
On Solid Ground is a forum for sharing ideas and values that you find interesting, enjoyable, or useful toward flourishing. We invite you to submit:
- Articles about ideas for loving life or defending freedom
- Reviews of books, podcasts, or videos you find valuable
- Personal-development tips, strategies, or tactics
Submissions are moderated for alignment with the purpose of the blog and may be edited for clarity and brevity. Read submission guidelines here.
Contributors here offer their own ideas, which do not necessarily reflect those of the staff or managers of OSI.
James Clear Will Speak at OSI’s LevelUp 2023
By Jackson Upmann | Jan 16, 2023
James Clear has joined the roster for Objective Standard Institute’s LevelUp 2023, in Phoenix, AZ, June 21–24.
Why I Dropped Out of College
By Jackson Upmann | Dec 29, 2022
I recently dropped out of college—even though I was an excellent student. I went to the best school in my state, University of Wisconsin, Madison, where I scored a cumulative 96 percent in all my classes and was a year ahead. Why would I leave such a “good” situation?
Three Uplifting Songs for Loving Life
By Angelica Walker-Werth | Dec 15, 2022
Music can inspire us, comfort us, and cheer us up. If you want to live a life that’s bursting with joy, it helps to have upbeat songs for loving life on your playlist. To that end, I’m sharing three of my favorites that celebrate life.
Objective Standard Institute’s Terrific 2022
By Craig Biddle | Nov 30, 2022
Objective Standard Institute (OSI) has had a wonderfully productive year teaching the rising generation about the importance of philosophy, principles of Objectivism, and related ideas for living fully and advancing liberty.
Glen Miller: American Musical Icon
By Sally Morem | Oct 9, 2022
Glenn Miller was a revolutionary bandleader and an American patriot. He defined an era of America’s big band brilliance with beautiful melodies and irresistible energy.

We invite you to submit a post to On Solid Ground. Read our submission guidelines here.
Featured Posts
Improve Relationships, Teams, and Communication with Radical Candor
By Angelica Walker-Werth | Sep 8, 2022
“Care personally, challenge directly.” These are the basic ideas that management coach Kim Scott suggests for being what she calls “radically candid,” a method of being honest and compassionate, especially when it comes to giving feedback. Her book Radical Candor is aimed at corporate managers, but most of its advice is applicable to any relationship.
LevelUp 2023: TOS-Con’s New Name, Date, and Location
By Craig Biddle | Sep 7, 2022
Objective Standard Institute’s summer conference—previously called “TOS-Con”—is now “LevelUp Conferences.” Level Up 2023 will be in Phoenix, Arizona, June 21–24. The venue is the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa.
Five Great Life Lessons from the Music of Rush
By Thomas Walker-Werth | Sep 4, 2022
Music can be a powerful tool for enriching our lives. It can bring us joy, or provide solace during tough times. It can inspire creativity and spark passion. Some music can also teach us valuable life lessons. This is the case with much of the work of the Canadian progressive rock band Rush.
Pushing Forward with “Extreme Ownership”
By Thomas Ricucci | Aug 4, 2022
Are you experiencing leadership challenges at work–with employees, supervisors, or peers–and seeking examples of what excellence looks like? Or maybe you’re looking for motivation or inspiration to get you through difficult moments in your life, or simply to keep pushing forward. If so, then perhaps “Jocko Podcast” is for you.
Ella Enchanted: A Fun Celebration of Freedom
By Angelica Walker-Werth | May 10, 2022
Imagine a Cinderella story that’s about something deeper than just a girl being swept off to become a princess. Ella Enchanted, a 2004 film starring Anne Hathaway, is exactly that: a fun film set in a medieval-style kingdom with fairies and elves that demonstrates the importance of freedom.