Keeping ideas connected to reality so they can serve our lives in reality.
Freddie Mercury’s Smiling in Heaven
The sight of an achievement [is] the greatest gift that a human being could offer to others. —Ayn Rand. This week for Soul-Fuel Friday, I’d like to share three powerful performances by Angelina Jordan. This thirteen-year-old Norwegian singer recently...
Defining a Future to Fight For
Craig and I have just begun our first two (sold out!) sessions of the OSI course “How to Write Powerfully in Defense of Liberty,” and there’s a point that’s come up that I’d like to emphasize and to share with Level Up readers and contributors....
Secrets of Effective Time Management: Rolling with the Punches
Author’s note: The “five Ds” is an idea that’s been around for some time; here’s my take on it. I run two businesses, one of which sometimes has employees I need to oversee. I write at least ten thousand words every week, I do all the cooking in my house, and I...
Gardens Simultaneously Calm and Reinvigorate
With COVID lockdowns lifting throughout the country, I encourage those who are safely able to do so to seek solace in the great outdoors. Whether hiking in the mountains or lounging on the beach, the peaceful surroundings of nature can be powerful places for...
Like an Arrow Shot From a Bow: Poems about the Power of Words
A collection of poetry that has helped me positively develop as a person is The Best Loved Poems of the American People, selected by Hazel Felleman. I found my copy on the free books’ counter at my local library more than a decade ago. Since then, it’s provided...
Music for Freedom: Ennio Morricone’s “Run Man Run”
When I was young, my father introduced me to many Western films. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, movies such as The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, My Name is Nobody, and Death Rides a Horse portrayed powerful themes of heroism, justice,...
World of Dance Delivers a World of Joy
The sight of an achievement [is] the greatest gift that a human being could offer to others. —Ayn Rand. Season 4 of World of Dance has begun, and I recommend it highly. I’ve been watching this show since its...
How to Achieve Ambitious Goals: Observations from Stephen Duneier
Here is an opportunity to look into the mind of a super-achiever. Hedge-fund manager, artist, world-record holder (and much more) Stephen Duneier explains, in his TED Talk titled, “How to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals,” how he went from being a subpar student...
Want to Live among Heroes?
When I was a kid, my best friend and I were addicted to stories of people overcoming the impossible, and we wanted to live in a world of heroes to whatever extent we could. We would pretend we were characters from practically...