Gary Mintchell

Author Archive

Don’t Be Fooled By Randomness

February 14, 2023

Nassim Nicholas Taleb wrote a series of books on preparing to survive random events. The book is part philosophy of life and part investing in the markets. I’m rereading Fooled by Randomness: The hidden role of chance in Life and in the Markets.

Reflecting on the book, I thought of all the random events in my life.

I entered graduate school thinking about getting a PhD in political philosophy. The faculty voted half-way through my first semester to close the graduate program.
I wandered into a job in the recreation vehicle industry. Then came the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 and then hyper inflation.
I landed a good engineering position, then a random article in Consumer Reports (I’ve never read a thing in that publication since) tanked our market.
I answered a random ad in a trade magazine and wound up in a new career, which led to a second position and then a good life working for myself. But the random events along the way prepared me to make the best of new random events.

Perhaps you can think of random events from near and far that changed everything. But your preparations could make all the difference.

We purchased a coffee mug when we visited the Will Rogers estate a couple of years ago. It says, “Live your life so that whenever you los, you are ahead.”

Here are a few suggestions:

Learn something from each event
Limit financial risk to what you can afford to lose
Develop spiritual practices that give solid inner strength

Posted in Disciplines, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

Awareness Is Such a Beautiful Thing

February 13, 2023

I don’t know all of my weaknesses. But I know some important ones.

I can easily be addicted to computer games. I had a little handheld football game in the late 1970s. I was on that a lot. Gloria Mark in her recently released book Attention Span says that can be a good way to relieve cognitive stress. But, games have become so immersive that I’ve avoided them for many years. They can lead me beyond relieving stress into addiction.

My emotions are easily aroused. I’ve learned (mostly) not to reply to lies spreading around social media. But awareness tells me to severely limit my exposure. My mental health and stability have been greatly improved.

I am aware of the state of mind of people around me. I learned that at a very early age thanks to an emotionally unstable home life. That’s often a good thing. I can respond appropriately. On the other hand, sometimes I can misinterpret (see above about emotions).

Developing awareness has improved my life a bit at a time. I’m aware when I’m with God and when we’re apart. I’m aware when I’ve become too withdrawn and need to interact with others.

Awareness is a beautiful thing. It helps me live a better life and probably makes things better for those around me.

Posted in Awareness | Leave a Comment »

Don’t Just Do It–Finish It

February 10, 2023

Consider this story told by Jesus.

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

I heard someone say that there are many books and teachers instructing with tips on how to begin. You know, get busy and get started.

How often have we been taught how to finish?

How often are we like the first three “seeds” in Jesus metaphorical farm?

We get an idea—write a book, cook a meal for someone, do a project—then the idea flits away like finches in the bush.
We get an idea. We’re going to take up painting. Or write that novel. Or prepare that meal to take to someone. We purchase the supplies. We’re all set. Then, something else comes to mind. All those supplies gather dust while we, well, flit off like those same finches.
We get an idea. Friends, neighbors, relatives, strangers even, tell us we’re crazy. We can never do that. We worry we’re not good enough. We never finish.

Jesus was right—again. We must learn to finish what we start. That makes for a satisfying life. Don’t be like the shoe slogan—just do it. Be more like—I did it, and I’m happy that I did.

Posted in Attitude, Disciplines, Doing | Leave a Comment »

Body, Mind, Spirit

February 9, 2023

The Apostle Paul writes to the Jesus-followers in Corinth “don’t you know that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…” The context was to teach people living in a society that celebrated immorality (sound familiar to Americans?) to be intentional about what they do with their bodies because that connects to the spirit.

Some religions and philosophies consider the two separate. That was a major competitive philosophy/religion at the time of Paul. Unfortunately for us in the West, the philosophy of Rene Descartes became way too influential in our thinking divorcing spirit from rationality. Almost divorcing spirit from everything. Look around. Can you see it?

The longer I live, the more I find the truth of integrating body, mind, and spirit.

That is why my daily practices as much as possible include spiritual reading, meditation, physical training, and reading/thinking. I recommend as much for everyone to the best of their ability within any limitations.

I’ve recently begun receiving a daily positive thinking newsletter from Arnold Schwarzenegger. Usually there are three different recommendations in each brief communication. You can check it out here.

Posted in Disciplines, Intention | Leave a Comment »

Nutrition While Traveling and Open to Experiences

February 8, 2023

Yesterday’s thoughts concerned traveling and trying to stay fit and healthy. I talked about maintaining a proper attitude for fitness. It’s easy to say, “I don’t feel like it today.” If you are a person of routine, like me, travel kicks you out of routine. You must fight to quickly adapt a new routine.

Last night I thought about nutrition and how it affects health in the moment and attitude.

I thought I copped with Monday’s travel disruptions well. I had started the day with some scrambled eggs and a bit of bacon at the United Club. But the flight was delayed. Nobody’s fault. Stuff happens.

I’d packed (thank you to my wife) a little bag of mixed nuts. Those came in handy. The flight was to have landed about 11 and I would be at the conference in time for a sandwich. Instead, the flight landed at 2 pm. I knew there was a Wendy’s at the end of the concourse. I grabbed a quick single with cheese for lunch (no fries or soda).

No time for anything but a bit of water after I arrived at the venue and went directly to work.

I saw an old friend between press conference and reception who bought a whisky (thanks, Mike).The reception afterwards featured enough food for a light dinner. It was, however, in the exhibit area. I took a small plate and took a spoonful of two types of pasta. Plus one more whisky (no e). Had so many impromptu meetings that I barely touched the pasta. Walked the 1.5 miles to my hotel.

Felt terrible and slept fitfully.

Yesterday, I was much more careful. Oats in the morning, lunch of mostly a variety of salads, two beef tacos (meant as an hors d’oeuvres before the conference big dinner) for dinner.

Felt fantastic.

Another cool point about traveling. Stopped at the outdoor bar at my hotel to get out the laptop and finish a few things including my Spanish lesson on Duolingo. Two guys were having a decent political discussion. One guy a business owner. The other guy looked like a Harley owner. He turned out to be fascinating. He was a musician. He was also a technician. Much like me in my early years, was a tinkerer. Suggested an Australian band to me in a genre I’d have never touched (metal/blues/rock/folk mashup). I checked it out when I got to my room. Pretty cool.

Keep your body and mind in shape and be open to experiences. You can meet the most fascinating people and learn new things. Keeps life interesting.

Posted in Learning, Physical | Leave a Comment »

Attitude Makes All the Difference

February 7, 2023

I am traveling again. Not as much as the old days in the industry, but it’s nice to get out after the pandemic lockdown days.

Traveling can be tiring. The three hour maintenance delay of my flight was not that stressful. Then a taxi to the conference hotel. Directly to the press conference room. Meet people, listen to presentations, take notes, digest information. Then to meet people, ask questions, absorb more information. Eat very little. Walk 1.5 miles to my hotel. It’s 9 pm and I’m tired.

Now, the question is, I got in my steps, but when to do strength and flexibility work?

It’s attitude.

With a positive, energetic attitude, I can work in a little Yoga and write. Or, scan email from for the first time in several hours, send a couple of text messages, get in a few minutes of Duolingo language study to keep my 159-day streak alive, and go to bed.

It’s attitude that either allows me or prevents me from overeating

It’s attitude that guides me to my daily mediation even with a different schedule and environment.

It’s my attitude that I must nurture. And allow it to guide me in the proper direction.

Guard your attitude. It makes all the difference.

Posted in Attitude, Disciplines | 1 Comment »

Sin Is A Pass or Fail Test

February 6, 2023

Shortly after I get up in the morning, I put my coffee on to brew and then I measure my blood pressure. I thought about the test. At the doctor’s office, they hustle you back to the examination room, have you sit on the table, they may or may not tell you to put your feet flat on the little shelf, then they measure. One time. That reading is today’s reading. Pass or fail.

But in reality, your blood pressure will vary somewhat during the day. If they took a measure, waited a few minutes and repeated, the measurement would be different.

Once upon a time in my career, I was proficient in preparing products for testing by UL (Underwriter’s Laboratories) in order to meet a safety standard. I was even on the Industry Advisory Board for standard development for one standard.

The procedure goes like this:

make an appointment
send product and any required accessories
UL engineers and technicians run the test
UL engineer informs you–pass or fail

The test engineer for my standard told me once that companies from one geographic region always asked about going 2 out of 3 if the first test failed. Companies from another region would want to negotiate.

This made me think of some discussions Jesus had with his religious opponents–the Pharisees. To Jesus, an act (physical or in your head) was either a sin or not. Pass or fail. He accused the Pharisees of negotiating. If a law of Moses was inconvenient to their way of life, they made up a rule to circumvent it. Remember the discussion about the law about supporting one’s parents but how the Pharisees had a rule that was like a loophole out of the sin of not doing that?

How about us? Do we negotiate with God? Do we ask to go 2 out of 3?

A sin is a sin. We all do several every day. I know people who sort out certain groups or types of people and won’t let them participate in church because they are sinners. Well, we are all sinners. Why bother pointing our finger at some certain group?

That is why God invented repentance and grace. We have the ability to become aware of our sin, talk with God about turning our ways into a different direction, and then accepting God’s grace that we are still loved and accepted.

That was the Good New Jesus brought. That offering still exists. And will exist.

Posted in Grace, Sin | Leave a Comment »

Tossed Between Belief and Unbelief

February 3, 2023

Does it ever happen to you? One day you feel great. Everything goes well. The next you feel depressed with seemingly nothing going right.

Think of Jesus’s friend Simon whom he nicknamed Peter (the rock).

One day Simon blurts out a sentence of amazing spiritual depth. “You are the Messiah.” Jesus calls him a rock.

Soon after, maybe the next day, that rock was more like a rolling stone. The newly crowned Peter blurts out that Jesus can’t possibly be right, that things won’t happen the way he says. Jesus calls him Satan telling him to get out of his way.

Not only Peter but the whole crowd of them seemed to oscillate between euphoria with Jesus doing great things reflecting back on them and depression with some of the hard and weird things Jesus said.

So, we’re not unique feeling that oscillation.

Gradually we learn calm, awareness, perspective. We realize that stuff happens. Like a pendulum given a push and left alone, the swings gradually reduce until we reach the still point. That point of understanding. That point where we can be like Jesus (a little), the calm port in the storm.

This only happens with deep spiritual understanding and experience. That’s why we practice the spiritual disciplines.

Posted in Awareness, Disciplines | Leave a Comment »

Beware The Yeast That Infuses The Mind

February 2, 2023

Jesus and the group that followed him packed up what they carried with them. They left to go to another place. They were always wandering from place to place. You’d think they would have the packing thing down to a habit.

They forgot to pack the bread. Did you ever start out on a trip with that funny feeling in the back of the mind? That feeling that suddenly bursts into “Oh my god, I forgot to pack the ….”?

Well, the guys were probably blaming each other as they realized they had left a pile of bread behind. “I thought you had it.” “I thought he had it.” “Didn’t you pick it up?”

Jesus said, “Forget the bread. Beware the yeast of the Pharisees.”

It took two times for the message to sink in that Jesus wasn’t reprimanding them for the bread. He used this simple real-life example as a teaching moment.

Don’t let the wrong ideas or teaching infuse your brain and soul. Use awareness and discernment to filter those out as you do your daily reading and listening.

Let the words and actions of Jesus be the yeast that infuses your soul and grows into a beautiful bread.

Posted in Awareness, Disciplines, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

Approaching The Study of the Bible

February 1, 2023

How do we approach the reading of the Bible? Any book, actually, but especially the Bible?

I try not to bring my prejudices and biases to my reading of the Bible; rather, I try to let the Bible speak to my prejudices and biases. At least, that is my goal.

A philosopher called Jacques Derrida thought that we cannot divorce any writing or reading from our prejudices. (Side note: I’ve been forever grateful that I ignored one of my English professor’s invitation to become an English major. They seemingly all became disciples of Derrida, which I am not.)

The early Christians read the Hebrew scriptures carefully and thoroughly. But they were not particularly interested in Jewish history or religion. They searched diligently for any mention of Jesus. Jewish scholars to this day are aghast at the interpretations that arose. But it satisfied the soul of the early Christians at the time.

But I wonder…do I search the Bible for sentences that reinforce my biases and prejudices? Am I searching for what Jesus is saying to me now, in my current situation? Am I searching for universal truth?

I just read through the Proverbs. I found many ideas that spoke clearly to me at this time in my life. I’ve read them before. But now there is perhaps deeper understanding.

I try to pause, open my heart and mind, and then read the thoughts there before me. Maybe that day something will open my eyes just a bit more and give me just a bit more of God’s Wisdom.

Posted in Attitude, Disciplines, Study | Leave a Comment »

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