Sir Michael Caine’s rendition of his favorite poem, “IF” by Rudyard Kipling.

Good habits make success possible. Whether you’re trying to get a promotion, meet new people, or look and feel healthy, a regimen of good habits is the surest path forward.

It’s my birthday. I’m 68. I feel like pulling up a rocking chair and dispensing advice to the young ‘uns. Here are 68 pithy bits of unsolicited advice which I offer as my birthday present to all of you.

Not long ago, I came across a little-known speech titled, “You and Your Research”. The speech had been delivered in 1986 by Richard Hamming, an accomplished mathematician and computer engineer, as part of an internal series of talks given at Bell Labs.

In this episode of the podcast, Sam Harris presents his full argument on the illusoriness of free will—and explores its ethical and psychological implications.

“It is the weak who are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.”

The soulfully hummed and knee-slapping “In Search of Balance” performed by the regally named Reginald Omas Mamode IV. Dude’s name is as unique as his sound, a rich blend of jazz, soul, afrobeat, and funk.

A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young and beautiful woman also attempting to cross. The young woman asked if they could help her cross to the other side.

What’s behind the extraordinary experiences that stay with us? Are they as random as we’re led to believe or is there a pattern to them that, if we understood it, would allow us to create them ourselves?

I turned 30 last week and a friend asked me if I’d figured out any life advice in the past decade worth passing on. I’m somewhat hesitant to publish this because I think these lists usually seem hollow, but here is a cleaned up version of my answer.

Rudyard Kipling was a prolific poet, novelist and journalist and one of the most well-known Victorian writers of his time.

Full Poem: Did you tackle that trouble that came your way With a resolute heart and cheerful? Or hide your face from the light of day With a craven soul and fearful?

Desiderata, which means “things that are desired,” was written by Max Ehrmann “because it counsels those virtues I felt most in need of.”

Books are more likely to change minds than conversations. There is too much happening internally during conversation:

Everyday I look in the mirror and make sure I don’t pinch myself so I don’t wake up. I don’t take it for granted. All the time I say ‘Why me?

The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.

We will design and build communities in which people feel important and uplifted – where growth in human personality, charm and creativity take central place.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.