Tag Archives: Travel

Finding Divine Inspiration: Fenway Park

Sometimes life nudges you ever so slightly. Other times, it hits you in the forehead with a two-by-four. My visit to Fenway Park on August 9, 2023 was more of the two-by-four variety.

Let me quickly set the stage. I was flying into Boston on 8/9 and a couple attempts at dinner reservations with clients fell through. Busy schedules won the day and I was left to navigate Beantown on my own for the evening.

The gentleman next to me on my flight happened to be wearing a Red Sox hat (not entirely unique on flights to Boston), but I did notice it, and it did cause me to pause and think more openly about the nights’ adventures.

I spent the next 90 seconds scouring Google for the Red Sox schedule. As luck would have it, they had a home game on the evening of 8/9 vs. the Kansas City Royals. It was about 5:30 at Logan airport and the game was set for a 7:10 first pitch. I needed to hustle.

To further constrain my schedule, the damn Sumner tunnel is under construction and closed, so my delivery from the airport to my hotel was going to be anything but expeditious. I was going to be cutting it very close, but I was going for it.

Next to StubHub. Ticket purchased (see below/and not insignificant)

Fenway Park is charming and entirely unique. The ticket I purchased happened to be in the “Royals Family Box” next to the son of KC Royals Infield Coach: Jose Alquacil. The son flew in from Washington D.C. to celebrate his Dad’s birthday that evening and watch him “work” with the Royals. Connections started to be made [Father/Son experiences]. The game provided very unique drama, as it was the game history was made when a ball off the bat of a Royals batter broke a scoreboard light on the Green Monster. I’ve watched a boatload of baseball, and I’ve never seen that!!!

Flash Back 30 Years

Fresh Fenway Sausage with Peppers and Onions

My first visit to Fenway was with my Dad about 30 years ago (give or take). I remember walking foul pole to foul pole to get all the vantage points of the historic stadium. I remember vividly the smell of freshly grilled sausages and peppers outside the stadium (Yes they still do this) and my Dad will quickly bring this up if asked about our Fenway experience.

Thinking about my experience the following morning, I felt a little like Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) in Field of Dreams when he felt implored to “kidnap” Terrance Mann and get him to attend a baseball game at Fenway. It’s almost eerie. Mind you…I did no kidnapping this evening.

Go the Distance

I grabbed a beer, a hot dog, and settled into the game on a marvelous New England summer evening. I’ll fast-forward to the end of the game where this all became somewhat euphoric for me. My wife and kids knew I’d be at the game, but as is customary for us when I’m gone, they call to FaceTime before bed. I think it helps put all of our minds at ease that we get to chat before the day closes and heavy eyes rest.

The call happened to come in during the final three outs of the game…so I answered it, seeing my two kids faces glued to the screen in awe of where Dad was. And it was LOUD!

But I figured what the hell, I’m going to let them see what I’m seeing. So Landon and I watched the last two outs together via FaceTime. Having made our first deep dive into baseball this summer, and spending endless hours playing catch, it only seemed right that we share this moment. I took a quick screenshot as it says so much about what I was soon to learn.

I was really watching two things as the Red Sox reliever Kenley Jansen closed out the Royals on that insignificant Wednesday night. One is the game, as a solo home run was given up in the top of the ninth, closing the score to a snug 4-3 Red Sox lead with only one out.

The second, more profound watch, was my son’s reaction to it all. He was in awe! The stadium, the view, the crowd, the energy, Dad’s new Red Sox hat. It’s why I so dearly love sports. It simply can’t be recreated. It was then, when I started to see my future unfold before me.

A New Path

I really love what I do. I love working with energetic, savvy clients and strategizing on campaigns. I love the creation of something “new” for a brand and seeing it unfold. I also love all the myriad of experiences and relationships its brought a kid from small town Iowa in his life. Travel opened up my mind to possibility, wonderful restaurants, entirely new cities and different ways of life.

Fenway Connected My Past and Future

I’ve been thinking about “retirement” since I was probably 22 and started working. Some could argue this is good and others could argue the opposite. Either way, a plan took shape early, and I’ve consistently reshaped it as the years provided new thinking and resources toward this goal. Never once have I considered waiting until 60 or years beyond to “call it quits.” It was always going to be “early” vs. normal standards.

The Goal isn’t Retirement, it’s Freedom

Now in my 40’s, I have a very different view. I don’t want to retire per se. After all, what am I going to do, sit around and golf every day?? Doesn’t sound entirely horrible…

I want freedom and I want to experience it with those I love. I want to visit clients in Boston, and have my son experience it with me. I want him to enjoy a fresh lobster roll in New England, and freshly caught seafood in Seattle. We’ll cheers Chicago dogs outside Wrigley and a beer after our round at Torrey Pines. We’ll chomp down cheese curds in Lambo Field and sip a great cabernet in Northern California. Mind you, I’ve done all these things and it only adds to my hunger to consume more experiences like this with my kids.

I very much want to blur the lines of the professional and personal. My recent Fenway experience brought that vision front and center. Yes, they will likely miss school…which was unheard of in my day. But the experiences they’ll encounter can’t be duplicated in the class room.

Thanks Fenway (and the $13 beers) for igniting my memories and being a driver to a bigger purpose and vision for the future.

We Get What We Must Have

Want vs. MUST

I’m publishing this post from 36,000 ft, flying back home from a recent visit to New York City.  As per my usual travel cadence, I spend the time coming home recapping the visit and reflecting on where I stand with my goals.

It wasn’t until this year I started viewing my goals a little differently, and it’s been extremely successful.

Want vs. Must

I’ve heard this probably 20+ times when listening to Tony Robbins, but it wasn’t until I put it (my goals) in writing, when I started to see massive change.

Here’s exactly how it happened for me and how it can happen for you.

  1. Sit down in a quiet place where you can be brutally honest with your feelings.  You have to be REAL & it’s only about YOU.
  2. Grab a pen and begin to be unreasonable with what you want… (no MUST have).  100% Honest.
  3. Make a list and read it frequently.  I try to read mine weekly.

The title of my list started as, “What do I really want.”  The problem with this title is it wasn’t committed enough.  Wants are nice, but they don’t change behavior.  My list now is titled, “My MUST Haves!”

Below is my exact list.  I’ve removed a couple highly personal elements of my list, but don’t let that stop your list.  The key here is NOT to compare your list.  Do NOT try and keep up with the Joneses.  Own your must haves.  Get honest and get in motion the lifestyle you want to live.

My MUST Haves:

  1. I must make a great income.  $______________/yr+  Why? Because it will provide our family with tremendous opportunities and freedom to explore and live without a “job.”  This income will provide tremendous freedom to explore all the experiences we’re looking for.
  2. I must be passionate about the work I’m doing, but not feel handcuffed to it.  I want to work from anywhere and anytime I feel the need.  I don’t want a job.  I want to own and manage a business and its outputs.  I’ve learned I have the talents to do such a thing and I’ve learned others whom I consider equally or even less talented have been successful in doing so.  Make it happen today!
  3. I must live on a golf course in a nice but not extravagant home.  Why? Because I want my neighbors to be right or left of me and not on all sides of me.  Because I want to play a couple holes at night if we find the time.  It’s my ideal scene in the evening.
  4. I must create multiple sources of income for our family through business ownership and other businesses (i.e. rental properties/etc).  Why?  Because I want the freedom for my wife to stay at home (if she even wants to).  Because when we can create enough passive income, we can limit our tax liability and continue to earn money without directly working for it.
  5. I must travel and explore all that this great country has to offer.  Mountains and lakes, oceans and cities.  I want to eat great food, drink great wine and relax in beautiful surroundings.  I want to travel multiple times per year with the family and invest in experiences and not empty things that clutter a house
  6. I must be on the attack and not on my heels.  I want to be aggressive in pursuing this lifestyle design and all that it can provide our family.  What is the alternative?  There isn’t one.  Make it happen.
  7. I want to live comfortably knowing we’re contributing to our future and our son’s future with consistently maxing out retirement contributions and never taking on too much debt (except debt paid by others).  We contribute here first, or we contribute to owning more assets that provide us monthly cash flow to continue our path to financial freedom.  More experiences and less stuff.
  8. I MUST continue to push to get better physically, spiritually and intellectually.  Continue to dive into new books, thoughts, blogs, and readings.  Continue to learn and expand my relationships.   Remain consistently unsatisfied.

ACTION ITEM: Get serious and get it in writing.   Don’t think in terms of, “want to have” think in absolutes and “must haves!”

We get our Musts!