#139 The dash matters

Hello, friends.

Can you believe 2021 is coming to a close?

A friend of mine asked me the other day if I was finishing the year strong. It got me thinking about my tendencies in business and life.

Maybe I’m alone in this, but finishing isn’t the hard part. And neither is starting. It’s the middle where I tend to lose focus and energy.

A couple of months ago, I, one of my best friends named Justin, and six other normally sane individuals walked and played 100 holes of golf in one day for charity. It was 10 hours and 28 miles of non-stop walking and swinging.

The first 45 holes were pretty smooth. We were all excited and pumped up for the challenge. The last nine (holes) were a cakewalk knowing we were about to accomplish something significant. It was the middle, holes 46-91, that was difficult.

In the middle, our perseverance is tested. We fall back into habits and identities. We find out who we are, where we’re strong — where we’re weak.

The middle is where we find out who our friends are and if we’ve chosen good association. In the middle of our 100-hole hike, my wife and two sons came out to encourage us and walk a few holes by our side.

What a great metaphor for any endeavor, be it work, marriage, or parenting. Heck, life itself!

You’re born. That’s pretty easy, for you, at least. Your focus for the first few years is survival and discovery. Every day you’re learning something new and experiencing things for the first time.

You die. Also, a time of focus and reflection.

The dash in the middle? Geez, it is hard to stay the course.

As John Piper puts it,

There is no standing still. The life of this world is not a lake. It’s a river. And it is flowing…

Until next time, friends.

-David

P.S. My friend Jeff Dolan shared Token Tax on LinkedIn a few weeks ago and it looks really helpful if you have tax calculation needs for your crypto investments.

P.P.S. Jimmy Eat World released a three-chapter livestream performance called “The Phoenix Sessions”. One of which is their album, Clarity, an all-time favorite of mine. Listen to it and/or Watch it.

P.P.P.S. I don’t get into Christmas decorations much but found this to be on a level of its own.