LeifQ

The thing about breakthroughs is that one has to break through. Not walk through. Not wait through. Not push through. Break. It’s almost an intentionally violent act. What’s clear is that, in the truest sense of the word, the action is repetitive and perhaps even relentless. I hear people speak of ‘waiting for a breakthrough’. They might get lucky, but those odds surely are not in their favor. So I’m not sure that’s going to work. Swing those hammers like a John Henry windmill unti...

The hardest thing about falling behind is… catching up. So keep up the pace. And recognize when the marker gets smaller in the distance, as it seems to steadily march on ahead. With or without me. That’s when it’s key to catch up. Because neglecting the growing distance is certain to lead to giving up. To failure. Better yet, get ahead of the game. 33/100 ...

The Teacher in Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, ”What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” Then why do I bother to write? What new and unique insight could I possibly have, that someone else - perhaps multitudes of someone elses haven’t already expressed? As Switchoot says, I’m only adding to the noise. But I think the real point of expression is missed through these lens. It’s not about sharing something new. It’s about...

I might be starting to develop a love/hate relationship with hope. On the one hand, being hopeful or maintaining and having hope is vital to my personal and spiritual growth. As Maxwell puts it, “Hope is oxygen.” And yet, along with hope, there comes expectations. Which is something trickier to manage. This is the danger zone for hope. Unrealistic expectations driven by outrageous hope can easily crush one’s soul. But it’s the more ubiquitous, cautious hope standing on plausible ...

It’s so much easier and effortless to destroy something, compared to building and creating. The amount of time and mind investment that goes into the planning and preparation of something truly creative, can often be both exhausting and exhaustive. And while time is something that can have value attached to it, in reality, its true value is incalculable. In most cases, that which is born of ingenuity will exist long enough to provide benefits - practical, emotional, or in any channel of pos...

It’s good to look back. To see where I’ve been. To remember how I got here. It helps me know where I’m going. And maybe how I’ll get there. But most of all, it keeps me grounded in gratitude. When I realize that there’s nothing good that I truly deserve, that nobody owes me any favors, it’s then that I understand what a gift this life has been. I’ll take it. And I mean all of it. Blood, sweat, tears, and basking in the warm rays of sunshine by the sea. It’s all a gift to me. 29/100...

I listened to a guy tell some stories from his past today. It struck me how similar they were to many of my own experiences. So why was he the one standing in front of a room full of strangers? Because he had the courage to be vulnerable. To share the peaks and valleys he had traversed, in hopes of encouraging and inspiring someone. And it was working. For the moment, the old cliché, “Misery loves company” rings a little different than usual. It doesn’t have the negative connotati...

Nothing. Sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all. And that’s really saying something. 27/100 ...

As a parent, sometimes it’s tough to remember what it’s like to be a kid. This can be especially true while parenting younger children a bit later in life. Now, I won’t define those numbers. Feel free to determine if the shoe fits in your case. But if you find yourself nodding along here, then welcome to the ball, Cinderella. My point is, it takes some effort to stop and consider what goes through the mind of a young person in certain situations. My logic, analysis, and process comes from ...

I don’t know what it is, but I really can’t handle any semblance of coercion. It’s to the point where, even if I want to react or respond in a certain way, I will hesitate if I sense coercion. And manipulation is the malicious sister of coercion. Neither of these are to be confused with influence or suggestion. Those are things I often appreciate. 25/100 ...

I was at a gathering of friends and family today for a birthday celebration. Normally, if the population in the room starts to exceed 10 or more persons, I start looking for a lonely corner to call my bunker for the rest of the time. This occasion was already well past that threshold when I arrived. Not today, introvert. This time, I sat down at a table and sort of surveyed the situation for a bit. I’ve always enjoyed people-watching. Probably always will. I then noticed a friend standing nea...

I just read an article about a brilliant young man in his late teens, trying to extract some wisdom from a professional educator. The seasoned teacher had been interrogating the young man and had asked many questions, for which the gifted teen had no answers. Dumbfounded and clearly exasperated, he asked his elderly inquisitor, “What am I supposed to do? How can I learn all that?” The unexpected answer came back. “Suffer.” “Suffer a while in your learning. All day and into the nigh...

Discovery is one of the most underrated gifts in life. Sidebar Ok, so let me first eliminate from this post, the argument that not all discoveries are positive. I get that. I’m not focused on that. But even ‘bad’ discoveries can lead to ‘good’ outcomes. So, can we allow the possibility that in these cases, the bad discovery - is actually good? Something to chew on while reading the rest of this thought. < /sidebar > What I’m talking about, are all the small, serendipitous momen...

On one hand, there are countless stories of success and victory suddenly materializing while on the brink of defeat and disaster. The moral of the story is clear: Never give up! Many have quit in defeat when victory was just around the corner! But on the other hand, there are those who… should’ve quit while they were ahead should’ve cut their losses a while ago should’ve known when to hold ‘em, and known when to fold ‘em. should’ve known when to walk away, and know when to run. Ho...

I haven’t punched a clock in so long that it’s highly likely I never again will, at this point. Having tasted the autonomy of entrepreneurship, the circumstances must be extreme (positively or negatively) for me to consider another job. One aspect of the self-employment journey has been the investment and struggles of developing time management acumen and discovering the right tools. The Urgent-Important quadrant tool is useful, but even that can eat up precious time if not mindful. There...

I love the outdoors. And participating in extreme sports enhances my experience through immersion. I have spent a good chunk of my life surfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, and camping - in various combinations. Next to actually being out there doing what I love, I enjoy vicarious participation while watching others hone their own skills, or demonstrate mastery in a discipline. I’m always astounded at the level of skill, precision, confidence, and sheer courage of those at the to...

Momentum can be a funny thing. Physically, it’s normal to feel momentum. In a car, bike, or during takeoff in an airplane. But I’ll argue that the word is more commonly referenced figuratively. Which is what I find weird. How does one truly know that momentum is driving something? In business, it when prospective sales or customers begin to materialize, we say that momentum is building. Towards what? And if this momentum starts slowing, or dies off, can we still say that’s what it was?...

When I struggle to think of, or record anything meaningful at the end of the day, maybe I need to reconsider the way my day went. Am I living up to my full potential? Did I live the day with passion? Carpe Diem much? Perhaps I need to pursue deeper and more significant life choices. Or maybe I just need to get some sleep since I threw myself into working with my hands today. Yeah, that must be it. Sleep it is, then. 17/100 ...

I’m learning not to over analyze certain things. Like conversations I have at networking events, or things I share openly in group settings. In this instance, it’s a short presentation I just gave at a small meetup. I have a tendency to replay these scenes out in my mind. Thinking of areas where I should’ve done things better, or different. Or maybe not at all. There is something healthy and natural about going through a quick, mental debrief in order to assess and improve. That’s good. ...

Sometimes there’s no explanation for feelings. I just finished going through something that I’ve been putting off for months. It is not horrifically bad or even physically dreadful. But if I said what it was, I’m certain that most of you would shudder and nod in agreement. But here’s the thing. Not only did it turn out ok, but there were more positive outcomes than negative. And yet, I feel almost apathetic. Maybe even a little cranky if I’m being honest. My feelings don’t match the expec...

It sucks when a chain is broken. I had low hopes of actually completing the 100-Day Challenge on here. (I do, in fact, write something everyday in other journals.) But still, the motivation of keeping a streak going unbroken is pretty effective and gets stronger, the further the links are connected. That, and my stubborn competitiveness can drive things off a cliff at times. But I missed posting an entry yesterday, and we don’t get do-overs with time. The motivation now shifts from ...

The same ocean waves that strike fear in the average person, stirs up excitement within the seasoned surfer. Even inexperienced surfers, having tasted the elements, retain a greater understanding (respect) of the danger before them. This while standing on shore, having that internal debate between ego and self-preservation. So what makes a seasoned surfer... seasoned? In short - having been tried and tested, over time, in the wild and various conditions of the ocean. And lived. From my d...

Once I understand something. Once it becomes totally clear, it’s impossible to go back to the original state. Learning does something to a person. It changes them to the core. ...

Most days, I find myself glancing up at the clock next to my desk to shockingly discover that the day is ending. Like right now. And like clockwork, I’ll mutter in exasperated undertones, to no one in particular, “Dude - where did the time go?!!” I’ve been in many conversations with people who lament the lack of time to get ‘everything’ done. It is then that I pass on something that I’ve learned over time. Everyone gets the same exact amount of time in the day. There are only 24 hours. Wh...

Nine times out of ten, I’ll take versatility over specialty. That person with deep range and multiple skills can tackle just about any dilemma encountered. A group of versatile, renaissance people would be a force to reckon with. Tenacity. Perseverance. Indomitable. Flex and adapt. (also, Happy Leif Erickson Day) 10/100 ...

How should I measure productivity? Is it manifested in something tangible that can be quantified? Or does quality hold a weightier value when it comes to determining whether or not I was productive? And what exactly is the definition of productivity? Is it even objective? Many a day has passed, when in the midnight hour, I find my thoughts struggling to settle with satisfaction on the day’s work. Is this, too, unproductive? 9/100 ...

When a person dies, they leave everything they own behind. Nothing of material value transfers over to the other side. In fact, the only thing that survives this life into the next are souls. People. And the afterlife is forever. Either with God, or without Him. So investing in relationships - people - is the only way to invest for eternity. Especially if planning to spend it with God. I do. And I’m working to bring as many people with me possible. 8/100 ...

This might run contrary to certain mantras that sound like, “Fail Fast, Fail Often” or something. But commitment should be celebrated more often than it is. In fact, commitment should be rewarded in substantially better ways than it currently stands. This idea can be applied in both small and great circumstances. Be it loyal employees and faithful spouses, or the indomitable tenacity of mechanics and students. The willpower and patience to see something through to completion, solution, or te...

Theory is easy. Brainstorming, ideation, and even pondering a thing is somewhat effortless and passive. Execution is hard. Actually doing something about a thought and idea - now that takes some motivation and courage. 6/100 *written on 10.5 but published on 10.6 ...

After decades of surfing, what is it that compels me to continue paddling out? Why do I still want to chase waves and better each successive session? Of all the sports and activities that I’ve enjoyed over the years, nothing compares to the draw of being out in the ocean looking for one more wave. Just one more wave. 5/100 ...