I’m a fan of Dan Brown. His books and movies are pure entertainment, blending mystery with intrigue in a fast moving (somewhat repetitive) plot. I also admire his ability to question commonly held religious and cultural beliefs in both a creative and provocative manner. And let’s not forget the travel opportunities. His novels usually include captivating descriptions of exotic locations, illustrious properties, renowned art and unique insights into history around the world. His new book Inferno, similarly offers mystery and plot twists on a global scale—but this time he tackles hell, world population and the end of life on earth. Is this Dan Brown novel better, worse, or just more of the same? More importantly, does this novel introduce ideas that should be part of our ongoing global conversation and not just because they make for a thrilling novel? [Read more…]
Work Less—Live SMARTer!
Do you think you work too hard? You’re not alone. Many people I talk to, especially those younger with families, report being over-worked, overwhelmed and clearly unable to take even a moment to pause and reflect on the direction of their life. We all know that chronic overwork increases our stress levels, endangers our physical health, triggers depression and decreases our “life satisfaction.” So why do we continue to put in long hours? And what’s the solution? It’s likely that the simple answer is to work less and live SMARTer. In fact, there is evidence that working less not only increases the quality of an individual’s life—it is also much better for the entire planet.