First Friday Stack - March 2023
New format for posts on the first Friday of each month.
February is gone. March is here. Yet, it’s not quite spring. I’ve always seen March as the beginning of the end of winter and a time to start preparing for more (of everything). More sunshine. More time spent outside. More baseball games with the boys. More bike rides. More smiles from kids who get to enjoy more sunshine, baseball, bike rides - and from me too.
Q1 Objective Check-in
I’m trending pretty flat over the past month. The objectives I was tending to have gotten the attention they deserve, but those I haven’t started yet are in the same spot I left them. Giving myself some grace with two recent work trips and a head cold for good measure. Going to keep going.
Re-read the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius 🔼
I’m about 30% through so far and need to get some focus going
Develop foot/ankle strength and balance ❌
I have no excuses here other than a lack of focus
Improve cycling FTP by 5% ❌
I took 3 weeks off the bike to nurse an injury, but am back and still have this one in my sights
Stand at least 5 hours each workday 🔼
Doing great here, habit formed
Take Kelly out on at least one date night every month 🔼
Another one that is going great, and something others have reached out to me about recently as objectives they’re making with their own spouses - I love that and hope to hear from more on the same.
Post my Substack Newsletter 1x/week 🔼
I did actually miss posting on February 17th. After a few days in Denver for work I just didn’t have it done, or the capacity to make it happen. I’m working on a better process that gives me time/space to think and not rush just to hit an objective.
What I’m Working On
Think of this as a quick preview of what’s new, what I’m working on, or what I’ve been thinking about.
Prioritization and a focus on “what’s important and essential” both personally and at work. (carryover from last month - still important)
How do I define the chapters of my life so far? (inspired by Finding Mastery interview with MLB Coach of the Year Donnie Ecker)
Taking my 12 yo on his first plane ride. It’s a “guys trip” of sorts. He’s really excited and I am too - both for the experience and for the time together. He’s not a full-blown teen yet, but that time is coming sooner than we would like to admit.
The Month’s Most Share-worthy
Armchair Expert Podcast - Interview with Paul Rudd
As you’ve probably been able to figure out so far, my podcast playlist is pretty one dimensional. Wellness. Stories of resilience. Neuroscience and human performance. Conversely, I’ve avoided about everything else - until now. I’ve had a friend mention Armchair Expert (Dax Shepard) before, but it just never appealed to me. But for some reason though the Paul Rudd interview was recommended to me and the preview blurb - which talked about how Rudd finds himself feeling more introverted and reclusive as he get’s older jumped out at me. If you see it you got it, I guess.
I have not laughed this hard in a long time. That’s really all I can say. I needed the laugh and the banter between everyone was honestly hilarious. More than once, while commuting from hotel to office in Denver I laughed out loud while other bleary eyed commuters stared on confused (and probably jealous).
Finding Mastery - Coaching with a People-First Philosophy (Donnie Ecker)
Okay, back to wellness and performance, ha!
Donnie Ecker is the MLB Coach of the Year and the Offensive Coordinator for the Texas Rangers. This interview was really inspirational to me and gave me a lot to think about in terms of how I lead and coach, and what changes to my approach may be valuable to my team and the business. It also reinforced the idea that giving feedback is a means of showing you care, and that withholding it because you are scared of disappointing the other person, actually has the opposite effect your’e looking for - potentially setting them up for some future failure that you could have helped them avoid.
I’ll be listening to this one again, and maybe even a few times, to let the insights truly sink in.
Tweets I Bookmarked
While I know I have mentioned a “social media fast” for the most part, I do still follow those who I think are switched on and asking great questions that either get me thinking or push me to challenge my own preconceptions. I’m going to work on sharing some of those here.
One Question
Should we actually stop seeking and just be? If so, how often and how do we know when to go back into seeking mode to avoid stagnation?
Thanks for reading,
Paul
Plan. Progress. Grace. Move Forward.