The Daily Meaning
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Adding Plates to the Other Side
My goal wasn't to diminish or demean the role of saving, but rather try to redeem the value and dignity of spending and giving in a culture that ridicules them. I wanted to lift two up, not push one down.
I Wasn't Going to Step Over That Cob
Though it's been nearly a month, I'm still thinking about the "Don't step over cobs looking for cobs" quote from my friend Bobbi. That idea hit me hard, and it's been brewing under the surface of my life ever since. And last night, it came out in a very meaningful way.
Leading Kids to (Financial) Hoarding
Do you see a theme? Guilt and shame. Not intentionally, usually. Slowly but surely, we're chipping away at their hearts for spending and generosity. We're trying to help them be "responsible" with money, but what we're really doing is grooming our kids to financially hoard. Get more. Have more. Build wealth. Become "independent.”
Excellence Isn’t Optional
I'm a broken record on this one. We business owners don't deserve anyone's support. Instead, we must earn the right to serve someone, then through delivered excellence, re-earn the right to serve them again. And if we've been excellent enough, they might tell someone else about us. Then repeat.
Suffer Now or Suffer (More) Later
Can we be honest? It's hard to watch our kids learn hard lessons. To watch them suffer, hurt, and face the consequences of their actions. We love our kids, and our instinct is to protect them from pain. With that said, we have two options: watch them suffer when they are young (when we're there to help them navigate and grow), or watch them suffer in adulthood (when the stakes are higher, the consequences steeper, and we're not there to save them).
Sobering Reminders
Gratitude is the only word that makes sense to me. When we look at the world through the lens of gratitude, there's no other option than to be positive and optimistic.....even when dealing with immense pain.
When the Distraction is the Work
I said hello to the older woman sitting beside me on the flight. We exchanged pleasantries as I was getting my computer situated for the onslaught of work I would soon crush. However, the pleasantries led to a much longer conversation. To summarize, she was traveling for very tragic reasons. Behind that was another tragic story, probably one of the saddest and most intense stories I've ever heard.
The Irony of Debt and Income
Debt DOES discriminate based on income.....but in the opposite way you probably think. This is a dynamic I've seen play out over and over again (and it shocks me every time), but the higher income a family makes, the more likely they are to be crippled by debt. It's tremendously ironic.
Randy Off the Top Rope!
“If you don't have your priorities straight, a job or career change is not going to help. You will just be unhappy in a different place, and it could be with less income and more financial strain.”
750 Sessions, Oh My
After accounting for May's meetings, I have conducted 750 coaching sessions since leaving my prior career in 2019. This doesn't include consultations, touchpoints, one-off meetings, or providing insights to non-clients—750 formal coaching sessions with clients. I initially thought that was an error, but nope (!), it's the real deal. So today, I thought it would be appropriate to share with you 10 insights from my first 750 coaching sessions.
Drumming is a “Waste of Resources”
I want to share one particular comment I received from a close-ish friend. This friend is a fellow finance guy. He's brilliant and has carved a name for himself in the world of finance and investing. Here's what he told me, "That whole thing seems like a waste of resources." Oh really? Tell me more.
Unearthing Hidden Gems
Yesterday was a weird day. It was Finn and Pax's first rock concert. Yes, rock concert. Having literally zero musical talent, it's odd to see my kids thrive with music. The kids' band played a 9-song set. Finn played the electric guitar, and Pax played the drums. Watching them grow over the last several months has been an odd journey.
“It IS Possible”
I recently received the most beautiful message from a stranger: "It IS Possible." For a while, that's the only message I saw. You can probably guess the bewilderment I felt when I received that message from a total stranger. Luckily, another message followed.
Good Morning, Bob Ross
Hello, Bob Ross! Yes, you! You're an artist, you know. Today is the first of the month, which means you woke up to a blank canvas. Whatever happened last month is gone....it's on that old, messy canvas. My May canvas was a disaster. We had surprise expenses, mishaps, and oversights. We screwed up. I didn't like the painting we ended up with.
Driving Value From Our Lives
After some of my recent lamenting about repeated and annoying car maintenance expenses, I had a fun conversation with a buddy. He found entertainment in my recent woes, as he and I have had a years-long back-and-forth about cars. His position, which he happily shared with me in this most recent conversation, is that it's cheaper to buy a newer and more reliable vehicle than the "beaters" I buy.
Just Move One Piece
With as complicated as our finances can become, there are a lot of moving pieces. Sometimes, families feel the need to adjust every number every month. They try to focus on all the categories and prioritize everything, then get overwhelmed. Instead, I encourage people to "just move one piece."
The Claws Tighten
The claws of status! I introduced yesterday's post by vaguely teasing my experience in KC, which triggered my introspection about status. Instead of sharing about what actually happened, I invited you to take a look in the mirror and conduct your own introspection about where status might have its claws in you. Thank you very much for the feedback. Your answers proved one major point I wanted to make. We all have our own. Here are yours……
One At a Time
At that moment, I triggered my motto, which I find helpful when these anxious feelings creep in: "One at a time." I can't categorize 68 transactions at once, but I can categorize one....then one.....then one.
Can’t Have the Good Without the Bad
Do you ever wish you could just wave a magic wand and get rid of all the junk that's bringing you down? The frustrations, pain, suffering, failures, and setbacks. Life would be so much easier if we could just remove the crap. Unfortunately, it's a package deal. We HAVE to take the bad with the good. It's all part of the deal. To take it a step further, we can't have the good without the bad. Without the bad, the good isn't good. The challenge is what makes the good so much sweeter.