Respecting Lanes

About 15 years ago, Sarah and I were watching Netflix on the couch when I received an urgent text. It was about 1 AM, and the text was from one of my youth group kids, a 16-year-old girl. After making a few questionable decisions, she found herself in an uncomfortable position at a house party. She was somewhere between not wanting to make poor choices, scared of getting hurt, and nervous that she would end up in the car with an impaired driver. Needless to say, she was freaking out. One of my policies as a youth group leader was that if the kids ever found themselves in a tough spot, I would pick them up, no questions asked. On this particular night, she was nervous about calling her parents, so she texted me. Sarah and I jumped into the car, picked her up, and took her home.

Fast forward 15 years, I recently reached out to this young lady for advice. Yes, I was her youth group leader. Yes, I'm nearly twice her age. Yes, I walked alongside her during some of her most difficult teenage moments. But today, I need her wisdom, insights, and expertise. She works in a field that falls outside my purview, and today, I need her help.

I spent my entire life being disregarded and dismissed by the generation ahead of me. I was constantly treated like my wisdom, insights, and expertise didn't count. After all, these people were decades older than me. I was just a kid to them. What could some young dude have to offer them?!?! They were worse off for having this short-sighted perspective. I always promised myself that one day, when the roles reversed, I wouldn't do the same.

Well, as Father Time would have it, I'm no longer the youngest guy in most rooms. I now regularly find myself being on the older end of the age range in conversations. How am I doing with the promise I made myself? I suppose I need to let others answer that question for me, but considering I'm actively seeking advice from a woman whom I walked alongside during her teenage years, I'd like to think I'm succeeding.

We all have lanes. I have lanes, and you have lanes. Some of my strongest lanes revolve around the intersection of meaning, work, and money. I can help move the needle in this area of people's lives. Another lane is helping businesses gain greater clarity and control over the inner workings of their financial operations. Those are lanes I specialize in. Simultaneously, I need to recognize all the things in life that aren't my lane.

Enter my young friend. Despite being half my age, she has a wealth of knowledge in a lane where I desperately need help. I'm not going to her for career, financial, or business advice. I'm not going to her for parenting advice. I'm not going to her for marriage advice. I deeply respect her lane, and as such, I need to have the humility to allow her to speak into that area of my life.

This is a dynamic that most of us confront on a daily basis. In and out of the workplace, we constantly interact with other generations. If we simply get over ourselves and respect people's lanes, we can open ourselves up to so many wonderful things. It's not always easy, but it's always the right (and best!) thing to do.

____

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.

Silver Lining to the Memory Loss

I discovered something wild yesterday while I was working in my home office. I stumbled upon a random and mysterious yellow envelope. It had been sent through the Postal Service, but I didn't recognize it. I eagerly but nervously opened it, only to discover it housed 13 handwritten cards addressed to me.

Unreal! The cards were from high school students who attended a talk I gave on December 4th. Turns out, I received this package of cards during the stretch when I was suffering cognitive function decline and short-term memory loss as a result of a neck injury. In fact, I didn't piece this together until yesterday, but I actually gave this talk the morning of the day when my cognitive function deteriorated. I remember this talk well, but I don't recall much about a family event I attended later that evening.

As I read through the cards yesterday, I couldn't help but think how this was such beautiful timing. I've had an absolutely brutal week. It was the kind of week where one can start questioning if they are actually in the right place. Is this where I belong? Am I doing the right things? Is this where I'm meant to be?

As I opened the first card and read the generous words, those doubts I had been carrying were immediately swept away. In an instant, I was jolted back to reality, a reality where I recognize I'm exactly where I'm called to be. Following meaning is a treacherous endeavor. It sometimes means turning our backs on comfort, status, material gain, and an easier path. In its place can be uncertainty, risk, pain, frustration, and heartache.

I've been on all sides of this coin: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I've experienced comfort, status, material gain, and an easier path. I've also performed a drastic 180-degree turn and ran headfirst into uncertainty, risk, pain, frustration, and heartache. I don't claim to be a know-it-all here, but I can confidently testify that despite being the hardest seven years of my life, it's been the most rewarding, fulfilling, and impactful seven years of my life. Knowing what I know now, I'd never go back to "the old way."

I hope some of you have similar stories. If so, please share them with others. In a world that pushes one way to see the world, these stories can be powerful. On the flip side, if you don't have any of these stories, perhaps now is a great time to create them. It's not supposed to be easy, but it is supposed to be rewarding.

____

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.

3 Men, 3 Mindsets

Today's post is inspired by a recent piece written by my great friend, Gary Hoag. If you're a longtime reader of this blog, you probably know that Gary is the inspiration and encouragement behind this blog. If you didn't know that, now you do! In either case, you should totally subscribe to Gary's daily writings.

An excerpt from Gary's recent article:

"A story is told of a visitor to London during the time of the construction of St. Paul's Cathedral, the architect of which was Sir Christopher Wren. The visitor stopped at the construction site and asked some of the workmen what they were doing. One said, 'I am working to get money to keep my family.' Another said, 'I am working here because it is the kind of work I have been trained to do.' A third man said, 'I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build a great cathedral.'"

Three different men, three different mindsets. All things being equal, I think we can assume that all three of these men were doing similar work and earning similar wages. However, they might as well have been living on different planets. Each of these men woke up in the morning, got dressed, commuted to work, and started their workday. All three of their daily routines might have also looked similar to one another.

What happened when they got to the worksite, though, is where everything changed. Sure, they were performing the same work, but the mindset behind said work changes everything.

• One man was there because work is a necessary evil.

• One man was there to put his training and skills into practice.

• One man was there to make an impact.

Three men, three mindsets.

All work matters. Your work matters! Regardless of what you're doing today, your work matters. You might make the same dollar amount regardless of your mindset (I would argue even that's up for debate), but there's no doubt which mindset will drain our tank and which mindset will satiate something deep within us. Same paycheck, drastically different experience.

We can talk all we want about our work not having to have meaning, but considering we spend half our waking hours at work, feeling meaning in our work makes a world of difference in our journey. It has the power to turn terrible into okay, okay into good, and good into great. It puts an extra pep in our step, makes the tough moments worthwhile, and juices up the wins. Regardless of what work I'm performing, I want to be more like the third man. "I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build a great cathedral."

Meaning is a choice. Apathy is a choice. Impact is a choice. Misery is a choice. Choose wisely.

____

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 Endless Pursuit of Better

We had our first official full-day experiment with our canned drink concept at Northern Vessel last week. To say people were excited would be a gross understatement. I could figuratively see people's brains melting before my eyes. Needless to say, the overwhelming feedback tells us we're on the right track.

To summarize, we're trying to innovate the way we serve our customers. About 70% of our beverages are served iced, even in the dead of winter. Instead of serving our iced drinks in traditional cups, we're piloting a process to can handmade drinks on the fly. Here's what it looks like in action:

I firmly believe this will be one of the most revolutionary things we've ever done at NV. It will have ripple effects that I don't yet even know about. Can you tell I'm excited?!?!

One of my friends happened to stop by the shop on that canning test day. He sent me the following text several hours later: "What's the point in doing this? You're already the best coffee shop in the state....probably the Midwest. Why rock the boat?"

Whether we're the best shop in the state or region is entirely up for debate. That's what we desire to be, but it's obviously a subjective topic. However, it's clear we've carved out some level of success. If that's true, "why rock the boat?" as my friend so bluntly inquired?

I've received this question countless times over the past 3+ years since we began building NV into what it is today. "It's good enough" is another way it's often phrased.

All this brings me back to an idea I can't let go of: The endless pursuit of better. If there's a better way to do something, don't we owe it to those we serve to find it? If our drinks can be better, why not serve them better drinks? If the experience can be enhanced, why not provide it? Sure, there's a "normal" way to do things in every industry. But sometimes, we need to look past normal and find "better."

All of us have things in our day-to-day lives that fall into the "good enough" camp. It's good enough, and good enough is good enough. But what if we could find a better way? A better way to do the laundry. A better way to handle our money. A better way to get to work. A better way to serve our clients. A better way to keep the madness in order. Better is better. This isn't about lack of contentment, but rather a deep-seated desire to grow, improve, and make a more impactful difference in the world.

Back to the canned drinks. Why would we blow up our entire workflow, increase our COGS (cost of goods sold), lower our gross margins, further constrain our already-tight dry storage capacity, and risk losing customers when we've already established ourselves as "successful"? Because our guests deserve better, and we firmly believe this will provide a better overall experience.

I invite you into the endless pursuit of better….in all you do. It's a fun and humbling journey, but we ALWAYS end up better for it.

____

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.

Scared of the Medicine

As yesterday unfolded, I kept coming up with new ideas for today's post. I have so many things to write about. I could write about this, or maybe that. What about that really cool thing that happened? Oh, wait, what about this other thing? Needless to say, my brain melted.

Considering I publish every day, I have plenty of time to unpack these stories in the coming days/weeks. One thread seemed to weave through each of my ideas, though: Failure.

On the whole, we humans are terrified of failure. We're scared enough that we go to great lengths to avoid it. We'd rather not pursue something we want out of fear that we might not get it. See the irony in that? We regularly accept a 0% chance of success in xyz goal because not even trying feels better than trying and failing.

Here's the wild part about failure. Failure isn't the manifestation of a loss. It's not some finality that ends the story. Rather, failure is the admission price to success. Failure isn't losing.....it's a necessary step toward the victory we seek.

Yesterday, I watched the product of failure. In multiple situations, I saw pain turn into glory, fear into joy, and terror into confidence. My kids get sick of me talking about the pursuit of failure; I celebrate it. I applaud them each time they give something their best shot and subsequently fall flat on their face. It's never fun in the moment, but that's where our character and grit are built. Not only do I not shield my kids from failure, but I put them in situations to fail.

I want to unpack this idea more in the coming days, but until I do, just know that we've had a LOT of failure over here in the Shelton household. And that, friends, is where the beauty comes from. I can't wait to share those stories soon!

Here are three questions for you to sit on today:

1. Where have you let fear of failure hold you back from doing something that mattered?

2. When have you shielded your kids from potential failure?

3. How might these situations played out differently if instead of trying to avoid failure, we chased it?

____

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 “Normal” Way

Things are done a certain way. In nearly every area of our lives, there's a "normal" way to do something. Is it the right way? Is it the best way? Is it the most beneficial way? Doesn't matter! It's the normal way, and that's all that matters. Get in line, stay in line, and don't rock the boat!

This is a concept we often talk about at Northern Vessel. We ask ourselves what the "normal" way is, then obsessively explore if there's a better way. In many circumstances, this has drawn much criticism (and sometimes hate). However, bucking "normal" can also be the gateway to something much, much better.

We put that idea to the test again this week as we try to re-imagine what a coffee shop drink experience could and should be. We've been in the lab drumming up something truly weird and (possibly) exceptional, and we'll be testing it at a bigger scale soon. Nobody's seen this yet, so I thought I'd give you a little peek:

A coffee shop iced beverage served in a can. You order your drink, the barista handcrafts it in front of you, and it's served in a sealed can. Want to drink it immediately? Simply pop the top and enjoy (with or without a straw). Want to enjoy it during an upcoming meeting? Toss it in your bag or purse and pop the top once you get to your destination. So simple, so effective, so not "normal." Is this a great idea? I’m not sure, but I suspect we’ll find out soon.

So many things in our lives fall into this bucket. The way we approach our careers. The way we handle our finances each month. The way we perceive generosity. The way we invest. The way we engage (or don't) with debt. There's the "normal" way, then there's the, in my strong die-on-the-hill opinion, a better way. A simpler, more effective, not so "normal" way.

A few years ago, I met with a young lady who was struggling in her career. The "normal" path wasn't satisfying her. She was doing everything she was taught to do when navigating a career, but it felt empty. She confessed to me her real dream. It was a weird dream. Then, she added, "But that's not how we're supposed to do things."

"Who cares!?!?" I asked her. It's her journey, and she's the only one who would ultimately eat the consequences of her actions (for better or worse). I told her that while her dream was in fact "not normal," that's exactly why she should pursue it. And pursue it she did! She's now more than two years into a very non-traditional career path, and she's loving every moment of the wild ride. It's not easy, and it's most certainly not always fun, but it's the most rewarding adventure she's ever been on. This only happened because she was willing to challenge the "normal" way.

You do countless things because it's the "normal" way. Which ones do you need to look more closely at to determine if there's actually a better way?

____

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.

Win the Moment

Two nights ago, we held our annual State of the Union meeting for our Northern Vessel Coffee team. It was great to gather everyone in the room together. We shared laughs, enjoyed food, discussed friction points, and cast a vision for the year to come. In short, our 2026 strategy is boring: No major changes. No shiny objects. No distractions. We're simply going to lock in and endeavor to become more excellent at every aspect of our business.

The idea of "no shiny objects" came up a few times. In the past, we've always had some audacious idea in the works; something to look forward to. Some were massive successes, and others were epic failures. This year, however, there is no such shiny object.

I felt moved in the moment and shared something with the team. For me, there is something better than a shiny object: the moment. Every single person we have the privilege of serving creates a moment—a brief moment of their life for us to make a positive impact. A moment of encouragement. A moment of laughter. A moment of mourning. A moment of being seen. A moment of support. A moment of something.

My best advice and encouragement for the team is to "win the moment." Our team is blessed with the opportunity to create thousands of moments. Each offers the possibility for us to "win the moment." Not "win" in the sense of competition or achievement, but rather, making a difference for good. It's hard to fully explain what I mean, but a Google review came in yesterday that sums it up so beautifully:

"The best part of our day." Our team won the moment. They created something special out of what could have otherwise been a mere transaction. This person didn't merely buy coffee; they shared an experience.

Shiny objects are fun (and oftentimes euphoric), but choosing to win the moments of life is far more satiating and lasting than any of that. That's my encouragement today. Whatever you're doing today or this week, win the moment. The opportunities are right there in front of you; it only requires us to step into them.

____

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.

They Can’t All Be Winners

Having published on this blog for nearly 1,200 consecutive days, I regularly get asked one particular question:

"How do you manage to have great ideas every day?"

Answer: I don't.

The truth is, not all days can be winners. I've really struggled writing the past few days. The ideas aren't flowing. The vibe isn't hitting. It doesn't feel natural.

While it never feels great to be in a rut, it forces us to make a decision:

1. We can shelf it and wait until it's perfect (which will probably never come).

2. We can ship it....period.

Shelving our creativity doesn't serve anyone. It robs others of your gifts while simultaneously robbing you of growingthrough the struggle. On the flip side, pushing through, no matter how it feels, helps us develop skills, habits, and discipline.

I wake up every day knowing that I MUST produce. No excuses. No justifications. No outs. While that might feel like a lot of pressure, it's actually freeing. The expectation isn't perfect. Rather, the expectation is impact. Nothing I produce will be 100% flawless, but my prayer is that someone will be moved. That's it. There's a freedom in that. There's beauty in that.

I know many people who read this feel a similar tension about an area of their life. It's a tension that lingers in the air. It can feel immensely frustrating. It often holds us back from moving forward in the areas we're called to step into. It makes us hesitate. We relent. We doubt ourselves. We wonder if we're good enough.

You are. You are good enough. Your work is worthy. Please don't be afraid to step into that thing. You'll win. Those whom you serve will win. The world will be a better place. You got this.

____

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 Blank Canvas

Happy New Year, everyone! I don't know why, but this day gives me so much hope, optimism, and excitement each year. I've felt that way since I was a little kid, and that feeling never fades. I think what excites me so much is that it always feels like a blank canvas.

It's a clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning. That canvas is so crisp, so clean, so empty. We are the artists. The brushes and paints are in our hands. What will we do with that opportunity? Will we continue to fall into the same traps as before? Will we fall prey to the ongoing pressures of our world? Will we take the path of least resistance and simply keep doing what we've always done?

Or, will we decide to carve a new path, a different path? Will we etch out a new storyline that has the potential to fundamentally transform our lives forever?

I feel the constant tension between continuing down the exact same road I'm on and having the courage to pivot. I see the hope and promise of what could be, but am I brave enough to go for it?

The same goes for you. You have a blank canvas in front of you. Today is day #1. This is where it begins. What masterpiece will you create with the blank canvas that lies before you? I can't wait to find 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This Is Life

Life isn't awesome because it's full of rainbows and sunshine. Life is awesome because it's awesome, warts and all. Social media is notorious for portraying everyone else's lives as perfect. The perfect marriage. The perfect kids. The perfect clothes. The perfect house. The perfect car. The perfect trips. It's all a facade, though. It's a curation of people's highlight reels. Underneath the mask of perfection is real life. Pain. Stress. Tension. Struggle. Loss. Brokenness. This is life. These things don't make life less awesome, but rather, they are what make life so awesome.

For the record, I'm not some masochist who revels in pain and suffering. Instead, what I see more times than not, is that pain is where the beauty comes from. Pain is oftentimes the trigger for some of the most powerful and profound moments of our lives. Having to endure the pain is what makes the sweet moments that much sweeter.

I've vaguely alluded to this story a few times in the past few months, but it wasn't my story to tell. Today, fortunately, I get to let them tell it themselves. Below is a short video that shares the story of one of my friends/clients. It's such a tragic story, yet is simultaneously the most beautiful story. I tear up even as I write this. If you only engage with one thing I post all month, please make it this powerful five-minute video.

I have no idea what the future holds for this family, but this tragic event will no doubt play a meaningful role in what happens next. I can already testify that much good has already come from this, and you get a glimpse of it in this video. This is life. It's full of joy, sorrow, love, pain, gratitude, suffering, and generosity. It doesn't make for a sexy and jealousy-worthy social media feed, but it's real; it's genuine. If I were a betting man, I’d bet my life savings that all four members of this family use this experience to make a positive impact on others, and probably change the world along the way. I’m humbled by their courage, perseverance, and positivity. They are better people than me, and I admire them so much.

Many of you are hurting today. Many of you are suffering in silence. Many of you are dealing with something that you have no idea how you'll get through. I'm so sorry. It's what makes life so hard, but at the same time, it's what makes life so beautiful. What you see on social media each day isn't real. This is real. This is life. You got this.

____

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.

Depends

Let's play a little trivia. In your opinion, which of the following people is the most successful?

• CEO of a medium-sized company

• High school teacher

• Owner of a well-known local company

• Barista at a coffee shop

• HVAC technician

• Stay-at-home mom

• Middle management in a corporate setting

• NFL player

Do you have a strong opinion on this? Which one is more successful? Or, if you need a little wiggle room, which few are the most successful?

Here's my answer: Depends. Absolutely nothing above gives me any sense of how successful or unsuccessful someone is. Rather, it just tells me what they do for a living.....and to some degree, how much money they make.

This tells me nothing about success, as I don't think success should be defined by status or income. Here's a question I'd ask each of these people: How do you feel about your upcoming day when you wake up in the morning?

• Are you dreading what you're about to do?

• Are you going to merely tolerate what you're about to do?

• Are you excited for what you're about to do?

The answer to that question tells me everything I need to know about how successful a person is. I know CEOs and small business owners who are failures, and I know teachers, baristas, servers, and blue-collar workers who are some of the most successful people I know.

When we wake up each day excited for what's about to happen - not because it's fun, but because it matters - we've already achieved a level of success that 90% of the world would die to have. That's success!

I feel so bad for people when they measure their own success (or the success of those around them) via money, stuff, and status. True success doesn't always look good, but it sure feels good. When we get to wake up and know that what we're about to do is tremendously meaningful, there's no amount of money, stuff, or status that could ever satiate us to that degree.

Outside of my children's faith, there's nothing more important to me as a father than to teach them this principle. I don't care if my kids go to college. I don't care if they make a lot of money. I don't care if they become "successful" in the eyes of the world. My biggest desire for them is that they wake up each day excited for what's about to happen. Not fun work, but meaningful work. Impactful work. Work that allows them to put their head on a pillow each night and know they gave this world all they had to offer today.

That's my definition of success. What's yours?

____

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.

Reverse Engineering Your Obituary

Several prominent people in my life have passed away in the past month. Some I knew well, and others I only knew from a distance. Regardless of my proximity to them, though, they influenced my life in some way. It was a bit surreal reading the obituaries of these folks. It's a weird text to read about people we assume will always be with us. It's a stark reminder of how the end of our lives will be here soon enough.

What will your obituary say? What do you want your obituary to say? I've thought about this topic far too much over the years. Wanna hear about a morbid (yet cool) idea? Try writing your own obituary. Seriously. Someone once asked me to perform this gory task. Write my own obituary as if I'm dead. I found this exercise to be cathartic, but productive. It forced me to really think about how I want to be remembered when I'm gone.

Reading our own obituary is like skipping to the last page of a good book. You see how the story ends, but you don't know how the character got there. And if our obituary is the last page of the story, today is the first page; everything in between is yet to be written.

Here's what struck me about this exercise. If I know what the last page of the story says and what the first page says, I get to be the author of everything in between. The only way to properly author the rest of the story is to reverse engineer the ending. If we're serious about the words we wrote in our obituary, we need to work our way backwards to ensure we get to that place between now and our last breath.

If we want to be known as a loving person, we ought to do loving things.

If we want to be known as a generous person, we ought to be generous.

If we want to be known as great parents, we ought to do things that make us great parents.

I have so much more to say about this topic, including possibly sharing my obituary. But today, I want to leave space for this idea to breathe and allow people to ponder this in their own lives. To be continued.....

____

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.

Three Years?!?!

This blog turns three years old today. Three years!?!? It's hard to believe I've posted for nearly 1,100 consecutive days. That first post was sent to a handful of people, and three years later, we have nearly 1,000 daily readers.

As I reflect on the journey, I thought it would be fun to answer some of the most common questions I receive about The Daily Meaning:

"Do you ever run out of ideas?"

• No. In fact, the longer I've done this, the more ideas I come up with. At any given point in time, I'm bouncing around 5-10 different writing ideas in my brain.

"Are there ever days you don't want to write?"

• Occasionally, which usually strike when I'm tired or stressed. Even when I don't have the mojo to write, it feels therapeutic to think through an idea and get it onto paper.

"Why do you spend so much time doing something that drives zero revenue?"

• This is one of the biggest blessings of my life, for a few reasons. First, it has opened the door to so many new and fun relationships. I cherish every interaction I have with readers, and some of those interactions have blossomed into friendships. Second, serving people and adding value to their lives is compensation in and of itself. We are called to serve others, and this is one of the ways I'm honored to serve. Third, it's a true joy to practice the art of writing.

"How long do you plan to keep writing daily?"

• As long as I'm mentally and physically able. Sincerely, it's such a blessing in my life.

"Are you ever going to write about other topics, like politics and current events?"

• People don't follow me for political commentary. That's not where my trust has been earned. As much fun as it would be to spout off on all sorts of random topics, I believe I can add the most value to people's lives by sticking to the intersection of work, money, and meaning.

"Do you think I should start my own blog?"

• Heck yeah! It will rock your world and change you from the inside out. This doesn't apply just to blogs, either. Start that podcast. Write that book. Record that song. Paint that canvas. Just create......and ship it to the world. It will add a richness unlike anything you can fathom.

"What's your end goal?"

• I want to make an impact on this world, both while I'm here and long after I'm gone. If this blog can serve as one avenue to make a difference, awesome! If even just one person is positively impacted by any given day's post, it was a win!

"Knowing what you now know, what would you do differently if you had a chance?"

• I would have started earlier. If I could wave my magic wand and get a do-over, I would have started this daily blog 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years earlier. I so badly wish I could go back and read about how 24-year-old Travis perceived the world.

"I don't have ideas like you do."

• Yes, you do, you just don't realize it yet. Life is nothing but ideas, inspiration, and content. Once you decide you're here to create, you'll find inspiration in everything.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and engage with me these past three years. I never take that for granted, and I hope to continue earning the opportunity to add value to your life in the years to come!

____

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.

Running Out of Excuses

Twenty years ago, it seemed like the entire world was a barrier to entry. Lines of communication were closed (or unknown), information was locked (or expensive), and tools were available to only those with particular access.

Today, however, the world looks different. We can pull a device out of our pocket and have immediate access to almost every person on the planet, some of the best information in the world is free, and tools are abundant.

In just the past 24 hours, here's what I was able to do at zero cost:

• Reached out to a major celebrity via IG to ask for a moment of their time.

• Watched a YouTube video about how to fix something on my car.

• Downloaded and played an audiobook for my kids at bedtime.

• Found a free Excel tool that will help me solve a fairly complex problem I'm helping a client battle.

• Received some tax insights from ChatGPT ahead of a conversation I'll be having with my accountant.

We're running out of excuses. The barriers to entry are shrinking. The cost of doing business is eroding. The gatekeepers are dying. The communication gaps are closing. "I don't know how to do that" is an excuse that carries far less water than it used to.

I'm watching creative and motivated people all around me build meaningful and sustainable businesses with little to no cost. They simply have no excuses.....and they don't want any.

I don't come from the YouTube generation, but I learned a valuable lesson from my business partner, Cole, a few years ago while we officed together. Every time he got stumped, he simply opened YouTube and searched his question. Within five seconds, he was watching a video that addressed his exact question. Equipment issue? YouTube. QuickBooks confusion? YouTube. Marketing predicament? YouTube. A lack of communication skills? YouTube. He was a kid with big dreams, and YouTube was his playground.

We're running out of excuses. Part of me hates this, as it gives me nowhere to hide. If I'm perpetually stuck on something, that's on me. Everything I need to succeed in xyz area of my life/business is at my fingertips for little to no cost. I kinda liked it better when I could just make an excuse for not doing something. Today, though, it's put up or shut up. The days of excuses are passing us by.

Despite part of me hating this, the other part of me looks at this and says to myself, "There's nothing that can stop us!" If that's true, what are we waiting for?!?! We're running out of excuses, so we might as well get creative and put our foot on the gas.

____

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.