How to make Birkenstocks more Missoula

As the first fall snow accumulates on the streets of Missoula, I felt inclined to share. I’m a loyal customer of Birkenstock. Call me a Missoula Hippie, I don’t care.

Truth is, they make a great product. Since 1774, speaks to this. I even believe in the Birkenstock health benefits and credit their shoes to the comfort of my standing desk. My Birk’s are the Herman Miller of my office. My only beef with these legendary shoes lie in the shock absorbing sole. This sole may absorb minimal amounts of shock, but also: 1) needs replacing on a frequent basis, and 2) slips on snow, ice, water, wet grass, and just about any other surface you can image. Don’t worry, I have a solution or I wouldn’t be writing this.

The solution is once you wear through the factory sole (it won’t take long), or slip and fall on ice, replace the sole with a Kletterlift Sole from Vibram. A local cobbler should happily take care of your request–at least mine did. The shoes will soon emerge as your favorite pair. They can go where Birkenstocks haven’t been able to go for the last 225 years.

If you’re a Birkenstock fan, you know they name their shoes by destinations–London, Boston, Zurich– I like to call my modification the Missoula.

Let it snow.

Halloween 2011

It’s the night before Movember. The greatest month of them all. The month that I donate my upper lip in the pursuit of a moustache to raise awareness and money for cancer. Can you name someone who has been diagnosed with cancer? My point exactly.

My pumpkin is carved (above), my team, 3-7-77  is in place,  and  my excitement for the night before Movember has never been greater.

Happy Halloween.

How do you recharge your batteries? It’s important to know. 

4 USA experiences that make me proud

Date: November 2011

The good ole’ US of A has been kicked around a bit lately. The challenges we face far exceed our math deficiencies. But, I don’t want to talk about the bad; I want to talk about the good; I want to talk about my 4 recent experiences that make me proud to call the USA home.

Experience #1:  a podcast.

When I drive, I listen to podcasts. Last week I listened to a Podcast from the Coca - Cola CEO: Muhtar Kent. What Kent said struck a cord. Unlike many multi-national corporations, Coca-Cola is focusing on growing its business in the U.S. Why? As Kent explains:

• The USA  is a growing demographic
• The USA is a diverse population
• The USA  claims 1/2 of all skilled immigrants
• The USA holds 60% of  the world’s patents
• The USA gives more to charity than any nation in the world – over 300 billion a year, greater than Egypt’s entire GDP.

In short, the leadership of the world’s biggest brand is betting on the USA. This makes me proud.

Experience #2:  a website. 

Although I strongly disagree with the word choice, I couldn’t agree more with the vision and positioning of the website $#@^ Yeah Made in the USA. The concept is to highlight “stylish and cool brands" that make their products in the USA. The stories are great and the concepts are inspiring. I see the USA’s second industrial wave in the not too distant future. These companies are in the USA and they make me proud.

Experience #3:  a race. 

Last weekend I attended what is branded as the “greatest day in triathlon." I agree. No, it’s not the Ironman World Championships in Kona. It’s the Challenged Athletes Foundation Triathlon in La Jolla, CA. At this event, many challenged athletes run for the first time, they overcome the odds, they silence the critics, they fall, and they get back up. One young competitor told me: “I just ran 10 miles, I didn’t even know that was possible." The event raised nearly $1.2 million for the cause. This is the USA and this makes me proud.

Experience #4:  a finish. 

On October 8th, my wife raced the Ironman World Championships in Kona. She struggled from the beginning to the end– even taking a puke break mid-marathon. But, she finished and even embraced an American Flag escort near the finish line (pictured above). You don’t always have the race you want. Battling through these adversities to find the finish line is the USA way. And this makes me proud.

Additional information available in media release.

Not Just a Photograph.

Photography  is really  powerful. Especially, when it captures a story, product, or idea.  Over the last year, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to work with Tom Robertson.  I can credit Tom for the image above of Big Sky Brewing Company’s: Linsey Corbin, Montana Made Ale.  As a side, not just a beer either:

1. Can design matches Linsey’s custom Scott Plasma 3.
2. Special release for 70.3 and Ironman World Championships.
3. Travels in my luggage, 200 lbs at a time.
4. Tastes delicious.

Yes, I could have taken a picture on my  phone, but that’s exactly why I chose not to and exactly why I’m a fan of Tom’s work. It’s not just a photograph.

Traditional resumes are dead. When I say traditional resume, I mean white piece of paper, bullet points, education, experience, etc. This content is being replaced by blogs, google searches, social media brands, wins, and what you’ve created lately. For example, the RESUME presentation (below) created for a position at SlideRocket. Yes, in my mind, this is the future of resumes and this is, once again, why presentations are rad.

I’m a fan of TED. This week I had the opportunity to watch the  best TED talk to date–obviously, my opinion. The talk is by Simon Sinek and the premise is “How great leaders inspire action." To me, this talk is a little more. The talk presents a road map for authenticity. If you’re starting with why, it’s nearly impossible not to be authentic. If you start with why, a lot great things follow. Thanks Simon. Here’s the talk.

31 lessons learned in 31 years

*Originally posted August 22, 2011, on my 31st birthday. 

Today is my 31st birthday. Yep, I’m on my way to a new decade and I think it is going to be a good one. With that said, I wanted to take the time to reflect on the lessons I’ve learned in the last 31 years of my life. In no particular order of importance…

1. It’s your life.  No two people are the same. Embrace the gifts, challenges, and opportunities given to you.

2. Nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems.  The bottom is not that low and the top is not that high.

3. Family matters. At least to me. Good, bad, and ugly, I know my family loves me and this gives me strength. Find strength in your family.

4. Find your passion. Branding, fly fishing, water ….  Passions make life worth living and people with passions make the world go round.

5. Do what you love. This is generally the easiest thing for you to do. What you think about when you go to bed and what you think about when you get up? Do that.

6. Fill wasted time.  Road trip or long commute? Fill your Ipod with audio material you don’t have time to read.

7. Carpe Diem. I’ve heard for years: “you’re young." Don’t wait for the perfect time, because it will never come.

8. Use your words. The brain is a powerful engine and words drive this motor. What you think and say is what you will become.

9. Stay on your feet. Run simple and stand up.

10. Make lists. Simple “to do" lists have become my greatest productivity tool. Email, call, errands, projects, media, etc., all have their own weekly “to do" lists.

11. Buy tickets not toys. I have no shortage of toys, but reflecting back, it’s the trips I remember most, not the “things" I purchased.

12. Nobody is watching you. I’ve always thought people were watching me. What will they think if…? Don’t make decisions based on what other people will think, make decisions for your best interest.

13. Do your best. Win or lose you did your best, what more can you ask for? You gave your best.

14. You grow in the valleys not in the mountains.  Times get tough, that is inevitable. As bad as they may be, these experiences craft our character and build our strength.

15. Continuously learn. Read, listen, watch, write.  Never stop learning.

16. Everything is relative. Everything. A 15-inch trout is a great catch, until you land one that is 20 inches.

17. Riches have nothing to do with money.  For example, I recently took a fishing trip with my dad.  At moments, it was impossible to be richer than us.

18. Set Goals. I set about 50 goals a year each divided into six priorities in my  life:  family, faith, fitness, finances, focus, freelance.

19. Tell someone the goals you set. This will increase accountability and likelihood of achievement.

20. Buy a dog. Health and happiness will follow. For sake of credibility, I didn’t make this up.

21. Eat right and sleep well. I used to think both were a waste of time and resources; I now realize they are two of the greatest inputs to energy and performance.

22. Be spiritual. Not offensive, wacky, sign-holding spiritual, spirituality that gives you peace and purpose. Spirituality that allows you to embrace your blessings.

23. Live where you want.   If fly fishing, running, riding, recreation, craft beer, and community are important to you, live there. If they’re not, live somewhere else.

24.  Love. Marriage is my most prized possession.

25. Don’t be a critic.  It’s easier to be a critic than correct; respect the man in the arena.

26. Find your happy place. Go there when you need to calm the inner beast.

27. Cheer for something. I always assumed I’d quit caring about sport when I hung up my high school cleats. I now relish the opportunity to cheer for my wife and cheer for the HOGS–Woo Pig Sooie!

28.  Keep a few friends. You don’t need a thousand friends, just a few really good ones.

29. You lose 100% of the races you don’t start. If you try, you’ll know. The “what-ifs" will haunt you, so you might as well try.

30. Measure. If you don’t determine metrics and measure, its impossible to gauge progress.

31. Have integrity. Without it, what do your really have?

As a kid, I never understood the point in living past the age of 28. It appeared to me all the good stuff occurred before this age. Now that I’ve successfully surpassed this this mark by 3 years, I realize I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. So, take this post for what it’s worth. Regardless, I’m looking forward to the road ahead and would like to thank anyone reading this that has made my life, well, my life.

CHEERS!

diet lessons from a dog

As I’ve addressed previously, I think we have a lot to learn from our four legged friends: dogs. My dog Madison is about to turn 8, that’s 45 in human years. She also just dropped 20 pounds. That’s 20 pounds in dog weight!

The Fitness

At the peak of Madison’s fitness, she clocked 4-minute miles, and concurred distance runs with my wife. After being pulled on a 13-miler and struggling through a couple others, Madison decided her running days were over. As soon as the running attire came out, she headed for the dog bed. Seriously.

The Diet

While frequently running and young, Madison enjoyed a self-regulated diet. We filled her bowl, and when it went down, we filled it again. She consistently maintained a weight between 60-65 lbs with this regimen. When she stopped running, this changed.  The next vet visit highlighted this change: 80 lbs.

Your dog needs to go on a diet. - the VET

The Change 

Madison went on a diet. We rationed 1 cup of dog food a day: 1/2 a cup in the morning and 1/2 a cup in the evening.  That’s it. We didn’t change her lifestyle, we didn’t change her food, we just changed her portion size. Today, Madison weighed 60 pounds.

Wow, keep doing whatever you are doing. When dogs put on weight they don’t usually lose it. - the VET

The Lesson

Portion size matters. Calories in minus calories out.  The equation is so simple, even a dog can do it.  Thanks Madison and congratulations; I’m really proud of you.

The Tips 

Rather than just recognize this lesson, I also wanted to add some tips to help with portion control.

1. Drink a glass of water (or two) before eating. This will help fill the space you’re used to filling with food.
2. Only eat 1/4 to 1/2 of a restaurant entree. Decide exactly which portion you’re going to eat before you begin.
3. Buy smaller plates. Don’t refill these plates with seconds or heap food on the plate, this defeats the purpose.
4. Eat with chopsticks. This will make you eat slower and the limited portion size will last longer.
5. Talk while eating. This will also make you eat slower and the limited portion size will last longer.

Summer Run. Steelhead.

6 reasons to stand up

I recently read Born to Run and I’ve taken the concept one step further: Born to Stand. We are designed to be on our feet for most of our waking hours. Today (8/6/2011), I’m moving into week 3 of my stand-up desk, and I’m enjoying it so much I wanted to share my top 6 reasons to stand:

1. Burns Calories. 8 hours of standing 5 days a week burns 2,400 calories. To save you the math, that’s 13.5 Moose Drools a week.
2. It’s hard. It isn’t easy to stand all day and I’m still gaining standing fitness (week 3), which reinforces the fact that it must be good for you. Sitting is pretty darn easy.
3. Increased efficiency. I’m more efficient on my feet: added creativity, faster typing, greater energy, less distractions, etc. At least I think so, and that’s what matters most.
4. Ache remover.  Have you ever stood up and moved gingerly–slowly releasing the aches and pains?  This doesn’t happen if you’re already standing.
5. My dog loves it. In my rolling desk chair, I’d occasionally catch the hairs on my golden’s tail. Standing prevents this tragedy and she’s a big fan.
6. It saves money.  You can buy a fancy stand-up desk. I made my first portable stand-up desk for  $8.37, and then purchased a dynamite box to place on a table (see above). I also believe the health benefits of standing will save medical bills down the road. Expensive chair? Also saved.

For full transparency, I’ve received help on this conclusion from Men’s Health, Corbett Barr, and Leo Babauta. Thank you!  Also here’s a link to an infographic ( I love infographics) that highlights why sitting is killing you.

By the way,  I wrote this post standing. 

Yes, this video is shot on a phone.  

the 18-40-60 rule

1. When you’re 18, you worry about what everybody is thinking of you.

2. When you’re 40, you don’t give a darn what anybody thinks of you.

3. When you’re 60, you realize nobody’s been thinking about you at all.

be streaky

As you may have noticed over the last 6 months, this “personal blog" is streaky. The general recipe is:

blog posts = ideas + time.

The ideas are easy (I have a LIST), but the time is not. Because time is a limiting factor in my life, I’m spending more time on productivity and efficiency. Ironic to spend time learning how to manage time and energy? Maybe. Even so, I believe the total time equation will play out in my favor.

I started with Getting Things Done by David Allen and am still a regular Podcast listener. Thanks to David, I’m also a LIST fanatic. I have a list for everything. Everything. Don’t worry the “power of the list" is on my list for future blog posts.

My latest focus in this space is The Energy Project. I’m just beginning to explore this concept and its application to my life. With that said, I wholeheartedly embrace the project’s key concept that human productivity is not linear: “continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time, running multiple programs at the same time."

Our energy is STREAKY. It’s a delicate balance between expending and renewing our energy needs. These 4 energy needs are:

1. physical
2. emotional
3. mental
4. spiritual

Understanding and recharging these needs, maximizes HUMAN energy production. Find your power hours, passions, and embrace the STREAK.

think like a three-legged dog

Riding my bike home this evening I saw a man running with a three-legged dog. It was easy to tell the dog was happy: tail wagging, head high, and tongue hanging. In fact, it appeared the dog was having the time of its life. “Oh boy, my favorite thing!” Why not, it was a beautiful evening in Missoula and this dog was on a run with his best friend.

The dog didn’t know you can’t run with a missing limb. The dog didn’t know other people felt bad for him. The dog didn’t know its run looked awkward. The dog didn’t know what it was missing.  The dog was making the most of the gifts given to him, even if they were one leg short.

I loved watching this dog run. I think we should look at life’s challenges like a three-legged dog.

Why does music do what it does? 

This past Monday I attended the Ray LaMontagne and Brandi Carlile concert at Big Sky Brewing Company. Great show by the way. As I listened to the music and watched the people, I began to ask questions. Luckily, I was armed with my trusty notepad and pen– I don’t leave home without it. I jotted down some notes and thought I’d share:

Why does music make us move? We hear music and we dance. Even babies dance naturally to music. What is it about music that makes us want to move? Different music moves different people differently. Folk moves me most. Why?

How do we know a good a dancer? Most dancing (think weddings) is random acts of freedom. Freely moving your body to the music. It’s obvious when I see a good dancer. How?

Who doesn’t like music? Everyone I know, that can hear, likes some type of music. Classical, country, jazz, alternative… Most like some genres and dislike others. I dislike Jazz. Who doesn’t like 1 genre of music?

What was I listening to then? For me, music creates memories. I was listening to Willie Nelson, Midnight Rider, while driving a jet boat up the Nushagak River in Alaska. When I hear this song, I think of this time. I was listening to Jon and Roy, Little Bit of Love, while barreling down the dusty roads of Patagonia. When I hear this song, I think of this time. What songs capture memories for you?

Why does sight impact sounds? Once you see the music video, you think of the music video when you hear the song. When I hear  Brandi Carlile, I think of the concert. Why?

Why are hits, hits? Artist have many songs and there are many artists. Why do some songs become hits while others do not? Similarly, a hit essentially means a bunch of people like it. What is it about that particular song that makes a bunch of people like it?

How does music evoke emotions? Laugh, cry, throw air punches. Seriously, how?

Yes, I googled all of these questions. The short answer is the human mind is amazing; it allows music to do what is does.  Enjoy it!

I’ve  also admired my father as much as any man in the world. I can easily thank him for my willingness to learn, passion for sports, work ethic and discipline, values and integrity, appreciation of nature, joy of fishing, and unconditional love. More importantly, I can thank him for the time we’ve spent together and the memories we’ve shared.

Here’s to you DAD!  The best DAD ever.

The SIMPLE run

I’m a fan of running. It’s simple.

The simple exercise

I’ve long held the belief that running encompasses the simplest form of exercise. When I hear people complain: “I just don’t have time to exercise (insert long sigh)." I instruct them to take off running as fast as they can. Not running fast, running as fast as they possibly can. Try it. You’ll develop sore muscles you forgot you possessed. If running feels too easy, run faster. It’s that simple.

The simple equipment

The beauty of running for me is you can do it nearly anywhere, at nearly anytime, and all you need is a pair of  running shoes.  Or, do you need running shoes?  I’ve read Born to Run and consumed it much like a largemouth bass consumes its dinner.  I agree, humans are designed to run. Humans are designed to run on our feet. Humans are designed to run simple.

The simple solution

My glory days of playing high school football removed all of the cartilage in my left knee via two arthroscopic surgeries.  Oh the glory!  Since my cartilage did a better job of cushioning my left knee than the bare top of my tibia, I decided, with the help of frequent swelling, that distance running wasn’t for me.  This is changing. With the combination of strength training and a minimalist running shoe– I started with the Kinvara and am now running simply in the Hattori– running distance is feeling good and so is my left knee.  This minimalist approach has not only provided pain free running, it has also delivered a new vigor, a new purity, a new step, a new style.

The simple  style

I’m also fascinated by running styles; everyone possesses an authentic style. Take two genetically identical twins and let them run. Each will run with her own style. Interestingly, shoes impact styles and the minimalist shoe brings out the simple style.

The simple story

I also like the fact that a simple book/story is changing an industry. An industry that successfully changed a thousand years of evolution through great design and savvy marketing. An industry that isn’t afraid to respond to the market’s plea to run simple.  This is a story that’s easy to tell. It’s simple.

The motivation for this post is two fold.

1.  Share my  latest iPhone/GoPro video creation.
2. As proof that you’ll NEVER see me race an Ironman.

Yes, NEVER is a strong word, but I mean it. I’m quite content with my office consisting of a Stand Up Desk my fitness consisting  of  dirty thirty workout hacks. No pain. No pain.