The 2-minute weekly newsletter for faith-driven dads in business who refuse to drift.
Gentlemen,
March is here. So you know what that means.
Let the Madness commence.
-C
QUOTE“If you want to define toughness, it's not just about what you dish out, it's your willingness to take hits to make plays also.”—Mike Sullivan, USA Men’s Hockey Head Coach
This quote is giving serious Herb Brooks Miracle vibes.
A relevant quote for men today.
We naturally flex our toughness as proof of what we are capable of, but I think sometimes what gets missed is flexing our ability to “take hits.”
What are we willing to take a hit on to “make the play”?
To me, some practical examples of this:
Taking the hit on sleep: Getting up early so your wife is rested, and the kids are fed, dressed, and ready to roll before the day even starts.
Taking the hit on our energy: When you’re tired. Annoyed. Burnt out. And still tapping into that extra reservoir to handle bedtime, clean up the kitchen, or knock out the errand after the kids go down.
Taking the hit on stress: Absorbing it so your wife and kids don’t have to. Financially. Emotionally. Physically. Spiritually.
I could go on. And I’m not saying run yourself into the ground and become useless at home.
But we, as providers and protectors, have different levels we can access when our families, marriage, and work are on the line.
Find that sweet spot and lock in.
“THIS IS YOUR TIME. NOW GO OUT THERE AND TAKE IT” - Herb Brooks from his famous locker room speech before beating the Soviets.
And sometimes the hit isn’t physical, emotional, or financial. Sometimes the hit is to your own thinking.
WISDOMChallenge your own thoughts (and others), respectfully.
One skill I, admittedly, haven’t really learned yet (but want to) is sales.
Not the weird, pushy, “just circling back” kind.
The good kind. The kind where you actually help someone think better.
Because sales (I think) is really just helping someone see something clearly. And clarity is useful everywhere (not just in business).
I heard a saleswoman on Instagram say something recently that stuck with me:
“I always start every objection with, ‘I hear you. Can I challenge that thought?’ Because it allows me to separate the thought from you - the person. So it’s not me vs. you. It’s me vs. that line of thinking.”
That hit.
Because how often do we get defensive - not because someone attacked us - but because they challenged an idea we’re holding onto?
And, shoot, how often do we do that to ourselves?
Saying things like “I’m just not disciplined.” “I’m not wired like that.” “This is just how I am.”
What if instead of marrying every thought that pops into our head, we challenged it? Not in a combative way. Just calmly.
“I hear you and see you, but can I respectfully challenge that thought?”
With your wife. With your kids. With your co-worker (or boss). With yourself.
You don’t have to be selling anything to use that frame. You’re just trying to get to the truth a little faster.
And when you think better, you lead better.
At home. At work. Even on LinkedIn.
ACTIONLevel up on LinkedIn.
If you’re trying to grow professionally, your profile might need another look. Came across this post on how to do just that.
TL;DR: Be thoughtful. Be genuine. Be consistent.
And instead of posting to impress, post to help.
That alone will separate you from 90% of people on there.
Lock in and level up.
What’d you think of this week’s newsletter? Hit ‘reply’ to this email and lemme know!
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See ya next week.
