After celebrating my birthday on March 13, I’m shifting gears back to the core principles of GetSET2Connect. In this upcoming series, we’ll deep-dive into the framework, paired with fresh job leads, industry news, and a few surprises. We’re kicking things off with the S in GetSET: Strategic. We will explore what being strategic looks like by definition, from the perspective of a job holder, and through the lens of a job seeker.
Monday, March 16, 2026
GetSET2Connect Series, Part 1: Why Strategy is Your Career’s North Star (March 16, 2026)
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Half a Century of Life, Lessons, and Connection (March 14, 2026)
Half a Century of Life, Lessons, and Connection
To every single person who reached out, sent a text, left a comment, or whispered a prayer for my 50th birthday: Thank you. Reaching fifty isn't just about a change in the first digit of my age; it feels like standing on a peak and finally being able to see the entire landscape of where I’ve been. Reading your messages reminded me that while the journey is personal, it is never solitary.
Why This Birthday Feels Different
I chose to use this milestone not just for celebration, but to bring awareness to a "meaningful moment." Many of you have asked about the "depths" I mentioned. Life has a way of taking us through valleys we didn't choose, but those depths are exactly where the roots of our strength are formed.
I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how my story—the highs, the lows, and the messy middles—involves all of you. We are a tapestry of shared experiences, and I am so grateful you are part of my weave.
Looking Ahead: GetSET2Connect
I’m taking the weekend to soak in the last of these birthday reflections, but the real work (and the real sharing) begins shortly.
When I resume the blog this Monday, we are going deep. I’ll be introducing a concept that has become my North Star: GetSET. It’s more than just a catchy phrase; it’s a framework for how we bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to be—with ourselves and with each other.
S - (Stay tuned for the breakdown...)
E - (...)
T - (...)
I can’t wait to share this new chapter with you. See you back here on Monday.
Friday, March 13, 2026
50 Years: The Life I Almost Didn’t See (March 13, 2026)
March 13, 1994.
That was the day I began telling the people around me that I was going to end my life. I remember the weight of those words and the hollow certainty behind them. Nearly three months later, following a suicide attempt, I found myself in a psychiatric ward.
At the time, I thought that was the end of my story. In reality, it was the first day of the rest of my life.
The Radical Shift
I don’t share this to shock you or to lead with a tragedy. I share it because of the "radical change" that followed. For the last 32 years, my life has been a series of introductions—to people, places, and versions of myself—that were truly beyond my wildest imagination.
In that hospital bed in 1994, I couldn’t have envisioned the laughter I’d share decades later, the hands I would hold, or the wisdom I would gain from the people who have walked in and out of my life.
A History of Becoming
Recovery isn’t a straight line; it’s a long, winding road of evolution. Over the past three decades, I have learned that:
Presence is a Victory: Just being here is an achievement worth celebrating.
People are the Map: Every person I’ve met since that day has been a thread in the tapestry of my survival.
The Story Continues: No matter how dark the chapter, it is rarely the final page.
Celebrating 50
Today, I am celebrating 50 years of life. Thirty-two of those years were "bonus years"—years I fought for, years I almost traded away, and years that have proven to be more beautiful and complex than I ever thought possible. This blog is a space to honor that history. It’s a place to talk about where I’ve been, but more importantly, to celebrate the fact that I am still here to tell the tale.
To anyone standing in their own "March 13, 1994" right now: Please stay. The versions of you that exist at 50 are waiting to meet you, and they are more incredible than you can imagine.
Thursday, March 12, 2026
1 Day Out: A Letter to the Ones Who Mean the Most (March 12, 2026)
With one day remaining before I turn 50, it feels right to pause and recognize the people who have meant the most along the way.
Milestones naturally make you reflect. Fifty years brings a lot of memories, a lot of lessons, and a lot of gratitude. And while so many people have played a role in the journey, there are a few who deserve a very special acknowledgment.
This one is for them.
To My Wife, Charlene
Charlene, you have been my partner through so many chapters of life.
Marriage is a journey of shared experiences — the highs, the challenges, the everyday moments that make up a life together. Through it all, your support, patience, encouragement, and belief have meant more than I could ever fully express.
Life moves fast, and careers, responsibilities, and schedules can sometimes pull in a hundred directions. But having someone beside you who understands the journey — who celebrates the wins and helps navigate the tougher days — is something I never take for granted.
As I reach this milestone, I’m grateful not just for the years we’ve shared, but for the many more chapters we still have ahead of us.
To My Mom, Wilma
Mom, so much of who I am today traces back to the example you set.
Mothers often carry more responsibility than anyone realizes — guiding, teaching, encouraging, and sometimes sacrificing so their children have opportunities to grow and succeed.
Your strength, work ethic, and belief in family created the foundation that made everything else possible. Even when life presented challenges, you always found a way to keep moving forward and keep our family grounded.
That example stays with me every day.
To My Brother, John
John, growing up with a brother means sharing a lifetime of experiences — some competitive, some chaotic, and many unforgettable.
Brothers understand each other in a way that doesn’t always need a lot of explanation. There’s a shared history that comes from growing up side by side and navigating life’s early chapters together.
No matter where life takes us, that connection is always there.
To My Dad, Eldon
Dad, even though you’re no longer here, your influence is still present in so many ways.
Fathers leave behind lessons that often reveal their full meaning later in life. The things you taught — through words, through actions, and through the way you approached life — continue to guide me.
Milestones like this one naturally bring reflection, and your presence in those memories remains strong.
Your impact didn’t end when you were gone. It continues through the values and lessons that stay with me.
Tomorrow I turn 50.
It’s a milestone that represents time, experience, and reflection — but most of all, it represents the people who made the journey meaningful.
To Charlene, Mom, John, and Dad — thank you for being such an important part of the story.
The next chapter begins tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
2 Days Out: A Letter to My Family (March 11, 2026)
With two days remaining before I turn 50, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the people who helped shape the journey.
This one feels a little different from the others in the series. Instead of a list or a reflection, this feels more like a letter.
A letter to family.
To my aunts, uncles, cousins, and especially my Grandma Hunt,
As I get closer to turning 50, I’ve been thinking about the foundation that made the rest of the journey possible. Long before careers, responsibilities, and adult life took shape, there was family — the people who helped create the environment where everything else began.
Family gatherings, holidays, conversations, stories, and traditions may have seemed ordinary at the time, but looking back, those moments carried more meaning than we probably realized.
They were the building blocks.
They were where values were learned — how to treat people, how to work hard, how to show up for others, and how to keep moving forward even when things didn’t go exactly as planned.
To my beloved Grandma Hunt,
Your presence has always represented something steady. Grandparents have a unique role in families — they carry the stories of the past while quietly shaping the future through the example they set.
The wisdom, patience, and perspective you’ve shared over the years have had a lasting impact, whether it was through advice, encouragement, or simply being someone who was always there.
Those things matter more than words can easily capture.
To my aunts and uncles,
You helped shape the family environment that made growing up feel supported and grounded. Each of you contributed something unique — your personalities, your experiences, and your presence at the moments that mattered.
Looking back, it’s easy to see how those influences helped shape the person I’ve become.
To my cousins,
Growing up alongside you created a shared history that still connects us today. We’ve all taken different paths and built our own lives, but there’s something about family that always brings the story back together.
Those early memories — the laughter, the chaos, the holidays, the time spent together — are part of the fabric that connects us.
As I approach 50, I realize more clearly that no one reaches a milestone like this alone.
Every chapter is influenced by the people who were there along the way — encouraging, supporting, teaching, and sometimes simply showing up when it mattered.
Family creates the roots that allow everything else to grow.
Two days away from 50, I’m grateful for those roots.
And grateful for all of you who helped plant them.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
3 Days Out: Gratitude for the Student-Athletes and Coaches Who Shaped the Journey (March 10, 2026)
With three days remaining before I turn 50, one thought keeps coming back to me.
So much of the journey has been defined by the people involved in athletics — especially the student-athletes and coaches I’ve had the privilege to work alongside over the years.
Athletics has a unique way of creating connections that go beyond the scoreboard. The games, meets, and matches may last a few hours, but the lessons and relationships often last much longer.
As I reflect on nearly five decades of life — and many years working around college athletics — I’m reminded of how much those relationships have meant.
The Student-Athletes
To the student-athletes I’ve worked with over the years, you’ve probably taught me as much as I’ve ever helped you.
You taught me about commitment — the early mornings, the late practices, the constant pursuit of improvement. You showed what it means to balance competition, academics, and life at a time when expectations are high and time is limited.
But more than that, you reminded me why college athletics matters.
It’s not just about wins and losses. It’s about growth, resilience, teamwork, and learning how to respond when things don’t go as planned. Watching so many of you evolve over the course of your college careers — and then go on to succeed in life beyond sports — has been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
Seeing former student-athletes build careers, lead families, and contribute to their communities is a reminder that the impact of those years extends far beyond the playing field.
The Coaches
And to the coaches — the leaders who guide those student-athletes — your influence is often greater than you realize.
Coaching requires patience, vision, and the ability to develop people, not just players. It’s a profession that demands long hours, emotional investment, and a belief in young people who are still figuring out who they are and who they want to become.
Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to observe countless examples of leadership, mentorship, and dedication from coaches who truly care about their teams.
The best ones understand that while championships are celebrated, the real legacy lies in the people they help shape.
Why It Matters
Working in and around athletics has given me a front-row seat to moments that are both unforgettable and instructive — dramatic wins, difficult losses, personal breakthroughs, and the quiet moments of growth that don’t always make headlines.
Those experiences have reinforced something important: athletics is ultimately about people.
The relationships formed through practices, road trips, locker rooms, and long seasons often become lifelong connections.
With three days remaining before I turn 50, I find myself especially grateful for the student-athletes and coaches who have allowed me to be part of their journey in some small way.
You’ve made the path more meaningful than you probably realize.
And for that, I’m thankful.
Monday, March 9, 2026
4 Days Out: Five Things I Appreciate More as 50 Approaches (March 9, 2026)
With four days remaining before I turn 50, the reflection naturally becomes a little deeper.
Earlier in this countdown I’ve thought about lessons learned, milestones reached, and the perspective that comes with time. But as the number gets smaller, something else becomes more prominent — appreciation. The longer you travel a road, the more clearly you can see the people, moments, and opportunities that made the journey meaningful.
Here are five things I find myself appreciating more as 50 approaches.
1. Meaningful Relationships
The people who have walked alongside me — family, friends, colleagues, mentors, students, and those who crossed paths for even a short season — are the true markers of time. Careers evolve, organizations change, and chapters close, but relationships endure.
Looking back over the years, it’s clear that the most important parts of the journey were rarely the events themselves. They were the conversations, the collaborations, the encouragement during difficult moments, and the shared celebrations when things went well. The people who invest in you — and those you invest in — ultimately define the experience far more than any résumé line ever could.
2. Perspective
One of the quiet gifts that comes with time is perspective. Situations that once felt overwhelming now feel more manageable because experience teaches you that most challenges are temporary.
Over the years you begin to recognize patterns — in people, in work, and in life. You learn that setbacks are often part of progress, that patience is a strategy, and that the best decisions are usually the ones made with a clear head rather than a rushed reaction.
Perspective doesn’t eliminate challenges, but it helps you approach them with a steadier mindset.
3. The Opportunity to Keep Learning
If anything has remained constant over the years, it’s the realization that learning never really stops. In fact, the desire to stay curious feels even more important now than it did earlier in life.
The world continues to evolve — technology, industries, communication, and the way we connect with each other. Staying open to new ideas, new tools, and new perspectives keeps the journey interesting. Curiosity becomes less about keeping up and more about continuing to grow.
There’s something energizing about knowing that even after decades of experience, there is still more to discover.
4. Small Moments
Earlier in life it’s easy to focus on the big milestones — the achievements, the promotions, the major accomplishments that feel like defining moments.
But over time, the smaller moments begin to carry more weight. A meaningful conversation. A quiet morning to reflect. A chance to help someone else move forward. A simple moment of gratitude that might have gone unnoticed years ago.
Those smaller moments often become the ones that stay with you the longest.
5. The Journey Itself
Looking back, the path to this point hasn’t been perfectly straight — and that’s probably the point. Careers evolve. Opportunities appear unexpectedly. Plans change.
The twists and turns are what shape the story. The lessons learned along the way — both the successes and the setbacks — help define who we become.
Reaching this stage doesn’t feel like an ending. If anything, it feels like a moment to pause, appreciate the road traveled so far, and prepare for whatever comes next.
Four days out from 50, I’m reminded that milestones are less about the number itself and more about the reflection they inspire.
And if the first five decades are any indication, the next chapter should be just as meaningful.
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