This month in the Academy we’re looking into the pursuit of mastery. Our culture is enamored with retirement. We save and invest, some even count down the days until retirement. Yet, at the same time studies are showing that retirement as defined in our culture actually has a negative effect on well-being (higher depression rates, increased aimlessness and languishing).

As we close out 2022, let’s take a good hard look at the lens in which we view our pursuits!

On September 16 in Belgrade, Serbia, Jordan Burroughs became the only United States wrestler to win seven world or Olympic Championships. With the win, Burroughs became the most decorated American wrestler in history. Six world titles and one Olympic gold medal. As champion of the 79 kilo division, he surpassed John Smith as the most decorated American wrestler in history.

Viewing himself and his design work as “works in progress” freed Virgil from the perfectionist ideals that plague so many of us. Virgil was wise to recognize that perfectionism doesn't promote the progress of anything, only purposeful iteration can do that.

“Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13)

One of the many subtle signs of Drift is a lack of self confidence.

On September 30, 1980, Nee and Eunice Abloh welcomed their first son into the world. In the Chicago suburb of Rockford, the immigrants from Ghana brought their baby boy home to his new bedroom. Wrapped in a swaddle and placed in a crib like every other ordinary newborn, he would spend his childhood like any other suburban kid in America.

There is a better way to live! It’s available to us all but requires a choice.

A decision to break away from the broken normalcy of society to live a more purposeful existence.

We’re designed to be different, but we’re taught to fit in, be ordinary, and achieve average!

How is becoming more like everyone else good for society?

From our standpoint, the scariest thing about Terry is not his speed, or on field play. What’s terrifying is this mindset he adopted early on in his career, this standout mentality. Understanding this mentality is critical to leveraging the power of deployment to unlock your full potential, regardless of your circumstances.

How does an average athlete rise to the ranks of the best in the world? By deploying a plan and fighting discipline drift everyday. In The Rise of Terry McLaurin we take a Stay The Course Leadership deep dive into how Terry McLaurin committed to the process of becoming great.

Did you know that scientists estimate that the odds of you being born are at least 1 in 400 trillion?

1 in 400 trillion.

And as you read this, did you know that you are 1 of 7.75 Billion people on earth?

1 of 7.75 Billion

Out of all the statistics, odds, and matchmaking, here you are - simply you. Consider your uniqueness. 1 in 400 trillion chance of even breathing life. The original 1-of-1 copy of you. A world of 7.75 Billion and there’s only one of you.

With each passing week I have felt this growing internal tension between how I have been showing up each day and how I desire to show up each day.

My vision of self is being slowly eroded by reality. My initial response was to assume I was broken and needed to be fixed! Asking questions like, “What is wrong with me?” Which only led me down a path of unproductive self-pity.