12/19/25
In my first exercise in packaging my aspirational values, they come together as four cornerstones.
1. Stay Positive
2. Be Kind
3. Do Your Best
4. Have Fun
The foundation that all the other stuff is built on top of.
I say aspirational because these are all easy to say, but never fully achieved. They require work, intention, thought, and practice. They evolve over time, as does the perspective and effort to improve.
These foundational values are rooted in something bigger. In my eyes, the beauty and joy in life is catalyzed through community. You are a bi product of the people you spend the most time with. If you embody the spirit of these values, you will attract the right people into your life. And those people will influence every other important piece (mind, body, spirit, family, friends, work).
This is how you win the game of life.
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Stay Positive
This has been my guiding light for 20 years. Without it, my life would look drastically worse.
In any situation, your response to what is happening to you is everything. You have that choice. In any situation you can be negative or you can be positive. Choose positive.
It’s easy to say, hard to accomplish. For me, this one did not come naturally. I’ve had to work hard at creating a positive preset in the challenges of life. And I fail all the time. But when I’m successful — I notice the impact — which re-enforces the message — and I double down.
Be Kind
Life, school, work, friends, and family come with challenges. For everyone. We all experience pain and hardship. It’s a never ending carousel of challenge. As soon as you figure out one challenge, the next one will be waiting for you. Forever. That is a reality for every human on this planet. For some it’s easier to manage, and for others it’s harder. You never know.
So default to being kind. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Humans are inherently good. Trust, empathy, and grace — all sourced from kindness. Compounding value. We want to be nice, friendly, and pleasant to those we interact with. Because you get what you give.
Do Your Best
A tip of the cap to my dad. To this day, I will remind myself of this core value that was preached to me as a kid.
Having an intrinsic desire to be your best self. Motivation to make progress in making each year better than the last. Having intention on where you want to go. And working hard to get yourself there. Do Your Best is the guiding mantra in that process.
Have Fun
I’m really good at this one. I LOVE fun. They say everything in moderation, but fun should be in excess.
It’s in the small stuff. Working hard. Hanging with the dog. Morning coffee walks. Cooking. Music. Concerts. Hot tubs. Sports. Gardening. Driving. Friends. Colleagues. Lively nights. Quiet nights. Weaving it into the day to day. Fun should be liberally sprinkled into every day.
Like the others. Fun also evolves. How you interact with others. Mindset and presets in how you respond to the world around you. It takes work. It requires intention.
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All of these are interconnected. They are the keys to the castle.
There are a countless number of life lessons and reflections and advice and principles and values that are valuable and important to flag. All the stories guidance will trickle out over the years.
But these are the most important four.
Values I hold myself accountable to. And values I will preach. Planted into the subconscious. Directional reminders. They evolve over time, but they remain as important today as they were 10 years ago, and will be in 10 years.
These are the four that I will raise Jack with. My North Stars in how to be the best dad I can be.