#10: A ROOKIE AT DYING
This Week: Seeing Others, Commas, Tennessee & Remote Work
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE. Those who enter a new room and scream, “Here I am,” and others whose eyes say, “There you are.” I learned this at a recent dinner with Pastor Levi Lusko.
YOU’VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE, so why do you expect to do it well? Levi Lusko tells the story of sitting bedside with a dying man. “I’m sorry, pastor, but I thought I would die today and yet I’m still here.”
“Have you ever died before?” In a moment of levity, the dying man acknowledged he was a rookie. “Then why put so much pressure on yourself?”
You Know This Already: Doing something new is always hard. Life is full of new experiences all the way until the end. Faith allows us to navigate new without fear of outcomes we do not control.
IN LIFE, MORE COMMAS, LESS PERIODS.
STUFF I LEARNED IN NASHVILLE. The Tennessee story is the modern American Dream. Highlights from Gov. Bill Lee’s talk to a group of my friends last week:
Tourism: $30B spent by 150MM visitors last year. “Never stop investing in your brand.”
Economy: 3rd fastest growing economy in the U.S. (behind TX/FL), 2nd fastest GDP. “We have politicians here that understand the transformational value to citizens that comes with economic growth.”
Energy: “We want to lead the U.S. in new nuclear energy projects.”
Debt: Lowest per capita debt in the U.S.
Taxes: 3rd lowest tax rate in the U.S., no personal income tax
Rural: 90 of 95 counties ADDED residents last year 👀
Takeaway: Low taxes, ambitious vision, values-based decision making = economic growth, progress and freedom.
WHAT YOU OBSERVE is much more important than what you are told.
AMAZON ENDED REMOTE WORK. CEO Andy Jassy said, “We’ve decided that we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of Covid,” adding that it would help staff be “better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected enough to each other.”
An Increasingly Obvious Statement: In-person collaboration is in service to customers, personal development and company growth. It is not a punishment or lack of trust in talented team members.
HOW DO YOU PROCESS OPPORTUNITIES? A sound mind. Quiet, reflective, trusting in God’s goodwill over your life.
NASHVILLE YARDS IS A $3B INVESTMENT, a showpiece of post-Covid urban development by real estate investor Cary Mack. I loved his criteria for making big investments. There must be:
A predictable business and regulatory environment.
Growing markets that have demonstrated a desire for quality projects.
A value creation opportunity for the city.
An undervalued or distressed asset that has meaningful apparent upside value.
Manageable debt to equity available.
“We believe in humility, teaming with others and only doing projects that have a chance to be exceptional.” Well done, Cary and Nashville!
INCREMENTAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE ARE INCOMPATIBLE. If you want transformational change for your business or life you have to buy into engaging in transformational change. Incremental change - which makes up most change - is…incremental. When asked to transform, most people think it is more work. It is not. It requires a different mindset and energy. This is another lesson from 10x Is Easier Than 2x.
THE F.B.I. RAIDED THE HOME OF MY FRIEND’S EMPLOYEE. He allegedly stole $500,000 from the company. Does he deserve what he gets, or should we pray for mercy? Or both? My friends are split into two camps:
Screw-that-guy camp
Mercy camp
It brought up something interesting for me. When wronged, do I lean toward acceptance, forgiveness and reconciliation? Or, do I fight for accountability, decency and justice? Can you have a heart of mercy and reside in the screw-that-guy camp? I want to be a mercy and forgiveness type of person. Is my heart hard if I seek demand justice?
HANDEL’S ICE CREAM is ridiculously good. That’s it. That’s the comment. If anyone knows how to order, LMK.
~IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO BE A ROOKIE.~
A QUOTE WORTH READING
If you want a cowboy on a white horse
Ridin' off into the sunset
If that's the kind of love you wanna wait for
Hold on tight, girl, I ain't there yet
No, I ain't there yet
No, I ain't there yet-White Horse, Chris Stapleton
Faith improves my life. Here is a verse I like from the Bible:
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
- Psalm 84:11
BONUS QUOTE WORTH READING
“It isn’t the government that makes Tennessee work. It just isn’t. It’s the people.”
- Hon. Bill Lee, Tennessee's 50th Governor
NEVER TOO LATE is a newsletter dedicated to exploring the timeless pursuit of personal growth and improvement, highlighting the enduring capacity for development throughout all stages of life. It is never too late to pursue wisdom in your life.
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If this was forwarded to you and you’d like to receive it weekly, be sure to sign up.