The Unlikelihood of the David and Goliath Story

History often compresses courage into a single moment. We remember the stone that struck Goliath’s forehead, but we forget the claws, the fangs, and the nights in the wilderness that came first. David did not discover bravery on the battlefield; he carried it there, forged earlier in encounters no one was watching. Let’s dig deeper […]

Building Your Power of Expression Palliative, adj., n. Pronunciation: ˈpalēˌādiv Meaning: Although this word doubles as both a noun and an adjective, I prefer the latter. Although in the field of medicine, the word refers to the relieving of symptoms without dealing with the root cause of the condition, I tend to employ this word […]

I am excited to bring you Issue 348 of Uncommon Sense. It is an honor to have so many new subscribers and I am thrilled to bring you various perspectives on a myriad of topics. Let’s unpack this issue: We begin with the Self-Development column. We’ve all heard the phrase “No man is an island.” […]

Networking has a reputation problem. For many people, the word conjures images of forced small talk, awkward handshakes, and a thinly veiled exchange of business cards. But intentional networking is something very different. It is not about collecting contacts; it is about cultivating relationships with purpose. When done well, networking becomes one of the most […]

The quotation marks in my title are deliberate. They mirror the precise wording of a question posed by Senator Josh Hawley, R-MO, to a medical witness during a recent Senate hearing—a question he repeated a dozen times and never received a direct answer to. (Watch the Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJFuhgeNbSE). Whatever one thinks of Senator Hawley, his […]

You have probably experienced the following: you come across a wonderful online article—something worth keeping—only to discover it’s buried under ads, sidebars, autoplay videos, pop-ups, comment threads, and “related stories” that have nothing to do with what you’re trying to read. You try to print it or save it as a PDF, and the result […]

One of the great limitations of the human mind is not ignorance. It is intuition. We tend to think of intuition as wisdom’s close cousin—something ancient, refined, even noble. “Trust your gut,” we are told. And often, that advice works just well enough to keep us believing it always will. But intuition has a darker […]

Building Your Power of Expression Pluck, n. Pronunciation: ˌplək Meaning: This nifty noun (and mind you, it can also be a verb, but that is for an entirely different context and meaning) is not used often, but when it is, it brings some lively imagery with it. Pluck refers to spirited and determined courage. Usage: […]

Welcome to 2026! I hope you are spirited and animated to accomplish great things this year. And Uncommon Sense will be a beacon of inspiration for you every step of the way. I’ve written extensively about goal setting over the years. And I’m at it again with this first issue of the new year. For […]

One of my students recently paused mid–Learning Journal entry and asked herself a question that deserves far more attention than it usually gets: “Am I setting goals, or am I merely setting vibes?” That question cuts straight to the heart of why so many intelligent, well-intentioned people feel perpetually busy, optimistic, and “motivated”—yet remain stuck […]