I recently discovered an expert in a subject I'm interested in.

Studying his work has been intense. I'm reading his book, but I don't fully understand it. I understand the articles on his website more than the book, but I have to reread them multiple times to really get the concepts. And then, implementation of the new ideas is still beyond me.

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When I was a music teacher, I had to present some counterintuitive ideas to parents who wanted to instill a love of music in their children.

Rather than advocating for a romantic, passionate affair with the instrument, I took a much cooler tone.

I suggested that practicing music is just like brushing our teeth. We do it whether we want to or not, and then it's done.

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I love Elton John. Love, love Elton John.

I have many happy memories from childhood, adolescence, and throughout my adult life that involved Elton John’s music. I’ve listened to his songs on repeat, sung them at family gatherings, and even performed them onstage. I have the utmost respect for Elton’s musical talent (not to mention that of his longtime collaborators).

And yet, I can’t say that I’ve heard every single song in his catalog, or even every album. And in truth, some of Elton John’s songs make me cringe. Some are even terrible.

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When I was in my early twenties, I took a job teaching public school for a very low salary.

Frankly, I could have made more waiting tables, which was the other skill set I possessed.

The challenge was that I’d be working in an area with a shortage of affordable housing. The additional challenge was that I was a bit of a snob who had grown up on the coast and wanted to stay there. I didn’t want to move inland, far from my family (and for that matter, my job). What was I going to do?

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In 2008, I felt like a weirdo.

I was running a business and didn’t know what I was doing, even though I had read every book I could find to help me. That’s not because I was failing; rather, I was starting to progress past the point where general advice could apply.

Plus, I had read Tim Ferriss’ The Four Hour Work Week, which got me fantasizing about a life in which I could travel around the world, working from anywhere. But that felt like something I should keep to myself. Sharing my ambitions felt like a swift way to destroy my career as a neighborhood music teacher.

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