Savor the Glimpses

Have you ever accomplished something you worked hard on, but didn't get the gratification of seeing if/how your work even made a difference? Whew, I'm so glad I'm not alone. Much of what we do involves trust. We put in the work, do the grind, endeavor to do something that matters, and trust it will mean something to someone. When I used to make Casey's pizzas in high school, I would put in the work and trust someone would enjoy their slice. When I used to rake sand traps at the golf course, I trusted someone would appreciate the fact they were clean and kept. When I invested in relationships with my youth group kids, I trusted my influence was impacting their lives. When I managed billion-dollar real estate portfolios for my clients, I trusted my work would provide them with peace of mind and returns that exceeded their expectations.

It's common to do work and never really know if our actions make an impact. It's the trust that carries us through. Well, for many, it's the paycheck. The paycheck carries them through. Sometimes, though, we're blessed with a little glimpse into what our work is genuinely doing. This week, my friends in Los Angeles asked if I'd be willing to go speak again. Not once, but two more times (once in October and once in January). They said my previous events received such positive feedback from their audiences that it was a must-have to bring me back. Wow, that really touched me. It was a small glimpse into the impact I'm making.

I don't get these glimpses often, but I'm beyond grateful when I do. I once received a DM from a stranger in New Zealand who said our podcast changed his life and marriage. Wow! My friend, Chi-Chung, wrote a post on social media last week, describing how a cup of coffee and my blog are the first two things he does to start his day. He even added that I'm one of his "favorite bloggers." Wow! I recently received a handwritten note from a former client detailing how our coaching relationship changed their life forever. Wow!

These moments don't always happen, so cherish them when they do. We don't do what we do to get a pat on the back, but man, those pats feel good when they come. These little moments remind us why we do what we do. We don't need these reminders daily, but they are much needed when we're having a bad day/week. When we want to give up, these little glimpses can provide the energy and motivation to keep moving forward.

On the flip side, this may be our reminder to give other people their own glimpses. I probably don't reach out to say "thank you" enough. I probably don't share enough about how someone impacted my journey. I probably don't shine a light on people's amazing work enough. Let this be our call to action. And by "our," I mean mine.

Even Robots Know My Weaknesses

There’s nothing quite like the pain of having to listen to your own voice or watch yourself on video. Every word, motion, tone, and nuance gets put under a microscope. And not just any microscope, but an unfair, distorted, and brutally critical microscope. Can we all just admit it sucks to watch and listen to ourselves?

When we started producing content for Meaning Over Money, I played a strong role in the editing process. Cole eventually kicked me out of that role, citing my need to trust him and his need to not deal with me. But those days of editing were telling for me. Watching myself and listening to myself helped me clearly see where my deficiencies were. I learned so much from that experience, and it honestly helped me get better every step of the way. Though I don’t watch or listen to all my own content anymore, I do absorb most of it at some point. A funny thing happened along the way. Now, when I’m absorbing my own content, it’s not me. It’s just some other guy who I’m experiencing as a consumer. It almost feels like a different person. It sounds weird - and it is - but it’s helped me become constructively critical instead of toxically critical.

Here’s the thing with our weaknesses. We may not always know them, but everyone around us does. If you’re ever brave enough, ask someone to share what yours are. It can be a brutal experience, but just like my story above, it can help us grow. A few nights ago, I was messing around with ChatGPT and trying to generate some ideas. Out of curiosity, I fed it my most recent blog post and asked it to “tell me how I can improve it.” The following is what the AI robot spit back out at me:

Here are a few suggestions on how you can improve the text:

1. Use more active voice: The text is written in passive voice in certain parts. Use more active voice to make the text more engaging and direct.

2. Use specific examples: The text could benefit from more specific examples of how the author's skills, experience, influence, and relationships from their previous career have helped them in their new career. This will make the text more relatable and convincing.

3. Be more concise: The text can be made more concise by eliminating unnecessary details and focusing on the main points.

4. Use transitions: The text may flow more smoothly if you use transitions between paragraphs and sections to guide the reader through the story and the author's thought process.

5. Be more specific in the end: The end of the text is a bit generic, it could be more specific if the author provides some tips or examples of how someone else can take the same approach to their own career shift.

Keep in mind that these suggestions are based on the text you provided, and the final decision on how to improve it is yours. These are just suggestions that you can use to make your text more engaging and effective.

Ouch! My gut reaction was, “What do you know? You’re just a stupid robot!” Then, I looked back and forth between its feedback and my article. If I’m being honest with myself, that feedback was 100% accurate. The truth hurts, but we have two options: 1) ignore it and be defensive, or 2) accept it and use it to grow.

I don’t always choose route #2, but my prayer today is to do it more consistently each day.