Lower the Bar; Raise the Performance

In the seventh grade, I turned 13. That year, my classmates and I were allowed to compete in track and field meets for the first time, representing Good ’ol Memorial Jr. High School. My friend David Simons and I became fascinated with the pole vault, and we built a...

An Act of Kindness

Joseph Pulitzer grew so influential in the field of journalism that they named their prizes after him. (It’s a big deal to win the Pulitzer Prize.) Things did not start out so well for Pulitzer. He fought in the Civil War and returned to his home in New York...

Consider Self-Control

He was young, handsome, and successful. His name was Ted Healy. By the time he was in his twenties, he was one of the most successful people in show business. He had already performed on Broadway, formed his own touring company, filmed several Hollywood movies, and...