We recently bought a trolling motor for our pontoon boat. The motor has three ways to control it: a handheld joystick, a foot pedal, and through our fish finder. There were many resources at my disposal to prepare for operating the motor before we took it out, but even as a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, I wasn’t motivated to do so. We got on the water and I shifted the motor into the water with ease because of the simple design and pressed a big blue button that said, "po

It’s been almost a year since Jack’s Perthes journey began. It started with limping when he walked, then an X-ray and MRI, diagnosis, and a first and second opinion, ultimately deciding on casting and bracing as the best option. Most of the time when someone sees Jack using his crutches and comments, they ask what happened, likely expecting that he broke his leg or had some other relatively common injury. If Heather or I are around, he just turns to us and asks us to explain,

I’m reading The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization by Peter Senge right now, and I have to admit I’m disappointed I didn’t read this book decades ago! Then again, if I follow what the book says about personal mastery, it’s just a part of my journey of growth. “People with a high level of personal mastery live in a continual learning mode. They never “arrive.” Sometimes, language, such as the term “personal mastery,” creates a misleading sense of

Can results actually be demotivating? I can understand and appreciate the importance of results as the ultimate goal of our efforts, but what if by focusing only on results that we may be unknowingly demotivating people and getting worse results? Let’s take a step away from the work world for a moment and use the example of golf and exercise. For golf the result is shooting a good score and for exercise let’s just use weight for simplicity. On a day where you shoot a good sc

“Golf That Matters” is more than the 3M Open’s tagline. After spending four days volunteering there, I came to appreciate just how many different ways golf can matter. According to their website, “The 3M Open is a mechanism to give back to our community and demonstrate the many unexpected ways we can improve lives while showcasing the world’s greatest golfers.” I realized that “Golf That Matters” isn’t only about charitable giving, it’s also about the experiences the tourname

Reflections on reaching age 48 and learning about my grandpa Marvin.

As I return to the office after vacation at the lake and a short week due to the 4th of July holiday, I found myself right back to thinking about behavior change and how our minds work which is a big part of my day job. I noticed that Michael Easter was back on the podcast circuit. Previously, I heard him talk about his book, The Comfort Crisis, where he explored how we benefit from doing hard things instead of always seeking what’s easy or convenient. This time, he was discu

“One…two…and three.” That’s how my grandpa taught me to swing a golf club. His message was simple: don’t rush. A smooth, balanced tempo leads to better shots. Years later, one of the best golfers in the world reinforced the same lesson, just with different words: “Coca-Cola.” I watched a short video explaining Nelly Korda’s swing tempo using that phrase. Say “Co-ca” during the backswing and “Co-la” through the downswing and follow-through. It’s an easy way to keep your swing

I’ve been amazed countless times in my life by incredible performances. A few that come to mind: Vartan Manoogian, professor of violin at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Music, performed with us at a UW Band Spring Concert. I remember being awestruck by the speed, precision, and emotion he demonstrated on the violin. Jerry Seinfeld performing stand-up in Milwaukee. My friend Nate got the tickets, and I still remember a segment about men not understanding what wo

This past weekend my parents brought my DR Brush Mower from back in Wisconsin so I could clear areas inside our yard and outside our fence that had become overgrown. The mower can pretty much clear any area including trees up to about an inch and a half. After clearing the back corner of the yard, I started going around larger trees on a side hill and didn’t realize I was going right over a huge chunk of cut oak. The machine abruptly stopped and I shut it down to inspect.

Sometimes learning doesn’t come in one giant breakthrough. It comes in little moments stacked together over a few weeks; conversations, challenges, observations, persistence, loss, and encouragement. A few thoughts I’ve been learning lately: We went to the Brewers-Twins game on May 16 with Hannah, and honestly, it’s fun to watch baseball with someone who knows almost nothing about the game. She had a thousand questions. Why is that a strike? Why did they move there? Why didn’

I found myself reflecting this week after seeing a post about my high school band director, Mr., now Professor and Dr., Tim Yontz, who recently retired after more than 40 years as a conductor, teacher, and professor, most recently at Florida Gulf Coast University. Band at Marinette High School was more than just an activity for me, it was a source of real joy during those years for my entire family, and it quietly set a path that led all the way to the University of Wisconsin

In our household, I’m known more as Tim “The Toolman” Taylor than Al Borland from the popular ’90s sitcom Home Improvement. Just last week I fixed the invisible fence that keeps our dogs safely in the yard. My wife Heather was shocked when I sat down in my recliner; she couldn’t believe I had fixed it so quickly. (I will confess that I was the one who accidentally cut it while clearing brush.) I’ve been getting better at relatively simple fixes like this. What’s my secret? Le

This weekend, my daughter and her friends from Skyview Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society volunteered with us at the Help At Your Door Spring Gala. They set up silent auction items, arranged table settings, and stayed through the end to help clean everything up. It wasn’t glamorous work. It was the behind-the-scenes effort that makes everything else possible. And yet… one of them said it was “lowkey fun. That’s the part I keep coming back to. Because what they exp

It’s no secret that I love The Masters. Each year, I look forward to the sights and sounds of Augusta National Golf Club coming through the TV. While I don’t specifically remember Jack Nicklaus’ 1986 win when I was seven, I vividly remember Tiger Woods’ dominance, Phil Mickelson’ emotional first win after his grandfather passed , and the yearly drama that makes this tournament so special. For every eagle, hole-in-one, or long birdie putt, there’s a ball in Rae’s Creek, a blow

Many years ago, I put my name on the season ticket waiting list for the Green Bay Packers. At the time, I was around 30,000 on the list. I used to joke that I’d finally get tickets in my 80’s, when I might not even be able to enjoy them. Now the list is over 150,000 names long. Some say it could take 30, 50… even 100 years. And it made me stop and wonder: Did decades just pass? And was I sitting there waiting the whole time? Because here’s what I know is true. It’s already be

I recently read “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins , and it sparked a connection that’s been sticking with me, especially when I think about how I handle emotionally charged moments in my everyday life, like the moment captured in the picture where I slipped and fell in the yard this past weekend. Whether it’s a frustrating conversation, an annoying behavior, or a situation that just doesn’t feel fair, we all experience those moments where our immediate reaction takes over

I was first introduced to Marcus Buckingham early in my career, at a time when I was searching for where I truly fit after completing the rotational program where I began. I read the book Now Discover Your Strengths that introduced me to the concept of strengths that are best achieved through a foundation in a persons unique talents and a journey that continues to this day. Shortly after, I read another book by Marcus called First, Break All the Rules that introduced me to

I asked ChatGPT to create a top 10 list of learning insights from my blog posts. What insight stands out to you? 1. Frustration is often the signal that learning is happening: The learning space = frustration 2. Obstacles can become the path forward: Obstacle? No, it’s the way forward… 3. Passion plus persistence creates priceless moments: Passion + persistence = Priceless moments of happiness 4. Learning should continue long after school: First Day Of 41st Grade 5. Focus

This past summer, our son Jack started limping out of the blue without any apparent injury. Heather took him to the doctor, where they did an X-ray that didn’t show anything, so the doctor recommended monitoring the situation and then doing an MRI if needed down the road. Jack’s limping continued, and after the MRI, the doctor called and said he was referring us to an expert for a hip disease called Perthes. Heather contacted the referral, Gillette Children’s, but an appointm