The Price of Illusions – 16 Years Later
In 2010 I asked if you were living in an illusion. In 2026 that question is harder — the price of illusions, now that they have [...]
Are You The Best Version of Yourself? – Checking In After 16 Years
In 2010 the OS metaphor for self-improvement was an analogy. In 2026 it's literal — AI tools actually run as cognitive extensions. Here's what that changes.
Frustration as a Growth Signal – Revisiting After 15 Years
I wrote 33 ways to overcome frustration in 2010. 15 years later: most of them work, but only for one type. The other type just needs [...]
Still Learning To Say No – 17 Years After First Writing About It
I wrote about saying no in 2009. The technique was right but incomplete. 17 years later, here's what I missed: the permission problem is harder than [...]
Life Has No Meaning – In 2026 I Still Think This Is Good News
In 2015 I argued that life's lack of inherent meaning is liberating. I still think so. But making that case in 2026 requires more honest scaffolding.
The Diamond Cutter, 12 Years Later — Buddhism as a Daily Practice
A 12-year test of The Diamond Cutter's Buddhist business principles. Which ones compounded into real results, and where the emptiness concept led me astray.
77 Reasons to Love Your Life — Why I’d Write This Differently After 17 Years
I wrote 77 reasons to love your life in 2009. The reasons haven't changed much. But the obstacle to actually enjoying them has, the world is [...]
Answering My Own 33 Self-Interview Questions — 17 Years Later
33 self reflection questions answered honestly, 17 years on. What changed about fear, regret, identity — and which questions aged perfectly, which didn't survive.
The Extra Bolt – A Story of Furniture, Abundance and Confusion
Every assembled piece of furniture left me with one extra bolt — and it took months to realize that was abundance, not a mistake. A story [...]
AI Peer-Preservation: Why Is This NOT Digital Empathy
A Berkeley study shows AI models protect each other from shutdown. But it's not peer-preservation — it's self-preservation dressed up. AI sentience is not here yet.
AI Made Us All Wizards – Wizards of Oz
The billion-dollar one-person company sounds like a cheat code. But someone still pulls the levers behind the curtain. On AI leverage, authenticity, and what lasts.
Being The Weird One
After 15 years of location independence, being the weird one everywhere changes you. The identity shifts, cultural friction, and unexpected growth that follow.
There Are 2 Wolves Inside of You
Personality tests and metaphors like the two wolves can become traps. Learn why symbols limit your growth—and how to reclaim your messy, real self.
Detached Shadows
Shadows follow until you turn toward light. Detachment isn't abandoning shadows—it's refusing to let them dictate direction
Auto-Pilot Actions – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Autopilot saves mental energy for important decisions. But unconscious actions can sustain harmful patterns. Awareness determines which
Managing Past Versions Of Yourself
Past versions haunt until acknowledged. You're not who you were—managing means integrating lessons without clinging to expired identities
The Art Of Not Believing The Lies You’re Telling To Yourself
Self-deception runs automatically. The art—catching lies before believing them. Most damaging beliefs are self-authored
When Reaching For Your Wallet Is Suddenly Returning An Unexpected “404 – File Not Found”
Lost wallet moment—sudden disconnection from digital identity and financial access. 404 error in physical world. Modern vulnerability
The Epic Battle Between The Two Minds
Two minds battle constantly—rational versus emotional, system 1 versus system 2. The epic conflict happens internally every decision
Blindfolded
Operating blindfolded reveals how much we depend on assumptions versus direct perception. Removing sight amplifies everything else—here's what emerges