Insight 83 | Sometimes a good reminder goes a long way.  So, in case you haven't heard it recently, allow me to remind you: You have the right to remain silent. Indeed, you have permission to stay quiet . Why? A variety of reasons, but principally one guiding thought that will fundamentally change  how you view your hopes and goals, the language you use regarding them, and just who you allow to step into that inner and private world you call your dreams . If there is only one

Insight 82 | This past year, I had the tremendous blessing of studying abroad in the incredible city of London.  It was a unique season brimming with beauty, many side quests, and a serious taste of what the “real world” is like. Since then, I have returned to the wonder of a campus I call home, which has often prompted friends and family to ask, “How was it?” The typical response includes anecdotes of adventure, small, quiet moments of God's faithfulness, and a whole lot of

Insight 81 | If you are reading this week's newsletter, it means you survived the two most difficult weeks that were in store for your New Year's resolutions. It also means you are the type of person who is curious and interested in learning more. If this is the case, today's writing is something you will likely refer back to. Looking in anticipation for an incredible 2026, here are my personal “Top 007” recommendations and their biggest takeaways in the form of my favorite q

Insight 80 | Did you know that this Friday, January 9th, 2026, is National Quitters Day in the United States? I only found out about this recently, but it turns out that the second Friday of the first month of the year is the unofficial day when many people abandon their New Year's resolutions! This term originated from the noticeable annual drop in activity on Strava, the widely popular running-tracking platform, but became a mainstream realization because of its relatabilit

Insight 79 | There aren’t many “new” things one can say about how to prepare and proactively go into a “new” year. Every January is filled to the brim with advertisements promising proven methods for attaining your goals and secrets to success that will surely work for you this time around. I am not here with any of those. Instead, I’d like to bring to your attention something old and forgotten—a simple but reliable formula for getting where you want to go. It’s something I

Insight 78 | I am a bit torn while writing this week. While in one sense I hope you are resting and far away from your email, in a another, I am fully convinced there is nothing more important than the subject of today’s newsletter. ​ Although it’s in the name and many of us have grown up hearing it before, there is no Christmas without Christ. And yet, if you’re anything like me, it’s quite easy to get caught up in the presents and lose sight of his presence in the midst of

Insight 77 | Has anyone ever told you to “trust the process” or said “you’ll understand when you're older”? Growing up, these two phrases would irk me quite a bit. I often found myself frustrated with those who gave it as an answer because it seemed like an easy way out of difficult conversations. The funny thing is that now that I'm a bit older, it seems to me that they may just have been a little right. For whoever needs to hear this today, please remember: “Just because Go

Insight 76 | Work, Mission Focus, and Gratitude. I wrote this poem some time ago, and I’ve held onto it as I have waited for a proper moment to use it. It speaks to a mindset of self-directed initiative, discipline, and gratitude. It goes like this: I’d like to learn how to grow lemons So I can harvest a garden full of them Then give some back to life as a thank you For all the lemons it gave me first. The Lemons are metaphoric, of course, and their exact form might change fr

Insight 75 | We should all be originals, but sometimes growth means becoming someone we are not yet  in order to become the person we were always meant to be. Allow me to elaborate. Bruce Wayne couldn’t fight crime as the millionaire, philanthropist, and playboy he was. No, He had to become Batman. Peter Parker gained great power and couldn't stay the nerdy high schooler, but became Spider-Man to uphold this tremendous new responsibility. And us? We, too, could benefit from k

Insight 74 | The Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. Have you ever heard the phrase "absolute power corrupts absolutely”? The idea was coined by Lord Acton , a British historian, politician, and writer, in a letter he wrote in 1887, which holds that unchecked control often leads to corruption, actions motivated by self-interest, and an increase in pride and a decline in character. This is the very same fate the brilliant, charismatic, and hopeful man, Napoleon Bonaparte, met as he be

Insight 73 | For all the Hamilton fans out there, you may recognize the titles of today's piece as one of the standout lines from the show. It's directed at the character of Alexander Hamilton himself, as uninvited but much-needed advice from his excelling counterpart, Aaron Burr. After rudely interrupting the man’s peaceful walk, Hamilton is quickly put in his place as Burr does not hesitate to remind him ... fools who run their mouths off wind up dead. The comment is made t

Insight 72 | People are great. But sometimes enough is enough. And that includes enough  of you. It’s a bit uncomfortable to admit, but I learned this difficult life truth the hard way - by overstaying my welcome at a friend's event and not realizing it until it was too late.  That day, I learned that knowing when to leave  the party is just as important as knowing which parties are worth your time.  Ladies and gentlemen: Just because you fit, doesn’t mean you belong.* ( * T

Insight 71 | Invest In What Really Matters. Scripture  reminds us that life is like a vapor, here a moment, gone the next. Recent events are evidence of just that, and I’ve found myself grappling with just how finite  this reality is… how temporary all  of us are.  While I may not have any answers for the “why” behind so much of what goes on in the world, I cannot help but admit that  there is a certain wisdom in the old Latin phrase Memento Mori , the philosophical sobering

Insight 70 | You Don’t Need More Friends, Just Real Ones. I hate to break this to you, but some of the people you call friends are vampires  masquerading as companions. Yes, you read that correctly, Vampires , the blood sucking, soul-crushing, dream-shattering kind who latch on to your neck, drain you dry, and then leave you to die.  I am not one for scary things, but given it's spooky season, it seems fitting to situate today's insight within a paranormal framework. Think of

Insight 69 | Imagine you're walking along a road one day, going over to a cafe for an afternoon chat, when a fellow comes along and offers you a bottle of magic pills. He promises they’ll bring bliss and make life easier. Of course, he assures you they are safe, sharing multiple testimonials from the enjoyable lives many of his former clients have led as a result. Some of the other cafe attendees nod their heads in approval; they have done business with this man before.  Know

Insight 68 | (The Importance Of Systems.) If you are constantly working, always going, and yet never see any progress in your life, then today's newsletter is made intentionally for you. The people getting ahead, making strides in their careers, pursuing passion projects, and improving their personal lives aren't necessarily more intelligent, talented, or even harderworking. Nine out of ten times, they’ve just figured out a set of techniques that works so well for them, and t