Last year, I trained for my first half marathon.

I had never been a runner beforeI was always more of a sprinter. As I began building my endurance, each long run became the longest I had ever completed.

One summer morning, I was walking with my parents when we saw someone jogging past us on a trail. He wasnt moving fastjust a steady, slow pace. As we passed him, we found ourselves judging him because of how slow he was running. Shortly after, we all felt bad about it, and I said, Hey, we never know what mile someone is on. That thought stuck with me, and I found myself returning to it each time I ran.

We truly never know what mile someone is on. The person we pass could be on their 14th mile, pushing through the final stretch. They might be recovering from an injury or simply choosing to take it slow and steady. We just dont know.

As more time passed in my running journey, I began to see how this idea applies to life. We never know what mile someone is on in their personal journey. Someone could be facing their biggest trial, experiencing their happiest moment, or just having a tough day. This realization helped me understand that we often have no idea what others are going throughso instead of judging, we should offer encouragement.

This reminds me of a quote from Sister Freeman. In April 2026, she gave a talk called

She said, Because of Jesus Christ, no matter how bad things are right now, your best days are ahead. In other words, the next mile is ahead. Everyone will make it through the mile they are on, whether its their best day or their hardest.

Through Christ, we are helped. He comforts us in our worries and fears. Jesus Christ is our strength. No matter what mile someone else is on, our role is not to judge, but to offer strength and encouragementjust as He would.

This semester I had the chance to be in BYUs production of the musical The Light in the Piazza.

It was an awesome show that I did not know very well beforehand. One interesting thing about it is that although it is a contemporary show, the music is written like a classical golden age piece. The music was actually some of the most challenging I have ever had to learn, but through lots of effort and support, I was able to get it down.

The night of our second performance, during one of the final duets of the show, a musical track came in a little earlier than expected. In an attempt to keep on with the music I accidentally started my verse of the song a full measure early, as I was singing, I realized that I was ahead of the track and was thinking of the options that I had to correct the mistake. I decided that the smartest thing to do was just to finish the verse, and hope that my partner on stage would wait out the next measure before she started hers.

So thats what I did, I got through the rest of the verse and waited for my partner. She, having correctly heard that I started early, waited out the measure and started her verse, and we were right back on track. At that moment, I looked at my partner and felt a lot of joy. I knew that if I messed up, someone had my back. I was not at all embarrassed, or nervous about the rest of the number, in fact I actually felt more prepared for the rest of the song than I had up to that point. Rather than being worried that someone else may have to help me, I was so excited by the idea that somebody would if I ever needed it.

We often take on a lot on our own. While it is important to be able to take care of yourself, and achieve things on your own, I think we sometimes imply that reliance on others is weakness. Instead, I think that reliance on others only frees you up to be the best version of yourself. Whenever possible, Id highly recommend taking a moment to realize who you have in your life, who has your back, and who is there to help you through whatever you are going through. Even in the times that you dont feel you need that support; it could free you more than youd expect to know that its there.

About two months ago, I was called as an Elders Quorum teacher. Having taught before, my "tried-and-true" method usually involved coasting until Saturday, skimming the talk, and throwing together a slide deck at the last minute. However, the presidency threw me a curveball during our orientation meeting. Instead of the usual "good luck" pat on the back, the counselor, Hunter, laid out a specific, detailed plan for success that included deep study, intentional coordination with the other teacher, and strict stake guidelines. I left that meeting stunned and frankly a bit skeptical about whether all this extra homework was actually necessary.

Despite my apprehension, I decided to trust the process. For the first week, I immersed myself in the talk, cross-referencing scriptures and feeling a genuine love for the material grow. I coordinated with the other teacher, whose excitement matched mine and who offered insights I never would have found on my own. By the time I sat down to outline my lesson a week in advancea personal recordI found myself revising and refining until the final plan looked nothing like my first draft. By Saturday morning, I had a simple slide deck ready, not as a crutch to read from, but as a compliment to a lesson I actually knew inside and out.

The real payoff came the next day in church. As I sat through Sacrament meeting, it felt like the speakers had peeked at my notes; they were teaching principles that perfectly aligned with my prepared lesson. For the first time, I wasn't sweating over slides or worrying about filling time. Instead, I felt like the windows of heaven were opening to aid me. I realized I had never felt this prepared, excited, or spiritually connected to a teaching assignment before.

I share this story because, frankly, I didnt know what it meant to magnify a calling until that experience. I learned that magnifying is much more than just hitting the minimum requirements and bringing a bag of donuts to distract from a lack of preparation. I learned that it means taking ownership of the outcome, seeing the people you serve through the Saviors eyes, and preparing honestly. As cheesy as it sounds, simply doing your best allows the Lord to bless your efforts; He opens doors that may have felt locked for decades.

Importantly, this principle doesnt end at the chapel doors. In my short time here at the Office of IT, Ive realized that the same rules apply to our professional lives. Magnifying your job isn't just about clocking in and doing the bare minimum. It means taking ownership of results, considering the people who benefit from our work, and preparing thoughtfully to give our best effort every day.

Consider how many mundane tasks we do at work on a day-to-day basis. The stand ups we attend, the documentation we create, even the time cards we submit. Consider how your thoughts towards these tasks might change if you desire to magnify your work. Asking questions like How can I bring more energy to the meetings I attend? or Could I add a little humor or insight to the report that Im writing? or even How can I make this process smoother and more efficient? is a key to magnifying. Simply put, taking initiative to create positive change, no matter how small, can be a way for God to magnify your efforts from Monday to Friday and on Sunday.

I invite you to consider how you can magnify your work just as you would a church calling. Really, everything we do should reflect our desire to glorify Godeven our spreadsheets, our emails, and our mandatory meetings. My invitation is to make our 9-to-5 a testament to our faith, not just a way to pay the bills. I promise God will bless us in ways we didnt know were possible.

During a class of mine called Character Mask (a class in which we dress in black, put on masks that have large or interesting expressions, and act as though we are these characters), I was lying on the ground behind a wall of blocks, holding a stuffed animal with one arm just above the blocks to make it look like an alligator was swimming around to the audience on the other side of the wall. After doing this for about a minute, I had to take a moment to just laugh. My professor came and poked his head over the wall, asking if I was alright. And I said, while still laughing what am I getting a degree in?

As I have been in the process of applying to masters programs, Ive been forced to take a lot of time to look at myself and my life. A major part of this application process, as it is with most graduate degrees, is my statement of purpose. Writing an essay expressing why this field is so important to me, and why I belong in the masters program that Im applying to. Outside of just that essay, some of the applications ask me even more questions, things like what kind of shows do you enjoy? Or what are some things youve done to fulfill this passion outside of school?

If you ever have a spare minute, I think that its worth asking yourself some of these things. Because when you know who you are, and why youre doing what youre doing, youre much better able to answer the question of where to next?

As Ive spent time working on this, Ive been able to remind myself why it is that I perform, and Ive reminded myself just how much my life depends on that. Whatever field it is that youre in, everything that you do today is going to take you to where youre going next. So give yourself some time to pause, perform a sort of internal retrospective, and then keep going, youre gonna be better off.

At the end of my class, my professor came up to me, with an answer to my somewhat rhetorical question. He told me that while its crazy, and weird, when we do these things, and we have the skill and dedication needed, all of these steps we take create magic and joy for those watching. I believe that that is true in my field, and I believe that there are equivalent answers for every other field. Once you figure out what that is, there is very little that can stop you.

When asked what they missed most about childhood, a few people said:

I miss not having a care in the world and not feeling an underlying responsibility.

I miss the simple joys that children feel.

I miss feeling protected.

I miss being with my siblings and attending their concerts, sports games, and life events.

I miss not having adult responsibilities.

Its easy to understand why.

Childhood was Saturday mornings with music echoing through the house while the whole family cleaned together. It was the thrill of looking out the window, with the hopeful suspense of a snow day. It was the excitement of walking into a classroom full of friends, stoked for another day of school, instead of having feelings of dread. It was sitting on the curb with a popsicle in hand, racing daylight, laughing until your sides hurt. Life felt whole and colorful, even in its smallest details.

Beyond these small experiences, what else are we missing?

Children are endlessly curious, full of wonder and imagination. They arent rigid in their beliefs. They love quickly, support freely, and dream vividly. Theyre proud of their passionsdrawing, singing, dinosaurs, clouds, whatever it isand they dont downplay it to fit in. Their relationships are simple and trusting. Children dont worry about bills or timelines or if theyre too late for anything. They dont hide behind ego.

Theyre inspired by those around them. I can remember looking up to my parents with a longing desire to be just like them and a determination to make the steps to get there without fear of falling short. They see the world not as something to compete with, but as something to explore. They are full of faith and humility. Have you ever heard a child pray? Their soft and simple words are signs of trust and pure intentions.

What if we brought more of that into our lives now?

We could ask more questions instead of pretending we already know the answers. We could explore new ideas without needing certainty or immediate results. Relationships might become more honest. Workplaces might become more human. We might stop seeing others as competition and start seeing them as teammates again. We can carve out space for simple joys again.

We might realize that this version of ourselves has not been abandoned. Those desires for simple joys, those vivid childhood dreams, or even a craving for a popsicle might still be holding on to us. Maybe its time to give them a little more attention.

In the play Twelve Angry Men, there are surprisingly 13 cast members. In the current production of Twelve Angry Men that I am in, I play that 13th man. It is the role of the guard, and the part is basically a glorified prop. I bring in props throughout the piece to the rest of the cast and am on stage for a total of three minutes during the two-hour show. Because of that, I have had the opportunity to watch the play more times than I can count.

For those of you who dont know the piece, it is the story of a jury placed on a murder trial. It is the trial of a 16-year-old boy accused of killing his father. The case is stacked against the boy, and all of the evidence from the trial points to him having done it. The entire jury feels that the boy is guilty, except for one man, who asks to talk about it a bit more. If the jury convicts the boy, then he would be sentenced to the electric chair. Slowly but surely, the one man is able to convince the rest that there is enough reasonable doubt to not convict the boy. After having seen the show so many times, here are my takeaways. While that short synopsis of the show I provided would sound accurate to most who have seen the play before, it is slightly inaccurate. I said that one man is able to convince the rest, when in reality, the first man really only convinces two or three others.

Many of the major points brought up throughout the show come from those who have changed sidespeople who started out saying the boy was guilty, who now think hes innocent. This is an important point because even the first man to not vote guilty isnt doing so claiming that the boy is innocent. He just isnt sure and wants to talk about it. As the others start to talk about it more, they discover doubts and questions that they had had inside themselvesthings that they either thought about but didnt feel were important enough to bring up, or things that they had once thought but were then covered up by new information that convinced them of the guilt. There are also those who come up with questions as the group continues talking.

The point is, it took more than one person; it took the whole group. On top of that, it took people being willing to question what they thought they were sure of. If the people in that room were not willing to consider a view outside of their own, they would have convicted the boy. None of them had bad intent in their hearts; they just had no reason to doubt what they were sure of. When we are offered the chance to reconsider things that we think are true, we should be willing to look past our own prejudices and ideas to honestly consider those things. While we likely wont find ourselves in a jury surrounded by 11 others trying to send a 16-year-old boy to the electric chair, we will likely find ourselves in situations where others are sure of something, and we want to talk about it a little more. If were willing to ask those questions and open those conversations, there are a lot of things that we can find that we would not have found otherwise.

Understanding the Fraud Triangle: Why It Matters for Us, Student

In accounting, we learn about fraud and how people are affected by it. As a student, whether youre assisting teams with meetings or handling data, you may not think fraud is relevant to your role. However, understanding how and why fraud happens is crucial in any work environment. The Fraud Triangle, a concept developed by criminologist Donald Cressey, explains the three key factors that contribute to fraudulent behavior: pressure, opportunity, and rationalization.

1. Pressure: The Motivator, The Heat

Pressure refers to the financial, personal, or professional stress that pushes someone toward unethical decisions. This could stem from personal financial struggles, job expectations, or even peer influence. For us, this might look like the temptation to falsify work hours or cut corners on tasks. Pressure is the heat that starts the fire; it is there, and as it increases, sparks might ignite.

How to Prevent It:

Lets create a work environment where we can openly talk about any challenges were facing.

Be upfront with supervisors about workload or financial concernshonesty helps everyone.

Lets aim for a culture where doing the right thing is more important than meeting unrealistic expectations.

2. Opportunity: The Enabler, The Oxygen

Opportunity is the condition that allows fraud to happen. Weak controls, lack of supervision, or an overreliance on trust can create an environment where dishonest behavior goes unnoticed. For instance, if time tracking is loosely monitored, it becomes easier for misconduct to occur. Opportunity is also called the oxygen, as it feeds the fire so it can start.

How to Reduce It:

Lets make sure were keeping track of what were working on by updating project progress regularly (report on Monday.com).

We should have some checks in place so no one person has all the control over key decisions; work with other people on your teams or committees if needed.

Using agile methods can help us stay open and accountable as a team, making it harder for anything shady to slip through.

3. Rationalization: The Justification, The Fuel

Rationalization is how individuals convince themselves that fraudulent behavior is acceptable. Common justifications include Everyone does it, Its just a small thing, or I deserve this for working so hard. In a context that applies to us, this might involve misusing company resources, taking credit for others work, or justifying shortcuts as necessary due to time constraints. This one is called the fuel, as it will keep the fire of fraud alive as long as it can.

How to Address It:

Lets bring up ethical dilemmas in our team meetings and talk about why honesty matters.

We should all be clear on whats expected when it comes to ethical behavior and what happens if things go sideways.

If we hold ourselves to high standards, it encourages everyone around us to do the same, and remember, we are to follow the honor code and stay honest.

Why This Matters to You

As a student, understanding the Fraud Triangle can help you recognize potential ethical dilemmas before they escalate. By staying aware of these three factorspressure, opportunity, and rationalizationyou can help create a workplace culture built on trust, transparency, and accountability. Whatever kind of work you are doing, your commitment to ethical behavior strengthens not only your credibility but also the integrity of the organization.

Remember, fraud isn't just a corporate issueit can happen anywhere. By being proactive and mindful of ethical risks, you can play a role in preventing them within your team.

This blog post is as much advice as it is a reflection on my last semester. While I have had busy class loads in the past, my Fall 2024 semester was the heaviest I have had up to this point.

Over this last semester, with work, classes and a show, I was spending almost every day of the week on campus from 8 AM to 11 PM. On top of this, for the first two months of the semester I was going through the process of buying a home. Being newly married, the free time that I had went to doing homework and hanging out with my wife.

Despite how busy things were for me, I was happy. I was happy because the time that I was spending was going towards things that I loved, and goals that I wanted to achieve. Looking back at the semester, I see everything that I accomplished and I am very content. I was able to stay content throughout the semester because I was doing everything that I could to see those goals, to see that I was actively working towards achieving them. Each long day I finished, I saw that I was closer to achieving something that I had wanted to.

While I dont think it is healthy to run yourself into the ground, when you are doing what you love it doesnt feel much like you are running yourself into the ground. Balance is important in everything, but if you are staying in the moment, and doing everything you can to appreciate everything youve got as it comes, I feel that you can get through a lot more than you may believe.

Before I became a student coach at BYU, I had the opportunity to work as a team member of the Mo Bettahs staff in Spanish Fork. Mo Bettahs, which is a Hawaiian fast-food chain here in Utah, delivers on making delicious Hawaiian-style food and giving the customer an authentic Hawaiian experience. My time there taught me invaluable lessons about efficiency, teamwork, and consistency.

One of the most profound lessons I learned was about the concept of pono. Pono is a Hawaiian word that can have many different meanings, but the most common definition is that of righteousness, balance and moral integrity. In the workplace, we were encouraged to live pono, which was usually accompanied with a team cheer before we started our shift: 1-2-3, Pono! as we raised our hands together from the hand stack.

The more I worked, the clearer it became that living pono wasnt just a slogan but an essential part of our routine. We began every shift with a pono cheer, and I began to see the intricacy of pono in our work. Living pono meant respecting others, taking responsibility, and approaching every task with integrity. Over time, I came to see every task as a chance to practice integrity. Whether by ensuring accuracy in an order or supporting teammates during busy hours, I realized that small actions rooted in pono can have big impacts.

Working at Mo Bettahs helped me learn to carry the values of pono and integrity beyond work, and apply the pono spirit to any of lifes challenges. It taught me that true integrity is about consistently showing up for others and doing whats right, even in the smallest moments.

They say that the most important things are right in front of you. That can be easy to see at times, and hard to see at others. What is most important to you? Your family? Your hobbies? Your profession? Whatever you choose, it is not hard to see that thing in and around your life if you choose to focus on it. Sometimes, though, when we look at our own professional and personal development, it's easy to exclusively focus on the big picture, on the you that you want to see years from now. To be that you, it takes more than thinking about that person who is ten years away.

In this blog post, I wanted to look at myself, I wanted to look at the person who has been sure of where he is going in life for the last ten years and look at what hes been doing to get there.

The inspiration for this post comes from a change I have recently made in my own life. For as long as I have known about higher education, I have wanted it. Ive wanted to be an actor for just as long, which has meant a personal goal of getting a BFA and then an MFA in acting. In recent months as I have been working on my bachelor's here at BYU, I noticed a pattern in myself. Looking ahead to that goal of an MFA had skewed my vision. I knew that I wanted to get a Masters, and I knew that I wanted one from a great school, namely Yale. In order to go there, however, I told myself that I need a 4.0 GPA in my major. This is a goal that I have been able to keep to, but the problem here came when I noticed exactly what my goal was. I needed that 4.0, that was the goal. I needed that GPA so that I had the best chances of getting into Yale. But why did I want to go to Yale? I wanted to go to Yale so that I could become the best actor possible.

When I realized what my actual goal was, I had to take a look at myself. Was the work I was doing in my classes now making me a better actor, or was the work I was doing in my classes now getting me a good grade? While both could be true at the same time, up till now, it wasnt. Yes I was learning techniques and skills, but I was not applying them in the best ways that I could, I was coasting on talent I had already had, to ensure I was getting good grades. The improvements to my acting could wait till my Masters, because thats where I would actually learn. This is not, and should not be the case.

As this fall semester has started, I put a new goal in my mind. I want to take everything that I learn from my classes, and apply them to myself as an actor. I want to be the best actor that BYU has ever seen. By fulfilling this goal, will I get straight As, and will I get to Yale? Probably, and who knows. What I do know, is that by focusing on what I can do to improve myself now, I will be getting closer to that me that I want to be ten years from now every single day.

Yes, look at the big picture, who do you want to be? But then you need to ask yourself, what can I do here and now to get there. Because doing that thing right here and now is what will take you there.

This summer, I had the distinct privilege of working for the Fortune One company, the worlds largest retailer, Walmart. I had such an amazing experience that it was hard to choose just one lesson to share. Today, I want to talk about the story of a decades-old Walmart tradition that inspires company unity, tears down walls between associates all over the world, and made a particular impact on me, a lowly intern.

One of Sam Waltons catchphrases that defined Walmart, Inc. is, Our people make the difference! He was always watching people and adopting the best ideas that he saw in others. One of these ideas was the Walmart Cheer. Heres a quote from Helen Walton, Mr. Sams wife, telling the story of their visit to South Korea.

The Walmart cheer persists today as a company-wide tradition of unity and enthusiasm. From Arkansas to Africa, associates worldwide use the Walmart cheer to kick off and close meetings. It goes like this, with one associate calling out the words on the left and the others responding with the words on the right:

Give Me a W! W!

Give Me an A! A!

Give Me an L! L!

Give Me a Squiggly! Squiggly!

(While saying squiggly, everyone does a little butt wiggle)

Give Me an M! M!

Give Me an A! A! Give Me an R! R!

Give Me a T! T!

Whats that spell? Walmart!

Whose Walmart is it? Its my Walmart!

Whos number one? The Customer, Always! Huh!

The Walmart cheer isnt just a part of the corporate office culture, its popular all around the globe. Follow these links to watch associates from Mexico, India, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Japan, and China perform the Walmart cheer, often in their own language!

The Walmart cheer reminds me of one super important aspect of belongingunity! An organization can only be effective if its members are unified. We would do good to remember that the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind (Moses 7:18). He also commanded His latter-day saints to be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine (Doctrine and Covenants 38:27). As employees of Brigham Young University, we have the responsibility to follow that commandment in our workplace as well as our wards.

Too often, I have seen people sit around and wait for unity to happen to them. These people expect the organization to go out of its way to make them feel welcomed and wanted. They want red carpet, royalty treatment from their employer, but they dont want to do anything about it. While in Arkansas, I met interns like this. For one reason or another, they saw the Walmart cheer as uncool and would loathe doing it with everyone else. These very same interns would often complain that they werent a part of the team or that they didnt feel like a real employee.

Belonging and inclusion are essential in a workplace, but it doesnt just happen. In fact, the organization cant really do anything at all. Belonging happens when individuals decide to commit to creating an environment of support, forgiveness, and understanding. If you are a part of a team or a class or a group and you feel like you just dont belong, find someone who is willing to belong together with you. Then find another, and another. Soon enough, the community will grow and will begin to create change where you are. Like Christ told his chief disciple, Simon Peter, When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:32). As we make belonging a personal matterindividually motivated and executedwe will find that we create stronger teams with stronger bonds because we are stronger ourselves.

As Agile Coaches, we are often faced with the need to respond to challenging situations. The following is a story from my childhood that illustrates how I had to step up as a leader when my friend was struggling.

Several years ago, while living in Stuttgart, Germany, I was in the 7th grade. My school was unique; my entire grade consisted of just 15 or so students, and we had all followed the same curriculum since the 2nd grade. By then, my class felt like a close-knit family. However, I was particularly close to two best friends, Hunter and Mikolaj.

Hunter, an American from Hawaii, became my fast friend when he joined our class in the 6th grade. Mikolaj, on the other hand, had been my friend since 2nd grade. His family was from Poland, and I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment when I finally learned to spell his last name correctly: Dzierzanowski. Ive still got it.

That year, we were given a significant end-of-semester project: a live, broadcasted radio adaptation of "The Little Prince". (Yep Ive wanted to tell Gordon this story but I keep forgetting, so now Im blog posting it ;) ) Overall, the project consisted of three parts: Reading the book, creating the script with assigned characters, and performing our roles live on radio. I was assigned the role of the Tippler, the drunken character who the Little Prince encounters on the third planet. It was a quite a fun role to play since I was able to pretend to be drunk all the time. I cant remember who Miko played, but I do remember that Hunter played the Fox who teaches the Little Prince the importance of relationships near the end of the book.

As the project progressed, we practiced diligently in the broadcast room, perfecting our parts. When the day came we were ready. From what I can remember, I played my part alright, albeit a bit of stuttering. However, when I exited the booth, I was met with an unexpected sceneHunter was in tears, comforted by one of our teachers. Most of our class were standing around awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

I quickly learned that Hunter had been overwhelmed by the pressure of playing the Fox, and the stress had gotten to him. Miko and I tried our best to reassure him, but Hunter was resolute in his decision not to continue.

In that moment I knew the show had to go on, so I volunteered to take over his lines. It was difficult seeing my friend in such a vulnerable state, but by stepping up, I hoped to give him strength and show that he wasnt alone.

This experience taught me the essence of integrity and leadership. It wasnt just about doing my part; it was about being there for others, especially when they needed it most. By supporting Hunter, I learned that leadership is often about stepping in, not just to guide, but to uplift others in their moments of weakness

At the Olympics this year there was one sport that I was looking forward to more than the rest. To me, pole vault is one of the most entertaining sports to watch. The technical skill that is required for the Olympians to throw themselves to insane heights is something to behold. I might be a little biased, seeing as I was a pole vaulter throughout high school, but I do think that there is something that everyone can learn from this sport.

It may or may not surprise you to find out that pole vault is incredibly difficult. The training that we underwent was brutal and extensive. A surprising amount of muscle groups are required to get yourself into the air. We had to train our legs for that initial sprint down the track, our arms and back to not buckle under the force of the pole bending, our core to then to pull ourselves up into the strangest pull-up you have ever seen, and finally gymnastic exercises to flip and get over the bar without hitting it. Not to mention learning to jump in a very specific way so that we didnt accidentally break the pole, not bend it enough, or get thrown backward by it bending too much.

Pole vault is a very individualistic sport. You cant rely on anyone else to get you over that bar. Someone might look at this and think teamwork is unimportant to a pole vaulter. My high school coach, Coach Garcia disagreed with this notion.

Coach Ryan Garcia was an enthusiastic fan of pole vaulting. A talented athlete in his younger years, he knew more about the sport than anyone I have met. He coached some of Southern California's most talented pole vaulters and consistently got students to Nationals. He excelled as a coach, and it was only until I was a few years removed from the sport that I began to recognize why.

Coach Garcia believed teamwork was the true path to success - even in pole vault. While Pole Vaulting is an individual event, he felt that having a team to support you and push you to improve was the only way to ensure growth. This inspired his favorite quote: Rise Up!. While one would rightly assume that this was referring to the literal act of rising into the air, it also referred to stepping up and being the best teammate and athlete possible. Without someone to cheer you on and push you harder, it would be so much harder to improve.

I believe that this philosophy extends well beyond pole vault. Having people around you to support you and push you to be better, is the only way to ensure growth. We need diversity of thoughts, opinions, talents, strengths, and personalities to create change in the world, so logically the same would be true of ourselves. We need outside catalysts to create change within ourselves, no matter how individualistic our struggles may be. It is the only way to rise to the level of success that we desire

Life is full of unexpected turns and lessons, often delivered in the most unanticipated ways. Eight years ago, I was returning from an exchange student experience in Colorado to Brazil. During the very last weekend there, while playing soccer, I tore my meniscus. Since I was flying back on Tuesday, I couldn't address the injury until I was home in Brazil. The doctors assured me that surgery would fix my knee, allowing me to walk and participate in sports again. However, they warned me to be cautious with intense physical activities since my knee wouldnt be as strong as before.

Despite the doctors warnings, I carried on with my life, serving my mission in Rio de Janeiro, where I walked on steep hills of the favelas and walked for long times without any issue. Life seemed normal until the inevitable happenedmy negligence caught up with me. I tore my meniscus again, needing another surgery.

This experience mirrored a professional situation I faced later on. When I first started working for CCI Mechanical, I was diligent and efficient, consistently meeting deadlines and exceeding expectations. My manager was pleased with my performance. However, as I became comfortable with my duties, complacency set in. I began to slack, believing that I had mastered my responsibilities and didn't need to exert as much effort.

My declining performance didnt go unnoticed. My boss and I had a serious conversation about my productivity, reminding me of the standards I needed to maintain. This wake-up call was reminiscent of the doctor's warning about my knee. Just as I had to heed medical advice to avoid further injury, I needed to listen to my boss to avoid professional repercussions.

These experiences taught me the importance of learning from past mistakes and taking warnings seriously. Today, I've decided to retire from playing soccer, both competitively and recreationally, to prevent another knee injury. In my professional life, Ive committed to maintaining a high standard of work, recognizing that complacency can have serious consequences.

In both personal and professional realms, its normal to feel a sense of comfort and let our guard down. However, its crucial to remember that the consequences of ignoring warnings can be far more damaging than we might anticipate. By learning from past actions and respecting the advice of those more knowledgeable, we can avoid unnecessary setbacks and continue to grow and improve.

Hygiene is the seldom talked about, but always cared about part of public interactions.

When you smell bad, people dont wanna be around you. Yeah, b.o. can be a big part of this, though more often bad breath is the worst offender. Make sure you shower and brush your teeth, use deodorant, and mouthwash too. If you think you can get away without doing one of those things, ask one of your closer work acquaintances to smell you and get a second opinion. This portion of the blog is not targeted at anyone in specific, but also it is, and you know who you are.

One of my favorite things in the world is when someone tells me to smile more, it makes me feel respected, valued, and like I have a nice smile that those around me want to see. That was a joke, definitely dont tell people to smile more. But also, putting on a face of kindness in the workplace, whether or not youre feeling great about the day can help to maintain the moods of those you work with. Alongside this, when those around you feel that you care about them and the work they do, they will do better work, thats just science. Ask people how theyre doing, show that you care about their personal lives (without encroaching on whats too personal), and always keep a cool head when dealing with those you dont get along with.

Respect is kind of like kindness, in that they are similar. Respect stands on its own though, as the value that you take from the words and actions of others. To earn the respect of others, you have to be willing to show it first. When people give suggestions, feedback, or criticisms, take them at their full worth. When you show that you are willing to work with others to improve the productivity of everyone involved, those around you will see that you care about your team and the work you do.

Chloe Lamoreaux defines accountability as the ability to count, this definition is incorrect. Accountability is an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions. When you tell people that youll do something, you get it done, when you tell people youll be somewhere, you be there. Timing is just as important as the completion of whatever youre doing. If every time someone asks you to do something, it takes a week to get it done, eventually theyll start asking someone else. Maybe thats what you want, but also, its your job, so probably dont convince your clients to give your work to other people.

I hope that this advice will help people to like you more than they do now.

Are you proud of your accomplishments? Have you ever made a change, proposed an idea, or led an event that was a huge success?

I began to see many successes on my mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My friends were engaged in lessons, they were coming to church, my companions loved to compliment me, and ward members appreciated the work we were doing. It was a point in my life when I felt like I was on top of the world!

However, as good as I felt, I began to worry that I was becoming prideful. This concern weighed on me so much that I would feel guilty whenever I received a compliment or felt joy after a Spirit-filled lesson. I prohibited myself from rejoicing in any form of success that could be traced back to me. I began to feel numb.

While pondering my dilemma, I received an impression in the form of an analogy that changed the way I viewed my role as a missionary and has since changed the way I view any leadership role. I call it the Prism and Light Analogy:

When light passes through a prism, it slows and bends, but different wavelengths bend at different angles. This separates light into different wavelengths, forming a rainbow of colors.

If you were the prism and the light was coming from behind you, you would only see a rainbow shining on everything in front of you. You might be tempted to think that you made this beautiful rainbow. However, we know that the rainbow really is the light. The light is just passing through an object that distinctively refracts it. The pure white light contains so many colors that would never be realized if it were not for the prism. The prisms job is to remain clear and uniquely cut.

In this analogy, God is the light source. His influence and power are the light. We are the prisms, and the rainbow is our successes. We are all cut differently because of our individual knowledge and experience. We stay clear when we remain worthy. As long as we are connected to source of all light and truth, our Heavenly Father, then we can be assured that our efforts will bring others to Him. We do not possess the ability to create light, but we do possess the ability to channel light, and our role is vital to Gods work. We can be a tool by which God blesses His other children. What do we get out of this? We get to witness firsthand the extraordinary rainbow that is Gods power, and we can rejoice in every manifestation of it.

Amulek says it perfectly in Alma 26:11-12. After rejoicing in their missionary success, Aaron censors Amulek by telling him I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting. Amulek quickly replies: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yes, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

This is my takeaway: we should ALWAYS rejoice in our God. We should rejoice when we can be His hands to influence others for good. Humility is not the absence of joy, but the acknowledgment of its source. We should remember the many before us and behind us that make success possible. Armed with this support, our knowledge, and our talents, we will go forward and bless the lives of many in our spheres of influence.

In our busy lives it can be difficult to find a balance between work, school, life, hobbies, aspirations and relationships. Our lives are filled with time, but like our outlook calendars, it can be easy for that time to be filled up with lots of commitments. Finding an equilibrium to the chaos is critical, especially in our roles as Agile Coaches. In this article, I will outline a strategy to find that key balance for us to perform in our roles as our best selves.

The first step is proper time management. Setting boundaries is crucial. Establish clear work hours and respect them as you would any other commitment. This separation helps prevent work from encroaching on your personal life and allows you to fully engage with your family, hobbies, and relaxation. When you are at work, devote 100% of your attention to what you are doing so you can be as efficient and productive.

Practicing proper self-care is another critical step towards finding that balance. By regularly exercising and keeping a balanced diet can increase your energy levels and help you to stay focused. However, selfcare doesnt just extend to your physical well-being. Make sure to regularly assess your stress levels and emotional well-being. By doing this, you will be able to show up to work feeling good and ready to be productive.

Finally, ensure that you have a sustainable support system for yourself. Nobodys perfect, and humans are emotional creatures, so we are bound to have our bad days. Lean on your network of fellow Agile coaches or mentors. They can provide guidance, share experiences, and offer a valuable support system. Also, ensure you take vacation and personal days to recharge. Avoid the temptation to work when you have set the time aside to recuperate during these breaks.

As an Agile coach, achieving a work-life balance is an ongoing process. It requires mindfulness, discipline, and a commitment to self-care. A balanced life not only benefits the coach but also positively impacts the teams they support. By setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and seeking support when needed, we can navigate the challenges of our role while maintaining a fulfilling personal life. Remember, finding balance is not a one-time accomplishment but a continuous journey toward personal and professional harmony.

Sources:

https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-have-good-work-life-balance

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5244-improve-work-life-balance-today.html

Put Away the Radios

Leadership,Spirituality,Integrity

August 15, 11:02 AM August 15, 11:03 AM

Dewey Sullivan coached football at my high school for 42 years. I played for him, two of my sons played for him, and my first varsity coaching job was on his staff.

Athletic teams are under intense pressure to win. This can sometimes create attitudes in leaders that lead them to make bad decisions.

The Dayton vs. Amity rivalry game was intense. Separated by about 14 miles of country road, the two schools have decades of history between them. In this particular year Dayton (Deweys team) was the visitor on Friday night at Amity High School. The game easily drew 1500 spectators.

Surprisingly, Deweys team fell behind early and it looked like Amity would run away with the game. We were down by three touchdowns.

Somewhere in the middle of the first half something happened. Over our radios we could hear the Amity signals. And, they could not hear us.

Dewey got on the radio and said,

Amity this is Dayton, we can hear everything youre saying.

No response.

Some might argue all is fair in love and war and football. But to Dewey, that kind of advantage was not right.

Although down by three touchdowns, Dewey said to his coaching staff:

Put away the radios boys.

The Dayton staff then coached the game the old fashioned way, from the sideline and without the aid of spotters or other livestream intelligence.

What then happened was amazing. Little by little Dayton edged their way back into the game and to Amitys great disappointment, Dayton won pulling away late in the fourth quarter.

In small towns on Saturday mornings after a football game the place is alive with the buzz of what happened the night before. While the win was remarkable and something of a masterpiece to watch, the game itself wasnt the thing people talked about. Rather, it was a coachs decision to do what was right vs. win at all costs.

Dewey taught an unforgettable lesson on integrity to an entire community, and he created a culture that spanned generations on that Friday night with five simple words: Put away the radios boys.