Mindset Matters

Nearly 400 years ago, the Pilgrims landed in what would become Massachusetts after 66 days of perilous sailing across the Atlantic. Arriving 500 miles off course and later in the year than expected because of severe storms, they found themselves already deep into the winter of 1620, making planting any crops impossible and foraging for food only slightly more feasible. Their already meager supplies dwindled quickly and, at one point, daily rations were cut down to just five kernels of corn per person. Nearly half of the 102 Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock perished during that first winter, most due to starvation or complications resulting from malnutrition. Yet, because of the grace of God and benevolent natives who were willing to share with the settlers and teach them how to farm in the New World, those who survived would later enjoy a bountiful harvest, leading to what we have come to know as the first Thanksgiving. While you probably have never experienced the de...

While there are certainly nations like Saudi Arabia and UAE that have considerable wealth stemming from oil, there are also nations that seem to be quite impoverished despite significant natural resources. In South America, several countries have huge reservoirs of oil, but many of their people remain destitute. Several African nations like Sierra Leone, Liberia and Angola have large deposits of diamonds, yet remain poor. Other impoverished African nations such as Mali and Zimbabwe have some of the “richest” gold mines. Some of the countries that were formerly part of the USSR have significant natural gas reserves but have yet to escape poverty. While there are many economic variables at play, a couple reasons for this apparent dichotomy is the lack of technology and logistical capabilities to harvest those resources along with relative isolation and shortcomings in connectivity with other economies with which to trade those resources. In short, these countries lack the abi...

One of my sisters is a piano teacher and hosted a recital for her students this past weekend. She invited my seven-year-old daughter, Brooklynn, to observe the performances in hopes Brook would start up lessons again. Although Brooklynn very much enjoyed the recital, she still has reservations about performing in one herself. The idea of getting up in front of a crowd of strangers to play is quite frightening to her. For a young child, even performing in front of a small crowd must feel like playing for the whole world. The “whole world” would be listening and watching, observing every mistake and missed note. She would be completely exposed. Who wouldn’t be terrified of that?!? As adults, we rarely put ourselves in a position where our mistakes and failures are in full view of the world around us. We make our kids do recitals, spelling bees and plays – where they must practice and perform a new skill or face an unknown challenge with the world watching – yet rarely are we ...

It’s a weird mix of emotions I am feeling this morning. For whatever reason, the pain of lost friends and loved ones seems especially intense today. The distance in other relationships is also troubling, especially with my dad. I really miss how things used to be, the closeness in our friendship we used to have. I am hurting for close friends going through various trials. But I am also feeling tremendous appreciation for the countless wonderful things in my life. There is so much good to be thankful for! But there’s also some trepidation for unknowns in the future, like “What in the world are we going to do with six kids?!? Are we going to become van people?” And lastly, I am also feeling a deep sense of responsibility and purpose. With one week to go before the final Thanksgiving of the decade, I think the dominant emotion I am experiencing is gratitude. My heart is overwhelmed with appreciation for my wonderful wife and mother of my five and a half kids (Number 6 is due i...

I know Christmas must be right around the corner, because we are starting to see the UPS guys a lot, delivering packages containing gifts for friends and family. As we sort through the boxes and try to remember who we had in mind when we purchased each gift, I noticed the packaging enclosing each item. Right there on each box is a picture of what it is supposed to contain along with a brief description of the product, including its features and benefits. But the packaging may also describe what it can’t do or how it should not be used. There’s lots of helpful information we can find on the box like “Do not use curling iron in bathtub” or “Do not light firecrackers in mouth” and “Enclosed Superman underwear does provide wearer with superpowers. Please don’t attempt to outrun a speeding bullet.” But seriously, the packaging usually gives us a good idea of the finite utility of the product as well as its limitations. Many of us arrived in this world in much the same way: deliv...

I was at the gym on Saturday morning, and there was a guy working in the squat rack next to me with a shirt that said something about sacrifice and success. There may have been something about sweat in there too, I don’t remember. But I do remember thinking about the fact that I know moms who are literally half this guy’s size who squat more than he was, so I wasn’t too enamored with the “tough guy” motivational quote on his shirt. But as I continued through my workout, I was distracted by the stench of cigarettes emanating off the same guy. I thought back to the “sacrifice” message on his shirt and wondered, what exactly is it he thinks he’s sacrificing? His lungs? His health? His future? The irony of it all got me thinking, what am I sacrificing? You see, everything is a sacrifice. If I eat an entire cheesecake, I am making a sacrifice. I am sacrificing my poor pancreas, GI comfort and possibly the respect of the of the other guests at the dinner party (unless, of course, I...

This past weekend I spent some time reviewing some very interesting research in the field of behavioral economics (I’m sorry, does that sound nerdy to you? I can feel your judgment, but I don’t care. Some people have friends, I have books.) These various studies all explored the tendency humans have to indulge in unethical behavior or compromise once a certain threshold of “giving in” had been reached. For example, participants in one study were far more likely to make a large diet blunder – like eating a piece of cake or an entire donut – if they had already splurged on a small piece of candy. Similarly, researchers found people were more likely to falsify their level of completion of a new task if they had already embellished their resume or previous achievements in some way. In another study, participants were more likely to cheat on an exam if they had already made a relatively small “adjustment of the truth” prior to beginning the exam. Furthermore, the researchers noticed th...

We are coming up on the last part of the year and I am starting to hear talk of New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, I’ve also heard phrases like “I’ll at least try it for a few weeks” attached to their pledges. To me, that sounds more like an experiment than a commitment, and it’s setting them up for failure. With idealistic tendencies, we often set out to make major adjustments in hopes of making an immediate impact in our lives, only to end up faltering and giving up. Maybe the commitment was too much or our resolve too little, but in either case, the change didn’t last and the New You starts acting like the Old You very quickly. Even if the resolutions seem small, focus on making sustainable, enduring changes. In time, even seemingly insignificant alterations in course and trajectory will make a huge difference in where you end up.   Time and distance are the major variables, more than the degree of change. A small improvement compounded over a long time will ma...

Piggy backing on my thoughts from yesterday , I wanted to share a quote from General William Tecumseh Sherman: “Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster.” There are things that are by their very nature risky, and seeking to make them safe is a recipe for a catastrophe. While General Sherman was referring to war and the greatest of human conflicts, the wisdom goes far beyond such extreme examples. It could be conflict between you and another person, maybe a spouse or a loved one or even a colleague. Maybe a clash between right and wrong, good and evil. Perhaps even a battle within your own soul. These skirmishes are never going to be easy and safe, but they are often necessary. We must learn to be okay with the fact that easy and safe may be more destructive than hardship and danger. Seeking to eliminate risk where it is fundamentally inherent to the task at hand is a dangerous mission indeed.

Several times over the past week or so people have told me, “Have a safe day!” Not a nice day, not a great day, not even a good day. I was told to have a “safe” day. Now, living in AK, it’s one thing if it’s particularly icy outside and someone says, “Be safe out there!” I get it. But, “Have a safe day”? When did that become an acceptable salutation? I realize these people were just trying to be friendly, but I think it may be indicative of a larger issue: the exaggerated importance we place on safety. Back when I was a kid (yes, I’m old enough to say that now), I used to play with knives and matches, and I am pretty sure the sole reason my parents had so many offspring is they figured not all of us would make it. Our childhood was basically a process for weeding out the weak and unfit. Now kids wear helmets at playgrounds and eat blended food because oatmeal is too much of a choking hazard. Just to be clear, I am not advocating recklessness at all. And while I agree safet...

Listening to an interview with Tom Bilyeu, founder of Quest Nutrition, I heard him say, “Too many people set out to find fulfillment only to settle on success.” That quote stopped me cold. Fulfillment is what is personally meaningful, that which makes your heart come alive. Some may call it a passion. Others look at it as a calling. It is what God uniquely designed you to do in this world. It may be large and grandiose or subtle and quiet, but in either case it’s a path deeply meaningful to the one traveling it. But too often there’s a substitution that takes place somewhere along the way. We choose the path laid out by external influence rather than internal inspiration. In doing so, we may find ourselves settling for success (as the world defines in), rather than pursuing fulfillment. Many around us will end up trading what is tremendously important to them personally for what is popular within the world around them. We must each be diligent to discern the differenc...

Many of us start our day looking in the mirror. Your morning routine might begin with brushing your teeth, washing your face, shaving, or - like me - putting in your contacts so you can actually see what’s going on in that mirror. In any case, we start the day with a view of ourselves. There are many analogies and lessons one could draw from that statement, but I want to spend a little time on one that I struggle with. When looking in a mirror, I am focusing on me and I have less attention and concern for others. If I am “looking in the mirror” metaphorically, I am concentrating on my needs and how I can benefit rather than looking out a window seeking to serve others and meet the needs of those around me. I love this quote from C.S. Lewis on humility, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Lewis encourages us to have an others-centric view of the world to have the greatest impact. It doesn’t mean we ignore or downplay our own abilitie...

Today my family will celebrate the 6 th birthday of my son, Benaiah. Diagnosed with a terminal condition in utero, we were told he might not survive the pregnancy and would certainly not live to see his first birthday. Now a happy, healthy boy, my son has a remarkable story and days like today are a vivid reminder of God’s tremendous blessing in my life. These milestones trigger my mind to look back and dwell on those blessings. That being said, I can also get so caught up the stress and strain of the here-and-now that I forget about the miracles in my life. As a parent, I can allow myself to get frustrated with Ben and neglect to focus on the blessing he is to me and my family. I get distracted from how truly wonderful my life is because of passing trials or even mere inconveniences. This can happen with any major blessing in life. The job you once worked so hard to get is now taken for granted. The person who is the love of your life isn’t cherished the way he or she s...

We have been told “Knowledge is Power.” And while I believe knowledge is incredibly important, I would argue knowledge is potential, not power. Like a full tank of gas in a parked car, knowledge alone isn’t going to take you anywhere. In much the same way, a pile of firewood without a flame also offers you plenty of potential, but it won’t keep you warm and I would be very nervous to eat anything you’ve cooked over it. Potential is important and knowledge is vital, but just like the gas in the car or the bundle of firewood, they require a spark to ignite the possibilities. Only then can potential be transformed into energy and action. Only then does the knowledge actually take you somewhere or produce something of value. Seek knowledge. Store knowledge. But don’t stop there. Find the spark to ignite the potential. Only then will knowledge become power.

Years ago, I walked on to the University of Alaska Track and Field Team. I was athletic, but very raw and unpolished. While I very much enjoyed sprinting, my technique and form were lacking, and I had a lot of work ahead of me to get it up to par. Especially in the early practices, I remember coaches working with me to eliminate unnecessary movement as I ran, particularly during the acceleration phase out of the blocks. My head and neck would bounce around, my arms had too much lateral motion which caused my hips to swivel and my torso to twist. Basically, there was a lot of extra motion in my running form that gobbled up precious energy and effort. As I began to eliminate the unnecessary and detrimental actions, more force and momentum was harnessed towards propelling me down the track and my times improved. The same thing can happen as we travel down the path of life. We get hampered by busyness and aimless activity that saps our limited stores of energy and effort, slowi...

I’m not really sure what to write today and not feeling much “inspiration,” but I promised myself I would create something. And even though it may not be my best work, I don’t want to give in to the urge to skip out on my commitment. I may strike out, but I want to go down swinging! And maybe there’s something in that right there. Choosing to act regardless of outcomes. Even when it’s almost certain your efforts won’t be praised and rewarded, there’s something to say for sticking it out and acting anyway, because giving in is a destructive alternative. You may not break any records today, make the big sale, write your masterpiece, PR during the workout or change the world in a moment, but committing to the actions you placed before yourself – the activities that will further your cause and advance you towards your purpose – is a win in itself. Being able to “just do it” when there’s every reason not to – regardless of the outcome – is important. Both giving in and perse...

The human eyeball, although amazingly complex and effective, is not without its shortcomings. Because it lacks photoreceptor cells in certain areas of the eye, we are left with “blind spots” in our vision in which no visual data is picked up. The brain then receives a half-painted picture of reality and, not wanting to relay this unfinished scene to the visual center of the brain, essentially “colors in” the remaining details. This allows us to perceive a full, uninterrupted sight picture without noticing that a portion of what we view has been filled in, not by what we are actually seeing, but by what the brain perceives to be there. In fact, our vision outside of a fairly narrow cone of acuity; is not actually all that perceptive. Our brain focuses mostly on just the areas within our field of vision that are captured by the densest concentration of photoreceptors in the eye. Everything else is subject to the artistic license of our brain. So only what you focus on is seen ac...