The Daily Meaning
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Choose Freedom
Today, we Americans celebrate July 4th, our Independence Day. It's always been one of my favorite holidays, as it represents the best of what summer has to offer. As I've gotten older and seen more of the world, the concept of freedom has also grown on my conscience. We often take it for granted, and shame on us for doing so.
Five Margaritas Deep
My friend Kelsey sent me a meme the other day. Given our dozens of conversations about work and meaning, she knew I would get a kick out of it. Here's what it said: "I don't have a dream job because I don't dream about working. I dream about being 5 margaritas deep on a Caribbean island."
A Continuous Circle, and You’re Part of It!
My close friend, Gary Hoag, recently wrote an excellent piece for the Christian Leadership Alliance. Gary is a world-renowned speaker and teacher in the area of Christian generosity. I'm always excited to read Gary's work, including his blog that he's posted daily for nearly 14 years (yeah, 5,000+ consecutive days......wild!).
Following a Budget Goes Both Ways
I received a text from my wife yesterday afternoon. "What do you want to do for dinner?" Knowing it was a Friday and the last day of the month, I immediately opened my budgeting app to see if we had any dining out money left. $76!!! I guess that's what happens when we're gone for half the month. Knowing we had a nice chunk of change remaining, we made a family date night out of it. We walked to a local pizza restaurant, then to a nearby ice cream shop. We had a blast!
Don't Judge a Birria By Its Cover
I'm in a men's group that meets every Wednesday at noon. Each week, a different person is responsible for choosing the restaurant. We only have three rules:
The chooser can't announce the selected restaurant until within 60 minutes of the meeting time.
The restaurant has to be within the city limits.
No national chains.
The World Keeps Getting Smaller
Last week, I had the pleasure of guesting on an Australian podcast, It's Never About Money. I had the most wonderful time with their host, Joe Stephan. If this show sounds like something up my alley, it is! In fact, my Media Director introduced the idea of me appearing on their show by saying, "Travis, we just found the Australian Meaning Over Money!" She knew that would quickly get my attention
Standard of Living vs. Quality of Life
One of my friends recently decided to downgrade his living situation. It was a difficult and humbling decision, but the right one for his current stage of life. In our discussion, he lamented how it's going to be hard having a lower standard of living. Reading between the lines, I could tell what he was really saying was that his life would inevitably become worse as a result of this decision. Embedded in his perspective is the belief that a higher standard of living increases happiness and a lower standard of living decreases happiness. While culture generally believes this to be true, I couldn't disagree more.
Taking Advantage of THOSE Moments
One of my friends/clients just experienced a significant moment in his life. It's one of THOSE moments, which come in various shapes and sizes. Some are the result of skill, some luck, and others a combination of the two. Each of us will experience a handful of these opportunities in life.....some more, some less. This situation is the first real moment in my friend's young journey. In his case, it looks like a large sum of money coming his way. It's one of THOSE moments!
It Depends On How You Look at It
A few years ago, I was having a casual conversation with a fellow husband/father. We were talking about marriage and parenting, when we went down an interesting rabbit trail. He commented on how he and his wife hadn't been on an actual date in more than five years. Five years!?!? In short, he said they couldn't justify spending money on a babysitter. Between the babysitter, drinks, and dinner, a date night "is just too expensive to justify." So they don’t.
Even the Best Struggle
I received a phone call from a highly successful business owner earlier last week. This is someone who founded and runs a business many people would know. By all accounts, this company is wildly successful and holds a strong position in the culture. I know this person through a mutual friend, and we periodically have meandering conversations about business, behavioral science, and ridiculous ideas.
The Silence is Deafening
Yesterday was my quarterly visit to the sensory deprivation chamber. I always look forward to these days, as my time spent in this little metal coffin is some of the most relaxing and refreshing times I get. 10 inches of water, 1,000 pounds of salt, 96-degree water, no light, no sound, 90 minutes of nothing.
Playing the Long Game
Last night was one of the greatest days in sports: the NBA Draft. I know, I know, you probably think that sounds ridiculous. I may be in a rare camp with that opinion, but I love the NBA. I especially love the NBA Draft. It's one of those moments where we have the opportunity to watch, in real-time, as young men experience their dreams coming true. They have likely been working for 15+ years, pouring out their blood, sweat, and tears, all leading up to this very moment. It's a beautiful thing!
Congrats on Not Getting the Job
One of my clients recently applied for a new job. It was an incredible job: higher status, more responsibilities, higher salary, a bigger bonus, better benefits......the whole nine yards. He didn't get it. He was in the final three, but lost out to someone else.
Removing the Option
I'm a broken record on this topic, but credit cards aren't our friend. Every time the words "it's a tool," "just need to be responsible," or "we pay it off every month" are uttered, I know how the story will eventually end. Family, after family, after family, after family is literally being destroyed by these things, and it's getting hard to stomach. Credit cards work really, really well...... until the moment they become our worst nightmare.
Avoid Life-Altering Mistakes
In my ten years as a youth group leader, there's one piece of advice I levied on my young friends more than any other. Well, maybe the third most: 1) Love God, 2) Love others, and 3) Don't make life-altering mistakes.
11. Be Aggressively Patient
Yesterday was TJ's (Northern Vessel business partner) 30th birthday. To commemorate the day, he wrote and published "30 Lessons for 30 Years," a reflection on his journey to date. It was a fun list, full of wisdom and insights. Included was a phrase he talks about often: "Be aggressively patient."
Fatherhood and the Need to "Provide"
When I left my previous career, I did so with twin 3-year-olds and a wife who stayed home with them. Translation: we had a lot of mouths to feed, and I was the sole income for the family. A few days after announcing my resignation, a colleague pulled me aside. He was a few years older than me, also a husband and father. I thought he would congratulate me or perhaps wish me well in my future endeavors. Instead, he laid into me. He went on and on about how I needed to provide for my family. I was well aware of my responsibilities, as I had been thinking about it for months.
Empty Pantries and Rolexes
I had a fantastic week working in Midland, TX. The days were long and I missed my family, but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to make the trip and do work that matters. As I was flying home last night, I inadvertently found myself eavesdropping on a conversation happening immediately behind me.
Say "Yes", Then Enjoy the Ride
I've spent all week amidst the oilfields of West Texas. 105 degrees, sunny, strong winds, and a culture far removed from my normal day-to-day life. I've been on-site with a client, working on some fun but intense projects. It's been a series of 12-hour work days capped off by a delightful meal before returning to the hotel. It's been a challenging week, but it's been a rewarding week
No Good Deed: The Rest of the Story
Yesterday, I shared the story of a crappy flight experience where I tried to be generous and do the right thing, but quickly paid a harsh price for said generosity. If you haven't read that post yet, I highly recommend you do before reading the rest of this article. During this horrendous experience, I did the one thing that could possibly help me keep my sanity: I started writing.