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Gratitude After the Game A father’s reflection on composure, growth, and gratitude after the game This morning at the bowling alley, I found myself watching Bella in a different way. Not as a coach or a competitor, but as a dad standing in quiet gratitude. The matches were over, the sound of pins had faded, and the morning light filled the lanes. That’s when I saw her slip on her Team USA backpack — calm, composed, and at peace. In that small moment, I saw how much she’s grow

Feeding the Right Wolf Today I reflected on the Cherokee story of the two wolves. Inside each of us there are two wolves that constantly battle. One is good and one is bad. The grandson asks his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” The grandfather replies, “The one you feed.” That story speaks deeply to me because I know that same battle exists inside me every day. I get to choose which wolf I feed. Faith or fear. Love or bitterness. Truth or lies. For me, that choice always comes

The Power of Reframing and Reinvention There are days when I wake up with clarity and purpose. I train my mind, claim the morning, and start the day strong. But even on those days, challenges come. Somewhere between sunrise and sunset, I might lose focus, fall short, or slip into old habits. That is part of being human. The truth is, failure is not final unless we stop. It might come in the form of a broken relationship, a tough moment as a husband or parent, or a setback at

Preparation: The Confidence Before the Day Begins Each morning when I wake up early, I feel like I’m giving myself a head start on the day. It’s more than just getting up — it’s designing a coordinated plan of attack. Preparation is where confidence is born. When I prepare, I’m intentional. I start with my arsenal — cold showers, exercise, reading, study, and writing. These small acts build momentum. They sharpen my body, clear my mind, and strengthen my weaknesses. People of

Do It Now Today’s reflection comes from a podcast I listened to about procrastination. It helped me see that procrastination is not about being lazy. It is about avoiding discomfort and the negative feelings we connect to certain tasks. We delay things, not because we do not care, but because we want to avoid that emotional weight. The solution is to build a simple mantra that lives inside of you. A commitment that reminds you to act when the temptation to wait starts to whis

“Two Things to Live By Each Day” This morning, I was challenged to focus each day on two things. First… work toward something that will pay off years from now. It’s that small, daily investment that compounds over time. When you do a little bit every day, it might not look like much in the moment, but years from now, the return is undeniable. Second… appreciate something that’s happening right now. As I sat and thought about that, I realized one of the things I want to get be

“The Art of Becoming Original” This morning’s reflection came from something I heard on a podcast about creativity. It said that true creativity doesn’t appear out of thin air. It’s born from curiosity… from collecting what you love and reframing it through your own perspective. When you’re an artist, a coach, a parent, or even a person trying to grow, you don’t start with nothing. You start by studying the greats who went before you. You learn from their patterns, their stru

The Story We Tell Ourselves in Uncertainty As I walked this morning in the soft rain, I found myself thinking about the podcast I was listening to—Justin Su’a talking about uncertainty and the stories we tell ourselves when life feels unpredictable. He said that when we don’t know what’s going to happen, our ego rushes in to fill the gaps, to create meaning that makes us feel safe. That hit me. Because when things get cloudy in my own life, I know how quickly I can build a st

Leading by Example: The Map of Fatherhood and Focus Today, I reflected on leadership again—this time as a father. When I look at Bella and see her drive for greatness and her desire to become a better version of herself, I feel an even deeper responsibility to do better as her father… to model what leadership really looks like in daily life. That means mapping out what it looks like to manage time, organize priorities, and create habits and routines of excellence. And if I se

Rooted and Relentless Each sunrise gives me another chance to root myself and level up—to lead myself toward a better version of who I was yesterday. That takes real work. Grit. Discipline. The kind that doesn’t clock out or take a day off. It means improving my body, sharpening my mind, strengthening my family, and serving my community. Growth requires eliminating idle time and clearing out the static that distorts the signal. When I’m tuned in—connected—I can hear clearly.

Growth Lives in the Hard Things When we talk about growth, most people focus on strengthening their strengths. They repeat what they’re already good at, staying in the comfort zone where confidence lives. But true growth happens in the opposite direction — in the weaknesses, the hard things, the places we avoid. It’s in doing what we don’t want to do that transformation happens. Whether that means waking up to a cold shower, running in cold weather, lifting weights that push

Walking by Obedience and Faith Today reminded me that obedience often opens doors we could never have forced open on our own. It’s not about logic or comfort—it’s about faith and trust in what we’re called to do, even when we don’t fully understand why. This morning I didn’t really feel like going out for coffee, but something in me said go. So I did. And as I stepped out of the car, I met an older couple named Kenny and Joni. What started as a simple hello turned into a conv

Commitments Over Feelings Today I’m reflecting on the difference between feelings and actions. There are times when we simply don’t feel like doing the things we know we should. But the truth is, feelings should never determine our actions. Commitments should. Whether it’s getting out of bed, going for a walk, exercising, or choosing a salad over the brownies that look way too good to resist… it’s our commitments that guide us toward who we want to become. When actions are ru

The Week I Found a Family Outside My Family When my very first student, the first child I ever taught when I began my career 25 years ago, called and said, “I want to invite you to Arizona,” I didn’t really know what he meant. He was nine years old when he sat in my classroom back when I was just starting out as a teacher. And now, after all that time, here he was reaching back into my life, believing in me for something completely new. He said he wanted me to experience some

Be the Model, Not the Mouthpiece There’s something powerful about being caught doing the right thing. Not when you’re talking about it or trying to teach it, but when you’re simply living it. The people around you, especially your family, notice more than you think. They see how you move, how you respond, how you take care of yourself, and how you treat others. For me, that starts with Barbi and Bella Love. The two people who mean the most to me see every side of who I am. Th

“The One Who Ran Beside Me” This evening, just outside of Scottsdale, Arizona, I decided to go for a run with a group of runners. It had been a long time since I’d run. I’m more of a walker these days, the kind who moves quickly but likes to take in everything around me. Still, something about that evening called me higher. The sun was setting behind the desert hills, spilling gold across the sky. The air felt soft, still, almost sacred. As everyone gathered, there was laught

The Power of Presence As I reflect today, I think about what it means to give my undivided attention to the ones I love, especially my wife and daughter. Being away from home reminds me of how much they mean to me. Distance has a way of sharpening our focus. When we’re together every day, it’s easy to take small moments for granted, but when we’re apart, I start to see clearly just how sacred those moments really are. I think about my wife, Barbi, and how much I miss hearing

Heart Posture and Family Alignment When I think about family, I think about my heart, and the posture of that heart. Growing up, teachers would tell us to sit up straight, shoulders back, and maintain good posture. But lately, I’ve been reflecting on what heart posture really means, not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. When I’m away from my wife and daughter, I can feel my heart posture start to slouch a little. I miss them deeply. I call to check in, to hear thei

“Showing Up When It’s Hard” Some mornings don’t start the way we planned. We wake up groggy, disoriented, and outside of our comfort zones. The routine feels off, and our thoughts begin to drift toward everything that’s uncertain. But that’s the moment when character begins to grow. When life feels like walking barefoot across hot concrete, we learn that growth isn’t about comfort — it’s about endurance. It’s about finding the strength to show up anyway, even when it’s not id

Fighting Back: What We’re Really Made Of There comes a point in life when the weight of pain, disappointment, and uncertainty starts to wear you down. When the hurt feels heavy and you’re tired of carrying it, something powerful happens—you start to fight back. It’s in that moment, when you’ve had enough, that you discover what you’re truly made of. Whether it’s on the playing field or in the battlefield of everyday life, adversity reveals character. When you’re knocked down,