No Good Excuse — Sean Baumstark

Once again, this weekly writing exercise is proving to be more beneficial than I ever imagined. In a sense, writing and posting my thoughts for the world to read is life-changing. It is a catalyst for tangible transformation of my habits and routines. I’m happy to…

I’m currently beating myself up a little, mentally speaking. I’m finding it hard to swallow my own “no excuses” medicine.  I’m sure you already know that preaching the “no excuses” mantra is much easier than putting it into practice.

I recently attended the Global Genes RARE Patient Advocacy Summit in San Diego. While there, I had the honor of co-facilitating a panel discussion during one of the main sessions. I co-host a weekly podcast with my friend Kyle Bryant, and…

I’ve noticed that I often get held up or feel paralyzed by the excuse of not knowing what to do. I label it as an “excuse” because I believe that doing nothing is never the right thing to do. Of course, there are some things we…

I recently traveled to the bona fide destination wedding of some dear friends. The groom has had a significant and recognizable impact on my life so far. It so happens that the “recognizable” factor is what led to his first meeting with his now-wife, too. You…

There are more than 7 billion different opinions in the world — one for each person on this planet. I’m not an authority on much, but I think many of those 7 billion people would agree with this ideal: We are each responsible for our…

When the time came to sit down and write this column, I hadn’t given thought to a specific topic. This doesn’t usually concern me, because I often jot down notes, moments, experiences, or ideas that come to mind throughout the week. Then, I simply dig…

I know I have to practice before it is reasonable for me to meet my expectations or achieve what I set out to accomplish. Although practice sessions can be tedious, time-consuming, and sometimes frustrating, the “routine” practice is commonplace. Routine practice…

In my previous column, I focused on the thought processes that prevent us from doing our best. This subject has been on my mind a lot recently. In a somewhat related vein, I wonder how I’m ever going to get good at…

I’m learning to be cautious of the commitments I make, big or small. I don’t like to wear myself out for reasons I can’t get excited about or when I can’t see the potential return on my investment of time. I also don’t like to leave things unfinished,…

I appreciate the consistent mindset this column helps me employ. With every new day, new challenge, or new opportunity, I quickly find myself coming up with new excuses as to why I can’t do something or why I shouldn’t try.

I am finding that change is so much easier when I tackle the changes I want to make with small, short-term goals in mind. I’ve heard that advice in the past and it’s always been a “feel-good” message. However, now I’m seeing its impact when I apply the…

Sometimes I wish that life would slow down, and some days, I convince myself that it will. That’s probably not true, though. I tend to take on projects and manage my calendar in seasons. This method implies that a “season” of less work and fewer projects, a period…

In a recent column, “Accountability Can Change Everything,” I gave credit to this column for helping me raise the bar in my personal performance by improving my awareness of the excuses I use to let myself off the hook. I have…

I have this phrase in my head that seems to be on constant repeat. I can’t tell you exactly where it’s from or if perhaps I put these words together myself. But I can tell you that it is certainly a culmination of podcasts, books, and self-improvement talks…

Last week, I had the privilege of co-hosting a panel discussion centered around living with a rare disease. Biotech company Amicus Therapeutics invited my podcast co-host, Kyle Bryant, and me to facilitate a panel with three teenage girls, each living with a different rare disease.

Some months ago, I went looking for a new apartment for my friend and me to rent together. Since I’m pickier than he is, we settled on a price range, and he agreed to go with a place of my choosing. My roommate is a smart guy.

We are just about halfway through 2019. I think this is a great time to evaluate my habits, my routines, and especially my goals. I usually start every calendar year with the motivation to accomplish and achieve like never before. In a lot of ways, I do achieve…

Have you ever done something from which you thought you couldn’t turn back or move forward? Have you made a huge mistake that you believed had irrevocably messed up your life? What about a minor blunder that caused you to “fall off…

I recently visited my neurologist and FA clinical team at UCLA. I am participating in a clinical trial, and UCLA is my nearest study site. Oftentimes, clinical trials are “blind” and placebo-controlled, meaning multiple patient groups take an investigative therapy or…