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Together, we’ll dive deep and find the strength to never give up because Great Things Take Time.

Great Things aren’t always the things that we have or the titles that describe us. Often, Great Things are the things you gain along the way to your goals.

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• We Don't Rent The Good Stuff

• Moments with Maurice

• What's Got Me Smilin'

We Don’t Rent The Good Stuff

This week, I benefited from the good side of social media when I came across a 2023 Wharton Business School commencement speech by Thasunda Brown Duckett, the President and CEO of TIAA. (Hit up YouTube for the full 15 minute speech)

My immediate reaction to seeing this was that I need to hear this every day because it’s an amazing reminder and got me thinking through some recent experiences.

In the speech, Duckett talks about how her title is rented, but her character is what is owned. While titles are certainly earned, at some point, you have to give them back, or they can be taken away from you if you don’t meet the conditions of the agreement.

As a New Yorker, I get the feeling of being a renter. I’ve rented my entire life and come renewal, your rent can go up, and then you’re off to a new location, and maybe new routines and local businesses that change how you approach your day.

Like any change, small ones can have an impact on how you live your life, who you meet, and where you go, but just like Duckett said in her speech, it’s rented, not owned. Who you are is something that is not easily changed or given up.

We all know that our worlds can be turned upside down in a split second. Whether you love your job or desperately want to leave it, are happy in your home or spend time planning to move out, or have everything you could ever want or nothing at all… everything could change.

And then, what are you left with? Are you happy with the person staring back at you in the mirror? Are you happy with how you’ve shown up for the people you love? What is your legacy when you’re gone?

I once spoke with a man who worked as a driver for incredibly wealthy and successful people. He talked about how these people had everything they could have dreamed of: the cars, the homes, the events, the STUFF. I’m sure if you knew who they were, you’d probably say that you wish you were them. It looks like they have it all. 

But these people were deeply unhappy. In fact, the driver ended up quitting the job because his wife told him that she didn’t like who he was becoming. Nothing was good enough; there was always something more to achieve. He was sometimes harsh or in a bad mood because he didn’t have something yet. Like the wealthy people he worked for, it didn’t matter what was already had; there was always something more to get.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with ambition or wanting to achieve certain things. I’ll never knock ambition, I’m the first one to admit that the desire for continued success is something I find intoxicatingly addictive. I know that my feelings come from watching my mother get laid off and my worry about not being able to provide for my family.

But what good does it do if I’m a total asshole to my family while working to provide for them? Of course, having stuff, a roof over your head, or good food to eat is important, but at what cost? I truly believe that there is a way to have both, to work hard and be ambitious, but to also not sacrifice your character and the things that you TRULY own. 

I’ll never forget how much love filled the one-bedroom apartment that my sister, brother, and I all shared with my mom while she was working full time and going to school. As a child, I didn’t realize it at the time, but what my mother went through could not have been easy. At the very least, sleeping on the couch so us kids had the bedroom couldn’t have been a walk in the park. But what I remember most about that time is how much love and support we had. I felt safe and cared for until eventually, everything else fell into place.

Now, I see my mother as pure light. She’s one of the people who reminds me that no matter what is going on in life, I need to continue to be a good person, to use my character to decide what I want from life and how it aligns. Who am I to think that my problems are worse or that my journey is better? At the end of the day, we’re all working towards the same things: to be happy in life.

Do the things you rent from life bring you the most happiness? The cars, the titles, the money, the stuff…? Everything that will be repurposed, or given away to someone else, the stuff you can’t take with you?

Or do you feel the happiest by the things that are yours forever? No one can take away the way you’ve made other people feel, the things you’ve stood up for, and the things you leave when you’re no longer around. It’s why you do what you do.

The things you have don’t define who you are. You could have everything you could ever want, or nothing at all, it’s your character who defines who you are.

Moments with Maurice

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

A Storyboard Set Me Up For This

While the car accident last week was a frustrating saga, I was reminded about how the exact car I was driving at the time of the accident, was something I had storyboarded years ago. It was right next to an image of a dog that had a lot of similarities to Frankie.

After seeing this, I couldn’t help but laugh at how lucky I was to be in this situation. I had achieved something big I had dreamed of, of course it would come with big problems.

Reframing your thinking isn’t wiping away the bad that’s happened, it’s finding a way to also see the good that can come out of a situation. Last week reminded me of how far I’ve come… but of course it still sucked.

Because no matter what, there is always something to smile about.

Shhhhhh

A super secret coming soon project. Sorry, that’s all I can tell you. Don’t you just love that? 😉 

The DownShift

This week was a mix of planning, dreaming, and some intentional downtime.

It kicked off with dinner alongside Jorg and his family, visiting from Germany. Jorg’s part of the car community, so naturally the conversation ran deep: engines, builds, and everything in between.

Scroll down and you’ll find a dream-worthy location for a car shoot (any guesses where?), a perfect blend of dream job and dream car, and a new show I’m really looking forward to from Larry Kosilla. If you know the detailing world, you know Larry: he’s been in it for life, and I’ve followed his work for years. Can’t wait to see what he’s cooking up next.

Cheers!

Enjoy your week, however you see fit! (Just make sure your glass has a bottom)

Remember:

-Adrian