26 Lessons from a 26 Year Old

i turn 26 today—

God has been really good to me. These are 26 micro lessons I wish I could have shared with my younger self a decade ago. So, pass this along to anyone stepping into the young adult world; maybe these insights will resonate with them as they navigate the next chapter.

Busy is not a badge of honor.
The Obstacle is the Way. Doing easy things does nothing for you but hurt. Doing hard things sets you apart from the rest.
Stay— stay committed to the Lord. Stay faithful to your spouse. Stay involved with your kids. Stay when the going gets tough. Staying gets you further than leaving.
Don’t be a ‘yes man’. People of high character don’t need praise, they need accountability.
Community is of greater value than most things.
Replace “deserve” with “desire” — You just fixed your bias toward entitlement.
Measure everything. It’s a life hack. (Health, Finances— everything.)
Ideas aren’t worth anything until action is taken.
In a similar vein, ‘almost’ is worse than never starting at all.
Don’t watch the news. If it’s important enough— you’ll hear about it. *It rarely is ;)
Failure isn’t trying. Failure is sitting on the sidelines.
Mentors are accessible to many, yet pursued by few. Find a mentor(s) and meet regularly.
You are who you hang around. I’d suggest finding people who make you the best version of yourself and steering clear of people who don’t.
Have an inner circle. It’s not a clique; It’s smart. Even Jesus had Peter, James and John. We think we have to give access to all people for all things…not the case. Be exclusive in some regard. It’s okay.
Perfection and Laziness share the same underlying tendency— nothing gets accomplished. The middle ground is the high ground.
Don’t let your kids get your leftovers.
Sleep, Diet, and Movement can solve most of your problems.
Don’t resent technology but also don’t rely on it. Only use your phone when absolutely necessary. Time is a thief and its biggest accomplice is the iPhone.
Be irrationally generous.
Your actions today yield dividends tomorrow. This applies to health, finances, kindness, and beyond.
Telling your wife and kids how much you love them isn’t enough— continually find ways to show them, serve them, and honor them.
Be insanely intentional with your words, especially the words you speak over your family. They repeat and remember.
Read as often as you can. You can pay $25/book to spend 3 hours soaking up information from a person you’d never have the chance to speak with otherwise.
If everyone else is doing ‘X’ — do the opposite. Trust me.
Don't resent your upbringing—no parent is perfect, and neither will you be. Instead of dwelling on imperfections, focus on the positive aspects of your upbringing. Focus on the 90% they did right rather than the 10% that wasn’t so great.
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.

I’m in a season of hyper-focus on some projects I’m really passionate about and can’t wait to bring to light in the coming months.

I was able to start my day with a conversation with the Lord thanking Him for another year of breath in my lungs and promising to continue to give Him ALL glory, honor, and praise as He is worthy of it all. I will steward well whatever He entrusts me with.

Love you all. So much more to come— God is good.

Always in your corner,

-LM