June 25, 2024

Good morning!

The farmer lived in a village with other peasants deep in the mountains of China. He had little material wealth, and the day his horse ran away, his neighbors hurt deeply for him. "This is so bad. I'm so sorry about this. You don't deserve this. So bad!"?

The old farmer said, "Maybe it is bad. Maybe not."

A few days later, his horse returned to him, but even more, seven wild horses were running alongside. "What a great thing!" his neighbors said, "Oh my, you have been blessed with a mighty blessing! You have been richly rewarded! You have favor! This is so very good!"

The old farmer said, "Maybe it is good. Maybe not."?

His son was putting the new, wild horses through the paces. Trying to tame them so that they'd be fit to ride, he was thrown off one of the horses and broke his leg. "Your dear son is injured! And from those wild horses that just showed up to haunt you! So bad! So very, very bad!"

The old farmer said, "Maybe it is bad. Maybe not."?

A few days later, a military leader came through the village to round up all able-bodied young men to go fight in the war. Because of his broken leg, the farmer's son was spared.?

Was that good? Maybe.?

And so it goes.?

The essence of wisdom is often reserving judgment and maintaining perspective. Just like the farmer in our story, leaders must navigate the unpredictable currents of business (and life) with a steady hand.?

The Huddle is a weekly newsletter that is designed for leaders. Leaders must be learners. There is never a moment when leaders arrive. It's a never-ending growth process. I hope this can be a resource that you can use to stay sharp and share with your team.

With that, here are some things I ran across this week.?

Another Legend Dies This Week - Last?week, it was Jerry West. This week, it's Willie Mays.?

Willie Mays was a bit before my time, but if you had a dad who liked baseball, you know all about Willie Mays. I think he was one of the first athletes to understand that he was in the entertainment business. He was flashy. He once said he sized his hat so that when he ran, it would fly off into the wind. He caught the ball in the outfield below his waist with his glove turned up. A basket catch, he called it.?

He was a hero in a simpler time.

Today, all of our heroes have warts. We know everything about them, including their scandals. Their lives (public and private) are lived out for all of us to see. As a society, we are like crabs in a bucket. We tend to pull someone down to the bottom if someone rises too high.?

I like the old way better.?

This short video and song capture it well.?

"...and me, I always loved Willie Maaaaaaysss...." ??

The Good Life - I had a birthday this week. And with birthdays, especially as they start stacking up, it's natural to be more reflective about life.?

I've been thinking a lot recently about what it means to live a good life. I intended to write a long blog post on lessons learned, one for each year of my life. But nobody has time for all of that.?

I enjoyed reading—and thinking—about this article. I think it sums it up quite nicely.?

The Goose - There was once a goose who laid eggs made of gold. The owners could not believe their good fortune. Each and every day, more eggs, more?gold.?

As time passed, the owners of the goose wanted more eggs. They encouraged the goose. They berated the goose. And when that wasn't enough, they beat the goose.?

The goose died. No more golden eggs. If he had only been kinder to the goose, he'd still be gathering the golden eggs.?

For me, it's a constant battle.?

Here's an article from Strategic Coach highlighting what happens when we fail to care for the goose.?

It Feels Good to Think You Are Great—This is a short, witty video on why positive thinking might not be good. Seeing things as "half-empty," it turns out, might hold the keys to more success. ?

A Quote to Leave You With

Have a great week!