My Riffs

A completely cohesive team is likely a team absent of critical thinking. Some level of conflict should be allowed, and even thought of as normal and being a sign of a healthy team. Of course there has to be balance, too much conflict and there will never be enough cohesion to accomplish anything. Too much cohesion and there will lead to stagnation. Allow some conflict and see it as healthy. Beware of group think.

We know words are cheap. Yet, we know words can build or destroy. The value of the words primarily seems to be in the hands of the speaker. If the speaker doesn't mean what they say, the words are cheap. If the speaker means every word and plans to stand by what they say, the words are meaningful. Words are important, whether cheaply said or meaningfully said. If words are said with no intention of being acted on, they're still important. Just in a bad way. Listen to the words that are spoken to you. But... Watch the actions behind the words. What a person says, only means so much. What they do means a whole lot more. It's easy to say we support someone or something. It doesn't cost anything much to say that. But it may cost a whole lot for our actions to back that up. So listen to people, but watch them even closer. Pay attention to what they actually do moreso than what they say. That's where you will find out what they really are.

When it comes to problems or progress there are only two positions, adding or taking. Unfortunately there is rarely middle ground. Because a neutral position almost always pushed you one direction or the other. A neutral position in a problem often means you're adding to the problem. Or a neutral position in progress often means you're taking from progress. Remaining neutral often doesn't accomplish what we desire. You're gonna either add or take, decide which path you want to pursue and follow it.

The best response when you’ve been wrong done, mistreated or hurt? Love despite. Hating back furthers the problem.

When is it okay to be okay with being okay? I'd say when okay is as good as it gets. It's not okay to be okay with okay when okay could actually be great.

I’m a hypocrite and you most likely are too. Most everyone holds conflicting ideas that don’t add up. Humans are quite capable of holding two opposing ideas and not even realizing it. Maybe it’s best to explore our own hypocrisies before we start pointing out others.

Our actions are usually governed by a few principles. The principles closest to our heart. These principles will be revealed by our actions, moreso than our words. I propose that one of the highest principles to govern your actions is, doing the right thing. When that principle governs your actions, you will speak truth, you will build and contribute. When we let other principles take precedent we act out less than our capabilities. Principles such as, who can I impress to move forward, or what's the fastest way to get what I want or how do I make it seem like I am ______, and etc.... So evaluate your actions and that will lead you to understand your guiding principles that we hold closest to our hearts. If our actions are lining up to a "less than" principle, start changing your actions to line up with a higher aiming principle.

This is a phrase that get's throw around a lot with little thought. But what does it really mean? It means living out in practice your inner beliefs. For a multitude of reasons, this is difficult for many people. The problem when you don't though is you become fractured. Fractures are small cracks, not major breaks. But it's a point of weakness where at some point there will be a complete failure. Allowing these fractures to occur means allowing our belief system to be weakened. Allowing these fractures to occur means creating the beginning of a belief system collapse. Allowing these fractures will ultimately cost those relying on us, our close friends, family and anyone within out sphere of lnfluence. If there are fractures in your belief system, repair the fractures by starting to live out your beliefs. The fractures can almost always be repaired if you catch them early enough. Being true to yourself is also the beginning of being true and a good influence on thos...

A loss can hit you hard. It can knock one right off their feet. Sometimes it takes a long, long time to recover from a loss. But a loss is not a defeat. A loss is a setback, but not defeat. When we take a loss we can feel defeated, but a defeat is a final state. And the thing to remember about defeat is, it's something we usually concede, it's not usually forced on us. So make sure losses don't become defeats, by not accepting them as defeats. A loss is only a setback. A loss isn't a defeat.

If we treated other people as if they are bearing the same burden as ourself, how would we treat them? Generally, we treat others as if they aren't dealing with anything and except much of them. But what if we gave them the grace that we give ourselves? We know what we are dealing with and understand the challenges it presents us. Extending those same considerations to someone else will allow them grace, just as we allow ourselves. Their burden should be considered as much as we consider our own, then we can understand one another. Or at least have compassion on each other.

Who relies on you? We all have people who rely on us in one way or another. At work our co-workers rely on us. At home our family relies on us. In every role we hold, someone is relying on us. Leaders, spouses, friends, parents, etc all have someone relying on us. What are people relying on exactly? As a father my family is relying on me to provide for them, so we could say they are relying on my provision. Which is completely true. But what I think people are actually relying on is our character. People are relying on you to do the right thing, to have morals and character. That's really what they're wanting and needing from you.

Being a one trick pony won't get you far in life. At some point that one skill will no longer be needed, or won't be appreciated like it once was. That's the danger of relying on one skill. If you rely on the one skill, it may be that one skill that causes both success and then failure. When you get into a situation where you need more skills that one skill won't suffice. Develop as much as possible a well rounded skill set. Don't invest too much time on skills that just aren't a fit for you. But everyone has multiple skillsets where they can perform at a high level. Develop these, not just one of them. Single skills are good for short term, multiple skills are good for the long run.

You can do work to get noticed or you can get noticed because of your good work. They’re two separate things and you can only do one or the other.

When it comes to ignoring the things that drain life from us... All the things that don’t matter that capture our attention and drain energy from us are worth ignoring. Learning to ignore those things is difficult, but important. Willful ignorance of insignificant thing is bliss.

How often do you blindly stumble onto something profound or important? If you don't look for something, chances are you won't find it. When you look for something, you're chances of finding it drastically improve from almost zero. What we search for is often what we find. Look for what you want or need. It can be found.

Self-awareness is one of the most valuable traits one can have. It's almost the most difficult too. It is impossibly to fully see yourself from within. That is why it's so important to solicit feedback from those who love you as to your weaknesses. People who are extremely self-aware have a huge advantage of those who don’t. Self-awareness is a basis with unlimited growth potential.

It’s a wonderful thing that the best things in life are free. This is why we see people all over the world with less than us, but they’re happy. Smiles, laughs, honesty, positivity, etc. They’re all free. So get these things liberally. They’re free.

There are times you can’t see spots on the road and you have to trust your mirrors. Make sure the mirrors you set up in your life are capable of navigating you in those moments you can’t see the full road.

A very underrated skill is being willing to be wrong. It takes honesty, self awareness and confidence. The more we're willing to be wrong, the more we can make space to get right. Great leaders keep working on themselves. Bad leaders get stuck being one thing and never change or improve. Being wrong doesn't disqualify us, it merely means there's a lesson to learn. Being willing to accept that in itself is a sign of maturity.

Welcome the adversity. Do it. You won’t regret it. Adversity makes us dig in if the cause is worth it or abandon it if it isn’t worth it. Adversity causes us to up our game. Welcome the adversity, it will only make you better.

Do people want to catch what you have? The better question may be, what is the character of the people who are wanting to catch what you have? If people aren't wanting to catch what you have, you need to change what you have. We all have an attitude to share. Is mine worth catching?

Those who are super successful are often though to possess super human abilities. Some of them do have some special talents, but that is usually not what got them to where they are. The successful are usually the one who possess the most mundane of human abilities, showing up and putting in the work. And doing it over and over again. So there is nothing to be ashamed of in just showing up and putting in the work, diligently.

What activities make you forget what time it is? Engage in those activities more. The ones where your constantly checking the time or your email or other notifications probably isn't the best use of your time. Forget what time it is as often as you can.

When is the right time to sacrifice quantity over quality? Probably when the product is cheap. When the product is valuable, sacrificing quantity over quality is the wrong choice. Most the time we should be preoccupied with quality over quantity. Unless it's those little things that truly don't matter. Make sure those things are produced quantity over quality.

What do you take time for? Or said another way, what do you make time for? The answer(s) to that question reveals a whole lot about your priorities and where you're heading.

You're likely more blessed that you realize. I know I'm more blessed than I deserve and more than I often realize. So, just count them up. You'll quickly remember how blessed you are.

It seems when we give and expect things in return, we get disappointed.  But when we give and don’t expect anything in return, then the big returns come in. 

Analogy alert! Boats have anchors. Retail spaces have anchor tenants. Buildings have a foundation that may be similar to an anchor. What are your anchors though? Most of us have a few things that anchor us. Those who don’t, will have trouble being stable. Find some anchors and tie yourself to them.

What do you do with the things that are hanging over your head? They typically aren’t good things. They’re usually guilt and unwanted reputation leftovers. There’s only one thing to do, be an example and prove them wrong. It’s amazing the power in being an example. It can overcome those negative things we all have hanging over our head.

There's a lot wrapped up in those words and instructions. Those who always leave something better than they found it, usually possess a number of character traits that are above average. Leaving something better than you find it means at least the following things: - You have a good sense of self awareness - You are good at reading people and situations. - You have enough self respect to take pride in your work. - You have a positive view of the world around you. So, always leave things better than you find them. You may just inherit some great character traits as you make things better.