The Daily Meaning
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Savor Those Rent House Sandwiches
One of my friends recently experienced a life-altering situation. It's one of those occurrences where life can be completely normal, then take a sudden turn at the snap of your fingers. It's one of those moments that show us how delicate and fragile life can be. It's one of those events that makes you take a step back and take inventory of your life.
Old Dogs, New Tricks
The hardest part of my professional coaching is working with 40-somethings. No, not because they aren't smart (some of them are the smartest people I know). No, not because they are stubborn (well, some are). The unique problem 40-somethings (and older) have that younger people don't is deeply seeded habits that go back for decades.
Your Memories Are My Memories
A while back, my friend TJ told me he wanted to go to an ISU basketball game together. I agreed, but with one caveat: we must get some ridiculously amazing seats. I thus began my hunt for tickets. I eventually stumbled upon the deal of the century. Courtside tickets, immediately behind the opponent's bench, for a digestible price. Even better, we had two games to choose from. I asked TJ what game he prefered, and he immediately said the Oklahoma game. Perfect! My plan was coming together.....or so it seemed.
Creativity in Service
One of my favorite parts of life is finding creative ways to serve people. There are countless people to serve and unlimited ways to serve them. Opportunities are everywhere, but we have to look for them.
Wants Are Not Waste
Instead of lumping things into a need bucket or a want bucket, I think we should take a different approach. I'd prefer we categorize them based on adding value to our life and not adding value to our life. Some of my "needs" don't necessarily add value, but some "wants" add tremendous value.
The Cost of Want, Revisited
Earlier this month, I shared the story of a family in a predicament. They have a combined income of $340,000 ($240,000 from him and $100,000 from her). She is absolutely miserable at her job, and her dream is to stay at home with their three small children. One problem: they can't afford to live their current lifestyle with "only" a $240,000 income.....and they aren't willing to make it happen.
Focusing on Margin
There are many metrics we can use as a scorecard for money. Income, bank account balances, and net worth are all tremendously popular statistics to monitor. They each have their merit, for sure. Today, I'd like to shine a light on one that gets overlooked, underappreciated, and dismissed: Margin.
Little Kids Are Failures
Little kids are failures. Yeah, I said it. All they do is fail. They fall over. They spill their food. They poop all over themselves. They can't even put a shirt on! Their entire life is a series of humorous and ridiculous failures. On the flip side, nobody develops faster than a little kid.
The Wonderfully Woven Web of Impact
Without knowing it, we're all weaving our own web of impact. But not all webs are created equal. With intentionality, consistency, and a heart to make a difference, we each have the ability to create a beautifully impressive web.
Break the Mold
Michael Jordan will forever be my favorite NBA player, but Steph Curry will confidently sit next to him on my Mount Rushmore of all-time favorite players. I absolutely love Curry, and my social media algorithms also know it. This was evidenced last night when I stumbled upon a gem of a video
Life is Short
In the span of 24 hours, I received news of three people passing away far too soon. They were in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. It was sad, and it hit a little too close to home. In the aftermath of these tragic developments, I was talking to a friend about it, and they shared a commonly-believed sentiment. I'll paraphrase.
First Things First
I receive a lot of criticism. From friends, strangers, and everyone in between. Some are constructive, and some aren't. I even have favorites. Here's one of my all-time favorites: "You can't feed your family with meaning." Nice and sharp!
Be Unreasonable
As he was explaining this concept, I had one idea that kept popping up in my brain. It's a book called Unreasonable Hospitality. This book is the foundation for how we operate Northern Vessel. TJ, our founder, is the embodiment of this concept. He talks about the book constantly, and as a result, these concepts cloud every conversation we have (which is nearly daily).
Once a Cheater
My kids enjoy playing at a local trampoline park. When we go, Pax's favorite area is the dodgeball court. Yes, trampoline dodgeball.....it's as fun as you'd think. However, there's always one glaring issue at play: cheaters galore. A kid gets square in the chest, then acts like it never happened. Another kid catches a stray on the leg, and completely ignores it.
Walking Looks Crazy to a Crawler
To Finn, Pax might as well have been using magic or voodoo. As an avid crawler himself, watching his twin brother walk for the first time looked mind-bogglingly crazy.
The Release Valve in Practice
A few readers reached out to ask questions about this concept. I admit, it's counter-cultural. I'm honored people would take the time to consider these wild ideas. A few people asked if I could give an example of the release valve in practice. Here's a real-life situation someone recently approached me with.