Financial Non-Financial Financial Decisions

We recently extended our hours at Northern Vessel. Instead of being open until 3PM on weekdays and 2PM on Saturdays, we're now open 6AM-6PM, Monday through Friday. This is a huge shift for us, bringing many opportunities and some potential downsides.

As a team, we've discussed ideas to create a stir and spark much-needed late-afternoon activity. We've tossed around some wild ideas, ranging from questionable to all-out insanity. I'm leaning toward a few of the wilder ideas. However, we've also recognized that enacting one or more of these crazy ideas would certainly not be a "good financial decision" for us. One could dare say it would be a terrible financial decision.

This begs the question. If something is a terrible financial decision, is it, by definition, a bad decision? Conventional wisdom says yes. If, as a family or business, we make a decision that knowingly hurts the bottom line, we collectively view that as a bad decision.

What if it's not really about money, though? What if we're making decisions that are knowingly bad, financially speaking, but serve the greater purpose in profound ways? It can feel muddy. It's almost like a financial non-financial financial decision. We're making decisions about money, but it's not really about money, but it deeply impacts the money.

Sometimes the best decisions look like bad financial decisions, and sometimes the best financial decisions are actually flat-out bad decisions. In the case of NV, we're looking to spark a certain type of behavior, draw attention to a less obvious product line, and maybe bless our guests along the way. We'll no doubt endure some financial consequences, but it could be one of the best decisions we've ever made.....or not. But there's only one way to find out!

I see the same thing in my coaching. I regularly encourage people to make what could be considered "bad financial decisions." However, these counter-cultural decisions are rooted in behavioral science and a bigger purpose. Again, the goal isn't to have more; it's to have better. Sometimes, having better means making "bad financial decisions."

I'll soon begin a series about "bad financial decisions." In the meantime, I want to hear from you. What are some "bad financial decisions" that you've made, whether personally or professionally, that were actually good decisions? Hit reply to your e-mail, or if you’re reading on the website, drop a comment below. Can’t wait to hear your stories.

Have an amazing day!

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Just Pick One

I have a talk coming up later today. I couldn't be more excited about this one, and it will be fun to dive back into the topic of excellence again. At the end of the talk, I'm going to challenge the audience to lean hard into excellence. Not on everything, though. Pick one thing to become excellent at, then once they've moved the needle, pick another. After all, if we try to be excellent at everything at the same time, we'll ultimately be excellent at none.

This is the same principle I coach people through with their personal finances. If they try to do all things at once, they will inevitably fail. However, if they choose one or two things to focus on, they can (and will!) crush it! I don't need people to become excellent budgeters, excellent savers, excellent givers, excellent spenders, and excellent investors at the same time. Doing so would be foolish.....and futile. Instead, I usually try to help them become excellent budgeters first. Then, once they've gained traction there, it's easy to add the next.

The same principle goes for financial priorities. Let's say we're trying to save for a vehicle, go on a big vacation, finish the basement, and pay for our kids' tuition all at the same time. In many cases, it's a recipe for failure. We'll try and try, and possibly accomplish none of them. However, if we prioritize and focus our time, energy, and dollars, we can crush one....then another.....then another. The result we're seeking, but a different (and better) path to get there.

Excellence doesn't happen by trying to get better at everything all at once. It happens by giving an inordinate amount of energy to one specific thing, over and over. Then, and only then, can we become excellent at something else. Find your next excellence to pursue, then lean hard. Give it all the attention it needs. Then, and only then, move on to the next.

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The Difference Between Meaning and Fun

"Not everyone can go have a fun job, Travis!"

These were the words of a friend during a recent conversation, though it's probably the thousandth time I've heard this statement. We were talking about the topic of work, specifically, my idea that we should all pursue meaning in our work. My buddy, fully well-intentioned, did what so many people do: He twisted the word "meaning" into fun.

His main point is that not all work can be fun, and "fun jobs" don't always pay the bills. He's right! He's 100% right. Not all work can be fun. In fact, I'd argue that most work isn't necessarily fun. That's why you never hear me say "pursue fun work." Instead, I advocate pursuing meaning in our work; meaning <> fun.

Meaning can mean fun. Sometimes meaning is fun. Meaningful work can have fun aspects. However, the word meaning doesn't imply fun; it implies meaning. Meaning exudes purpose, satisfaction, and fulfillment. Those terms are not always synonymous with fun.

I have a tremendously meaningful work week coming up. I can't say that a lot of it will be fun. I'll surely find joy in it. I'll savor the moments where I get to make an impact. I'll rejoice in using my gifts to serve a greater purpose. But "fun" isn't a key ingredient to the week. I'd even argue that for many people who find deep meaning in their work, "fun" isn't a term they would use.

One of my friends is an ER surgeon. Every single day is life and death. Every decision and every movement has the power to save someone (or not). Then, he has to share some of the most devastating news with loved ones. He's with people on the scariest and most tragic days of their lives. He would never call his job "fun," but he finds deep meaning in it.

Another friend is the CEO of a fairly large company. Stress is his middle name. He spends every moment of his workday putting out fires and making gut-wrenching decisions. He finds deep meaning in his work, but I doubt he'd call it "fun."

A good buddy is a teacher. He teaches teens. He's with these kids in the midst of some of their most formative years.....and peak hormones. He gets the good, the bad, and the ugly. I don't think he'd call it "fun" all the time, but man, he finds meaning in it.

Meaning is not always fun. Fun isn't the objective. So when I say we should pursue meaning in our work, I mean we should pursue meaning. When we experience meaning, we'll find the joy, the fulfillment, the passion, and sometimes, even a little fun.

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One Big Bucket List

Bucket List. This term is often used in America to describe the big, unique, and interesting things we want to do someday before we die. The key word here is "someday." Bucket list items seem more of a dream than a reality. They are loosely held wishes. We may or may not actually do these things, but the idea of them inspires us and preserves our imagination.

I love the idea of a bucket list, but slightly different. Instead of using the "someday" modifier, I think bucket lists should operate more like a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual to-do list. I think life should be one big bucket list! Not only that, but a bucket list that gets continually checked off and new items added.

Finn and I have been talking about doing a one-on-one camping trip for a while now, and this is our weekend! In fact, I'm lying in the tent as we speak, writing this in 44-degree temps, struggling to get cell reception, as a little boy snuggles next to me. We've had such a great time together and made memories we'll enjoy for decades. Memories such as taking a pitch-black hike in the woods at night, setting up camp together, and too many s’mores by the fire.

It's so easy to say "someday." Someday requires no time, no money, no commitment, no inconveniences, and no work. Someday allows us to continually kick the can down the road. Why not today? Why not next week? Why not next month? If something is important enough to add to your bucket list, it's important enough to plan right now. Check it off! Make memories. Add something new to the list. Repeat. Life is one big bucket list.

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Head and Heart, Not Dollars and Cents

Whenever the topic of money comes up, we humans like to pretend it's all about black and white, dollars and cents, tactics and strategies. Every decision gets boiled down to what's "the right decision." And by “right decision,” we really mean the one that leaves us with more. More cash. More savings. More stuff. More wealth.

I like to flip this conversation on its head, and as I am known for saying, “money is NEVER about money.” At the heart of it, every time we talk about money, we're talking about something much more important. Money is just one tool we use to achieve that something more important.

Therefore, when I'm working with people on their money, it's typically less about the numbers on the paper than the motives of the heart and head. What's going on in someone's chest and skull is much deeper than the simple math.

Here's a recent example. In yesterday's post, I mentioned a young man trying to achieve some big goals. In his journey, he's having trouble making meaningful financial progress while also living his life. One of his strategies is to let his bank account balance build up over time, which will theoretically move him closer to his objective.

This strategy presents several problems:

• When money is just allowed to build as a collective pot, it's for both everything and nothing. There's no truly defined purpose behind it, which leads to the next problem.

• When there's no truly defined purpose, this money can be robbed for a different priority, whether important or not. And when we allow our emotions and impulses to drive, we often make the wrong call.

• On the flip side, this collective pot approach can create a massive wave of guilt whenever we want to spend money on things that actually add value to our lives. We think, "I don't need to spend money on xyz," or "I should keep the money in savings," or "I don't want to be irresponsible." Before we know it, we can turn a meaningful $20 dinner with a friend into evidence that we're a reckless, spineless fool.

The net impact of this collective pool approach is that we make less net progress on our true objective while also riding the guilt train through the entire journey. Here's my behavioral science hack for this:

• Set up a designated savings account and specifically name it: XYZ Fund.

• Each month, decide how much money you'll funnel into this account. Be aggressive with it. After all, this is important!

• Fund it! Actually move that money over. Build toward your named goal.

• Let go of the guilt and enjoy the rest of your resources. You've already funded your dream with an intentional amount you've prioritized, so enjoy some of what's left without carrying the weight, guilt, or burden.

See, it's about money......but it's not really about money. Guilt, fear, dreams, failure, progress, meaning. These are very human emotions that matter. Please don't pretend they should be voided for the sake of the almighty dollar.

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One Level Deeper

I spent time with the owners of two different retail companies this week, both with parallel through-lines. One company has annual revenue of approximately $1M, and the other about $6M. Both companies have great month-by-month revenue data that gives them a general understanding of growth over time. However, revenue alone doesn't tell the full story; it merely offers a glimpse into the truth.

Many times, we need to look one level deeper. So often in our lives, we have just enough info to be dangerous, but not enough to truly move the needle.

Back to the two companies above. Month-by-month revenue numbers are tremendously important, but looking one level deeper will tell a much different, clearer story. Here are the pieces of information we need:

• # of customers

• # of transactions

• Average ticket size

Let's say revenue grew 10% year over year. Why? Do they have more customers? Are their existing customers visiting more frequently? Are their customers spending more money per visit? Maybe they are losing customers, but their existing customers are becoming more loyal and visiting more often. Maybe many new customers are coming through the doors, but not returning as often. Maybe they aren't getting more customers and their existing customers have the same purchasing behavior, but revenue is increasing solely because of price increases.

These are the three legs of the proverbial revenue stool. Without understanding how these three metrics fit together, we can't figure out how our business is or isn't growing. We need to look one level deeper.

This applies to so many aspects of our lives. Every time we think we have "enough" insight, there's typically a deeper level that would unlock our ability to move the needle in our endeavors. I just met with a young man yesterday who has some big dreams, but he doesn't know how to unlock them. He's making progress, but not enough progress. After looking at a few of his key personal finance metrics and pushing one level deeper, we uncovered a few critically important details of his situation. Doing so fundamentally transformed his understanding of what can and should be done in the season ahead. It was so awesome to see the light bulb turn on over his head.

Look one level deeper. We don't have to obsess about everything or become extraordinarily myopic, but just giving it a little extra oomph can help so much. Happy hunting!

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70,000 Steps vs. 1 Excuse

A few days ago, I wrote about rules and exceptions. Specifically, the need for each of us to establish clear, firm rules in our lives, while also defining the exceptions. Exceptions aren't a bad thing, but not everything can be an exception. So we need to give ourselves permission to make exceptions to the rules that don't let us spiral.

Today, I want to lean harder into the rules. In the absence of the narrow, specifically named exceptions, we need to let our rules be our rules... no excuses. Something amazing happens when we get rid of the excuses. If there are no excuses and the exceptions don't apply, we have no choice but to attack it head-on. This blog is one such example. I've had so many excuses over these past four years: sickness, travel, overwhelm, relational stress, work stress, parental stress, tragedy, and injury. There are so many nights I just want an excuse! However, excuses aren't allowed, and in this arena of my life, there are no exceptions. If 1,000 people are waiting to receive an e-mail, the work must be done. The product of this? 1,400+ consecutive days of writing, editing, and publishing an article. That's the power of no excuses. It turns the unfathomable into reality.

I had a similar experience this week, but with my steps. As I've mentioned in the past, I started a new habit in January 2025: I try to get 12,000+ steps each day, but I make sure I average at least 10,000 daily steps each month. 20 months in, my record is flawless.....until September 2026. After travel, sickness, too much desk time, and some back pain, I found myself woefully short of my 10,000 average toward the end of the month. After crunching the numbers, I realized I needed to get 69,000 steps in the final four days of the month to hit my 10,000/day goal.

No excuses! I didn't necessarily have excess time for this, and I didn't feel particularly well, but a commitment is a commitment. Over the last four days of the month, I ripped out 26,000, 10,000, 18,000, and 16,000 steps.....70,000 in total. I hated doing it, but there are no excuses.

Something powerful happens to us when we remove excuses. If we take the excuses off the table and tell ourselves that there is no other way but through it, it's amazing what we can accomplish. Whatever you're trying to accomplish, whether career, finance, or some other endeavor, just get rid of the excuses. Do what needs to be done, force yourself to go through it, and see what happens. You'll likely end up pleasantly surprised. There's always more in you than you know.

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What She Said!

As I was working at the shop yesterday, one of our newer Northern Vessel employees walked in. She had just returned to town from her first vacation since starting her job with us. After a brief back-and-forth about her trip, she added, "This is the first time I've ever missed work on a vacation and was excited to get back."

Yes! This is exactly the type of culture we're trying to set at NV, but also the type of mindset I try to perpetuate in my work. For me, this is one of the hallmark signs of a meaningful life. Not the only sign, but most certainly a sign. When we wake up every day excited for what we're about to do, we've already won. When we're in the midst of an awesome vacation, and we're excited to get back to work, we've already won.

No, we don't HAVE to find meaning in our work. No, we don't HAVE to look forward to returning from vacation. No, we don't HAVE to wake up every day excited for what we're about to do. But it helps! It makes such a huge difference.

When I interact with people in my life, whether friends, strangers, or someone in between, I notice a trend. Those who carry themselves with the most joy typically feel meaning in their work. After all, we spend half our waking hours working. If we live that 50% of our waking life in some form of tolerance or misery, it's no surprise that we lose a little pep in our step. On the flip side, when both halves of our waking life have meaning, it's hard not to carry a posture of joy.

This young lady's comment was the highlight of my day. She might not know that, but it truly inspired me. "This is the first time I've ever missed work on a vacation and was excited to get back." What she said!

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Sunk Costs: QB Edition

Social media was abuzz yesterday after news that Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was traded to the New York Giants. Some loved it, some hated it, and some were flat-out confused. The most prevalent narrative I heard, though, was this: Why would the Vikings trade a 10th overall pick (the spot McCarthy was originally selected) for a 5th-round draft pick?

Yes, it's true that McCarthy was selected as one of the top 10 players in his draft. Yes, it's true that the Vikings received a 5th-round draft pick in return. Yes, it's true that a top-10 draft pick is much more valuable than a 5th-round draft pick. Unfortunately, none of that matters.

The Vikings didn't trade a draft pick. They traded a player they selected with said draft pick. Once they selected him, it doesn't matter where they selected him. All that matters is how much value he does or doesn't have. And yesterday, the Vikings decided his value was approximately that of a future 5th-round draft pick. That's called a sunk cost. The moment the Vikings picked him, it didn't matter what it cost them. They'd already paid the cost, and now all they had was whatever value the QB market attributed to him.

This same principle applies to everything in our lives. That car sitting in your garage? It doesn't matter what you paid for it. It's worth what it's worth....which is probably a lot less than you paid for it. That expensive suit in your closet? It's worth about zero on the market, since it was tailored to fit a one-of-one frame. The flat-screen TV on your wall? Sure, it's pretty sweet, but since a newer model is already on the market, it's worth a fraction of what you paid.

None of this is good or bad; it just is. However, this concept messes with us. Just like the Vikings fans angry that the Vikings would trade "a 10th pick for a 5th-round pick," we, too, get messed up with sunk costs. If we're not careful, we can irresponsibly assign more value to something than it's worth, sabotaging our decision-making.

Here's a recent example from my life. One of my friends purchased a house for $400,000 about a year ago. Immediately after buying it, they sank another $100,000 into renovations and improvements. Then the unthinkable happened: one spouse lost their job. They were forced to sell it. After meeting with their real estate agent, they were stunned to learn the house's market value is somewhere in the $425,000-$450,000 range. What?!?! In less than nine months, they spent $500,000 on this house, and it's only worth $425,000-$450,000?

Sunk costs. What they spent matters none. Once the money is spent, it's irrelevant. All that matters is what it's worth now. This really messed them up mentally, and they've made a string of bad decisions. Had they only come to terms with the principle of sunk costs, they would have moved on by now. Instead, they sit in a tough spot.

Always remember that sunk costs are sunk costs. The moment we buy something, we have to let it go and make future decisions on reality's terms.

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Rules and Exceptions

Like most households, our house has rules. We put our laundry down the chute. We brush our teeth before bed. We say our prayers at bedtime. Speaking of bedtime, the kids have an 8:45 PM bedtime this school year. Those are rules. Firmly held, but not perfectly held rules.

There are exceptions, though. If the Bears or Chiefs are playing in primetime, the kids can elect to stay up through the game (which probably means a 10:45 PM bedtime). It's a clearly defined exception to a clearly defined rule.

Exceptions can be good things, but not everything can be an exception. Exceptions are where people often come off the rails. Once we open the door to exceptions, our human nature does the mental and emotional gymnastics to carve out all sorts of exceptions. That's why having clearly defined exceptions to clearly defined rules is important.

"Dad, can we stay up late?"

"Are the Bears or Chiefs playing?"

"No, we just wanna stay up."

"No, you know the rules."

Having clear boundaries makes saying "no" easier, but it also makes the exceptions feel special. Also, this really isn't about children's bedtimes. Every aspect of our lives follows this same structure. Rules and exceptions.

When it comes to handling our finances, we need to give ourselves rules. Firm, clear rules. We need structure, boundaries, and definition. Then, we need exceptions. I've said it before, but Sarah and I have one green light to blow through our budget: Giving. If one of us identifies a giving opportunity and we've already expended our allocated giving for the month, we give anyway. No questions asked. No hassle. No issues. We just give.....period. That's a predetermined exception.

But clarity around the exception matters. It would be so easy to take that one simple exception and extrapolate it to other categories. Running low on dining out this month? Oh, that's okay; we'll just make an exception. We're almost out of kids money. No worries, we'll just make an exception. Next thing you know, you've overspent your budget by $900 and yet again failed in that area of life.

This is why rules matter. In our house, if we spend all of our grocery money in a given month, that's it. No exceptions. That can cause frustrating moments, but we aren't going to die. Instead, we dive deeper into the pantry and freezer. We get creative. We find a way. Two important things happen when we honor this firmly established rule: 1) We show ourselves that everything is going to be okay, and 2) We remind ourselves how much it sucks and that we don't want to repeat that mistake again.

Rules and exceptions. Be clear with both. Be firm with both. And remember, you're the author of both, so author rules and exceptions that actually add value to your life.

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The Hamsters Are Getting Tired

You know what the problem with more is? Every time we get more, more is still, well, more. In behavioral science, one contributing force is called the Hedonic Treadmill. Every time our life changes, that becomes the new "normal." No matter how much money, stuff, or status we attain, it becomes “normal.” Then, like clockwork, we often find ourselves wanting more. I often compare it to a hamster on its wheel. The hamster runs fast but doesn't get anywhere. Then it runs faster, but instead of making more progress, the wheel just turns faster. We're the hamsters!

I often think about a 2018 Harvard study (by Grant E. Donnelly, Tianyi Zheng, Emily Haisley, and Michael I. Norton) on this subject. Researchers wanted to know how happy millionaires are, but more importantly, if they believed more money would make them happier. The researchers divided the millionaires into several cohorts by net worth. Here is how each of these groups rated themselves on a happiness level, on a scale of 1-10:

• $1M-$2M Net Worth: 7.8

• $2M-5M Net Worth: 7.9

• $5M-10M Net Worth: 7.7

• $10M+ Net Worth: 8.0

In other words, average happiness was remarkably similar across the four wealth levels, ranging only from 7.7 to 8.0. Here's where the research gets interesting. Among respondents who hadn't already rated themselves a 9 or 10—and who had indicated that some increase in wealth could make them happier—the researchers asked how much additional wealth they believed they would need to reach a 10.

Let's start with the $1M-$2M net worth respondents. Only 13% selected ‘no increase’ when asked how much additional wealth would move them to a 10. Conversely, 77% said they would need at least 2x more wealth to reach a 10.

Next group: the $2M-$5M net worth cohort. Similar to the "poorer" folks, only 13% selected “no increase” to reach a 10. 72% said they would need at least 2x more wealth to reach a 10.

Wait, that's interesting. 77% of the first group said they would need at least 2x more wealth to reach a 10. The second group, despite having almost the same level of happiness as the first and already having materially more wealth, had 72% of respondents still saying they would need at least 2x more wealth to maximize happiness.

How about the $5M-$10M net worth cohort? Again, 13% selected “no increase,” while 70% who received the follow-up question said they would need at least 2x more wealth to reach a 10.

Do you see a trend here? This group, too, had a net worth materially higher than the previous, yet had a similar happiness level, and 70% of those who received the follow-up question believed they needed at least 2x more wealth to reach peak happiness.

Lastly, we get to the $10M+ net worth cohort. I think we can all agree that $10M is a lot of money, right? Only 12% selected “no increase.” Surely this group wouldn't think more money is the answer.....wrong! 72% of people who received the follow-up question said they would need at least 2x more wealth to reach a happiness level of 10.

No matter how much money we have, more is still more. Money, stuff, and status cannot satiate us. Every step of the wealth ladder leaves us wanting more. That's the problem with more. Every time we get more, more is still, well, more.

I have the cure, if you're interested. Opt out of the more game. Stop chasing that which cannot satisfy. Choose a different measuring stick. Instead of chasing money, stuff, and status, pursue meaning, impact, and contentment. It's the only way off the hamster wheel.

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Cold, Wet, and Dejected

Pax and I went to a local high school football game last night. It was tied 14-14 at halftime, but the second half got real ugly, real fast. By the time the final horn sounded, it was 35-14 in favor of the home team. As Pax and I walked to our car, we saw some of the opposing players heading toward the locker room. They were cold, wet, and looked absolutely dejected. It was 10PM and they had a one-hour bus ride ahead of them.

Memories flooded back to me. I can picture myself in similar shoes. Cold, wet, and dejected after a brutal football game. The last thing I wanted to do was get on that bus for the painful and silent ride home. Getting the snot beat out of me was anything but a good time. I can still feel all the emotions I experienced nearly 30 years ago.

Still, looking back, those were formative moments in my journey. Tasting defeat like that helps mold us into something different, something better.

TJ and I used to joke that we would someday write a book about Northern Vessel's success through the lens of failure. Eventually, after enough failures and even bigger successes, we've morphed into actually planning that book. When I look at the log of failures we've experienced together, the list looks exhausting. If someone just looked at that list, they could naturally conclude that we fell flat on our faces and eventually moved on to something different in life. However, the truth about failure is that it's often the gateway to real success.

As I look back through my life, spanning from those miserable post-loss Friday nights in high school to my most recent Northern Vessel failure, my life is littered with failures. Personal finance failures. Career failures. Relational failures. My life is filled with failures.

However, I can see through those failures and recognize how those embarrassing and dejecting moments helped shape me into what would eventually become some version of success. As such, I don't look back at my failures with regret, but gratitude. Younger me fell so current me could run. I'm grateful to younger me for taking those bullets and growing through it.

Someone reading this is in the midst of yet another failure. Let it fuel you. Learn from it. Use it to be better next time. Then, one day, when you've made it to the other side, thank your younger self for not giving up.

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Just Keep Going

I recently ran into a former youth group kid. I hadn't seen her in nearly a decade, so this coincidental encounter was a nice little blessing. When I asked her what she does for work, she shared about her career. To my delight, she is doing exactly what she told me she wanted to do as a 17-year-old! This isn't an easy career, either!

"How did you make it happen?" I asked.

"I just kept going. I figured I couldn't fail if I just kept moving forward."

That, right there. "I just kept going." There's so much power in just putting one foot in front of the other. In a world that tells us we deserve clear and immediate results, playing the long game is often the answer to what ails us.

I think about this a lot with my work. At 45 years old, I may have 40 more years to figure this out. I hope I'm better tomorrow than I was today, and I hope I'm better the next day than I am tomorrow. The long game!

Here's the irony in playing the long game. Playing the long game is often the recipe for succeeding faster than playing the short game. Why? Because we make better decisions when we play the long game. We don't take shortcuts. We don't seek instant gratification. The best long-term decisions are often the best decisions.....period. Therefore, we gain more traction and find the results we're seeking.

Just keep going, as my young friend would say. Keep moving forward and see what happens.

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Don’t Hoard the Pain

I recently had a seemingly casual, professional-level conversation with a stranger. The intent of the conversation was for me to share some insights and advice for this man's young business. However, mere minutes into the conversation, we somehow meandered onto the topic of something deeply personal for him. I could tell it was a sensitive, all-too-relevant topic in his life, filled with much pain and suffering, so our conversation quickly shifted from business to this unexpected direction.

Sometimes, we go through things in life that are deeply painful. Experiences that forever change the trajectory of our lives. Moments we wish we never had to endure, but will never be able to forget. Pain that perpetually lingers, ranging from a dull ache to a knife-like stabbing.

Here's a principle I try to honor in my own life. Don't hoard the pain. It's so easy to lock all that pain up, pretend it doesn't exist, and simply mask it from the world. After all, it's usually easier not to talk about it. We bury it deep in a proverbial junk drawer, hoping it somehow just goes away.....but it doesn't.

Therefore, don't hoard the pain. Don't keep it all to yourself. We can't undo the pain. We can't jump into a DeLorean and change the past. We can't lessen the blow it dealt in our lives. Therefore, share it. Use it. At least allow some good to come from it. The damage has already been done, irreversibly, so we might as well find a way to harness it for good.

Back to my business meeting. This man's pain is all too familiar for me. He's experiencing something I, too, have experienced in a profoundly destructive way. This young man and I spent most of our conversation talking about this topic. All the pain, suffering, and turmoil I've experienced in my own life - what was once bad can be repurposed for good. I was able to share some insights and encouragement with this young man. I didn't hoard my pain. Instead, I found a way to create good from something that has been nothing but destructive in my life. Those little moments are special. Turning something so terrible into something potentially impactful is priceless. It was a beautiful conversation, and I hope I have the privilege of spending time with him again soon.

Don't hoard your pain. What's done is done. Now, even out the ledger by using it for good. Use it to make a positive impact in this world. You suffered so someone else might be allowed to suffer less...or perhaps not have to suffer alone. Not all heroes wear capes, and most heroes don't have origin stories stemming from roses and sunshine. Allow your pain to fuel your impact.

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Through the World’s Eyes

Their concern was sincere. Their intentions were pure. Honestly, I appreciated their generous spirit. Someone recently pulled me aside and asked me if they could help buy something for one of my kids. Why? They assumed we couldn't afford it.

Again, very generous spirit! I get it, though. They've seen our house. They've seen our vehicles. They noticed my kid doesn't have the latest and greatest. In a town that runs on materialism, status, and showmanship, we look anything but wealthy. In fact, I think it would be easy to assess the cultural standard of living measuring stick and assume we struggle. In many people's eyes, we are anti-successful.

I'm not offended by this. It actually makes me realize we're living as intended. We don't care to be showy. We don't want to be materialistic. We don't pursue the approval of others. We simply live in accordance with our values. We invest our resources in three things: Mission, Memories, and Time. When we do that, our house might not be as big as others'. Our cars might not be as new as others'. Our clothes might not be as flashy as others'.

On the flip side, we can give away a significant portion of our income to help people. We can travel the world and make endless memories with our kids. We can pay for things that free up time for our family to spend more time together. Those are world-class investments in my mind.

Living a Meaning Over Money life draws eyeballs. It makes people look at you like you're a bit off.....because you are. You're weird. You march to a different beat. In the world's eyes, people who live for meaning are odd ducks. I like being an odd duck, and I LOVE other odd ducks. Fellow odd ducks unite.

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Replacing One Stressor With Another

It's a tale as old as time. After grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding, a household will finally pay off that vehicle loan that's been weighing them down. In a single moment, that $400, $700, or $1,000 monthly payment is gone. For years, they repeatedly make these monthly payments at the expense of something they'd rather spend their money on. That $700 could have gone toward travel, dining out, giving, their children's college fund, or retirement. So many different options, yet every month, that $700 was sent to the lender.

Then, on one glorious day, the payment disappears! They own the vehicle free and clear, and that $700/month is immediately and permanently back in their budget to use in valuable ways.

It feels so dang good to be free from that vehicle loan! You probably know what I'm talking about. Life feels a little lighter, the pressure quickly subsiding. We feel a margin that we haven't felt in a while. One would think this would be the perfect time to harness said margin for the greater good of our family, right? Wrong!

Instead, most people make a different kind of decision. That vehicle we've been driving has some miles on it. It's not as new and exciting as it used to be. Their friends, family, and neighbors now drive newer and nicer vehicles. And here's the important part. Since they no longer have a vehicle payment, they have more margin if they want to add a vehicle payment. Therefore, they decide to purchase a new vehicle. And just like that, all of the progress and newfound margin are gone in the blink of an eye. They justify it by saying their payment isn't much different from what it was before, so technically, they didn't go backward. And technically, they are right. That's the problem, though. They didn't go backward... but they didn't go forward. The decisions that stagnated them long ago will keep stagnating them into the future.

For one moment, they had a chance to make a different type of decision. They couldn't undo the past, but they had a golden opportunity to change the future, which can inspire hope and a sense of control over their financial path.....and they whiffed.

This decision pattern is one of the biggest contributors to our society's financial struggles. We like to blame it on other things, like inflation, wage stagnation, the cost of fuel, student loans, and our insane healthcare structure. Sure, these things can affect all of us, but our decision-making foibles around some of our biggest purchases (especially vehicles) are causing undue, unnecessary harm.

Today, I'm encouraging a different kind of decision pattern. When those moments in life happen, when we finally create much-needed margin, resist the urge to fill that gap with another major decision. Instead, embrace the freedom, relief, and opportunity that your newfound margin provides. Future you will rejoice!

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Happy Best Day of the Week!!

After arriving home on Friday night after a tremendously challenging and productive week at a client site, our family had a great weekend together. Finn had a soccer game, Pax had a football game, Sarah and I had a wedding, and we enjoyed Bears, Chiefs, and Fever games together. From end to end, it was a fantastic weekend. Today, though, is THE day! Happy Monday!

I always wake up on Mondays with a little extra pep in my step. For most people in America, Monday is the day when we get up, head out, and do the work we're blessed to do. All work is a blessing.....if we let it. Monday is the day when we have the opportunity to impact people through our hands and feet. All work can be impactful.....if we let it. Monday is the day when we put our experience, influence, creativity, and talents into practice. That's a beautiful thing.....if we let it.

In a society where 7 out of 10 working adults dislike or hate their jobs, there's a very real chance that the last paragraph made several people want to vomit in disgust. If that's you, here's my message: It doesn't have to be that way. Monday doesn't have to be the day you dread most. Those Sunday Scaries don't have to sneak up on you every week. Work doesn't have to feel like a necessary evil.

This isn't me saying that every single person should quit their job and do something different. For some, yeah, you totally should. However, for many, it's less about that and more about finding value in the work you're already doing. Just knowing our work matters means something. Knowing that you're making a positive impact on this world can move the needle. Understanding that work serves a purpose beyond trading our time for money can transform our relationship with work.

One way or another, we need to wake up on Mondays and feel excited for what's about to happen. Whether that means finding joy in your current work or finding different work, that's a feeling you deserve to pursue. And I wholeheartedly recommend you pursue that with reckless abandon; you deserve it.

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Feed the Machine

Over the past few weeks, I've been building out a multi-dimensional AI database that incorporates every article I've written, every podcast episode I've published, every podcast episode I've guested on, every article I've written for every publication, and every review, comment, and criticism that has been publicly uttered. Everything is connected to everything. Needless to say, this is one of the coolest and wildest things I've ever seen. This thing's capabilities are truly remarkable. This new tool (er, toy) will no doubt help me in my creation efforts in the days and years to come. I’ll never allow AI to write for me, but its ability to share insights, loose ends, and relational connections is unprecedented. Today, though, I'm going to keep it simple. I want to share its answer to one question:

"Based on the more than 1,400 articles I've written on my website, in 300 words or less, simply and effectively explain what The Daily Meaning is all about."

Here's what I got:

The Daily Meaning is about building a life that matters more than the money it produces.

It explores the everyday decisions that shape our lives—how we work, spend, save, give, parent, lead, take risks, define success, and decide what is enough.

Money is part of the conversation, but it's rarely the point. It's a tool. The bigger questions are what we want our lives to stand for, who we want to become, and whether our choices actually reflect what we say matters most.

Some articles challenge conventional financial wisdom. Others tell stories about family, business, generosity, career, mistakes, fear, contentment, and unexpected lessons from ordinary life. Many push against the idea that more money, more status, more comfort, or more security will automatically create a better life.

At its core, The Daily Meaning is an ongoing exploration of what it looks like to choose meaning over money—not once, but in the small decisions we make every day.

It's about using our resources intentionally, pursuing work worth doing, giving generously, taking meaningful risks, being present with the people we love, and refusing to postpone life until some future financial milestone.

The goal isn't to tell people exactly how to live.

It's to help them ask better questions about the life they're already living.

Well said, Machine, well said. That’s exactly what I want for every person. I think everyone deserves that. That means you!

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Pancakes For the Table

In our culture, we tend to treat giving like something that's reserved for the few wealthy. Giving is something we do when we make a certain income, have a certain amount of assets, attain a certain standard of living, have enough to make a large gift, or never lack anything. In other words, giving is something someone else does, and for "me," I'm not there yet. Behavioral science tells us that we're not "there" yet because we know someone who is financially ahead of us. We're not able to give yet because "I can't afford it yet."

There's a fairly famous sports podcaster named Big Cat. He's a funny dude who regularly pops up in my social media feeds. He went viral for something he recently said on his show (talking about going to diners with friends):

"I always get pancakes for the table. Unlocks the whole menu. It's the best. Everyone who steps into a diner is thinking in their head, 'Should I do pancakes?' But you don't wanna just do pancakes; but you'd eat pancakes. So you get pancakes for the table."

This might be the best life hack I've ever heard!!!! I can confidently testify that I'll be enacting this practice at diners in the future. However, I didn't share this story to give diner ordering best practices. This is a form of giving. Giving doesn't have to be some monumental deal. Sometimes, giving looks like ordering pancakes for the table. A small little blessing. Something unexpected.

No, small gifts like this might not change the world. BUT small gifts like this can put a smile on someone's face, brighten someone's day. That's the beauty of giving. Small, creative acts, exhibited over time, have the potential to change someone's world. Today, maybe making an impact means someone can order the Denver Omelet AND enjoy big fluffy pancakes.

As for us, the givers, seeing the people in our sphere smile at unexpected bonus pancakes will surely put an even bigger smile on our faces. That's called meaning. I say it all the time, but the giver receives more than the recipient. In this case, the recipient gets delicious pancakes, but the giver's heart changes in some small way. I'd call that a win....a huge win.

Don't convince yourself that giving is something someone else does. Don't fool yourself into believing that giving isn't giving unless it's some big fancy gift. Sometimes, it's pancakes for the table.

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Cost After the Cost

Something dawned on me recently. I was triggered by this thought as I was talking to someone about my personal car chronology. When I turned 16, I had a sweet Camaro. I painted it Carolina Blue, after my childhood idol, Michael Jordan. I loved that car so much; probably too much. However, about 18 months after getting my license, the dumb teenage boy in me made a bad decision, and I totaled the car. It was a very sad day in my world.

After that, I purchased a 10-year-old Honda Civic. It was anything but flashy. In fact, it was as opposite of my Camaro as you could get. It was an ugly brown color and had old-school flip-up headlights. It went from 0-60 in about 15 seconds.

After driving that car into my second year of college, I replaced it with a pretty amazing Acura Integra. Black, sleek, stick shift, bangin' rims. To this day, it's my favorite car I've ever driven. I still think about that car. I drove it into my late 20s.

Back to my epiphany. The highest quality of life and the happiest I ever was was when I drove that old, ugly Honda Civic with the flip-up headlights. It wasn't because I loved that car; I didn't! When I really think about it, that was the only time in my life (until my late 20s) when I didn't feel the burden of ensuring my car was pristine. That was a subversive little cost I never really considered.

Long after we pay for things, we still carry a cost. The cost of taking care of it. The cost of making sure it doesn't get damaged, lost, or stolen. The cost of storing it. The cost of feeling the pressure to use it (after all, we paid good money for x thing). There are costs after the cost, and each silently and slowly takes a toll on us.

I think about this idea when I look at my various possessions. Every possession I own has a cost after the cost. This isn't inherently a bad thing, but it can be when we stack up the costs. This is why materialism is so dangerous. Without knowing it, we're signing up for endless costs after the cost.

As I dip my toes into minimalism, I can feel myself being freed from these hidden costs. Every item that exits my life, and subsequently every item that I refrain from bringing into my life, increases my quality of life more than it decreases my standard of living.

Therefore, the more I watch my quality of life improve (despite my standard of living slipping), I smile. I realize I've found a secret code to life that I never knew existed. Simple is good. Simple is always good.

Today, pay attention to the costs you're carrying well after the initial cost. See how each possession in your sphere puts some form of burden on you. You'll see it....if you're looking for it. Warning: You can't unsee it.

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