I’ve received (and read) lots of advice in my lifetime. I’ve even had an opportunity to give advice to others.
The most valuable piece of advice I’ve received was from my dear friend, Jay Scott, around 1991 or 1992 (paraphrasing):
“Mr. Dailey (we refer to each other formally, of course), everything in life comes down to writing a check. You want a new car? Write a check. You want to learn a new skill? Write a check. You want to add something nice to your house? Write a check. You’re either going to write the check or not. All the rest is just detail.”
When he said it, I didn’t think much of it. It sounded like a flippant observation that oversimplified life’s choices.
As I’ve lived my life and encountered tons of situations, opportunities, and decisions, I’ve come to realize the genius in his observation.
The check may be money…the literal meaning of the word “check.” Sometimes the check is the decision to invest something of your own personal value into an idea, an object, or a cause. The check becomes a commitment of your finite time and energy…and maybe your money.
The idea that all the rest is just detail reinforces the notion that while we may elaborate on our decisions with lengthy justifications or stories, at the core, it’s about that decisive moment of commitment.
I’ve found that most of the time I have my decision made about something within a minute of considering my alternatives (whatever they may be). Whether I act immediately on that decision (write the check) or wait some undetermined time period (sometimes years) is another matter.
I’ve applied this fundamental knowledge about humans and their check-writing decisions many times. If my boss says that he supports an idea or strategy, I try to get him to “write the check” about that support as quickly as possible. It’s easy to support an idea in the abstract or tell your employee that you support him or her. It’s something entirely different to then act on that support by “writing the check.”
If the boss (or anyone for that matter) talks about how they believe in something or they support something, if they’re not willing to write the check for it, you know they’re just telling a story. Only when they commit their check (money, time, reputation, etc.) to something are they truly supporting it. Another phrase, “having skin in the game” applies here. No skin in the game, no commitment.
It all comes down to writing the check.
p/c – Tommy Lisbin – Unsplash Why? This climber has written the check(s) and is fully committed to this task. And, the goal is in sight.
I follow a small handful of Youtubers. Most of the channels I watch focus on small business owners in various industries, or folks who are building an independent lifestyle…mostly off-grid.
I love to watch them create something valuable and useful out of nothing but an idea and their belief that they can do it. Sometimes they succeed on their first try, other times they need to adjust and try again. I admire their willingness to push themselves way outside their comfort zone in pursuit of the way they want to live.
This past weekend, I watched as the twenty-year-old daughter of someone I follow took the plunge to start her own coffee house. She has 1-2 years of experience being a barista and talked about how much she loved that job, her teammates, and her customers.
She told a nice story about how her mom met her dad 20-plus years ago. He and his band came to perform at the coffee house where her mom worked as a barista. She said that she would be investing her life savings in this new venture.
She started by leasing a 1,900 square-foot space that had all the bones to become a great coffee house location. She and her mom set about visualizing and planning the space, identifying the equipment she’d need, and how they’d work together to remodel the space. They talked about where the small kitchen would go, how the prep tables would be organized, where the coffee counter and espresso machines would go, how the space would be decorated for comfort and a relaxing vibe.
As I watched them walk around visualizing, the experienced business manager in me started thinking about all the paperwork she’d need to file. The health code permits, the special equipment she’d need, the certifications that may be required to serve food, the creation of a business and DBA, opening bank accounts, capitalizing, and accounting for the business…sales and income tax filings.
I wondered how many customers she’d need to serve each day to generate an adequate cash flow and profit. Had she identified her suppliers? Did she know the supply costs yet? How many employees would she need to hire to cover all the shifts? Was she ready to establish a payroll process for her new employees, establish HR systems, purchase the various insurance coverages she’d need, including worker’s compensation coverage.
Cut to the next scene in their video, and they’re filing the DBA paperwork, and starting to file the health code paperwork and forms. It turns out that there is a healthy server certification that she’ll need to obtain (which includes a ton of study materials and a written test).
She was undeterred. She plowed straight into the process, all the while renovating and remodeling the space along with the help of friends and family. It was truly a labor of love for her. After 3-4 weeks of work, the place was starting to take shape.
What happens next? I’ll be tuning in next week to find out.
There’s a prevailing stereotype that youth and inexperience are synonymous with recklessness and abandon.
How can this 20-year-old possibly know enough to successfully launch her new coffee business?
Look more closely and it may be that her lack of experience and knowledge are the catalyst for her leap into entrepreneurship. She knows that she doesn’t want to work for someone else, and she loved her experience being a barista. Why not create her own coffee house?
One of the paradoxes of entrepreneurship is that knowledge, while valuable, can sometimes become a barrier to action. Older generations, armed with years of experience and a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in starting and running a business, may find themselves paralyzed by the fear of failure, or an unwillingness to put in all the work they know lies ahead. Knowing what they know, they can easily talk themselves out of almost anything.
On the other hand, young entrepreneurs often possess an infectious optimism and a sense of invincibility that propels them forward. Unencumbered by the weight of past failures or the mounting responsibilities of adulthood, they approach new ventures with a boldness that can be both exhilarating and inspiring. Their willingness to take risks stems not from ignorance, but from a belief that they can overcome any obstacle that stands in their way.
They are adaptable, more willing to pivot and change course when facing unexpected challenges. They haven’t yet become set in their ways or entrenched in established routines, allowing them to embrace change with a sense of excitement rather than fear. They view setbacks not as roadblocks, but as opportunities for growth and learning.
Young entrepreneurs understand the value of learning by doing. They’re not afraid to dive into the nitty-gritty of running a business, knowing that experience is the best teacher.
Will any of it be easy? No.
Will she have moments of self-doubt, and fear of failing? Yes.
Will she overcome the wall of worry and doubt, plus all the challenges associated with owning and running a successful business? Maybe, but I know she has what it takes to make it successful.
Would I open a coffee house at this point in my life? Nope.
But I love that she’s pursuing her dream. I love that her parents are there to help. I can already see that they’re being supportive, but also letting her drive the process, take the risks, and make the decisions.
If she were to ask for my advice, I’d tell her to consider the following (in no particular order):
Create or join a network of trusted allies and service providers. Join the local Chamber of Commerce, a BNI chapter, or a group that has other business owners as members. You’ll get to meet other entrepreneurs, compare notes with them, and many of them will provide services and expertise that you can use.
Focus on the customer’s experience in everything you do. Advocate for your customers and they will advocate for you.
Start your marketing and awareness campaign long before the day you open your business. While you’re remodeling the interior or your space, take the time to remodel and brand the exterior. Put up “coming soon” signs. Try to generate as much anticipation in your surrounding neighborhood as possible…again, long before opening day.
If possible, ensure that your business has at least 3 months (or more) of operating capital in the bank at any time. The more, the better. You never know when something unexpected might happen…a big expense or capital investment opportunity, or maybe a cyclical downturn in your business.
Remember that leaders always eat last. This means you’ll probably have some lean times, financially. Keeping your business healthy and paying your employees must come first. It’s quite possible that you won’t be pulling anything that looks like a paycheck from your business for 6-12 months. Prepare for this and realize it’s completely normal.
As you hire employees, whether they’re part-time or full-time, make sure they know your values, why your coffee house is special, why they are fortunate to be part of your team and that you feel blessed and fortunate to have them on your team.
Advocate for your employees, but don’t be afraid to quickly let go of employees who aren’t embracing your company culture. You need to employ believers in your mission…anything less is unacceptable. I don’t remember who said it but hire slowly and fire fast. Both are extremely difficult to do in practice but will pay off with amazing results if you’re able to do it.
p/c – Nathan Lemon – Unsplash
Want to see what happens next with Belle’s coffee house?
“We must strive to exit our tomb of pessimism.” I heard this phrase echo through the Cathedral during the Easter Vigil homily, a little over a week ago.
As Catholics, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ every Easter…His triumphant exit from the tomb, three days after his crucifixion.
In a much smaller way, we have a daily invitation to cast off our heavy shroud of negativity. To exit our tomb of pessimism.
To break the shackles of hopelessness and redirect our thoughts toward a brighter horizon.
If everything great begins with a thought or an idea, imagine channeling this power toward an optimistic future, filled with amazing possibilities.
It’s easy to stay in this tomb of our own making, looking through the bars at all the people out there who are clearly happier, more successful, and have all the things we yearn for.
The truth is none of them matter. They have no impact on us…except to show us some possibilities, some ideas, and some pathways that worked for them.
We have the power to rewrite our own narrative, to pivot our lives toward a more hopeful outlook. The choice is ours alone.
Escaping the tomb of pessimism demands courage and resolve. It requires us to confront our deepest fears and insecurities, to challenge the status quo of negativity that has held us captive and kept us comforted for so long.
Yet, it is only by confronting these challenges that we can find the promise of transformation. Only through the struggle that we can discover a new sense of purpose.
Will you remain ensnared in the confines of pessimism, or will you seize the opportunity to step into the light, and walk away from your tomb of pessimism?
Hope is extremely powerful. Its power rates right up there with the power of love. It’s the whisper of aspiration that accompanies our desires and dreams. We hope for success, for love, for fulfillment.
But hope alone is not enough. Hope is not an action—it is merely the spark that ignites the flame of possibility. To transform hope into reality, we must take tangible steps toward our goals.
Consider these hopes (I could list 20 more examples):
“I hope I can pass this class.”
“I hope I find someone I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
“I hope I get to my appointment on time.”
“I hope I can get promoted at work.”
These statements reflect our desires. Our aspirations. But they do not guarantee outcomes. Hope, though powerful, cannot materialize our wishes on its own.
Hope is most powerful when it energizes our ideas, motivating us to translate our hopes into concrete plans and steps.
The journey from hope to action is challenging. It requires us to believe in our possibilities and commit to making them happen. It requires us to confront our own inertia, to overcome self-doubt, and to navigate the uncertainties of the future. It demands courage—the willingness to take risks, to persevere in the face of setbacks, and to embrace the unknown.
Will our actions always lead to success? Can we get everything we hope for?
Of course not. Life is filled with obstacles and disappointments. However, by taking proactive steps toward our aspirations, we increase the likelihood of realizing our dreams. Actions propel us forward, opening doors to opportunities we never imagined possible.
While hope is undeniably powerful, it is action that transforms hope into reality. We can’t merely hope for a better future. We must actively strive to create it.
In the end, it is only through action that we shape our destiny and manifest the life we envision.
Imagine presenting your boss with a blank canvas, expecting them to sketch out the details of your plan—not impressive.
Instead, consider offering a detailed outline of your proposed actions, complete with timelines and expected outcomes. This approach allows your boss to review your thoroughness and provide feedback, while still enabling you to take the lead on the initiative.
As you consistently demonstrate the quality and reliability of your ideas, your boss may rely less on reviewing your plans in detail, knowing they align with your track record of success. This trust opens the door for you to play a more significant role in decision-making and strategy development.
Bosses appreciate having the opportunity to refine and improve upon existing ideas rather than starting from scratch. They usually don’t have the time or are unwilling to take the time to create from scratch. That’s your job.
By presenting well-researched proposals supported by data and evidence, you provide a solid foundation for collaboration. Offering multiple options allows your boss to feel involved in the decision-making process while subtly guiding them toward your preferred solution.
Timing matters. Choose moments when your boss is receptive and avoid times of stress or distraction. By seeking feedback and actively listening to your boss’s input, you demonstrate a willingness to collaborate, adapt, and learn.
Your goal is always to build a relationship of trust and collaboration. When this happens, your ideas have an opportunity to thrive and contribute to your organization’s innovation and growth.
You can walk around with your blank canvas, wondering why your ideas never get attention. Or, you can raise your hand, and share your ideas in a way that multiplies your boss’s (and your) effectiveness. I choose the second option every time.
p/c – Jonny Caspari, Unsplash.com
I have one favor to ask. If you enjoyed this post and found it useful, please forward it to someone else. Thanks!
In the dim glow of his studio, the sculptor stood before a vast expanse of pristine clay, lost in thought. His mind danced with visions of what he would create—a masterpiece that would captivate hearts and minds, a testament to his skill and vision. Yet, before his hands could shape the clay, there were crucial steps to take, like preparing the raw material before the artistry could begin.
As he contemplated the sculpture taking form in his mind’s eye, he pondered the perspectives he would bring to his creation. Each angle, each curve held significance, and he knew that his vision would resonate differently with each observer. He envisioned the awe in their eyes, the whispers of admiration as they saw his work.
But this sculpture would be unlike any he had attempted before—it would be monumental, stretching skyward in grandeur. The clay alone would not suffice; he would need the finest materials that could withstand the test of time. Yet, the cost of these materials weighed heavily on his mind. It was a venture that would require more than just his own resources.
Thus, he embarked on a journey to seek investors—patrons who believed in his vision and were willing to invest in its realization. With their support, he would procure the materials necessary to bring his creation to life. But it was not just financial backing he sought; he needed a team of skilled artisans who would join him on this sculpting journey.
Finding the right team was no small feat. Each member would bring their own expertise and perspective, enriching the project with their unique talents. Yet, it was not just a matter of talent—they would need to share his passion and commitment, willing to sacrifice their own pursuits to see the vision through.
And so, he set out to assemble his team, each member drawn by the promise of being part of something extraordinary. Yet, he knew that their dedication could not go unrewarded. He would provide for them, ensuring they had the means to sustain themselves as they poured their hearts and souls into the project.
With each detail meticulously planned, he secured a space large enough to accommodate the monumental sculpture, a blank canvas upon which his vision would take shape. And in his heart, he held onto the hope that there would be a patron waiting in the wings, eager to claim his creation as their own. A customer.
As he surveyed the clay before him, he saw not just a mound of earth, but the embodiment of possibility—the first step in a journey that would culminate in something truly extraordinary.
With determination burning bright in his eyes, the sculptor began to mold the clay, each touch infused with passion and purpose. He knew that before the sculpture could stand tall, it must first be brought to life in the fertile soil of his imagination.
Sound familiar?
If you launch a new idea, a new project, a new company, or a new rocket…you’re the sculptor. You alone see your vision. To see this new vision come to life, you will need to gather others, inspire them, challenge them, and ultimately organize your new team toward the goal of making your vision a reality.
It won’t be easy. Great things never are. You’ll risk failure at every turn. You’ll have to overcome challenges you never knew existed.
But you’ll never achieve meaningful success in your project (whatever it is) without taking the risk, making the clay, gathering your team, and ultimately bringing your vision to life.
I have one favor to ask: If you like this content and think someone else will like it as well, please forward this post to them.
The belief that doing everything yourself is faster can limit growth. Training and empowering your team leads to expanded capabilities, time for strategic initiatives, and a strong organizational culture.
p/c: Andrea Gian – Unsplash
“It’ll be faster for me to just handle this task now and get it done.”
“It’ll take me more time to train someone how to do this than it will take me to do it myself.”
“I’ll just take care of this task myself and get it out of the way.”
Sound familiar?
It’s easy to fall into this trap of thinking that doing everything yourself is the most efficient way to get things done. This mindset not only limits your own growth and potential but also minimizes your team’s and your organization’s potential.
Investing your time in training and supporting your direct reports is not just beneficial—it’s essential for long-term success.
Here’s why:
Trust and Empowerment: When you take the time to train your team members, you show them that you trust their abilities. This trust fosters a sense of empowerment, motivating them to take on new challenges and responsibilities with confidence.
Expanded Capabilities: By preparing your team for their next levels of challenge, you expand their capabilities and push their limits outward. Consider this: Instead of just solving today’s problems, imagine if your team could handle tomorrow’s challenges without you needing to intervene. As they tackle new tasks and acquire new skills, they become stronger and more versatile contributors to the organization.
Time Management: While it may seem faster to handle tasks yourself in the short term, investing in training your team ultimately frees up your time for higher-level responsibilities. Imagine if you could focus on strategic initiatives, process improvement, and growth opportunities for the organization, rather than being bogged down in day-to-day tasks.
Cultural Impact: Creating a culture of learning and growth within your team not only boosts morale but also strengthens the entire organization. When your team members feel challenged and supported in their professional development, they’re more engaged and motivated to contribute their best work.
Preparation for Growth: By nurturing the skills and talents of your team members, you’re preparing the organization to adapt and grow. A team that is continuously learning and evolving is better equipped to handle the new challenges that are just around the corner (whether you see them coming, or not).
Neglecting your team’s development can have serious consequences. Employees who feel stagnant and unchallenged are more likely to become disengaged. Disengaged employees will leave, or worse, they’ll choose to stay and become seat warmers—adding nothing valuable to the organization.
People want to learn. They want to be challenged. They are most engaged when they’re pushing the boundaries of their capability, taking on new skills, and becoming more valuable to their organization.
The adage of “it’s faster to do it myself” is short-sighted and will limit your career growth.
Take the time to train and support your team. You will multiply your effectiveness and create a powerful culture of empowerment and continuous improvement within your organization.
The Hawthorne Effect refers to a psychological phenomenon where humans modify their behavior in response to being observed or studied. This effect was first observed in the 1920s and 30s during a series of studies conducted at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago, hence the name.
The studies were designed to investigate the relationship between lighting conditions and worker productivity. But researchers found that regardless of changes in lighting, workers’ productivity improved when they knew they were being observed. This meant that the mere act of being the subject of an experiment or receiving attention could influence individuals to perform better.
It also means this powerful personal growth tool is available to you. It turns out that you are the observer you’ve been waiting for, the catalyst for your own transformation.
“You can’t learn to swim by reading a book about swimming. You have to get in the water.” – Unknown
The Burpee Quest
Funny thing about burpees: watching someone do a burpee makes it look super easy (barely an inconvenience). If a Crossfit guy tells you that a good warmup is 10 burpees per minute for 10 minutes, you might think that’s totally doable…until you try it. You’ll learn about muscles you haven’t used in years. You’ll be reminded that gravity is not your friend, and that you’re not as coordinated as you thought.
What if you start by doing 10? Not 10 per minute for 10 minutes. Just 10. Each day.
That’s a tangible and doable goal to start. You can observe (there’s that word) your progress and set incremental milestones for more. Maybe you move up to 20 per day the second week, 40 per day the third week.
A great way to keep track of your progress is to track your progress. Sounds simple…but most people skip the tracking. Tracking is your way to observe (there’s it is) your progress, and lets you become your own motivating force. Write the date and burpee count down on a piece of paper, in your favorite journaling app, or maybe in an Excel spreadsheet.
You are incrementally moving toward 100 burpees in a day. You’re tracking your progress and will start to see the significance of each step toward your goal.
There’s something else you can observe (that word again). Your body’s responses while you’re doing the exercise. It will get easier as you go. Easy? No, just easier. Your body (and mind) will begin to move to a higher level of performance. Your baseline capability will increase. Gravity still isn’t your friend, but you’re starting to learn how to partner with gravity to do the next burpee.
“Learning without reflection is a waste. Reflection without learning is dangerous.” – Confucius
It’s been 4 or 5 weeks since you started this quest. You’re now able to do 3 sets of 25 burpees each day. You haven’t reached 100 burpees yet, but you’re well on your way. If you’re like most people, you might observe (there it is) that you can lighten up a bit at this point. You’ve totally got this. You don’t need to push as hard to improve from here. Your goal is in sight. Don’t fall into this trap!
This is the moment to refocus your goal…push it out a bit…extend the finish line. You’ve already mastered the movements, now you need to apply discipline and blow past your original goal of 100 burpees per day. Parlay this achievement into the next goal?
Maybe actually using the 100 burpees as the warmup that Crossfit guy described. You’ve been working on just getting to 100 burpees in a day, but what’s the next exercise you can do after your burpee warmup?
Same process. Take it in increments, track your progress, celebrate your milestones, welcome to another new baseline, continue to improve, set the next goal.
How can you apply this to your profession?
Actively seek opportunities to acquire new skills. Embrace the awkwardness of not knowing exactly how to do something…and do it anyway. Remember that the satisfaction of learning and growth is uniquely yours. You, as the observer, choose the path of continuous learning. It’s the best way (the only way) to adapt to the evolving demands of your profession.
Improve your value in increments, track your progress, establish new baselines, continue to improve. Sound familiar?
Solicit constructive feedback from colleagues and mentors, appreciating external input as valuable guidance. However, remember that you are the only one who can internalize and implement these insights. Nobody will do it for you.
“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.” – Vernon Law
Your Keys to Self-Improvement
Consistently integrate self-observation and improvement into your routine, recognizing that only you can chart the course of your personal growth.
Reflect on your experiences, setbacks, and successes, understanding that the satisfaction of improvement is a personal journey. You are the sole interpreter of your progress.
Remain flexible and open-minded, adjusting your methods based on feedback and new insights. As the observer, you continually determine refinements to your approach.
Embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth, understanding that the satisfaction derived from overcoming challenges is a deeply personal experience. Stay committed to your objectives, recognizing that only you can appreciate the significance of your efforts.
The Hawthorne Effect is your friend (unlike gravity). Use it and always remember that you are the observer, the driver, and the one who benefits most from your continuous improvement journey.
True renewal is a deliberate act of self-reclamation…
p/c: a recent sunset at our little homestead
Prayer to Saint Joseph the Worker
O Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor,
obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my many sins;
to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations;
to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God;
to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials;
to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, keeping unceasingly before my eyes death and the account that I must give of time lost, talents unused, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Such shall be my watch-word in life and in death. Amen. – Pope St. Pius X
In life’s journey, we may find ourselves off course or losing track of our original path. We may even fail ourselves or those we love. It is in these moments that we are being called to profound self-discovery and renewal.
Renewal is not a passive occurrence. As the prayer to Saint Joseph states, it requires us “to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above [our] natural inclinations.” True renewal is a deliberate act of self-reclamation. We have a duty to ourselves and those we love to put in the work that leads to our self-transformation.
It isn’t easy (nothing worthwhile ever is). It involves adapting, finding new ways, and being intentional about embracing change.
When we realize that ours is always a season of renewal, that we can “work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of [our] many sins,” then we will be able “to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, never shrinking from [the] weariness and trials” of our self-improvement.
May the spirit of renewal be our guide, not diverting us from our journey but enhancing it. May we find the resilience within us to adapt, renew, and move forward with a fresh sense of purpose and determination.
Procrastination initiates a cascade of preventable urgencies, turning manageable tasks into overwhelming burdens and sowing seeds of chaos in our future.
Few things strike fear into the hearts of students quite like the term paper.
The teacher lays out the assignment – a substantial research paper requiring thorough analysis and a minimum of 5000 words. Oh yeah…and half of your grade in the class will be based on how well you do on the term paper. You have until the last week of the semester to get it done.
You think about the topic. You might even jot down some notes on your phone about how you’ll approach it. But there’s no need to rush on this assignment. You have plenty of time. Besides, your friends are heading out to get some tacos and margaritas at your favorite Mexican restaurant. This term paper can wait another day.
As the weeks go by, a creeping feeling of impending doom grips your subconscious. You haven’t started work on that term paper. Growing anxiety and stress become unwelcome companions as the deadline looms closer, and you realize the gravity of the task at hand.
Unfortunately, you have other things on your plate that need more attention. Ironically, many of these more-urgent items are other long-term projects that you had chosen to delay…until now.
The urgency of the term paper magnifies as the deadline inches closer. The once-manageable project becomes an overwhelming burden.
You start to question the fairness of the assignment. How can this teacher expect me to write 5000 words on this topic when I have all these other classes to manage and so little time to get it done?
A cascade of preventable urgencies engulfs your life, leaving you in a world of self-inflicted chaos.
Sound familiar?
The term paper saga is a small-scale reflection of the self-inflicted busyness and chaos in our lives.
Only a disciplined and methodical approach to our tasks can break the grip of procrastination. Our bias must be toward thoughtful and immediate action, not mindless delays to another day.
The time to start work on that long-term project is now, not tomorrow. The time to continue work on that long-term project is tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day after that.
Procrastination is a choice. Each delay we accept sows seeds of chaos in our future. Every task we postpone adds to the burden our future selves must bear.
Grandpa Bob Encouraging Leadership 
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