Life Plan

Monday Mentions 8.10.20

An Enlighting Enneagram Book – The Enneagram of Discernment

I first heard about the Enneagram at a dinner in 2016. I’ve since enjoyed learning more about it.

Everybody leads somebody — even if that somebody is just yourself. I don’t know about you, but leading myself is probably the hardest thing I do. The Enneagram of Discernment is helping me along the path to flourishing.

From Amazon:

How does your personality type help and hinder your ability to make wise decisions?

We are too often rich in information and poor in wisdom. And when we encounter life’s decisions, big and small, we engage the information available through the lens of our personality.

The Enneagram of Discernment: The Way of Vocation, Wisdom, and Practice breaks new ground in the enneagram field, introducing Dr. Drew Moser’s innovative approach to exploring the enneagram to discover calling, cultivate wisdom, and develop habits that help you make wise decisions, whether they be important or mundane. This is not your ordinary enneagram book.

Weaving theology, spirituality, neuroscience, and psychology, Dr. Moser introduces you to The Way of Discernment: a journey of nine key questions each of us must consider when faced with a decision. Each of these nine questions are grouped into three triads: The Vocation Triad, The Wisdom Triad, and The Practice Triad.

This is an enneagram resource for anyone looking for help in making better decisions. Whether you’re new to the enneagram, or have been working with the enneagram for many years, The Enneagram of Discernment is an essential resource.

On-The-Go Protein – Quest Salted Caramel Protein Shake

I drink one protein shake a day. I am experimenting with drinking it first thing in the morning. Starting my day with protein helps me feel fuller and more energetic throughout the day. It also helps me hit my protein macro goals each day. This ready to drink protein shake is convenient to grab and go.

Make Great Pizzas – Aluminum Pizza Screen

I make at least one pizza a week at home. I used to get frustrated, trying to fit it on a cookie sheet, etc. I finally purchased a few pizza screens. These are very similar to what we used when I worked at Dominos in High School. They make baking a pizza a cinch.

A Quote from I’m Thinking About

Anger. Shame. Fear. Their ability to thwart the gift and pracice of discernment is pervasive and persistent. But this isn’t the end of the story. The more familiar we becom ewith our obstacles, the less moinously they loom over us … We must journey through. When we do, our experiences with anger, shame and fear can transform from impediments to invitations.” ― Dr. Drew Moser

Monday Mentions 8.3.20

A Fantastic Book on Leadership: The Motive

This book is a fantastic short read. It clarifies how leaders (with the right motive) invest their time.

From Amazon:

New York Times best-selling author Patrick Lencioni has written a dozen books that focus on how leaders can build teams and lead organizations. In The Motive, he shifts his attention toward helping them understand the importance of why they’re leading in the first place.

In what may be his edgiest page-turner to date, Lencioni thrusts his readers into a day-long conversation between rival CEOs. Shay Davis is the CEO of Golden Gate Alarm, who, after just a year in his role, is beginning to worry about his job and is desperate to figure out how to turn things around. With nowhere else to turn, Shay receives some hard-to-swallow advice from the most unlikely and unwanted source―Liam Alcott, CEO of a more successful security company and his most hated opponent.

Lencioni uses unexpected plot twists and crisp dialogue to take us on a journey that culminates in a resolution that is as unexpected as it is enlightening. As he does in his other books, he then provides a straightforward summary of the lessons from the fable, combining a clear explanation of his theory with practical advice to help executives examine their true motivation for leading. In addition to provoking readers to honestly assess themselves, Lencioni presents action steps for changing their approach in five key areas. In doing so, he helps leaders avoid the pitfalls that stifle their organizations and even hurt the people they are meant to serve.

A Decilious Seasoning: Boars Night Out White Lighting with Double Garlic Butter

This seasoning comes from my home town. My brother gave this to me and I now use it on EVERYTHING. In fact, I put it on my pizza at lunch today!

My Favorite Headphones – Apple AirPods

I own several different pairs of headphones. I always return to these AirPods. They pair easily to my devices. They have great battery life. This partcular model is slim enough that I can fall asleep with them on if I’m listening to a podcast while unwinding. As I post this, they are on sale.

A Quote from I’m Thinking About

Celebrate progress, not perfection.” ― Michael Hyatt

Monday Mentions 7.27.20

A Great Marketing Book: Marketing Made Simple

Donald Miller has built a company by helping businesses cut through the noise by getting clear with their message. This is a really helpful for executing a clear marketing plan.

From Amazon:

Based on Building a StoryBrand by New York Times bestselling author Donald Miller, this checklist is a strategic and actionable guide to applying the StoryBrand framework to any brand and an essential part of any marketing professional’s tool kit.

Every day, brands lose millions of dollars simply because they do not have a clear message that tells consumers who they are and what value they will add to their customers’ lives. To solve this dilemma, Donald Miller wrote Building a StoryBrand, which has become the quintessential guide for anyone looking to craft or strengthen their brand’s message.

Now, Don is taking it a step further with this five-part checklist that helps marketing professionals and business owners apply the StoryBrand messaging framework across key customer touchpoints to effectively develop, strengthen, and communicate their brand’s story to the marketplace.

A Fantastic Podcast: NBC’s Dateline

The Dateline podcast includes current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries, and in-depth investigations. I often listen to this podcast while on the treadmill or while driving. It makes the time go by faster.

Cold Brew Coffee at Home: Starbucks Single-Serve Capsules

Laura and I really enjoy iced coffee — especially in the summer. These capsules make it dead-simple to make cold brew coffee at home. These will become part of my travel kit.

A Quote from I’m Thinking About

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill

Monday Mentions 7.20.20

A Book to Battle the COVID-15: Lose It For Life

I’ve talked to a lot of people that have put on a few pounds during the pandemic. It’s understandable. This book is a great read for understanding how to keep weight under control in a holistic way.

From Amazon:

Tired of That Old YO-YO Weight-Loss/ Weight-Gain Cycle?

LOSE IT FOR LIFE!

Most weight-loss plans will help you drop a few pounds, but for how long? You deserve better. You deserve Lose It for Life, a time-tested, uniquely balanced program that deals with the physical, emotional, and even spiritual elements that lead to permanent weight loss.

Even if you have already experienced some success on another weight-loss program—Atkins ®, South Beach ®, Weight Watchers ®, whatever—this book will give you the information and motivation you need to achieve a permanent “state of weightlessness,” which is the secret to lasting results.

Now endorsed by Florida Hospital as part of its Healthy 100 campaign, this deluxe edition book and workbook offers a wide variety of exercises and activities to lead you to the next level in understanding

Why you do what you do;
How you can shed bad habits for good;
How, with the help of God and others, you can develop a whole new approach to life, to eating, and to living healthy and free!
Lose It for Life was developed by best-selling author and radio personality Stephen Arterburn, who lost sixty pounds twenty years ago and has kept it off. In this revolutionary book, he and Dr. Linda Mintle, who is known for her clinical work regarding weight issues, will help you accomplish what you desire most: permanent results.

A Book for Writers and English Buffs: Dreyer’s English

Grammar rules have morphed a bit since I took Advanced English in college. This book is a great resource for becoming a better writer.

From Amazon:

We all write, all the time: books, blogs, emails. Lots and lots of emails. And we all want to write better. Benjamin Dreyer is here to help.

As Random House’s copy chief, Dreyer has upheld the standards of the legendary publisher for more than two decades. He is beloved by authors and editors alike—not to mention his followers on social media—for deconstructing the English language with playful erudition. Now he distills everything he has learned from the myriad books he has copyedited and overseen into a useful guide not just for writers but for everyone who wants to put their best prose foot forward.

As authoritative as it is amusing, Dreyer’s English offers lessons on punctuation, from the underloved semicolon to the enigmatic en dash; the rules and non-rules of grammar, including why it’s OK to begin a sentence with “And” or “But” and to confidently split an infinitive; and why it’s best to avoid the doldrums of the Wan Intensifiers and Throat Clearers, including “very,” “rather,” “of course,” and the dreaded “actually.” Dreyer will let you know whether “alright” is all right (sometimes) and even help you brush up on your spelling—though, as he notes, “The problem with mnemonic devices is that I can never remember them.”

And yes: “Only godless savages eschew the series comma.”

Chockful of advice, insider wisdom, and fun facts, this book will prove to be invaluable to everyone who wants to shore up their writing skills, mandatory for people who spend their time editing and shaping other people’s prose, and—perhaps best of all—an utter treat for anyone who simply revels in language.

A Fantastic Electrolyte Drink Mix: Dr. Berg’s Electrolyte Powder

Dr. Berg is a Chiropractic Doctor with very informative videos on YouTube. I drink this mix every morning as part of my morning routine.

A Quote from I’m Thinking About

Plan your work and work your plan.” – Napoleon Hill

Monday Mentions 7.13.20

A Great Leadership Book: Leading with a Limp

From Amazon:

Put your flawed foot forward.

Pick up most leadership books and you’ll find strategies for leveraging your power and minimizing your areas of weakness. But rather than work against your weakness, why not draw from a deeper well of strength? God favors leaders who make the most of the power that comes from brokenness.

Go ahead and take full advantage of your flaws. The most effective leaders don’t rise to power in spite of their weakness; they lead with power because of their weakness. It is their authenticity in limping leadership that compels others to follow them. Flawed leaders are successful because they’re not preoccupied with protecting their image. They are undaunted by chaos and complexity. And they are ready to risk failure in moving an organization from what is to what should be.

If you are a leader–or if you have been making excuses to avoid leading–find out how to get the most from your weakness. A limping leader is the kind of person God uses to accomplish amazing things.

A New Podcast I’m Excited About: One Next Step

The One Next Step podcast is the small business mentor you’ve always wanted. After working with thousands of entrepreneurs, executives, and organizations, powerhouse virtual staffing company, BELAY, is committed to sharing real-world business knowledge that will help real-life leaders. Even well-known guests like Daymond John and Michael Hyatt will focus on business basics that will help everyday leaders get more done and see more results. For podcast show notes and additional resources on business growth for the business owner, visit OneNextStepPodcast.com.

The Best Beard Trimmer – Wahl Lithium Ion 2.0

After Christmas break 2019, I decided to keep my vacation beard around a while. Now I can’t imagine not having it! The Wahl trimmer is pricier than some, but it is the best I have seen.

A Quote from I’m Thinking About

We should bless men and women who have done their level best to escape leadership but who have been compelled to return and put their hands on the tiller. We should expect anyone who remains in a formal leadership context to experience repeated bouts of flight, doubt, surrender, and return. Here is one reason: the reluctant leader is not easily seduced by power, pride, or ambition.” — Dan Allender

Let’s change the world together!