3 of My Absolute Favorite Sites I Follow

Below I’ll list three of my absolute favorite sites/blogs that I follow for life lessons, best practices, and elegant writing.

Spoiler alert: No social media pages are included in this short list. Sorry. I’m a bigger believer in reading well-written, thought-provoking prose versus bite-sized junk food replete with click-bait, sensationalized headlines, and self-affirming, opinionated blabber.

These are three sites that I mostly click open as soon as I receive them.

Art of Manliness

Started many centuries ago (at least that what it feels like in internet carbon dating rules) by Brett McKay, Art of Manliness was started as the reciprocal answer to the trendy and shallow men’s magazines that occupied the newsstands and the minds of men.

It focuses on everyday men’s issues and real world solutions to the challenges of modern living. Brett uniquely and comprehensively does this oftentimes by drawing on the pasts’ leaders, innovators, and events that illustrate timeless principles easily and effectively applied today.

The writing is personal, thoughtful, and useful and with over one thousand articles in the archive and a podcast channel Art of Manliness has been a welcomed companion of mine for years.

Cal Newport

I had pretty much given up on self-improvement books until I borrowed a copy of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World from a colleague. I was instantly impressed with not only the knowledge, indispensable utility, and importance of the content, but also with the fact that the book, unlike so many others, was zero fluff.

Dr. Newport’s blog is no different. He posts only when he has something useful to say and is truly a leader in the focus/deep work/digital minimalism movement. He isn’t some Luddite or intense zealot preaching on his pulpit. He’s more about helping others create meaningful, focused lives so we can perform our very best.

So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love is another must-read of his.

John P. Weiss

I stumbled upon John’s elegant and inspiring blog perusing Medium.com one day. I must admit, as a fan and amateur artist I was initially attracted to his illustrations and how he used them to help tell a story. He writes a lot about life, struggles, and modern challenges we all face at one time or another.

John P. Weiss in a retired police chief out of northern California who happens to draw and paint beautifully. Okay, I know what you’re thinking, but there’s so much more to him than that. Yes, he illustrates with his posts, but his writing is genuine, sincere, and absolutely full of wisdom. Reading a post from John is like reading a short book by the fire — no distractions, no noise, just words and witty, clever drawings straight from his hands.

He states on his site that he provides elegant writing. So true.

What are some of your favorite sites/blogs? Let me know in the comments.

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