Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

No Plan Survives First Contact

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

- Mike Tyson

Dear A,

In 1871, Prussian field marshal Helmuth von Moltke the Elder stated, "One cannot be at all sure that any operational plan will survive the first encounter with the main body of the enemy." Over time, that phrase has been simplified by the military into, "No plan survives contact with the enemy.” It’s one of those quotes that sticks because it’s so true - not just for war, but for business, sports, and life itself.

Without a doubt, plans are important. You wouldn’t start a business, coach a team, or train for a marathon without some kind of roadmap. But Moltke reminds us that the world is messy. The moment you “make contact”, whether that’s with competitors, opponents, or just life throwing you a curveball, your perfect plan is going to get tested.

And that’s where flexibility com...

Dear A,

It's football season and my Tampa Bay Bucs are 2-0, while the Michigan State Spartans are 3-0. Needless to say, I'm in an upbeat mood.

Here's what I'm following this week...

AUDIOBOOK I'M LISTENING TO...

Stay Sane in an Insane World: How to Control the Controllables and Thrive by Greg Harden. I’m really enjoying this audiobook. Every morning, I put it on while I run and during my commute, and it’s quickly become a highlight of my day.

Greg Harden rose to fame as the athletic advisor at the University of Michigan — best known for convincing a frustrated, bench-warming quarterback named Tom Brady not to transfer to USC, instead instilling him with the confidence to eventually become the starter.

But this book goes far beyond that one famous case study. Harden shares incredible stories of countless athletes he’s helped over the years, many of which are even more inspiring. At its core, the book is about “controlling the controllables” — learning to tune out outsid...

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

The Power of Sua Sponte

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

Dear A,

I was recently reading Admiral William McRaven’s book on leadership, The Wisdom of the Bullfrog.  In one chapter, he reflects on the Army Rangers’ motto, Sua Sponte - Latin for “Of Your Own Accord.”  It means doing what needs to be done without waiting for permission.

That idea immediately took me back to a remote CIA base in Iraq where I worked during the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  On the wall of our compound hung a simple sign that read: “If not us, who?”

Over time, you begin to realize that this is the essence of leadership: stepping up when others look away, taking responsibility when it would be easier to say, “That’s not my job.”

Admiral McRaven shares a powerful s...

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

Nike's New Slogan is Concerning

“The cowards never started. The weak died along the way. That leaves just us.”

- Phil Knight, Co-Founder of Nike

Dear A,

On Friday, my wife sent me a text saying that athletic apparel giant Nike was changing its slogan after forty years from “Just Do It” to “Why Do It.”

At first, I honestly thought it was a joke headline, something you’d see in The Onion or another satirical publication.  But when I went to Nike’s website, I saw it was true. Their press release proudly rolled out the new campaign, clearly aimed at Generation Z, which read in part:

“Designed to meet young athletes where they are, the campaign reframes greatness as a choice, not an outcome — handing ‘Just Do It’ to today’s generation and emboldening them to write the next chapter. The striking message speaks directly to today’s athletes, who are growing up in a world where trying, and failing, can ...

Dear A, 

Now that summer is behind us, it's time to move into my favorite season (and I don't mean hurricane season). 

Here's what I'm following this week...

AUDIOBOOK I'M LISTENING TO...

Swagger: Super Bowls, Brass Balls, and Footballs by Jimmy Johnson. Before he became the popular NFL Fox Sunday commentator, Jimmy Johnson was one of the most successful - and controversial - coaches in both college and professional football. Listening to his latest book makes me realize that his coaching style was actually forty years ahead of its time. There's a reason why coaches from all sports, as well as top CEOs, flock to his home in the Florida Keys year round, just to gain insight into his mental philosophies on coaching and on life.

BOOK I'M READING...

Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy) by William H. McRaven, U.S. Navy (Retired). Once holding the title of "Bullfrog", which meant he was the longest serving Navy Seal on active duty, McRaven has ha...

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

The Spotlight Effect

“You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Dear A,

Ever walked into a room convinced that everyone noticed your mismatched socks, or spilled food on your shirt at a party and thought the stain was the evening’s main event?  That’s the Spotlight Effect at work.  It's our tendency to overestimate how much others notice and evaluate our actions, appearance, or behavior.

Psychologists call this the illusion of transparency.  It feels as though a giant spotlight is shining on us 24/7, exposing our every move.   But the reality is, most people are so preoccupied with their own problems that they rarely give more than a passing glance before returning to their own mental to-do list.

Why does this happen?  Much of it stems from egocentric bias, or our natural tendency to view the world only from our perspectiv...

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

Time to Get a Bigger Frying Pan

“Blame no one. Expect nothing. DO SOMETHING!”

- Bill Parcells

Dear A,

Nick Saban tells a story about a man who went fishing and kept tossing back the biggest catches. When asked why, the man replied, “My frying pan at home is only nine inches wide.”

It sounds absurd - but most people live exactly like that. They don’t expand their capacity. They don’t grow their mindset. They settle for what “fits” inside the limits of their excuses.

The truth is, too many people don’t know how to win. The moment life gets tough, instead of rising to the occasion, they fold like an old lawn chair. They’re deathly afraid of competition, pressure, and accountability. When the spotlight is on them, they don’t embrace the opportunity - they hide from it. They bury their heads in the sand like ostriches, hoping the pressure will pass.

Rather than being the adult in the room, they ...

Dear A,

It's been a whirlwind of a week... how is it already Friday? The funny thing about about entrepreneurship is that nobody every says, "T.G.I.F." when you own a business. It's just another day that ends in "y".

Here's what I'm following this week... 

AUDIOBOOK I'M LISTENING TO...

The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon and Brett Adamson. I have a simple philosophy when it comes to business: if you can't sell, you can't eat. I am always amazed at the number of people who claim they want to start a business, but absolutely hate the idea of selling their product, service, or, most importantly, themselves to a stranger. A "Challenger" sale essentially means challenging a prospective customer's idea of how something has been done before. It's about educating them, as well as offering them a new way of thinking about their problems.

BOOK I'M READING...

The Art of Thinking in Graphs by Delov Erez. I am a highly visual person. Therefore, I enjoy learning through charts and...

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

If Nick Saban Ran Your Company

“You don’t win because you do extraordinary things on game day - you win because you did ordinary things with extraordinary discipline every day before it.” — Nick Saban

Dear A,

If Nick Saban walked into your office tomorrow, would he be impressed - or would he cut half your team?

Championship coaches don’t care about excuses, market conditions, or what the competition is doing this quarter. They care about standards. They care about building a culture where everyone - from the star quarterback to the equipment manage - executes with precision every single day.

The scoreboard? That’s just the byproduct. The real work happens long before kickoff - in the preparation, the discipline, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Legendary San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh famously said, “The score takes care of itself.” He meant that if you commit to a system of exce...

Dear A,

The CARVER Washington DC course is open for registration. You can find details below.

Here's what I'm following this week...

AUDIOBOOK I'M LISTENING TO...

Marinovich: Outside the Lines in Football, Art, and Addiction. Anyone who followed football in the late ’80s and early ’90s remembers the saga of Todd Marinovich. Hyped as “Robo QB” by Sports Illustrated, the All-American high school quarterback was meticulously groomed by his father, Marv Marinovich - a former NFL player turned strength and conditioning coach for the Oakland Raiders.

From the start, Todd’s upbringing was anything but typical. He endured an over-disciplined and often dysfunctional childhood, subjected to advanced training regimens overseen by a revolving door of specialists: strength coaches, vision coaches, throwing coaches, dietitians, and sports psychologists. Legend has it he never tasted a Big Mac, Coke, or Oreo as a kid. His father even recruited NFL offensive coordinators to teach To...