I celebrated another trip around the sun this past Monday. It’s been a crazy busy year here in Miami and I’ve neglected my writing so I figured that I’ll take a few moments to catch you up on what’s been happening here in the 305 (in no particular order):
- Good managers know how to keep the team driving towards a common goal in an environment of shifting goals and priorities.
- When you’re younger you want the world to acknowledge your birthday. When you’re older you’re humbled by the birthday greetings from around the world.
- It’s easy to be a pundit, harder still to execute all those “great” ideas from the pundits
- 2016 is not only kicking my ass, but a whole lot of other peoples assess. 2017 needs to watch out ‘cause I’ve taken awesome notes on how to kick its ass.
- Things that you need VIP access to at all times: Your tailor, your barber, and your cigar purveyor.
- Embracing the gray hair is easy, embracing the extra pounds not so much.
- Sometimes you need to sit back and say “Maybe I am a success, maybe not, but I’ve got to keep going”.
- I’m starting to like box presses and lanceros. Didn’t think I would, but when you’ve got good cigar guys, you need to shut up and take their advice.
- It’s easy to say “Go Big”. It’s harder to go big and execute successfully. If you do both, then enjoy it and don’t complain.
- The shadow of the leader is real. People can see it and react to it.
- Keeping your office door open is easy, keeping an open mind is harder.
- It’s OK to not know what you want to be when you grow up, the key is to not become jaded when you realize that you are growing up.
- Do not shy away from being an expert. If someone is seeking your counsel, give it and don’t hold back.
- House of Cards and The Prince may be fiction, but the lessons contained in both aren’t. The key is knowing when to apply the lessons.
- Rolling Stone magazine and music may pass you by, but you should still dance and sing along to the silly pop songs. Besides, you can still make a kick ass “80s mixtape” playlist on your Spotify.
- Consolidating your operating systems is a necessity. There’s nothing wrong with embracing an all Apple or all Windows strategy, just don’t pontificate on which one is better to your friends who still are still using a blackberry.
- The person in the middle seat on an airplane gets to use both armrests. Be nice and share.
- Don’t tell your German friends that the Belgians make better beer. Enjoy the company and drink what’s offered.
- My favorite sound is the laughter of my girls at dinner. I’m raising lawyers/comedians and I call that a win.
So there you have it. A brief summation of all the crazy randomness that’s been happening for the past few weeks and months in my life.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to root for the Cubbies to win a World Series and try to get my six year old to at least try some veggies. Impossible? Maybe, but hey it’s fun to root for the underdogs.
Peace & Love!
