BECOME A BETTER
HUSBAND, DAD, AND LEADER.
The Uncommen Blog
Husbands – Dads – Leaders – MIT
Topics
Quicksand
Last week, I introduced you to my guilty pleasure, The Replacements. The Sentinels, the team Gene Hackman’s character Jimmy coaches, came up just short of a win in their first game. His quarterback, Shane Falco (played by Keanu Reeves) called a run instead of trying...
Winners
I have a confession to make. It’s pretty embarrassing. I love the movie, The Replacements. Gene Hackman. Keanu Reeves. The football scenes aren’t close to accurate, and you can anticipate where the story is headed. But I enjoy how they get there, and whenever it...
I am My Dad
For years in high school, I vowed that this would never be the case. If my dad turned left, I turned right. I felt like we had nothing in common. My days were spent focused on school, athletics, and girls. He spent his days working at his boring government job, and...
Who You Are Becoming
When I was a boy, my father would often repeat the saying to me: “Choose your friends wisely. Because that’s who you will become.” In youth, we are often told that hanging out with the wrong crowd will get us in trouble. And on the flip side, we should seek out...
The Way Back is the Way Forward
For as long as I can remember, I have loved historical documentaries. At times it feels like I could get lost in the stories told by Ken Burns, or the books written by David McCullough. As a little boy growing up in Virginia, I went on field trips to old Civil War...
Class is in Session
We all remember that feeling: making our way through noisy school hallways. Sounds of yelling, laughter, footsteps, lockers slamming, feet shuffling, doors opening and closing. The announcements burst through the loudspeaker, the bells ring, the hallway clears, and we...
Put Down The Phone
Hey! Put your phone down right now! (well, at least if you are reading this right before bedtime.) I’m sure you’ve heard the recent news that using screens before bedtime can mess with your sleep patterns in a big way, and have an adverse impact on your health, but...
Uncommen Habits: Saying the Hard Thing
Have you ever felt deep down in your gut that you are supposed to say something hard to someone, and you aren’t sure how they are going to receive it? Maybe it’s a warning to a friend who is involved in some unhealthy habits. Maybe it's a coworker that’s out of line....
The Power of No
Imagine driving down a country road to your destination. The radio is on, and you are enjoying some fresh air until you notice the temperature gauge on the engine is rising slowly. Then the temperature warning light comes on, but you keep driving knowing you will take...
Fathers at Play
The results are in. According to a recent global study, roughhousing is critical to a child’s development. Maybe the best gift you can give to your young kids is to roughhouse with them a little bit more. Dr. Richard Fletcher is the leader of the Fathers and Families...
Repainting the Boat
Not too long ago, back when my wife and I lived in Massachusetts, we decided to take a sunset drive from Salem to Gloucester, Massachusetts. We had traveled this road many times before—a beautiful, twisting-and-turning road that hugged the rocky coast—and it was...
Men and Competition
We are a very competitive nation; from our sports, to our business, to our hunting activities, and even our politics, we compete in many facets. We find ways of measuring everything from the size of car engines to deer racks. America is one giant competitive engine in...