“I have always maintained that excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and hard work” —Charles Darwin
A Happy New Year to you all!
Some of you have been hearing from me by email for over 12 years, and I’m grateful for the support over that time.
In 2019, I began to write publicly. Since then, I’ve published about 150 blog posts and 2 books. I began writing this newsletter, Aspirations of Excellence, this past January. One of my goals for 2024 was to build the discipline of writing. So far this year, I have sat down in front of a blank page 248 times.
In so doing, I have learned a tremendous amount. There is tremendous joy that comes from sitting with an idea and turning it over and over. The alchemy of creation is magical. As you begin your 2025, I would recommend some sort of creative practice becoming part of your life – it has been a blessing in mine.
This newsletter began as project to reflect on the question of excellence. Why is excellence so rare to encounter in the wild and how can we pursue it in our own lives? The subject continues to prove a rich vein to mine with much more to come in 2025.
Best wishes,
David
And in case you missed one, here are the most popular posts of 2024.
- What will you do with your 30,000 days?
- You don’t understand your business and it’s a problem
- The Middle School Rule – Everyone really is only thinking about themselves – why that is both a problem and an opportunity
- 8 things every high school senior should know about college
- Beware “stuff debt” Even if we can afford the first cost, the second and third costs can become an expensive ‘debt’ on the balance sheet of our life