Sam Gembel 
Decide today what you will no longer negotiate, tolerate, or excuse. Raise your standards so high that average becomes super uncomfortable. Do you sit down with a notebook at the beginning of the new year, start writing out goals for the year ahead, and almost immediately begin comparing those dreams to what happened last year? … Read more
Jesus said it this way: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45) I’ve been thinking about something lately. A lot. One of the biggest lies we were ever taught as kids may have sounded harmless, but I think it’s done more damage than we realize. “Sticks and stones may break … Read more
“Discipline equals freedom.” – Jocko Willink When I first heard Jocko say that, it stuck with me. At first, they seem almost contradictory. How can discipline create freedom? But the more I’ve reflected on them, the more I’ve realized they’re true in every area of life. Discipline creates physical freedom. Financial freedom. Spiritual freedom. And … Read more
We often think leadership begins when we receive a promotion or a title, but the truth is leadership begins the moment someone starts following our example. Yesterday was Father’s Day, and as I sat down to write this week’s leadership blog, I couldn’t think of a more fitting topic. Not because every person reading this … Read more
Motion Is Not Momentum. One of the most dangerous places a leader can be is busy. One of the easiest ways to destroy a perfectly good engine is to ignore the warning signs. Most of us know this. Yet every day, people continue driving with a low oil light on the dashboard thinking, “I’ll get … Read more
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Anybody can lead when things are going well. It is easy to motivate the team when the sales board is full. It is … Read more
This Blog was inspired by the message at church this past Sunday, and one statement kept sticking with me long after service ended. We should not be spending more time worrying about life than actually living the life God has called us to live. Because if we are not careful, we can become so consumed … Read more
“Focus on the things that move the needle.” – Kevin O’Leary I had never heard the phrase “signal to noise ratio” until I watched an interview with Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank. O’Leary often talks about the importance of focusing on what actually matters and tuning out the distractions that consume so much of our … Read more
“Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” – Jim Collins One of the most interesting feelings in life is being in a room where everyone seems to be speaking a language you should understand, but somehow you don’t. I know just “enough” about sports. I absolutely love watching a great Detroit Lions game, cheering on … Read more
Another truth that separates people more than anything else is this: start before you’re ready. There’s this lie that creeps into leadership, business, and life that sounds really logical on the surface… “I’ll do it when I feel ready.” “I just need a little more time.” “Let me think through this one more time.” And … Read more