The Daily Meaning

Take your mornings to the next level with a daily dose of perspective and encouragement to start your day off right. Sign-up for a free, short-form blog delivered to your inbox each morning, 7 days per week. Some days we talk about money, but usually not. We believe you’ll take away something valuable to help you on your journey. Sign up to join the hundreds of people who read Travis’s blog each morning.

“Your daily blog posts have become a great part of my morning routine, waking up and reading your posts challenge me to reflect on something that matters in my life or view something from a different perspective.”
"Love starting my morning with a daily dose of positivity or perspective!"

Daily Meaning Reader

Travis Shelton 12/16/22 Travis Shelton 12/16/22

Generosity is Caught, Not Taught

One of our six-year-olds, Finn, has a selfish streak in him. While Pax is always quick to share and give, Finn likes when things are about Finn. He’s less likely to share, more likely to take, and prefers when people bend their will to his desires. I’m sure many parents can relate to this story.

Travis Shelton 12/15/22 Travis Shelton 12/15/22

Permission to Push Pause

I love it when people gain traction in their finances. They know what they are trying to accomplish, they get intentional, they make sacrifices, and they execute. It’s a beautiful thing. There’s a sense of satisfaction, confidence, and accomplishment that comes from such an experience.

But then, life happens!

Travis Shelton 12/14/22 Travis Shelton 12/14/22

The Parable of the Cyclone Tickets

Generosity needs to be a two-way street. We can’t be truly generous if we refuse to be humble and grateful receivers. When we learn to accept generosity from others, it unlocks something special in our faith journey and our relationships with others.

Travis Shelton 12/13/22 Travis Shelton 12/13/22

A Weird New World

Here’s one thing I do know. We can’t wish it away. We can’t sit back and say we don’t want it to exist. It’s here…..and it’s probably not going away. Will we wake up one day in a world that looks like Terminator 2? Perhaps. But in the meantime, we’re living in a world where everyone has access to these tools with limited or no cost.

Travis Shelton 12/12/22 Travis Shelton 12/12/22

Today's Work Matters

Happy Monday! If you’re reading this, there’s a strong chance you’re working today. If so, thank you. Your work matters. Whatever you do, someone’s life will be better as a result of your good work. That someone may be your colleague, or your boss, or your client, or your customer, or someone I’m not even thinking about. But rest assured, when you do good work, the world is a better place. Your work matters. Thank you for doing the hard work. When your head hits the pillow tonight, I hope you feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. If we’re blessed, we’ll have the opportunity to do it again tomorrow. When that happens, I’ll be grateful for you again. Your work matters.

Travis Shelton 12/11/22 Travis Shelton 12/11/22

When In Doubt, Zoom Out

Life seems binary, a constant string of extremes. It’s either “yes”…..or ”no.” Someone buys our product…..or they don’t. We achieve our goal…..or we don’t. Someone downloads our podcast episode…..or they don’t. Here’s one thing I do know. When we focus on these singular outcomes, it can be immensely frustrating.

Travis Shelton 12/10/22 Travis Shelton 12/10/22

Netflix For the Entire Town!

I was recently in a coaching session when things got heated between the husband and wife. They were trying to figure out how to free up some cashflow in their monthly budget so they can lean into things they actually value. Here’s where the conversation broke down. One spouse wanted to cancel Netflix and the other wanted to cancel Hulu.

Travis Shelton 12/8/22 Travis Shelton 12/8/22

"I Would Have Felt Guilty"

I was recently meeting with a client who just did something out of character for his wiring. He purchased two things that were very much wants. Outdoor equipment and tickets to a few events. On the surface, these are very normal and customary purchases for most people…..but not for him. He’s wired as a big-time saver and these types of decisions don’t come easy for him.

Travis Shelton 12/7/22 Travis Shelton 12/7/22

If You Won the Lottery

What would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow? Would you stay at your current job? Would you immediately quit? Would you try something different? Would you take a different job in the same industry? Would you shift to an entirely different industry? Think about your answer before moving on to the next paragraph………

Travis Shelton 12/6/22 Travis Shelton 12/6/22

Simple, But Hard

When talking to friends and acquaintances throughout the course of life, I regularly hear criticisms and complaints about financially irresponsible people in their life. Maybe it’s their grown child, neighbor, sibling, friend, or colleague. Since I’m the guy who helps people with money, they perceive me as a good outlet to vent these frustrations.

Travis Shelton 12/5/22 Travis Shelton 12/5/22

The Problem With More

“The problem with more is every time we get more, more is still more.”

- Travis Shelton

Travis Shelton 12/4/22 Travis Shelton 12/4/22

Laugh, Then Move On

I have a really bad habit. Every time I speak, record a podcast, create a YouTube video, or have a meaningful meeting with someone, I replay it back in my head in the hours and days that follow. Not only that, but I dissect and criticize everything I did or said. “Travis, you should have said ____.” Or “Travis, you shouldn’t have done _____.” All the way to, “ Travis, you screwed up that part where you could have made an impact!” The self-talk can become a death spiral! I hope I’m the only one who experiences this, but I’m afraid many others like me are out there.

Travis Shelton 12/3/22 Travis Shelton 12/3/22

What is Enough?

A couple just told me $525,000 isn’t enough money to make ends meet in their town. They were dead serious. It took every ounce of me to keep my composure in that moment. As a point of reference, the median household income of their city is around $85,000. In other words, they make 6x the median income……and are whining about it not being enough to make ends meet. To further exemplify the absurdity of their statement, they are in the top 1% of ALL Americans. Yet, it’s “not enough.”

Travis Shelton 12/2/22 Travis Shelton 12/2/22

Don't Let Your Memory Become a Nightmare

In yesterday’s post, I talked about the idea of investing in memories and not dwelling on the cost. The key point was that memories will last forever, while you soon won’t even remember what you paid for them. Two readers quickly pointed out this perspective seemed a bit negligent. That it’s irresponsible to recklessly pursue memories at the risk of impairing one’s financial life.

Travis Shelton 12/1/22 Travis Shelton 12/1/22

I Don't Even Remember the Cost

Ten years ago, my buddy Nick was about to have his first child. In a moment of panic, he called me and said we need to fly to Dallas to watch Dirk Nowitzki play before the baby arrives (insinuating this could be his last chance to make that dream a reality). I immediately said yes, but added one condition: “we’re only going to do this if we sit courtside.”

Travis Shelton 11/30/22 Travis Shelton 11/30/22

The Power of Not Stopping

My business partner recently confessed he hates our podcast cover art. Shocked at his statement, I responded, “what do you mean you hate it? You made it!!!” I thought I had him! He’s going to insult his own baby? His response to my response was, “I didn’t think we’d make it past 20 episodes, so I just threw something together quickly.” Wow…..!!!! How dare he!

Travis Shelton 11/29/22 Travis Shelton 11/29/22

No Longer Interested

Many people have this blog delivered to their inbox each morning. It’s free to subscribe and you should totally do it! The platform I use to distribute it provides me with a lot of insights and data. How many people are opening the e-mail, what links they are clicking, what other articles they are reading. So. Much. Data.

Travis Shelton 11/28/22 Travis Shelton 11/28/22

It's All Going to the Landfill

Nearly every possession you currently own will end up in a landfill before too long. It’s sad, but true. Even crazier is that some of our more expensive items (technology and clothing) will likely end up there in a matter of years.

Travis Shelton 11/27/22 Travis Shelton 11/27/22

The Power of Scarcity

I’m a World Cup fanatic. I don’t watch a lot of soccer year-round, but at the same time, I’m on record believing the World Cup is the greatest sporting event in the world. Country vs. country, so little margin for error, and billions of people watching. The stakes are so high. However, there’s one other ingredient that helps create World Cup magic. Scarcity. It only happens once every four years and only 32 countries qualify. In other words, it’s a huge deal!

Travis Shelton 11/26/22 Travis Shelton 11/26/22

Home Alone: Thanksgiving Edition

Home Alone is on my Mount Rushmore of holiday movies. It’s a classic! I think what makes it particularly special for me was the fact I was the same age as Kevin McCallister when it came out. I always pictured myself in Kevin’s shoes. Eating tons of junk food, watching R-rated movies, and beating up bad guys with gruesome handmade booby traps!

The Daily Meaning

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“Your daily blog posts have become a great part of my morning routine, waking up and reading your posts challenge me to reflect on something that matters in my life or view something from a different perspective.”

"Love starting my morning with a daily dose of positivity or perspective!"