Last week I traveled from Milwaukee to Florida for work. While it should have been exciting to leave below-freezing temperatures for 80 degrees and sunshine, things kept going wrong.
First, I couldn’t find a parking space because the 6-story parking structure at the airport was reduced to only 2 active levels. Which felt like an April Fool’s joke. But it was March 9th. And March Fool’s Day is still not a thing in Wisconsin.
Then, after clearing security I heard an announcement in the terminal that some silly rabbit left their keys at TSA. After patting my pockets I realized that I was that silly rabbit. So I bunny-hopped back to security with my cotton tail between my legs to retrieve my little lost fob.
When I finally reached my gate and attempted to board the plane, my mobile ticket came up as invalid. Even though I had checked in 24 hours earlier and had a QR code for boarding, apparently when I deliberately changed from my complimentary seat upgrade back to my original exit row window, the system unchecked me. Because I was no longer checked in 30 minutes prior to boarding, they gave away my seat.
They rebooked me in the last row of the plane. But when I got to the last row, someone was already sitting in my seat. And he was more Papa Bear than Goldilocks.
All of this happened before 5:45 am.
It would have been easy to decide that I was having a bad day. Or that I was unlucky. Or to take it all as a sign that I wasn’t supposed to leave Milwaukee that day. And maybe that is all true. But I interpreted it differently.
I recognized that some days you run a sprint. Some days you run a marathon. And some days you run hurdles. And I was running hurdles.
Things go wrong all the time. It is the nature of a world run by humans, Mother Nature, and ever-present gravity. It doesn’t mean that life is bad. Or that you are unlucky. It’s just how things work, or don’t work as the case may be.
Key Takeaway
Keep life’s challenges in perspective. Life is good. Challenging situations are just part of the deal. Don’t let the hurdles of life stop you. Clear them and keep going. That’s what successful people do.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Think about your work, your school, or your primary non-cinnamon role.
Ask yourself:
‘Is this the thing I am destined to do?’
‘Is this what I have been working towards?’
‘Have I arrived?’
‘Or is this simply leading me to where I am going?’
It is easy to think that where you are right nowis your story, role, or great achievement.
But if you are growing, there is always more. Like the sizes at a Big and Tall clothing store.
There are new chapters. New challenges. New knowledge. New capabilities. And new identities. And if you are Mork from Ork, there is Nanu Nanu.
I have been surprised by how many doors I have passed through at the back of wardrobes. But instead of finding lions, and witches, I keep finding new opportunities and perspectives.
These doors have led me to great new experiences that I didn’t realize were coming. But now I expect more incredible things ahead. Which is probably how Dave Grohl feels.
It is a beautiful place to be in your life, career, or avocation when you expect more and better roles in your future because growth and transformation have become the rule, not the exception.
Key Takeaway
Keep going. Keep Growing. There is more and better ahead.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
There is a cute story about 2 young fish who are just hanging out when an older fish swims past. The older fish says to the younger fish, ‘Hey boys! How’s the water?’ The younger fish smile and wave. Then, after the older fish passes, the younger fish turn to each other and ask, ‘What is water?’
It is a reminder that we often miss the things that surround us. In human life, it is not the water that we miss. And it’s not really the air either. Unless you are hiking at altitude. Or have emphysema.
The thing that humans don’t recognize is life itself.
I try to remind my family and friends of this regularly. When good, fun, beautiful and interesting things happen I take a moment to say, ‘This is your life.’
It is my way of saying, enjoy this. Recognize that thismoment is life. Because your life is really just a collection of moments. Some are small. Some are large. But all are valuable.
Your life is not about what is coming. It is not about your hopes and dreams. It’s not about someday when you’ll be living in a big old city with Taylor Swift.
Your life is not the destination at the end of the journey. Because, spoiler alert, the end of the journey isn’t that great. Just ask Steve Perry.
If you don’t take a moment to recognize the moments of your life, as your life, the whole experience will pass you by without you even recognizing it.
Don’t let that happen to you.
Key Takeaway
Your life is happening right now. Don’t miss it. Awareness enables you to enjoy and appreciate the great things, large and small that make up your experience. Don’t waste this gift. Don’t settle. Do the things you have always wanted to do now. There is no other time.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
As humans, we lose perspective on just how lucky we really are on a daily basis. We think about the things that go wrong and the things we don’t have. We take all the great stuff we do have for granted. You know, things like oxygen, water, and Panera.
Here’s a little reminder that 99% of the world is nothingness. It’s just a vast empty space, called space. It’s a dark and nearly endless void between the very rare somethings.
It is a frick’n miracle that you are here, on Earth, with the best resources in the known universe. Including chocolate, Wi-Fi and Magic Erasers.
It’s time to put what you have into proper perspective. You have amazing opportunities and privileges. To complain about what you don’t have misses the point by a lightyear or two, Buzz.
Forget your FoMo. Earth is the only life-sustaining stage, show or opportunity that you could reach within your lifetime. And yet you were born here. You are one lucky dog, Dawg.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate your life. Even the smallest details. Embrace the opportunity you have been blessed with. See it for what it really is: A miracle. Enjoy it to the fullest extent allowed by law.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Over the weekend my daughter Ava and I went to a concert. As we left the venue and walked to our car, we couldn’t help but laugh at how good the whole experience was. Because despite long odds, lucky things kept happening to us. And we felt like we were Forrest Gumping.
Our string of good luck was especially evident because the Noah Kahan concert we attended had been sold out for months, and we didn’t have tickets. Then in a strange twist, the concert in Milwaukee switched venues, and a few extra tickets were available for a couple of hours. Not only did we snatch up 2 regularly priced tickets, we stumbled onto the last two special-access wristbands at the venue. Then, we got pictures with Noah and talked to him after the show.
Ava is in the front row in the green jacket. Noah Kahan is in the second-row middle. I am in the back row on the right side, wearing a hat and a smile.
As we reflected on our amazing experience at the end of the night, Ava noted how this type of thing always seems to happen to me. She looked at me as if I was Mr. Miyagi and asked,
‘What is your secret Dad? Why is it that things always seem to work out for you? Teach me your ways!’
-Ava Albrecht
I laughed. But I knew she was right. Things tend to work out well for me. After a moment I said, ‘There’s a lot to it. Let me think about how to share this with you.’
The next day, while we were driving from Milwaukee to Madison for some discus training I told her that I had an answer to her question about why things seem to work out well for me most of the time.
The 4 Ps of Good Fortune
There are 4 important factors that help create opportunity, positive outcomes and luck. And as luck would have it, they all start with the letter P.
People: People are your links to opportunities. Most people miss this. But the majority of your great opportunities will come from other humans. The more people you know, and the more people who like you, trust you, and want to spend time with you the more good things will come your way. People send invitations. People open doors. People re-write rules. So befriend people. Keep them close. Treat them well. It will lead to good things, just like the Fine Young Cannibals said.
Place: Opportunities happen at specific spots on the planet. Sometimes that means being in the right country, state or city. But it often means being at an event. It could mean you should position yourself within a few feet of a specific spot or a person. Because that is the place where an opportunity is going to appear. Recognize those spots and put yourself there. Remember that today, many of those places are digital. So be on LinkedIn. Engage in social media. And snatch up those opportunities that are only available online. I found the concert tickets online when Nohan Kahan announced there were a few new tix available on Instagram. I also found my 100-year-old typewriter on Facebook.
Ava put herself in a place where she would be noticed.
Preparation: Preparing yourself for opportunities is extremely important. If you know there is a chance to interact with a person in a specific place, you can prepare to have that interaction go well. Preparation means doing your homework.
It means wearing the right clothes. It means having the right question, request, or introduction ready. It means bringing your baseball glove to the ballgame so you can catch the homerun ball. It means having your eclipse glasses on you when the sun slips behind the moon. It means having money saved and ready to buy the priceless piece of art you find at the yard sale.
Noah Kahan literally called Ava out of the crowd for wearing her Dan & Whit’s shirt, from his home in Vermont. #preparartioon
Positive Energy This is one of the most valuable resources on the planet. Humans are drawn to it like gold, sunsets, and street performers. You have to learn to tap into your own positive energy. Let it flow from you.
In the same way that humans like to gather around the heat of a campfire, we enjoy standing near the glow of positive energy. It magnetizes you. Which attracts both people and opportunities. (According to Notorious B.I.G. it can also attract Mo Money n’ Mo Problems. But I haven’t reached that level yet.) To tap into the power of your positive energy simply smile more. That is where it all starts.
Key Takeaway
You have the ability to create your own great opportunities. Start by treating people well. Put yourself in the right places. Prepare to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. And share as much positive energy with the world as you have to give. That is how good luck is made.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I love my work. I always have. When I was in college I drew out a chart that listed things I was good at and things that I thought I could get paid to do. My career treasure map pointed me towards becoming a creative person at an advertising agency. I had no idea what those people were really called. Turns out they are basically called creative people at advertising agencies.
I started my career as a young copywriter. I loved that I got paid to be creative. I loved writing. I loved making something out of nothing. I loved seeing my work on tv, on billboards, and in magazines. Perhaps most of all, I loved the dress code. You definitely had to wear clothes. But what kind and how much was totally up to you.
As my carer advanced I loved my work even more. I loved directing creative teams. I loved the strategic thinking and problem-solving that fed the process and drove client success. I loved traveling to amazing locations and developing deep new friendships with clients. I found they deepened quickly when you face life-threatening conditions together in a blizzard at 10,000 feet with no matches and no way to call for help. #BadSituationGoodStory
I loved pitching new business. I loved putting on a show and sharing my love for smart ideas that help develop brands and grow businesses. And I loved hearing, “Adam’s got a lot of energy!’
When I became a Chief Creative Officer I loved leading a creative team across multiple offices. I loved the opportunity to help create culture and processes and Weness. I loved digging into how the entire business worked and influencing major decisions and initiatives. #MoreCowbell
Then, when I became an entrepreneur I loved creating The Weaponry, an advertising and ideas agency. It has been the most exciting chapter of my career. I got to bring everything I had learned over the first 19 years of my career together, and create a new team without baggage or historical limitation. I loved creating The Weaponry brand and assembling a team of Weapons that clients love. I didn’t love the name The Weaponry while trying to enter India at 2 am and appearing to be a threat to their national security. #BadSituationGoodStory
I loved writing my first book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say?I loved the entire process and all that I learned. I have loved talking about the book and the lessons in it that have been so valuable to me. And I love signing copies for people with personal messages the way I used to sign high school yearbooks. Only with less, ‘Science class with you was hilarious!’
However, my absolute favorite day of my career came in the first week of June 2000. I got on the elevator at work that day and saw a beautiful woman on the right side of the packed elevator. When she smiled at me my whole life changed. Birds sang. Fireworks fired. And I forgot what floor I was going to. That new coworker, Dawn, and I began dating 6 weeks later. One week after that we told each other we were in love and started talking about marriage. Then came Ava, Johann and Magnus in a baby carriage.
Dawn and I have now been married for 20 amazing years. She inspires me to work hard. She has been my biggest cheerleader. (Measured in cheer, not in pounds.) And when I brought up the idea of launching The Weaponry she was fully supportive. Despite the fact that she had the most to lose. She could tell how much I love this stuff. And when you love your work this much, the work loves you back.
Key Takeaway
Find work you love. Find a place you love to do that work. Surround yourself with people you love and who love you. It’s a recipe for a life you’ll love. Happy Valentines Day!
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
That is the real headline for today. And every day. Consider yourself informed.
The news media is incentivized to bring you bad news. Never forget that. Because we are far less like to tune in to the good news than the bad and the ugly. As a result, the media aggregates all the bad, alarming, and attention-getting news they can scrounge.
Politicians, lobbyists, and documentary film directors serve up negatively distorted pictures because it serves their purposes. They are selling an angle. And it’s more likely to be obtuse or acute than right. #geometry
If you stopped taking in the news you would stop hearing about every bad thing that happened in far-flung places that will never impact you. Because things are generally good in your near-flung places.
There is a common belief that the world is falling apart. It is not. It is growing and improving year after year. Children are being educated and vaccinated. Life expectancy is going up all over the planet. Technology is making lives easier and better. Vehicles are safer. Quality of life standards are going up too.
Phones no longer have cords. They have cameras, calculators, calendars and Karma Chameleon anytime you want to hear it. Plus you have social apps that enable you to connect or reconnect with every friend you have ever had. That would have seemed unbelievable 20 years ago. But this much is true.
We don’t have everything solved. But we are collecting the knowledge, tools and technology to address every challenge we face. Like Andy Grammer said, It’s good to be alive right about now.
Key Takeaway
2023 could be the best year the people on our planet have ever experienced. Yes, bad things will happen. But recognize all the good things that are happening at all levels, around the world. Do your part to continue the progress. Recognize when others have an agenda to share a negatively distorted view of the world. And turn off the news. 99% of that stuff doesn’t impact you. Life is good. Enjoy your day.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I used to love writing our family’s Christmas card letter. The letter would sum up the highlights of our year and mix in some humor and reflection on life. But I realized that modern technology would allow me to create an even better look at our year. And since a picture is worth a 1000 words, I could write a million-word letter without any typing. Or Whiteout. #winning
So when my children were little I began creating a video of our year in photos. I have done it every year since. And my man Steve Jobs made it easy. The photos from Steve’s magical phone-cameras drop automatically into my computer that Steve built.
I then take the full year of photos and drop them into a digital album. I narrow those photos down to about 250-300 of the best images that tell the story of our year in chronological order. (Which is my favorite order of all time.)
I export the images as a slideshow to iMovie. Then I add a 3-song soundtrack and some title cards at the beginning and end of the movie. And voila! I have a 10-minute video of our year in review. Which means that when my kids graduate or get married I don’t have to make a video. I already have all the embarrassment collected. #DadHack
The Bigger Win
There are 3 great things that have happened as a result of this annual tradition:
We have a fun and easy way to show our friends and family what our year was like.
We have a highlight video of every year of our children’s lives.
We have an ever-present reminder to make the most of each day.
Knowing that we will summarize our year in a video story inspires us to live a fun and adventurous life. Because if we don’t we won’t have anything to share in our annual video. This yearly reflection is a reminder that life is short, and to make the most of every day.
Our 2022 video will be finished and shared on New Year’s Day. But the process of assembling the photos and reliving the year through the images has been rewarding.
Here are 22 images I pulled from our year to share with you. I hope they inspire you to live an adventurous life, to make the most of your 2023, and to capture your life in photos so that you can relive the best moments over and over again.
We learned to surf in Santa Monica this summer. And not just on the sand.We attended a 1920’s murder mystery party thrown by our friends Jessica and Josh Hunt. (That’s Jessica throwing the peace sign in the back.)
We tilted and whirled at one of the festivals we attended this year.All-Pro Running Back of the Indianapolis Colts (and Badger) Jonathan Taylor came to Mequon to check out our couch. JT and I were working together on some UW Credit Union stuff I do at my day job at The Weaponry.
I got to guest host The Morning Blend, and throw my hands in the air.
Me and my fellow Homestead High School Girl’s track coaches, after winning the conference championship.My kids checking out Las Vegas at night from our room.Buddy V, The Cake Boss, stopped by our table at his restaurant in Vegas. Taking in some big hair bands at Fenway Park.The other team I coach. My son Magnus is #55. If you squint you can see my right knee next to his left knee.Magnus getting back to nature.Nut crack’n in Chicago.Me and my wife Dawn were on thin ice for a while in the Windy City.The fairest of the Wisconsin State Fair.Hiking The Narrows at Zion National Park after some rare summer rain that turned the river into chocolate milk.My Crew at Bryce Canyon. Which sounds to me like ‘Buy us crayons!’Meeting up with our guy Joe Brunner after his first football game at the University of Wisconsin. He hardly seems big enough, right?Me and my daughter Ava after she had the farthest discus throw at our conference relay meet as a sophomore.Taking in some Zac Brown Band in the ATL Us enjoying a sandbar in the Atlantic Ocean several miles off of South Carolina. It was a fun experience, despite the fact that the bar didn’t serve drinks. Mini golfing. Because we don’t Mickey golf.Playing Red Rover on the beach on Hilton Head Island.
Key Takeaway
Make each day count. Make your life an adventure. Take pictures to remember. Reflect often. And make 2023 your best year yet.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
If you are an average American you will experience roughly 80 Christmases. Which doesn’t seem like nearly enough time for all the Burls Ives, candy canes and wassailing you could ever want. But it is the scarcity of this once-a-year event that makes it so special. Plus, there is the whole birth of the son of God who hooks you up with eternal salvation thing. (If you’re into that kinda stuff.)
With your limited number of Christmases to enjoy it is important to make the most of each one. Plus, next week when people ask you how your Christmas was, it’s fun to go Tony The Tiger on them and say that it was Grrreeat!
Let’s Do This Christmas Thang!
So don’t leave your Christmas experience to chance. Make it exactly what you imagined. At least, what you imagined based on what’s possible starting right now. Because if your perfect Christmas involves more snow, beach or family than you can whip up on a moment’s notice, write those opportunities off for another year.
Starting right now, considering the realm of the possible, answer this very simple question:
‘What would I have to do today and tomorrow to make this a really great Christmas?‘
Your answers could be things like:
Play Games
Watch a Christmas movie
Go to church
Take a nap
Enjoy some free time
Look at pictures or videos from Christmases past. (Like Clark Griswold, stranded in his attic, with that funny thing on his head.)
Go for a family walk
Light some great-smelling candles
Enjoy a nice family dinner (#HamNight)
Go for a drive to look at Christmas lights
Start a fire in the fireplace (But remember to put it out with enough time to cool before Santa drops in the chute.)
Listen to Christmas music
Perform Christmas music
Sing Carrols (at home or through your hood)
Steal things from Who-ville (Only for green and furry readers with termites in their smiles)
Zoom with distant family or friends.
Take a family photo with everyone holidayed up.
Watch sports
Drink your favorite holiday drinks
Exercise
Eat oyster stew, roast beast or whatever your favorite traditional meal is.
All of the above
After you decide on the building blocks of your Christmas, order the events, bake in some flexibility for the napping and free time, and then started knocking things off your Christmas list.
The Recipe For A Great Day
Through this approach, you literally write your own recipe for a great holiday. Then one by one, stir in each of the ingredients. Which enables you to spend the next 2 days enjoying a few of your favorite things. Like Julie Andrews. Only without a dangerous military regime pursuing you.
The point of this plan is to maximize the very satisfying and enjoyable feeling of recreational productivity. Which is the feeling of making the most of your free time. It should be a priority on all vacations and holidays. The result is that we finish days away from our regular work and obligations feeling both happy and accomplished.
The Greatest Gift
Remember that at Christmas, the time we spend together, making memories, and doing our favorite free things, is the greatest gift of all. Well, that and the birth of tiny little 8-pound baby Jesus, gift-wrapped in swaddling clothes and chilling in a manger. But you put all of those things together and you have one heck of a holiday gift pack.
Key Takeaway
A great holiday doesn’t happen on its own. You have to make it happen. The same holds true of any workday, schoolday, or Saturday. Envision your perfect days, then bring them to life. Do this day after day, and you will live the life you always imagined.
Merry Christmas!
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I drive a Ford Expedition Max. It’s one of the largest passenger vehicles on the road today. I love it for road-tripping with my family. I love it every time I pile large quantities of humans inside. I love how much stuff I can stuff inside it. I love it when I’m pulling trailers. (And I love the tush warmer on a chilly day.)
But there are trade-offs to driving a big vehicle. Like parking in underground parking garages. And I park in an underground parking garage every day at my office in downtown Milwaukee.
The Warning Signs
My parking adventure begins the moment before I pull into the parking garage. The top of my truck smacks the max height indicator dangling over the vehicle, warning me that the rig is too big for this place. This happens every single day. And when other people see me smack that thang, it freaks them out. #SmackItUpFlipIt
The adventure gets really interesting once I find a prospective parking space. As I begin to maneuver the Expedition into a slim parking stall, the driver assistance warning system blinks and beeps like a bomb on MacGyver. Or an advanced round of Simon, the digital memory game. Inevitably, the blinks and beeps grow more intense throughout the parking process, until I receive the maximum warning, begging me not to proceed.
But I proceed anyway.
The Systems
The systems built into the parking structure entrance and into my vehicle tell me that I don’t belong in this place. They warn me of dangers and limitations. They tell me to stop. Every day. But I don’t stop.
Because they don’t know what I know.
First, I talked with the parking garage staff. I learned where the height is and is not an issue for me. So I know where my real parking opportunities are.
Second, I don’t rely on the systematic warnings from my vehicle to tell me where I will and won’t fit. I look in my mirrors as I negotiate the space. I check my front and rear cameras for feedback. I rely on my own experience. And I believe in my ability to maneuver my own ride.
As a result, I have successfully found a parking space every day I have pulled into the garage for the past 6 months. Despite the daily Tom Petty warnings that say ‘Don’t come around here no more.’
Don’t Let Them Stop You
Throughout your life and career, you will encounter people, policies, and signs that are trying to stop you. Ignore the signs. Ignore the gatekeepers. Ignore the naysayers. Only you know what you are capable of. Believe in your abilities. Believe in your skills. Know that you have the will to achieve your goals. And if there is a real impediment to your progress, believe that you are intelligent enough to discover it for yourself.
Key Takeaway
Don’t worry about cutting it close. Or slow progress. Or barely passing through. The drama only adds to your story. Most people stop when they are warned to stop. Those who experience the greatest success keep going. They see yellow lights, not red. They discover what is really possible. They build and create. They pioneer and achieve. And they enjoy their success even more because they didn’t let anything stop them. Be that kind of person.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Adam Albrecht Blog 