The Quiet Damage of Comparison

“There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.”— Samuel Johnson I

“Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone, and solitude expresses the glory of being alone.” — Paul Tillich. People sometimes ask me, with genuine concern,“Don’t you

You don’t feel ready before growth — you feel ready because you grew. So many people wait for confidence, clarity, or permission. But most meaningful progress — in writing,

In a world that rewards speed, certainty, and volume, sustained attention may be the most undervalued form of intelligence. There is a kind of intelligence

I’ve been thinking about the word discern for years.It began when I attended a church whose pastor used the word constantly — so much so that I

“It is a harmful illusion that strength can be borrowed from another person or from an organization.” — Vernon Howard Most of us were taught —

In a culture that rewards speed, pausing can appear weak. We’re encouraged to respond quickly, decide faster, speak sooner. Silence is often treated as uncertainty.

December isn’t for acceleration.It’s for recognition. Some growth happens when effort relaxes — and clarity arrives without force. December carries a mood no other month

Why We Overthink, Overwork, and Overload—And How to Return to What Actually Matters Vernon Howard offers a deceptively simple observation:“The topic of simplicity baffles a

Inspired by Vernon Howard’s Your Magic Powers of Persuasion “Would you handle people with more zeal and certainty if you could read their minds? That’s

This blog examines Vernon Howard’s principle, “I want all the glory, you do the work,”
and explores how this timeless truth reveals the ego’s desire for recognition without
responsibility. Through examples from leadership, teamwork, and personal growth, the
post uncovers why this mindset is so common — and how choosing shared effort over
personal glory leads to stronger relationships, better results, and authentic leadership.
Ideal for readers interested in mindfulness, professional development, emotional
intelligence, and practical wisdom.

Professional Associations have long been the backbone of many industries. They promise community, networking, mentoring, credibility, and growth opportunities.  In theory, they are built on

Sometimes I Think of Acceptance as a Quiet Force Sometimes I think of acceptance as a quiet force, like a weed pushing through a crack

True professionalism is not measured by how loudly we defend ourselves, but by how quietly we uphold our integrity when under attack. When the Crowd

A frontier epitaph with a timeless message about shortcuts, integrity, and legacy. Boot Hill cemeteries dot the ghost towns of the American West — places

By Brad G. Philbrick, RPh The Comeback of a Classic Nutrient Fiber has always been part of the wellness conversation, but in 2025, it’s having

By Brad G. Philbrick, RPh I remember the patient clearly—a man in his mid-forties who came to the counter with a familiar look of fatigue

Vernon Howard once wrote “When someone insists on arguing, ask them, ‘Why do you feel it necessary to have an enemy?’”I once asked that very

Vernon Howard once wrote: “It is not your duty to make another person happy, nor is it in your power to do so.It is not

Vernon Howard once wrote, “Trying to stop human badness with moral codes is as effective as scolding an eruptive volcano.” It’s a vivid image—the idea

F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of America’s most iconic writers, is remembered for works like The Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night. But beyond his

Vernon Howard once wrote, “A sheep invites a wolf into the meadow because the sheep stupidly believes the wolf’s smile is real.” It’s a sharp

It began, as these things often do, with the unmistakable sensation of being set on fire by invisible ants. My back had erupted in an

Paul Tillich, the German-American theologian and philosopher, once wrote:“A decision is rooted in the courage of being free.” At first glance, this may sound like

“It takes twenty years to become an overnight success.” —Eddie Cantor It’s a laugh-out-loud line on the surface—and a brutal truth underneath. Eddie Cantor, the

Note: Breakfast with a Ghost was awarded Honorable Mention in the Humor category of the 94th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. — My mother is

A main function of society is to deceive society, like a hungry man invited to a banquet who arrives to find no one there.—Vernon Howard

A flock of dejected sheep led meaningless lives, so they solved the problem by founding a school in which they taught other sheep how to

Most people spend years learning how to do their jobs, raise families, or manage money. We read books on leadership, watch TED Talks about communication,

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…”“…I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”—Robert Frost 1. Forks in the

“Political passions, aroused everywhere, demand their victims.” — Albert Einstein, April 1955 Just days before his death, Albert Einstein wrote these chilling words in an

Recently presented in Congress, passed by the House of Representatives, and now under Senate review, the Big Beautiful Act is expected to have a significant

Before SEO, before branding agencies were everywhere, and before digital disruption upended the business world, there was Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. Written by

Do the time-tested principles still apply in this day and age of popular cliches like “servant leadership,” “authenticity,” and “emotional intelligence”? Looking through my library’s

by Brad G. Philbrick For anyone trying to make a career pivot into professional writing—whether content marketing, technical writing, or medical communication—one thing becomes painfully

Listening has become a silent superpower in a world of distractions, views, and advice. First published more than 35 years ago, Kevin J. Murphy’s Effective

I came upon Dr. Bob Froelich’s book Where the Money Is: How to Spot High-Growth Stocks and Big-Payoff Opportunities buried behind the many newer books

When Michael J. Behe published Darwin’s Black Box in 1996, he opened a new chapter in the evolution debate—not with fossils or geology, but with

1982 Joel Garreau published The Nine Nations of North America, dividing the continent into cultural and economic “nations.”Montana, along with much of the interior West,

In 1982, Joel Garreau’s groundbreaking argument that North America’s divisions are more cultural and economic than political still resonates today. As we approach the forty-year

In 1989, management thinker Peter Drucker published New Realities, a book that didn’t just reflect on the present—it charted the contours of the future. Nearly

Twenty-five years ago, the book ‘Future Wealth’ by Stan Davis and Christopher Meyer made a bold claim that is still relevant today: a radical realignment

While delving into my library recently, I stumbled upon a copy of Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution by Tom Peters. Published in

Why is that time is such a hangup for most everyone? The phrases and cliches abound. “Time is on my side.” “No time left for

My hometown is Indianapolis, Indiana, the birthplace of the Indy 500, the city with an astounding number of roundabouts, the largest significant city not on

Free to Choose, written by economist Rose Friedman and Nobel laureate Milton Friedman in 1981, was on my shelf, and I was curious whether the

Listening has become a silent superpower in a world of distractions, views, and advice. First published more than 35 years ago, Kevin J. Murphy’s Effective

The boldness of Cabernet Sauvignon, the diversity of Grenache, the intensity of Zinfandel, and the elegance of Pinot Noir are the red wines that typically

Rummaging through my library brings back memories of advice, history, and inspiration. Then I ask the question: Is a book that was popular thirty years

Creativity isn’t just a talent. It’s a skill that can be nurtured with the right tools. History provides tales of many great thinkers throughout the

In June 2012, I began working for a company that provides health care for extensive corporate facilities. They provide occupational health physicians and nurses, physical

If It Ain’t Broke… Break It! by Robert J. Kriegel and Louis Patler, published in the early 1990s, is a timeless piece of advice I

Jargon. Every profession has it, and everyone uses it. Legalese, medical terminology, Newspeak, construction mumbo jumbo, computerese, and financial lingo all possess unique terms and

Tucked in an obscure corner of my library, I came across Strategy of the Dolphin: Scoring a Win in a Changing World by Dudley Lynch

White papers have long been a staple of business-to-business (B2B) marketing and thought leadership, and in 2025, they remain a powerful tool—especially in the healthcare

Fibonacci numbers continue to fascinate me. I have found this fascinating numerical sequence in nature, art, architecture, and even as an indicator in investing and

The arrogance of strength is a potent elixir.  The intoxication of power is fearsome, and it so easily gets formed into a faux feeling of

As a fan of Indiana University basketball, I am increasingly frustrated with the team’s erratic performance. In one game, they show flashes of brilliance —

Excellent news: Healthcare has come a long way. Not too long ago, you would see your physician because you became ill or your body was

The first of the year comes, and many think of New Year’s resolutions. The sad part is that by Groundhog’s Day, most have dismissed, ignored,

Words have power, but actions truly define who we are. How often have you admired others and said, “How can I be like them?”  The

Fred Rogers’s timeless wisdom reminded us of a profound truth: “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to

Albert Einstein once observed, “The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.” At first glance, this statement may seem paradoxical. How

One thing for sure, we live in a complex world.  It is now one crisis, issue, and event after another.  The answers do not come

Initially, I believed the world could be precisely packaged into absolutes: black and white, right and wrong, known and unknown. In pharmacy school, with several

“Getting old is tough work.” A clergy friend shared that quote when I lamented my recent eczema flare-up. This simple yet profound truth so many

Although nonprofit organizations frequently begin with a well-defined mission and purpose, their environment constantly evolves. Variables such as changing community needs, financial difficulties, and donor

In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to convey ideas quickly and effectively is more valuable than ever. Whether you’re writing an e-mail, a blog post,