From Ron’s Substack
Writing.
Ron writes about what he’s been noticing and learning, often from workshops at the Modern Elder Academy in Baja and the shoreline where he walks.
Every essay here also appears on his Substack, where you can subscribe by email.
- A Wave Taught Me a Valuable LessonGood judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.
- How Rock Balancing Focuses CuriosityThe Baja shoreline where I walk is dynamic.
- The Disciplined ImaginationThe National Debt, Uncertainty, and the Long Horizon
- The Art and Science of Serendipity and Fly FishingBeyond Randomness
- Several Beach Clean Ups Have Me Thinking...Where are we headed with these plastics that wind up in the ocean?
- The Confidence CalibrationWhy the future belongs to those who know when to be bold - and when to stay humble
- Journal Prompt: Purpose vs. MeaningPurpose is fundamentally future-oriented—it answers "what for?" and drives us toward specific goals or outcomes.
- Cultivating Wisdom: Developing Skills That AI Cannot Easily ReplaceIn an era that’s rapidly being transformed by artificial intelligence, the question of what truly makes us relevant and useful in the modern AI-driven world is an existential one.
- Journal Prompt for August 18, 2025.I’ve been providing journal prompts 5 days a week for guests at the Modern Elder Academy in Baja, Mexico all summer.
- Why We Should Cultivate Wisdom and How to Do ItWith artificial intelligence advancing at an unprecedented pace, the nature of work - and the value we bring to it - is undergoing a profound transformation.
- Why Autonomy Trumps Money in a Life Well-Lived“More than your salary.
- A True Wealth Approach to Restoring Broken TrustIn a world marked by VUCA—Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity—trust breakdowns have become increasingly common in workplaces, communities, and relationships.
- Happiness and Joy in Daily LifeHappiness and Joy in Daily Life
- The Healing Power of ForgivenessMy Personal Journey Through Suffering, Science, and Practice
- A Zigzag LifeMost of us were taught to draw our life paths in straight lines: graduate, specialize, climb the ladder, retire.
- Quiet Strength: How Confidence and Humility Work TogetherIn a culture that often celebrates assertiveness, self-promotion, and individual achievement, humility can seem out of place - almost like a weakness.
