Category: Simplicity

Starting is the Hardest Part

The blinking cursor on a blank document. The empty stretch of land where you’ll soon be building a shop. The new web application your company wants to develop that will revolutionize your industry. These are just a few examples of standing on the edge of something new, something important, yet feeling completely unsure of where to begin.

You might have a vision of the final result—the finished document, the completed shop, the fully functioning app. But that doesn’t mean you know how to get there.

It’s easy to get lost in the variables and the endless possibilities. What if I make the wrong decision? Are there more resources out there? What do other people think? Should I read more articles? Watch more videos? Seek more advice? What if I mess it all up?

In every case, the hardest part is starting.

It’s taking that first step. Writing the first sentence. Sketching out the first screen of an app. Nailing the first stakes into the ground—the ones you’ll attach a string to, so you can visualize where your new shop will go.

It’s a commitment to action over hesitation. A moment of bravery that marks the beginning of making something real.

An amazing thing happens when you start. Your mind shifts from a place of endless “what-ifs” to a place of positive motion. You begin to focus on the next steps and real solutions. All the challenges you imagined before starting—that, in many cases, won’t even come to pass—are forgotten. The path ahead becomes clearer, and each small step forward makes your next decision easier.

Does this mean everything goes perfectly after you start? Of course not. You’ll make mistakes, adjust, learn, and pivot along the way.

But here’s where starting becomes crucial: it provides a tangible foundation. It gives you something to measure against, something to refine, something to edit. You might completely change your initial idea, but you wouldn’t have discovered the need to change if you hadn’t started.

Starting is hard, but it’s also the most important part.

Take the first step, even if it feels uncomfortable. You’ll learn more from those first few steps than you will from standing still…wondering what might happen.

Once you start, momentum kicks in. And from there, the possibilities are endless.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

I sit uncomfortably and motionless in the back of the plane. Two hours into our flight. The Credence channel beckons. I nestle into the channel’s first song, and I’m visited by a memory like a warm blanket on a frosty morning.

Someone told me long ago
There’s a calm before the storm
I know; it’s been comin’ for some time

It was the summer of ’78, or close to it. My dad was proud as he could be of our 19-foot jet ski boat. He couldn’t wait to hit the glassy sunrise waters of Lake Havasu and watch his sons ski. One, then the other.

When it’s over, so they say
It’ll rain a sunny day
I know; shinin’ down like water

Putting on a single ski binding requires a blend of finesse and strength. At least as much strength as a seventh grader can muster. The secret is to let the ski vest do the heavy lifting and just relax.

I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?

Moments later, the rope pulls taut, my ski is aligned just right. I’m ready and yell, “Hit it!”

I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?

All 455 cubic inches of the inboard Oldsmobile engine roar to life. In seconds, the boat and the kid behind it launch out of the water.

There’s a moment, right as you break free of the lake, when all the pulling eases off at once. Water skims effortlessly under the ski.

Thoughts of speed and daring take over. I lean into my first glassy turn. My ski hums a high note as my grip tightens against the pull of the rope.

Yesterday and days before
Sun is cold and rain is hard
I know; been that way for all my time

It’s a blur of jumps and splashes. Long pulls to the side. Deep, slow turns in the opposite direction. Always a glance back to admire the rooster tail…especially when the sun catches it just right, holding the spray in the air like magic.

No time to admire it too long. Time to hammer the oncoming wake, trying to clear the other side, then do it all again. Pull wide. Pause. Dig in. Turn hard. Admire the rooster tail.

‘Til forever, on it goes
Through the circle, fast and slow
I know; it can’t stop, I wonder

The song ends, and I’m back where I started. My neighbor taps my shoulder. He needs to get to the bathroom.

We’re on our way to live new stories and make new memories. Life’s adventure continues.

I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?

But it sure is nice to visit with a cherished memory. Like that friend who we see less than we should…but always pick up our conversation right where we left off.

I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?

No matter how long it’s been.

Photo by Ethan Walsweer on Unsplash – not a 7th grader, but a cool water skiing photo.

Goals for 2025

I’ve never been a New Year’s resolution person.

Maybe it’s all my time spent working in businesses over the past four decades. We often start each year with a set of specific strategic goals. Some are grounded and achievable; others are wish casting—a small dream of what we might accomplish if everything aligns perfectly (spoiler alert: it rarely does).

This year my goals are simple, but not easy: 

Serve the quests of others over my own.
True fulfillment comes from supporting others in their quest, even if that means setting aside my own ambitions.

Offer insights and advice, not direction.
The path others take isn’t mine to choose. My role is to illuminate possibilities, not dictate outcomes.

Push beyond my comfort zone and (hopefully) inspire others to do the same.
Growth begins at the edge of what’s familiar. By challenging my own boundaries, I hope to encourage others to stretch theirs as well.

Bring the loaves and fishes—and trust God with the rest.
(h/t to Dallas Jenkins for this beautiful idea) It’s a reminder to offer what I can and trust in someone much greater to amplify my impact.

Warmest wishes for a Happy New Year in 2025!

Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash

You Can’t Delegate Your Influence

A professional manager understands that managing is an active role. It requires proactive effort, not just sitting back and overseeing tasks. A good manager knows how to delegate responsibility and authority. It’s a key skill that helps multiply their impact and develop the next generation of leaders.

There’s no shortage of books and articles that dive deeply into the art of delegation. Many are worth reading and putting into practice. But here’s the thing: no matter how much you delegate, you can’t delegate your influence. That personal touch—the way you listen, share your perspective, and guide the conversation—is something only you can bring to the table.

Managers have a unique viewpoint. They understand the critical questions facing the organization in a way others often don’t. Their value lies in their ability to communicate directly, to really hear what’s being said (and often what isn’t), and to guide the organization toward the right path. That’s what makes their influence so crucial.

Now, picture this: a manager sends one of their team members to a meeting with internal customers. The goal? For the subordinate to represent the manager’s ability to listen, understand, and guide the discussion. Sure, it can work if that person has full decision-making authority and can make agreements that hold the manager accountable. But that’s rarely the case.

So, we come back to the reality: a manager has to prioritize where they spend their time and energy, making sure they’re showing up where their influence is most needed. It’s not just about sitting in meetings or making decisions on the fly—it’s about really understanding the dynamics in play, both spoken and unspoken.

A manager’s influence over the direction of projects, processes, and people can’t be handed off. At best, subordinates can carry a “shadow” of that influence. It might get the job done, but it’s not likely to push the organization in the bold direction it needs to go.

In the end, while delegation is a powerful tool, influence is personal. And if you’re serious about leading, you need to make sure you’re showing up where it counts.

Photo by Katja Anokhina on Unsplash

Process Over Outcome — The True Value of Life’s Challenges

The year spent training for a triathlon isn’t just about race day.  It’s about the discipline, endurance, and self-discovery that come with each mile ran, every beach swim, and each grueling mile logged on the bike.  The race is the goal, but the transformation to triathlete happens during the journey to the starting line. 

What about Basic Training for the Marine Corps (something I haven’t personally experienced)?  Recruits aren’t merely learning the basic skills they’ll need to be successful.  They are becoming something entirely new…a Marine. The recruit is transformed into a Marine by the training process.   

Consider a four-year college degree.  It’s been said (not sure who said it first) that the main thing a recruiter learns about a college graduate is that they had to apply themselves adequately over a four (or five, or six) year period to get enough class credits to graduate in their chosen major. Each college graduates’ journey is different, and that journey is often as valuable as the classes they had to take to get their degree.  

Even smaller experiences like a short hike, a long drive to visit family, or a phone call with a friend can offer more than just their immediate outcomes. They can provide moments of reflection, connection, and growth.

Life’s experiences are not just a series of goals to be checked off or memories to be cherished.

When we learn to enjoy the process and the lessons along the way, we gain something far more valuable: growth, understanding, and the ability to appreciate the transforming power of our journey.

 Photo by Matt Howard on Unsplash

Stop Dancing Around the Elephant: Take Your First Bite

When faced with overwhelming and unwieldy tasks, the metaphor about “eating the elephant” reminds us that the only way to tackle it is one bite at a time.

Whether it’s a major project, a personal goal, or a tough decision, the key is to start. Too often, we fool ourselves and others by dancing around the elephant, procrastinating or overplanning.

This dance—making elaborate plans, seeking endless advice, or justifying delays—can feel productive but only serves as a distraction. Real progress begins with that first bite.

Start somewhere, however small, and build momentum from there.

p/c: AJ Robbie on Unsplash

What is your favorite quote?

I’m working on an autobiography of sorts.  It’s a compilation of my answers to a series of questions.  There are about 75 of them that act as prompts.  Here are some examples: 

  • Tell me about your childhood home.
  • What were your school days like?
  • What was your favorite fashion trend when you were a kid?
  • How did you meet your spouse?

The idea is that my kids and grandkids and anyone else who’s interested can learn more about my life as they read through my answers to these questions.  It’s been a fun project that I’ve been working on over the past 3-4 months. 

I just finished answering this question and thought I’d share my answer here:   

Can you share a favorite quote or saying of yours?

Life is a journey, not a destination. 

I’m not sure who said this first.  It’s something I said for years before learning that it was a famous quote from someone else.  Turns out there are posters and artwork that you can buy that highlight this quote.  Maybe I saw the quote decades ago and it lived in my subconscious mind until later in life. 

I don’t have anything against goal setting or visualizing a future and going after it.  But it’s important to avoid having tunnel vision in your pursuit of goal achievement since you may miss other opportunities and experiences that introduce themselves along the way. 

I’m reminded of a drawing of a stickperson on a ladder.  They are locked in on their goal: reaching the top of that ladder before anyone else.  This person even jumps over someone and kicks another person off the ladder in their effort to reach the top first.  When this person finally reaches the top, they find that the ladder doesn’t actually lead anywhere.  Their ladder is standing in the air and not leaning against anything.  

The lesson is to make sure the ladder you’re climbing is going somewhere you really want to go.   

When you reach your goal, no matter how lofty and difficult it was to achieve, you are merely at a new starting point or more accurately, you’ve made it to one of an infinite number of stops in your life-long journey.

The real goal should be to maximize your enjoyment of the journey itself.  To appreciate the small things that happen, the surprises, the diversions, the successes and the failures, the people you meet, and the places you get to experience along the way.

Life is that thing that happens while you’re busy making other plans.

This one is closely related to the first quote.  Life is a series of “nows” that are happening in real-time.  You can make plans, point yourself in a particular direction, and even tell yourself that you’re in control of all the things that are happening in your life (spoiler alert – you’re not in control of all the things, you only control your response to all the things).

The time to start something new or something that will improve your life is always six months ago.  While you’re busy talking about your future, it’s already happening.  That thing you’re thinking about doing today but procrastinating while you do more planning will become that thing you should have done six months ago. 

Plans are valuable, and you should have a broad plan with some key pillars that you can stand on throughout your life.  It’s equally important to avoid hiding behind the planning phases of your life and forgetting to live your life purposely.  It turns out that life’s happening anyway, so you might as well live it proactively and not reactively.    

These are the good times. 

The shortened version of this among friends is, “Good times.”  Meaning these are the good times we’ll look back on fondly when we get older.  No matter how screwed up something is, or how hard the thing you’re doing right now is, or how much you just failed… all of it will be lumped into your mind and memory as “good times” from your past. 

In fact, some of your worst life experiences or life failures might even become the fondest memories you share in the future.  You might reflect on how great something was, or how it was good that you had that failure or that heartbreak so you could apply what you learned later in life.    

It’s unfortunate that we usually don’t realize this when these things are happening to us in the present. 

The Silent Threat of Delayed Management

Management is an active responsibility.  It requires timely decisions and actions.

When managers delay addressing issues, providing support, or offering guidance, it has detrimental effects on both employees and their organization. This form of extreme procrastination, delayed management, erodes trust, hinders efficiency, and can cause long-term damage.

Delayed management occurs when managers, consciously or subconsciously, avoid performing their duties. They may fear confrontation, they may be overwhelmed, or they might just be lazy. Unlike regular procrastination, delayed management specifically involves neglecting critical managerial responsibilities.

When managers delay, employees feel neglected and undervalued. This can lead to decreased motivation and trust. Employees might interpret the manager’s inaction as a lack of belief in their abilities or interest in their well-being. Delayed management stalls projects and misses opportunities.

Picture a small water leak in your walls that goes unnoticed for weeks. The water continues to seep, causing mold to spread and wood to rot. By the time you notice the damage, extensive repairs are necessary. Delayed management causes similar deterioration within an organization, where small issues fester and become major problems.

Managers may fear making the wrong decisions or confronting difficult situations, leading to a cycle of inaction. High workloads and stress can cause managers to feel overwhelmed, making it easier to delay tasks. Some managers assume that someone else will handle the problem, leading to inaction.

Each of these are reasons, not excuses, for delaying management.  For employees, none of these reasons matter.  The employees’ success relies on their managers doing their job…providing direction, feedback, and expending management energy on behalf of their employees.  There is no excuse for delaying management.

Managers should adopt proactive techniques such as regular check-ins with team members and timely feedback. Setting aside dedicated time each day for management tasks can help prevent delays. Effective delegation can distribute workload and empower team members, reducing the burden on managers. Implementing systems to hold managers accountable for their actions ensures they remain committed to their responsibilities. Regular performance reviews and feedback loops can help identify and address delayed management behavior early on.

Delayed management is a silent threat that undermines employee trust, hinders organizational efficiency, and causes long-term damage. Managers can foster a positive work environment and drive organizational success…but only if they do their job without delay. 

p/c – I saw this sign recently and loved its simple and direct message

Who We Follow (What We Can Learn from Sheep)

Living next to a farm with about forty sheep has given me a front-row seat to their daily lives. Over the past year, I’ve seen them at all hours and noticed some interesting patterns that remind me of a lot of human behavior.

Sticking Together

Sheep love being in groups. They usually form smaller sub-groups of 5-7 sheep within the larger herd.  Reminds me of people having their close-knit circles within bigger communities, generally preferring company over solitude.

Group Dynamics and Hierarchy

Within these small groups, there’s occasional head-butting and shoving, but mostly they’re focused on grazing, lounging around, or scratching against trees. Similar to humans at work or in social settings, where there’s a bit of jockeying for position, but everyone hopefully gets on with their day.

Follow the Leader

One of the funniest things I’ve seen is how a couple of sheep will suddenly start trotting off for no apparent reason.  The rest of their group will follow, clearly not knowing why they’re running. The “leaders” that start the trotting vary from day to day.  How often have you seen this type of “herd mentality,” where people follow trends or actions without really knowing why.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

If a sub-group that has decided to run catches the attention of another sub-group, the two sub-groups might quickly merge.  The sheep don’t know why they’re running, or where they’re going…but they don’t want to miss out.  FOMO is a big deal for sheep…much like humans. 

The Scramble for Resources

When the farmer’s family arrives with grain, the entire herd rushes to the troughs, leading to a chaotic scramble. Despite having abundant grass resources in the pasture, each sheep’s behavior reflects their drive to secure for themselves what they perceive as limited (before any of the other sheep can do the same). Humans, too, often scramble for limited resources or opportunities, even when there are other alternatives.

Jostling for Position

Despite having lots of shade and pasture available, sheep still push each other around to control certain spots. This behavior shows their competitive nature and a focus on what others have, reflecting human tendencies to compete for the best spots or the latest trends, even when they’re not necessary.

Sheeple? 

Watching sheep has given me some surprising insights into human behavior. Their actions highlight our social nature, competitive streak, and tendency to follow others for fear of missing out. Next time you find yourself in a crowd or following the latest trend, ask yourself: are you leading, following, or just trying to keep up with the flock?

It’s surprising how much we have in common with our woolly friends—even if we’d rather not admit it.

Emotional Energy (The Secret Fuel for Great Leadership)

Emotional energy is the most important personal resource for a leader.  Leadership is demanding.  Leading is a verb and that action requires a tremendous amount of energy, emotional energy. 

If your emotional energy reserves are low, your leadership will suffer.

What is Emotional Energy?

Emotional energy is your internal fuel tank. It’s what keeps you motivated, resilient, and mentally strong. For leaders, high emotional energy is essential.  It fuels your ability to inspire and guide your team. When you’re full of energy, you’re more positive, proactive, and effective.

Emotional Energy Drains

Several things can sap your emotional energy:

  1. Troubles at Home: Personal issues and family conflicts can weigh heavily on your mind, leaving you drained.
  2. Doing Too Much at Once: Multitasking and overcommitting can lead to burnout.
  3. Feeling Like a Failure: Constant self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy can deplete your energy.
  4. Worrying About Small Stuff: Focusing too much on minor details that don’t matter will waste your energy.

Emotional Energy Boosters

To keep your emotional energy high, think and act strategically:

  1. Prioritize energizing activities: Engage in things that make you happy and relaxed, like hobbies, exercise, and spending time with loved ones.
  2. Eliminate Energy Drains: Identify tasks and responsibilities that drain you and find ways to reduce or eliminate them. Delegate when possible and don’t be afraid to say no.
  3. Practice self-care in your daily habits: Make time to get enough sleep, eat well, and have quiet time for your brain to relax.  Purposely practice gratitude, take breaks, and prioritize good boundaries around your work-life schedule (this last one will take some effort, but the payback is huge).    
  4. Create a supportive environment: Surround yourself with positive people both at work and home. Foster open communication and a culture of mutual respect and understanding.  Recognize and celebrate achievements…when was the last time you wrote a personal email or sent a handwritten card to someone congratulating them on an achievement or milestone?

Emotional Energy and Leadership

When your emotional energy is high, you’ll handle challenges better, inspire your team more, and maintain a positive outlook.  Your positive energy will ripple across your team and multiply the potential for the entire organization.

What will you do today to protect and recharge your emotional energy? 

More importantly, how will you use it to transform your leadership approach tomorrow?

p/c – yours truly at a small lake in Hillsdale, Michigan. An energizing place for some quiet time.