...]
The Stages of the Work from “The Wisdom of the Enneagram” (Short Story)
The Stages of the Work from The Wisdom of the Enneagram Book by Riso and Hudson The Stages of the Work is on the final page—page 383—of The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality … [Read more...]
5 Life Lessons Learned from The Alchemist’s Secret of Happiness Story
Looking for the full book summary? You can find it here: 15 Legendary Themes & 75 Quotes from “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho (Book Summary) A Short Story about the Secret of Happiness from The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho "A certain … [Read more...]
A Memorable Short Story about Spiritual Accomplishments & Eternal Life from “Man’s Search for Meaning”
A Memorable Short Story about Spiritual Accomplishments & Eternal Life from Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl While reading Man's Search for Meaning, there was one simple, short story in particular that stuck with me. In Viktor … [Read more...]
On Enlightenment: 3 Meanings of the “Chop Wood, Carry Water” Zen Quote
We were recently having dinner with friends when a (highly intelligent) friend said, "All I want to do is chop wood in the forest." It immediately reminded me of the simple—yet profound—quote below. So, I did some homework on it. Here's … [Read more...]
A “Short” Summary of Everything I Learned in 2018 from Sloww’s First 100 Posts
“Learning without doing is wasted.” — Derek Sivers Sloww just recently crossed the 100-post mark. Cue: celebratory music! As the sun sets on the year, it's a good reminder to pause—take a look in the rear-view mirror and reflect. This post is … [Read more...]
3 Profound Life Lessons from “This is Water” by David Foster Wallace
In 2005, David Foster Wallace delivered the "This is Water" commencement speech at Kenyon College. I've studied and written about the most viewed commencement speeches in the past, but this one is special. In just over 20 minutes, he covers the … [Read more...]
Slow Down & Set Perspective with Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot”
I've been doing a bunch of research for my first eBook on the topic of life purpose. A few times during the research process, I came across Carl Sagan's timeless Pale Blue Dot speech. I always stop what I'm doing to take a few minutes to read or … [Read more...]
Edit Your Purpose: The Story of the Cracked Pot
I wish I could find the origin of this story. Some say it's Chinese, but the majority say it's Indian folklore. As far as I can tell, the author is unknown. I initially came across this story on Quora and decided to do some quick research. The … [Read more...]
Mindful at Mealtime: The Zen Buddhism Five Reflections
I first read about the Zen Buddhism Five Reflections in the book Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki. This post highlights three different translations. Choose your favorite! The Zen Buddhism Five Reflections … [Read more...]
