Speaking of Reps

I've spent the past week trying to clean up the messes caused by my recent neck injury and cognitive issues. Needless to say, I dropped a lot of balls along the way. It feels overwhelming trying to figure out what balls were dropped and what obligations were broken. It feels messy and embarrassing, to say the least.

I noticed something interesting, though. Despite whiffing on so many things, I somehow kept my 1,100+ days writing streak alive. Even though my brain felt totally broken, I still managed to write, (semi) edit, and publish articles every day during that miserable stretch.

I recently read back through my writing from that period. Wild, as I don't remember much about any of that. It's also fascinating to read the thoughts that came out of my significantly impaired mellon. In some ways, it felt like me, but in other ways, I might as well have been reading the words of a stranger.

Immediately after getting back on my proverbial feet, I wrote a piece titled "Reps Matter." In it, I talked about the power of simply giving ourselves reps in life. Reps allow us the margin to grow in our craft. It's the gateway that takes us from doing something terribly to eventually doing it excellently.

As I reread the words that came out of my impaired mind over the first 10 days of this month, I couldn't help but smile at how giving myself so many reps (1,100 articles in 1,100 days) prepared me to produce content even when I was at my worst. It's wild how that happened!

This isn't about me, though. Rather, this is my way of offering an extra dose of encouragement today. Whatever the discipline is you're seeking to grow in, just give yourself reps. Reps, reps, and more reps. You'll eventually hit your ceiling, whether that be "sufficient," "skilled," or "world class." To some degree, the only thing stopping you is you. Therefore, each of us must decide whether we're willing to get out of our own way and give it the reps it deserves.

I don't know what this is in your unique world, but I have a feeling you do. Get those reps!

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Let the Truth Be the Truth

Taylor Swift is one of the most polarizing figures in the world. She's beloved beyond belief......and hated beyond belief. While she's not my cup of tea when it comes to music, having been to one of her live shows about a decade ago, I have to admit she's probably one of the best live performers in the world. Her concerts are spectacles.

Her recently completed Eras tour is among the most successful in music history. Taylor and her team performed 149 shows in 51 cities on five different continents. After all the number-crunching was completed, it solidified its status as the highest-grossing tour in history (approximately $2 billion). The craziest part of all this is that not a single show was cancelled (sickness, injury, fatigue, or any other factor). The fans counted on her to show up, and she delivered night in and night out, regardless of how she was feeling or other life circumstances.

I recently saw something that stopped me in my tracks. It was an excerpt from a new documentary about her tour. I'll set the stage. Taylor, known for taking care of people around her, gathered her on-stage dance team. She handed out handwritten cards to everyone, then asked one of the men to read his aloud, noting that everyone's card said the same thing.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by HELLO! Canada Magazine (@hellocanadamag)

The man reads aloud: "We've traveled the world like we set out to do. We've dazzled the crowds, but missed family, too. My full gratitude doesn't come from a bank, but here's (bleep) dollars, just to say thanks."

When he read the bleeped number, you could see everyone in the room shudder; hands to mouths, knees wobbly, eyes bulging. What did he say?!?!

After diving into the comments and finding some lip-reading experts, it was generally concluded that the number he read aloud was $750,000. Each dancer in that room was given $750,000!!!! Not their pay, their bonus. They've already been paid what they signed up for. This extreme act of generosity was unprecedented.

In total, it's reported that Taylor Swift gave away $197 million in bonuses over a few days. $750,000 to dancers, $100,000 to truck drivers, and so on. Just like that, Taylor gave away nearly $200,000,000 (out of her own pocket) above and beyond what her team was already paid for their jobs. Unreal!

As is usually the case with social media, the trolls came out to play:

• "It just proves she screwed the fans with her high ticket prices."

• "She should have given a lot more, considering how rich she already is."

• "All her merch proves she's just greedy."

• "She's just flaunting her money at this point."

• "She only gave away 10% of the profit....she's a cheap ass!" (It's worth noting that the bonuses were 10% of the $2B of revenue, not profit. Her profit was significantly lower after factoring in all the costs.

People can say whatever they want, but Taylor Swift clearly cares deeply about people. Her fans (she didn't miss a single show!), her crew ($197 million in bonuses!), and the people closest to her (she has a reputation for being ultra-loyal). Yet, regardless of what she does, people will hate her relentlessly.

None of us will ever be Taylor Swift, but she demonstrates an important concept. Just let the truth be the truth. Be generous. Show love. Treat people extraordinarily well. Recognize those who help us on our journey. Let the truth be the truth, and the rest will sort itself out.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

A Time and a Place

"Context matters," as I often say. Sure, it's easy (and fun) to paint everything with a broad brush and portray everything as concrete and definitive, but that's a lazy approach.

Do you use DoorDash? DoorDash gets a terrible rap. First, we're too lazy to make our own food. And now, we're too lazy to pick up the food we're going to eat because we're too lazy to cook in the first place?!?! And we're going to pay an arm and a leg for the privilege of doing so?!?!

Context matters!

A few nights ago, I jumped in my car and headed toward the cattle ranch. I hadn't ridden in a car for longer than 15 minutes since Black Friday, and every time I experienced these short little commutes, it felt like needles being shoved down my spine. A few nights ago, I gutted out a 3-hour drive. It was miserable, to say the least.

By the time I got to my hotel, I just wanted to lie in bed. At the same time, though, I also wanted a big platter of meat. I was as equally hungry as I was tired. I had zero energy left to leave the hotel, and zero pain tolerance left to sit down at a restaurant. Enter DoorDash. I found a nearby barbecue restaurant that was more than happy to send a big platter of meat to my hotel room. I suspect this item probably costs $20-$25 in the restaurant, but my bill? Including fees and tip, I paid $40. An hour later, I was lying in bed eating a giant platter of barbecue.

Best 40 bucks I've ever spent! Could I have saved $15 by going to the restaurant myself? Absolutely!!! Mathematically speaking, would that have been a wise financial decision? You bet! Contextually, would that have been a good decision? No way!!! I made the absolute right decision that night, and I have zero regrets pulling the DoorDash trigger.

Context matters in all we do. We should stop painting everything with a broad brush, and properly assess each decision for what it truly is. Simply saying DoorDash is stupid, lazy, and evil is a fool's errand. Instead, it needs to be put into context with the situation at hand. While I don't typically get food through DoorDash, the times I do are huge blessings to me.

Please don't listen to criticism from people who aren't privy to the context of your situation. If we allow every broad brush to paint our decisions and beliefs, we'll rob ourselves of the nuance that can make all the difference in the world.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Rudderless

I recently saw a heartbreaking video of a 40-year-old man who claims that he has wasted his entire life. He goes on to explain that his entire adult life has been spent just jumping from one shiny object to another, and after 20 years, he has nothing to show for it.

While I felt tremendous empathy for him, it made me think about the millions of people who share similar feelings about their own lives. When I think about this cohort of individuals, one word comes to mind: rudderless.

We live in a culture that says we should do anything and everything we want in the moment. As long as it feels good and "makes us happy," we should go for it. I think this is some of the most toxic and short-sighted advice known to man.Making decisions to get what we want right now is often a sure-fire way to ensure we don't get what matters most later.

I think some people would argue I make a lot of crazy decisions in life.....and I wouldn't argue with them. Here's the framework by which I assess my own decisions:

• Where am I trying to end up?

• Will this particular choice get me closer to or further away from where I'm trying to go?

• Am I willing to pay the cost of this decision?

All three of these questions matter. If we don't know where we're trying to go, we don't even know what direction we're trying to steer the boat. If we don't know if xyz decisions will move us closer to or further away from the destination, we have no true rudder to keep us pointed in the right direction. If we're not willing to do what it takes to make it happen, we shouldn't kid ourselves.

Truly focusing on these questions can be an eye-opening endeavor. There are so many shiny objects that come across my periphery. I so badly want to say yes to many of them! However, if I'm being honest with myself, many of these shiny objects can and would pull me away from where I'm trying to go. They would feel really, really good in the moment, but they would hinder the path I'm on.

This is one of the most humbling aspects of the human experience. To say "no" to the things we want now in exchange for the things we want most is one of the most challenging tasks we're assigned in life.

I'm not saying I always get it right, but when I look back at my last 25 years of life, I've succeeded more times than I've failed. I hope you feel the same, but if not, you still have so many more good years left in you to right the ship. Stabilize your rudder, make the difficult decisions, and move yourself closer to where you need to go. It rarely feels worth it in the moment, but it ALWAYS feels worth it in the end.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Showing Them the Beauty of Work

We received another huge blast of snow yesterday morning here in the Midwest. After adding the new accumulation to our already high total snowfall, this season's snowfall has already eclipsed all of last winter.....and it's not even Christmas yet!

As the snow started to wane, I asked my 9-year-old boys if they wanted to make some money. They love projects. They love opportunities to go above and beyond. They grabbed their little shovels and began scooping. While we had about seven inches on the ground, the snow was extra light and fluffy, almost movie-like, so it wasn't a heavy lift. They made progress quickly.

After ripping out our driveway and sidewalks, I asked the kids if they wanted to do the neighbor's property, too. They both eagerly nodded their heads and began to scoop.

After the second house was done, I asked them if they wanted to do the next house. They nodded yes again, but not quite as eagerly. They began to scoop.

After the third house was done, I asked if they wanted to do the next house. They hesitated, then said yes. They scooped.

After the fourth house was done, I asked if they wanted to do the next house. After brief consideration, they both said no. Four houses, not bad!

They knew scooping other people's houses was a kind and generous thing to do, but they also knew I would pay them more money. By the time they finished, their little backs were sore, their faces frigid, and their bank accounts a little fuller.

I'm such a believer in giving our kids opportunities to step into work. Not forced, but encouraged. I want them to continually see that serving others is a good thing, and that serving others is a great way to earn money.

It's a win/win/win/win. When our neighbors discovered that their property has been cleared by someone, they were probably grateful. My kids felt delighted with a hard day's work. They received handsome compensation for their efforts. I was able to teach them, once again, about the importance of hard work and serving others.

If you're a parent, find opportunities for your kids to say yes to work. Use the natural rhythm of life (like snow) when possible. Find a problem for them to solve. Or even bolder, create a problem for them to solve. Make something up, if necessary! Just give them opportunities to step into service and work. Don't beat them with it. Don't guilt them. Don't shame them. Show them how truly good it is to serve others and work hard. It might not seem like it's making a difference now, but 20 years from now, it will be beautifully clear!

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Celebrate

Last night was our Northern Vessel team Christmas party. In all the chaos of the holiday season, it was fun to slow down and celebrate the awesome year we've had together. Lots of laughs. Lots of stories. Lots of optimism for what's to come.

At the same time, however, it's been a brutal few weeks for me. Between the neck injury, basement flood, loss of memory for nearly a week, perpetual neck and back pain, and the loss of lots of income due to my incapacitation, it doesn't necessarily feel like a time to celebrate. However, I celebrated. Regardless of how much crap I've gone through recently, there's always something to celebrate.

More than anything, I'm just trying to approach life through the lens of gratitude. It's so easy for me to wallow in my own self-pity, but if I'm really honest with myself, I'm blessed beyond belief. Last night, I chose to celebrate.

My pain is somewhat overwhelming at the moment, so I'm going to keep this short. I know you probably have your fair share of junk, baggage, and pain following you around. For whatever truth lies in that statement, just know I have a ton of empathy for you. At the same time, I bet you have countless things to be grateful for. Whatever that is, celebrate it. Don't gloss over the fact that you have so many blessings in your life.

Let's celebrate this season. When things are great, celebrate. When things feel absolutely terrible, celebrate. Always celebrate. I don't know what the next few weeks have in store for me, but even if I'm completely bedridden, I'm gonna celebrate. I hope you do the same.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Being True

I had back-to-back-to-back coaching meetings last night; I loved every minute of it. Something struck me as I was wrapping up my third meeting. All three couples I met with have distinctly unique journeys. Their stories are so different from one another. The paths taken, the decisions made, the dreams being pursued. Many overlapping conversations and topics weave in and out of these coaching relationships, but it's fun to see how every family's DNA looks different.

What's interesting to me is that the specific journey someone pursues does not define their meaning and happiness. There aren't inherently meaningful paths and non-meaningful paths. Rather, what separates the people who have meaning from those who don't is whether or not they truly embrace the journey they are signing up for. Do they believe in it? Are they being true to themselves? Are they honoring the spirit of their callings?

If the answers to those above questions are "yes," there's a high likelihood they are finding meaning in the journey, win or lose. On the flip side, if someone doesn't truly buy into their own journey, even the achievement of success can still result in feelings of emptiness.

It's an interesting concept to watch play out in families all around me......and in my own home. I often look in the mirror and sincerely ask myself if I'm where I'm supposed to be. For the last seven years, most days the answer has been an overwhelming "yes!" When that happens, regardless of the outcome, I go to bed feeling content and satisfied with the journey.

However, there are occasions when I have to look at myself in the mirror and acknowledge I might be doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons. It's a humbling pill to swallow, but the sooner I can swallow it, the sooner I can rectify it and reposition myself where I'm supposed to be. While it's true that I'm getting better at not putting myself in bad positions, the real growth in my life is having the courage and wherewithal to more quickly remedy the times when I do.

When I think about the three couples I had the honor of spending time with last night, all I can think about is how well they are doing at this. All unique. All different. All interesting. Each honoring their best path, while turning a blind eye to the path that conventional wisdom tells them they should pursue.

Life is always going to be hard, so we might as well be true to ourselves and our callings while living it out. It makes the tough times palatable and the sweet times sweeter.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Reps Matter

Tuesday night was Finn and Pax's school Christmas concert. It also happens to be the first meaningful event I can remember over the last week, thanks to my recent injury (finally experiencing some improvement!). About an hour before the show, I asked the kids if they were nervous. For context, in years past, they would get extremely anxious singing in front of hundreds of people. Their responses were interesting:

Finn: "No, not really."

Pax: "No, not at all."

Dang! That's a huge shift for them. When the actual performance started, Pax looked like he owned the stage. He was clearly into it. A big smile, enthusiastic dancing, and engaged singing. Finn also looked comfortable, and carried himself with confidence and ease. Very odd, considering how I know these events have played out in the past.

Afterward, I asked Pax about it. In short, he's used to being on stage performing music with his rock band 4-5 times per year. When he's on that rock stage, he's one of only five people, and the audience can hear every unique noise he makes. Translation: all those rock band live performance reps made last night seem like a walk in the park.

Reps matter. Whether it's performing in front of people or handling our finances, every rep gets us a bit closer to where we want to be. It reminds me of something I heard years ago that still lives rent-free in my head. We can't just decide to do something excellently. First, we need to do it poorly, which creates the opportunity to do it mediocre, which creates the opportunity to do it well, which creates the opportunity to do it excellently. The reps matter so much!

I stress this point with my clients over and over. They aren't going to magically be good with money. It takes the absorption of the base knowledge......AND the reps. The more reps they can get, the quicker they will advance into excellence.

Grace. We need to give ourselves grace. No matter the discipline we're picking up, we need to give ourselves grace to fail at first. Remember, doing something poorly is the gateway to doing it better next time. If we stick with it while giving ourselves grace, we just might one day find ourselves on the other side of excellence.

Don't be afraid to do something poorly, as it's the gateway to eventually doing it excellently. The reps always matter!

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Extravagant With a Capital "E"

One of the (very few) perks to being completely debilitated is having the time to scroll and read. Bad news: My short-term memory has been very poor, and I don't retain much of what's happening around me. Good news: I sometimes have the wherewithal in the moment to text message myself good ideas.

Today's post is one such good idea. I stumbled upon a fun little video that perfectly exemplifies one of my favorite concepts. When it comes to giving, it's not enough to give just enough. When done with the right heart and for the right reasons, giving should be extravagant. It should be sacrificial. It should create a moment. The following video clip is just that:

@globalmindapparel ♬ original sound - Global Mind Apparel

I know many of you won't watch this video, so please allow me to describe. A little boy and his father walk into a shoe store. The boy is in the middle of basketball season and needs a new pair of shoes. His dad said he could buy anything that costs less than $75. Shoe after shoe after shoe disappoints him, as he can't find anything for less than $75.

Disappointed, he starts walking toward the exit. This is where the story picks up. A young lady notices what's happening and decides to catch him as he's leaving. After hearing his story, she tells the boy that he can pick out any shoe in the store and she'll buy it for him.

After looking around, the boy picks up a $175 pair of LeBron's. The dad hesitated, citing the high price. The young lady insisted, stating:

• She knows what it's like to not have enough.

• There's no point in having money if you can't bless others.

• Why should she be in this store to buy her 10th pair of shoes when there's someone who can't even afford their first pair?

This young lady could have taken the gift in a few different directions. She could have said she'd make up the difference between the actual cost and the $75 budget that the dad could afford. Or she could have offered to buy a more reasonably priced pair of shoes. Instead, she decided to be extravagant in her generosity. Any pair he wanted.....period.

She created a moment. It's these types of stories that can change both parties. For her, that act of joyful and extravagant giving may have unlocked something in her. Perhaps that was the catalyst that sent her down a journey of generosity. For that boy, who knows what seed she just planted in him. Maybe 25 years from now, he'll be a multi-millionaire spreading generosity all around him, citing the impact a young woman once had on his life when he was just a boy. Every gift, even a $175 pair of shoes, has the potential to change someone's world.

I encourage you to look for moments like this. Extravagant moments. Special moments. Generosity that will move the needle in someone's journey. If even a pair of shoes can create that, just imagine how much possibility is on the table!

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Life Happens

Wanna know how often a typical family's monthly budget goes exactly as planned? Maybe 10% of the time if I'm being honest. This is a conversation I frequently have with clients as they begin their budgeting journey. There's usually this moment within the first few months of the process where my client feels defeated; a failure of sorts. In their mind, a budgeting win means that every category gets nailed right on the head.

Life doesn't happen on paper, unfortunately. It's messy. It's sudden. It's imperfect. We can have the world's best budget to start the month, but life has other plans. Success doesn't mean nailing the budget just as we've outlined it. Rather, success is our ability to track, be aware of our changing reality it in real-time, and make the necessary adjustments along the way to account for life happening in hopes of landing on even footing by the time the month concludes.

This month is a great example for my household. Due to my back injury, we're going to face significantly more out-of-pocket medical expenses than planned. Given the stress we've been under, we'll likely also blow past our planned dining out budget. Now, we can't just throw our arms up in the air and play the victim card; nobody wins under that scenario. Instead, we must take accountability for the life that's happening, first by being fully aware of its impact, and second by making the necessary adjustments.

What this looks like for Sarah and me is a combination of things:

• A reallocation of the dollars we had already planned to spend. Some of our discretionary spending will be reallocated to the increased categories. We may also temporarily reduce the recurring savings we push toward a few of our sinking funds.

• An additional allocation of funds from emergency savings. We don't typically touch our emergency fund (that's why it's called an emergency fund), but that's what it's for. It exists for exactly this purpose.

• A deferral of a few other priorities. There are some decently important obligations in our lives, but for at least this month, those priorities must move down the list.

These newfound expenses don't deem December a failed month for us, but how we respond will. It's not ideal, and it's tremendously frustrating, but that's life. Life happens. Life always happens. It's just our job to adapt along the way.

Whether you're having the world's best budgeting month, or the worst, success or failure isn't determined until you decide how to handle it. It'll never be perfect, but you don't have to give up control.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

The End Game

I've had a lot of time to stew in my own thoughts these last several days as I lie in bed. Last night, while trying to get my back muscles to calm down, I had a flashback to a conversation I had with a buddy a few weeks ago. This is a former colleague who is fully bought into the keeping up with the Joneses lifestyle. He's running the materialism race, and he's running hard! Money, stuff, and status are the three measuring sticks in his game.

Here's where our conversation took an interesting turn. "What's your end game?" he asked. "At some point, you have to have a plan to monetize all this to build wealth." It's interesting that, in his mind, building wealth is (or should be) the default end game. "Maybe I'll make a billion dollars, or maybe I won't make two cents. That's not how I judge success."

He asked it again, "What's your end game, then?"

The truth is, I don't think I have an end game. It's not because I don't think about the future; I do that often! Instead, I don't usually consider the "end" game, as I'm too obsessed about the journey. I just want to make as much impact on people as I can. Then, tomorrow, I hope to do the same. There's no real end to that endeavor. It's just a fresh mission each day.

If we look at our daily calendar, that's really all there is: a series of opportunities to make an impact. Meetings, projects, social engagements, family events. Everyone has their own version of this, but the opportunity persists nonetheless. I so much enjoy my specific opportunities, and I hope you do, too!

I'm not sure anything I just wrote made sense, but that's the best way I can frame it as I try to fight through the discomfort in my neck. It's been killing me that my recent condition has hindered my ability to make an impact, but I'll try again today.

As for you, I hope you embrace some form of this concept today: Make an impact. Someone. Somehow. Some way. There's no end game in that mission other than to leave it better than you found it. Then, tomorrow, we'll try again.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Coffee, Milk, Sugar, and ___

My apologies for not responding to the flood of messages I've received from this week's posts. It's been challenging to reply in my current physical condition, but I'm grateful for all the comments and insights, and I look forward to going through them soon!!

I received an interesting text on the heels of my recent post about how we need to think about impact, not inputs. In the post, I discussed my chiropractor through two different lenses. On one hand, his $50 fee for a 7-minute adjustment means I'm paying him $240/hour for his time. I think that's a lame way to look at life. On the other hand, you could view the $50 as an investment toward having a functional body to increase your quality of life. Impact, not inputs.

Here's the text message I received after publishing that article: "That thought process may work for some things, but not most. At the end of the day a coffee is a coffee. There's no way to spin that one. You're buying a commodity, simple as that."

Ouch! Is that true? Is a coffee a coffee? TJ, my Northern Vessel co-owner, and I talk about this often! Here's how we think about it. We're not actually a coffee company. We're a hospitality company that happens to serve coffee. Hospitality is the core of what we do. It's our blank canvas. And the coffee is our paint.

If we're really going to boil this down, a typical coffee drink is just some ratio of three inputs: coffee, milk, and sugar. Three commodities blended into a finished commodity-ish product. There are hundreds of places to get a latte in every city, never mind the cheaper and more convenient coffee alternatives we have in our own homes. If what my friend is saying is true, why would people tirelessly wait in a line 30 people deep at a shop that arguably has the highest prices in the state?

Let's just pretend we have the best drinks in the city. Even then, the high prices combined with the massive lines would surely dampen our customer flow if people were simply there to buy a coffee, a commodity.

Which brings us back to my original thesis. We're not a coffee company. We're a hospitality company that sells coffee. What we sell is an experience, a feeling, a community. We want to offer people an experience that could be the highlight of their day. We hope the coffee is amazing, too, but it goes so much deeper than that.

We received this comment on an Instagram post yesterday:

"The coffee is amazing but I would stop here even if it wasn't because of how I feel when I walk in and how I feel when I leave." I don't know this woman, but her beautiful sentence stabs me right in the heart and synthesizes thousands of hours of work we've put into this. I'm so touched by her words, and I'm grateful she gave our team an opportunity to brighten her day.

Every single product or service we buy or sell, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, must be viewed through the lens of impact, not inputs. It goes so much deeper, and that depth is what turns business from something seemingly boring and sterile to life-giving beauty.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

When the Brain Isn't Braining

My neck and back injury has only gotten worse as the week progressed, reaching a point yesterday where it started impacting my cognitive ability. My brain doesn't seem to be braining right now. It's a surreal experience to be aware, in the moment, that the brain isn't firing on all cylinders. The amount of pain and discomfort I have in my neck is overwhelming my system.

It's wild how much we take for granted the "normal" in our lives. Normal gets a bad wrap because normal can feel boring. However, boring is good. I so badly wish I could have "normal" right now. I wish I could just be me, just living my life. I would give literally anything to be normal again.

All around me, I'm watching folks experience the loss of normal: layoffs, terminal illness diagnoses, loss of family members, and other painful moments. If you're living your normal life today, big props to you. Please don't overlook that or take it for granted. Your normal, despite its challenges and shortcomings, is still awesome.

I pray for normal in my life. I pray to feel better. I pray to be up and about. I pray for my brain to start braining. This isn't a sob story, or a call for pity. Rather, it's an opportunity to shine the light on how we shouldn't take normal for granted. We shouldn't wish it away. We shouldn't demean it in comparison to someone else's.

I hope to write to you tomorrow with a fresher head and more complete thoughts, but for today, this is probably the best I got. I hope you have a great (and normal!!!!) day.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Memories Don’t Discriminate

Earlier this week, Sarah and I took the boys to see Elf in the movie theater. It was one of those cool theaters where they serve you dinner during the movie. The real magic happened the night before, though, when we shared the news of this upcoming family outing. Both boys immediately screamed in excitement and jumped wildly around the kitchen. Blood-curdling screams of euphoria. Eardrum-piercing screams of joy. To go watch a 20+ year-old movie they've seen a dozen times.

Memories don't discriminate. Those boys reacted as if we were surprising them with a trip to Disney, except our surprise cost $80, not $8,000. I know I beat on this drum often, but I don't think there are enough reps to appropriately make this point. Memories are memories because they are memories. We need not spend tons of money to create them. Financial resources are NOT the prerequisite to memories. Memories don't discriminate.

We're living in a time where more and more people feel frustrated and defeated. Families are struggling financially. The tension is tightly wound. It can sometimes feel like it's all too much.

I hate that for everyone living in that reality. At the same time, however, I want to encourage parents to create memories regardless of financial resources. Sure, expensive memories are expensive, but affordable memories are affordable. At the end of the day, however, memories don't discriminate. Years down the road, your kids won't remember how much (or how little) a memory cost their parents. All they will know is how the memory made them feel.

As such, create, create, create. Use whatever creativity and resources you do have to create the coolest memories possible for your family. Don't give up or feel defeated. Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Go get hot chocolates and watch the carolers. Open Netflix and snuggle up to a holiday classic on the couch. Make tree ornaments or gingerbread houses. Volunteer together at a local shelter or food pantry. Find a big hill to sled. Just make memories! Memories don't discriminate.

Regardless of where you stand financially this season, you have an opportunity to make this the best Christmas season ever, abounding in memories and experiences. Make it happen, and enjoy the ride!

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Forced Simplicity: Flood Edition

In the midst of trying to regain normal functionality in my neck and back, our family was hit with a devastating event yesterday. While the kids were getting ready for school, I ran down to my home office to address a quick client issue. As I walked down the stairs, I was met with a flooded basement. Wow. Just wow.

Over the next 30 minutes, Sarah, the boys, and I frantically moved every item out of the impacted rooms. Let's just say it was a disaster! Some of the items were in tubs, but not all. A LOT of things were completely soaked.

Yeah, the entire thing is absolutely gutting. It's miserable to say the least. However, Sarah and I are trying to find the silver lining in a terrible situation. Remember how I recently wrote about my newfound interest in minimalism and the pursuit of simplicity? Well, this brutal flood experience is forcing us to simplify.

Whether we like it or not, we are now forced to purge stuff as a result of the water damage. Sarah spent the better part of the day going through all the boxes and tubs that were exposed to the water. It was ultimately a beautiful exercise. Lots of stuff got tossed, even more will be donated to other kids/families, and some we'll keep. Fast forward to next week, and our lives will inevitably be simpler.

While Sarah and I were lamenting the horror of the entire situation, we both acknowledged that the basement will never be the same after this.....and that's a great thing. Simplicity, even when forced, can be a great thing.

I can't say I appreciate all this happening to us, but as I always try to remember, blessings come from even the worst of situations. I've already begun the process of simplifying my life, and now, Sarah just might buy into it as well. It's going to be a long process to get back to normal, but I fully believe we'll be better for it.

While I don't wish any bad upon you, when (not if) it strikes your household, I pray you find (and embrace) the silver lining in it. We can't avoid pain altogether, but we can commit to using a piece of it for good.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

How Much Is a Crack Worth?

My neck is starting to get better, thanks to my chiropractor. I'm finally able to turn my head to the side (though with much pain). A conversation I had with a friend sparked today's post. Here's what he said: "I can't believe you'd pay a chiropractor 50 bucks for something he can do in 5 minutes. What a rip-off!!!"

That's an interesting perspective. What is a chiropractor worth? My treatment did cost $50, and he did, in fact, only take 7 minutes to perform the adjustment. That means I effectively paid him $430/hour for his time. Is a chiropractor $430/hour?

Trick question; it's irrelevant. I don't pay a chiropractor for his time; I pay him for the impact he has on my life. I don't care if it took him 7 minutes or 70 minutes; I walked out of his office with more function and comfort than when I walked in. So yes, it's 100% worth $50 to me!

This is the problem with so much of how we look at business and culture. We try to judge everything and everyone by the lowest common denominator. How long did it take them? How much did the inputs cost? What are the business's overhead costs? What's the embedded profit per item, and in my skewed opinion, is it reasonable? How many years of education/training did it take for them to perfect their craft? It's all rubbish. None of it means anything.

Once in a blue moon, a prospective client will ask me to break down the number of hours I plan to spend on them to justify the price of my coaching package. In that moment, I immediately know they aren't the right client for me. I'm selling them life change, not my time. The moment they try to boil it down to my time on a per hour basis, I know it's not a good fit.

You probably live on both sides of this. As a consumer, you make hundreds of purchase decisions every week. Instead of trying to boil something down to its lowest common denominator, simply ask yourself if the outcome of purchasing this product is worth the price. It's that simple. In my case, it's not asking if paying my chiropractor $430/hour is a reasonable price, but rather, if $50 is worth my ability to function in life. Yes, please take my money, Mr. Chiropractor!!!!!

You also live on the side of the seller. Everyone is selling something. Whether you're a business owner or an employee for a company or organization, you're selling something. I strongly encourage you to spend less time focusing on the features and benefits of your product/service and more time on the impact your product/service will have on someone's life. People don't care as much about features and benefits nearly as much as they do about how their life will be better as a result of purchasing from you. Tell them. Show them. Shine the light on impact. That's ultimately what people want......and what people need.

Is my chiropractor worth $430/hour? I don't know, but I can confidently tell you that $50 is a steal of a deal for me to be upright and functioning. Impact. Always impact.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Closer Than You Think

I recently stumbled upon a few surveys that were beyond concerning. Here are the headline numbers from each:

• 69% of American workers believe they could work until retirement age and still not have enough money to retire.

• 68% of Millennials don't believe they will ever be able to retire without receiving a meaningful inheritance.

Neither of these is surprising, but still concerning, nonetheless. Americans, on the whole, are tremendously underprepared for retirement. I feel that way on a family-by-family basis, and the average and median retirement savings numbers also back it up. We are woefully prepared for the next chapter of our lives, which is a deeply concerning trend.

However, I have good news for you today. Strike that, great news!!!!! I have great, amazing, fantastic news for you today. If you've been trying to make progress on the retirement front but feel like you're not getting as far as you had hoped, you're probably closer than you think.

Last week, I met with someone seeking investment advice. In his words, "I've been saving for nearly a decade, and all I have to show for it is $100,000. I'll never get to a million. I don't even feel like it's worth trying anymore."

My response: "Congrats, you're a third of the way there!!! Keep going!"

Him: ..............

Now, it's obvious that $100,000 is not 33% of $1M. Any idiot can tell you that. From a sheer dollar perspective, he's only 10% of the way there. However, investments (if done right) don't work on a linear scale. In the financial world, we call it compounding. When our money is invested, we make money on our money. Then we make money on our money plus the money we previously made. Then we make money on our money plus money on the money on the money. It's a cycle that speeds up over time.

Here, let me show you with an illustration. This is an example where someone invests $500/month and earns an average of 9% per year over the long run. We obviously won’t earn a consistent 9% over time (it will be a bumpy road for sure), but this makes for a useful visual:

As you can see, it takes a little more than 10 years to accumulate the first $100,000. That was the hardest part, and often where people get frustrated and give up (i.e., the studies referenced above). However, because of the power of compounding, the second $100,000 only takes five-ish years (half as long!). The third $100,000, only 3.5 years. All the way up until that last $100,000, which takes just over a year to complete. From a time perspective, you're halfway to your $1M goal by the time you hit $200,000. Crazy!

This is a concept that's hard to wrap our minds around, but is so freeing once we do. I do my best to beat this into the head of anyone who is feeling discouraged by the process. It's so easy to give up along the way if we don't understand just how powerful this compounding thing will eventually become.

Don't be discouraged. Have a sense of urgency, yes, but don't feel defeated. Keep pushing through, and let compounding do the heavy lifting for you.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Health vs. Wealth

I recently read an article about how, at the time of publishing, the world's richest man fell ill and quickly passed away at a fairly early age. He was in his 40s. The spirit of the article was his friends and family acknowledging that none of that wealth really meant anything. He was gone, forever.

The very same day, I stumbled upon a tweet by a deca-millionaire. He's the founder of multiple start-ups and is known as a tremendously successful (and wealthy) entrepreneur. He had just been diagnosed with stage four cancer in his mid-40s. The tweet, in essence, stated that he would give up everything he's ever earned or achieved in exchange for his health.

Health vs. wealth. It's an interesting dynamic, and one we don't think about until it's thrust upon us. Three days ago, I threw my back out. I've been riding the struggle bus for days, which has only worsened. At the moment, I can't even turn my head in either direction—utter misery for days on end. In my current state, my quality of life is approximately zero. I'm a shell of my normal self. As I sit here in dire pain, I'd give up literally anything to feel healthy again.

Isn't it interesting how our natural human instinct is always to give up the material trappings of this world for the sake of our health? What does that tell us? What should it tell us? For me, It's another reminder that meaning always supercedes money. Even when we act and behave as though it doesn't, at the core of our being, we know there's more to life than money. Sometimes, though, it takes a harsh and scary reminder of our mortality to trigger that human instinct.

Here's the irony of this post. Some people will read it, and it will hit far too close to home. You'll immediately think about your current or previous health afflictions and violently nod your head up and down in affirmation of my words. Others, who haven't yet experienced significant health concerns, will think to themselves, "Sure, sure, but I'll take the wealth!"

Perspective changes everything. In an ideal world, I'd love for everyone to get a healthy dose of perspective change without having to endure the pain, suffering, and unknowns of major health crises. Appreciating good health and knowing it always trumps money, stuff, and status is a super hack to life. When we truly appreciate good health, daily life takes on an entirely different meaning.

Here's to a safe, healthy, and fulfilling holiday season. I hope you and those closest to you stay well!

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare…..Then Watch

This week was a tale of extremes for Northern Vessel. Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving) was easily the best day we've ever had. Not only did we eclipse our previous best sales day, but we crushed it by 25%. On the flip side, yesterday was one of the worst days in the history of the company. It occurred in the middle of a 10-inch snowstorm that crippled our metro.

The truth is, we didn't directly cause either of these outcomes. Rather, we've spent three years building, tweaking, iterating, and failing our way forward to a better operation. Who we are today is a reflection of thousands and thousands of reps. In fact, the record day we set a few days ago was done with just three people behind bar, and it didn't feel hectic for the team at all. They've trained for this. They are ready for this. They crushed this.

Coming back around to yesterday's disaster, that's life. We're never promised good fortune in our journeys. Yesterday was supposed to be one of our top days of the year. Instead, we served only a handful of people, likely lost money, and closed early.

That's why it's so important that we stop obsessing over the outcomes. The outcomes will be the outcomes. The more important factor at play is how we prepare ourselves and set ourselves up for success. All we can do is all we can do, and let the chips fall how they may. Or, as one wise friend once told me, "You can't control 99% of what happens around you, so just focus 100% of your energy on the 1% you can control."

I'm obsessed with this concept. I rarely judge myself on point-in-time results or short-term outcomes. Everything I do has a 10-year fuse in mind. Every decision and action is for the sole purpose of being better off 10+ years from now, almost completely neglecting the present. This is one of the reasons why my life (and business decisions) look odd to some.

I can't recommend this approach more. Prepare, prepare, prepare.....then watch. Don't judge yourself based on short-term results. Keep the long-term vision in mind. Keep moving forward. Don't be too discouraged or too excited. Just keep pushing. The rest will take care of itself.....eventually.

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.

The Home Stretch

With the passing of Thanksgiving, we're officially in the home stretch toward the Christmas / New Year's holiday. For decades, I've lamented how the season seems to be over in the blink of an eye. That frustration only grew after I became a father. I want to savor it, enjoy it, and milk every ounce of holiday spirit I can out of it. Inevitably, though, it passes too quickly.

I think one of the key contributors to this phenomenon is the fact we become even busier than usual. Holiday get-togethers, work functions, shopping, and a number of other activities speed us up to an unprecedented pace. This pace, combined with the stress it can create, causes time to speed up.

Over the past few years, I've attempted to combat this phenomenon by intentionally slowing down my schedule. Specifically, I've implemented a few different strategies:

• Get the shopping done early. Nothing good happens when shopping the few days before Christmas.

• Set a hard stop date. Sarah and I negotiate a date that will be a hard stop for my work travel. Once that date arrives, I'm locked down with my family through the end of the year.

• Say no. Adding festive holiday events to the calendar may seem like a fun and jolly idea, but we say no. There's nothing better than having the freedom and an empty calendar to play the evenings by ear with the family. Movies, Christmas lights, and other last-minute adventures await.

• NYE is a no-go. I block out the entire day on New Year's Eve to reflect, plan, and set myself up for an awesome year to come. That's become one of my favorite days of the year.

• Think 30 years from now. 30 years from now, will you remember that meeting you attended, or the memory you created with your kids? Act accordingly.

I'm excited for this holiday season, but as always, I'm nervous I'll find a way to screw it up. However, if I can try to follow my own guidelines above, I have a chance to really make it a special season for my family. Wish me luck, and I'll wish you luck as well! I pray you're able to slow it down and enjoy every bit of the holiday spirit, too!

____

Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.