Our family farm has mostly disappeared. The land still flows, but the homestead signs are almost gone. When I went to our family farm last year, I snapped this picture. These grain bins are the last reminders that a family worked this land. One of the odd things about them is they were present before [...]
Tag Archives: Life
Why Having Thick Skin Is Essential
“Get thicker skin!” “She/he must have thicker skin.” We hear these statements, and what rings through our mind is “toughen up.” There is truth in this thought. We do need to have thick skin in our life. Many things come at us – Making ends meet Surviving annual reviews Being told you are not good [...]
Get a Pair: Buy Khakis or Live Boldly
I drive by this billboard almost every day. Get a Pair. The first time I drove past it, my marketing brain went to work, and my thought was “what a bad ad.” If I liked the khakis, I did not know the brand nor could I read where I could buy a pair. My conclusion [...]
Your Intangible Presence of Living
We focus on tangibles. Partly due to the fact, I believe, we can touch them, grab of hold of them, or point to them. The tangibles become a part of our persona. With our iPhones®, iPads®, or other devices, our personal brand begins to assume the characteristics of that item. We identify ourselves with what [...]
The Done / Undone Life Matrix
You may be familiar with the words from a prayer: “…by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.” Each time I say or hear those words, my mind embraces both sides of this equation, with more thought given to what “we have left undone.” There is something about these words that [...]
The Unboxed Life: Giving
One side of our life needs to be boxed in, and another needs to be unboxed. Our unboxed life needs to be spirit-led, soul-inspired. We hear words like “listen to your spirit” or “reach into your soul” and, at times, it just seems like a lot of nonsense. Yet, we know it when we feel [...]
Average Life, Sporadic Life, or Full Life?
I was listening to Mike & Mike earlier this week as they were discussing the Sunday football games. When it came time to review the NY Giants win over the New England Patriots, Mike Golic made a comment to the effect of: “Eli Manning statistically wasn’t great, but he came through when it was important.” For [...]
My Job Is My Life / My Life Is My Job
“My job is my life.” We hear this statement from people we may know who work long hours and do it all again the next day. People saying this may be over-worked or may just over work. Their job crowds out all else, meaning little time for extracurricular or community activities. It may mean less [...]
What Are Soul Sparks?
I believe in soul sparks. Do you? Soul sparks are those small ignitions of inspiration that can fan into big changes, new directions, or fresh works. They come from deep down inside you, yet make your body and mind shake with the excitement of the possibilities. These are soul sparks. There are different types of [...]
Are You Living a Life Sentence?
What thought enters your mind when you read – are you living a life sentence? Most likely, an image of being imprisoned or incarcerated is envisioned. In the United States, we have the highest incarceration rate with about 2.3 million people in prison. This has grown into such an industry that CNBC is running a [...]
About the Writer
Welcome! I’m Jon, and these are my thoughts on life, leading, and meaning. Our choices define us, so let's make the best ones possible. Join the conversation.9 New, New Leadership Principles
