I'm not a hunter. I don't have a moral issue with hunting. It's just not something I grew up doing. I did own a pair of camo cargo shorts that my wife eventually made me throw out.

Hunting would be more of a sport if you didn't use the urine of an animal to hide your scent. Also guns. Guns are cheating. At least chase that animal down like a nomadic hunter whose life depends on it and look it that beast in the eyes whilst taking his life and whispering, "It's all gonna be okay...." #Epic

This is the first post in a series on educational leadership, particularly as it pertains to the difference between true, godly authority and its alternative, autocracy. The primary tenets I am writing about can be found in the work of Charlotte Mason, a mid-19th to early 20th-century British educator. Her philosophy of education is what undergirds the pedagogy (the method and practice of teaching) of The Habersham School, where I am privileged to serve as Academic Dean.

How to Avoid Being Criticized

You want to stay safe professionally, relationally, creatively, and all the other -lys?

Simple.

Just do the same thing mostly the same way all the time. That's safe. Like a declawed, defanged cat, it's manageable and tame. But it still won't love you.

Safe also keeps the critics at bay. Do what you're expected to do. Stay in your lane. And the best part is you can still criticize others without being criticized yourself!! What is this sorcery magic? You may be wondering, how can I buy what you’re selling?!?

Allow me to allow Seth Godin to explain.

Why You (and I) Criticize Others

I've trained for this my whole life.

Like Rocky Balboa trains for a fight.

Rising before the sun knows I'm up, with a beard burlier than the night before, efforts aimed at capturing a deer I'm chasing up a Russian mountainside in four feet of snow, while simultaneously processing the emotional devastation of what this all means for my wife, kids, and the sequel...and then eating said deer, raw.

The metaphor broke down somewhere, but the deer I'm eating is my ability to criticize.

There's a lot of time for criticizing, especially if you have a poor work ethic, which I had most of my life.

The Time My Wife Ruined Our Engagement

Engagement stories are those of myth, legend, and rubbing in someone's face how awesome yours was compared to theirs.

This story doesn't fit any such category. Rather, our engagement story is one of kindness that led to sabotage that led to panic that led to disappointment that led to joy that led to mild shaming by a drug-inhibited relative.

Confidence is king. So 'they' say.

At its core, confidence is the sum of your wins. You win the day, the meet, the presentation, the competition, and on it goes.

To be clear, winning necessitates competition. There IS a winner and a loser. You WILL be one or the other…

The quiet place is an affront to the modern vernacular of hustle, grind, and achieve. It may well be the first step you take toward changing the story you tell yourself about your story.

So why does this matter? What's on the line if you don't take hold of this?

Here is a blueprint for success that anyone can follow (with appropriate modifications):

7 PIECES OF ADVICE FOR THE WOMAN WHO MARRIED A DREAMER