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Leadership

The secret word that changes the world.

Leadership/ Quitter November 16, 2011 • Comments

“I usually hate books like this, but I actually loved Quitter!”

This is my favorite feedback to receive about my book, because I feel the same way.

I usually hate books like this.

Books that talk about personal growth and chasing your dream and changing the world. Why don’t I like them? Because a lot of them are based on theory, not reality. There’s a whole lot of “what if,” but very little “what is.” They’re fluffy and dreamy and full of unicorn sunshine moments. But very few grind it out when no one is watching, when success doesn’t seem to be coming quickly enough.

And after reading dozens of them, I kind of got jaded.

I started to wonder if you could really change the world. I started to wonder if you could really change your own life and the lives of other people, or was it just hype pitched by people with vibrant skin and attractive teeth?

In 6 hours, I’ll leave to see the answer to my question for the first time.

How? By jumping on a plane to Vietnam.

Today at noon, my wife and I will fly from Nashville, Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia. We’ll then fly across the planet to Seoul, Korea and, from there, we’ll land in Hanoi, Vietnam. We’ll get off the plane and onto an overnight train to the highlands area of North Vietnam. And, in two different villages, we’ll see the answer to the question, “Can you really change the world?”

In those two villages, we’ll see two kindergartens that built by the readers of my blog, Stuff Christians Like.

In 2009, on a random Monday in November, I dared them to change the world with me. I asked them to help me raise $30,000 to build a kindergarten in Vietnam. I embarked on that adventure because my 5-year-old daughter saw a photo of a starving child in a book and said, “That’s pretend, right? That’s not real, right?” And when she said that, I heard her saying, “You’re not OK with that are you dad? Do other people know there are kids starving? Are you doing anything to change the world dad?” I wasn’t at the time, and I decided I needed to. That’s when I found the secret word that can change the world.

Want to know what it is?

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1 table everyone needs.

Leadership/ Quitter November 14, 2011 • Comments

My friend Brewster and I invented a table.

I know what you’re thinking right now:

“Of course you did. I’ve seen your photo online. You’re burly and rugged and clearly know your way around a band saw.”

While I appreciate you noticing all of those things, it’s not that kind of table. It’s not made of wood. It has no legs and can only hold one thing, but I promise you it’s a table that everyone needs.

What is it?

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How to find a great waiter (and be a great blogger)

Blogging/ Leadership/ Quitter November 9, 2011 • Comments

I don’t like asking a waiter for a recommendation at a restaurant.

The reason is that waiters are often motivated to get rid of certain dishes. At the start of a shift, a restaurant manager will say, “We’ve got a ton of flounder that we need to move tonight. Push the pepper encrusted flounder dish.”

Then you sit down to eat and ask the waiter, “What’s your favorite thing here?” And he responds, “I love the pepper encrusted flounder.”

That’s not to say every waiter does that. A lot of honest ones are out there. But how do you find them? How do you sort through the ones who aren’t going to shoot you straight? How do you weed through the ones who have ulterior motives? Easy.

You ask them a simple question:

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The biggest lie about travel we all believe.

Leadership/ Social Media November 4, 2011 • Comments

I’m traveling right now more than I ever have before. As of this moment, I’ve got a bunch of speaking gigs booked for 2012 and a couple for 2013. There’s a chance that number will increase. And as I’ve mentioned often, my wife and I are trying to be really deliberate about staying connected as the shape of our lives shifts a little bit.

But in doing that, I ran across a dangerous lie that wounds countless marriages.

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The simplest thing I ever learned about leadership.

Leadership November 2, 2011 • Comments

The other night, I had a phone conversation with my dad.

In the 1980s, he started a Southern Baptist Church in Massachusetts, which was just about unheard of at the time. But, he’s always up for leading adventures other people think are difficult. A few years ago, he took up cycling. In a completely offhand way, while talking about teaching his neighbor how to ride, he told me 27 words that perfectly summed up the joy and struggle of leadership. Here is what he said:

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The terrifying reason you’re so busy.

Leadership October 31, 2011 • Comments

A few weeks ago, I had to get some vaccinations for a trip I’m taking. When I was at the “Shots, etc.” office I noticed two interesting signs. One was for B12 shots and the other was for an energy shot. The B12 shot promised more energy and, surprisingly enough, so did the energy shot, which you could apparently get every week for a boost.

I’m not scared of shots, but I hope that unless there’s something medically wrong with me, I’m never so tired and busy that I pay someone to give me a weekly energy shot.

But why are we so busy? Why are we really so tired?

There are a million reasons, but I found one that scared me more than the polio shot I got.

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What Lil’ Wayne and Mumford & Sons have in common.

Leadership/ Quitter October 21, 2011 • Comments

When you see someone successful–in music, business, family, relationships or any other facet of life–it’s easy to assume they’ve got a secret to their success. Some complicated, detailed formula that got them where they are.

But, the truth is, the secret of success is rarely a secret, and it’s usually really simple.

Or at least it was for Lil’ Wayne and Mumford & Sons.

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Why you should never punch a shuttle bus.

Leadership October 19, 2011 • Comments

Anger makes you blind and sometimes it even makes your hand hurt. I learned that lesson a few nights ago.

When I fly out of Nashville, I leave my car at a place called “Parking Spot.” It’s fast, easy and surprisingly inexpensive. You leave your car in their garage, and they take you to the airport in a shuttle bus. But they also have some town cars and even a few limos, so occasionally you get to roll up to the airport like you’re Diddy.

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