Love Filters Expectations

Hey Friend,

It's been an incredible week. The book has been selling a few copies every day, which is cool. I keep getting to have conversations with people about my philosophies and strategies when it comes to ownership. I've thoroughly enjoyed getting granular about it, with people who have never met me or heard me speak before. 

This week I flew to Los Angeles to be on a show I've never heard of: The McCord List. The namesake is Rachel McCord who has been doing this for years, apparently. The PR company set it up. The studio was in a storefront within a little circular strip mall. It's exactly how you imagine LA. Behind any door is a person hustling to create content.

My great friend of 25+ years Shawn Smith lives there so I hung out at his house before we went to the shoot. He's a super creative human and always an inspiration for me to be around. We both snickered when we got there because it was so unassuming. And when we went in the guest before me, was an entertainer of sorts. I wasn't sure this interview would be useful.

Turns out Rachel had open heart surgery in her 20's because of a leaky heart valve. She is a strong woman of faith and our conversation suddenly turned to our similar beliefs. I was sitting in it, thinking how fascinating that this interaction became a deep dive on calling, purpose and hope so quickly. We also talked about the book, business, her family and the future.

UNEXPECTED

Life is such a routine. I suspect wherever you are reading this is where you read it every week. I imagine whatever you're going to do next is what you consistently do after reading this. And I'm gonna bet whatever you do today is most likely what you've been doing on this day for weeks, months, years or even decades. We live so much of life on auto-pilot. We know what to expect and what's expected.

More so, we evaluate others based on our expectations of them. And they us. When was the last time you acted in a way that was completely unexpected? When did someone surprise you by a decision or response you didn't see coming? When that occurs, we're expanded. Whether the unforeseen is ours or theirs, the disruption from norm opens a new door in our soul.

MINDSHIFT

What if you surprised yourself and others by choosing an unexpected course of action by inverting the status-quo?

TENSION

Fear is consistently the primary response we have towards the unanticipated. We're creatures of habit because of the security it provides us. Risking altering what's known for what's not is generally avoided. I find great comfort in being who I am. Why mess with that? Well the spirit within us yearns for aliveness which diminishes when we stagnate in monotony.

It's the underlying tension from living consistently with stability (who doesn't want that?) while also aspiring for the most fulfilling, meaningful existence that requires our growth and expansion - Love. This is why love and fear are our two base human motivators and opposed to one another. Every single time we make a fear-based decision we shrink our lives. The rawness of love expands us.

MINDSHIFT

What if you honestly assessed your decisions through the filter of love & fear?

BELIEFS, AS ALWAYS 

After the camera's stopped rolling, Rachel said one of the most unique compliments to me. It was so LA. She said "Every day you are not posting something, the world is missing out on experiencing you." She was going on about how I should have my own show. She was very kind and generous with her encouragement. And unexpected.

When someone sees us living larger than we currently are, do we accept the challenge, dismiss the perspective or justify our unwillingness to do the work?

We live out of our beliefs. About ourselves, God, others, money, the world, the system, time, and how life works. They form the foundation for the framework of our future. How do we make sure those beliefs are true? What if none of it is fixed either? That our assessment about them cause them to adapt, shift, expand, compress, and become what we believe them to be? 

Fear or Love determine the expansiveness of our lives. Let's love big so those we direct it towards can experience the fullest life. And let's be loved well, so we choose our decisions from that place. 

SHIFTING

I hope this week you encounter the unexpected and leap towards choices that surprise. May your beliefs be deeply rooted in love and your willingness to risk be fueled by an alive soul. #ShiftAway