What is Said and Heard

What is Said and Heard

While purging my desk recently, I was struck by how some communications can be conveyed with very few words. I’d come across a file of directions to friends’ homes around the country, written simply enough to follow while driving solo. It harked back to a time before...
I Literally Did Not Understand

I Literally Did Not Understand

20/20 is a fine thing in hindsight. By conventional measures, I was winning: elite education, thriving career, house, healthy children. I believed I was in control. But a quiet voice repeated, “If I wake up dead tomorrow, I’ll be very angry. This is not what...
Brilliance vs Intellectual Rigor

Brilliance vs Intellectual Rigor

I’m struck by how many brilliant people I meet who misuse their intellect. At first, I’m intrigued by how quickly they connect disparate concepts and curious to learn. But inevitably, something shifts. The energy flattens. Friction builds. They are not listening...