We had trained endlessly for this moment. Drills were routine. We practiced the maneuvers, the transitions, the coordination of a full strike group moving in rhythm. But this was the only time during my service that I would experience it for real — hip-mounted gas mask on, eyes forward, adrenaline surging. Continue reading “Proceed at Best Speed”: A Sailor’s Memory of the Strait of Hormuz
I didn’t succeed because I was self-reliant.
I succeeded because others were there to catch me when the systems did not. Continue reading Why Independence Myths Harm Our Kids
I’ve tried hard not to mention active political figures on this blog. I do that intentionally—not because I don’t have opinions, but because I don’t want to lose readers to the haze of partisan vitriol. Political passion, as we see it now, is often short-sighted and misdirected. It burns hot, fizzles fast, and rarely invites the kind of careful thought that builds understanding or trust.
But this week, I’m making an exception. Continue reading Taming the Jackal: Why Language Matters More Than Ever
Yet—just as in 1995—I also feel a flicker of frustration. So much power, and yet so few ideas come to mind for how to wield it. Innovation still begins with inspiration. Continue reading Welcome to the Inspiration Economy
“We are still shocked by what has happened, but we will never give up our values. Our response is more democracy, more openness, and more humanity… We will answer hatred with love.” Continue reading The Path Forward: Lessons in Leadership from Two Tragedies
Despite having some of the highest taxes in the world, Denmark consistently tops the World Happiness Report. Danes pay up to half of their income in taxes, then face a 25% value-added tax on most goods, and up to a 150% tax on new cars. Yet somehow, they—and their Nordic neighbors—consistently rank among the happiest populations on Earth.
So what gives? What do they know that we don’t? Continue reading What Denmark Can Teach Us About Happiness, Humility, and a Better America
I’m not sure how much my father ever fully grasped the extent of my mom’s decline until the very end. … Continue reading Saying Goodbyes: On the Fragility of Life and the Gift of Presence
Why do we hurt the ones we love the most? Why does our language, especially under stress, so often betray us? Continue reading The Buddy Promise
But I believe in a different way forward—one rooted in what’s universally true about being human. That we all have needs. That we all want to be seen. That empathy isn’t weakness—it’s a survival skill. Continue reading Reintroduction to Better Places
How we define masculinity is amongst society’s most pressing issues today. How do men and boys develop in healthy, positive ways and avoid abusive, toxic versions of manhood–especially those promoted in the online “manosphere”? Continue reading Adolescence: The Show We Need to Get Our Sons to Better Places
Better Places 