Josh's Blog

Category: Quotes & Ideas

  • Empathy, It’s Not What You Think (The Real Version)

    Recently, I listened to a friend’s mini-rant on people who say they feel what others feel when they really don’t. This is my response: I’ve been told I’m empathetic, but I’m not an empath. Part of being empathetic is acknowledging I don’t feel what you feel. People (including me) mess this up all the time…

  • Barnacles and Hard Things

    Some things are really hard until you see the easier path. Barnacles have glands that “secrete a type of natural quick cement able to withstand a pulling strength of 5,000 pounds (2,000 kilograms) per square inch and an sticking strength of 22–60 pounds (10–30 kilograms) per square inch.” (Barnacles, Wikipedia) In plain English: If you…

  • Suffering: A Different Take on Thanksgiving (Updated)

    Suffering: A Different Take on Thanksgiving (Updated)

    The First Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a special time of year for giving thanks as we reflect on all God has given us. The cliche is that everything is great, therefore I praise God. When the harvest is in, the table is full, and we have no apparent lack of anything. What about when the harvest…

  • “What’s The Most Important Thing I Need To Do Today?

    What’s Most Important? I love Essentialism by Greg McKeown. He asks lots of great questions in the book that help to determine what really matters. Here’s one: “What’s the most important thing I need to do today?” The answer is ONE thing that if done would make a satisfactory day. A Story About This Important…

  • Writing, Living, and Resting

    Writing, Living, and Resting

    I used to write about life a lot more than I really invested in living it. I have some catch-up work to do in living by the principles I’ve preached. That catch-up work may occupy my attention to the point that I may not write here as much. You may have already noticed this in…

  • If You Could Go Back in Time, What Would You Tell Your 18 Year Old Self?

    If You Could Go Back in Time, What Would You Tell Your 18 Year Old Self?

    “If you could go back in time and talk to your 18 year old self, what would you say?” That’s the question I asked a few people back in 2019 when I was 18. I don’t remember most of the responses, but one of them stuck with me. “Don’t be so selfish.” That answer came…

  • Reading With Purpose

    The difference between reading and studying a book is not always obvious. We can learn a lot of good information while reading a book only to forget it a few days later. Studying allows us to both read and apply what we learn. I recently listened to a lesson from a writing program I’m in…

  • Which rocks do you put in first?

    Picture this: You have a mix of big and small rocks you’re trying to put in a jar.  Which ones do you put in first? If you put the small rocks in first, the big ones won’t fit. If you put the big rocks in first, the small rocks fit neatly into the cracks. This…

  • What is one lesson that changed you for the better?

    I was talking to my Uncle and he was telling me about a workshop he participated in at his church. At one point during the workshop, he said “If I’ve been doing it wrong for 40 years, and you’ve been doing it right for 20 years, I want to learn from you”. There was a…

  • Don’t Take a Break.

    Don’t Take a Break.

    Don’t Take a Break. Have you ever gotten burnt out on something, taken a break, and the break ends up being a lot longer than you’d planned? Maybe several months instead of one week? If you want to keep the skill, don’t take a break. Downsize your goal. Make it small. James Clear recommends that…