[068] Somewhere Around the Michigan Border
After a family gathering where a cousin reflected his own wisdom back to him, Max goes looking for a cleaner definition — turning to the Hebrew wisdom texts, the book of James, and the Sermon on the Mount. What he finds is instructive: even the most celebrated wisdom literature in human history prefers to circle, contrast, and illustrate rather than define. Maybe wisdom can’t be downloaded. Maybe it has to be lived into.
[049] Your Permission Slip: Three More Lessons on Finding Your True Voice
Most people don’t lose their voice. They trade it away — for approval, for belonging, for the comfort of sounding reasonable. In the second of this two-part series, Max shares three more lessons from applying his ghostwriting strategies to his own writing: why your speaking voice is the fastest shortcut, why voice and tone are not the same thing, and why the final gate to your authentic voice is risk. Plus — a permission slip for anyone who’s been waiting for one.
[025] Agency: The Art of Acting with Courage in Our Third Act
Agency means taking purposeful action despite fear and uncertainty. In our Third Act, it’s the difference between drifting into comfort and daring to live as artists of life.
[020] – A Middle Child’s Wisdom for a Fractured World
What if the sensitivity that made childhood hard could be humanity’s saving grace? Explore how perspective-taking turns conflict into connection.
[019] – Are You Hiding Your Superpowers Behind a Mask?
Look beneath the surface of how we show up, speak out, and grow wise—whether we’re slowing down, hiding out, or lashing out. Meet a boy hiding behind a ventriloquist dummy, a troll mistaking cynicism for genius, and a surprising upside to forgetting why you walked into the kitchen. How to live more openly, more generously, and—yes—even more visibly.
[014] – You’re Not Lost, Just Waiting to Be Brave
Lack of Purpose as a Smokescreen; Freedom in a Flowered Shirt, What’s Worth Failing For