I've now spent about 5 weeks traveling internationally. It's not vacation, but rather, traveling while working — and to say it's been a "busy" few weeks would be a gross understatement. Between different time zones and an boundless workload, the traveling and the time zone changes have not fared well with me this trip. Usually, I can adapt rather quickly, but with my racing nearly 24 hours a day, the irony is that you never catch up with the rest that has been lost. A new meaning for the word "restlessness"...

I was really excited when Theranos first publicized their home blood test kit concept. For years, I've felt “in the dark” about the intimate details of the inner state of my own body. After all, without numerous trips to the doctor, how else is the layman to know the stories our blood is telling us each day? How many other health metrics could be so valuable?

I called my health provider regularly and booked blood tests for the widest ranging panels they'd agree to give me. I wanted data. Because data tells stories.

But after a couple visits...

No one could claim to know me if not aware of my passionate feelings about how the structure and approach conventional education is inherently and maddeningly flawed.

The current system (not pointing fingers at individual teachers) is doing students a incredible disservice in preparing them for the modern world.

In an effort to be "fair" to students and teachers we have...

Now that we're almost beginning Q4 one thing has become clear: It takes time to slow the momentum of complexity.

My personal take-away: It's a big mistake to assume that when you embark on a complex goal or project that a clean and quick incision is an option when you decide you're ready for an exit.

For many things in life, it's possible to cut the majority of consequential ties by simply refusing to feed the task more time and energy. However...

"Talent is able to achieve what is beyond other people’s capacity to achieve, yet not what is beyond their capacity of apprehension; therefore it at once finds its appreciators. The achievement of genius, on the other hand, transcends not only others’ capacity of achievement, but also their capacity of apprehension; therefore they do not become immediately aware of it. Talent is like the marksman who hits a target which others cannot reach; genius is like the marksman who hits a target … which others cannot even see..."

Every year I create a guiding theme — a loose, but meaningful guiding ideology that I apply to every decision I make. 2016's theme is "Clean up & Simplify." Why? Because today's world is a complex one. And that complexity leads to many choices and opportunities. It's frighteningly easy to say "yes" one time (or a few dozen times) too many. Soon enough you find yourself on the defensive, reacting to life and tirelessly trying to protect the little time and freedoms you have left...

"What makes something play as opposed to work is not what you do, but why you do it. Even the most mundane work can be transformed into play if you do it just for itself and for no reasons besides — if the financial rewards you accrue are merely incidental bonuses. The most important and most difficult thing in life is..."

Early this week I returned from Chicago for my semi-annual mastermind meeting comprising of 6 other young adults whom are both friends and very impressive entrepreneurs. I always do my best to hold myself to a high standard of work and equally great ambition. For years I thought I held myself to the limit of my ability — but that perception was quickly undone when I joined...

I’ll Retire When I’m Dead: "The ideal is for retirement to be a period of rejuvenation and relaxation. After 40 years of work, people finally get to enjoy their time and hard-earned money. The reality is that it often leads to a severe decline in mental and physical health. Retirement “raises the probability of poor health,” increases difficulties with mobility and worsens mental health ... Other studies have found retirees are 40 percent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than their working peers, and that retirement increases the probability of depression by, coincidentally, 40 percent." - John McDermott in...

"I’m not saying we shouldn’t appreciate the good things in our lives. But thankfulness is not the endgame, it’s a starting point. Instead of five minutes of gratitude a day, try spending five minutes a day visualizing what it is you want to kick ass for and how you’re going to get it. Maybe then you’ll really have something to be thankful for.” - Taylor Mayol via Ozy in the provocative article titled, "Screw Gratitude. It's holding you back!" (So, is “gratitude is a privilege for those without serious problems” as the author writes?)

“It’s true that every leader needs followers. We can’t all be nonconformists at every moment, but conformity is dangerous — especially for an entity in formation. If you don't hire originals, you run the risk of people disagreeing but not voicing their dissent. You want people who choose to follow because they genuinely believe in ideas, not because they’re afraid to be punished if they don’t..."

"We are all amateur attention economists, hoarding and bartering our moments — or watching them slip away down the cracks of a thousand YouTube clips. … Attention, thus conceived, is an inert and finite resource, like oil or gold: a tradable asset that..."