Picking Up Things Along the Way

I love books. All kinds. Business, sci-fi, self-help, history—it doesn’t matter. I make it a priority to read at least ten pages daily. This habit has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth.

 Reading isn’t just about joy, though there’s plenty of that. It’s also about learning new things and picking up nuggets of wisdom. A stack of index cards filled with quotes I’ve collected over the past decade sits on my desk. Each morning, I review these cards, revisiting the wisdom they hold. It's elevating, it's inspiration, and it's another cornerstone in my daily routine.

Most of the suburbs I grew up in included what we'd grandly call "the woods," a vast grove of trees and a source of great adventures. In reality, these were just a few acres of dense trees crisscrossed by bike paths. To us, though, they were magical places where we pretended to be pirates, bandits, or cowboys.

 Without fail, one of our crew would discover something in those woods. Treasures like an arrowhead, an old coin, or some discarded trinket. Secreted back to our homes, the finds were proudly displayed in our bedrooms, reminders of our adventures.

 The quotes and insights I collect now are much like those childhood treasures. They hold places of honor on my desk, not just as decorations but as tools for growth and reflection. These snippets of wisdom have become invaluable to my daily growth, helping me navigate life’s challenges.

 When you encounter a nugget of wisdom, a flash of clarity—whether from a book, a conversation, or a personal realization—hold onto it. Write it down. Write them down in multiple places. These collected truths are like those 'treasures in the woods' we collected.

 That way, by revisiting them regularly, you can assimilate those collected pieces of truth into yourself. Take care to pay attention daily to those pretty rocks along the path of life. They add color and clarity to our lives. They’re the treasures that shape who we are and guide us toward who we want to become