Gooooood Morning,

Let’s get down to it!

• “How do we make sure that the story we’re telling ourselves is in alignment with what actually did happen?” – Oprah Winfrey in conversation to Brene Brown. Ahhhh, the topic of self-narratives and the stories we tell ourselves. I think the rationalized internal dialogue floating around our brains can be both a blessing and a curse. Reason being, at times, we are able to pull ourselves out of a tough situation with a very rationalized, perhaps overly optimistic outcome that gets us over a loss or bad situation. All in all, a positive situation. On the flip side, telling ourselves a false narrative can lead to disillusionment and abdication of personal responsibility for our actions that may have gotten ourselves into the predicament in the first place. If you’re someone with a tendency to over analyze life’s events at times (ie. myself), this video clip is a great “check & balance” to ensure the stories we tell ourselves are in fact truthful.
• Daryl McDaniels… One of the founding members of Run-D.M.C. and pioneer in the hip-hop industry. I certainly didn’t know much about his upbringing or life in general but this Impact Theory interview goes in depth on it. The story behind Daryl’s fascination with a particular Sarah McLachlan song is quite fascinating to say the least. Two musicians on polar opposite ends of the musical spectrum, yet, Daryl attributes Sarah’s song, “Angel“, as a song that saved his life. This interview is one worth tuning in on. Perhaps one of Run-D.M.C’s most famous songs best sums up mental health… “It’s Tricky“.
• The title of the article reads “Bloodbath for Canadian Grocers as Consumers Demand Convenience“. The food industry is undergoing massive disruption as startups are challenging an industry traditionally dominated by global behemoths with unrivaled buying power. Equipped with advanced just-in-time (JIT) logistics and supply chain capabilities, nimble business models, an emphasis on freshness, ethical sourcing, convenience, curated experiences, and ability to greater resonate with consumer preferences, food startups of all kinds are making their dent.
• Any roadbikers or triathletes tuning in? This Fast Company read is for you. All of a sudden it makes sense why those “in” the biking world call the Tour de France a team sport!
• “The top NHL salary in 2018-19 (in terms of dollars owed, not cap hit) is the $15.9 million John Tavares is set to make in his first year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tavares is one of 14 NHLers scheduled to make at least $10 million next season and every one of those players is a bona fide star, Subban among them. By comparison, though, the NBA has 134 players scheduled to make at least $10 million in 2018-19—many of whom aren’t even starters—and 74 players will have higher salaries than Tavares in particular.” – Mike Johnston via Sportsnet article. Wow… Now that’s a zinger of a sport stat!
  

Song of the Week: A few weeks ago, my good pal, Jer, and I were lucky enough to see Brad Paisley live at Stampede. Needless to say, we both forgot how damn good of a musician and entertainer the guy is. Here are a few of my favorites…

• “Cover Girl” – Brad Paisley
• “I’m Gonna Miss Her (Gone Fishin)” – Brad Paisley
• “Letter to Me” – Brad Paisley
• “Waiting on a Woman” – Brad Paisley
• “Last Time For Everything” – Brad Paisley

Quote of the Week: “Training is like sweeping the floor. Just because you’ve done it once, doesn’t mean the floor is clean forever.” Daniele Bolelli

Happy August Long Amigos,

Mike