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…

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…

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’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…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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”…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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”…