The Uncommon Life

If you’re a regular Uncommon Life reader you’ll know that each year I reflect on the previous year. The process helps me internalize lessons learned and appreciate progress that I would otherwise overlook while setting my sites on new goals in projects. As with any year, there were smooth seas and challenging seas. Overall, however, the year was fantastic… Read More →

Along his relatively short (still in his mid twenties) but admirable journey through life, Charlie has learned that if you get stuck playing the wrong game with the wrong yardstick, progress itself becomes a liability. But I’ll let him take it from here… Read More →

I think we can all agree on one thing: If you cannot control your mind, you’ll control little else. Yet, unless you have decided to practice some form of meditation or the like, mental discipline is not a skill that is often taught. This is a real shame because without mental stability and mastery, there is no stability or mastery in other parts of life.

‘One moment, one emotion’ (OMOE) capitalizes on the peace of mind that can only be summoned while being the moment. It’s about feeding the desired emotion so the negative alternative starves. It’s a philosophy that can help you guide your emotional experience through learned mental discipline that leads to authentic emotions. Read More →

‘Unreasonable’ does not necessarily mean rebellious. And it doesn’t mean going against the grain for the sake of being oppositional. Nor does it mean making unreasonable compromises. In fact, it means quite the opposite: NOT compromising in the face of paradox. Read this carefully…

The unreasonable game-changing individuals in the world enjoy uncommon results because they have developed an ability to uphold seemingly contradictory ideals at the same time. Read More →

Roughly three times per week I share concise advice alongside a colorful, thought-provoking image or as I call it, “paradigm bending pop-art.” Below are some of those posts (all titles are links) I have shared in the past few weeks that may help you lead an uncommon life… Read More →

Take a quick gaze into the world of non-fiction literature and there is one word that cannot be ignored: passion.

Authors, speakers, leaders, and gurus use this word with a near religious application – as though it’s the alchemist’s secret to wielding the famed Midas touch. They preach that passion is an indispensable part of personal success and happiness.

Based on this introduction, you might be surprised to read this next statement: I agree with them. Passion is one very important element (of many) that produces extraordinary results.

What frustrates me (and many people who read these statements about passion) is that the process to attaining this ‘transformational’ passion is often overlooked or described as though the Gods endow it. Either way doesn’t help. Read More →

Money can be motivating, but it also tends to limit what we perceive as possible. When focusing on how your existing talents and abilities can add value to others, many more opportunities reveal themselves. These opportunities may not be noticeable immediately, but with time and commitment, they always surface. Read More →

The inability to remove the husk from the kernels of feedback, advice, and information we receive each day prevents us from achieving real success in our personal lives, relationships, and professional lives. There are several ways to extract facts from a soupy sea of fiction, but one of the most effective, benevolent ways to do this is by playing dumb. Read More →

There are many short-term advantages to seeking familiarity, but it goes without saying: Do what you’ve always done and get what you’ve always gotten. You need not be Marco Polo to appreciate that the greatest adventures, memories, and learning experiences are least often revealed during voyages of familiarity… Read More →

It doesn’t take perfection, top-notch tools or world-class talent to do great work that’s recognizable and appreciated by others. It takes courage in the face of an unknown outcome and commitment of uncommon effort. Read More →

Before you commence your journey to an uncommon life in 2012, assess your inventory. Stop, think, and drop. Literally. Identify the items of baggage you’re currently carrying from 2011 and scrutinize every last piece. Read More →

You may not be able to account for and design everything that happens to you in life, but planning for excellence and adventure indisputably increases the odds of both. Realizing this, I have grown accustom to performing a year-end review and creating a plan for the year ahead. And this is some of the most important thinking I’ve ever done. Read More →