I have bought 5 homes in the past 20 years. I know a lot about the process. After all, I do it every 4 years. Which means every time you watch the Summer Olympics, vote for president, or admit you were wrong, I am buying a house.
The critical first step to buying a home is considering how much you can afford. You start with a price range, that includes the minimum and the maximum amount you would spend. You know, like something between $200,000 and $300,000. Ish.
Then you shop for your home. The final price of the house you buy falls in one of two places:
A. At the top of your price range
B. Above the top of your price range. (Am I right?)
The challenge is that once you see how good the homes at the top of the range are it is hard to settle for anything less.
Applying this to the rest of your life.
To maximize your life, approach it the same way you approach purchasing a new home.
This means that you should have minimum expectations for your life. And you should have maximum expectations for your life. This includes relationships, careers, adventures, investments, health and anything else that leads to your happiness and sense of achievement, accomplishment and fulfillment. (Basically all the ments.)
Then, like with the home buying example, push yourself to the top of your range. Or beyond. Don’t settle for less. Always strive for the upper limit. Because when you do, you will often find yourself above it.
Key Takeaway
Imagine what you are capable of at your best. Then don’t settle for less.
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I went to Puerto Rico on a Guys’ Weekend recently. During the action-packed adventure, my friends Dan Richards, Matt Prince and James Colligan played 11 games of pickleball. I had only played the game twice before. I am not good. But that weekend I played enough to get more intelligent about the game. I am now starting to have ideas on strategies. And techniques. And excuses.
One of my greatest problems, among many others, is that I hit the ball long a lot. As I played more I wouldn’t say I stopped hitting it long. But I could see that I was hitting it less long. My shots or pickles or whatever you call them were inching closer and closer to being in the area I was trying to hit. I recognized that progress as my true, but subtle victory.
Me and my guys on our Guys’ Weekend. Despite the fact that I know 4 guys named Guy, none of them joined us on our trip. I guess if your name is Guy, every weekend is a Guys Weekend.
When you are learning a new skill it is important not to simply see success and failure. Pass and fail. Or right and wrong. It is valuable to recognize your progress. To note your closer and closer approximations. To identify your good misses. Like Doubtfire, Butterworth and Fields.
Skill acquisition doesn’t happen overnight. It happens as a creep towards correct. The key is to increase the percentage of times you get it right. And to shrink your range of variation. Recognize your improvement along the way, even when you are still not doing things correctly. Because it proves that you are on the right track. And it provides the encouragement you need to keep going.
Key Takeaway
When learning new skills look for small wins. Recognize the improvements that don’t show up on the scoreboard. Give yourself permission to be an amateur. It’s not about hitting the bullseye. It’s about throwing the dart, taking feedback from where it hits, and correcting accordingly. Then just keep adjusting, attempting and learning until you can’t miss. But be patient. It will take a while. All worthwhile things do.
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I have always thought about the long term. I don’t focus on immediate gratification. Because long-term goals pack much more satisfaction than short-term rewards. One is like a king-sized candy bar. The other is like the mini version you eat in half a bite. (If it were possible to eat anything other than apple sauce in half a bite.)
One of my favorite examples of long-term thinking comes from famed landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmstead. Check out his quote below:
“I have all my life been considering distant effects and always sacrificing immediate success and applause to that of the future. In laying out Central Park we determined to think of no result to be realized in less than forty years.”
– Fredrick Law Olmstead
Olmstead wasn’t thinking about Central Park being finished in the year he began crafting it. He was thinking far into the future. He was focused on a time decades later when the trees would be fully mature. When Mother Nature would finish what he started. And when the park would be the inspiration for a coffee shop on the hit sitcom Friends.
What distant effects are you working on now? What investments are you making today in your personal or professional life that you expect to pay out years from now? If you don’t have any it’s time to think longer term.
Key Takeaway
You are building your future today. Ensure your long-term successes by establishing habits that will create a steady, positive, compounding effect. Make each day of your life add to your legacy. Remember, long term results take longer to achieve. But they offer the greatest return on your invested time.
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It’s that time again. Time to mash some taters, crush some cranberries, jam some yams and think about thanking. It’s a great day for us all to reflect on our blessings. And not just the ones we got after sneezing in public. So before I fall asleep in front of the football game, here is my annual reflection.
23 Things I’m Thankful For In 2023.
My Wife. My wife Dawn and I have now been married for 21 years. She is the best. Rocky Balboa once said of his wife Adrian, “She’s got gaps, I’ve got gaps, together we fill gaps.” I love the way Dawn fills in all my gaps. And all my Banana Republics.
2.My Kids. My little people are a gift. Ava (18), Johann (16) and Magnus (13) are funny and smart. I love seeing them each tap into their unique talents and passions. And I am thankful for the opportunity to see the world through their eyes. I’m also thankful that they each have eyes.
3.They Weapons: The Weaponry, the advertising and ideas agency I lead, has already had its best year ever in 2023. Businesses are people-powered. And I am thankful for the great people on our great team.
4. My Health: I turned 50 this year and I feel great. I had a physical a few months ago. I had a colonoscopy too. (Because they save lives.) Everything looked as good as I feel. My mental health is good too. That warrants a good thank’n.
5.My strength: I am thankful for my physical strength. It’s proof that good habits compound. Like interest. Not like a fracture.
6. Books: I am having my best reading year of all time. I will finish the year having read at least 40 books. And not one paper cut. Each book makes me a little smarter and a little better thinker. And I could use all the help I can get. I will share a full list of my titles at the end of the year.
7. Travel to Europe. My family went to Europe for 2 weeks this summer. I am thankful to be able to experience London, Paris, Switzerland and Munich with my tribe. I also learned how to say I don’t speak the language in 4 languages. Including English.
8. My Parents: Bob and Jill Albrecht are still going strong. I love that they are less than 4 hours away and that I get to see them several times a year. I have friends who have lost parents this year. Which makes me even more thankful for a tank full of parents.
9. My Mother-In-Law: My MIL is 86 years old and is doing great. She’s with us for some turkey this week. Family always makes Thanksgiving better. And my family is not getting together this week, because of #10.
10. My Sister’s Wedding!: My baby sister Donielle is getting married next Saturday in my hometown. So my family is traveling home to Hanover, New Hampshire next Thursday. I am thrilled Donielle is getting married, and that my parents, my 3 sisters and their families will all be back home for the first time together since 1996. Which was just 4 years PM. (Post Mullet)
11. Puerto Rico: 2 weeks ago my high school friends Dan Richards, James Colligan and Matt Prince got together for an epic Guys Weekend in Puerto Rico. We saw Ludacris perform at a private party. We rode an 8300-foot zip line. We drove side-by-sides through jungly mud. We played 11 games of pickleball. (I lost most of them.) We visited Old San Juan, hiked, swam in the ocean and had an all-around amazing guy time. And I still feel like Guy Smiley thinking about it.
12. My Most Recent Commerical Shoot. The Weaponry had an epic commercial shoot this fall. We filmed in Los Angeles, Telluride, Utah, Chicago, Cape Cod, and Western Massachusettes. I can’t wait to share the final spot. It is one of the most beautiful commercials I have ever been part of. Plus, I got to meet new people, deepen my relationships with others, and see several old friends as I traveled the country. It was an experience I will never forget. At least not until I forget everything else too.
13. Coaching Football: I coached my son Magnus’ 7th grade football team this fall. We went 5-3 this season, after winning 3 games total in the past 2 years. The players were great. The coaching staff was great. I am thankful to have so much time with Magnus. And that he was healthy throughout the season. And I love that I get called Coach all over town. It makes me feel like Craig T. Nelson.
14. My John Deere Lawn tractor: I love mowing my 1.7-acre lawn. That’s all I have to say about that.
15. My Jeep Wrangler: We have a red Jeep Wrangler, and I love driving that thing. Especially in the summer with the top off. (The Jeep’s top, not mine.) It’s a very American feeling. #jeepwave
16. Speaking Opportunities: This year has been full of amazing speaking opportunities. Much of it stems from my book What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? But other opportunities have come from business-related topics and student groups. I have traveled to Dallas, Minneapolis, Madison, Columbus, Chicago, Florida (x2), and more. I am always happy to speak. I’m typically called to kick off events with energy or keep people awake at the end of the day. Only in a healthier way than Redbull. Or cocaine.
17.Coaching Track & Field. This year was my 3rd year coaching my daughter Ava’s Homestead High School track team. Ava had a great season and is just 2 feet shy of the school’s 43-year-old discus record. She is working hard to far surpass that mark this year. I am thankful for the time together and how inspiring she is to watch train. I can’t wait to see what the next year holds for her. Plus, I really like the other coaches.
18. Expanding My Ripples Media Team: I published my book with Ripples Media because of the opportunity to be part of a community of authors. I have greatly enjoyed getting to know the other writers and sharing knowledge. It’s fun to join a new community later in life, especially when it’s not at The Villages.
19. My dog Lola: I have a 2-year-old Border Collie named Lola. I am thankful for the joy and friendship she has brought to my home. She brings a lot of energy to our family. And she is always happy to see me, even when the rest of the world isn’t.
20. UW Track and Field Team Reunion. I got to see a bunch of my college track teammates a month ago in Madison, Wisconsin. Many of them I hadn’t seen in 5, 10 or 20 years. See your people in real life. It’s different. Like Nuprin.
21.Laughing: I have laughed a lot this year. I’m thankful for all the funny people and funny situations from the past year. If laughter is the best medicine I am happily overmedicated.
22.Food on the table: I have never gone without this year. That blessing is not lost on me.
23. Shelter: I am thankful for my home. We have been in our current home for 2 years. It is the only house I have lived in as an adult that doesn’t feel temporary.
Bonus Jonas
24. New Friends: I have met a lot of new people this year. They have expanded my world in innumerable ways. (Who needs to numer anyway?)
Key Takeaway
Take time to count your blessings. Today is a great day to recognize all the good in your life. Thank you to all my family and friends. At the end of our days, the only thing that will really matter is the impact we have on each other.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Do you ever think about what fuels your success? Is it your talent? Your skills? Your network? Your grit? Your actions? The fact that you are a hottie with a karate body? While all of those things are valuable, they are not fuel.
The fuel of your success, both personal and professional, is your personal energy.
It is your energy that fuels your actions. Your energy puts your skills and talent in motion. It is your energy that helps build and maintain your network. Your grit becomes gritless without the energy to hold on, or to plow through challenging times.
Your work ethic, will and determination all require energy to activate. When you run out of energy, you run out of all of the above. And when you are running on empty you simply stop running. Just ask Jackson Browne. Or Forrest Gump.
To create more great outcomes, first focus on your energy. That means knowing your energy sources.
Some are physical:
Exercise
Sleep
Nutrition
Some are psychological
Your mission
Your purpose
Your confidence
Your desire for revenge (which is negative, yet effective)
Some are individual:
Socializing (for extraverts)
Solitude (for intraverts)
Time with nature (for dirtverts)
Key Takeaway
Know where your energy comes from. Tap into those sources by creating energy-replenishing habits. Rest and renew your energy. Keep it flowing. It will keep all the other good things in your life going too.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
There are people who are doing life better than you. They are more successful than you. They are happier. They have better careers and better relationships. And they are more enlightened on their spiritual journeys. They even have better teeth than you. Not that there is anything really wrong with your teeth. Most of your teeth are good.
But you are also doing life better than a lot of other people. In fact, there are people who would trade places with you in a hummingbird’s heartbeat. They envy your success, happiness, career, and relationships. They are also jealous of your good teeth.
Perspective Calibration
It’s important to remember both of these groups. Those who are doing better than you give you something to strive for. They provide a higher standard for you to hit. They are valuable reminders that you can do better and be better. (You better, you better, you bet.)
Those ahead of you help spur your growth. Which is a valuable gift. Plus, when you catch up to these people, and then pass them, it makes for a great scene in the movie version of your life. Which can now be made thanks to the end of the Hollywood actors’ strike.
However, just as you look to those ahead of you, others look to you as a model to strive for. Yes, others aspire to be on your level. These people provide a valuable perspective on how much you have, how good you are, how far you have come, and how much you have to be grateful for. Remember this as you dig into your cranberries and yams.
Key Takeaway
Always look both ways. See those who are better than you, and let them inspire you to grow and improve. But also see those who are behind you on the continuum of growth and development. They help you recognize your own successes, accomplishments, and gifts. Appreciating your strengths and successes yet seeing all that is still possible ahead is the golden spot in life. That valuable real estate is available to everyone willing to recognize that they are already there.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
The world is iterative. There are new and improved versions of everything all the time. Software, apps, iPhones, laundry detergent, and watermelon. It all just keeps getting better, more valuable, and more seedless.
You have to do the same thing. Every day you should go to bed as a better version of yourself than you were when you woke up.
You will naturally learn something new every day. But if you are not actively directing your learning then the things you learn may be of little value. By following the tabloids you might learn that Matthew Perry died. But that won’t help you much unless you are a funeral director, casting director, or tabloid publisher.
Force yourself to learn something new and valuable every day. Read. Study. Subscribe to a newsletter. Listen to a helpful podcast. Get one of those 365-day Calendars. Some of my best learnings have come from those things. Seriously.
Work on your habits. They make improvements automatic. Like that Pointer Sisters song.
Improve your physical, mental, emotional, and psychological fitness too. Never settle. Settling is for dust. And 1800s pioneers.
They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But you are not a dog. Humans can learn tricks and improve themselves all the way to the last station. So let’s do this, dawg!
Key Takeaway
Always be improving yourself. Today. Tomorrow. And every day after that. You do this by starting to do better things. You stop doing bad things. Read. Study successful people. Educate yourself. Learn from your mistakes and missteps. This creates new and improved versions of You every day. And there is no limit to how great you can ultimately be.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Last Wednesday I woke up at 5:00 am. I quickly got ready and hurried to the airport in Milwaukee to catch a 7 a.m. flight to Atlanta. Then I was supposed to catch a flight to Boston where I was to meet up with coworkers and clients for a 2-hour van ride west to Northampton, Massachusettes. We were coordinating our flights into Boston so that we could get out of the city before rush hour hit like Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.
However, when I arrived at the airport in Milwaukee I got a notification on my phone that my flight was delayed. At first, this felt like good news. I was running a little behind schedule, and the delay ensured I wouldn’t miss my flight.
On Delay. On Delay.
Then the flight was delayed again. And because of some Milwaukee-style winter weather in early November, we would also have to de-ice the plane. At 8 a.m. they announced that we were delayed until 9 a.m., with an expected arrival into ATL at noon. Which meant I would miss my connection. Which, unlike Chuck Woolery, I did not love.
That’s my flight at the top of the board delayed because of a mechanical issue. I called Mike and the Mechanics. They said all I need is a miracle.
A quick check of my Delta app showed that the next 4 flights from Atlanta to Boston were sold out. So there was no telling when or if I would make it to Boston. Oy.
Beantown Plan B.
However, I also found a direct flight to Boston that left Milwaukee at 1:15 p.m. So I rebooked myself onto the direct flight, left the airport, and headed to my office at The Weaponry in downtown Milwaukee to work for the morning.
The delay meant that I would miss the van driving our team to Northampton. Instead, I would have to rent a car and drive for 2 hours by myself. Here comes the plot twist.
I realized I didn’t have to rent a car. I was able to rent a car. And this created some new possibilities.
Fire Up The Friend Detector.
One of my favorite things is to carve out time from my business trips to see friends. So I shuffled through my mental Rolodex wondering who I could see on the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston, besides James Taylor.
This is the Milwaukee shoreline of Lake Michigan. It’s beautiful. Unsalted and shark-free.
Jeremy ‘J.D.’ Durand
At 11:50 a.m. I sent my friend Jeremy Durand a message through Facebook Messenger, asking him where in Massachusettes he lived. I shared that I would be driving across the state that evening and would love to meet up.
Jeremy and I grew up in neighboring towns in Vermont and worked together for several summers during college setting tents for Blood’s Seafood, Catering, and Party Rentals. (And you don’t need a career in branding to know that Blood’s is not a great brand name for anything related to food.)
Touchin’ down in New England town. Feel the heat comin’ down. (Name that tune.)
Jeremy informed me that he lived in Sturbridge, Mass, which was the midpoint of my drive. He was excited to grab dinner that night. So we quickly scrambled plans and at 7 p.m. that evening, I met Jeremy at a sushi restaurant in Sturbridge called Kaizen. Near Wicked Lick ice cream. Seriously.
The food was excellent. The conversation was even better. We caught up on our careers, families, hobbies, and common friends. This was the first time we had seen each other in 27 years! And the only reason we connected was because I got some bad news about my flight. Which turned out to be great news. Because it allowed me to reconnect with an old friend.
We asked our waitress if she would take a pic for us. She said, ‘Sure! I’m wicked good at it!’ She wasn’t. So here’s our selfie instead.
Ramble On
After I left JD that night I drove to the beautiful old Hotel Northampton. Shortly after checking in, I wondered if there was anyone else I might be able to see the next day. I would be filming a commercial at sunrise. Then I had to drive 3 hours to Cape Cod where we would be filming another scene at sunset and looking for those great potato chips they have on The Cape. But again, because I had a rental car I could stop for a few minutes to see another friend.
After a little thinking, my high school friend Zena Clift came to mind. I thought she might be in the general area where I was. A quick search on Facebook revealed that she lived 15 minutes away! So I messaged Zena.
I heard back from Zena the next morning at 6 a.m. We quickly coordinated a pow-wow. So after we wrapped our stunning sunrise shot and the rest of my team hopped in the van headed for the Cape, I jumped in my red Jeep Gladiator and drove to Amherst.
I was the blue circle. Zena was the red marker that looks like Kenny’s hoodie from South Park.
Zena Clift
I met Zena at a cafe on the campus of Hampshire College where she works. We talked and caught up the way Jeremy and I did the night before. Zena and I went to high school together in Hanover, New Hampshire. We were on the track team together too. She was a great runner. But we hadn’t seen each other in 30 years. 30 years!
Me and Zena and a building directory at Hampshire College.
After taking as much time as we could carve out of our busy schedules we took some pics and said goodbye. I headed off for Cape Cod for my afternoon shoot feeling like I was winning at life.
Key Takeaway
Your personal relationships are your most valuable assets. They enrich your life in immeasurable ways. Make time to see your people in real life. Look at the delays and detours in life as opportunities to spend time with friends and family. Make time to reconnect with those you haven’t seen or heard from in decades. It’s worth the effort. And if you are ever traveling near Milwaukee, look me up. I am always up for a good pow-wow.
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Adam Albrecht Blog 