This was the year of two metrics and it is interesting how it panned out. I’m grateful for the greater focus this year, it helped me to see progress in a way I have not seen as clearly before. Let’s take a moment to reflect back on the metrics I tracked and then some of the things I learned.
(more…)2024 Year in Review
2023 Year in Review
The year of 2023 was my year to focus on living a healthy life. At the beginning of 2023 I decided a healthy life consisted of several buckets. Alongside each bucket, I documented my intention. Below you will find my buckets, intentions, and learnings/reflections.
Not documented in my post last year were the measurements that I was using to track my progress on these buckets. About halfway through the year I stopped tracking my progress. This happened for two reasons.
(more…)Pause to Focus
If you have read any of my posts over the last few months then you’ll know I’ve been focusing my efforts and energy on four things: marriage, memories (with my family), health and home. This has proven to be a valuable activity and has been the catalyst for deeper reflection. This reflection has led to some changes I am making with my writing practice.
(more…)Squeaks Come Before the Music
This year my oldest daughter is in 6th grade and if you have had a sixth grader before you know students in sixth grade have the opportunity to experiment with band or orchestra.
We talked it through with my daughter and she thought the violin would be a fun instrument. For the first two weeks of school, they learned about the instrument and plucked at the strings. This week she came home and with some excitement shared she got to try out the bow for the first time on the violin. She laughed saying that she’s learned how to squeak on the violin but eventually she will be able to make music.
(more…)What is Your Source of Validation?
Everyone on earth has a need for validation. And by validation, I mean a need to “check” the accuracy or validity of who you believe you are as a human being on this earth. As I have gotten older and been exposed to more adult challenges, I have learned we all have a need to be validated.
(more…)What Problem Am I Uniquely Qualified to Solve?
This week I tried something out that I recommend to you. I’m sure I heard this from somewhere else sometime in the past, but this exercise came to me as I sat reflecting on what I’ve learned recently.
(more…)The Key to Measuring Personal Progress
Adam Grant is one of the leading thinkers of our time. He has the ability to take experiences and thoughts that are so human and articulate them in a way that helps make sense of the world. My blog post today is inspired by a thought he shared on X (formally known as Twitter).
(more…)It’s Urgent, Slow Down
Earlier this month I had a conversation with Simon Lamb who is a dear friend of mine and brilliant thinker. He pushes me to do better and be better.
We were both discussing our need to focus on family and other things beyond our work. We talked in the context of the famous 2×2 matrix of urgent and important made popular by Steven Covey and we realized that today, that matrix doesn’t serve us as well. The pace of change and the speed at which we are demanded to get things done is dramatically different than it was in the 80’s. There are more things that are urgent and important so that quadrant is being filled with fewer and fewer urgent and not important items.
(more…)Shared Leadership
Recently I went rappelling with a large group and I observed some interesting archetypes of leadership. Specifically, what it looks like to share leadership.
Our repelling expedition, if you can call it that, consisted of a group of 25 people. Most of which were novices or had never been rappelling before. I am in the novice group. As we spent time together it was fascinating to witness clear leadership roles come out.
(more…)Beauty in Erosion
Saint George Utah, about 2 hours outside of Las Vegas, is where I call home and there are beautiful red rocks and cliffs all around. The rocks and cliffs would not be beautiful if they were all the same.
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