Mitch Kunzler’s Post

If it's always on sale, then it's never on sale. A footlong from Subway is still worth $5 to me. I was preparing to graduate HS in 2008 when Subway started to offer the $5 Footlong. It was a BIG hit. Because everyone loves a good deal. But a deal it's only a good if you can't always get it. So say your company always has an offer for 25% Off... ...well, then it's not really your offer, is it? That's your new price.

Nobody will remember: - your salary - how "busy you were" - how many hours you worked People will remember: -the night they played the Titans

Content is not King. Content is Queen. Have you ever played chess? Which piece is the most powerful on the board? The Queen. By far. Your King is important, but you take measures to defend and shield him from battle. The Queen is in the thick of it. She's versatile. Dynamic. All the buzzwords. A winning strategy in chess hinges on how you use your Queen. Like the several pieces on a chessboard, there are many tactics and elements in your marketing strategy. All are important. All work together. But make no mistake about it... Content is Queen.

Listening is like fishing. I'm reading "The Creative Act" by Rick Rubin, and this gem really spoke to me today: "Sometimes we block the flow of information being offered and compromise true listening. Our critical mind may kick in, taking note of what we agree with and what we don’t, or what we like and dislike. We may look for reasons to distrust the speaker or make them wrong. Formulating an opinion is not listening. Neither is preparing a response, defending our position, or attacking another’s. To listen impatiently is to hear nothing at all. Listening is suspending disbelief." Isn't it funny how we think we're listening, but we're really just waiting to speak? It's like trying to catch a fish while constantly stirring the water. You won't catch anything; the fish won't come to you. True listening is like that. It's not about what you want to say next, or proving a point. It's about letting the other person's words settle in, undisturbed. That's where understanding begins. Just like fishing. If you're patient and still, you'll catch more than just words.

"He knows you're in charge, but you're not going anywhere if you don't let him do what he's good at." I never thought a quote from 17 years ago would stay with me. But if you have 74 seconds to read, I'll tell you why it has. I was on a summer horse trip with my scout group. I rode dirt bikes as a kid. By nature, I always tried to avoid larger rocks in the path. No matter what I was riding. So I did the same thing with my horse. Our guide stared in confusion at me as I tugged left or right on the reins, making sure my horse didn't trip on the rocks. It didn't dawn on me, but I was micromanaging my horse. The guide pulled up next to me and dropped that wisdom in my lap. "Hey. He knows you're in charge, but you're not going anywhere if you don't let him do what he's good at. He knows these mountain trails better than anyone." I was doing what I thought would be best for my journey. But all I was really doing was controlling my horse's every move, and stressing him out. He was the expert. I chose him because he was, and I wasn't. And yet here I was, assuming I knew better. Don't micromanage your experts. Delegate. They know you're in charge, but you aren't going anywhere if you don't let them do what they are good at.

Can you see your next step? Then just take that.

“Comfort, Speed, Change. Pick 2.” -Laura Nestler

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. It'll take you 62 seconds to read, but here you go: It's not going to go exactly as you planned. Look, it's a tough time of year to hear this. I get that. Everyone is building out their plans and trying to make them look perfect before beginning them. But that's exactly the reason I'm telling you this. Because, as good as you want your plan to be, things will change. They always do. Enter the College Football National Championship game in 2018. Alabama vs. Georgia (shocker, right?). Alabama came in with a game plan. And it wasn't the right one. Quarterback Jalen Hurts, the guy that took the team all the way to the championship game, wasn't getting the job done. It was a mess. Score at halftime? Georgia 13, Bama 0. Now, the Crimson Tide could have kept following their game plan. They could've kept doing the exact same thing. Instead, the team adapted. They made adjustments. They plugged in freshman QB Tua Tagovailoa. He opened up the passing game, and Alabama won 26-23. You learn the most after the game starts. That's one of countless examples. The same goes for anything in life. Planning to be a parent? You'll learn the most after you become one. Starting a new gig or project at work? You'll learn the most after you dive in. Planning your vacation? You'll learn the most after you're there. Planning a campaign? You'll learn the most after it's already begun. Don't get me wrong. Preparation is crucial. You HAVE to have a plan. But you also have to be willing to adapt and learn from what is happening in real time. You need the freedom to adjust. So if you're the one that keeps tweaking your plan because it is almost perfect..... Stop. Launch the sucker. Launch and learn.

Never stop being a good person because of bad people.

Old but gold.