Some days, I get disillusioned by the boring, mundane challenges of life.

Sometimes I feel that life would be better in a fantasy world, where great heroes fight dastardly villains, where the days are filled with noble quests and epic battles, where the world needs to be saved and every step is filled with magic and significance.

Let’s be honest. Fighting the armies of darkness sounds a lot more exciting than fighting the armies of procrastination and apathy and existential angst.

I don’t think I’m alone in this. There’s a reason for the popularity of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings and Marvel Comics. There’s something inside us that craves storybook adventure, something that wants more out of life than everyday happenings.

Do you ever feel this way? As if you’re a dragon-slayer in a world where dragons don’t exist? (more…)

When people are afraid to take a stand on a controversial issue, they sometimes hide behind questions and equivocations: “What do you think about this?” “Let’s discuss this more.” “It’s all relative, right?”

I catch myself doing this more often than I like.

In general, it’s easier to ask open questions than to give confident answers. There’s no social penalty for appearing open-minded – but if you take a stand and get it wrong (or just different), better watch out.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting input from other people, especially people you respect. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with admitting you don’t have all the facts.

But it’s equally important to recognize the difference between genuinely not knowing the answer and lacking the conviction to accept the answer you already have. (more…)

When people ask you to pitch in, to do your part, to contribute to a cause, they’re asking you to take an action. They’re asking you to put a dollar in the donation box; to spend a few hours of your time on volunteer work; to cast a vote for your candidate of choice.

Little actions are important and powerful. With enough dollar bill donations, enough volunteered hours, enough popular votes, the world changes. With enough small steps, you can write a book, run a marathon, or make a million dollars.

The problem with little actions is that they’re, well, small. There’s a gap between small actions and big change.

What’s missing is something more powerful than taking an action: setting an example.

I define an example as an action that’s shared with others. An example is an act of one that becomes fuel for many. (more…)