Stepping Up

Good morning to everyone……except for Grandpa Joe! Have you ever seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? We watched it as a family last night, and as always, a classic! Hot take: Grandpa Joe is the worst movie character of all time.

As the movie unfolds and the characters are introduced, we discover that Charlie Bucket's family lives in poverty. His mom works at a laundromat, where she uses her single income to support Charlie and four bedridden grandparents in very tough living conditions. On the night this movie begins, Charlie is disappointed that dinner will be "cabbage water again." Not cabbage soup, but cabbage water. In another scene, Charlie gets his first paycheck from his new paper delivery route. He uses this financial windfall to purchase a delicious-looking loaf of bread for the family, which Grandpa Joe calls "a feast." At the same time, we find out that while the family barely has enough money to serve cabbage water, a portion of their resources is used to support Grandpa Joe's tobacco habit. Did I mention that Grandpa Joe and the other three grandparents have been bedridden for 20 years? 20 years!!!

Now, I'm not here to bash senior citizens or people who don't have the physical capacity to move about. I'm here to bash on what happens next. After Charlie miraculously and magically wins the fifth and final golden ticket to tour Willy Wonka's factory, he hesitantly invites Grandpa Joe to be his guest. Yes, the same Grandpa Joe who hasn't left his bed in two decades. And whataya know, two minutes later, Grandpa Joe is dancing around the living room like he's an energetic teenage boy.

The entire family has spent the last 20 years, and the entirety of Charlie's life, living in poverty. All the while, Grandpa Joe just needed something he cared enough about to spring from his bed and become productive. Providing for his in-need family didn't do the trick, so it's a bit disappointing that a one-day tour of a chocolate factory was what flipped his switch.

Yes, I realize it's just a movie. I know it's silly. I know it's not meant to be taken seriously. I love that movie so much! But Grandpa Joe always gets to me. We need to step up. All of us.

Day after day, I write and podcast about pursuing work that matters, aggressively chasing a meaningful life that's full of fulfillment, impact, and curiosity. I believe in all of that.....with every ounce of my being. At the same time, however, we also need to step up and take care of our families. Never do I suggest that we should abandon our responsibilities to provide and care for those who matter most by recklessly and irresponsibly living our lives.

We need to have both. Yes, we need to aggressively pursue that meaningful life, but at the same time, we must do what we need to do to put food on the table, a roof over our heads, and water in the pipes. The act of providing, even if through less-than-ideal work, is a meaningful endeavor. We ought not lose sight of that.

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Tsunami or Drizzle

One of my clients has a storm approaching. They have two normal incomes and a small child. One spouse is about to lose their job, and the family will soon experience a 50% decrease in its take-home income. Talk about scary!!

Here's the thing about storms. It's not a matter of if a storm is coming, but when. That's what life promises us, and man, life sure does deliver! So, since we know a storm is coming, the next question is how bad said storm will be.

While this couple hasn't been together all that long, both spouses have spent the last 10 years of their lives setting the foundation for where they are now. Sure, I've helped them in their journey, but they had already done so many amazing things before I arrived on the scene. Here's a quick summary:

• No debt (this is huge!)

• Below-average housing costs

• Sizable taxable investment account (game-changer!)

• Conservative lifestyle

• Prioritization of family over stuff and status

• They live life with a posture of contentment and generosity

They've been nervous about the oncoming storm......as they should be! It's absolutely terrifying. We recently took inventory of their situation and worked through their new reality budget. We titled it, "Oh crap!" In it, we discerned what categories needed to be cut or decreased once the storm hits.

When we got to the bottom, they were met with a shocking discovery. After losing half of their income and making whatever cuts they could, the net result was only a $600 monthly budget shortfall. Combine this with the nice taxable investment account available to help them weather the storm, they are in amazing shape! Instead of the impending storm looking like a destructive tsunami, it will more closely resemble a slight drizzle.

Instantly, I could see relief in their eyes. What started as fear turned into confidence. All the hard work they've put into this over the years is about to culminate soon, and they are so grateful for the situation they've put themselves in.

The question isn't whether or not a storm is coming.....it is! The question for you today is what that storm looks like. Will it be a destructive tsunami that will potentially wipe you off the map? Or will it be a slight drizzle that you can confidently navigate? Perhaps today is a great day to start preparing for the storm.

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Not All Roses and Sunshine

"I wish my job was fun like yours." These were the words of a close friend, comparing his job to mine.

First, I'm flattered that he thinks my job is fun. It can be....some hours…..of some days. Truth is, though, my job isn't "fun." It's often heavy, stressful, chaotic, exhausting, and mentally/emotionally taxing. Oh yeah, and it's also tremendously meaningful and fulfilling.

Herein is the lie. Work that matters does not mean fun work. It can be fun, but work doesn't need to be fun to be meaningful. Meaningful work is meaningful work.....period.

This is the lie my friend fell for. He actually finds deep meaning and fulfillment in his work, but since it's stressful and often "not fun," he has a twisted perception that he needs to find something more fun. I think he's in the absolute perfect spot for him! He's doing exactly what he's called to do, he's making a massive impact, and he goes to bed at night with a feeling of contentment and accomplishment.

As you begin your week, don't ask yourself if your job is fun or if you enjoy it. Instead, ask yourself:

• Do I find meaning in my work?

• Am I making a difference?

• Do I believe in the mission?

• Do I look forward to it?

• Do I miss it after being gone for a while?

• Does it allow me to utilize the skills I'm gifted with?

Truth is, I've had a heck of a stressful few weeks. Lots of late nights. Lots of difficult conversations. Lots of chaos. However, at the same time, I've felt a deep sense of fulfillment and meaning in what's happened. It hasn't been a ton of fun, but it matters.

So, next time you find yourself wishing your work was more fun, consider asking yourself the above questions instead. After all, fun isn't what we're really seeking. Meaning is what we're really looking for.

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The Superpower of Humility

We're living in a paradoxical reality. On the one hand, it's becoming increasingly difficult to survive financially. Between stagnant income growth, rampant inflation, record-low housing affordability, spiraling car prices, and several other factors, people are hurting. Not everyone, and certainly not to the same degree, but the cracks are starting to show. There's not enough income to keep the train on track, never mind paying off debt, investing for retirement, or saving for future needs.

On the other hand, there's never been a society in the history of humankind where it's been easier to make money. The internet, social media, and the proliferation of a convenience-based lifestyle have opened up more doors than ever before. Heck, we're a few keystrokes away from contacting nearly any person in the world. If you wanted to, you could send a message to Taylor Swift in the next 45 seconds, and if she wanted to, she could read it two seconds later. That's crazy to think about. With our society wired this way, there are unlimited ways to create an income.

The paradox of this situation is that both realities simultaneously exist. Unlimited income is a few clicks away, but at the same time, so many people are struggling with a problem that is only solvable by making more income. I'm not trying to be insensitive with how I framed this, as I have so much empathy for those who are struggling. Rather, I'm trying to shine a light on a big issue; an elephant-in-the-room issue.

Let's use one of my clients/friends as an example. He's a young guy. He's been married to his wife for just a few years. He's absolutely brilliant and has a pretty good job in a specialized field. His future is bright. However, he has a problem. His family's current income isn't enough. Well, it's technically enough, but it's tight. They have a bunch of debt they want gone, they're having their first child soon (!!!), and they need to financially cover their maternity leave season.

Several months ago, I noticed $2,000 extra in their budget. "What's this?" "Oh, I decided to deliver packages for Amazon. I just downloaded an app, and opt-in to make a delivery run whenever I want." Those might not have been his actual words, but that's what it sounds like in my head. With a full-time career, when does he have time for this?!?! 2:45AM-6:45AM, before his day job begins, three to four times per week.

See what I mean? With our modern technology, he simply downloaded an app, clicks on the deliveries he wants to make, and gets in his car to make some money. So simple!

Oh yeah, there's one more thing: humility. None of this happens without humility. He could have easily played victim, called foul, or treated this type of work as if it were beneath him. But instead, he chose humility. He chose the path less traveled. And that is exactly why he (and they) will win.

Sometimes, we just need to do what we need to do, even if only for a season. It's not always sexy. It doesn't bolster status in social circles. It's certainly not easy. But it's the gateway to the reality we are trying to create.

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To Kill or Not to Kill….Their Dreams

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" It's one of my favorite questions to ask young people. It's an open-ended, sky's-the-limit type of question. During my ten years as a youth group leader, I asked this question to hundreds of kids (6th through 12th grade). I noticed an interesting trend. The younger kids would give me one solid answer, but the older kids (typically 11th or 12th grade) would give me two answers.

For the younger kids, it's simple and confident: "I want to be an astronaut." "I want to be a vet." "I want to be a chef."

For the upperclassmen, it gets muddy. It morphs into something more like this. "I used to want to be an astronaut, but now I want to _______." "I used to want to be a chef, but now I want to ________." If they want to be the second thing they mentioned, why state the first one? Curious, I always ask them this question.

"The first answer is my real answer, but the second is my practical answer." Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Somewhere along the journey, someone killed their dreams. Someone decided this kid needed to think more practical, safer, and more achievable. Maybe it was their parents, or teachers, or friends, or coaches.....but it was probably the parents. Why? Because a child's foundational confidence comes from his/her parents. If the parents believe in the kid, it's unlikely that external forces will knock them down.

Here's the problem. In our effort to protect our kids from failure, struggle, and disappointment, we methodically kill their dreams as they grow up. After all, we want our kids to succeed. And falling flat on their face over and over and over doesn't feel like winning. Therefore, we steer our kids into safe, practical, and reliable career paths. We want our kids to make enough money to live, ideally more than enough. We want them to have security.

I might take some heat for saying this, but I don't care about any of that. I would rather my kids fail miserably in the pursuit of their dreams and callings and struggle to make enough income along the way than sell their dreams for safety, practicality, and security. If living a meaningful life requires them to face risk, adversity, and pain, I'll cheer all day for that.

I have zero aspirations for my kids to be wealthy or attain status. I aspire for my kids to live the most meaningful life possible.....period. I don't know what that means (yet) for them, but I will never kill their dreams. If one wants to be an astronaut, then I need to figure out how best to support that dream and encourage that journey. If the other wants to be a rocker, then I'll figure out how best to support that as well.

In a world where 70% of Americans dislike or hate their jobs, I'll be so proud if my kids end up in the 30% camp....whatever that looks like. Rich or poor, status or none, always living for meaning.

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Trigger. Trigger. What Is the Trigger?

One of my favorite conversations with young people (under 25 years old) is asking them what they want to do when they're adults, and why. I say under 25 because that's typically when people start allowing their dreams to die.

Every single time, there's a trigger. Something that happened. A story. An event. A set of circumstances. THE trigger. For example, one of my former youth group kids experienced the pain, suffering, and victory over childhood cancer. After spending much of her life in and out of hospitals, she grew up to become a pediatric nurse, serving young kids who are going through similar experiences she went through. Beautiful!

One of my high school classmates experienced two triggers in the same day. When we were kids, he witnessed his grandfather pass away on a plane while flying home from Disney World. He would eventually become a pilot AND an undertaker. A morbid but true story.

When it comes to my own kids, I encourage them to put everything on the table. Anything and everything is a possible dream career. I don't discourage. I don't push. I don't manipulate. I simply expose them to as many things as possible, and know something will eventually trigger them.

This week has been especially fun for me as a parent. Being away from their rhythms and routines, they have a front-row seat to see all sorts of new opportunities. I always wonder what will trigger them. Will it be the musicians they've listened to? Or the singers, dancers, skaters, and divers they watched? Will it be the ship captain or any number of the crew they've interacted with? Will it be the local business owners we encountered on the islands? Will it be something I never even realized? Or, maybe nothing will trigger them.....yet.

The boys want to start a YouTube channel with his brother, performing classic rock songs on their drums and guitar. Cool. I'll help them get it going.

Finn wants to start a mowing business like a local kid who mowed our yard a few times. Amazing. I told him I can help show him when the time is right.

Whatever their eventual triggers are, I will do whatever I can to support, encourage, and cultivate them.....even if it's not something I would have chosen for him. This is a controversial take in our current times, but I won't specifically push my kids to pursue something for the sake of money or status. Instead, I'll encourage meaning 100% of the time. That may or may not include money and status, but pursuing meaning will certainly produce meaning.

My two little men have maybe 70-80 years left on this planet. I want them to spend it pursuing meaning, finding fulfillment, and impacting others. If they make a bunch of money, great. If they earn a ton of status, fine. But I will always encourage them to seek the meaning first, no matter what.

It all starts with a trigger. A trigger I may be part of, but one I may not know about for a long time.

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A Pretty Pathetic Life

A blog reader whom I've never met recently reached out with a personal update. After reading this blog for the last 18 months, as well as simmering in modest misery (or general indifference) for the previous 15 years at his job, he finally decided life is too short to wake up every day to go to a job that sucks. His previous goal was to retire as quickly as possible so he can quit this soul-sucking rat race. He found a new job, quit his old one, and now lives a different reality. He no longer obsesses about retirement. Instead, he wonders how long he'll get to do this newfound awesome work.

His family took a 15% pay cut for this shift to happen, which scared him to death. However, after living in his new financial reality for the past several months, he realizes that while his standard of living is slightly lower, his family's quality of life has significantly improved!

It reminds me of a message I received a few years ago after publishing my favorite Tweet of all time, which I occasionally re-publish for sport: "Early retirement isn't a dream. It's the consolation prize for not having a dream."

As you can imagine, that sort of idea can set this world ablaze. I received a storm of backlash from that Tweet, ranging from text messages, to DMs, to in-person disagreements. However, my favorite response to date is this: "You must have a pretty pathetic life to prefer working."

He got me! He nailed it. I, indeed, live a pretty pathetic life. So much so that all I want to do is slave away in misery, biding my time until I'm buried. I'm joking, of course, but I can't stop thinking about this cultural narrative about work. Work = bad. Work = necessary evil. Work = misery.

As I often mention, we don't have to choose between meaning at home and meaning at work. Not only can we have both, but we should have both. We wake up with meaning, then drive to meaning, then have meaning all day, then drive home toward meaning, then meaning until we go to bed, then repeat. It doesn't have to be a constant back-and-forth between meaning and misery. We don't have to torture ourselves for decades on end.

So, to my new blog friend who must be living a pretty pathetic life to no longer crave an early retirement, cheers! I hope these next 20+ years are far more rewarding than anything early retirement could have provided you. This is where your career starts to get good!

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It’s Not the Job That Sucks

As a reminder, 70% of Americans dislike or hate their jobs. Pretty sad, eh? 7 out of 10 people are living somewhere between mere tolerance and absolute misery. I've talked about this countless times before, but today, I will take a different approach. Here's my hot take of the week: It's not your job that sucks.

Well, your job may or may not suck, but that's not what's driving this 70% number. There's a saying that lives rent-free in my head: "People don't leave bad jobs; they leave bad leaders."

The data is beginning to show that people who have a terrible job but a great leader surprisingly experience more enjoyment, meaning, and fulfillment in their work than people who have a great job but a terrible leader.

My own life experience affirms this. When I was in high school, I worked at a cheese factory. No, not a Cheesecake Factory. A literal cheese factory. Unsurprisingly, being 17 years old and waking up at 4AM every Sunday to package cheese is a terrible job. It was cold, boring, and monotonous. However, I enjoyed that job! Why? Because my leaders were really good. They breathed life into the work, and the culture thrived.

Conversely, many years later, I had one of the coolest jobs ever. I won't share too many details about it, as I don't want what I'm about to say to land on a specific person. But let's just say the job was really freaking cool! However, my leader wasn't so great. Their attitude, coldness, self-serving priorities, treatment of others, seeming unwillingness to hold people accountable, and overall lack of respect created an environment where neither I nor others found enjoyment, meaning, or fulfillment. They sucked the life out of the work, and the culture suffered.

I have two takeaways today. First, if you're one of the 70% of Americans who dislike or hate their job, it means you might be one good leader away from joining the 30% club. Perhaps that means an intentional shift within your current organization, a similar job at a different organization, or some other lateral but small move would suffice. It doesn't mean you must blow up your entire life like I did. You don't have to make a drastic 180-degree turn to find meaning in your work. This should be fantastic news! Congratulations, one small tweak might be the difference between misery and meaning. Between tolerance and fulfillment. Between dread and excitement.

Here's my second takeaway. Many of you are leaders in your organizations. Through your leadership (or lack thereof), some of you are turning crappy jobs into amazing jobs, and some are turning amazing jobs into crappy jobs. You possess the keys to other people's work experience. While that doesn't sound fair, and perhaps an overweight responsibility, it's reality. It's your reality, and it's your team's reality. Oh yeah, and it's an amazing opportunity!

So, if you're in a job you dislike or hate (as most Americans are), ask yourself why. Is it really the job? Or is it your leaders? The answer to that question may change everything.

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Bummer

"Happy Friday!"

"At least it's Friday!"

"Happy Friday!"

"The week is almost over!"

"Thank God it's Friday!"

"I'm so ready for the weekend to get here!"

The six quotes above are from six different interactions I had yesterday. Each of these people were yearning for the end of the work week and desperate to get to the weekend. Can you relate? Would you say something like this? Most would. Wanna know what all six of these individuals have in common? None of them love their work.

In a society where 7 out of 10 Americans dislike or hate their job, statements like those above are the norm. They are to be expected. They are almost as ubiquitous as "How are you?" or "Good morning." We're expected to celebrate Fridays.

I used to celebrate Fridays.....a lot! I couldn't wait for them to get here. I needed a reprieve. I needed an escape. I desperately craved something else......anything else.

Around noon yesterday, it dawned on me that the week was coming to an end. I only had one thought: "Bummer." I had been sick earlier in the week, so it felt like I was just hitting my groove. I was working on some extraordinarily challenging projects that were pushing me to grossly uncomfortable places. I was stressed and frustrated, yet fulfilled. I learned things I never knew I'd learn, and addressed problems I didn't know needed addressing.

I could work 6-7 days per week if it weren't for this whole balance thing. My wife and kids need me to be a husband and a father, so it's imperative I create healthy boundaries. I think that's what makes fulfilling work so compelling. In a society that demonizes work and glorifies Fridays, it's odd to live in a reality where you must create structure to prevent yourself from overdoing work.

I'm not the only one facing this. There's an army of people who love their work. It's an unfortunate minority, but an army nonetheless. Work that matters matters.

Have you ever seen those videos where someone puts in hearing aids and experiences the sense of hearing for the first time. Often, they break down in tears, overwhelmed by a reality they never knew existed. Work that matters is much the same way. You don't understand that reality until the moment you feel it for the first time, and just like the people who use hearing aids for the first time, it can be immensely overwhelming.

This isn't me bragging. This is me inviting. I dream of a world where people are just as happy to go to work as they are to go home. A world where Mondays are just as exciting as Fridays. A world where instead of bouncing from awesome to dread to awesome to dread, people bounce from awesome to awesome to awesome to awesome.

If you know exactly what I'm talking about, keep living it out. Your example matters. Your testimony moves the needle. Others will follow.....eventually.....I hope.

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Yeah, It's Okay to Hate Your Job, But….

I often rant about the importance of pursuing work that matters. It comes up here on the blog, on the podcast, and in my public talks. It's one of my foundational messages. I also touched on it in yesterday's piece.

In response, one friend (43 years old) wrote me yesterday; here's what he said: "Is it ok to hate my job? I don't hate it all the time, but I dread it most weeks. However I don't look for meaning in my work. I have a great family, awesome friends, and I enjoy my weekends. I have fun hobbies and I am plenty busy with my kids activites. We take two vacations a year and I'll probably get to retire by 60."

I told my friend I wanted to answer him publicly, and he's cool with that, so here we go!

Yeah, it's okay to hate your job. We live in a free country that allows us to choose whatever paths we want. I'm glad you have a great family and awesome friends. I can confirm you do, in fact, have a pretty amazing family and countless friends who would do anything for you. Such a blessing! I also love seeing pictures of your family's trips....so many memories!

On the flip side, I think you deserve better. I see how much your job kills you. I watch as you bounce back and forth between joy and dread. I've been with you on Sunday afternoons when the Sunday Scaries switch is flipped. I know you'd pretty much rather be doing anything other than what you do during the week. Yeah, I know it pays well, and you're financially comfortable, but it also looks like part of you is dying.

You excitedly say you can retire by age 60. First, that's 17 years from now! Do you really want your kids to spend their entire childhoods watching you merely tolerate your life? Let's just say you make it 17 more years.....then what? You'll still be relatively young, having tolerated the preceding two decades. What's next? Play golf? Sleep in? Live a life of leisure? You have so much to offer the world today, next year, and decades from now.

Yeah, man, it's okay to hate your job. Most other people do. Merely tolerating it is a culturally-approved way to approach life. You do have meaning in other areas of your life: family, friends, memories, etc. I'm just crazy enough to think you deserve both. I think you deserve to have meaning in your personal life AND your professional life. This is one of the areas where it's possible to have your cake and eat it, too.

I'll end by flipping it around on you. What if your kid was asking this question? Would you encourage them to sit in semi-misery for decades on end? You and I both know the answer to that question. Take your own advice. Live with meaning. Make an impact. Expect better; demand better. I think you deserve it, man!

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Those Little Tells

Once in a while, someone will ask me a simple but profound question about careers. "How do you know if you're in the right job?" It's a weighty question, and there are certainly many factors at play, but there's one thing I always look for: Those little tells.

I've had a great few days celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. Food, football, movies, and games. It was a great time, and we returned home from Kansas City last night. I couldn't be more excited for today. We're heading to Northern Vessel to grab some drinks, I have a ton of work to do, and then we're going to watch Iowa State football play for the chance to compete in the Big 12 Championship Game.

There's a little tell in there. It's the part where I said “I have a ton of work to do" in my long list of reasons why I'm pumped for the day. Between my dry ice client work, Northern Vessel strategic planning, and prepping for some client meetings, I couldn't be more excited for the work I'm about to do today. That's a little tell, but it's a big deal. The fact I'm looking forward to spending much of my Saturday working is a weird reality, but one I cherish.

Those little tells are everywhere. Do you count down the days and hours until Friday afternoon? Do you dread Mondays? Do you continually fantasize about vacations? Do you look forward to your next work shift? Do you often think about other jobs? Does your tank feel full (or empty) as you're returning home from work each day? Do you dream about retirement? Each of these can be a tell.

If your immediate reaction to my references about your job are indifference, misery, dread, or disgust, that may also be a tell. I sincerely think you deserve better than that. I believe you deserve to wake up each day knowing you’re about to do something that matters. Something that fills your tank. Something that moves the needle.

I also believe it’s 100% attainable. Listen to those little tells.

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All Shapes and Sizes

Right on cue! I received an extremely harsh message from an acquaintance after yesterday's post. For context, I shared a short but powerful testimonial from a friend who decided to pursue work that matters. In her particular situation, that work involved starting her own small business. I won't reveal all the expletive details from yesterday's criticism, but here's one sentence that sums up their perspective of yesterday's post: "Not everyone can just quit their job and start a business."

Do you see what he did here? I wrote a post expressing this aspirational idea that each of us should pursue work that matters, and his internalization of this message is that the only work that matters is business ownership. Being an employee automatically equals misery, and being a business owner equals something good. Then, for whatever reason, he excluded himself from being able to have his own business.....seemingly meaning he was condemned to misery.

I try to choose my words carefully. Never have I said the secret to happiness, meaning, or fulfillment is self-employment. Rather, I'm an advocate for work that matters. Here's the thing about work that matters. All work matters, but not all work matters to you, and not all work matters to me. For my friend in yesterday's post, hers was creating a small business in a field that fills her tank. Her business is uniquely her.

I have a friend who is living his absolute best life. He's a middle manager at a boring-to-me job at a large and stodgy corporation. He's had the same job for nearly 20 years. He loves it, and it fills his tank.

I have another friend who just started her tenth year as a middle school teacher. She loves it! Sure, there are messy and stressful components to the work, but she's living her calling.

There's also another friend who is a barista at a coffee shop. He looks forward to work almost every day, and it fills his bucket. The work can be draining, but the relationships, variety of work, and environment are perfect for his wiring and lifestyle.

It's not about being an employee vs. not being an employee. It's about pursuing work that matters. For many people, like the person who lashed out at me, it's easier to find reasons to concede defeat and sit in their misery than to face the challenge of pursuing work that matters. Or, in the words of my friend from yesterday's post, "I knew in my head and heart that it could be out there somewhere - I just had to do really hard things to find it."

Work that matters matters. It comes in all shapes and sizes. It's different for everyone. It might mean being an employee. It might mean owning your own business. It might mean doing ministry. It might mean doing something I don't even know about! But there's one common thread to all of it: it does exist, it will be a difficult journey, and it will be so worth it.

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She’s Far-Fetched, Too

I'm used to the criticism at this point. It comes from many angles and in various forms. Over the last year, however, the bulk of the criticism revolved around my ideas of work. Specifically, my position that we should pursue work that matters and find meaning in it. Some of the most common “feedback” includes:

• "Your ideas about work are far-fetched."

• "You don't live in the real world."

• "That's a privileged perspective."

• "You don't know what it's really like."

• "Meaning doesn't pay the bills."

• "Have fun being poor." -- I actually love this one!

• "You are telling people to be selfish and not care for their families."

• "You live in la la land."

I know there are some far better, more vulgar quotes somewhere, so I'll save those gems for another day!

Yes, my ideas are crazy, counter-cultural, and backward. Yes, they tug at the fabric of our culture's view of work, money, and life. Yes, it requires discomfort, perseverance, and humility. Yes, it's probably the hardest thing you'll ever do.

No, I'm not alone. No, I'm not special. No, I'm not particularly gifted. No, my ideas aren't even really my ideas. I just happen to have a platform.....and a mission. The truth is, countless people have committed to the types of insane endeavors I write, podcast, and speak about. That's what makes these ideas so amazing: they are accessible to all......IF you're up for the challenge.

I could list hundreds of examples, but you don't show up for me to endlessly ramble. So, instead, I'm going to give you one brief testimonial. This is a reply to my recent Ruin vs. Waste post. First, some context. This woman owns a beautiful small business which fuels and fills her. Her broader story is wild and involves more turmoil than she deserves. Here's what she said:

"After I was laid off, I chose to walk away from misery and do something really scary. I walked away from a comfortable 6 figure salary to maybe try to find some happiness. I knew in my head and heart that it could be out there somewhere - I just had to do really hard things to find it. Do I wish I had a bigger bank account? Sure. And maybe someday this business will allow a bit more flexibility and perhaps a vacation out of state (ha), but I'm not willing to give up the freedom and happiness I have every single day for more money in my pocket. I was miserable back then and I refuse to do that again."

I bolded my favorite part: "I knew in my head and heart that it could be out there somewhere - I just had to do really hardthings to find it." Yes, it's out there. Yes, it's going to be hard. Yes, she had the courage to go for it.

Don't let our culture tell you what you can and should do. The vast majority of those voices are miserable. You deserve better!

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I’m No Swiftie, But…

I'm no Swiftie, but I watched ESPN's Monday Night Football pre-game show last night with great anticipation. I was dying for the moment when they would show Taylor Swift walking into Arrowhead Stadium to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. It was so worth the wait when the payoff finally happened. That moment made my entire night!

It reminds me of a lunch I shared with a young friend. He recently graduated college and started a pretty good job. It was the perfect job for someone graduating from college and looking for good money, solid benefits, and stability. He looked miserable, though, and his ill-fitting suit didn't look much better. I anticipated spending that hour with someone who had a signature zest for life, but instead, I shared a meal with a guy who looked like he had just buried his dog. As the conversation picked up, he confessed how much he hated this job. It wasn't a bad job; far from it! Rather, it just wasn't the right job for him. He had different dreams, and this definitely wasn't it. A few weeks later, he left work one afternoon and never returned. Not even his wife knew he had quit.....until she returned home later that night.

That guy was Cole, Meaning Over Money co-founder and my good friend. And that sad lunch encounter occurred nearly ten years ago. Cole quit that job with no backup plan (not advised), while still deeply in debt (also not advised), without talking to his wife (definitely not advised), and began his dream of becoming a freelance videographer. The road has been anything but smooth for him. Ups and downs, hot streaks and dry spells, great opportunities and broken promises. Through it all, he persevered, never losing sight of what he was trying to accomplish. He bought a house, continued to build his business, had a kid, fought to pursue work that matters, had another kid, kept chasing his calling, and will soon have yet another kid.

I'm no Swiftie, but as I eagerly anticipated Taylor Swift's arrival into the stadium last night, I knew it would be Cole on the other end of that camera, continuing to live out his unique journey and vision. ESPN contracted him to be on Monday Night Football Taylor Swift watch, followed by filming the post-game press conference interviews for the Chiefs players and coaches.

I don't mean to sound like I have a man crush on my business partner, but I'm just so dang proud of where he's been, where he's at, and where he'll soon go. It makes it even sweeter knowing how difficult the journey has been. I would say he's stared fear in the face, but he's a retired kicker, and I'm not sure kickers can feel fear. But the struggle is real. If anyone ever pulls out the it-must-be-nice-to-be-him card, I'll be the first one to share the stories of what it looked like behind the scenes, during the crappy periods, when things were uncertain, and when it probably seemed to be anything but "nice to be him."

I'm no Swiftie, but that's pretty cool!

I couldn’t find the actual ESPN footage he recorded, but it was a similar angle as this clip.

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A post shared by ExtraTV (@extratv)

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I Just Wanna Play Football

I’m thoroughly enjoying my time in Mongolia. The meetings have been fruitful, the relationships rich, and the experiences seared into my memory forever. But for some reason, I can’t quit thinking about the following story.

I often reflect on a particular conversation I had years ago with a bunch of my high school youth group kids. I don't remember the overarching topic of the conversation, but I pulled out a normal-to-me question: "What do you want to do when you're an adult?" The kids around me were a mix of guys and girls, primarily athletes (basketball, volleyball, and football players). I received many to-be-expected answers; teachers, engineers, doctors, veterinarians, etc. Then, one of the guys says, "I just wanna play football." While he was a clearly a stud athlete, he was also the smallest guy in his crew that day. A couple of his buddies snickered at his answer. They weren't laughing AT him or mocking him by any means, but his answer seemed far-fetched. 

A few years later, he was blessed with an opportunity to take his talents to a major D1 football program. He didn't get a full scholarship in his first year, but he made the team! When I asked him what he hoped for, he immediately answered, "I just wanna play." Simple enough. And play he did! If my memory serves me right, an early-season in-game injury to one of his teammates allowed him an opportunity to show his stuff. Turns out, his stuff was pretty good. The rest is history. 

A few weeks ago, he became the first white starting cornerback in the NFL since 2002. I don't usually focus too much on race (especially in sport), but that's an absurd and wild statistic. Not one white dude has started at cornerback in the NFL since Jason Seahorn started 22 years ago! Not only did Riley start, but he's absolutely crushing it. He had 12 tackles in a single game…..as a cornerback! His name is Riley Moss, and he plays for the Denver Broncos. From the Ankeny Centennial Jaguars, to the Iowa Hawkeyes, to the Denver Broncos. Awesome story!

I don't have a close relationship with Riley, but I admire his journey from afar. It's so fun watching people just go for it. Our culture says to lower our expectations and just settle in for something normal, safe, and practical. Yet, here's a young man who had a big dream and kept moving forward. There's probably a world where he doesn't make the NFL; an unfortunate break, an untimely injury, or a missed opportunity. But had that happened, Riley could at least look back at his journey with no regrets. No woulda, shoulda, couldas. 

This really isn't about becoming a professional athlete, or rich, or famous, or powerful. It's about giving yourself permission to dream, and then going for it. The courage to fight our prevailing culture and take the path less traveled. To block out what the world says, and just leave it all on the field, as they say. 

I wish Riley nothing but the best. I hope he accomplishes everything he pursues. It's not going to be an easy journey, and he will most certainly face pain, suffering, and challenges. But it will be a beautiful journey, regardless.

I wish the same for you!

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The Competitor In the Mirror

TJ, my Northern Vessel business partner, received a phone call from the Des Moines Register a few days ago. The reporter wanted to know what he thought about Caribou Coffee opening a new location right next door to our Northern Vessel shop. First, that was the first time either of us had heard about Caribou's plans. Second, we did have thoughts!

I'm not sure what the original intent of the article was. I'm being somewhat presumptuous here, and I certainly don't want to put words in anyone's mouth. In short, I think the general idea is that yet another big, national chain location is moving in on local small businesses. This would make sense, as Caribou has more than 750 locations in 11 countries......while we are one of one. This also makes sense, considering it's the prevailing sentiment in our culture right now. Support small. Support local. Stop letting corporations kill the little man.

What TJ ultimately told them was an entirely different story. He talked about how he was excited to have Caribou join the neighborhood, as it would bring more traffic to our little corridor. And if that happens, perhaps we'll have the opportunity to serve those people. Awesome! Here’s an IG Reel he posted about the situation.

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A post shared by NORTHERN VESSEL (@northernvessel)

I don't fault Caribou for moving in—good for them! This isn't about big business vs. small business. It's not about local vs. national. It's not about who deserves to be here vs. who doesn't. It's about excellent vs. not. Will we be excellent? Will they be excellent? Caribou has every right to set up shop and try to be successful. We don't feel oppressed or victimized. Instead, we're grateful. We're grateful for the customers who trust us, for the brand we're building, for our team driving the mission forward, and for the opportunity to get 1% better each day.

It reminds me of something my friend Michael once told me in a coaching meeting: "Losers focus on winners, and winners focus on winning." There might have been a few f-bombs dropped in that sentence, but this is a kid-friendly blog.

Here's the last line of the Register article, a quote from TJ: "At the end of the day, excellence wins." TJ is so right about that one. Our only choice is to be excellent. Luckily, our only desire is to be excellent.

Regardless of what you do, I have a challenge for you! With so much noise all around us, it's so easy to get distracted and sidetracked from the mission. It's easy to take offense, feel threatened, get jealous, and feel robbed. Those aren't choices.....at least not productive ones. Instead, let's just focus on being excellent. After all, our real competition is the person staring at us in the mirror. Excellence always wins. Just be your best today, get 1% better, and do it again. The rest will take care of itself.

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The Destinationless Journey

I was blessed to run into a group of friends yesterday. They were enjoying their weekly coffee outing together, so I crashed their conversation for a few minutes. Though that interaction was only 5-10 minutes, it blessed my day so much.

These four women are a few years ahead of me on their journey. I don't remember how the topic came up, but we began discussing upcoming career shifts (or what most people would refer to as retirement). It was interesting to hear each person's perspective on the topic. All were different and unique, but there was a common thread to each of their responses: What's about to happen is a new stage of the journey, not a destination.

I was so encouraged by their sentiment, which was brimming with impact and meaning. As I always say, work that matters matters. We were created to work, be productive, and serve others. These four women echoed those values in their words, which doesn't surprise me, having known them for many years.

Nobody said, "Wow, I'm just really looking forward to packing it in and riding off into the sunset." It was quite the opposite, actually. It was about finding new ways of making an impact, investing in their families, volunteering, and pursuing new types of work. Meaning, meaning, meaning, and meaning.

There is no finish line. It's a destinationless journey. When we view our lives through that lens, it changes everything. It reminds me of a conversation with a friend in his late 50s. He's done well for himself, and he's been encouraged to retire by many people around him. "You've earned it," they tell him. But every time the R-word gets brought up, he feels his mortality. Why? Because to him, it feels like the finish line of his productive life. In a way, that's cool; but in another way, it's quite sad.

I told him I thought it was all BS. He's in his 50s.....he's young! He still has 20-30 productive years left in him! That's like a long-distance Olympic runner completing two laps around the track, stopping, and calling it a race. The race isn't done yet, man!

I look up to my four friends. I'm so glad I had the chance to spend a few minutes with them yesterday. It encouraged me more than they will ever know. Impact knows no age. Servanthood doesn't retire. Meaningful work is available to all.

It's a destinationless journey. Keep running.

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