Blog Archives

Honor Student Bumper Stickers

10/16/2015

Perhaps it’s because school is top of mind with the new year starting, but I have been noticing an increasing amount of honor student bumper stickers lately. You know, those stickers that say, “My child is an Honor Student and North Middle School”?

Having never really been an honor student growing up, I was always pretty jealous of the kids who brought these stickers home. I wanted so badly to give my parents the opportunity to proudly display my teenage accomplishments in their rear windows.

These days though, I wonder why they don’t make, “My child is making their own way in the world” stickers. Or how about, “My kid does important, generous work”? Or even, “My daughter is now a mother, and she does a great job!”

Why not give stickers for things that actually matter, right?

I’m not saying that being an honor student, or parenting one, isn’t something to be proud of. It is a wonderful accomplishment. Learning the discipline and work ethic it takes to get good grades can certainly serve you well in the real world. But there are plenty of former honor students whose middle school report cards still stand as their greatest contribution to society.

As with anything, it’s not the amount of knowledge, privilege, talent, or IQ you have.
It’s what you choose to do with it.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

3 Comments

What it means to be a man

10/15/2015

3 Comments

A lot of people think that to be a man you have to chop wood, lift heavy things, and hunt for food. Obviously, this comes from thousands of years of human existence, where are ancestors were forced to hunt and gather and build for themselves.

However, these ancient men didn't do these things because they were men, they did them because it was the best way to provide for their family's and those they loved.

Men are not wired to simply lift heavy things and get their hands dirty. Men are wired to do whatever it takes to take care of those they love.

Today, in most parts of the world, it's not building things physically or chopping wood or hunting that provides for your family. It's other things, like showing up to work every day, building projects, and doing whatever you can to give your family every opportunity.

There is no activity that is inherently manly. The only inherently manly characteristic, is the willingness to sacrifice for those you love.

**Please note, I am not at all inferring that women cannot provide for their families. This post is not about that. It is about what it means to be a man, from a man's perspective.**

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

3 Comments

The best idea for starting a blog

10/14/2015

0 Comments

When people ask me about starting a blog, one of the most common excuses I hear is, “I don’t know what to write, speak, or share about.”

Here’s a hint: Write what you see in the world.

Notice something
Make an analysis of it
Share
Then do it again
And again
And again
And...you get the idea

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

0 Comments

Get your s*** together

10/13/2015

0 Comments

This is a popular phrase that generally means getting your life organized, having a plan, being on top of things. Pardon my French, but it is important to get your s*** together. More importantly though, you better do something with that s*** once it's all together. Otherwise it's going to create quite a stench.

Seth Godin's version of this is perhaps a bit more family friendly. Once we get our ducks in a row, Godin asks, "Whatcha gonna do with that duck?

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

0 Comments

Columbus Day

10/12/2015

1 Comment

Today, we celebrate Christopher Columbus, a man who set out looking for Asia, and missed terribly.

We don’t celebrate Columbus because he found what he was looking for.
We celebrate Columbus because he set out to look in the first place.

While hundreds of other “explorers” were “getting their crew together” or “finding a better ship” or “waiting for the right time”, Columbus hit the sea.

While everyone else was waiting for a map, Columbus was drawing his own.

Did he find what he was looking for? No. But finding is not what we should be focussing on. Finding is not the hurdle that most of us need to jump over. It’s looking that frightens us. It’s finding the courage and taking the opportunity to start.

The thing about looking though, is that once you do start looking, you are infinitely more likely to find something.

Happy Columbus Day.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

1 Comment

When You Don't Have Enough

10/9/2015

4 Comments

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

4 Comments

Taking your own advice

10/8/2015

2 Comments

The other day, I listened to a podcast where I had been interviewed. Now, before you call me an ego maniac, 90% of my reason for listening was to support my good friend who hosted the show. The other 10% was curiosity...maybe mixed in with a little ego. Pray for me.

As I was listening though, I ran into a not-so-pleasant surprise. As I listened to myself answering questions about the creative process and the discipline it takes to create art, I began to reflect on the fact that I was no longer living out some of the things I had advised in the interview. There were certain practices and mindsets that, at the time of the interview, I had been fully invested in, but in the months between the recording and the publish date, I had let them slip out of my life.

I don’t think this is because I’m an outright hypocrite who doesn’t practice what he preaches (or at least I hope not). For whatever reason (or excuse), I had lost some of the intention and fire I’d had only a few months ago. And now, here was my former self, coming back to remind me of the way I should be working and living.

When you’re in a fruitful season, where you’re inspired and firing on all cylinders, it’s important to capture your practices, thoughts, and mindset. When you find what works for you, make note of it! Write it in a journal. Leave a reminder in your phone. Record an interview, even an interview with yourself. Then, when a dry season somes, which it will, look back at your log and take your own advice. If we plan in advance for seasons of drought, we will remain fruitful, even when everyone else is withering away.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to listen to the podcast interview from above

2 Comments

Dying leaves

10/7/2015

2 Comments

Last week, I drove through the hills of Pennsylvania and back again. As you can imagine, The Keystone State is not exactly the most exciting terrain to drive through. If you have to do it though, I recommend scheduling it around this time of year, when the leaves are just beginning to change color.

It’s interesting how we find the portrait painted by autumn leaves to be so beautiful. It’s interesting because if you really think about what’s happening environmentally, those leaves are dying. It’s kind of sad. Or is it?

There is a certain beauty in the death of these tree fringes. Maybe the reason is because we know that in just a short time(sometimes not so short) spring will come and they will be born again.

Maybe death isn’t such a terrible thing after all. Or at least, certain types of death. A death with the promise of new life is actually one of the beautiful works of art you’re likely to find in this world.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

2 Comments

Why tell your story?

10/6/2015

7 Comments

Why should you pursue what you’re passionate about, and share it with the world?
Because hopefully in pursuing it, you will ignite the passion in someone else.

Why should you be honest about your flaws?
Because in doing so, you let other’s know that they’re not alone in theirs.

Why should you give of your time, money, and resources?
Because at the end of the day, they’re not really yours. They are a gift from God.

Why should you work hard, and pray harder?
Because I have found no other process for bringing lasting change.

Why should you write, sing, dance, sculpt, cook, lead, host, teach, or serve?
Because that’s what He made you to do.

Why should you tell your story?
Because hopefully in telling it, you will ignite the story in others.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

7 Comments

Good reasons and bad reasons

10/5/2015

1 Comment

Why do it? Why make your art?

Here are a few bad reasons:
To make money
To become famous
To hurt an individual or group of people
To feed personal ego
For the approval of the masses (or of anyone)
Because you don’t have anything else to do

Here are a few good reasons:
To clarify your thinking
To keep a record of your life, or the life of your family
To give generously to the world
To challenge the status quo
To inspire
To provoke emotion, thought, or best of all, action
To tell a story
To make a difference

Here’s perhaps the best two reasons of all:
Because you can
Because we need you

CLICK HERE to subscribe to this blog
CLICK HERE to invite jon as a speaker

1 Comment

<<Previous

Forward>>

About

Archives﻿

Archives