We all operate with a framework for navigating life and work. For some it is a well-defined, intentional set of core beliefs and truth. For some it is an ever-evolving bowl of beliefs and experiences. For others, it is just “go with your gut” and make sure you don’t harm […]

I’m not a soldier. No, Colonel Jessup, I’ve never picked up a weapon and stood a post. I’ve never fought in a great battle, never landed in hostile territory, and have never really worn a military uniform of any kind. I’m also not an especially gifted athlete. I crank out a few miles every week […]

We like to think of our leaders as always knowing what to do and when to do it. In real life, however, leaders get overwhelmed and confused just as much as the rest of us. Maybe more. Nearly three thousand years ago, a new king arose in the Middle East—Jehoshaphat of […]

Do you have an “I’ll get to this eventually” stack in your office? Mine’s in my home office / work-out room. My home office is a huge converted room over the garage and has the feel of a finished attic, even though it was never an attic. As you enter […]

Maybe you’re familiar with the story I’m referring to. It’s found in Genesis 32 in the Old Testament. Alone for the night, the patriarch Jacob is confronted by “a Mysterious Man,” and the two wrestle for hours. Toward the end of the night, the God-man touches Jacob’s hip, and Jacob […]

One blueberry bagel, double toasted, with fruit spread on the side. This morning I was eating a bagel in the same local cafe where my son, Kile, and I talked about life over breakfast for more than three years. Here is the back story. My dad was mostly absent from […]

300 feet. 2 seconds. These numbers may not mean much to you, but if you were a pilot sitting on the deck of an aircraft carrier, they would mean a great deal. 300 feet. That’s the entire length of a runway in front of you. That’s all the distance available to […]

When I hear the phrase Give me a double, I don’t think of alcohol. I think of my buddy Mark. No matter which restaurant, no matter the type of food, no matter the time of day, he always ordered a double. If it was breakfast, he’d order double bacon. If […]

Perhaps you’ve heard of EGR people. It’s not a personality type—like an ENFP or an 8 on the Enneagram. EGR folks are those who require extra grace. Extra Grace Required. EGR. Somebody like this. These are the folks who simply grate on our nerves. Perhaps it’s because of the way […]

“Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.” That’s what the inscription on Sam Walton’s grave reads. Not “Wal-Mart founder” or “Billionaire philanthropist” or “Man who transformed the modern economy” or “Everyday low prices.” Epitaphs always fascinate me because you see how people want to be remembered. Here are a few […]