Lately my task list has felt like a weight around my shoulders. Waking up and looking at “what I have to do” for the day. Do you ever feel like this? Don’t get me wrong, many times there’s some fun stuff on the list I get excited to dig into. But then there’s the days where it just feels like a slog.
Read MoreI went off-roading for the first time yesterday. Kinda weird to think I’m 40 and somehow managed to live without finding myself strapped to an engine in the dirt for so long. My neighbor has a Kawasaki Side-X-Side and invited me to get a better idea of what desert living is all about. As I strapped into this thing, all I could think was “this is what I wish golf carts were like.”
Read MoreEver since I was a kid, I’ve prided myself on the “Everyone Loves Marshall” identity I built for myself. Whether or not that’s been true (which, btw, I guarantee is NOT true) I have lived most of my life in an effort to be well-liked by as many people as possible.
Read MoreI recently ran across a remarkable man, and it happened in the strangest of ways. A close friend forwarded me an email… it was for a Zoom call run by someone I’d never heard of featuring a guest speaker—another person I’d never heard of. But something caught my eye. This mystery speaker had been dubbed “The Real Life Wizard of Oz” by Fortune magazine. As “The Tin Man,” I had no choice but to investigate.
Read More“What do you wanna be when you grow up?” That question feels like a distant memory. I think the most related question anyone’s asked me in recent years is, “What are you doing with your life?” The former elicits hopeful imagination. The latter elicits defensive rationalization.
Read MoreWhen I graduated law school, I started work at a mid-size firm that specialized in the type of law I wanted to practice—technology. The career path was clear if you stayed on track. Eight years later, you’d be up for partner. From a monetary perspective, that meant in eight years I had a decent chance of quadrupling my salary assuming I busted my ass and did great work. If you were to chart out that career path, it would be fairly linear. Predictable.
Little did I know how constricting this knowledge would be on the rest of my life..
Read MoreA couple years ago I had the unique opportunity of watching an interview with Ed Sheeran in a room of only fifty people. Whether you like his music or not, you have to wonder how anyone gets to the point of selling out 30,000 seat venues with only their voice, a guitar, and a loop pedal.
Read MoreIt’s been a while since I’ve been interviewed on a podcast, so I jumped at the chance to chat with The Neighbors Upstairs when they reached out.
The neighbors did a great job of weaving a fluid narrative with their questions, and we cover everything from leaving a corporate job to UFOs! I think you’ll really enjoy this chat.
Read MoreSpecificity stands out. It cuts through the noise. While sitting outside a cafe in Malibu with Hilary, I heard a distinct rumble grow closer. I looked over and saw this 1965 Shelby Cobra pull up and park. Malibu has no shortage of exotic cars, but this stood out. More than any of the Ferraris or Lambos cruising the PCH.
Read MoreSometimes Sundays role around and I think, “Crap, I haven’t written a blog yet.” So, I peak at my list of blog ideas and see what calls to me. Today the one that jumped out was NOT what I was hoping for.
My note simply said, “Count to 1,000.”
Read MoreI have never been an early riser. I’ve historically considered myself a “night owl” and felt creative inspiration in the wee hours of the night. In fact, I’ve tried countless times in the past to wake up earlier to no avail. I was particularly optimistic after reading Hal Elrod’s book “Miracle Morning,” but it didn’t stick. So I just chalked it up to having a different circadian rhythm.
Read MoreI have a confession to make. I'm a control freak. Can I get an amen?
If you know me personally, this is likely not coming as a shock to you. In my perfect world, I'd have control over my outcomes, timing, and other people. It's no wonder I love writing screenplays where I essentially get to play God for the poor characters in my stories who are just trying to make it to the happy ending.
Read MoreTo the naked eye (as well as my own), it can appear like my career experiences are a haphazard mix of art and commerce. A tug-of-war between passion and necessity. Truth be told, for a lot of my life that’s exactly how it felt…
Read MoreShortly upon arriving in Vegas and settling into our cute little cookie-cutter suburban house, I bought a grill. I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but my living arrangements have never allowed for a traditional grill and after watching an episode of “Chef’s Table” with Francis Mallmann, I was itching to cook over an open fire…
Read MoreA few months ago, I was chatting with a friend of mine about all the exciting new developments in my life when he interrupted me and asked, “are you having a midlife crisis?” His question stopped me in my tracks.
Read MorePling! That was the sound a dime made when hitting the bottom of an old tin can labeled “Family.” Growing up, my parents gave me a weekly allowance of $1.00. This wasn’t free money I could just blow on strippers and booze, I had to allocate it into a series of tin cans. A dime went to “Family” to save for holiday gifts, another dime went into a can marked “God” as my 10% tithe, and a quarter went into “Savings.” The rest I could spend how I saw fit. Sadly, $0.55 doesn’t get you very far, even in 1987.
Read MoreSelf-worth is a tricky thing. Life doesn’t come with a built-in grading scale, so we either create our own or adopt someone else’s. The only thing you can’t do is escape it. We spend decades trying to achieve worth based upon the scale we choose, not realizing worth exists outside the scale.
Read MoreI’ve been through many iterations of life philosophy. First was pushing. Got a goal? Well it ain’t gonna happen for ya. You have make it happen. Plan out how you’re gonna get there and execute. Obstacles will come. Don’t let that keep you down. Press on. Push…
Read MoreI went horseback riding for the first time the other day. At least I think it was my first time. I have one other memory of riding a horse, but it’s from so long ago there’s an 80% chance it was just a vivid dream. So, for simplicity sake, we’ll call this my maiden voyage…
Read MoreI’m pretty well-versed in walking, jogging and running. Thanks to my Great Pyrenees Lambert’s love of the outdoors, I spend at least an hour a day walking. It’s a wonderful excuse to take a break from whatever’s consuming me…
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