Of all the podcasts I’ve had the honor of doing this one may be the one that was born for the moment in which we live. The year 2020 will be remembered for the world-wide shutdown caused by COVID-19, a novel flu virus. All around us the world reacts and mostly over-reacts. Yet we can take a simple lesson from a pebble dropped in a still pond of water that WILL have a powerful impact on you today. We may need two cups of coffee as we think about this one.

As we record this in the spring of 2020 the world is in the midst of a pandemic from a novel coronavirus. When things get shutdown and resources get scarce there is an amazing principal that we can look to that will do wondrous things to change the corner of the world in which we live. Let’s share a real cup of coffee and talk about this one today.

There’s a fundamental principal in our lives that is particularly appropriate in this day and age. Giving and expecting something in return robs us of the opportunity to inspire. Settle in to your favorite chair or take a sip of coffee and let’s explore this idea today.

You know how I love sports analogies. Today’s topic fits perfectly with this. In athletics we practice to get better. How often do we apply that principal to our everyday lives? Being present and mindful takes practice. In fact every day we are practicing to be a better person. Let’s grab a cup of coffee and unpack this today.

The title of this episode really says it. The most effective way to put something good into your brain is to read each day. Mark Tain had a quote that really sums it up, “A person who won’t read has no advantage over the person who can’t read.” Let’s have some coffee and talk about the importance of reading in today’s episode. Come to think of it, books and coffee go pretty well together, right?

This is the first a recurring series I am beginning today where I take a quote and expand on it. Today, it is Mark Twain. “ Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.“ Let’s unpack that one today over a cup of joe.

Our society tends to focus on the negative. Today, let’s try to understand why we do this and how it can actually be a benefit. Sound interesting? Pour a cup and let’s talk.

We all have problems. Things that go wrong. Stuff that doesn’t work out. And sometimes it feels like we have a lot of problems going on at the same time and it can seem overwhelming. How do we better deal with that? Change your perspective. I have a great saying for you today to think about that teaches us it’s how we define our problems and our perception of them that determines our daily attitude.

What aspects of your life are you focusing on in hopes of achieving a happy and fulfilled life? Is it stuff… status… or something better?  Let’s grab a cup and get our “philosophy on” to see where we should be looking.

To be a great leader you have to be a representation of something worth following. There are leaders and then there are those who lead. To be a great leader you must be a great follower. But the questions becomes - what do great leaders follow? Let’s try to unpack this together over a cup o’ joe.