Archive for March 2022

This message works well for so many reasons, but one of the primary reasons is that it opens with a story. The story is a little more than two minutes long, and it continues to be referenced throughout the video. What does the story do? It connects Schwarzenegger with his audience through authenticity, humility, and…

When I was in middle school, kids still enjoyed a before-school and after-lunch recess. Two recesses in a single day is uncommon at any school nowadays. Recess at the middle school level is virtually unheard of in today’s world. That’s because the world has turned stupid in so many ways. Somewhere along the way, free…

Every year, I teach my students to run away from any and all physical altercations. Someone wants to fight you? Run. Someone is threatening you? Run. Someone just punched you in the face? Run. Fight with your legs by escaping the altercation as quickly as possible. Occasionally, a parent tells their child something like: “If…

If you are wrong, acknowledge your mistake and apologize if needed. If you are right, stay quiet. Allow others to sing your praise. If others are wrong, let them know about their mistake, but privately and with grace. If others are right, celebrate them publicly. Many people seem to struggle most with rule #1. This…

I’m coming to you, Marathon Center of Performing Arts in Findlay, Ohio! Wednesday, April 13, 2022. When I showed my kids this photo – my name is lights – they expressed the same level of excitement that they do when being asked to put away their laundry. Hopefully complete strangers are more excited than the…

Perhaps you’ve heard about the vice principal who was recently fired in Mississippi for reading “I Need a New Butt” to second graders. If you haven’t, here is the story. Below is a letter I dropped in the mail yesterday, addressed to the superintendent, expressing my opinion on the situation and offering my recommendation. ________________________________________…

I saw these two philosophical CAPTCHAs on Twitter and fell in love.   If you don’t understand the jokes, look up “The Ship of Theseus” online. It’s a fascinating thought experiment.   Then look up Rene Magritte’s “Treachery of Images” (for the image of the pipe). You’ll understand it right away.   Best of all,…

Elysha and I were watching Ted Lasso. Onscreen, the soccer team was failing to work hard and reach its full potential, so coach Ted Lasso decided that it was time to deploy Lead Tasso, the alter-ego version of the nauseatingly wholesome, relentlessly optimistic, inexplicably charming soccer coach. Lead Tasso is the Bizarro Superman version of…

I agree with both of these suggestions with equal ferocity. I’ve always felt so sorry for people who refuse to dance. As a wedding DJ, I’ve met many grooms, a handful of brides, and thousands of guests who don’t dance. In each case, I wanted to shake them from their stupor. I wanted to scream,…

I’m currently working on publicity for my next book: Someday is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life Available in bookstores everywhere on June 7, 2o22. Preorder now wherever you get books. Or even better, join my launch team. I’ve been thinking about all the things that have hindered my creative life,…