From the moment I came home from the hospital as a newborn baby until I left for college, I slept in the same bedroom. It was my room. Baseball cards, a few books, and other “valuables” were spread across my dresser. A Nerf hoop was clipped to the back of my door. The same two posters hung on my closet all throughout high school – John McEnroe and Peter Frampton.

In terms of financial health, the equation is fairly simple: don’t take out more than you put in. Unless you’re the federal government, most banks require you to have the money in your account before you can spend it. That’s one reason why credit card debt is so high – it’s easier to charge it now and pay later than to pay for it now. Unfortunately, what we end paying later is much greater than the original cost.

Stories are powerful.

Parents tell stories to help their children find their place in the world. Coaches tell stories to inspire their players. Leaders tell stories to rally their teams to tackle a project or navigate a change.

For some crazy reason, leaders in other organizations will contact me for advice. I usually chalk it up to desperation or having exhausted all other options. My price is pretty reasonable – it’s the price of a cup of coffee.

In terms of finances, I wish I would have learned the lesson of compound interest when I was twenty-five years old. But, as with many things, it’s better to learn the lesson later than not at all.

My father once told me something that you have probably heard in some shape or form. He told me, “Ken, if common sense was truly common then more people would have it.”

As I’ve thought about this over the years, I’ve come to realize that some people have truly uncommon sense – they are able to anticipate things others cannot. They see opportunities where others see a blank page or a problem. Many of our innovations and advances have originated from this uncommon outside-the-box thinking.

Years ago, I had a coworker who every Thursday afternoon would say the same thing at the same time: “I’ve hit my 32.”

As in 32 hours. As in “my work week is now over and I’m leaving.” He would often update us on how many hours (or minutes) he had left before hitting his 32. The first time I heard it, I thought it was funny — then I realized he wasn’t joking.

Do I start this post with a statistic or a gripping story? Should it be a short post or an expanded article? Focused on relationships, leadership, or organizational behavior? And when should I write it – today or tomorrow?

So many decisions.

Leaders are people who want to get things done. That’s why we lead teams, organizations, or businesses. We have dreams and visions, goals and objectives, and a finite amount of time in which to operate (i.e., no one lives forever!). And it often means having to work with people to get things done.

Anchors. Big, heavy pieces of metal that sailors use to keep the wind or current from moving their ship. The ship may swing, sway, and be tossed around, but the anchor is there to keep it secure.