Quintus Curtius

We deal with two questions in this podcast. A reader asks whether he needs a mentor to find success. In the second part of the podcast, we hear from the writer Jorge Luis Borges on how he triumphed over his blindness by creating a new reality for himself. It's an inspiring story and a critical lesson.

One reader thinks his test scores in school could use some improvement. He sees some mediocre people getting good test results, and wants to know how he can improve this skill set.

A reader is distressed about something he has been accused of at his university. He seems to be tormented by guilt. I explain how important it is for us to forgive ourselves when we've done something wrong, and move on.

A reader needs some suggestions on how to handle a "friend" who he has known for a while. This person is cool to him when they are alone, but when girls are around, he seems to make jokes at his expense to ingratiate himself with the girls. What are some good ways to handle this?

A reader has a business in the United States but wants to begin traveling and living abroad. He eventually wants to split his time between the US and Colombia. What is the best way to do this? I offer some suggestions. "All that will be left, eventually, will be the grin of the Cheshire cat."

A reader feels frustrated because it seems that he is not being rewarded for his ethical behavior. He thinks unethical people are being rewarded wrongly. He sees a conflict between what is ethical, and what is advantageous, and wants to know how to resolve it.

A reader doesn't like how his girlfriend is behaving. She's pulling away, and not responding the way he would like. He feels like he's not valued as much as he should be. He wants to know if he can do anything to "make her appreciate him" more.

A reader writes that he is beginning to doubt some of the tenets of the religion he grew up with. He is dealing with doubt, and is not sure how to handle it.

I interview Ace Johnson, the co-founder of the knife manufacturing company www.delta2alpha.com, about his recent adventure trip to Tasmania. Great experiences and adventure...with a 18 mile march to the airport thrown in for good measure.

I comment on an article written by a junior officer who doesn't feel challenged by his job and is disillusioned with it. I respond with some thoughts of my own.

Today we deal with two separate questions from two different readers: 1. How do I get rid of negativity in my life from people around me? 2. How can I get along best in a politically-correct environment?

This podcast answers unrelated questions from two different readers: 1. What did I mean in a certain sentence from "Thirty-Seven"? 2. What guidance should a young guy get who isn't sure he's in the right career?

This podcast covers several related subjects. I talk about: 1. How some knowledge comes suddenly, and some gradually. 2. Discovering the Nautilus bodybuilding system in college. 3. How leadership principles are absorbed gradually. 4. How you can't save people who won't save themselves, and why this is the most difficult thing for a man of action to accept.

In every culture in every historical age, there has been interest in some version of psychic phenomena. But is it "real," or delusion? And how can it help us in our quest for answers?

I receive an email from a guy who feels like he needs a career change. He is considering the military, but doesn't know if it is the right thing to do.

What traits and habits enabled men to survive extreme physical danger or adversity? We look for some answers in accounts of the First World War.

A reader emails me and says that although he has found success in his life and career, something is lacking. Something is missing. He says that he is lacking a real sense of higher purpose. I know that this is a problem faced by many of us today, and so I try to offer my thoughts on the matter.

A reader is troubled by where he is at in his life right now. He wants to make major life changes involving career and residence, but doesn't know if the time is right. I offer some suggestions.

How can a person develop or sustain motivation? We examine the following: 1. The nature and quality of motivation. 2. The five sources of motivation. 3. Two incentives for positive mental change. 4. The mechanics of refining and polishing one's motivation.

A reader of FOTM emails me to say that lately he's been oppressed by fears of death and dying. It's concerning him, and he wants to know what the Stoics would have said about it. I provide some suggestions.