by Rick Ruppenthal

The Way Things Were Doesn’t Exist Anymore

Man standing outside a restaurant comparing an old menu with the restaurant’s new “Today’s Special,” symbolizing how we often rely on past thinking in a constantly changing present.

We often move through life assuming the present will behave like the past. But every moment arrives fresh and new. Real change doesn’t come from wrestling with yesterday. It comes from seeing something new today. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

The Subtle Trap of Techniques

We live in a world addicted to techniques. How do I get more quiet? How do I gain clarity? What if the search for “how” is quietly keeping us stuck in the outside-in model? This article explores why insight, not method, reveals the clarity already built into us — and why no technique is required. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

When The World Wouldn’t Move

It took more than a century for humanity to accept that the Earth revolves around the sun. It took decades for doctors to accept that washing their hands saved lives. What makes us resist obvious truths? And are we standing at the edge of another paradigm shift in psychology today? Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

We Always Get What We Intend

Person standing at a quiet crossroads at sunrise, holding a compass, symbolizing the difference between goal setting and intention.

We set goals every year and wonder why so many quietly fall apart. What if the issue isn’t discipline or motivation, but intention? Werner Erhard’s provocative idea that “we always get what we intend” offers a surprising lens on why our results make perfect sense. This reflection explores the difference between goals and intentions, and how greater clarity—not effort—can quietly change everything. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

Understanding the Ladder of Inference in Law

A wooden ladder resting horizontally on a modern conference table with a city skyline blurred behind it, symbolizing intentional thinking and grounded decision-making

Lawyers in Suits climb the Ladder of Inference on purpose — it’s literally their job. But in real life, we climb it accidentally, and that’s where the trouble begins. This short follow-up explores why legal reasoning works in courtrooms but creates chaos in personal relationships, and how seeing the ladder helps us make clearer, wiser choices. Read More