No Countdowns

We tend to look at lives as some form of long-term countdown. We perceive ourselves (and our loved ones) as 90 years old, then count backwards. I'm 30, I have 60 years left. I'm 50, I have 40 years left. I'm 70, I have 20 years left. For whatever reason, we put this arbitrary date on our proverbial calendar, then measure our time against that.

One of my friends recently found out his wife has "One to three months" left to live. In their 30s, their internal clock probably said they had 60 more years left in the countdown. Then, at the snap of a finger, their countdown is reduced to 30-90 days.

There are no countdowns. All we have is today, plus whatever tomorrow brings. There's a tension in that unknown, as we must embrace today for all it is while also preparing for the future in our imagination. We might be gone tomorrow......or still here at 90.

I've mentioned several times on this blog that I've always had a feeling that my time would come sooner rather than later. It's not a comforting feeling, but it has helped me think a lot about this topic.

While I spend much of my professional time helping families prepare for the long run, I also beat on the drum of living with meaning TODAY. If all we do is live for today, we might end up sabotaging our future selves. On the flip side, if all we do is live for the future, we might never actually live with true meaning. Again, the tension.

In a world with no countdowns, the answer feels obvious to me. Simply live with meaning. Live with meaning today, live with meaning tomorrow, and hopefully, God willing, continue living with meaning when we're 90. If we're living with meaning, everything else will eventually sort itself out. It's not about how much we spend, save, or invest. It's not really a mathematical conversation at all. Instead, let's look past the money and aggressively pursue meaning for meaning's sake. In a world with no countdowns, meaning is the thread that holds it all together.

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Idle Hands

With one day left in the month, Northern Vessel has already shattered most of its all-time single-month records. By all accounts, everything continues to trend in a shockingly positive direction. A week doesn't go by without a business, investor, or property requesting us to open a new location.

Speaking of new locations, it's the elephant we hear nearly every single day:

"When are you going to open a new location?"

"When are you going to expand?"

"Where will the next shop be?"

"Why don't you open another spot?"

"You'd make so much more money if you would just grow!"

Yes, it's the elephant in the room. You know what they say about idle hands, though. This is the moment most business owners would get big eyes, grow complacent with their current operation, and decide to start multiplying. Having worked with countless businesses, I think this approach is often a huge mistake.

Multiplication sounds simple and effective. Just do the same thing again, and make twice as much money. However, there are deep implications to such an approach. It increases risk while spreading thin our time, attention, energy, leadership, team, and resources. It's nearly impossible to retain the same level of excellence by multiplying. Few can do it well, but most crash and burn.

Our strategy is completely different. Instead of letting our idle hands lead us down the road of multiplication, we're going to double down and triple down on excellence. Whatever we're doing, we need to be better. Better hospitality, better drinks, better experience, better atmosphere, better process.

Here's where I think businesses and people make a critical mistake. Every time we hit our peak, we think it's our peak peak. The truth is that it's not our peak peak, but rather our next peak. We have so much more in us!

Here's how this has played out at Northern Vessel. As we round out our shop's third year, we've noticed a trend. This year's floor was the prior year's ceiling. Our prior best becomes the new worst. Every time we think we've hit our peak, it turns out to be the new floor. The bar gets raised, then we endeavor to meet it again. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. That's the real secret behind sustained growth. The relentless pursuit of excellence!

This applies to all of us, whether an individual or a business. If we're not careful, our idle hands lead us down some awfully self-destructive roads. Instead of trying to find easy or artificial ways to grow, sometimes we just need to be more excellent. Excellence is the gateway to the next level.....and then the next. Wherever you are in the journey, just know that your current peak will soon be your new floor. Keep raising the bar!

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A Hole Full of Water

Yesterday, I had the privilege of swimming with my kids. If you're a parent of small children, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Never underestimate the power of a hole full of water. There's something magical about it for kids. For hours, and hours, and hours, and hours, the boys swam, jumped, and splashed around. We dove for toys, did handstands, practiced our cannonballs, made hurling football catches, and plenty of other silly games.

To me, this represents the simplicity of life. Life doesn't require massive outlays of money, elaborate plans, and exotic destinations. Often, it just requires a hole full of water. Perhaps not literally a hole full of water, but a figurative hole full of water. The simple things are the best things. The simple things are the most valuable things. That principle applies to adults just as much as it does to kids.

Think about your purest moments of peace. Do they revolve around some elaborate and expensive endeavor? I suspect most people's answers will be a hole full of water type answer.

My hole full of water is a cup of black coffee in the morning, a long walk with a good podcast playing in my ears, and watching a movie at night with kids positioned against both my hips. Those are my holes full of water. Simple, pure, inexpensive, and priceless.

What are your holes full of water? Whatever they are, keep going back to those wells.

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Empty Soul, and Tons of Regret

As I was scrolling social media last night, I stumbled upon something that stopped me in my tracks. It was a distraught-looking middle-aged man staring into the bathroom mirror, with the following text plastered across the screen: "30 years of service to a job, and all you have to show for it is an empty house, empty soul, and tons of regret." I'm not going to share the post, as my thoughts aren't as much about this particular man as they are about the broader phenomenon.

I've seen this look on too many faces. I've heard these words from too many mouths. So many people (especially men) are suffering in silence.

One of the root causes of this phenomenon is our perspective on work:

1. We generally view work as a necessary evil. We expect work to suck, then just like clockwork, it sucks.

2. If work sucks, then the objective becomes the race to someday quit working (i.e., retirement).

3. If work is supposed to suck and our goal is to get to the finish line as quickly as possible, we unintentionally create a self-fulfilling prophecy in the selection of our job(s).

4. When we spend half of our waking hours at work, and said work is soul-sucking, then there's probably not a lot of gas left in the tank for the things we do actually care about. Thus, those things also suffer. Our relationships, our hobbies, and our passions.

5. When we finally "win" the race and get to retirement, we realize this life of leisure wasn't actually the answer after all. That brings on an entirely new level of pain and emptiness.

6. Enter the regrets.

The solution to this is unbelievably simple, yet so very difficult. It's called aggressively and violently pursuing meaning each and every day. Every day matters. Weekend days matter. Work days matter. Holidays matter. Vacation days matter. Young days matter. Middle-aged days matter. Older days matter.

But if we live our lives as if half our waking hours don't matter because we at least have the rest, the pain starts to bleed into all the days. Instead, what if all the days mattered? What if we found just as much meaning in our job as we did in our home life? What if our work provided a similar richness that our weekends provide?

It's simple. It's difficult. It's attainable. It's worth it.

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Self-Employment Is Perfect, If…

It's a sentiment I hear all the time, but one specific conversation with a friend inspired today's post. He's a man who has experienced a decent amount of success in his corporate career. He makes good money, he's in a field that aligns with his skills and passions, and he generally likes his job. All in all, he would self-describe his life as meaningful and his work fulfilling. However, the grass always feels greener on the other side. And to him, the grass of self-employment seems a lot greener than that of corporate America.

In his words, self-employment sounds "Perfect!"

I gotta admit, self-employment IS perfect. I say that tongue-in-cheek, of course. Seriously, though, self-employment is perfect if....

....you enjoy having the worst boss ever.

....you're okay having no paid time off.

....you don't know whether or not you'll have enough income to feed your family this month.

....every hour of the day becomes a potential work hour.

....you prefer to arrange (and pay for) your own medical insurance.

....you're cool paying double payroll taxes.

....you're excited to take on marketing, admin, finance, and accounting responsibilities.

....you wake up in the morning thinking you'll become the next Jeff Bezos, but go to bed wondering if you'll be homeless tomorrow.

....you're committed to making sure everyone else gets paid before you make a penny.

If that's you, yeah(!!!), self-employment is perfect! Seriously, though, I do love self-employment. However, it's not the magic pill many think it is. It can be brutal, unforgiving, and ruthless. Our collective romanticism of self-employment / business ownership doesn't fairly represent the true reality that people in the trenches are experiencing.

I sincerely think most people would be happier in their traditional job. Traditional work can and should be beautiful, fulfilling, and meaningful. Please don't let society trick you into believing you must "be your own boss" in order to be successful. The best path for you is whatever the best path is for you.....period.

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It’s NEVER Too Late

A few readers have recently accused me of being fatalistic in my two recent posts about rich vs. wealthy. The first post is HERE, and the second post is HERE. In short, I made the argument that there's a massive difference between being wealthy (all about money) and being rich (nothing about money). I followed it up by saying it's possible to have both, but the irony is the journey to both requires us to pursue rich (meaning), not wealthy (money). Meaning over money, if you will. When we pour our blood, sweat, tears, and passions into something, there's a strong likelihood we'll have some form of financial success.

Here's what one reader said about my two posts: "I feel like you're telling people that once they pick a road, they are screwed. That's it. That's your fate."

First, I totally understand how someone could read into my words and think that. I'm always grateful for the back-and-forth with readers; that's what gives this daily blog a soul!

Here's where I land on this topic. Not only do I disagree with the notion that once you pick a path, you're screwed, but I would double (er, triple!) down on the idea that it's NEVER too late to choose rich. It's NEVER too late to opt into meaning. It's NEVER too late to aggressively pursue work that matters.

I regularly tell 40-somethings that today is a great day to change their lives and take drastically different paths. Sure, they might have been chasing money, stuff, and status for two decades now, but they still have so much time left. It's NEVER too late.

I regularly receive messages from blog readers and podcast listeners who say something along the lines of (paraphrased), "I used to pursue money, but now I pursue meaning." Here's one thing all of these messages had in common. Almost every single person who switched their priority from being wealthy to being rich said they are so glad they did. Nobody ever says they regret pursuing the meaning and wish they would go back to pursuing money. Interesting!

In summary, after my unexpected three-part series, here's where I land on the topic:

• Being rich ALWAYS surpasses being wealthy.

• You can have both, but the path to both requires the pursuit of meaning.

• It's NEVER too late to change your mind and take a different path.

Regardless of whether you're 17 or 87, you still have time. Make that precious time count!

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Because Of, Not In Spite Of

I spent the last two days in rural Nebraska working for a new business consulting client. The trip came together on 36 hours' notice, which required me to rearrange my entire schedule and convert in-person meetings to virtual (big shout-out to everyone who showed me grace!). It was one of the most challenging weeks of my career. I’m exhausted, overwhelmed, and a bit stressed.

Sometimes, we look at these types of situations and tell ourselves that life is good in spite of these twists and turns. I don't think that's a fair way to perceive it. Instead, I think life is good because of these twists and turns. 

As I reflect on all the insane situations I've found myself in this past year, I don't think 15-years-ago Travis would have been able to wrap his head around it. Frankly, I don't think that version of me would have been down for it. After all, our human nature is to hold on to the familiarity of the known (comfort) and reject the unknown (perceived risk). 

If I could go back in time and have two minutes to share something with former me, it's this: Embrace the journey. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. The twists and the turns are what enhance the meaning. 

As I head back home this morning, I'm full of gratitude, fresh insights, unique challenges, fun experiences, and hopefully some new relationships. 

Cheers to another day/week/month/year of twists and turns. Run to them, not away from them. Have an awesomeweekend!

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Yes, You Can Have Both, But….

One of my friends was livid at yesterday's post. In it, I discussed the difference between being wealthy and being rich. Being wealthy has everything to do with money, and being rich has nothing to do with money. I concluded the piece with this: "I'll die on the hill a million times that rich far exceeds wealthy every day of the week."

My friend, a very wealthy man, told me that my perspective on this topic is "small-minded" and "narrow." In his words, "Why choose one when you can have both?"

He's absolutely right......in the most wrong of ways. By his own admission, based on my definition of rich, he's poor. But now that he has wealth, he's going to find richness. However, in his mind, wealth is the key to subsequently finding richness. He couldn't be further from the truth. I'll save the gut-wrenching stories and gory details for confidentiality's sake, but he'll be the first to admit that his life lacks joy, meaning, and purpose. There's a lot of brokenness and pain caused by his steady pursuit of wealth.

His original point is right, though. You can be both wealthy and rich. It's not one or the other. However, there's an irony here. The only way to get both (in most cases) is to simply pursue richness. His own testimony is the cautionary tale of what happens when we try to pursue wealth. We just might find it, but it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Plus, the journey to get there often involves actions, decisions, and behaviors that sabotage our ability to have a rich life.

On the flip side, the pursuit of a rich life becomes more about the journey than the destination. It involves actions, decisions, and behaviors that lead to more meaning, purpose, and impact. Here's the irony. When we aggressively live with meaning, money often follows. That's not some prosperity gospel-type stuff, but rather a reality: when we pour our blood, sweat, tears, and passions into something that matters deeply to us, it's hard not to find some level of success. The journey toward meaning often intersects with excellence and impact, which translates into some form of compensation.

I'm not suggesting we have to choose between meaning and money......but I am 100% suggesting we ought to violently pursue meaning. Then, we let the chips fall how they may.

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Rich vs. Wealthy

There are two families in this story.

Family A has a household income of $550,000. They live in a big house in a gated community, drive luxury vehicles, and belong to a few exclusive local country clubs. They wear nice clothes, send their kids to private school, and are generally viewed as "successful."

Family B has a household income of $85,000. They live in a modest house, drive 8-year-old cars, and don't belong to any clubs. They wear forgettable clothes, send their kids to public school, and probably aren't viewed as much of anything.

Which family would you like to be?

From a money, stuff, and status perspective, Family A has it going on in all the right places. They've made it! They are living the American Dream, and I suspect many people look up to them as the model for where they would like to be someday.

From a money, stuff, and status perspective, Family B leaves a lot to be desired. They are living the most normal lives imaginable. I'm not sure anyone looks at them and envies their lives. Nobody is modeling their lives after them, saying to themselves, "Someday, I'd like to be where they are!"

Family A is wealthy, but Family B is rich.

Here's what we don't see. Family A, while having all the visible attributes of success, is struggling. There's a lot of financial tension in the marriage. Neither spouse particularly likes their jobs. Vacations are an act of escapism, but at the end of the trip, a feeling of dread sinks back in. From a day-to-day, week-to-week perspective, "joy" isn't a word that would describe their lives. They are busy, busy, busy, but that only adds to the stress.

Family B, on the other hand, is rich. While they don't have the material wealth that our society would deem successful, they live with so much peace and meaning. Every time I sit down with them, I'm inspired to be more like them. More purpose, more love, and more contentment. Their marriage is amazing, they feel almost no financial tension, and they both wake up each day excited for the good work they're about to do. They are rich!

Being wealthy is not the same as being rich. One has everything to do with money, and the other has nothing to do with money. I've had the opportunity to be both wealthy and rich, and I'll die on the hill a million times that rich far exceeds wealthy every day of the week. That's the essence of meaning over money. When we aim to live a wealthy life, we might just find what we're looking for. When we aim to live a rich life, though, we'll inevitably find deep meaning and impact to the degree many people will never understand.

I wish you much richness.

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Everything Is Temporary

As humans, we tend to possess a fatalistic view of life. We treat many (or most) decisions, whether big or small, as permanent. The cars we buy, the houses we live in, the jobs we take, the hobbies we pick up, the clubs we join, the people we associate with.....and the list goes on.

One of my friends recently shared how he's miserable in his job but doesn't know what to do.

Another friend just moved into what he's calling his "forever home."

A former youth group kid is beating himself up over what major to select in college, as that single decision will cement his career path.

One of my clients is frustrated after selling a car she couldn't afford and buying a car she can afford. To her, this simply feels like her new reality.

Another client is in the midst of a brutal season of paying off debt. The budget is tight, and most dollars are going to the bank. It feels like this season will last forever.

No matter our situation, everything is temporary.

That job you have? You'll either leave it for something else or retire from it. It's temporary.

That forever home? You'll either let the hedonic treadmill push you into a new "forever home," downsize into something smaller, or die. It's temporary.

Your college major? You'll either use it, or you won't. Or maybe you will for a while, then do something else. It's temporary.

That crappy car you're driving during this season of life? If you take care of your business, you'll soon be driving something better. It's temporary.

Does it suck paying off debt every single month? Eventually, you'll be free from the mess and you'll live in a completely new (and debt-free!) reality. It's temporary.

There's so much freedom in knowing that everything we do is temporary. No decision is forever. No reality is everlasting. No suffering is perpetual. To me, as a Christian, the only forever that exists is what happens after I die; the rest is just noise. So, today, remember that. No matter how high or how low you feel, everything is temporary. If that's true, it should give you tremendous freedom to simply live a meaningful life, unafraid of this false (and inaccurate) sense of forever. Carpe Diem!

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Always the Long-Term

I still can't over how my convertible survived my stupidity and the flash flood I subjected it to. Two days removed from floodgate, everything seems to be working. The stereo, speakers, automatic seats, dashboard controls.....everything! Unbelievable! Not only that, but the car is 19 years old. So today, a huge shout-out to the engineers at Nissan who created something nearly two decades ago that could withstand all that life would throw at it. I think it's truly remarkable!

It makes me think about a concept TJ and I discuss often as we build Northern Vessel. Whenever a decision needs to be made, we filter it through the lens of the following question: Which option is better for the firm 10 years from now? It's always about the long-term for us. That may not always sound fun, but in my experience, it ALWAYS yields the best outcomes. However, in order for that principle to carry forward, we must be willing to accept delayed gratification.

Here's one example where we didn't follow this principle. In December 2023, we thought it would be fun (and financially advantageous) to run a crazy gift card special for the Christmas season. For a 15-day window, we ran a buy-one-get-one special on $20 gift cards. For every $20 gift card purchased, customers would receive a $20 gift card for free. We had some strategic reasons for pulling the trigger on such an insane idea. One of the reasons was to boost cashflow for some upcoming projects. In just 15 days, we sold nearly $30,000 of gift cards......and gave away another $30,000 of gift cards.

While that cashflow influx (and the other ancillary benefits of getting thousands of NV gift cards in stockings and under trees) was nice, it was a decision that benefited us more in the short term than the long term. Fast forward 19 months, and we're just now starting to run on a net positive monthly gift card variance. When we made that decision, we failed to consider which decision would be better in the long term.

I'd like to think those Nissan engineers who spent lots of time, energy, and money designing and building a car that would thrive in the long term. Sure, they could have cut corners and boosted gross margins by producing a slightly cheaper vehicle, but they chose the long-term. As a customer, I'm so grateful for that. Today, I tip my cap to those engineers from 20+ years ago who considered the long term and saved my bacon two decades later.

It's so hard to view life through this lens. After all, the sexier and more enjoyable decision is almost always the one that benefits us more in the short term. Signing up for car payments vs. investing monthly. That Chipotle burrito vs. paying down debt. Focusing on our core products vs. grabbing whatever income streams we can find. Obsessing about excellence vs. trying to drum up more customers. Hitting the fast-food drive-thru vs. making a healthy meal at home. Taking a high-paying job we don't care about vs. a lower-paying job we might love.

If we were wise, every decision would be framed through the lens of what benefits us more 10 years from now. We might not like the answer (today), but our future selves will thank us soon enough!

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Nightmare Initiated

Yesterday morning, at approximately 4:00 a.m., I was awakened by a flash flood warning on my phone. As I gained consciousness, I heard the sound of a torrential downpour outside my bedroom window. That's the moment it happened. I instantly realized I had made the mistake of mistakes. One of my biggest nightmares had just been initiated. I forgot that I left my convertible top down! I quickly scrambled out of my bedroom, out of the house, and into my flooded car. It was a disaster!

I was able to close the roof, and then assessed the damage. Every single inch of the car was drenched. The dashboard, the seats, the console.....all of it. There were two inches of standing water underneath the seats. Thus began a 90-minute mad scramble to dry every bit of my possibly ruined ride. Yes, my nightmare was on full display. Fortunately, it appears that I somehow managed to come out of that situation in one piece. By some miracle, everything in my car seems to work. I don't know how, but it survived!

I used to worry a lot.....I mean, a LOT. Big things, small things, probable things, improbable things. If there was a chancesomething could go wrong for me, I'd find a way to worry about it. Then, something inside me changed. I realized there were two fatal flaws in my worrying:

1. I was worrying about things over which I had no control.

2. I was worrying about things that had very little chance of even happening.

What sense does it make to worry about things I can't influence? If they are going to happen, they are going to happen. My worrying doesn't help in any shape or form. On a similar note, what's the point in worrying about something that has just a tiny percentage probability of even occurring?

This mindset shift began to transform where I focus my attention and what gets my worry. I'm so glad I adopted this new perspective, as I don't think business owners can survive without it (at least with their health intact). The one thing I learned as an entrepreneur is that something terrible will happen almost daily. It's just the way it works.

The truth is, there are a million things I could worry about; far more than ever before. However, instead of letting every intrusive thought win, I frame it through my two questions above:

1. Does this potential fear even have a reasonable chance of happening?

2. If so, do I have the ability to influence the outcome?

If the answer to either of those questions is "no," I don't worry. If the answer to both is "yes," I try to refocus the energy that would possibly be spent on worrying to figuring out how I can positively influence the outcome.

I actually do worry about leaving the convertible top down. The irony, though, is that worrying about it doesn't positively influence the outcome. If I had been sharper two nights ago, I would have focused that energy on ensuring a better outcome (i.e., following my behavioral triggers that would have resulted in me successfully closing the roof). Instead, I worried......and paid the price.

Hopefully, someone reading this will be positively influenced by these words. Please don't let my convertible nightmare be in vain! Have an awesome, dry, worry-free day.

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Imitation and Excellence

One of our Northern Vessel One Percent Better shirts was spotted in Hollywood yesterday. It's always cool seeing our shirts all over the country, which comes on the heels of them going semi-viral last fall. So, yesterday, it was fun to receive a photo of another one in the wild in Los Angeles.

However, one problem. Check this out:

The picture on the left was taken on the streets of Hollywood yesterday afternoon. The picture on the right is one of our marketing photos posted on Instagram last September after releasing our new design. They look oddly similar—the color, the word placement, the offset. However, notice how the design on the left is in a slightly different font and doesn't have any overlap in the words. It's an imitation! Someone literally took our design and recreated their own for profit.

You know what they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. Nobody would try to steal our designs if it sucked. Therefore, it tells us that what we're doing is moving the needle. But we have a choice to make. We can either get mad and try to get even.......or we can simply be excellent. Guess which one we'll choose.

One of my close friends recently reached out to me with a problem. Someone opened a similar business to his business, less than a block away. This new business will be a direct competitor, and he's pissed. Imitation is the best form of flattery. I told him that he has two options: 1) Be upset and find a way to feel victimized, or 2) Be excellent.

Remember last September when I shared about how Caribou Coffee was moving in next door to Northern Vessel? The local media wanted to do a piece about how big business is killing the little guy. Instead, TJ shared with the reporter that we're glad to have them join the neighborhood. Hopefully, it will bring more traffic to the area and, perhaps, we'll have an opportunity to serve some of those new people. He also added this: "At the end of the day, excellence wins."

Fast forward 10 months, and we have a better sense of reality. The Caribou next door is struggling. Once in a while, while hanging out at Northern Vessel, the boys and I will walk over to Caribou and buy a bagel. The last time we did this little exercise, there were 67 people inside the small Northern Vessel shop. When we got to Caribou, it was completely empty.....not one soul.

The t-shirt situation is silly. We're just going to focus on excellence.

Yeah, Caribou opened next door. We simply need to focus on excellence.

My friend just received some new competition down the street. He needs to focus on excellence.

If you don't have a similar situation in your life right now, you will soon. You have two options: 1) dwell on it and be upset, or 2) focus on excellence. Excellence always wins!

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Your Youngest You

I had a blast speaking to a few hundred high school kids yesterday. There aren't many things I'd change about my talk, which is a rare thing for me to say. As I was staring at so many young faces, it dawned on me how not young I am. It's kinda depressing to think that I have 25-30 years on them. Where does time go!?!?

It's so easy to look at young people and wish we were younger again. We tell ourselves that we'd give anything to go back in time. Take all my money. Take all my status. Take all my accomplishments. Take all my everything. I'd give up every single thing in my life to be younger again.

On the flip side, think about this. Imagine future you, 30 years into the future. That older version of you would also give up all the money, status, accomplishments, and everything to be where you are right now. In some ways, that makes your status in life worth more than all the money in the world. You're the youngest you'll ever be. Youth is your friend. There's so much opportunity in front of you.

Think about that today, then act accordingly. Today is your youngest you.

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Anti-Complicated

In a few hours, I'll have the privilege of speaking to several hundred high school kids. When I was invited to speak, I was instructed to approach the topic of money at the most basic level, as many people in the room will have little to no knowledge of the subject.

"Great, I'll teach the same thing I teach everyone, then!" I replied.

Simplicity always wins! Whether I'm meeting with high school kids or seasoned business professionals, simple is always best. I wasn't joking in my response; I'm going to teach these kids the exact same thing I teach all my clients. In a world that likes to make every little concept or idea overly complicated, I'm going to approach it with an anti-complicated posture.

I'm going to use a single visual, which will slowly build as my talk progresses. Here's what it looks like:

We'll talk about:

• The importance of work. Work = adding value to others. Adding value = money.

• A singular checking account should be the hub of our finances.

• Why a savings account tied to our checking account is the perfect execution for an emergency fund—the release valve of our finances.

• We must account for all income coming in each month. A budget unlocks everything else.

• Debit cards are king. The use of credit cards is a slippery slope that is killing our society. No matter how aggressive I get on this one, it's not enough.

• The difference between needs and wants, and why both are important.

• Giving changes us from the inside out.

• The importance of saving and why sinking funds are a behavioral science hack.

• The power of investing, especially at their age.

The goal isn't for each student to walk away as financial geniuses. The goal is for each person to understand this money stuff can and should be simple......anti-complicated, if you will. And if so, they will hopefully feel empowered to embrace these concepts in their own journeys.

I'll let you know how it goes. Please pray that I say what needs to be said, how it needs to be said, and with the flexibility to pivot if needed. Oh yeah, and if you have one more descriptor in your prayer, pray that I'm funny! It should be fun. In the meantime, I hope you have a fantastic day and make a positive impact on everyone who crosses your path.

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Get To

I was recently chatting with one of our young Northern Vessel employees, and he said something awesome: "My friends always talk about having to go to work. I get to go to work."

He went on to share about how much he enjoys working for us. He mentioned his co-workers, the leadership, our guests, the culture, learning new skills, being challenged, and, of course, making money.

Is this the perfect job in the world? Depends on who you ask. I'd like to think we've done a good job creating a culture that people want to engage with. However, I think a MAJOR factor is this young man's perspective. He has a healthy perspective of work and intentionally seeks meaning in it, which drives his get-to attitude.

On a related note, one of my eight-year-olds was excited to return home from a handful of days in KC visiting his cousins. Yeah, I think he was excited to see me, but he was also excited to mow. He didn't have to mow.....he got to mow. I gave both kids the option, and Finn jumped at it.

Similar to our NV barista, Finn's passion for the work is a mix of things. He's always had a heart for mowing, he enjoys seeing the visual progress of his actions, he knows it's a way to serve his family, and, of course, the money. By the time he got done, he was hot, sweaty, and content. He was also $30 richer, which made him smile.

Is mowing the best job in the world? Depends on who you ask. In Finn's case, while I believe he has some passion for it, I think he has a really healthy attitude towards it. His perspective is healthy, which drives his get-to attitude.

Whatever is on your plate today, I encourage you to have a get-to attitude. Whether it's the best work in the world, or something far from perfect, the work matters. You can treat it like a have-to, or a get-to. The choice is yours, and that choice will play a significant role in how it goes. Always choose "get to."

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Right or Luxury?

As expected, yesterday's post offended a fair number of people. We Americans love our cars, and the mere suggestion that we shouldn't have a car payment sounds as absurd as me suggesting we ought to live our day-to-day lives naked like a bunch of crazy nudists. That suggestion would sound absurd to nearly everyone, and for many reasons, so too is my suggestion that we should all live without vehicle payments.

One of my friends was particularly peeved by my absurdity and decided to call me.

"Travis, do you know how expensive cars are these days?!?! It's practically impossible for most people to buy a new car without getting a loan."

"Yeah, you're right."

"So how do you expect most people to buy a new car without having a payment?"

"I don't."

My friend is absolutely correct! New cars are brutally expensive. Based on recently published data, the average price of a new vehicle during the first half of 2025 was approximately $49,000 (with an average payment of $745/month). Therefore, we have two options: 1) We fork over $49,000 of cash, or 2) We elect for big, fat car payments.

Therefore, my friend makes a good point. It's nearly impossible for most people to buy a new vehicle without large payments. Or.....or.....or, hear me out. Perhaps we can put a third option on the table: 3) Don't buy a new car!

Buying a new vehicle is a luxury, not a right. However, since this is America and our culture is so twisted, we've conditioned the masses to believe that everyone deserves to buy a new vehicle. The truth is, we don't inherently deserve to go out and buy a new vehicle just because everyone else is doing it.

I've never owned a new vehicle in my life, as I don't believe the lie that buying a new vehicle is a right (or a good decision). Even if I could buy a new vehicle, I doubt I ever would. One of the consequences of my decision not to buy a new vehicle is that I haven't had a car loan for more than 17 years. Here's a rough history of all the vehicles Sarah and I have purchased in the past 17 years:

• 2008: Used Honda Accord - $15,000

• 2013: Used Nissan Altima - $16,500

• 2017: Used Toyota Highlander - $15,000

• 2018: Used Nissan Altima - $15,500

• 2024: Used Nissan 350Z - $9,000

Today, our three vehicles have a combined value of $20,000-$25,000.....COMBINED! Would we like to upgrade our vehicles? Of course! And we probably will later this year, but going into debt to do so is an absolute non-starter. We'll buy whatever vehicle we can afford with the cash we have saved for said purchase. Buying new vehicles isn't a right; it's a luxury.

On the flip side, you wouldn't believe the number of people who make $50,000 per year who drive new $50,000 vehicles. The big, fat car payments people are signing up for are crushing their ability to make progress in their financial lives. It's madness!

I again invite you to join the movement. Let's live out a different reality for people to witness. A debt-free reality where we buy vehicles we can afford and live meaningful lives that are far richer than being a slave to our payments. Let's go!

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Normalizing Negligence

You know how social media algorithms have a way of slotting us into specific niches? My niches have evolved over time, but at the moment, my four favorite niches are as follows:

1. Flat Earthers - You GOTTA check it out!

2. Tinned Fish - Who doesn't love a good tinned fish?!?!

3. All things Twenty One Pilots

4. Car Dealership Monthly Payment Interviews

Today, we're paying tribute to category #4, car dealership monthly payment interviews. I first discovered this trend a few years ago, and I'm overjoyed to see it pick up momentum over the last few years. In short, this is a trend where someone working at a car dealership will walk around the premises with a microphone, asking employees what they drive and what their monthly payment is.

Here's one example! If you want the Cliff Notes version, here are the results (each employee’s monthly vehicle payment):

• $744

• $726

• $600

• $1,000

• $935

• $0

• $700

• $0

• $700

• $400

• $415

• $469

• $1,080

• $593

• $0

Or, this one:

• $700

• $1,400

• $750

• $634

• $520

• $706

• $340

• $360

• $0

This one is a treat:

• $2,650

• $1,500

• $700

• $675

• $0

• $1,600

• $0

• $900

• $485

Finally, we'll end with this gem:

• $950

• $730

• $0

• $404

• $0

• $700

• $450

• $600

Those are just four random videos. There are hundreds of them out there, and I just blindly clicked on four for this little exercise. Here's the lay of the land:

• Out of the 41 people surveyed, 80% of them (all but 8) have monthly payments. Translation: Only 20% are debt-free on their vehicles.

• Six people (15%) have monthly payments of $1,000+.

• Only six people (15%) have monthly payments below $500.

• Of the 33 people with monthly payments, the average payment is $791/month.

First, let me say that I'm not condemning any of these people. I don't think they are dumb, nor do I have any negative opinions about them personally. I could easily have clicked on four other random videos and achieved the same results. These people are normal. While these numbers might shock some of you or create skepticism, I can assure you they closely mimic my experience working with hundreds of families.

It's "normal," and that's the problem. In recent months, as the algorithms have pushed me more of these amazing videos, I've started asking myself the question, "Why?" Why are car dealerships doing this at scale? What's the objective of this social media strategy?

Then, it dawned on me, the proverbial light bulb over my head. They are systematically normalizing negligence. If their employees have big, fat monthly payments, and are presumably industry experts, then it normalizes the idea of having big, fat monthly payments. Again, they aren't bad people. They are just normal people, living normal lives, boosting the momentum for other people to live normal lives as well. And in America, "normal" means having big, fat car payments.

Today, I propose we normalize prudence, humility, contentment, and personal responsibility. There's no reason a single person should have a car payment. None. Will you join me in the fight? I can't do it alone, and luckily, I don't have to. Let's shift the momentum to a better way of living!

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(Not) Overemphasizing Weaknesses

"What is your preferred process to pull the perfect espresso shot?"

This is a question sent to me after yesterday's post about Northern Vessel and our pursuit to treat every customer like the most important person in the world. In fairness, I write about Northern Vessel frequently, as jointly owning and running the company has become a major part of my life. Therefore, it's natural for someone to ask this very practical and relevant question.

Confession: I've never pulled an espresso shot in my life. Zero. Zilch. I haven't even attempted it. Truthfully, I don't even know if I could if I wanted to. I love coffee so much, but have no skills. It would be the equivalent of my son deciding next week to build a space shuttle and land a human on the moon. It ain't happening! I do recognize the irony in this situation. We'll serve nearly 200,000 drinks this year, yet I've never made (or know how to make) a single drink.

Let's call this a weakness. It's one of many I possess. If you know me well, you could list out the countless weaknesses that plague me. My lack of know-how in making tasty coffee beverages is one of them.

Culture tells us that we need to focus on our weaknesses, striving to improve in those areas. I think this mentality does us a gross disservice. No, not because I don't believe addressing a weakness is a noble endeavor. I do think there's value in self-improvement. My problem with this approach is that it forces us (whether consciously or subconsciously) to divert our attention away from our strengths.

It's true; I have a ton of weaknesses. I also possess amazing strengths. While I don't know how to make our drinks, I can tell you, to the fraction of a cent, how much each one costs to make and the gross margin associated with each. I know how much frother milk gets thrown down the drain, the impact of card payment transaction fees, how much product gets wasted, and the effect of loyalty reward redemptions.

The name of the game isn't fixing our weaknesses, but rather unapologetically and aggressively leaning into our strengths while bridging our weaknesses. Not to be captain obvious here, but the first step in bridging weaknesses is to have the self-awareness that you have weaknesses. Once that happens, which requires humility, only then can we find the appropriate bridges. My assistant, Alyssa, bridges many of my weaknesses. My Meaning Over Money business partner, Cole, bridges some of my weaknesses. My Northern Vessel business partners, TJ and Ashley, bridge some of my weaknesses.....and vice versa!

TJ is an absolute genius when it comes to coffee and hospitality, but he's not allowed to handle the finances. That's a massive weakness for him, which is why I'm here. While finances are a massive strength for me, accounting isn't. That's where Ashley steps in with her beautiful strengths.

Sure, I could spend time and energy trying to fix my weakness of not knowing how to make delicious coffee drinks. But that won't create one cent of value for the firm. On the flip side, me aggressively leaning into my strengths creates hundreds of thousands of dollars of impact.

I encourage you to write out your strengths and weaknesses on a piece of paper; take an inventory. Second, see which ones you spend more time and energy on. Third, find ways to bridge the gap in your weaknesses to dive harder into your strengths. It can change everything!

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Every Game Is the Super Bowl

I recently received a text from a friend who had just visited Northern Vessel for the first time. She said she was greeted excitedly by the team as she walked in, intentionally walked her through the menu with a smile, and made a killer drink for her. What she didn't know was that we had actually closed a few minutes before she walked in the door. The barista eventually shared that we were closing, but she was free to hang out and enjoy her drink if she desired.

She was blown away. Not only did she receive what she called "the best service of my life," but it was willfully and excitedly delivered even as the shop was closing. This is exactly what we try to accomplish! We're 100% open until five minutes after closing. No cleaning, no sweeping, no trash.....nothing. You won't see any closing-related tasks happening around you, as those are subtle visual triggers that you're no longer welcome. That's anti-hospitality. Using a sports analogy, every game is the Super Bowl. This customer may only ever come in one time, and if that's true, we want to make sure she has a world-class experience. Every customer is the most important customer....period. No, we don't always nail it, but man, we try!

I remember 5-6 years ago when TJ would pop up at grad parties, weddings, and city streets with his little coffee cart, slinging drinks to whoever would give this stranger a shot. He was bootstrapping his dream, desperately trying to eke out a meager living. Something caught my eye when I first met him, though. He treated every interaction like it was the Super Bowl. Every customer who walked up to his cart might as well have been the most important person in the world. That commitment slowly but surely earned him the right to serve more and more people.

Thinking back to those humble (and difficult) days makes what he's built over the last few years all the more special. Just yesterday, we were privileged with the opportunity to serve more than 500 drinks at our shop. That's 80 drinks per hour, or one drink every 45 seconds, for a fun-packed six-hour stretch. As I watched our team work, it provided me with so much joy to see how each team member treated every customer like they were the most important person in the room. Did we nail it 100%? Probably not, but man, we tried! I received countless comments and texts from friends who were thoroughly impressed with the hospitality of our staff. I couldn't be prouder or more grateful!

While I suspect most people reading this probably don't own or run a service-based company, this principle transcends all boundaries. When we approach life, work, and relationships like every game is the Super Bowl, it unlocks something far grander than we could have ever imagined. Give it a try!

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