Kill Your Momentum in One Easy Step

A team can’t outgrow its leader. Your growth determines your team’s growth. And one of the biggest areas of growth? Decision-making.

Type 1 vs. Type 2 Decisions (Clarity & Ownership)

Not all decisions are the same. Some are like walking through a one-way door—once you step through, there’s no going back. Others? They’re two-way doors—if you don’t like what you see, just step back out.

Type 1 decisions are big, high-stakes, and hard to undo. These set the foundation for your business, relationships, and life. Think: “Will you marry me?” Once you’re in, you’re in.
Type 2 decisions are flexible, lower-risk, and should be made quickly. They let you experiment, adjust, and learn. Think: “Should we test a new marketing strategy?” If it flops, no big deal—you pivot.

The problem? Too many people treat every decision like a Type 1, and it grinds everything to a halt.

The Core Value Killer

When I confuse Type 2 decisions for Type 1, I kill momentum and violate every one of my core values.

Fear-Based Culture (Attitude Violation) – If every decision feels like life or death, people stop taking initiative.
Decision Paralysis (Action Violation) – Overanalyzing and hesitation lead to missed opportunities.
Overloading Leadership (Accountability Violation) – Leaders get buried in decisions others should handle.
Lost Speed & Missed Opportunities (Improvement Violation) – Business thrives on speed, but delays cost progress.
Wasted Energy & Time (Service Violation) – Teams spin their wheels in endless debates instead of moving forward.

The Opportunity Tree

Life is like a tree full of opportunities. Every decision takes you further down a branch. Some branches split in multiple directions, giving you room to move, adjust, and grow. Others? They end, forcing you to either stay put or cut them off entirely.

Type 1 decisions are those branches you can’t retreat from—once you go out, there’s no coming back. They shape the structure of your life, your business, and your relationships.

Type 2 decisions, though, are branches that let you explore. If you don’t like where they lead, you can back up and take a different path.

The biggest mistake? Treating every decision like a trunk or an irreversible branch. Growth doesn’t come from standing still—it comes from taking steps, learning, and adjusting along the way.

So, next time you’re at a crossroads, ask yourself: Is this a Type 1 or Type 2 decision? Because knowing the difference is what keeps your tree growing strong.

February 26, 2025

Focus on the Prize, Not the Shiny Stuff

There’s real truth in Dan Martell’s words: “Most companies die of indigestion not starvation.” It’s not a lack of opportunity that sinks us—it’s the endless chase after every flashy distraction. And that’s exactly what God is telling us through Proverbs 24.

Grow in Wisdom, Build Your Strength

Proverbs 24:5 reminds us, “A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.” God isn’t urging you to add clutter to your life. Instead, He’s challenging you to set your sights on something far greater: wisdom. Not the quick fix or trending fad, but the deep, unshakeable knowledge that builds true strength. When you grow in wisdom, you discover that the prize is found in the journey of self-discovery.

Measure Your Progress Against Life’s Tests

Proverbs 24:10 declares, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Life will test you—it’s inevitable. When adversity strikes, ask yourself: do you crumble, or do you measure your resolve and rise? The true measure of strength isn’t found in ease but in how you handle the storm.

Repeat: Rise Again, Every Time

Proverbs 24:16 tells us, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” Seven isn’t just a number—it’s a reminder of perfection in persistence. Fall, learn, rise, and repeat. This cycle isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s proof of your relentless spirit. Every time you get back up, you’re growing into the person you’re meant to be.

As you navigate your journey in business, relationships, and your personal walk with God. Every fall is a lesson, and every rise is a testament to your resilience.

Stay focused. Don’t chase every shiny distraction. Grow in wisdom and knowledge, measure your strength in adversity, and rise again—because if you’re determined to get up, you will grow.

Remember… You are the prize.

February 24, 2025

The Price of Everything (And the Cost of Some Things)

At SignMaster, we’re evaluating our pricing structure, and I’ve been reading Confessions of the Pricing Man. It’s a fascinating deep dive into how pricing affects everything—business, psychology, even human behavior. Highly recommend it.

But during my scripture reading today, I came across something that put price in a whole different light:

Proverbs 17:23
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

And it got me thinking—

What was the amount of the gift?
What was the judgment being perverted?

I’ve probably watched too many gangster movies, so my mind immediately went to bribery and extortion. But maybe it’s much smaller than that—more subtle, more personal.

How many times have I made the wrong decision because it benefited me?

Not every price is measured in dollars. Sometimes it’s measured in integrity. Convenience. Compromise.

Some things should never have a price tag.

February 17, 2025

The Void

When a person with money meets a person with experience, the one with experience ends up with the money and the one with money leaves with experience. – Warren Buffett

We all have blind spots, King Solomon called it a “void of understanding” in Proverbs 7. Whatever you want to call it, sometimes we just don’t know what we don’t know. We are all gonna take some falls, make some “bone-head” mistakes, and look very foolish from time to time.

Aside from sincere apologies, I have found one thing to help in almost every failure… HUMILITY. Humility opens a frequency of communication between us higher than the current situation. Humility opens the door to empathy, kindness and love.

Every failure is a fork in the road. The path marked “Humility Highway” leads to learning and growth. “EGO DRIVE” takes you right back to where you started.

Keep pressing toward the mark.
-T

September 7, 2023

Finding Purpose

Finding purpose, starts with doing something on purpose.

Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
Psalm 17:3 KJV

April 24, 2021

The Right Thing

Often, as an entrepreneur, you have to turn off the noise. You have to stop listening to what other people are saying and do your thing. Some of the greatest ideas and inventions have been brought into existence in spite of what others think.

In the midst of the chaos of creation, it’s good to regularly take a pause and evaluate.

Is this what I wanted?
Am I missing something BIG?
Is there any collateral damage?
How many people am I helping?
Is the cost still worth it?
Is this the right thing?

Clearing the calendar and the smoke for a day or two to think deeply about these types of questions will save you lots of money, but more importantly…TIME. Perfecting the wrong idea is always a bad idea. Some of our ideas should be executed, and others should be executed.

Doing the right thing is more important than doing the thing right.

Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? [2] He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
Psalm 15:1-2 KJV

April 23, 2021

The Head

Are you the Head Honcho? The big cheese?

I remember an old saying, “If you want a fresh drink of water, go to the head of the stream.” In other words if you want the truth, ask the person who knows; or if you need permission, ask the person with the authority to grant it. Many systems and organizations are so opaque and complicated, it’s hard to find the head.

Here are a few things we can do to keep our organizations flowing freely.

Don’t just train, teach.
If you teach someone WHY, you unlock personal genius and they become a better team player. Understanding creates confidence creates initiative creates efficiency.

Allow failure.
An environment where small failures are actually praised and shared is magical. When people are allowed to TRY without fear, new ideas come to light. A few winning ideas can be a game changer.

Encourage and invest.
People care about people who care about them. When we CARE it positively affects productivity and bottom lines; but more importantly, it changes lives.

Everyone has a BOSS.
Regardless of where you are on the ladder, you have a boss. Like it or not, one day you will be asked to give account for your work.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; [4] What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalm 8:3-4 KJV

April 22, 2021

Progression

Our lives are constantly changing whether we want it or not. The good news is that you have great influence over the direction of the change.

Consider the four pillars; health, wealth, relationships, and spirituality. Intentionally make a positive move on each one every day. It doesn’t have to be huge. Eat a salad, send a note, pray, save… the small things we do consistently set the trajectory of our lives.

We grossly underestimate the compounding effect of tiny movements in the right direction. It’s never worthless and it always matters!

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psalm 1:1 KJV

April 21, 2021