You get to see me cry

In the May edition of Innovation Espresso®, Pull Up the Window Shades - You're Seven Miles High, I described a flight from my home in Buffalo to our family farm in northern Colorado. I lamented the fact that most passengers kept their window shades down—sometimes for...

Last month, I attended the Creative Problem-Solving Institute (CPSI). It is an annual creativity conference that has been going on since 1955. I have been participating in and leading sessions at the conference since the early 1980s. This year, one of the sessions I...

At least once a month, I have a two-hour Zoom call with my colleague and friend, Dr. Laree Kiely. We call it our “church.” Laree is in Northern California. I’m in Buffalo, NY. Laree and I met more than 30 years ago when we were both teaching at a leadership conference...

View of the Rocky Mountains from the Sky Deck at Sunset.If you’ve flown recently, you may have noticed something curious: more and more passengers keep the window shades down—sometimes for the entire flight. That happened to me on a recent trip from Buffalo to Denver....

When was the last time you completely lost track of time?

I turned 70 on Thanksgiving Day last year. I did all the things you’re supposed to do at this age:☑ Had my annual physical☑ Saw my cardiologist☑ Met with my financial planner☑ Checked in with my estate attorney to make sure my will and trust were in order☑ And I...

A year ago, I realized I’d stopped writing what truly mattered. My words were polished, but hollow — built for the algorithm, not the reader. Here’s the story of how I rediscovered my creative voice.

Discover how creating a simple morning ritual can transform your day. From the Skydeck in Colorado to a quiet pond in Buffalo, Roger Firestien shares how intentional practices boost clarity, creativity, and focus.

Photo credit: Judith FirestienSince January, I’ve been splitting my time between my home in Buffalo, New York, and our family farm near Greeley, Colorado. Not long ago, I wandered out onto the 130 acres that my father once farmed, owned, and ultimately sold—land that...