Devote Yourself to the Process – Part II

“Not all who wander are lost” – J. R. R. Tolkien In Part I, we discussed the importance of committing to the process of becoming the man you were created to be.  We noted that this is a long-term campaign, not a quick trip to the corner store.  Now, I want to expand on the […]

Devote Yourself to the Process – Part I

“When all else fails, read the directions.” – Bob Smith If you’ve ever built anything, cooked anything or learned anything, no doubt you followed a series of steps to bring the desired outcome to fruition.  If you’ve decided to live a life of consequence, and you’ve begun to discover your purpose, and you’re developing a […]

The Fence That Me and Shorty Built

Here’s a trip back to the poetry corner.  If you’re discouraged about the kind of work that’s available to you currently, you might find this helpful.  Here’s cowboy poet Red Steagall: The Fence That Me and Shorty Built We’d picked up all the fencing tools And staples off the road An extra roll of “bob” […]

What Are You Doing Here? – Discover Your Purpose

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”  – Howard Thurman (1900-1981) In the movie Boyhood, the young protagonist asks his father what it all means.  Their conversation goes like this: Mason: So what’s the point? Dad: […]

Decide to Live a LIfe of Consequence – Part I

Happy New Year!  I hope your 2015 will be one of significant growth and progress toward becoming the man you were created to be. Around this time, many people make resolutions for the new year.  Some of these are vague — so nebulous as to be useless — such as, “I’m gonna get in shape.” […]

How To Write a Great Thank You Note

“Thank you, the phrase, ‘the greatest thing since sliced bread,’ for making me seriously wonder who’s in charge of deciding what the greatest thing is.” – Jimmy Fallon I’m sure you received a lot of nice gifts for Christmas this year.  If you want to stand out as a man — to be the best version of yourself possible — take the time […]

The Unsung Hero of Christmas

Merry Christmas! While we celebrate the incarnation of Christ Jesus, I want to ask you to consider the example of a man who was indispensable to the Christmas story — Joseph the carpenter. When we first meet Joseph in the Bible, he is defined in terms of his relationships — as the son of his […]

Little Brother Is Watching You

“Therefore I urge you to imitate me.”  – 1 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV) –Saint Paul Time for another visit to the poetry corner. The Little Chap Who Follows Me A careful man I ought to be A little fellow follows me I do not dare to go astray For fear he’ll go the self-same way. I […]