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Archive for July, 2018

How a Failed Farmer Changed the World

First he tried to coax a living from the soil. He wound up coaxing secrets from the universe. This is the story of Isaac Newton, whose mother aimed to make him a farmer. It didn’t work. Thank goodness. Being sent to the farm was only one of the many trials Newton had to survive on […]

What We Don’t Know About Greatness

We know that massive effort in any field can lead to greatness. What we don’t know is why some people are willing to work hard and others are not.

The Invisible Gem Who Invented the Curveball

To all outward appearances, Arthur Cummings seemed a typical boy. But his persistence resulted in an invention that changed the game of baseball.

What Happens When You Hire a Dream Team?

You have heard of dream teams. There was the 1960s-70s folk rock group Crosby Stills Nash and Young, made up of star musicians. There was the American Olympic men’s basketball team of 1992. And then there was the team of lawyers who represented O.J. Simpson in his epic murder trial. In all three cases, lots […]

Faces Change, Personality Types Don’t

Let’s say you’re a teacher or a coach. You look out over a group of 12. We choose the number 12 arbitrarily, because it’s the size of a basketball team or a volleyball team, or the amount of students in a small class. You meet them on Day 1, and as time goes by, you […]

What Did Scouts Miss About This Star?

Chase Utley, a player for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, has announced he will retire after the 2018 season. His announcement quickly set off a debate over whether he will one day be voted into the baseball Hall of Fame. We will leave that discussion to others. What interests me more is how well […]

How to Become a Billionaire

Do you find your life a little dull and predictable? Would you like to travel the world, not just on vacation but to speak to people who will write down your every word? How would you feel about going down in history as one of the most influential scientists of all time? Simple. Not easy, […]

Why Astrophysics Is Like Hiring

I just finished reading “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil DeGrasse Tyson. The author is a master at helping the reader understand the mysteries of the heavens. Among the points he makes is that when we cast our eyes to the sky, we’re not seeing the sun, moon and stars as they are […]

How a Lazy Man Won a Nobel Prize

Laziness is a passion that has not yet been discovered.

The Scary Truth About Hiring

Your organization’s future depends on an ability to find and hire invisible gems.