Marc and Angel Hack Life

An Open Letter to Everyone Who Lies to Impress People

08.12.2026 by Angel Chernoff // 21 Comments

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
—Thomas Jefferson

This short article was inspired by an email we received today from a reader of the blog:

Dear Marc and Angel,

In one of your articles last week you asked your readers to think about a weakness they’d like to change. Mine is telling lies. Although they’re usually just little lies, I’ve gotten carried away. I lie about things all the darn time mostly to just make myself appear better than I am… because I want to impress people. But it’s getting harder! I feel like every little lie leads to another one, and it’s wearing on me. I’m sick of my own dishonesty! Please help me break this habit. I need some motivation to make a change once and for all. Your thoughts on this topic would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
A Dishonest Reader

Our reply (an open reply to everyone who lies to impress people):

Dear Dishonest Reader,

It’s time for a quick story about life…

Once upon a time, an aging king knew the end of his life was nearing, and he decided it was time to designate a successor. Since he had sadly lost his wife and children in a terrible accident, he chose to pass the throne on to [Read more…]

3 Reasons 90 Percent of Us Will Procrastinate Today (Until it’s Too Late)

08.12.2026 by Marc Chernoff // 12 Comments

Twenty years ago he walked into my dorm room on the verge of tears.

“I can’t take it anymore!” he groaned. “I’m just running in place. I aim. I sprint. And I fall every time. I’m getting nowhere! Nowhere!”

His desperate eyes stared into mine, hoping and searching for an answer…

His Story of Procrastination

He has dreamed of pursuing a [Read more…]

10 Wake-Up Calls in Life We Often Receive Too Late

08.11.2026 by Angel Chernoff // 15 Comments

There’s a big difference between empty fatigue and gratifying exhaustion.

Before you know it you will be asking, “How did it get so late so soon?” Perhaps you can already relate. So take time to reflect. Take time to realize what you want and need in the days and weeks ahead. Take time to take calculated risks. Take time to love, laugh, learn, cry, and forgive. Life is so much shorter than it often seems.

In our line of work we speak with people on a daily basis who have been forced to wake up to life’s fleeting nature. Consider these two small excerpts from people’s stories that we recently received in our email [Read more…]

16 Tiny Stories of Regret that Just Might Change Your Life

08.10.2026 by Marc Chernoff // 15 Comments

Ten years from now, it won’t really matter what shoes you wore today, how your hair looked, or what brand of clothes you wore. What will matter is how you lived, how you loved, and what you learned along the way.

Deep down you know that already, right?

Yet today, just like the majority of us, you keep getting distracted by the insignificant.

You give too much of your time to meaningless time-wasters.

You take your important relationships for granted.

You get caught up in hurtful drama.

You give in to your doubts.

And the list goes on.

But why?

Why do you follow these stressful and regretful patterns of behavior?

Because [Read more…]

40 Hard Things We All Need to Hear More Often

08.10.2026 by Angel Chernoff // 11 Comments

Here are some hard things worth reflecting on. They’re hard because they force you to check yourself. It’s all about challenging yourself to keep the right thoughts at the top of your mind, so they’re readily available on those inevitable days when you need them most.

Some people call them affirmations, or quotes, or convictions, but in any case these reminders have the ability to keep us on track by keeping calm, peaceful, productive thoughts and perspectives at the top of our minds, even when life gets messy. So challenge yourself to choose one of these reminders every morning or evening, and then sit for a moment or two while repeating it silently in your mind. See how doing so gradually changes the way you [Read more…]