What’s Shaking Mailbagger’s!?

Its been a while since we last did this… December 12, 2016 to be exact.

Well, lots of life has happened since then for all of us. Ups, downs and everything in between. As you may know, I left my corporate job on my own accord in March and have set my sights set on the beautiful Inverness skies that paint the backdrop for Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs.

I embarked on my journey bright and early this morning from Calgary and this edition is coming to you from a Motel 6 on the Trans Canada Highway in Brandon, Manitoba. I logged 1,194km today in the Green Gator! Things I learned on my drive: Saskatchewan is exceptionally flat, it is possible to go 4 hours in Canada without cell reception, and that massive agriculture dealerships (John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Case, New Holland) are front and center in every town and city in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

In my 12 hours of driving today, I alternated between podcasts, interviews, and tunes and have pasted links to different episodes I listened to today:

• Malcolm Gladwell TED Talk: “Choice, Happiness and Spaghetti Sauce”
• Malcolm Gladwell TED Talk: “The unheard story of David vs. Goliath”
• Malcolm Gladwell on The Importance of Stubborness
• Tom Bilyeu’s Impact Theory: Mel Robbins on Her 5-Second Rule
• Talks at Google: Ryan Holiday on Understanding Your Ego
• Tom Bilyeu’s Impact Theory: Terrell Owens on Destroying the Status Quo
• The Tim Ferriss Podcast: Peter Thiel Interview

Favorite tracks from shuffle today:

• “My Own Way to Rock” – Burton Cummings
• “I Don’t Even Know Her Name” – Alan Jackson
• “Boys Round Here” – Blake Shelton
• “Keeping it Country” – Jake Owen
• “Grab a Beer” – Dierks Bentley

While I haven’t formally written in 5 months, I have been collecting a ton of content in addition to making a lot of notes on topics that interest me. Now that I’m captaining my own ship, I will be creating lots of time to write about some of these things but also sharing some of my travel and caddying adventures from this summer on the East Coast. I don’t have any set frequency or format what’s in store. Just going with the flow and seeing where the tides take my writing…

On a sadder note, we lost a loyal Mailbag reader, Larry Ethier, last week due to a tragic health complication. Larry was a pillar of what was right in the world. He was a husband, father, brother, cousin, Principal, mentor, and friend to many. Genuinely one of the nicest men I’ve ever known. His Celebration of Life service was incredibly inspiring and a humbling learning experience for all in attendance. Larry had an incredible impact on the world, evident of all the enriching stories told by friends, family and colleagues of his 69 years of living. I think a friend, Lorree, summed it up best after the service, “in Larry’s passing, we all learned how to live.”

Larry was big on relationships. Everything from breaking the ice and instantly taking a genuine interest in your life to the more difficult element of maintaining friendships over time and large distance gaps, Larry always led with generosity. His son, Lucas, asked everyone in attendance to honor his dad by reaching out to someone who you’ve been meaning to for a while now but life has got in the way.

My way of honoring Lucas’ ask is after life getting in the way for five months, writing my first Mailbag to you in dedication to the great man Larry was and will continue to live on in legacy.

Quote of the Week: A classic from our friend, Larry.

Good, better, best.
Never let it rest.
Until the good is better.
And, until the better, best.

Let’s all take a page out of Larry’s book and make our own lives a message to the world about the person we show up as each and every day we’re alive!

Live From Manitoba,

Mike