The child stared at the mountain on the horizon and said, "I can't possibly climb that mountain. I'm not strong enough." "You have it backwards," replied the traveler, "climbing the mountain will make you stronger." Related Parables: The Steep Unlearning Curve
"Where do I look for the truth," asked the child. "The tree," replied the traveler. "Will I find it?" "I don't know." "I want an answer that is clear ... a truth that is black or white. Is that possible?" "I don't know but I encourage you to keep studying the tree because you'll get [...]
"Can you tell me the answer to life's many mysteries," asked the child. The traveler laughed and said, "No." "Why not?" "Oh, I could give you answers but you wouldn't hear them." "What then do I need to do to improve my listening skills?" "Silence." "Silence?" "Yes. The answers are within each of us. The [...]
"How do you know God," asked the child. "When you know Him as unknowable," replied the traveler. "That's the dumbest thing I think I've ever heard," said the child. "Is it?" "Yes." "Let me ask you this," continued the traveler, "Can a circle be a straight line?" "Of course not," replied the child. "Really? If [...]
I am in Iowa to deliver a keynote presentation (entitled "Why Future Trends in Healthcare Will Require Unlearning") to the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative today. After working on my presentation early this morning, I decided to go for a walk at sunrise. The photo to the right offers a view of what I saw. As I [...]
One day a child came upon the traveler sitting in a field. He was studying a weed. "Why are you staring at that ugly weed when so many other beautiful flowers are nearby?" Without looking up, the traveler replied, "Everything has virtue. The real challenge is to find it where it isn't immediately obvious." Other [...]
I'm a huge fan of asking new questions. I also happen to believe unlearning can lead to happiness. I'd now like to combine the two and encourage you to stop asking the question: "How much money can I make" and instead turn the question on its head and ask: What's the minimum amount of money [...]
I travel frequently and it is not uncommon that I must use public restrooms. On occasion, I encounter a disgusting and unsanitary toilet (such as the picture to the right). My initial reaction -- pardon the pun -- is to get pissed off at the person who did it. This is only natural. What isn't [...]
"I want to walk a straight and narrow path toward the truth," said the student. "How do I do it?" "Walk a crooked and wide path," replied the traveler. "That doesn't make any sense," responded the student. "It does once you understand that if you drift in one direction just the width of an eyelash [...]
After a long winter, I was finally able to get outside this past weekend and begin preparing my yard for the spring growing season. As I raked away the leaves, I thought the exercise was a fitting metaphor for what each of us should every now-and-again. When was the last time you raked your brain [...]
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