"What In the World Am I Doing?"

"What in the world am I doing?" These were the words spoken by a close friend who was feeling extraordinarily stressed by his work. It was a redundant question, but these words hit home for me. I, too, have these exact same moments. What in the world am I doing!?!?

He knows what he's doing, of course. He knows exactly what he's doing, and it's awesome. He's making a massive impact on this world, and his work provides him a ton of meaning along the way. This is the thing about work that matters. It's not necessarily fun. It can be, but only some of the time. Other parts of the work can be tremendously challenging. It can occasionally wreak havoc on us mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Not because the work is bad or unhealthy, but because work that matters is rarely easy. It forces us to push ourselves, take the road less traveled, and go against the grain. Living in discomfort, aggressively pursuing something we are called to do, and fighting through the many challenges just comes with the territory. It's hard, but so, so beautiful.

My friend went on to say that though he wishes he didn't feel this way, it's a sign that he's exactly where he needs to be. There is an alternate reality where he lives an easier, less stressful, more comfortable life. I know this, and he knows this. But never in a million years would he trade this for that alternate life. His "why" is too big, the stakes too high, and the impact potential too grand. Thus, he will persevere and the adventure will continue.

Perhaps I'm not making the best case for pursuing work that matters. It's far from perfect and often quite uncomfortable. On the flip side, I don't want to paint an unrealistically rosy picture of a fun-filled, easy-going, stress-free life. Context matters and candor is key.

But here's the promise I can make you: it's worth it. Work that matters is always worth it. If you've found it in your life, congratulations on being in rarified air. Don't ever take it for granted or let it go. If you haven't found it.....yet......the search is not over!

Getting Punched in the Face

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” - Mike Tyson

As I type this, Sarah is sick…..very sick. Probably the sickest I’ve ever seen in my life. Here we are, in one of the most beautiful places on earth, staying in an awesome hotel, on an amazing trip. We had so many plans for things to do, places to see, and food to eat. Instead, Sarah is curled up in the fetal position in bed. Homesick doesn’t even begin to describe how she feels. As her husband, I feel helpless. Sure, I’m bummed we lost our day together. More so, I just feel terrible for her and wish I could either fix it or take her place.

As a business owner, I’m all too familiar with the reality we WILL get punched in the face. It’s not an if, but when. Something bad happens almost daily. I was recently with a friend when I received a phone call about something tremendously terrible happening. After I hung up and explained to my friend what had happened, he asked, “why don’t you seem more upset about this?” My answer was simple, “I knew it was going to happen.” Technically, I didn’t know this exact thing was going to happen (it was an atomic bomb of terrible). But I knew something was going to happen. This new situation just happened to be that something. Long ago did I give up my naive expectation of smooth success. The journey is anything but smooth.

Sarah and I are having an amazing trip. We’ve seen things we never imagined, met so many wonderful people, and created memories we will never forget. Then there was today. Sarah and I have a choice to make. We can either keep going and fight through this mess…..or give up. In life, money, and work, we also have the same choice. When we get punched in the face, we can fight through it……or give up. Sadly, I’ve seen far too many people simply give up when the going got tough. These decisions break my heart, as I often know how amazing someone’s journey can be if they would just keep fighting. It’s rarely easy, but always worth it. Perhaps you’re fighting the good fight in a particular area of your money or work. Trying to get out of debt. Saving for a car. Trying to earn a promotion. Building your income to meet your basic needs. We are all fighting some battle. Please keep fighting!

Please pray for Sarah’s health, and for her and I to fight through this to complete our voyage safely. Perhaps someday we’ll look back at this day and laugh about it. But right now, it feels anything but funny.

“Are You Comfortable?”

As I was on my way to a board meeting yesterday, I received a call from our Media Director, Rebekah. It was just a typical chat about a number of items on our plate, but she introduced the idea of me appearing on a fairly popular TV program. I think she could tell the other end of the phone seemed a bit too silent, so she asked the question, “Are you comfortable with that?”

My answer: “No, I’m not. Which is why we should do it.”

I believe comfort is a trap. It lulls us into complacency and provides an artificial feeling of security, sucking meaning out of our lives. Truth is, I’ll be utterly terrified if Rebekah ends up nailing down this (or any) TV appearance for us.

Anything can make us uncomfortable…..until we do it. The first time I recorded a podcast episode I was scared out of my mind. After a few episodes, it just felt like part of my life. The first time I spoke on stage in front of a few hundred people, I vomited in a trash can backstage. A few dozen talks later, it became one of my favorite things in the world.

One last thought about comfort. We don’t need to take extreme measures to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. Small steps can take us a long way. If we’re scared of heights, we don’t need to jump out of a plane. Maybe a good first step is to spend a few minutes on the balcony of a 10th floor residential unit. Just one small step at a time, then another.

As you venture into your day, ask yourself where you’ve become too comfortable…..then take a small step to get just outside that zone. It’s scary, but worth it!