Misfits

Do you ever feel like a misfit? Do you wonder if you are up to the job? Do you worry if you are capable? Think about the people God used in the Bible. In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren said:

Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid.

That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in his service. He will use you too if you stop making excuses.

Take The Chance!

 

Fifteen years ago I took a leap of faith by starting my own business. Walking away from the security of a steady role wasn’t easy. I had been a wage earner, working for others, my entire career. I knew I wanted to build something that reflected my values and passion for helping businesses succeed. What began as a big risk quickly became one of the most rewarding journeys of my life. Well, maybe not exactly quickly, the first two years were crazy difficult. For that matter the first five were all pretty tough. I felt like we finally began to hit a stride by ten years, but it is still not easy.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with incredible clients, facing challenges head-on, and watching both my firm and the businesses we serve grow. Looking back, I’m grateful to have had the support of my wife, family, friends, my team and this community. I do not regret trusting my faith enough to take that first step.

Happy 15^th Anniversary to Blanton Advisors, LLC!

The lost art of the “blinker”

 

There is a nifty feature on automobiles and trucks that allows one to indicate, by a flashing light, their intention to turn or switch lanes.  These turn signals were invented in the early 1900’s and patented in 1938.  By the 1960’s they were pretty much standard on all cars produced in the US.  There is one in your car, I am sure of it.  Yes, I said 1960, which is over 50 years ago.  I find it interesting, okay frustrating, that this device has been in place for this long and it still has not gained total acceptance within our society.  It is so simple to indicate to those of us around you, your directional intentions while driving.  In my experience the act of turning and switching lanes without the use of a “blinker” happens all too often.  Do we think that some people do not understand how to use the device?  Or are they simply too inconvenienced to flip their wrist or just a finger?  (Maybe they are on just their phone!)  I am thinking there may even be a law requiring the use of this device…

 

The use of the blinker, a lost art indeed…

 

Not your typical leadership challenging MMM, and it is a repeat of a previous publication.  I know that the MMM cannot change the world, but I was hoping for some local improvement on this topic.  Recent drives through The Woodlands and into Houston would indicate there has been no change in behavior.

Decisions

 

Recently I read an interesting perspective on decision making. Consider this…

People think good decision-making is about being right all the time. It’s not. It’s about lowering the cost of being wrong.

When the cost of mistakes is high, we’re paralyzed with fear. When the cost of mistakes is low, we can move fast and adapt.

Make mistakes cheap, not rare.

*Taken from Farnan Street Blog

Listen with Your Eyes…

 

Effective listening is essential to good leadership. Many MMMs have focused on the importance of attentive, interactive listening when others are speaking. But that’s not the only kind of listening that matters. It’s also critical to listen with your eyes.

You can learn a lot by observing how people interact with one another. Watch their body language and their attitudes. Look for team members who are exerting positive or negative influence at work. Pay attention to changes in someone’s mood or behavior. Watch closely how your coworkers respond to one another in meetings.

This doesn’t come naturally to me. I’ve been caught off guard more than once by something that was happening right in front of me, something I should have noticed. But I’m working on being more aware. I’ve come to realize how important this kind of listening is to my leadership.

You can learn a lot when you open your eyes and close your mouth. Great leaders understand the power of listening with their eyes.

Wisdom

 

I don’t know about you, but I pray for wisdom every day. I believe that God grants wisdom. But we also earn it, or gain it, through life experiences. Some of us are better than others at turning life experiences into wisdom.

What if we had wisdom much earlier in life? Imagine navigating friendships, choices, and mistakes with the perspective we gain over time. Less worried about fitting in, more focused on what truly matters. We might have stressed less over things that didn’t last and appreciated simple moments more. But maybe growing up is part of God’s plan, it is meant to be messy and uncertain, so we must earn that wisdom the hard way.

“Wisdom in your teens would be a lot less fun”

-       Taken from the Luke Bryan song – “Most People Are Good”

If we knew then, what we know now…

Your Lane

Swim in your lane.

Every second you spend looking at a person in another lane comes at the cost of your progress.

Focus on yourself.

*Taken from Farnam Street Blog

Are You Self Aware?

 

Do you ever stop and reflect on your actions?  Are you able to step back and honestly reflect on your own behavior? I am not only referring to what you do, but how you show up. How aware are you of the impact your actions and behaviors have on those around you? Do they have a ripple effect on others?

Self-awareness isn’t just knowing who you are, it is understanding how you show up in the world. Be curious about yourself. That’s where real change begins.

Have a great week!

Choose Your Feed

 

I just have a simple thought for you today. It is an eye-opening thought…

You become what you scroll. Choose accordingly.

Think about it.

Freedom

 

As we celebrate Independence Day this Friday, take a moment to reflect on the power and responsibility that comes with our freedoms.

We are truly blessed to live in a country that offers us incredible freedoms. Unfortunately, we often take these freedoms for granted. We shouldn't. Many countries do not share these privileges. What we choose to do with our freedom defines who we are.

• The freedom to live fully, love deeply, and laugh often

• The freedom to work hard and chase success

• The freedom to challenge ourselves mentally and physically

• The freedom to fail and recover

• The freedom to choose our own path, even if we sometimes get it wrong

• The freedom to educate ourselves

• The freedom to make mistakes and grow from them

• The freedom to honor and remember those who protect these freedoms

• The freedom to be a force for good in the lives of others

• The freedom to say “I love you” to those who matter most

• The freedom to worship as we please

Happy 4^th of July and be blessed my friends…

Who am I?

 

I lost my dad way too early,

Who am I to doubt it was part of God’s plan?

 

His mother lived to age 98, why couldn’t he?

Who am I to question God’s timing?

 

He loved my mom and all of us so dearly,

Who am I to ask God why we don’t have him anymore?

 

He was married for 50 years, had nine grandchildren and a great grandchild,

Who am I to not thank God for the time we did have?

 

He had wood to carve, golf to play and trips to take,

Who am I to ask God why not?

 

He was kind, loved and respected,

Who am I to ask God why him?

 

For his disease there were no more options,

Who am I to ask God why no cure?

 

There were things I had not done or said,

Who am I to ask God for more time with him?

 

I never heard a bad word spoken towards him,

Who am I to ask God why not someone else?

 

He deserved so much more,

Who am I to question that God knows what he truly deserved?

 

I lost my dad far too soon,

Who am I to question God’s plan?

  

Barry D. Blanton

In loving memory of Don Blanton

January 6, 1935 – June 23, 2007

 

This MMM was originally written in 2007.  I will repeat it as long as I write MMM’s on a Monday near the anniversary of the passing of my father. Today happens to be the exact anniversary date.

Grace

 

Do you give yourself grace? We often talk about kindness, grace, and forgiveness towards others. There have been several MMMs on those subjects. But, what about us? Do we give ourselves enough grace?

·        Grace for being forgetful as we age

·        Grace for not completing a workout as planned

·        Grace for tiring out on certain tasks

·        Grace for running late to an appointment

·        Grace for making a mistake at work

·        Grace for overreacting with a child or spouse

I am not suggesting we get to always make excuses. I am just suggesting we not be so hard on ourselves. We all have been taught to always be kind and forgiving to others, to ourselves, not so much. Perhaps, earlier generations did not realize the importance of that. We will give them grace for that.

Give yourself some grace today, tomorrow and everyday…

Follow A Leader – Lead a Follower

 

Any worthwhile discussion of leadership will focus on the concept of willing followers.  There has been much written about leadership skills, qualities, methods and systems, but the true test of leadership is followers.

“He who thinks he leads but has no followers is only taking a walk.” 

-       John Maxwell

Excellent leaders are marked by willing followers. That does not mean subordinates who follow out of obligation. True followers are those who follow when they have the freedom not to. We are all followers in some roles in our lives and leaders in others.  Think about what causes you to follow certain people. What qualities do they have? Do those same traits show up in your leadership roles? I don’t know about you, but when I am in a leadership role, I do not want to be just taking a walk!

Change

  

There is an old Jerry Jeff Walker song entitled Too Old to Change.  I recall being in my late twenties and early thirties, thinking that song applied to me.  I had this notion that I was who I was, and was not likely to change much, people around me just needed to accept that.  At that point, my song title should have been Too Stupid to Change.  Maybe it still should be!  We are never too old to change, we are however, often too hardheaded to change.  We do not grow as people if we do not change.  Self-improvement requires change. I know this better now, even if I am still not very good at it.  Life is all about change and how we accept, embrace, and adapt to it. 

 

Don't be too old to change!

Memorial Day

 

If it weren’t for the brave men and women of our armed forces, I might not have the freedom to write this message today. It’s something I try to remember, even though it’s easy to take for granted. We are incredibly fortunate to live in a country where our liberty is protected by those who selflessly serve in the U.S. military.

This Memorial Day, I hope the barbecue is delicious, the fireworks are spectacular, and the sun is shining wherever you celebrate. But also, let’s take a moment to reflect on, and give thanks for, the sacrifices that make our freedom possible.

Happy Memorial Day!

More on Habits

 

Are you becoming the type of person you want to be? If not, review your current habits. Habits play an important role in our daily routines, often guiding our actions without us even realizing it. From brushing our teeth in the morning to checking our phones before bed, these repeated behaviors help bring structure and efficiency to our day, or maybe not. Effective habits can help support our goals; ineffective ones can hold us back. By becoming more aware of our routines, we can make intentional changes that lead to a healthier and more productive life. You are your habits!

“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement”

-       James Clear

Mother's Day

 

Recently, the MMM has discussed the importance of Habits. In honor of Mother’s Day, below is a reminder of a habit we should all do weekly if not daily. Call your mom!

 

If you did not talk to your mother on Mother’s Day, do it today.

If you have not recently told your mother that you love her, tell her.

If you have not seen your mother recently, plan a trip.

If you need to reconcile with your mother, do it.

If your mother is not in your life or no longer alive, love someone like a mother.

If you need to forgive your mother, do it.

If you need to ask your mother for forgiveness, ask.

If you are a mother, bless you.

 

In loving memory of Barbara Ward Taylor (1940 -2008) - My mother-in-law lost her battle with lung cancer just one week before Mother’s Day.  She was a loving mother, wife, grandparent, friend and family member.  She had a wonderful zest for life and a love for people. 

Habits

We take for granted the impact that small habits can have on our lives. It doesn’t matter how successful or unsuccessful you are right now. What matters is whether your habits are putting you on the path towards success. 

If you want to predict where you’ll end up in life, just follow the curve of your tiny gains or losses.  Those tiny daily choices will compound ten or twenty years down the line. Your outcomes are lagging measures of your habits. Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits. Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits. Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits. To see predictive measures, you must focus on current habits and choices, the little things you do today, tomorrow, and next week.  Those things are guiding your trajectory.

Today’s MMM is partially taken from “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. 

You miss every shot you do not take!

It is a very simple and interesting thought. If you do not take a shot, you will not score. You must make an attempt in order to give yourself a shot at winning. Said differently, we should not be afraid to try.  Why are we so conservative that we never give ourselves a real chance to accomplish something? Oftentimes, I fall prey to this as I tend to be somewhat cautious and conservative. In order to grow, I need to learn to take more shots. I am not only referring to the big decisions in life such as spouses and careers. This certainly applies to those decisions, but this analogy also applies to little things throughout the day. What happens if you take a shot at meeting someone new, changing something in the way you work, or becoming more involved in your community?

Take a shot.  Give yourself a chance to score in the game of life!

Revenge

Revenge can be a very misguided motivator in the business world.  Healthy business competition is a good thing. This country was built on it. Revenge, however, is an unhealthy motive in business, and in our personal lives for that matter.  Revenge distorts one’s vision and causes us to lose focus.  It can lead to actions and decisions that are inconsistent with business goals and values.  All business initiatives and decisions should be checked to confirm their alignment with the corporate mission.  If they are found to be simply for the sake of revenge, they should be avoided lest they weaken the mission.  Don’t let revenge drive your business decisions.

An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind. 

- Mohandas Gandhi

Change

 Are you open minded? I mean really open minded. Are you seriously open to learning another viewpoint? Or, are you steadfast in your opinion and always ready to defend your existing viewpoint? Consider this…

- The single most effective habit is the willingness to change your own mind. 

I would like to focus on a key word in that statement, “willingness”. If we start out unwilling to change, it does not matter what we learn. Changing your mind is a powerful concept. 

Be willing to change your own mind! 

1Q25

 

Can you believe the first quarter of 2025 already is done? I cannot. One fourth of the year is finished, complete, in the can. So how is your year going for you?

• What new habits have you created?

• What bad habits have you removed from your life?

• Where do you stand with goals and resolutions you set for the year?

• Whose world is better because you were in their life last quarter?

• How about your business objectives? One quarter through the year, how do revenue, margins and expenses look compared to targets?

Knowing where we are going is essential, but monitoring our progress in getting there is the real key. Give yourself a first quarter check-in!

Growth & Grace

Have you grown over time? Are you different than you were six months ago, or even a year ago?  Are you better or improved? Many of us would answer with a resounding, “Yes!” I believe we improve with age, much like wine. Perhaps we become wiser, calmer, even more generous. 

So why do we look at others and judge, or assume that, the person they are today is who they will always be? We do not know who they will become or what they are capable of doing in the future. We also do not know who they may have been in the past. Maybe instead of being skeptical because we do not like what we see, we should have faith, knowing they too will learn and grow in time.  

How are you improving over time? Better yet, how much grace are you showing others going through the same growth process? 

Innovation

We live in a constantly changing world. All facets of society are evolving. This is especially true in business. Just consider the speed of change in technology. Here is what you must know in today’s business world.

- If you do not innovate your business, someone else will! 

Think about it. Our competitive edge is constantly under attack. Our differentiation is always at risk. Our business model always has room for improvement. Don’t lose your edge, be on the leading edge…

5 Years Later

I wrote the below MMM back in 2020 at the beginning of Covid pandemic. Tomorrow marks five years from the date that both the NBA and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo were shut down. Somewhat of a quarantine would follow. Five years later, it’s remarkable to reflect on how much the world has changed. Pre-pandemic, meetings, family gatherings, and even something as simple as a sneeze or cough were hardly given a second thought. The crisis reshaped nearly every aspect of our daily living, but we are amazing creatures! We have adapted, and in some ways, life is back to normal. In some ways not so much. 

What have you learned since the spring of 2020? 

2020

Trying Times

These times will test our souls.  Our faith will be tested, but it will become our rock.  Our resolve will be stretched but it will support us. Our businesses and the economy will be damaged, but they will survive.  Our friends and families may be separated, but we will hold them tightly.  

Leaders are purveyors of hope.  Now is the time for us to step up.  Our employees, friends and followers need to see hope in our eyes and positivity in our voices.  It will not be easy.  They need to hear us say the things above.  They need to know there is an end to this and better days will come.  They need to know this is survivable.  It is time to instill hope.  It is time to step up as leaders.  It is time for us to pass the test of leadership.

Let’s do this together. Take one day at a time and lead with hope! 

Own Your Journey

 Your choices determine your trajectory. 

* We are going to have a few weeks on one-thought provoking statements.  

Discipline

 

How you do anything is how you do everything.

…just think about it.

* We are going to have a few weeks on one line thought provoking statements.  

Presidents’ Day

As we celebrate Presidents’ Day, I find myself thinking about the role of the President as a leader. The President of the United States is not only the official head of our nation and commander-in-chief of our military, but is also often called the leader of the free world. These titles carry immense responsibility and power, but a title alone does not make someone a great leader.

True leadership is not merely about holding an esteemed position or title. It is about vision, integrity, and the ability to inspire, influence and guide others. History has shown us that while some presidents, regardless of political affiliation, have exemplified remarkable leadership, others have struggled to move beyond their title. Leadership is not defined by status but by action, character, and the impact one has on others.

Remember that great leaders exist both within and beyond positions of power. Leadership is not about the title. It’s about the ability to lead with wisdom, purpose and clarity.

Happy Presidents’ Day!

Consistency

 A few more things on consistency following up on last week…

• Great outcomes aren’t built on great days, but on consistent ones. 

• Consistency compounds. Occasional brilliance fades.

• Throw a whole bucket of water on a rock and nothing happens. Let water drip consistently onto a rock and it creates a hole. Consistency beats intensity! 

Once again, Strive to be consistent…

Intensity Is Common, Consistency Is Rare

Think about it. There are a lot of people who are temporarily, or occasionally, very intense. But, intensity without consistency does not get the job done. Consistency is easiest accomplished when one is focused. It is easier to be consistent when we are focused, not scattered. Without a focus, everything becomes a distraction. Focus is closely related to consistency. 

Focused people eliminate options, not accumulate them. Warren Buffett exemplifies this, he’s made a fortune by carefully selecting a few investments and sticking with them for decades, ignoring thousands of other opportunities.

Strive to be consistent…

Leadership

We do not have to be right. We must get to the right place. 

Think about it. As leaders, we should be striving to get to the right place, not just to be right. There is a right place or solution in all situations, one that serves the organization’s best interests, supports long-term success, and benefits the team. How often do we find ourselves fighting to be right? We often want to be “The” author of the solution. Our being right is not what matters. Finding the right answer is the key to getting to the right.

I Can't Imagine

I am a creature of habit – like many of us humans. I can’t imagine losing my entire home and its contents. I mean I have slept there for 25 years, raised our children there, and created memories there. It holds all our belongings, too much stuff, perhaps, but it is all there. 

The devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires is hard to fathom. I can’t imagine the sights along the roadways that I have traveled so many times. I do not know what to think about the ongoing air quality issues. We have a daughter in North Hollywood who I worry about constantly. I can’t imagine the overwhelming task of rebuilding. The loss of life is heartbreaking, but frankly, feels like it could have been even worse. 

Check on your friends in Los Angeles. Even if their home is fine, they may not be. They need our support now, next month, and in the years to come! 

I just can’t imagine…

Grace

We’ve all made mistakes, and we’ll all make some more. The line that separates the best of us from the worst of us is a narrow one.

Your brother, sister, coworker, spouse, child, and friend all would like me to remind you that they each need grace. Just like you need forgiveness, so do they. There comes a time in every relationship when it’s damaging to seek justice, when settling the score only stirs the fire. There comes a time when the best thing you can do is accept your brother and offer them the same grace you’ve been given.

Portions of this MMM have been chosen from The Great House of God.

Happy New Year

What will you do more of in 2025?

What will you do less of?

Think about it…