The Human Constant with Ryan Ellis
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Keith Sherburn

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Success 12 Mins Read

Leveraging AI Blog Series: Know Thyself (Part 1)

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The Foundation

“If we hope to go anywhere or develop ourselves in any way, we can only step from where we are standing.” Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote these words in the book Wherever You Go, There You Are, a favorite of mine as an introduction to mindfulness. This sentiment transcends personal and professional boundaries. If we seek meaningful change or progress, we must recognize our existing strengths, limitations, highlights, and blind spots to know what areas to target and determine where to go next. These characteristics represent a foundation upon which all else is built — everything that happens is from now on (another quote; this one from a Bon Iver song).

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Productivity 7 Mins Read

Leveraging AI Series: Introduction

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Over the holiday season, my wife and I each had two weeks off at home to reflect after a challenging year. She’s a school teacher, so the holiday break is a usual component of her schedule; however, as someone who worked rotating shifts—including holidays, overnights, and everywhere in-between—prior to this year, this was uncharted territory for me. Even when I do have time off, I usually fill it with travel, providing little opportunity for true relaxation and introspection. Aside from a couple of local day trips around the Black Hills, this was a legitimate staycation.

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Fulfillment 8 Mins Read

Letting Go of Expectations Means Accepting New Paths in Life

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Letting go of expectations is something that has come up time and again in my career. Ironically, Kansas City has represented a crossroads multiple times in my life.

The Expected Path and an Early Reality Check

The first was in 2013. Having freshly finished my thesis, I was ready to enter the workforce. At the time, a federal hiring freeze was ongoing, stymying my job search. My goal, from early in my college education to that moment, was to work for the National Weather Service: an impossibility given the circumstances. Further complicating matters, I was still licking my wounds from a painful, disastrous breakup that shook me to the core a handful of months earlier. The tunnel seemed infinite; there was no light in sight.

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