Jon

The Most Neglected Three Seconds in Volleyball  It happens at least 35 times, and sometimes over 50 times each set. It is an untapped stage for the growth of emerging leaders. It represents dozens of missed opportunities to deliver much needed praise, encouragement, and strategy … every … single … set.   What are the most neglected three seconds in volleyball?  The player huddle.   If overlooked and dismissed, the six players on the floor merely come together after each point, pointlessly pat each [...]

Do you know someone who has had the same hobby or job for years, yet is really no better at it now than when they first started? Sure, he may really enjoy playing golf or piano, and she likes her job just enough not to leave . . . but they haven’t come close to what someone would call a “master”. Why is this? Researchers say it takes about 10,000 hours of practice and about 10 years of dedication to [...]

“Do what you love, and you won’t work a day in your life.” It’s well known that people who follow their personal interests into a career tend to be very satisfied and engaged. But how do we find that passion for ourselves or perhaps help our children discover what they love? As we discussed last time, Angela Duckworth’s book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, divides the kind grit that leads to success into passion and perseverance, something that [...]

Healthy marriages are incredibly important. The ripple effects of unhealthy relationships are broad and deep, adversely impacting husbands and wives, children, extended family, friends, and society as a whole. Fortunately, there are several actions we can take to repair, strengthen, and grow our marriages. My challenge to you is to discuss and incorporate these practices into your marriage. Date regularly. If you ask couples with outstanding relationships for marriage tips, it won’t be long before the importance of regular dating comes [...]

Healthy marriages are incredibly important. The ripple effects of unhealthy relationships are broad and deep, adversely impacting husbands and wives, children, friends, and society as a whole. Fortunately, there are several actions we can take to repair, strengthen, and grow our marriages. My challenge to you is to discuss and incorporate these practices into your marriage. Put Your Marriage Before Your Kids. Remember the pre-flight announcement during your last trip? “In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will appear [...]

Healthy marriages are incredibly important. The ripple effects of unhealthy relationships are broad and deep, adversely impacting husbands and wives, children, friends, and society as a whole. My challenge to you is to discuss and incorporate these principles into your marriage. Be on the Same Page with Money. Money issues are often cited as the leading cause of arguments and divorce. We must find a way to work as a team. A common foundational issue occurs when couples don’t combine [...]

My intent is not to offend; it’s for you to join me to reflect on one of my personal struggles. Over the last several years, our kids’ involvement in after-school and weekend activities has dramatically increased. Volleyball, band, 4-H, drum lessons, a part-time job, and a variety of other activities, many of which overlap, have increased in volume and intensity. If it was just one activity at a time it would be better, but seasons often overlap. This places an [...]

Maybe you are like me; I hope you aren't . . . My natural bent is to live under the delusion that all is good if I just have enough short bursts of quality time with my wife and kids: a vacation here and there, a few significant minutes during each weekday, and maybe a few hours doing an activity each weekend. Maybe not. Many of us want to live lives that have an eternal impact, right? But we often forget about [...]

Mid-Life Crisis    Second Half Significance If you are between 40 and 50 years old like me, you are in the prime time for a mid-life crisis. For many, that results in “trading up” for a better car, house, or (gulp) spouse in a misguided way to resolve feelings caused by entitlement, or not quite getting it right the first time. I’d like to suggest a different path that has a much better outcome for all involved. Last month we discussed [...]

What Are Your Guardrails? Are you planning to mess up your life? In a big way? And in the process, mess up the lives of those around you? Of course, everyone’s answer is, “No”. Nobody plans to mess up their lives. And that’s why we need guardrails. A guardrail on a road is designed to keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limit areas. It is there to protect us. The guardrail itself isn’t usually located in a dangerous part [...]

Why are/were your parents so concerned about with whom you hang out? Andy Stanley has an interesting quote on the topic, “Friends pretty much determine the direction and quality of our lives.” I would argue that for those that are married, your spouse has the greatest influence. But especially for middle school, high school, and college-age people, friends do have a great influence on our lives. When we are around close friends, we are accepted. When we are accepted, we [...]

My friend Glenn forwarded me a post from Jon Gallant, a lead at Microsoft - here is an excerpt: "When you are in the thick of something you feel like you are on top of the world and no one else can create the amazing thing that you just created. The fact is that you are replaceable. Sad, but very true. Maybe not if you are Abraham Lincoln, but if you are the average worker in the average job then [...]

A touching story . . . A follow up to my last post: "You Are Replaceable" SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" DAD: "Yeah sure, what is it?" SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?" DAD: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?" SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" DAD: "If you must know, I make $100 an hour." SON: "Oh! (With [...]

I'm was the middle of my pre-MBA classwork when this was brought up in my microeconomics class. It really makes you think. A man was on vacation in a small village in Mexico. He saw a fisherman get off his small boat with several large fish. He was impressed with the man's catch and asked him why he did not buy a bigger boat. The man responded that he was a simple man. He caught enough fish to meet his family's [...]