Like a Little Kid

Like many little boys and girls, I was obsessed with space travel as a kid. I marveled at the stars, constantly curious about what was up there. I reveled in the stories of space shuttles, moon landings, and the vastness of a world apart from Earth.

Much time has passed since those days, and I'm not longer a little kid, but watching the recent Artemis II coverage has reignited that little kid inside me. I find myself again staring up at the sky, curious as ever. Every photo and video clip of the crew's current mission excites me in profound ways.

Last night, we did a family movie night: Apollo 13. My boys watched intently, stress oozing from their pores. Unlike many of us, they didn't actually know how the story ends. They engaged in the film with the same wonder, curiosity, and awe that I had when I was their age.

I couldn't help but think how absurd the mere idea of space travel is. It's as audacious an idea as a human can muster. Yet all it took was enough people crazy enough to believe it was possible......then having the courage to bring it to life.

That's how I feel about life. Are we crazy enough to dream the dreams of absurdity? Are we brave enough to take the appropriate steps to find out if it's possible? One of the main things that separates those who do and those who don't is the gearing to actually believe the absurd is possible. Then, the courage to put one foot in front of the other.

As I watch the coverage of this current space mission, I will undoubtedly continue to obsess about the idea that anything is truly possible. Are you crazy enough? Are you courageous enough? Only time will tell if I am, but staring up at that sky really makes me wonder.

Whatever adventures you're crazy enough to dream up, I hope you find it somewhere deep within your soul to bring it to life. Sure, you might crash and burn......but what if you don't?

____

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.

Under My Roof

Yesterday, I mentioned being in $236,000 of debt at one point. It was 2008, and I was 27, newly engaged. I had my entire life planned out, all the way down to how many children I would have.....and when. Yeah, talk about being young and naive! Everything was going swimmingly until I walked into work one day and was met by a stranger, a stranger who pulled me into a conference room where I found all of my co-workers. Over the next 30 minutes, we were informed that the company was being shut down and that everyone would soon be fired.

That day was the turning point of my life. That was the day I realized that my way of perceiving and handling money was going to painfully catch up with me, and I would soon lose autonomy over my own life decisions. I had $236,000 of debt that wanted to be paid, and the prospect of no income (worst job market of our generation) was a scary proposition for a young man just a few years into his young career.

Self-pity and victimhood were running at full speed in my mind! I had every excuse in the book why I was done dirty, and I was going to suffer the consequences of other people's decisions. That's when I had a wake-up call....a very harsh and humbling wake-up call.

Somewhere in there, I realized that the causes and solutions to all of my problems lived under my roof. I was the common denominator for my crappy situation, and whether I liked it or not, I was responsible for navigating my life to a better situation. Until that moment, I thought my fortune and failures rested in the hands of outside forces. In other words, personal responsibility played less of a role than luck. That wake-up call changed everything for me.

If my past decisions led me to a place where I had limited life options, then perhaps my current and future decisions could get me to a place with more life options. My new fiancé and I set a new plan for our lives, and that plan involved never repeating that debacle again. We committed to ourselves that we would forevermore perceive money differently and would never again allow finances to dictate our lives.

It took 4.5 years to work our way through the debt mess, but life was so beautiful on the other side. Turns out, my wake-up call was right. The cause of and solution to most of my life's problems lives under my roof.....and it stares at me in the mirror.

The same goes for you. The cause of and solution to your life's problems probably lives under your roof. That's never a fun thing to admit, but once we do, it has the power to change everything. We must own our past decisions and equally own the responsibility for working ourselves toward a new reality. Discipline, humility, and persistence are key. It's not always fun, but there's something so powerful knowing it lives under your roof.

____

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.

Embracing Seasons

This weekend kicked off a new season for my family. On Saturday, the boys had their last practice before their lacrosse games begin. Then, on Sunday morning, they had their first flag football game of the year. Lastly, on Sunday afternoon, they had their first public performance with their new classic punk band at a local watering hole.

It's busier than we prefer, but we're going to embrace the season for what it is. Challenges will most certainly come, but so too will the blessings. I think a lot about life in terms of seasons. Seasons come and go, each presenting its own set of challenges and blessings.

From age 23 through 28, I eagerly engaged in a season of building my career. It was brutally challenging, but oh so fulfilling. I started as a naive kid, and ended up a little less naive and a little less kid.

From age 28 to 32 was the season of paying off our debt. Sarah and I had $236,000 of debt that dictated several of our life decisions, and we were committed to never letting that happen again. It was probably one of the most challenging seasons of our lives, but looking back, one of the most fulfilling (and impactful).

The age 32-38 season was when my career took off in a big way, while we simultaneously worked through the adoption process to begin our family. This is the season where we experienced the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. I spent much time in Asia and the Middle East, so many doors were unlocked for us, we found our people, we lost a son, we were blessed with twin baby boys, and we lost twin baby girls. So much beauty, so much pain.

The age 38-43 season was the most financially challenging season, with our family taking a 90% pay cut for me to start my career over and rebuild a new life.

In the midst of that, the age 41-45 season included the birth and ramp-up of Northern Vessel, which has unexpectedly become one of the greatest joys and blessings of my life. I never saw that coming, but I'm grateful for every bit of it.

As I reflect on each of those seasons, I can't help but think about how much pain, suffering, and turmoil each brought me. At the same time, however, when I embraced each for what it was, while also understanding it would eventually evolve into a different season, I was able to embrace it. I didn't always get it right, but the name of the game always felt like "seize the moment."

Whatever season you're in, whether awesome or painful, always remember three things:

• This season will eventually pass.

• You have the ability to seize it for whatever it is.

• Regardless of the pain, good WILL come from it. You might not see it now, but one day, it will be obvious how much good came from it.

Embrace the season.....every season. It's one of those things that makes life so difficult, but also so beautiful.

____

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.

Different, But Valuable

During a recent conversation with a friend, I was asked about the podcast, blog, speaking, coffee shop, and other consulting work I do. In short, this friend was applauding my contribution to the world, but then immediately began lamenting that they don't have anything worthwhile to offer. What?!?!

This friend is absolutely brilliant, and ultimately, I'd argue, has the potential to make a much bigger impact on the world than I. To me, this person is a legend!!! I wish I had even a fraction of this person's composure and intellect. Therefore, you can only imagine how confused I was when this individual lamented that they wished they had something to offer the world as I do.

This is the poisonous consequence of comparison. It's so easy to compare ourselves to other people, putting their skills and talents on a pedestal, while simultaneously demeaning our own. My friend does it, I do it, and you probably do it, too.

Every single one of us has something valuable to offer the world. It might be different than mine or other people in your life, but just as valuable! If I can convince people of one thing, it's this. Every single person has something valuable to offer, and if that's true, we have an opportunity and responsibility to share it.

For years, I sat around unfairly comparing myself to other people who were making a difference. If I only had his humor! If I only had his education! If I only had his good looks. If I only had his height. If I only had his wealth. If I only had his connections. If I only had his stage presence. In the midst of my wallowing and self-pity, I sat on the sidelines, not sharing my gifts with the world. What a shame!!!!

Therefore, I'm the biggest advocate for people to share their gifts with the world. Yeah, you might suck at first. You might be terrible. But doing something poorly is the admission price to eventually doing it well. We all start somewhere, but where we start isn't where we finish......that's why it's called the start.

Some of you need to hear this today. Some of you have been sitting on your gifts for years, even decades. Perhaps today is the day to get over yourself, quit comparing your gifts to other people's, and start sharing your gifts with the world. I don't know what that looks like, but I bet you 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.

Manhood

I stumbled upon something mind-boggling last night. According to a recent survey, 86% of men say that being a financial provider defines manhood. Just as scary, 77% of women agree. Nearly 9 out of 10 men, and nearly 8 out of 10 women, define manhood by a man's ability to financially provide.

While I 100% agree that one of a man's key roles should be to financially provide, it's most certainly not THE defining factor. Rather, it's A factor. The fact that we use dollar signs to place identity on men isn't news to me, but it's always disheartening.

This cultural pressure and false identity have swept men into a twisted reality where they must pursue more income at all costs. And by all costs, I mean at the expense of their role as husband, father, friend, and community member. We've told men that the only thing that matters is how much money they can bring into the household and the standard of living it can create.

Consequences of such toxic perspectives include rapidly declining mental health, broken marriages, absent parenting, miserable work, poor decisions, and severe health conditions. I'm not sure if you see this, but at scale, men are suffering in silence. They are hurting, but staying quiet. There's a quiet brokennes erupting all around us. I've been watching this unfold for years, and it's escalating.

So, what's the alternative? Completely disregard money and excuse men from their responsibility to financially provide? No way! Yes, let's financially provide for ourselves and our families. At the same time, we need to step up and be the best husband, father, friend, and community member we can be. Those things are tremendously valuable, and shouldn't be overlooked or disregarded.

I think about my friend I wrote about yesterday, who provides for his family in so many ways. His value is not measured in dollars. Yes, he provides financially, but he does so much more (as does his amazing wife). That's what makes them a special couple. It's not about a singular trait or role. They don't pigeonhole themselves into these made-up values or superficial measuring sticks.

Whether man or woman, your value doesn't come from dollar signs. It doesn't come from the house you live in, the car you drive, the school you send your kids to, the destinations of your vacations, the clothes you wear, or the professional titles you carry. You're valuable because you're a child of God....period. You're valuable....period. The rest is just noise.

____

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.

Failure Is Our Friend

I'll start with the obvious: I'm beyond excited that my Iowa State Cyclones advanced to the Sweet 16 yesterday. I'm looking forward to Friday's game against Tennessee!

Since last Wednesday, 52 teams have experienced the pain, suffering, and embarrassment, on a national stage, nonetheless, of having their seasons come to a sudden end. All of their hopes, dreams, and aspirations came crashing down in a matter of minutes. Many of these players played in their very last collegiate game.....or last game, period. So much heartbreak.

At the same time, it's exactly what they signed up for. Achieving our dreams ALWAYS involves the risk of failure. There's nothing worth doing that doesn't require us to experience the pain, suffering, and embarrassment of failure. Ultimately, I think that's what makes March Madness so beautiful.

That goes for sport, but it's also what makes life so beautiful. Each day, when we get out of bed and step into the world, we should be pursuing something that involves the risk of failure. Two cars crashed through our storefront

Despite Northern Vessel appearing from the outside as a stunning success story, we've experienced so many failures since opening the shop more than three years ago:

• Two cars crashed through our storefront in a nine-month span.

• Our original bottle subscription program never lived up to our expectations and was eventually axed.

• The mobile app we spent so much time and money developing was discontinued.

• We failed on multiple in-store product offerings.

• Our canning operation was a complete failure, resulting in huge financial losses.

• There were stretches when our finances weren't as locked in (low margins, higher-than-expected overhead, extraordinary expenditures).

These things weren't just minor inconveniences. There was a stretch in early 2024 when there was a legitimate possibility we wouldn't make it as a company. Some of it was our fault, some was circumstantial, all of it was embarrassing! Ultimately, though, we needed to use our failures to make ourselves better. We never would have gotten to where we are today had we not been exposed to those failures. Learn, iterate, grow.

Failure is part of success. Without failure, there is no success. Without failure, there is no iteration. Without failure, there is no growth. Without failure, there is no better. While I'd prefer not to re-live or repeat those failures, in hindsight, they made us who we are today. I'll always appreciate it for that.

Please don't be scared of failure. Pursue it. Tease it. Live each day with the very real possibility that failure might stare you in the face. That's where the beauty unfolds.

____

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 Different Kind of Success

A theme has taken shape in my coaching over the last few weeks. Several families have recently endured a ton of "life." Yeah, let's call it "life." Job losses, medical emergencies, HVAC breakdowns, car problems, unexpected vet bills.....the list goes on. We're talking about thousands or tens of thousands of dollars worth of "life."

Needless to say, these couples are discouraged. They had so many goals. Debt payoff goals. Savings goals. Investing goals. Purchase goals. Giving goals. Whatever their goals were, using that money to absorb emergency after emergency wasn't on their wish list.

Despite all that, I view each of these couples as financially successful. Not successful in their established goals, but a different kind of success. In the past, each of these couples would have immediately resorted to debt to pay for these emergencies. The credit cards come out to play. The HELOC takes on a chunk. A new car loan would be in order. Not this time! Today, each of these couples can (and should!) hold their heads high and recognize the fact that they've experienced the brutal realities of life without incurring debt. That's a massive win in my book!!!

I pray each of these families gets back to some form of normal soon, but in the meantime, I will celebrate this massive success of taking multiple punches without punishing their future selves with the burden of debt.

Maybe you're in a season of achieving all the goals you set for yourself. But if not, and like these families, you're experiencing all the bluntness life has to offer, I hope you can create and celebrate a different kind of success. All wins are worth celebrating, even when winning means surviving the onslaught.

____

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.

Focus, In Practice

Crush one thing, then move on to the next. That was the subject of yesterday's post. Focus is a weird thing, and often difficult for us humans to execute. After all, there are many things vying for our time, attention, energy, and resources. However, whether we like it or not, there's simply not enough time, attention, energy, or resources to attack everything.

Today, I want to share some real-life examples of how this concept works through the lens of personal finance. The most common and notable version of this concept I see people shortchanging themselves is debt. Specifically, the payoff of debt. When we try to pay all our debts off at once, we'll likely pay none of them off.

Here's an example of what this looks like, using some nice round numbers for simplicity's sake. A family has ten $1,000 debts, totaling $10,000. This couple determines that it can afford to pay $1,000/month extra toward the debt (above the minimum payments).

Conventional wisdom says that if they pay $100/month toward each debt, they can have their debt paid off after 10 months! That's exciting!!! Here's what that looks like in practice, though:

• After 1 month: 0 debts paid off

• After 2 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 3 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 4 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 5 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 6 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 7 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 8 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 9 months: 0 debts paid off

• After 10 months (if everything went perfectly): 10 debts paid off

The gap between month zero and month 10 feels massive. Grinding month after month after month without feeling a tangible win is terrible. Inevitably, life happens, expenses pop up, or they get sidetracked. Failure is likely. Not because they didn't have it in them, but because they lacked focus. Discouragement sets in. A sense of defeat saturates them. Quitting is on the table.

Let's try this again, but with focus as the primary objective. Instead of paying $100/month toward 10 different debts, they decide to focus all $1,000/month on one debt each month. Here's what that strategy looks like:

• After 1 month: 1 debt paid off

• After 2 months: 2 debts paid off

• After 3 months: 3 debts paid off

• After 4 months: 4 debts paid off

• After 5 months: 5 debts paid off

• After 6 months: 6 debts paid off

• After 7 months: 7 debts paid off

• After 8 months: 8 debts paid off

• After 9 months: 9 debts paid off

• After 10 months: 10 debts paid off

Will life still get in the way? Probably. However, look at those wins! Almost immediately, this family would experience and benefit from wins. From a psychological perspective, wins matter. Getting a win provides much-needed encouragement, confidence, and motivation to not only keep going, but even step on the gas harder.

This one small shift in perspective can be the difference between complete failure and world domination. Same dollars, same timeline, same commitment. Different focus, different results.

____

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.

Crush One Before Another

Our Northern Vessel ownership team recently decided that I need to take on a larger role within the company. I was already active behind the scenes and had a part-time, finance and operations role for the last 15 months. However, as the business grows and evolves, we need more of many things. After much convincing from TJ (our founder), I agreed to step in deeper.

Younger me would have thought the best course of action was the full implementation of all the great ideas on day one. Full bore, 100% force on everything from the get-go. However, after much experience (and the harshest of hard lessons), I've wisely learned that's a terrible approach. Instead, my best advice to the team (and to TJ) is to ease our way into the first initiative.

In our particular situation, given the sheer number of people we serve each day, inventory management is critical. However, we purchase hundreds of different items for our shop. Old me would have attempted to gain control of each of these products at the same time.....ouch. What's about the transpire is a staging. First, the big rocks of our business: coffee beans, milk, and serving containers (cups/cans/bottles). These three items are critical to our operation, and failure to manage these well will result in product outages, waste, warehouse storage shortages, or destructive margins, all of which are harmful to the business.

Dozens of initiatives need to be completed, yet we're focusing 100% of our attention on getting better control of coffee, milk, and containers. That's it. If done well, just that will have a transformative impact on the business. Once we gain traction, we'll take the newly learned best practices and incorporate our other inventory items. Then, once that's knocked out, we'll move on to another important initiative.

No, the entire point of this piece isn't to wax about coffee inputs. We need to focus! I often meet with clients who think the best idea is to implement every idea from the start. Many of my coaching concepts are counter-cultural in and of themselves, so trying to completely shift how we're viewing and handling finances in every single way, all at once, is a wildly terrible idea.

This month, we'll incorporate this. If successful, we'll add something next month. If all continues smoothly, we'll add the next piece. Before long, ten new ideas have been successfully implemented. On the flip side, if we try to implement all ten of these ideas right away, we might strike out completely.

Make one change today. Just one. Commit to it. Give yourself grace, but keep at it. AFTER you've locked it in, add another. Repeat. This applies to personal finances, for sure, but also to so many other areas of our 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.

The Tale of Two Neighbors

I'm good friends with two people, but I don't think either of them knows I'm friends with the other. These two individuals are both business owners, and as luck would have it, their retail locations are adjacent to one another. They share a wall!

During one of our recent conversations, one of these friends was expressing excitement about how amazing business has been lately. The business is hitting record numbers and has new customers coming out of their ears. 2025 was the most profitable year ever, and by the looks of the first two months of 2026, this year will crush those records. Every conversation revolves around their team culture and its customer experience.

During a recent conversation with the other friend, the theme of the conversation revolved around the idea that nobody supports small businesses anymore. Everyone just wants to eat at chain restaurants, shop at big-box stores, and order their goods from Amazon. In other words, people suck, and the stupid actions of these sucky people are driving all small businesses into the ground. Closure seems imminent, which I suppose is the natural outcome when people stop "supporting local." It's always a pity party, and this person (and their business) is always the victim of the situation.

You'd think these businesses are located on different planets, but remember, they share a wall! Same street, same foot traffic, same weather patterns, same landlord, same everything. One thing sets them apart, though. The first business is laser-focused on being excellent, offering a fantastic product, practicing unreasonable hospitality, and serving those whom they have the privilege of serving. They have a posture of gratitude and constantly have their foot on the gas.

The second business operates with a sense of entitlement, constantly asking people to come support them. They don't operate with excellence, and the staff treats people poorly. They don't have a keen sense of the numbers and are always looking for a novelty idea to get people in the door. Further, they are known to spout off about political topics.....which is likely driving away 50% of their prospective customers.

It's never really about "supporting" small business or not. People naturally gravitate toward excellence.....period. People are largely agnostic about big vs. small, national vs. local. If anything, I'd say people naturally bend toward small and local, but said small and local businesses must earn it through excellence.

Whatever you're doing today, whether you run a business or not, focus on excellence. Excellence always wins....always. Yes, there are many forces and factors at play. There's no doubt that externalities play a role in our lives, finances, careers, and businesses. However, at the same time, we must control what we can control. And today, we can control our pursuit of excellence.

____

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.

Don’t Forget to Look Down

I was recently working on a project for a client when one of the senior executives blurted out, "I can't believe you know how to do that. That's insane!"

"Well, I didn't know how to do this a year ago."

He laughed. I wasn't kidding. The truth is, some of the things I'm working on today are miles above what I could accomplish just one year ago. Think about that! At 44, much of my work involves skills that 43-year-old me had zero chance of executing......never mind 33-year-old me!

It's moments like this that remind me how important it is we look down. We're often so busy climbing this proverbial mountain of growth that we lose sight of just how far we've come. Sometimes, we need to take a little peek down the mountain to jar ourselves back to reality of just how far we've actually come.

In a world that consistently tells us we're not good enough and encourages us to unfairly compare ourselves to others, perhaps we need to start (fairly) comparing ourselves to where we've come from. I don't want to be the next xyz. I want to be the best me I can be. Therefore, instead of comparing myself to someone else, I need to compare myself to where I've come from.

Am I more skilled at x than I used to be?

Am I wiser than I used to be?

Am I a better decision-maker than I used to be?

Is my emotional intelligence better than it used to be?

Are my blog posts and podcast episodes sharper than when I first began?

Am I more effective in my coaching than I was in the past?

Are my speaking skills better honed than in my earlier talks?

These should be the measuring sticks I use to assess myself, not some celebrity version of what I do on social media. As for you, you need to create your own measuring sticks. You need to look down that proverbial mountain and see just how dang far you've come. Go ahead, take a peek. Be honest with yourself. How far have you come in the past year? 5 years? What about 10 years!?!?

Great, now just imagine how cool and awesome it's going to be 10 years from now! That version of you is really going to move the needle. Keep moving forward.

____

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.

Playing How We Practice

I once had a basketball coach say something that forever stuck with me. It happened on the heels of a horrible practice; a practice which we were goofing off, playing at half speed, and not focusing on the nuances of the sets. He came into the locker room and screamed, "We play how we practice, and if today's practice was any indication, we're about to get our a**'s kicked tomorrow night."

Ouch! Turns out, he was right. We got steamrolled by a conference rival the following day. That principle, though, has always stuck with me. The intensity at which we practice has a direct correlation with how we'll show up in the games. Michael Jordan was famous for this. He specifically engineered the Chicago Bulls' practices to be so brutal and intense that their games felt easy. Did it work? Well, they have six championship rings, suggesting it did.

This principle carries over into my financial coaching world. When I'm working with couples, I watch closely how they handle the little things. For example, one of my clients received a $2,000 tax refund. It's not a huge amount of money, but it's something with heft to it. It matters. Despite being deeply in debt and desirous to gain firmer footing, they elected to blow this cash on pure wants. This was the proverbial practice, and they sluffed off. They had an opportunity to show discipline and wisdom with a smaller sum of money.....and blew it. This informed me that they would soon make even worse decisions with larger sums of money (the proverbial game). Fast forward through the next year, and that's exactly what happened. Their behavior in practice carried over directly to their performance during the games.

I see the opposite happen, too. When I watch a couple make wise choices with the smaller things, it gives me confidence that they will make similarly wise choices with the bigger moments. Like clockwork, it happens just like that. They play how they practice, and in their personal situation, it looks like Michael Jordan out there.

The same applies to you and me. We play how we practice. Let's be wise with the smaller moments, as those same behaviors and practices will soon transcend into the bigger moments. If we treat every practice like a game, we’ll be wearing those championship rings soon enough!

____

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 Little Accountability Goes a Long Way

One of my clients was having a heck of a time. Over and over and over again, it seemed like circumstances were stackedagainst them. A misfortune here, some bad luck there. As they described it, this was a recurring theme for the entirety oftheir adult lives. Simply put, they were the victims of bad luck and unfortunate circumstances.

However, there seemed to be a continuous theme for each of these seasons of life: them. At some point, as circumstances continue to repeat themselves, we need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves if perhaps we're part of the problem. In this couple's situation, it was obvious to me (but not to them) that perhaps their decisions (or lack thereof) were fueling the madness.

At the heart and soul of the issues, there wasn't much accountability around their finances. Everything felt reactive and chaotic, shooting from the hip. You don't need to be a subject-matter expert to know that's a terrible way to approach money.

The solution? Create accountability from the rubble of chaos. To their credit, they were willing to entertain my ideas for a while. Here's how we intentionally created accountability in an arena where it had not previously existed:

• At the end of each month, they would write down the balances of all their financial accounts and debts. How much did they have, and how much did they owe? Every single month.

• Every single month, they negotiated a budget and endeavored to follow it. Not a sucky budget where they weren't allowed to spend on things they cared about, but a budget that specifically gave them margin to do what they felt was important to them.

• They got rid of the credit cards and streamlined everything to only their joint checking account. Every dollar came into that account, and every dollar left from that account. No side quests.

• Speaking of every dollar, every single dollar of income, regardless of the source, was included in the plan. Thisincluded gifts, bonuses, tax refunds, etc.

• Each month, they reviewed how they did. They were forced to inspect their mistakes and recognize their wins. They had to actually see the consequences of their decisions, for better or worse.

This actually happened seven years ago. That couple who had spent decades dealing with bad luck and misfortune has since transformed themselves into a family that seems to have a lot more good luck and positive fortune. They no longer have debt. They know exactly what's happening with the finances. They are pursuing their aspirations.....and making progress! They don't fight about money anymore. They are living such an amazing life!

This isn't a story about my coaching. This is a story about the power of taking accountability and deciding enough is enough. It's a story about redemption, second chances, and the power of discipline. It's a story about two grown adults who shed generations of financial and behavioral baggage. A little accountability goes a long 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.

More Doesn’t Mean Growth

I recently found myself in a conversation with a coffee shop owner. He knew I was a business consultant, so he wanted to ask me a few questions and get some feedback on the inner workings of his business. However, what he didn't know during the first half of this conversation is that I also own a coffee company. The relevance of this detail will become apparent shortly.

In short, this business owner is trying to grow revenue, which, in turn, should increase profit. His solution? More product offerings. Specifically, more food options and more specialty drink options. In his mind, more options = more sales. Here's the lay of the land. After adding new drinks, they now have 26 specialty drink options. Not only that, but these 26 specialty drinks come in three different sizes......and each can be served hot or cold. If you do the math, that means their specialty drink menu has 156 different variations! This doesn't even include their non-specialty drinks.

Since he asked my opinion, I shared it. Growth doesn't happen from doing more, but by pursuing excellence. Doing more, but not being excellent, is a great way to drive yourself crazy while standing still. Excellence, on the other hand, is a great way to scale. Or, contextual to his world, excellent drink quality, excellent culture, excellent processes, excellent consistency, excellent workflow, and excellent hospitality.

This man couldn't have disagreed more with my principle, adding that while my ideas might work in other industries, it doesn't apply to coffee. That's when I shared about my coffee company, Northern Vessel. I explained that we carry six specialty drinks. All come in just one size, and three of them are served hot or cold. Therefore, in total, we have just 9 specialty drink variations (compared to his 156). On top of that, we only serve one food item: donuts from a local donut shop.

"Well, that idea sounds good in theory, but how do you plan to scale that? We're serving 150-200 cups per day and think we can grow it to 300. Offering only six specialties and not giving people size options won't cut it. How many cups are you at?"

"500-700 per day."

"..........."

The truth is, I used to believe the same myths as this man. When we launched our brick-and-mortar shop just over three years ago, we had several more drink options and many different food options. As we increased our focus on excellence, we grew. As we simplified our offerings, we grew. As we thought less about growth and more about getting better, we ironically grew. Excellence always wins.

I know all this coffee talk probably isn't relevant to your life. HOWEVER, this is a universal principle. Excellence is the best way to grow, always. Even when every ounce of our being says that more options and more offerings are the answer, it's not. Everything comes back to excellence....period.

I'm not saying Northern Vessel is excellent or I'm excellent. Rather, Northern Vessel is trying to be more excellent today than it was yesterday....and the same goes for myself. I don't know where we land on the overall excellence spectrum, but hopefully it's a perpetual up-and-to-the-right trajectory. No matter the industry or discipline, it's a winning formula.

____

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.

“Why Not Us?”

A 30-something couple was sitting across from me. They looked like a perfect mix of tired, stressed, and demoralized. While several parts of their life were going well, secretly, their finances were a mess. From the outside, everything looked somewhere between average and good. However, the truth is they were drowning from the weight of debt and other past financial decisions.

Despite all that, they seemed hopeful. Several of their friends had worked with me in the past, and, due to whatever stories they had been told, they felt a glimmer of encouragement. I walked them through the concepts and explained what it would take to get on the other side of this stressful mess. After about five minutes of me explaining a difficult yet simple plan, the wife looked at the husband and confidently exclaimed, "Well, why not us!?!?"

"Why not us?" Having a healthy (and positive!) relationship with money isn't reserved for the few people over there. It's open to all, and the only prerequisite is that we handle ourselves with discipline, determination, and focus. "Why not us?!?!" Gaining traction and building positive momentum is no small feat, and it requires much more than a little good fortune and a few good decisions. It takes intentionality, discipline, and the compounding effect of thousands of small decisions.

This couple is going to crush it. Do you want to know why I know that? Because they believe it. Sometimes, that's the spark that ignites the whole thing. On the flip side, the most surefire way to know someone won't win is because they don't believe they will win. It sounds silly, but it's true.

I've walked alongside countless families on this financial journey. Some have won.....some haven't. The common thread, more often than not, is if the couple (or person) sincerely believes winning is possible.

"Why not us?!?!" I think this should be our new rallying cry. In our work, in our families, in our money, in our hobbies, in our passions, and in our relationships.

____

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.

Two Scared Little Boys

What comes to mind when you hear the word "Trees"?

For me, this word brings a rush of emotion. Funny, I know. Trees is the title of an iconic Twenty One Pilots song. For the past 15 years, nearly every live show has ended with this song. It's one of the most iconic endings to one of the most iconic live shows performed by (what I believe) is one of the most iconic bands in the world.

It's not just the song itself that makes it iconic, but how it's performed. There's a moment, right at the very end of the song, where both band members (Tyler and Josh) navigate into the crowd and perform dual drums. Then, right as the end nears, confetti rains from the sky. It's a euphoric ending to a breathtaking show.

Check out this image:

This is a photo from a live show approximately 15 years ago, in what appears to be someone's living room. You can see the dual drums of the Trees performance. I'd like to imagine that the dozen people in that room were as mesmerized then as I am now.

Now, check out this next image.

Same song. Same moment. Same dual drums. This time, though, they are in the midst of 65,000 loyal fans in a sold-out Mexico City stadium.

The juxtaposition of these two images gives me chills. 15 years, same song, same moment, same dual drums. It's the same, but at the same time, it might as well be on a different planet.

A movie is coming to theaters next weekend about this Mexico City show. Our family is eagerly awaiting its release, and we have an entire night planned around it. Yesterday, I stumbled upon a short video clip of the two band members explaining the movie. Josh was explaining everything you can expect to see. Then, suddenly, Tyler interrupts: "Let's be honest, the movie is about two scared little boys."

"Two scared little boys." That's a pretty wild thing to say for being one of the most successful bands of all time. They've performed thousands of shows worldwide, released eight albums, produced more than 50 music videos, and earned the trust of millions of fans. Yet, as they describe the show featured in the movie, they use the phrase "two scared little boys."

The fear doesn't go away. Fear shouldn't be the barometer by which we gauge our "yes" and "no" decisions. Rather, the presence of fear is a telltale sign that we're growing and making an impact.

The world says to pursue comfort, but I believe we should aggressively pursue discomfort. Not only discomfort, but pushing it far enough that we allow fear to be the sidekick I mentioned the last few days (HERE and HERE). I'll go out on a limb and say that Twenty One Pilots probably wouldn't have progressed much further than a house show with a dozen people if they let fear be the boundary of their decisions. Instead, they leaned into the fear, for 15 years and counting, to the point they are "two scared little boys" ripping out an iconic show in front of 65,000 fans whose lives have been impacted by their courage.

That's a story worth living, and we each have the opportunity to live our own version of it today.

Oh yeah, one last thing. If you want to see what all this Trees talk is about, below is an excellent version of the song performed at a live show. It’s one of my favorite music videos of all time.

____

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 Best Version of Ourselves

Yesterday's talk was a ton of fun! I thoroughly enjoyed my time with that organization, and I pray I made an impact on some of the people in attendance. During the post-talk Q&A, a woman asked me a profoundly deep question. "You mentioned in your talk that you fear regret. What else are you scared of? What keeps you up at night?"

That question surprised me, but I loved it! I told her (and the group) that one of my other fears, and something that occasionally keeps me up at night, is the fear of not being good enough. The fear of letting people down. The fear of not making the impact I'm called to make. It sounds an awful lot like yesterday's post. The deep anxiety I feel before public speaking can be directly tied back to my desire to do a great job. It's never that I lack confidence or feel unprepared, but a nervousness about whether I'll maximize my opportunity to make an impact.

Since yesterday's talk was virtual, I jumped into the group call about 10 minutes ahead of my scheduled slot. The group was finishing up another session. I didn't arrive soon enough to get the full context (nor could I share it here even if I had), but one gentleman said something profoundly important: "We need to be the best version of ourselves."

It's so dang easy (and unfair) to compare ourselves to the people ahead of us. I could easily (and unfairly) compare myself to the greatest entrepreneurs of our generation. I could easily (and unfairly) compare Northern Vessel to the top 10 coffee shops in the world. I could easily (and unfairly) compare my income with xyz ultra-wealthy friends. Those are easy comparisons to make, but to what end?

Notice how we rarely compare ourselves to people at or below our level, with less experience, or in a context that's relevant to our journey? Instead, we pick the highest possible comparison point......then feel like crap. It's the equivalent of a high school girl comparing herself to whichever TikTok influencer is hot right now. It's easy to do.....and oh so unfair.

Instead, the mission is clear. We simply need to be the best version of ourselves. Or, as we say at Northern Vessel, one percent better every day. I used to want to be this author or that podcaster, but as time has passed, I realized I just want to be the best version of me possible.

I'll take this entire idea one step further, and I'll die on this hill. We'll all be far more successful endeavoring to be the best version of ourselves than we'll ever be by trying to become someone else. The world doesn't need another that person. Instead, it needs the best version of you, the best version of me, and the best version of everyone else. I feel encouraged by that today, and I hope you do, 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.

Fear as a Sidekick

I'll be speaking at a company later this morning. Right on cue, the fear is creeping in. I knew it was coming, as it always comes right about now. And by "fear," I mean something that resembles absolute terror. Many people don't know this, but my professional speaking career began with my desire to overcome my overly dramatic fear of public speaking. While I still get nerves leading up to my speaking events, at least it no longer involves profuse vomiting into whatever trash can is nearby.

I don't know about you, but I live in some level of fear most weeks. Fear of failure. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of letting the other person down. Fear of not living up to my potential. The fear of not making the impact I'm called to make.

To be honest, I don't think there's anything weird or bad about this. In fact, I'll take it one more step. I think fear is a common ingredient for impact. If we look around and see all the progress, innovation, and productivity around us, most of it was created in the shadow of fear. Creation is scary. Impact is scary. Progress is scary. Thus, fear is often an organic sidekick when we go about our business.

I hope you're scared this week. I hope you endeavor to do something that scares the living daylights out of you. I hope you pursue fear in a way that will make a deep and meaningful impact on someone. Maybe it's a bit pitch at work. Maybe it's an important prospect meeting. Maybe it's a one-on-one with one of your direct reports (or your boss). Maybe it's a big test at school. Maybe it's a job interview. Maybe it's the next step in something you're trying to build. Whatever it is, lean into the fear headfirst and know it's not only normal, but natural. It means you care. It means you're pushing yourself. It means you're trying to make an impact in this world. Embrace the fear…it means you’re on the right track.

____

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.

10 Months For the Rest of Your Life

Imagine this. You're 27 and newly married. Up until now, your entire adult life has been somewhat shadowed by the consumer debt hanging above you: student loans and vehicles. It hasn't felt crippling, but it's an ever-present elephant in the room. Things are going fairly well, but there's a constant suspicion that this whole life thing would be much simpler (and better!) without the debt hovering and constantly absorbing a chunk of your monthly cashflow.

One more detail. With focus and intentionality, this debt could be 100% paid off by the end of this year. In a matter of months, you could forever free yourself from the financial burden you've spent your entire adult life living with. Paying off this debt will be simple, but difficult. It will take discipline, persistence, and sacrifice, but it's very doable.

One of my clients is living in this exact reality. Here's how I recently framed this opportunity to them: "It's 10 months for the rest of your life!"

10 months from now, at the ripe old age of 28, they could put themselves in a position to never again have to deal with the debt. Student loans and car debt gone.....forever! It's a line in the sand moment that will forever be cemented in their story.

Should they do it? Would you do it if you were in their shoes? Speaking as someone who has been in their shoes, and walked alongside dozens of families in similar shoes, I can wholeheartedly testify that it's worth it in every single way. I'm 14 years past the moment Sarah and I paid off ours, and life has never been the same since. It literally changed everything for us.

I think they are going to do it—10 months for the rest of their lives. It won't be easy, but it will be something they will never forget. If you're in a similar situation, I'd give you the same exuberant encouragement I gave them. Run the race, enjoy the fruits: margin, peace, confidence, discipline, and freedom. It's a priceless reward for a job well done.

____

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.

Money Can’t Buy Happiness, But….

There are two groups of people in the world. The first, which is the vast majority, believes that money 100% buys happiness. The second, a small minority, believes money cannot, in any shape or form, buy happiness. What's the truth? Both are right and both are wrong, kinda.

Over and over again, the studies have shown that money largely cannot make us happy. HOWEVER, there's one caveat to this that needs attention. Money can't make us happy after our basic needs are met (plus a little bit more for wants). Before our needs are met, though, is a different story.

Think of it this way. It's the 20th of the month. Rent is due in 10 days. You have $500 in your bank account, but you somehow need at least $1,500 in there by the first. It doesn't take Captain Obvious to know that another $1,000-$2,000 of income is going to make you significantly happier. Perhaps "happy" is the wrong word here. The weight of not having our basic needs met is tremendous. It's like putting a heavy weight on your chest. It hurts, but the cumulative effect of it sitting there, compressing down on your chest, making it harder and harder to breathe, is what makes it feel even scarier. That's what life can feel like in the absence of having our basic needs met. Some call it the four walls: housing, food, transportation, and clothing.

If you regularly read this blog, in some form of life stage where your needs aren’t being met, and you scoff when you hear me say that money can't buy happiness, know that I'm thinking about you, too. Sure, once our basic needs are met, money isn't going to make you all that much happier. I'll die on that hill. However, whatever financial upside you need to get your basic needs met will absolutely increase your quality of life, reduce mind-boggling stress, and improve your well-being. There's no doubt about that!

If this resonates with you, know you're not alone! One step at a time. Find ways to increase your income. Find ways to reduce housing and transportation costs. Ask for help, and leverage that help to get a better footing. Get intentional. Know this is a season; a hard season, but a season, nonetheless.

Wherever you're at on this financial journey, just know it's not the final chapter. It's just the latest chapter, and the best is yet to come. Embrace the journey and continue to point your eyes (and your decisions) to a better tomorrow. 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.