Tag Archives: Barry Demp

“Character is a proxy for quality.”

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“Character is a proxy for quality.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Amazon

Character is more than a moral compass — it’s the invisible standard that determines the quality of everything we touch.

Just as craftsmanship reveals itself in the smallest details, our integrity shows up in how we handle moments no one sees.

Quality work, deep relationships, and lasting success all trace back to the inner fabric of who we are.

You can’t fake character; shortcuts eventually expose themselves.

When we choose honesty over ease and consistency over convenience, we refine the very essence of quality.

In a noisy world chasing quick wins, character remains the quiet craftsman shaping work that endures.

EXERCISE:

Consider reading “The Road to Character” by David Brooks. In this book Brooks explores “resume virtues” versus “eulogy virtues” and argues for a life built on humility, moral struggle, and service.

The universe does not offer financing

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“The universe does not offer financing.”

—Shane Parrish, Author of the Farnum Street Blog

Image from Unsplash by NASA

Today’s quote and post are taken directly from Shane’s blog post from Sunday 12/14/25. I hope it provokes your thinking about life as it did me:

“The universe does not offer financing. This is hard to accept because life trains us to expect the opposite. We are addicted to “buy now pay later.” You live in a house before you pay off the mortgage. Your get the degree before you pay off the loan. You eat the meal before you ask for the check.

We are conditioned to enjoy the benefits today and pay the cost tomorrow.

Achievement reverses the transaction. It requires full payment in advance (and regular payments forever). If you want a fit body, a calm mind, a healthy relationship, or financial independence, the cost is non-negotiable. You must do the work before you get the results.

This is why most people quit. They pay little, see nothing, and stop. They never make it far enough to see the first return arrive.”

EXERCISE:

Consider joining over one million readers by exploring more of Shane Parrish’s work. The tag line for this resource is “Think better, decided better, live better.”

The practice of meditation works by not working

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The practice of meditation works by not working and by simply tapping into what’s already here.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Sid Leigh

Meditation seems strange at first. You sit, breathe, and ironically, try not to try.

Yet that’s the secret. The practice of meditation works by not working.

It’s not about fixing, improving, or reaching some blissful elsewhere.

It’s about noticing what’s already here: the breath, the hum of life, the quiet pulse of awareness that never left.

When you stop striving, you meet the part of yourself that doesn’t need to be changed. Your mind may resist, but that’s fine too. Just watch.

In the stillness beyond all effort, you tap into something limitless — your original state of being. Meditation isn’t an escape, it’s a homecoming.

EXERCISE:

Explore the practice of meditation in 2026 and discover how the practice and art of doing nothing can help you find everything.

Friday Review: Generosity

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Friday Review: Generosity

How can and will you demonstrate a generous spirit over the coming months? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“One of the sanest, surest and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.”

 

 

 

“Live Simply, Love Generously, Speak Truthfully, Breathe Deeply, Do Your Best. Leave everything else to the powers above you.”

 

 

 

 

Every little bit helps.

 

 

 

 

Life is full of moments of frustration and disappointment

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“Life is full of moments of frustration and disappointment. Growth and maturity is learning to pull yourself out of a bad state faster.”

—James Clear, American Writer and Speaker

Image from Unsplash by Sophia Kunkel

Life is not defined by how rarely you get frustrated, but how quickly you refuse to stay there.

Today’s quote reminds us to own our reactions instead of worshiping our excuses.

It means noticing when we are spiraling and choose interruption over indulgence.

Break the pattern: move your body, change your environment, question the story you are telling yourself.

The goal is not to never fall, but to shorten the time between the fall and the rise.

Your future is quietly being decided in that gap.

EXERCISE:

When you feel the spike of disappointment, silently label it: “This is frustration, not failure.”

This creates a small gap between you and the emotion, which calms your nervous system and reduces the urge to lash out or shut down.

What are you still carrying that isn’t yours

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“What are you still carrying that isn’t yours and is weighing you down?”

—Rita S. Wilkins, lifestyle design expert

Image from Unsplash by Graham Covington

Some of the heaviest things in life don’t show up on the bathroom scale.

They are worries, expectations, and “shoulds” that somehow ended up in your mental backpack without your permission.

Take a moment and imagine emptying that backpack onto a table. What’s in there that actually belongs to someone else?

  • A parent’s voice about who you should be?
  • A friend’s drama you keep replaying?
  • An ancient rule that says you must keep everyone happy?

EXERCISE:

Picture yourself picking up only what’s truly yours and leaving the rest in a nice neat “lost and found” pile.

You might notice you stand a little taller, walk a little lighter, and suddenly have more energy for the life that actually fits you!

I prefer radio to TV because the pictures are better

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“I prefer radio to TV because the pictures are better.”

—Alistair Cooke, late British-American journalist

Image from Unsplash by Dave Weatherall

Today’s quote is a brilliant reminder that imagination always outshines production value.

Radio doesn’t hand you finished images — it invites you to create your own.

In that sense, it’s pure partnership between storyteller and listener — a co-creation.

Today’s screens try to show us everything, leaving little room for wonder.

Maybe that’s why so many feel numb: our inner worlds have gone quiet.

What if we turned off our desire for 3D graphics and let our minds paint again?

Whether in conversations, a book, or the pauses between thoughts — imagination is still the best screen we own.

EXERCISE:

Close your eyes and sit quietly for three minutes, tuning into all the sounds around you: a hum, a car, a bird, distant voices.

For each sound, imagine a little story about its source and what happens next — build characters, locations, and motives using only your ears and your mind’s eye.

It’s comforting to rest in the space that everything is in the right place

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It’s comforting to rest in the space that everything is in the right place.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Coen Staal

There’s a quiet comfort in trusting that everything is unfolding as it should.

Even when life feels tangled in uncertainty, there’s a deeper order beneath the surface — a rhythm that holds us steady.

When we pause long enough to notice, we see that each moment, each choice, each breath has brought us exactly where we need to be.

Resting in this space allows peace to replace pressure, and gratitude to soften our striving.

Not everything may be perfect, but it is aligned in ways we often can’t see.

For now, let that be enough — everything is in the right place.

EXERCISE:

In what ways do you trust that beneath the noise and questions of the day, everything is quietly settling into its right place?

How can this very moment be a doorway to everything you’ve been seeking?

Friday Review: FRIENDSHIP

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Friday Review: FRIENDSHIP

What does it mean to be and have a friend? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“Probably the most neglected friend you have is you.”

 

 

 

 

“When people are like each other, they tend to like each other.”

 

 

 

 

“To be a good fisherman you must detach yourself from the dream of the fish. This makes whatever is caught or found a treasure.”

 

 

 

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”

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“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Randy Jacob

You can say yes to every client, every project, every invitation. You can fill your calendar, your plate, and your mind until there’s no room left for you.

You can push your body past exhaustion and call it “commitment.”

The real question is not “Can I do this” but “Does this align with who I am and who I am becoming?”

Every yes that isn’t grounded in your values is a quiet no to your integrity, your health, and your happiness.

Today, dare to disappoint others before you betray yourself.

EXERCISE:

Consider reading “The Power of a Positive No” by William Ury. He shares a powerful three-step method for saying “no” in a way that protects your core needs while preserving important relationships and opening the door to better yeses.