Yin vs YangThe Battle for Success in Life

When I was in grade school, I remember some of the crazy perceptions I had.  One of these was that only people born with innate special talents in something were successful in it.  For instance, if I played basketball and did not have some immediate success, I figured I was not meant for the game.  Based on what I was taught, mistakes were not a good thing.  They meant you were not good at something.  They were a sign of failure.  Read more... (550 words, 1 image, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)

When I went to college in the mid 90s, I had a very good friend I met in my freshman dorm.  He was an Armenian young man, strong as an ox with an unmatched resolve.  He was also incredibly smart at anything he put his mind to.  However, the one thing I learned from him more than anything else is how to read people.

My friend had a gift for it.  He seemed to know things before they happened.  He was like Vito Corleone telling his Consigliore Tom exactly what every gangster would do before they did it.  He opened up my mind to a whole other world of communication I had no idea existed.  It consisted of reading others body language, responses, and actions. It was honestly the single most important thing I learned in my two years at the University of Maryland.  It is a skill I have been developing ever since.  Read more... (1197 words, 1 image, estimated 4:47 mins reading time)

Yesterday, after a frantic last few weeks, my company, Reimagine, finally finished our first commercial. It took about a month or so to complete, from concept to final cut. Over that time period, I had to scramble for money, find odd jobs to pay some bills, sell off any assets I had, cut my expenses, and deal with all the doubt that comes with it. Yet, after yesterday, I can tell you it is all worth it.

There is nothing like the gratification you get from setting a goal and accomplishing it. No one can take it away from you. You set out to do it, you said you would do it, and then you actually come through. Accomplish enough of these small goals, and before you know it, you will turn around one day and realized you just accomplished your big one.  Read more... (917 words, 0 images, estimated 3:40 mins reading time)