What do fairy tales, failed frameworks, and folk wisdom have in common? They all fall short when we forget to include the most essential part of the story: ourselves. In this week’s episode, I unpack the word I made up — Authbition—and the five principles behind it: vulnerability, non-attachment, caring, thoughtfulness, and whole-mindedness. Through reframed folktales, original reflections, and one very smart she-wolf, we explore what it really means to live a life that’s both true and driven. Spoiler: Fear doesn’t have to run the show.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/namaste-now/i-made-up-a-word-authbition-5895163c6926?sk=23c248f7a38356c11d4b920152c05403

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

What happens when we stop underestimating students and start trusting their instincts? In this episode, I share a story from the classroom that spans generations of outdated tech, from cassette tapes and LaserDiscs to microprocessors and AI. This is a call to stop “teaching technology” and start guiding young people to solve meaningful problems with curiosity, creativity, and courage.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/lets-please-not-teach-students-ai-38ff3b411f26?sk=522f6d5d544c97f6ffa186c6a91487e5

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

This week’s story is about a BMX bike, a moment of betrayal, and a powerful lesson in self-reliance. I share the story of how losing a prized bicycle—one I built piece by piece as a kid—taught me what independence really means. Timed for the Fourth of July, this episode reflects on the roots of my drive to build, create, and chase freedom on my own terms. It's about more than a stolen bike. It’s about everything that came after.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/stealing-my-bike-stole-my-independence-2d4750dab39a?sk=144ae0ffc562d18cfffcbf053a4e1f74

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

When Abby Paradis became a mother, it didn’t feel like a triumph. It felt like a reckoning. In this episode, she shares her essay I’m Not Here to Shape Her — a powerful reflection on what it means to raise children without trying to mold them.

We talk about parenting as witness, not authority, about standing behind the curtain like an ill-prepared stagehand, fumbling with the lights while our children find their mark. Abby brings story after story — from a backwards chimpanzee T-shirt to wrong-footed shoes — that reveal the quiet wisdom in letting children do things their way.

This is an essay about agency, but more than that, it’s about trust. It’s about loving without shaping, guiding without control, and reflecting back a simple truth:
“You’re already someone. Let’s find out who.”

Along the way, I share how her story echoes Chapter 10 of the Tao Te Ching — the invitation to lead without imposing our will, and to love without needing to steer. Together, we explore what it means to show up fully for the people we love, while letting them belong to themselves.

This conversation isn’t just for parents. It’s for anyone learning how to care without control, to love without possession, and to witness without judgment. It’s for anyone learning to lead — from behind the curtain.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-parenting-portal/im-not-here-to-shape-her-7455d57f069b?sk=v2%2F4a907514-faaa-48f2-829b-ab42c1ed008f

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

What if forgetting wasn’t a flaw—but a path to creativity, presence, and love? In this episode of Authbition, I reflect on how learning to let go helped me become a better listener, a better partner, and a more whole-minded human. I share a vulnerable story about yoga, memory, fear, and the surprising strength in distraction. If you've ever found yourself stuck in your own head, this one’s for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/dear-forgetting-i-love-you-8768acab264b?sk=537e0b7745035513a20940c53aca94e8

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

This week on Authbition, I’m reading an essay about one of the most uncomfortable—and transformative—teaching moments of my life. I share what happened when a room full of brilliant students demanded clear answers, and all I could offer was uncertainty.

From skateboards to Einstein, drills to brain surgery, and design theory to spirituality, this story weaves through a personal philosophy I now call Mission-Driven Innovation. It's a framework built not on answers—but on perspective.

If you've ever felt pressure to be right, to prove yourself, or to make sense of it all... this one’s for you. Let's explore how we can live with wonder, sit with questions, and maybe even redefine what it means to live with ease.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/namaste-now/please-excuse-me-while-i-add-some-wonder-to-your-education-d9b0030c1767?sk=61c578edacddf2ccac2259823e1db327

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

This week on Authbition, I’m reflecting on a decade of love—and how I found it when I stopped chasing it.

In this episode, I read a personal essay that traces the twists and stumbles of my love life, from heartbreaks and wrong turns to the serendipitous September night that changed everything. It’s a story about how letting go of the search opened space for the real thing to arrive. I share how becoming the best version of myself—without looking for anyone else—paved the way for the most meaningful relationship of my life.

It’s also a reminder that ambition isn’t just about doing or achieving—it’s about caring deeply, living fully, and being present with the people who matter most.

If you’ve ever felt like love would never find you, or wondered if you’d missed your shot, this one’s for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/i-found-true-love-when-i-stopped-looking-for-it-c73c5aad82ab?sk=b6e5a752fdcc1036ff577e7eafbc5831

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

This week, I make the turn from authenticity toward ambition—with care.

I’m reading an essay about what made my Biomedical Engineering design course unexpectedly fertile ground for entrepreneurship. But the real heart of the story isn’t about process—it’s about people. I share how a lesson in increasing value became a personal philosophy of doing good and working smart. Along the way, I reflect on teaching, legacy, and the meaning of innovation itself.

If you’ve ever wondered how ambition can be kind—or how doing less can sometimes do more—this one’s for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/@andrewdimeo/innovation-is-caring-thoughtful-5172fbdcc4b8?sk=45275d65e0cb94b098b81e08aeccfe03

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/