This video has been around for a while, but I just came across it again.

It’s a little overly dramatic for my tastes, but give it a chance. It started really hitting home for me around minute 2.

Sidenote: The mention of “Santa Clause” is unnecessary. I have no problem with the big guy.

Many who have the entrepreneurial flame inside them do everything they can to escape the prison of 9-to-5 only to find themselves an even tougher prison of 9-to-9 (or longer).

It can quickly seem like we’re treading water deeper & deeper below the surface where freedom of time & money await.

The popular cliche is that “time is money.”

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Thursday, 6th November 2008 in Business, Faith, Life | Comments (1)

My wife & I just spent our Saturday night working on her new business plan (Tagline: “Hawaii’s Natural Fitness Experience” .. it’s going to rock the tourist industry in Spring ‘09!) and talking through Proverbs 4.

If you’ve read some of my past blog posts, you know how strongly I feel about the importance of the book of Proverbs when it comes to life and business as an entrepreneur.

If you’re looking for the single most important skill or quality to master — one that’s going to ENSURE your success as an entrepreneur — it’s wisdom alone.

Not ideation… not management… not communication… not marketing.

It’s wisdom that informs your thought and execution in all of these other areas, and it’s wisdom that should be painstakingly, passionately sought above all else.

The book of Proverbs is a collection of writings from the second wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, so it’s a good place to start your pursuit.

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Saturday, 25th October 2008 in Business, Faith, Life | Comments (2)

As I was driving to my cousin’s baby luau this afternoon, I was listening to ESPN Radio as I often do.

Legendary Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green was giving his NFL Hall of Fame induction speech. He had a number of former friends, family, coaches and players to thank, and he briefly talked about his path from junior high through the NFL.

But it was the last thing he said that struck me, and I’ve been thinking about it all day.

Green’s very last statement — as he stood upon the pinnacle stage that ALL football players aspire for — was this:

“At the risk of sounding self-righteous, I belong here.

I belong here because I know what to do with this. With God’s fame… with God’s visibility… with God’s success.”

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Sunday, 3rd August 2008 in Business, Faith | Comments (0)

If I asked you to picture the “archetypal man,” who comes to mind?

By archetypal man, I mean a man who epitomizes everything a man was meant to be.

Who comes to mind? Stop and think about this.

How about Clint Eastwood? George Clooney? Russell Crowe? Denzel Washington?

It’s probably difficult to think of 3 men you actually have personal contact with because “real men” are - indeed - hard to find. Can I get an amen, ladies??

The problem is that, for most of us, Jesus probably didn’t immediately pop into your head.

Why is that?

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Sunday, 13th July 2008 in Books, Faith, Life | Comments (0)

I’ve always felt that the best comedians are the ones who put into words things that you’ve already observed about the world, but that - to that point - you’ve never actually put into words yourself.

They’re funny simply because they make you realize “that is so incredibly true.”

Chris Rock. Sinbad. Jerry Seinfeld.

I think this particular appreciation for one’s ability to “label reality” carries over into the authors I end up recommending as well. I just finished Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” and it certainly appeals to a similar part of me.

It’s the type of book that makes you think “Wow, if this guy hadn’t had the unique insight & passion to write this, I don’t know who else ever would have. And the world is a better place because he did it.”

It talks about the commonalities between the epidemics of this world; an epidemic being any sudden & rapid movement, upward or downward, of a trend.

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Tuesday, 10th June 2008 in Books, Faith, Life, Marketing | Comments (1)

I’ve been trying to read 30 to 60 minutes of fiction or autobiography every night before falling asleep. I find that it’s a good mind decompressor.

Last night I wrapped up The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho (which, by my best guess, is pronounced “quel-yo”.. like Ronaldinho). I’ve run across Coelho’s name a lot lately & I know he has some rabid fans, so I had to see if all the buzz was warranted.

I’d say it certainly is.

Coelho is a pretty enchanting storyteller who has a rare ability to say a lot about life - to even change lives - without wasting a single page on meaningless narrative. This particular book is an effortless read with a deep message about following your dreams.

Like Santiago, who leaves the simple comfort of a shepherd’s life in Spain to seek buried treasure abroad, we all have something we were meant to do. A passion that is rooted in the deepest fabric of our being.

The question: Are you living the fullest extent of your passion at this moment?

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Monday, 26th May 2008 in Books, Faith, Life | Comments (1)

It’s been a month since Hope Chapel Mana`olana, my church body here on O`ahu, made the change to the house/garage/beach church model. Enough time to begin to measure some results.

First of all, what has this looked like?

It’s been meeting with some friends for BBQ, surfing, worship & hanging out at Kakaako Park. It’s been early morning coffee & catching up with a friend. It’s been late night Wii Tiger Woods Golf & accountability with another friend.

It’s been creating an environment at my house where some family members - who would never “go to church” - have felt comfortable discussing God. It’s been not feeling the obligation to rush out the door on Sunday morning.

It’s been an evolving picture, but it’s all a move toward eliminating this church-as-a-destination way of thought that’s become THE model for modern Christianity. A model that personally changed my life and has been given years of opportunity to be effective, but has achieved generally mixed results and has alienated countless numbers to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This new model is an attempt to return to our roots as an interconnected, interdependent network of believers passionately pursuing Jesus Christ together.

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Sunday, 27th April 2008 in Faith, Life | Comments (0)

One final thing I caught in Paul’s letter to Philemon. Verse 6 says “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”

Did you catch that??

Be active in sharing your faith SO THAT you will have understanding!

Simply sharing our faith.. with each other & with those who don’t have it… gives us understanding of Jesus Christ. Knowing Him more isn’t a solo effort between you & your Bible. Hanging out with each other, just talking about the TRUTH, gives us knowledge of our Savior!

Posted on Saturday, 12th April 2008 in Faith | Comments (0)

I’m doing a quick study of Philemon with some brothers & sisters this week. I’m not even sure how to pronounce that name, but when my wife says it it comes out a lot like “Filet Mignon”.

I got a laugh out of that, but for years one botchery has stood alone as the funniest biblical mispronunciation of my lifetime.

My college roommate was convinced that HABABCOCK was a book of the Old Testament.

Hababcock.

No joke.

Anyway… Paul writes this letter “to Philemon… and the church that meets in your home.”

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Wednesday, 9th April 2008 in Faith, Life | Comments (0)

I think a lot of believers have the wrong idea about money.

We read verses like Matthew 19:24…

… it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

and 1 Timothy 6:7-9…

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

and we condition ourselves to not think unnecessarily about money.

It’s understandable… money definitely has a lot of worldly connotations - greed, jealously, hedonism - but I think having an aversion toward it because of those things is the exact opposite of how we’re supposed to think.

In viewing it this way, we’re letting the enemy take this one. We’re like a decathlete who doesn’t participate in the shotput because it’s uncomfortable for his arm, and he thinks he can still win by working hard in the other nine events.

Read the rest of this entry…

Posted on Monday, 7th April 2008 in Faith, Life | Comments (2)