A Heroic Garbageman For Our Rivers
CNN Hero Chad Pregracke has made it his life's work to clean up the Mississippi River and other American waterways. Since 1998, about 70,000 volunteers have helped Pregracke remove more than 7 million pounds of garbage from 23 rivers across the country. "The garbage got into the water one piece at a time," Pregracke says. "And that's the only way it's going to come out." After learning he had won ... posted on Apr 25 2014, 5,452 reads

How To Become Productively Generous
A vital part of a rewarding life involves contributing to and caring for others. Unfortunately, some end up sacrificing their own well-being when answering this call, setting them back on their own responsibilities, becoming burned out, and losing the drive that led them to practice generosity in the first place. In this piece, Wharton Professor of Management Adam Grant debunks common myths about ... posted on Apr 24 2014, 30,396 reads

10 Extraordinary People & Their Lessons For Success
From presidents to hip-hop producers to poets, the last page of every issue of Harvard Business Review is always an interview with someone who has succeeded outside the traditional corporate world. Enjoy these gems of wisdom taken from interviews with people like Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on her life work, musician Russell Simmons on his meditation practice, poet Maya Angelou on courage, and man... posted on Apr 23 2014, 25,370 reads

Overcoming the Creative Block: Advice From Artists
""Inspiration is for amateurs -- the rest of us just show up and get to work," Chuck Close scoffed. "A self-respecting artist must not fold his hands on the pretext that he is not in the mood," Tchaikovsky admonished. "Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too," Isabel Allende urged. But true as this general sentiment may be, it isn't always an easy or a livable truth --... posted on Apr 22 2014, 26,275 reads

Learning From Leonardo: Decoding The Notebooks Of A Genius
"As we recognize that our sciences and technologies have become increasingly narrow in their focus, unable to understand our multi-faceted problems from an interdisciplinary perspective, we urgently need a science and technology that honor and respect the unity of all life, recognize the fundamental interdependence of all natural phenomena, and reconnect us with the living Earth. What we need toda... posted on Apr 21 2014, 19,823 reads

Hamlet's Blackberry: To Surf Or Not To Surf?
"Do you find yourself checking Facebook as soon as you wake up in the morning? Do you answer e-mails on your Blackberry while surfing the Web? Even as you read this article, is your right index finger twitching on the mouse, just itching to click on something new? If so, welcome to the 21st century. Without even realizing it, we've signed up for a life in which we're all connected, all the time. W... posted on Apr 20 2014, 9,074 reads

Solving the World's Biggest Problems
Echoing Green invests in individuals with the creativity and passion to "solve the world's biggest problems." Its fellowship recipients are young, bold, and talented. Get to know this innovative funding organization by meeting some of its social entrepreneurs and previewing a few of their projects: emergency medical response for urban India, micro-capital investment programs for rural West Africa,... posted on Apr 19 2014, 2,597 reads

Truth & Journalism: Reflections From A Pulitzer Prize-winner
This is a piece for all the "independent seekers of the truth" out there. Paul Van Slambrouck, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former chief of the Christian Science Monitor converses with master interviewer Richard Whittaker. They discuss the pursuit of truth in journalism, the power and edges of modern-day mass media, and highlights from Paul's illustrious career, ranging from interviews wi... posted on Apr 18 2014, 9,028 reads

The Empathy Library
Imagine a library filled with only the very best examples of human empathy. A treasure trove of inspiring books and films to 'spark a global empathy revolution.' This was the goal of author Roman Krznaric, who worked to capture the world's most memorable examples of empathy under one digital roof. His project, dubbed The Empathy Library, is swiftly being recognized as one of the best online commun... posted on Apr 17 2014, 24,959 reads

Helpful Tips For Your Inner Critic
Many believe that being hard on themselves will make them better people. However, research does not support this belief. Self-criticism has been shown to reduce motivation, increase procastination, and increase rumination. This article from the Greater Good Science Center summarizes some of the scientifically-proven healthier ways to take an honest look at yourself and learn from your mistakes. Fr... posted on Apr 16 2014, 47,057 reads