June 07, 2025 What if legacy isn’t a "someday" thing? You don’t have to be a great photographer to capture something beautiful. The light does the work. The stillness helps you see it. That’s what I was reminded of on my walk this week. I’ve been “working” on my photography for nine years now—not to improve a skill, but to become more present. That simple rhythm of daily photos has reshaped my definition of success. Maybe success isn’t more. Maybe it’s deeper.Maybe it’s one honest...
11 days ago • 3 min read
June 07, 2025 Leadership is presence, purpose, and people. Over the past week, I’ve been reminded again and again that real leadership isn’t flashy—it’s intentional. It’s showing up when it’s uncomfortable. It’s locking in when distractions want to pull you away. It’s making blankets with strangers because kindness matters. It’s saying yes to something bigger than you—like writing a book you never planned to write. This week, I saw it everywhere: In my son. In a brewery full of leaders...
18 days ago • 3 min read
June 07, 2025 Not everything belongs at the front. I hit a wall recently.Not the dramatic, fall-to-the-floor kind—but the quiet, soul-tired kind that whispers: “Mick, this is too much.” The calendar was overflowing.Margin? Gone.All that was left: fatherhood and work.And while those are sacred… that’s not enough. So I started asking questions.Hard ones. What actually belongs in this season?What’s taking up space that no longer deserves it? And what I realized is this: “Not everything belongs...
25 days ago • 1 min read
June 07, 2025 What’s at the Front of Your Fridge? Everything can’t be at the front of the refrigerator. That was the advice a friend gave me last week. It hit me hard. And yes, my refrigerator is a mess. It was a little embarrassing sharing that photo. But it’s true in life, too: You can’t keep everything at the front. Not every project. Not every goal. Not every relationship. Not every idea. Even if it’s all great stuff. Especially if it’s all great stuff. Something has to move to the back —...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
May 31, 2025 He Lived. He Truly Lived. That’s the epitaph from Secondhand Lions:"He lived. He truly lived." And that’s the goal, isn’t it? To live—not just exist. Not just drift from Zoom meeting to Zoom meeting, inbox to inbox, checklists to checkouts. To actually, fully, wildly LIVE. This past weekend, my son and I hoofed it around Chicago.Nearly 40 miles on foot.We laughed. We ate way too much pizza and ice cream.We swam in the hotel pool like it was the ocean.We screamed every lyric at...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
May 24, 2025 You Were Made for More Than This Have you ever read a book you didn’t want to end—not because of the plot, but because something about the story made you feel seen? Twice in my life this has happened to me with college courses. I took a history class as a junior at Knox College with Professor George Steckley. The whole course grade was based on one paper. We spent the whole term working on it. Researching. Writing drafts. Rewriting drafts. And then, we finally submitted it. But,...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
May 17, 2025 Zoo-Wee Mama! Bite Off More Than You Can Chew (On Purpose) Bite off more than you can chew? What if that’s the point? We love to say things like: “ God won’t give you more than you can handle.” But what if He does? Wherever you are in your faith - Christian - Jewish - Muslim - Buddhist - Agnostic - Atheist - I believe this holds true: when you bite off more than you can chew, you are forced to go all-in. You push yourself to your limits. And, you rely on others for help, too. For...
2 months ago • 2 min read
May 10, 2025 Adapting, Boldly Moving Forward, and Living All-In Have you ever finished a really intense season and thought, “Man, that was a lot”? That was the month of April for me. If I’m honest, it was a month of highs and lows—big wins, hard moments, and lots lessons learned. The kind of month that has me reflecting on what really matters: adaptability, community, boldness, and going all-in. I’ll tell you—life is a lot like a mountain range. Sometimes, you think you're preparing for one...
2 months ago • 4 min read
May 03, 2025 The Promise of a Nonagon When my ex-wife and I were separating, I made a promise to my then 9-year-old stepson: I will be there for you. No matter what. Even if your mom and I aren’t together anymore. I’m still showing up. It may look different, but I’ll still be there. During that season, he came home from school one day and said he wanted to be called “Nonagon.” As third- and fourth-grade nicknames go, it lasted a day or two for everyone else. But for the two of us, “Nonagon”...
2 months ago • 4 min read