PinnedMy Top Articles By TopicUpdated 12/23/2021 — Philosophy The Simplest and Most Important Quote From Stoic Philosophy Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy Will Help You Find Your True Purpose This Is Why Buddhism Bothers Me (before you yell at me, see also: The Philosophy You Can’t Stand Might Be the One You Need Most) 5 Quotes From Friedrich Nietzsche That…Writing2 min read
Published in Mind Cafe·2 days agoTaking Care of Yourself Is OverratedYou have been sold a lie: self-sufficiency won’t make you happy. — People love to romanticize their independence. I know because I’ve done it, I’ve seen people around me do it, and I’m a part of a culture where being “self-sufficient” is seen as the crown jewel of personal development. If you can take care of yourself, you’re supposed to be “safe”…Life5 min read
Published in Better Advice·4 days ago5 Painful Lessons From Traveling By MyselfLoneliness on the road can be untameable. — I just finished 2 and a half weeks of travel through Europe. I spent a week in Poland, where I geared up for and competed in a martial arts tournament, and then I went on an “adventure” through Italy and London. During the week of my tournament, I was traveling…Life5 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·5 days agoWhy I’ll Never Write On LinkedInBecause LinkedIn is lame, and… — Yesterday was Friday. On Fridays, I train at 7 am, go to therapy at 9 am, teach a Jiu-Jitsu class at noon, and I then drill techniques and lift weights from around 2 pm to 4:30 or so. …Work6 min read
Published in Mind Cafe·May 19I Got My Black Belt In Brazilian Jiu-JitsuHere’s what it actually taught me about life. — When I was 18, I thought that getting my black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu would solve all my problems. I thought that once I had a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, I could open a gym, and then a few years of hard work after that, I’d be “set”. This was a…Life7 min read
Published in Mind Cafe·May 16Adventure Isn’t Like the MoviesPlanes, trains, and automobiles — what I learned from getting lost on the Amalfi Coast. — I always wanted a life full of wild quests, grand adventures, and never-ending exploration. I always wanted my life to be “like the movies”. I always wanted to be the hero of my personal movie. I’ve always been a “get up and go” type of person. Even before I could…Life7 min read
May 12How I Created a Life Full of AdventureAnd it’s only getting started. — Here’s a photo I took this morning in Vietri Sul Mare, a little town outside of Salerno, Italy: Vietri Sul Mare is considered to be the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. Getting here was a bit of a wild ride. Here’s how I did it. First, I obsessed over one thing for about a decade. I took this trip with…Life6 min read
Published in Mind Cafe·May 10What If Anxiety Was the Only Thing Holding You Back?When your mind is a prison. — For most of my life, I’ve been a bit of a late bloomer. This is primarily because I have a lot of anxiety. It takes me a bit of extra time to get started with things. I hesitate. I’m nervous all the freaking time. I get nervous before competing in…Life7 min read
Published in Entrepreneur's Handbook·Apr 2910 Lessons on Entrepreneurship From Being a Broke Pro AthleteI make a living playing a sport you’ve never heard of — I’m a professional Jiu-Jitsu athlete. I finally feel comfortable saying that. However, Jiu-Jitsu isn’t exactly a “major sport”, and making a living in Jiu-Jitsu can be strange and difficult. Most people have never even heard of the sport that I practice for 3–6 hours every day. Some of the top…Entrepreneurship6 min read
Published in Mind Cafe·Apr 27I Made $5000 in 20 MinutesIt only took a decade. — Last weekend, I competed in a martial arts tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I had 3 matches. The first match lasted 8 minutes. The second match went for about 2 minutes, and the 3rd and final match went for 10 minutes. I was on the mat fighting for a little more…Life5 min read
