A blog about self improvement, creativity, entrepreneurship, and advertising.
Author: Adam Albrecht
Adam Albrecht is the Founder and CEO of the advertising and idea agency, The Weaponry. He believes the most powerful weapon on Earth is the human mind. He is the author of the book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? He also authors two blogs: the Adam Albrecht Blog and Dad Says. Daughter Says., a Daddy-Daughter blog he co-writes with his 16-year old daughter Ava. Adam can be reached at adam@theweaponry.com.
Last summer my family and I spent two weeks in Europe. We flew into London, then visited Paris, Bern, Switzerland and Munich via train. Exploring Europe by train is a fun experience. And not just if you see London and you see France.
However, making short connections in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language can raise your stress level like that recurring dream about missing your college final exams, while naked, and public speaking.
I’m not Zurich about this.
The most challenging part of our train travel was the leg from Bern to Munich. The issue was that we had to switch trains in Zurich and we only had 10 minutes to do it. We had never been to the station. And we had no idea where our connecting train platform was. I felt like Harry Potter the first time he had to find Platform 9 and 3/4.
To make matters worse, the train we were on was delayed. Which meant that our short 10-minute layover was cut in half. Gulp. We would only have 5 minutes to sprint to our next train in Zurich. But with 5 people hauling 10 overstuffed roller bags and duffles, sprinting does not look like sprinting. It’s more like waddling.
To further elevate our challenge, we were on the upper level of the inbound train and had to haul our massive bags down the train’s tight staircase just to begin the hunt for our next train. Plus, the train was completely packed. And while we were feeling urgent like Lou Gramm of Foreigner, we had to contend with other passengers who exhibited none of our need for speed.
Finally, as our train rolled to a stop at the Zurich train station we each grabbed our 2 bags, plus our backpacks, and clumsily navigated the stairs, trying not to fall or drop our bags on the other passengers. Then we wiggled our way off the train and onto the bustling platform. We hustled towards a monitor where we discovered that our train for Munich was on the other side of the platform we were standing on! It was the best possible scenario!
But now, we had only 3 minutes, and there was a large crowd of people trying to cram onto the train. Because everyone loves Munich. Kinda like Raymond. And bacon.
We got in line and waited for our time to board as the time ticked away. Slowly, we inched our way to the steps, and one by one, all 5 of us and our 10 bags boarded the crowded train car.
However, our progress promptly stopped. We found ourselves just inside the train door with nowhere to move. We had no idea if we were on the right car. We had no idea if we had assigned seats. And we had no idea where to store our 10 big bags because there didn’t appear to be any available space on this overstuffed train.
Then something wonderful happened. The train started to move. We were pulling out of the station. And a big smile spread across my face.
Yes, we were still lost, and confused. We were in a foreign country where we didn’t speak the language or understand the systems and processes. We didn’t know where to sit, where to put our bags, or how to get out of the way of the other passengers.
But we were on the train. And despite the confusion and chaos we were experiencing, we were headed to Munich.
My crew, happy to be rolling with the punches.
Key Takeaway
In life getting on the train is the main thing. You can figure out the rest from there. Just get yourself to the starting point. Get to the gym. Start the business. Open the blank document. Pick up the power tool. Land the job. Sit down with the instrument. Show up to the support group meeting. That is the first step. You’ll figure the rest out as you go.
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I share a pair of season tickets to the Milwaukee Bucks with a group of other guys. At the start of each season, we rank our games in priority order so that we can each see one of the games we would like to see most. This year, my number-one-ranked game was against the Golden State Warriors. I have never seen Steph Curry play live. Finally, this was my year. Because when the games were handed out, I got the tickets to the Golden State game. It was a swish come true.
My family and I are always looking for fun experiences and adventures. Like the Bucks games. So over the holiday break, my wife Dawn found another cool experience for us to enjoy. It was a torchlit snowshoe hike through a park in rural Wisconsin. I loved the idea of it. We have done similar outings while cross-country skiing. And far from being tiki-torcherous, these outings are magical. So I was all in.
However, the snowshoe hike was a leap of faith. Because when we registered for it, there was no snow on the ground. None. Not a flake. It was kinda like the movie White Christmas. But me and my Rosemary Clooney had faith. So we registered and paid our fee anyway. Because in the forecast it looked as if we were likely to get significant snowfall over the following 10 days.
But in the middle of last week, I discovered a problem. The Golden State Warriors game and the hike were on the same Saturday night. Which is like a plot twist in a sitcom. I thought about my options like any good Dad in a good sitcom would do. I thought about leaving the hike early. I thought about sending Dawn and the kids on the hike while I went to the game with one of my guy friends, like Kramer or George.
Finally, I decided that as much as I wanted to see Stef Curry play, this was the last year that my family of 5 would be together before my 18-year-old daughter Ava leaves for college. So in my Good Luck, Charlie moment, I prioritized the family snowshoe outing.
I decided to see if I could trade my Bucks tickets with someone else in my group. Our group’s Ticketmaster, Darren Fisher, helped me swap my tix for a future game to be determined later. I was bummed to transfer the tickets away. But I want to prioritize family time. (I also want Ticketmaster to not sue me for using the name Ticketmaseter without express written consent.)
Then came the snow. We got all the snow that was predicted and more. We got pounded with nearly 2 feet of snow in 5 days. The conditions were perfect for snowshoeing. That is, until they became too perfect. It seems that the amount of snow, plus wind and cold temperatures messed up the prep for the event. So Friday night we were notified that the event had been postponed to the following weekend.
This meant that I gave up my tickets for nothing. A classic sitcom plot twist. Newman...
So on Saturday afternoon, with no Bucks tickets and no snowshoe hike, I took Ava and my son Johann to our local high school boys’ basketball game. Steph Curry didn’t play in that game. Then I took my sons Johann (16) and Magnus (13) to our health club to work out. Again no, Steph.
When we got home from the club we ate dinner and turned on the Bucks-Warriors Game. If I couldn’t be there in person, I could still watch the game on TV. That’s when the final plot twist of my real-life sitcom was revealed. Steph Curry wasn’t playing. He was taking a scheduled rest day as part of what the NBA calls ‘load management.’
Key Takeaway
Life is full of difficult decisions. This is true in our careers and in our personal lives. Make the best decision you can in the moment, with the information you have at the time. Sometimes you’ll get it right. Sometimes you’ll get it wrong. When you are right, give yourself credit for your good call. When you get it wrong, enjoy a good laugh. And know that you’ve got yourself another good story.
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When I first started this blog back in 2015 I was a writer with no readers. But I wrote anyway. I shared personal and professional lessons I was learning so that other people could learn them faster than I did. It was my way of paying it forward, even when I was getting things backward.
I slowly started accumulating readers. I would check my WordPress stats every day to see how many people read my posts. But I became even more fascinated with where the readers were. I soon noticed that this little publishing platform I wrote my posts on could deliver my thoughts all over the world. Like Santa.
I kept writing, and my WordPress world map began turning pink as I reached readers in more and more countries. I couldn’t believe how far the interwebs could fling my writings. I found that so much of my map had turned pink that I started focusing on the countries I hadn’t reached. I realize that I had a map-half-empty perspective. But those were my growth opportunities. Like you hear about in your performance reviews.
Greenland
For years, the biggest emptiest space on my readership map was Greenland. Cartographically speaking, Greenland looks more important than it is. It appears on most maps to be the size of South America or Africa. It looks much bigger than the United States. Which is why being rejected from Greenland was so hurtful. And because it is centrally located between North America and Europe on most of the maps we use in the US, an obviously empty Greenland on my map was like a big zit on the middle of my forehead. Pass the blog post Proactiv.
Look at Greenland now looking all like Pinkland on my readership map.
But 2023 was a milestone year for me. I finally did it. Like Erik The Red, I made it to Greenland! Not once, but twice. It felt like a major mapial accomplishment. Now my readership map looks much more impressive. But it took a lot of work. By the end of 2023, I had published 944 blog post malones.
In 2023 I also added Cuba. And not the Goodling Jr version. The real, cigar making, Elián Gonzálezy, Castro-y Cuba. While Cuba is not nearly as big as Greenland, it is just 90 miles from the United States. Since I felt as if I could kayak there with a printed copy of my blog posts, not reaching Cuba by internet felt like my Bay of Pigs moment.
What’s Next
Now I set new, harder goals. Next, I need to reach Iran and North Korea. Yikes… I also have yet to reach Haiti. Which I hatey. In Africa, I still have to crack Western Sahara and the croissant-looking area that includes Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo and Equatorial Guinea. Then there is Eritrea, which sounds like a medication they advertise on TV.
I also need to add The Fualkan Islands (What the Fualk guys?) Plus, the ever-unpopular Tajikistan. Svalbard remains the white dandruff on the top of my map. It’s part of Norway. (Come on, Svalbard, I’m 25% Norwegian.) I also have yet to reach the Soloman Islands and New Caledonia, just east and northeast of Australia. So let’s make that happen in 2024 too.
Key Takeaway
Think big. But start small. Then just keep taking small steps. You accomplish your goals little by little. By plugging away every day it is amazing how much you can accomplish over time.
Some Greenland Perspective
While Greenland looks huge on most of our common maps, it is a maptical illusion. The United States is actually 4.5 times larger than Greenland. The total population of G-Land is 56,000 people. For a Green comparison, Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, has a capacity of 81,000.
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One of the most important things I do each year is read. It is the primary source of my self-directed education. Reading not only makes you smarter, but it also increases creativity and vocabulary. It provides an endless source of insight and inspiration. And when you read you are ensuring that all those trees and little ink bugs didn’t die in vain.
I set a goal at the beginning of 2023 to read 12 physical books and 12 audiobooks. I also did something new this year. I gathered the 12 physical books I wanted to read into a stack before the year started. This gave me a visual goal and a library to choose from each month. The results were interesting. Of the 12 books in my 2023 stack, I started 11 but only finished 7 of them. Waa-waa…
Here is my original stack for 2023. I started all by Work Happy. I finished 7 of the 12.
However, in total I read 41 books, far exceding my goal. I have read that the average CEO reads 52 books a year. Which means I am below average. But I’m guessing the average CEO doesn’t also coach youth football and high school track, so cut me some squash.
One of the keys to my larger reading total this year was adding shorter books into the mix. These are books of about 60 to 150 pages. I find that these books are no less valuable than the longer books, but they have less filling, and taste great.
Here are the 41 books I read in 2023 year, in chronological order. (I find chrono to be among the most logical.) 8 of these books are rated AA, which is the highest rating on the Adam Albrecht reading scale. Everyone should read these.
Adam Albrecht’s 2023 Reading List.
Factfulness was my first book of 2023 and one of the best.
Factfulness by Hans Rosling: I loved this book. It is a fact-based, data-based look at the world. And it is full of charts that show how the world is steadily getting better for everyone on nearly every measure. It is a great read for everyone except those who truly want to believe the world is bad and getting worse. I wrote a full review of this book you can read here.Rating. AA
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This is an inspirational parable about finding your personal legacy and how the whole universe is trying to help you get what you want in life. I first read this right before I started my entrepreneurial journey. I don’t know if I would have become an entrepreneur without it. (I may have become a shepherd.) Everyone should read this book. Rating AA
The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle: This book is a guide to enlightenment. It is deep. Like ocean-deep. It teaches you how to avoid pain and suffering by living in the now. I really enjoyed it. Because I am deep. Like Johnny Deep.
The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: This is a great shorter book about how to make and keep agreements, and commitments. It provides a short and simple code of conduct that has the power to transform your life. Plus I learned about Toltec wisdom. I was surprised to learn it is not the technology they use at toll booths. (But it should be.)
Guide Coaching by Stacy Sollenberger, Monique Honaman and Ellen Dotts: Written by my friends Stacy Sollenberger and Monique Honaman, this book teaches you how to be a great leader by coaching your people. Which is different from mentoring, advising, or dictating. It’s short and valuable. Like a Leprechaun.
Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl: This is a book about finding meaning and purpose in difficult times. Frankl shares his story as a Nazi concentration camp prisoner. It is a remarkable book on psychological thought. It is both heavy and inspirational at the same time. Like the Buddha.
The 12-week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington. This book teaches how to shorten your goals and working timeframes to 12 weeks to get more done. The 12-week time frame keeps goals in mind and the pressure on yourself and your team. Whereas a 12-month year can have too much dead time. It’s a very good idea.
Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody This is a light and entertaining book about a boy’s experience growing up on a ranch in Colorado. Since Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder is my favorite book of all time I really enjoyed this. It made me feel like a kid again.
Night by Elie Wiesel: This book won the Nobel Peace Prize. It is short and powerful, like Man’s Search for Meaning. Wiesel also shares his account of his Nazi concentration camp experience. Spoiler alert: it was horrible. But there are important lessons to be learned.
I listened to this thought-provoking audio book on Spring Break And it made me want to quit my job and spend all of my money.
Die With Zero by Bill Perkins Perkins proposes an interesting life philosophy to spend all of your money during your lifetime. The crux of the philosophy is that you shouldn’t spend any of your precious time working for money you won’t need. More importantly, it opened my eyes to the limitation of spending your money past a certain age when you can no longer do things that cost a lot. This book will really make you think.,
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey This book was more than alright, alright, alright. I listened to it as an audiobook and highly recommend that format because you get to hear McConaughey bring the book to life. It is both autobiographical and philosophical. It is definitely interesting and inspirational.
It’s Your Ship by Captain Michael Abrashoff Captain Abrashoff tells the story of taking command of a terrible ship and turning it into the model of ship-ness for all of the military to envy. There are great lessons that can be applied to any organization, team, or business. The book provides a reminder that great leaders can effect great change. And that we all need to get our ship together.
The Power Of One More by Ed Mylett: I have listened to the Ed Mylett podcast for years. His book has more of the same good content including life lessons and philosophies on success and overcoming adversity.
I loved this little book about the power of timing. I think about it all the time. Even when I’m using thyme.
When by Daniel Pink This book is about the scientific facts, secrets and finding of perfect timing. There’s a lot more to getting the timing right than you thought. I found the insights fascinating. And I would read anything Daniel Pink wrote.
Living on a Smileby Jo Ann Herold: Jo Ann is a fellow Ripples Media author, like me. Her book reflects on her life and career and the positive influences she’s had along the way.
The Conquering Creative by William Warren: William is also a fellow Ripples Media author. He shares his personal story of young William as an art school student who became afraid to pursue a career as an artist. But after a few years in a corporate job, he decided to follow his passion and create a creative career. He now leads a thriving creative business. He shares tips and tricks to help other creatives do the same. As a creative-turned-entrepreneur myself, I endorse this book as a great how-to.
Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters: This book is about the power unleashed when great visionary leaders team up with great operational leaders. It creates Rocket Fuel. Elton John would find it useful.
Think Againby Adam Grant: Grant shares interesting insights about the power of rethinking what you thought you knew. It is about being open to new information. And about how the world is actually filled with complicated dilemmas rather than rights and wrongs. It’s a great book to read during an election year. Oh looky, we’re in an election year!
Mentoring 101 by John C Maxwell: The great leadership expert Maxwell shares insights into mentoring, which is a specific kind of leadership. Hence, the title.
How Successful People Thinkby John C. Maxwell: Here Maxwell shares collections of commonalities among successful people. He shares the importance of big-picture thinking, creative thinking, and shared thinking to shape your life for the better.
There’s a reason this book was a #1 National Best Seller. (Because it sold the best in the nation.)
Devil In The White City by Erik Larson: This book is amazing! I have owned it for a long time and heard how good it is. But only read it this year. It is about the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The book tells the true story of how the fair happened against all odds, and about the serial killer who preyed on those coming to Chicago. (Note that preyed is very different than prayed.) This is Rated AA
You Get The Agency You Deserve by Jared Belsky: Jared is another Ripples Media author. He has led multiple advertising agencies and shares lessons about how great clients get great work out of their agencies, how bad clients get bad work, and how anyone can become a great client and get great work from their agency.
I knew nothing about the history of the Comanches. This book was a reminder of the very narrow accounts of American history most of us know.
Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne: This is a fascinating book about the rise and fall of the Comanche Indians, the badest Indian tribe of them all. And the last to be conquered in America. It is a great book that teaches real history that goes far beyond what we learned in school. Rated AA
Grit by Angela Duckworth: Duckworth shares her important work on the power of grit on success and achievement. This is important stuff to know. And surprisingly, there’s no sandpaper.
Molly’s Game by Molly Bloom. The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World. I had seen the movie. The book is better. The story is incredible. And Bloom is a force that could probably do anything she set out to do. Rated AA
Check out the dudes who endorse this book on the cover. You probably don’t need to read my endorsement below. Just click the link and buy it.
Principles by Ray Dalio: Dalio is one of the richest dudes on the planet. He made his money through the hedge fund he created, Bridgewater Associates. More impressively, Dalio has amassed a broad range of important principles to be applied to life and work to be most successful. I loved this book and all the great knowledge it shares. Rated AA
Year Of Yes by Shonda Rhimes: Shonda Rhimes (No relation to LeAnn) is the creator of such cultural hits as Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. After a pivotal moment in her life, she decides to say Yes! to everything for a year. The book is the story of what happened as a result. Also, Rhimes went to college at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire, where I went to high school. So I dug all of the hometown talk in this book. If you are a no-sayer, check this book out. (And also read it.)
Wake Up Happy by Michael Strahan: This is a biography of the NFL football star and TV show host. He shares his unique journey to the NFL. And how he got all of his TV opportunities, despite some speaking challenges.
Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne: This is a great business strategy book that maps out how to create Blue Oceans, areas without direct competitors, and avoid Red Oceans, highly competitive spaces that turn into bloodbaths. That just went dark, huh? This is a great business book. It’s underwhelming if you are reading it to learn about great beaches.
The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink. Pink writes insightful, data-backed gems about how looking backward moves us forward. He inspires us all to learn from the past to create a better future. I really enjoyed this book and don’t regret reading it at all. Nor do I regret not getting any tattoos. If you are thinking about getting some new ink I suggest you read this first.
First, Break All The Rules by Marcus Buckingham: Another great business book, this book dives into what really separates great managers from everyone else. Studies have shown that they have a fundamentally different way of getting the best out of their people and the roles they fill.
Killers of The Flower Moon by David Grann: Now a hit movie starring guys from Meet the Fockers and The Wolf of Wall Street, this book is about the Osage Indians, a rash of unexplained murders, and the birth of the FBI. The book is great, and a real eye-opener to a chapter of American History I knew nothing about. The book is great if you like to read about murder or history. There is less about flowers and moons than you might have guessed based on the title.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck by Mark Manson: I guess this book was about the power of not giving an F. The title was the best part of the book. I didn’t get it. Based on ratings and reviews, other people really liked it. But it was the only book I read last year that I didn’t enjoy or wouldn’t recommend. Maybe it’s because I am not subtle. And because I do give an F.
Years ago, my friend David Grzelak told me he read these books with his kids and loved them. This has been on my to-read list ever since. Turns out this book was much easier to read than the name Grzelak.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: I loved this book! This was one of the few fiction books I read this year. I had seen the movie, and the book was even better. It was highly entertaining and thought-provoking. It reminded me of Running Man with Arnold. But with a young lady hero leading a fight to the death, and fighting against the evils of the society she lives in. I was hungry for more Hunger Games, so I got the other 3 books in the series for Christmas. Rated AA
The Journey of the Crescent Penny by Curt Reynolds: My friend Curt wrote this interesting little book about a misprinted penny, and what happens to each of the people who receive the penny. The ending provided a total surprise, and I hope Curt writes a sequel because I have to know what happens next.
This story is crazy! Which is why it has been turned into multiple shows.
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe. This book tells the story of the Sackler family dynasty. The family dynasty is based on riches made off of pain medication. The Sacklers and their little business, Purdue Pharma, created Oxycontin, and the opioid crisis. This is a fascinating book on how money corrupts. Rated AA
Kobe by Nelson Pena: This book is about the life and legend of Kobe Bryant. It provides lessons we can all learn from the unique and obsessed approach Kobe brought to everything he did. I found it interesting. I have had a challenge with the Kobe hero worship since his incident at that Colorado hotel. But this book helped me see why others like him so much.
Influence by Robert Cialdini: This book provides a highly scientific explanation of the various forms of influence and how we can use them both personally and professionally. There is a lot that can be applied to marketing, advertising and sales, which are all areas of Cialdini’s specialty as a college professor. The book was dense with information and insights, like a serious college textbook. Expect to learn a lot from reading this. But don’t expect to read this tome in a weekend.
Originalsby Adam Grant: This book dives into what sets truly original thinkers apart. It all starts with rejecting the most commonly held approaches and assumptions and exploring better options. The book dives into who has done this well and how you can apply their approaches to your life.
Key Takeaway
I am a fundamentally different person today than I was a year ago because of these 41 books. Create your own stack of books to read to help you learn and grow in 2024. Share what you like with the rest of us. It’s how we all get better together.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I started by Marie Kondoing my dresser drawers. I removed things I don’t wear. Everything else got folded and fabric-filed in order of the colors of the rainbow. Which made me wonder, why are there so many songs about rainbows?
Then I went to my home office and emptied and organized my desk drawers. Everything that shouldn’t be in them is now gone like the wind.
On Tuesday, my first day of work in 2024, I cleaned off my desk at The Weaponry. Only the essentials remained. Which created a good operating space. (For doing advertising work, not actual operating-operating.)
I emptied my work bag. I replaced only the essentials. My computer, notebooks, pens and a set of earplugs, in case my work takes me to a NASCAR race, or I face a challenge so big that my brain suddenly starts leaking out of my ears.
I also cleaned out my gym bag.
The Result
The year feels new.
I am not carrying any unnecessary baggage from last year.
My drawers are neat and organized, not stuffed with disorganized things that become obstacles to overcome while searching for things I need. My drawers are now tools for me to use. They are ready to receive. There is room in the inn.
It creates a refreshing start to 2024. I walk to work lighter. I walk into the gym lighter. I am ready for new things. And I have space in my life for them. I wish the same for you.
Key Takeaway
Clean out the unnecessary, and start the year fresh. Don’t carry baggage from last year. The purging and organizing will make the new year feel new. It makes it easier to create new and better habits and processes. And a great year is simply a product of attitude, gratitude, habits and processes.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Happy New Year! That is what we say to people in January. But Januarys aren’t supposed to be happy. Not even if you are a Gilmore. Or Pharell Williams.
In November you should feel thankful. In December you should feel Joy. (Comfort & Joy…) But in January, if you are doing things right, you should feel uncomfortable.
January is meant to be a time for change. It is a time for new goals, resolutions, and habit alteration. (Even if you are not a fashionable nun.)
If you are introducing new habits, new thinking and new actions don’t expect to feel happy right now. Expect to feel uncomfortable. And the more comfortable you are with feeling uncomfortable now, the happier you will be later.
Feeling uncomfortable now is a sign that you are trying something new. You are changing your routine. You are creating a new habit. You are experimenting.
You feel uncomfortable when you take new risks. It is a sign of growth. And learning. This is how you push your own envelope. This is how you discover better approaches.
This is January stuff. This is New Year stuff. This is how you get to the new You.
Key Takeaway
A great year of growth and improvement begins with changes in January. Feeling uncomfortable right now is a great sign. Getting uncomfortable now is how you break through to a new level of comfort later. Keep going. It gets better. And so will you.
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Happy New Year! Now that 2023 is in the proverbial books I have taken a moment to reflect. And I like what I see. 2023 may have been my best year ever. I don’t know if you can truly rank order your years. But I also don’t know if Georgia can have a fiddle-off between Johnny and the Devil, but according to Charlie Daniels, they did. And Johnny won. So here’s the supporting evidence from my 2023.
Why 2023 was my best year ever.
I was healthy. No flu. No Covid. No broken parts. I got my first colonoscopy this year and they were amazed by what they saw. (Or didn’t see.) I was told to come back in 10 years. I also found that the prep work didn’t bother me. Which is a win. (Get yourself checked. It could save your life.)
2.I feel fit. I feel strong. And not just for being 50 years old. My good physical habits have been compounding. My body weight is under my high school graduation weight. And I think I would still be a valuable asset on a hay rack, bucket brigade, or trust fall.
3. My Happy Marriage. I celebrated my 21st wedding anniversary with my wonderful wife Dawn. She’s my best friend and I love her like crazy. A happy marriage makes you feel like you are winning at life. Which is a great consolation when the Patriots have a terrible year.
4.My Business Had A Record Year:The Weaponry, the advertising and idea agency I lead, recorded its best year ever in 2023. And we celebrated 7 years in business. I love my work. I am part of an amazing team. And we have really great clients. Plus I never have to wear a tie or a name badge.
5. Speaking Engagements: I had my biggest year of speaking engagements in 2023. I traveled all over the country sharing positive messages of self-improvement. Plus people paid me and bought copies of my book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? And I met amazing new people. It was almost too good to be true. But I have pictures to prove it really happened.
6. Travel: I had a huge year of travel. My family and I went to London, Paris, Switzerland, Munich, Chicago, Boston, New Hampshire, Vermont, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennesee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. For work, I added California, Florida, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Cape Cod, and Minnesota. For someone who loves to travel this year’s adventures were like a buffet of Buddy Elf’s 4 food groups.
7.Guys Weekend: I also traveled to Puerto Rico with my high school friends Matt Prince, James Colligan and Dan Richards to celebrate our 50th year. The trip was epic. In fact, this trip alone could have made 2023 the best year ever. Ask me about this in person if you want a great story. (And let me know if I still have mud in my teeth from the off-roading we did.)
8.Dudes Dinners: I do a regular thing called Dudes Dinner with a crew of impressive guys in Mequon, Wisconsin. It’s great quality guy time with food, laughs, great stories, togetherness, and book recommendations. All dudes should have a group of dudes like these dudes.
9. Track Season: My daughter Ava had a great track season in the spring of 2023. She throws the discus and had 6 first-place finishes, 2 second-places, and 1 third-place finish. She is now 2 feet off her school’s 44-year-old discus record, with her senior season coming up this spring. She has made huge improvements in technique and strength in the off-season. Did I mention that I am her coach? So I get both Dad-joy and Coach-joy out of her success.
10.Football Season: I also coach my son Magnus’s football team. We had our best season ever in 2023. After winning 1 game in 5th grade and 2 games in 6th grade, this year the 7th graders went 5-3. Magnus had about 25 tackles for losses, a blocked punt, a blocked kick and a safety. (Did I mention I am the defensive coordinator?) On offense, he scored a 72-yard touchdown. So I got the same kind of double Dad-joy/Coach-joy I enjoyed during the track season. The bonds that these boys create with each other through football are amazing. And the father-son bond is like Kragle.
11. Music Success: My son Johann is a talented musician. In the spring he won the Wisconsin State Federation Piano Competition. He also takes saxophone lessons from a very talented professor at UW Milwaukee. Our home is always full of Johann’s beautiful music. I often can’t tell whether the music in my house is the stereo or the sonny-o.
12.I read 41 books: I set a goal of reading 24 books this year and blew past it. I read a lot of books in 2023 that made me feel smarter and more insightful, like the Scarecrow at the end of The Wizard of Oz when he finally gets a brain.
13. My Home: 2 years ago we moved into our new home in Mequon. It’s the first home I have lived in as an adult that I didn’t consider temporary. We have been remodeling the attic above the garage into a guest suite and upgrading the workout room in the basement into an amazing home gym. Both projects are almost complete. In another month I may go J.D. Salinger-style and never leave my home again.
14.My Baby Sister’s Wedding: My youngest sister Donielle got married in December, which was amazing on many levels. It brought my whole family together for the first time in several years. We were all back home in New England for the first time since 1996. The wedding was fun and full of family and friends. Plus, the day before the wedding I had a very special lunch at Simon Pearce in Quechee, Vermont with my parents and my 3 sisters, just like when we were growing up, except nobody spewed milk out of the nose. It was wonderful and hilarious. Thanks to this wedding, my family now feels complete. Or at least until the next generation starts doubling up and multiplying.
15.UW Track & Field Reunion: I got to see a lot of my college track teammates in October in Madison, Wisconsin. Many of them I hadn’t seen in 5, 10, or 20 years. Seeing your people in real life is always better than just connecting on Zoom, text, and social media. (Unless your people don’t shower or use deodorant.)
16. Life and Death: I had several close family friends pass away in 2023. While they were each very sad, they also made me value my life, health, and family even more.
Key Takeaway
You make great years through your actions, your good decisions and your relationships. You make great years through your hard work and your reputation. To make 2024 your best year yet, create great habits. Make time for friends and family. Plan adventures large and small. Read great books. And remember that life is short. So do the important things now.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Tonight is the big night! It’s New Year’s Eve! Like the Lexus December to Remember, it’s time to put a big red bow on 2023. Or, if your 2023 was a lemon, it’s time to put on some Del Amitri and kiss this thing goodbye. Either way, this is the biggest party night of the year. Because we always save the best for last. Or do we always start off with a bang? (I always forget.)
New Year. New You.
With the new year comes new expectations. We set goals and resolutions for the next 366 days. It’s exciting to think that, like a new iPhone or Fast & Furious release, the new and improved version of ourselves will hit the shelves tomorrow!
Most of us think our lives, habits and body fat will all get better, starting tomorrow morning. But there is one simple thing you can do tonight, on New Year’s Eve, to give yourself the best possible start to a great 2024.
Don’t stay up until midnight.
Go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight. Going to sleep early on New Year’s Eve is a wonderfully rebellious move that sets you up for success in the new year. I have gone to bed before midnight on New Year’s Eve for the past several years. And I love it.
No Bonus Points
You don’t get any credit, in either the old year or the new, for staying up to witness the clock tick to midnight. There will be very little productive work that happens between 10pm and midnight. If you haven’t made your goals in the first 364 days and 22 hours, you’re not likely to achieve them in the last 120 minutes.
The simple fact is that you don’t get a jumpstart on your goals, hopes, dreams or resolutions by staying up past midnight tonight. You get tired. And maybe you’ll start the new year with a hangover. Neither of which you really want.
The Downside To Staying Up Late
If you stay up until midnight tonight, one of 2 things will happen:
You won’t get an early start tomorrow morning. Getting an early start to your day is the best way to be productive. So if you are motivated to achieve more in the year ahead, get up early and get going.
You won’t get a good night’s sleep. Let’s say that you stayed up late, but also get up early tomorrow. That means that you are not fully recharged, fully energized, and ready to make January 1st an outstanding start to the new year. If you are serious about making positive changes, you should seriously get serious about creating good sleep habits, starting tonight.
Let’s get it started
Aim for getting a good 7 or 8 hours of sleep tonight. As we all know, the end is determined by how we begin. One great step leads to another. And one great day leads to another. Remember, the longer you wait to get into a new, positive habit, the less likely it is to happen.
Key Takeaway
Consider being a rebel tonight and turning in early. Get a great night’s sleep. Start 2024 early, well-rested, recharged and re-energized. It’s the best way to start your best year yet. Have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve!
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I spent a lot of time this fall with Oscar-nominated cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth. Jeff was the cinematographer for a couple of little movies you may have heard of, including Fight Club, and A Social Network. He also filmed the Shake It Off video for Travis Kelces’ girlfriend, Taylor, which has been viewed a Dr. Evil-sized 3.3 billion times!
Our team at The Weaponry worked with Jeff and his director brother Tim on a great new TV commercial for a great client that I can’t talk about yet. Kinda like the way you can’t talk about Fight Club. Except in this case nobody gets punched in the tooth.
The Photos
Throughout the month-long multi-timezone shoot, the agency, client and the Cronenweths would take a picture after we wrapped at each location. As we gathered for our team photo following an early morning sunrise shooot, Jeff gave our group a piece of advice. He told us to position ourselves so that we could feel the warmth of the sun on our faces. This would ensure that our face was lit for the picture. It was great advice that allowed us all to direct ourselves, kinda like Kevin Costner, Tyler Perry, or Pam & Tommy.
Positioning ourselves so that we can feel the warmth of the sun on our faces. Jeff and Tim are in the front. John Hancock is in the back.
But I couldn’t help but think that Jeff’s great advice transcends photography and film. In fact, I think it is one of the best pieces of advice and direction we can give another person.
The Sunshine Advice
Always position yourself so that you feel the warmth of the sunshine on your face. Don’t be content to stand in the shadows. As you navigate your personal journey always position yourself amongst people who shine on you. Surround yourself with others who provide the warm glow of kindness, support, respect and encouragement. Find a career where you can feel the glow of the work you do on your face. Spend time in places where you can feel the warmth of the people and the culture. That warmth you feel is the sign that you are exactly where you should be.
Key Takeaway
When you are in the right place with the right people doing the right things you can feel it like warm sunshine on your face. Seek out that feeling. Enjoy it when you find it. And don’t settle for less.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Earlier this month I was in Orlando for a speaking engagement. I was invited to talk to an organization about branding and customer experience. The two are inextricably linked. Like flotsam and jetsam, dilly and dally, or Tony Orlando and Dawn.
Because we were in Orlando, and nearly everyone flew in for the meeting, I used airlines to illustrate an important point about customer experience. I said that every employee who works for an airline has the ability to impact the customer experience. And like blood types, the impact could be either positive or negative.
Then I asked the audience if they could name an airline that offers a bad customer experience. Immediately, a chorus of brand names was shouted out from across the large hotel conference room. Clearly, there were a lot of people in the room who had negative customer experiences while flying.
However, this wasn’t a condemnation of the airline industry. Because everyone in the room who spoke up shouted the same name. This specific airline was called out as the airline with the bad customer experience. Like The Ohio State University.
In the minds of these customers, this airline brand was synonymous with bad customer experience. And by the number of witnesses who testified against them, the airline in question had clearly earned that brand reputation over and over and over again.
The important reminder.
Every interaction you have contributes to the brand reputation of the organization you represent. This is true whether you are the CEO, a front-line worker, the newest employee, or a volunteer. You are creating the brand and the customer experience through the experience you offer to those with whom you interact.
You also have a personal brand. Your brand is one of your greatest assets or your greatest liabilities. And while Joan Jett doesn’t give a damn ’bout her reputation, you should. And you should remember that it is created by each interaction you have with other people.
Key Takeaway
You earn your brand reputation every day. Consider the experience you are offering those you interact with. A positive experience enhances both your personal brand and the brand of the company or organization you represent. It is true when you are reliable, helpful, funny and kind. And it is true when you are unreliable, unresponsive, and rude. So choose to be great to others. You’ll earn the best reputation you could ever want.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Adam Albrecht Blog 