OPINION: Your Bucket List Isn’t Worth a Dime

A recent Stanford University School of Medicine survey of 3,056 people found that 91% of them had a bucket list — things they want to do before they die. But I think the whole idea of a bucket list is disheartening. I say that because items on a “bucke… Continue reading

The 4 C’s to Help You Live Your Best Life

About two decades ago, Laura Gassner Otting was a successful, turbocharged executive recruiter for nonprofits. But, she writes in her new book Limitless,  she felt “bored, unsatisfied and empty.” And, she told me in an interview, “I was stuck by the de… Continue reading

The 4 Things That Matter Most Late in Life

When I was asked to contribute to an international survey on “What is most important for well-being in later life?” my first response was: Oh, I can easily come up with an answer to that question. A few seconds after I said yes, I realized that I shoul… Continue reading

Finding My Purpose: Is That All There Is?

The lyrics in Peggy Lee’s pop song “Is That All There Is” seemed as inscrutable to me as she was. But it was 1969 and I was 11. What did I know of the world, observing this honeyed-voice guest on one of many TV variety shows I watched in the family roo… Continue reading

In Midlife, Take a Second Bite of the Cherry

There’s an expression in the United Kingdom that can be especially apt for Americans in their 50s and 60s: “Take a second bite of the cherry.” Basically, it means to take a second chance at something. Tim Drake, a 74-year-old British motivational speak… Continue reading