Category: hmm… thoughts

  • Risk vs. Opportunity

    A common theme in my mind lately has been how we look at the choices we make. As one would imagine, Kristen and I are making tons of decisions right now. And we’ve come to this conclusion: Most decisions are morally neutral and the outcome depends on you.

    Quick disclaimer: Look, I know that there are moral decisions. Things which God has said are black and white. For example: “Should we cheat on our taxes? ” No, God’s pretty clear on that one. This is more about decisions such as, “Should we rent house A or house B?” I think those decisions are typically amoral.

    Positive outcomes and positive attitudes

    When it comes to amoral decisions I’ve noticed that the outcome is largely dependent on my response, action, and attitude. In other words, when I make a decision, whether it turns out good or bad typically has to do with what I do with that decision. cloud

    Here’s a reality my friends in Michigan have to deal with. There is a thick black cloud of pessimism that permeates our community. Until that pessimism is overcome with optimism, the self-fulfilling prophesy of economic doom and gloom will continue. It’s oppressive. It’s depressing. And it is making things worse.

    Perhaps it is because I am moving, but almost every conversation I have goes like this, “Romeo is a great place to live… but I don’t know, things aren’t looking good.” Understand this… that is a value statement of risk vs. opportunity.

    And it’s not all over. As I’ve traveled this summer I think you should know that this deep pessimism is a Michigan thing. Board a plane departing or arriving at Metro or Flint and it’s all pessimism in the cabin. But walk through Atlanta, Denver, or San Diego’s airports and you’ll see people making lemonade with their lemons. Head back home and it is all about rotten lemons. Making lemonade is apparently too risk for Michigan’s lemon owners.

    Today in Romeo there are about 100 homes on the market. All of them, including mine, are listed below market value. If you’re living with the black cloud… you look at the housing market and say “Wow, it could go even lower. Owning a home is such a huge risk right now.” If you look at the housing market from an optimist perspective you respond by saying, “Man, what a great time to buy. I wonder how I can get some capital to buy up some rental properties.”

    Here’s the simple reality. Michigan may be in a tough economic situation. But if you see where we are today as pre-boom instead of post-bust you’ll recognize that tomorrow’s millionaires (billionaires?) see today as an opportunity and are leveraging against you over inflating the risk. The rich of 2015 see this as pre-boom. The poor of 2015 see this as post-bust. Get it? It’s all about your response.

    I’ve talked to tons of very young adult people 19-22 years old this summer. And the cloud has infected them with pessimism. They have no dreams. And they are not looking at today’s problems as their opportunity for a very bright future.

    Here are some opportunities

    #1 You could innovate the next economy for a community. It won’t be cars, but will it be technology? Probably. Yet starting a business is “too risky” or going to study what is going on in tech boom towns like Boise, Houston, or even Ann Arbor is simply too much risk. Trust me… the best technological developments come from people looking to make an opportunity out of nothing. (Speaking from experience!) R&D departments can’t build a winner. But a college kid can invent Facebook for a couple hundred bucks. And a laid off carpenter can invent an ipod repair business. Sit in a room with a legal pad for a day and no distractions and I guarantee you can innovate something.

    #2 You could be the next real estate tycoon for almost no risk. If you are 22 years old with a college degree and an entry level job. You could buy 2 homes for less than $1500/month. Live in one and rent the other. In 3 months buy another rental and keep capitalizing on people’s pessimism until you have 5-6 rental homes. As Romeo becomes a renters market you could gain both equity in these undervalued rentals and make tons of income from rent. Heck, if you are 19 with a part time job you could buy a house for $600/month and rent it for $800/month. Save those profits and do it again in 6 months. Hold/rent those 5-6 properties for 10 years and you just made a million dollars.

    #3 You could invest in the next Microsoft or Apple. My conversations with those bought out from their autoworker jobs are depressing. They are saying “How long can I last on this money?” Wrong question. The right question is, “How can I find the right start-up to invest in?” Michigan has a highly educated and undermotivated work force. As soon as that motivation part turns around this economy will come back like gangbusters. Are you investing in high return start-ups or are you still thinking large cap companies are going to return? Bill Gates’ earliest investors tossed in only $10,000. I think they did OK.

    Every decision I make is an evaluation of risk vs. opportunity. What about you?

  • How do you use Twitter?


    How Do You Use Twitter? from biz stone on Vimeo.

    Question: Does it make me a complete dork that I know someone in the video? I don’t think so. I think twitter is very pop culture. Wanna be pop culture with me? Follow me.

  • Lovely Stalking




    Lovely Stalking

    Originally uploaded by mclanea

    See, I do like our cat. As much fun as it is to talk about leaving her here in Romeo or selling her by the pound at the local chinese restaurant. But it is all talk.

    Lovely leaves on August 14th with Kristen and Paul. She’ll be the one in the cat carrier saying “meow” about 2,000 times between Detroit and San Diego.

  • Are you fake around your pastor?

    Check out this quote.

    Dear God,

    I was a pastor for 23 years. It killed me. I am not sure I was every called to it. As you know, the overwhelming numbness finally caved in all around me. Now, I am on the outside of the church looking in and I don’t like what I see. Why do we have to be fake to be a Christian or part of a church? How did we buy the lie that showing up occasionally was the same as a relationship with you? Now that I am not a pastor, people are honest with me. I had no idea how hard life was for so many people because when they came on my “turf” they pretended just as much as I did. I feel hope inside God. Now, without the job I feel like you let me go through everything to understand pain. I want to do what I can, but I feel like a failure every day. Can you still use me? link

    While I can’t identify with the feeling far from God or having felt fake with God while serving at a church, I can definitely tell that people are more honest with me about their lives now that I don’t work at a church full time. Why is that? Was there something in my title that made me someone you couldn’t speak openly with? Did you feel like I couldn’t help? Did you feel like I didn’t want to know? Were you trying to protect me? Do you think I’d judge you? Not love you? Tell others you were human? Were you looking for an escape when you were around me? Did I project myself as someone who couldn’t understand? Was I above your struggles? Was I intimidating? Was I uncaring? Was I too transparent? Not transparent enough?

    The thing is, I’m not done being a church leader… at least I hope not. I just want to know. 

    HT to Andy

  • Is forgiveness possible?

    HT to Doug

  • Turf Wars & Eye Openers

    turf warThe last 24 hours has been interesting. These are the two operative phrases from various arenas of my life right now. 

     

    • Turf wars. If you haven’t read Patrick Lencioni’s book you really should. It doesn’t matter where you work or what you do… this will help you move forward. In a lot of areas of my life my new role (work, personally, geographically, politically, etc.) is creeping on a lot of people’s turf. 
    • Eye openers. I’ve gotten some interesting feedback about things I’ve done, said, or written of late. One lesson I’ve learned about being a leader: When you are cutting new ground you will find resistance. It seems I’ve cut some new ground! Truth in all its forms is provocative. What’s interesting about negative feedback is that it rarely argues the logic or words that are said… why is that? I think it reveals something about the heart condition of the one giving feedback.
    Got turf war issues? Opening people’s eyes causing trouble in your world? 

     

  • Need to beat the heat?

  • Life on the Raft


    We are at a place in life where it feels like we live on a raft. Our family is disjointed from normal life as we’ve made the decision to pull up anchor and trust that God will take care of us as we coast down the river to the next place.

    While our kids should be focusing on summer activities and starting to look forward to school starting in a month, they are instead intent on holding on to these final days in Romeo. Lingering with friends a little. Making sure their stuff is packed. Talking about our new adventure to come. 

    While Kristen and I are eager to start our new lives, there is a sadness sweeping over us as we recognize that life will never be the same. For better or worse, the next phase of life brings fresh opportunities. Yet, like the kids, we can’t focus solely on the future and forget about the past. Each box packed is full of memories. With each step towards San Diego a realization that we’re one step closer to leaving this anchorage behind. As we cast off the shore of the known for the unknown we trust we’ll find the next anchorage safely. Uncertainty causes caution while optimism brings about steadfastness.

    Yet there there is something even bigger going on. As we drift down this river of life we feel ourselves giving away control. Life on a raft is not something you can navigate fully. Together, we are learning new respect for Old Man River as His currents move us down the river. Our possessions aren’t our possessions anymore. Our home doesn’t feel like our home anymore. Our dreams for one place are being replaced by dreams for another. Peril lies down some branches of the river yet the road map to avoid mistakes is unclear. With enthusiasm we embrace the risk and adventure!

    While the wonder of a new adventure looms, we are aware that every adventure story experiences highlights, dramatic shifts, unexpected dangers, sorrow, silliness, and joy. Just like Huckleberry Finn and Jim experienced… the journey is as important as the destination. 

    While this is a personal raft our family is casting into the river… this life season opens our eyes to many others in the same river of trust. With newfound empathy we connect with fellow rafters. Together, those drifting down the river identify strongly with one another’s journey. We love to exchange stories. Some stories are filled with mourning. Ours is filled with blessing. All are filled with awe. As a group our unknowns are embraced while risk is carefully mitigated. It seems that we resolutely accept the reality that His currents will take us where He wants at His mercy and benevolence.

    While some quickly assume these movements are random or even the result of chaos, we know who commands the currents, the emotions, the raft, the raft captain, and even the winds. 

    And so here we are. Just prior to Bon Voyage we pause to reflect, celebrate, hope for safe landing, and embrace the story ahead. Sapere invenio.

  • Car for sale

    I was just thinking about this… I’ve never sold a car. The cars I drove before we got married I just gave away. And we’ve had this car since 1998… so this is a first for me. 

    But the car is officially listed on Craigslist. Check it out. 

    In the last couple of days we did a lot of little things to get the car ready to sell. We obviously cleaned it out and washed it. But I also got fresh tires, had the AC charged, got an oil change, and Kristen even shampooed the carpets. 

    It’s weird to have to sell and give away most of your stuff. But as my friend Gerrard is teaching at his church… simplicity really is a spiritual discipline. We’re learning let go of our stuff.

  • Favorite things: Front porches

    I know this is a weird thing to have as a favorite thing. But I really love having a front porch. Here in Romeo we have the deluxe! It’s about 10×30 and full enclosed. At our new place in San Diego we also have a nice front porch with a nice porch swing. 

    There is nothing quite as nice as enjoying the cool evening breeze on a porch. And I prefer a front porch over a back patio/deck any day. Call menew crib crazy but I rather enjoy the neighbors walking by and saying hello. In fact, as I was typing this post two families walked by and cheerfully said “hi.” And a large group of drunk high school students… but that was fun too. 

    There is actually something nicer. I enjoy sitting on the front porch, doing my little internet thing, and enjoying the company of my wife. If you don’t have a front porch I highly suggest getting one right away.