1/8/26: Take Two — Not Ready, Not Set…Go
Ideas and inspiration for a more intentional, extraordinary life.
January 8, 2026
WORDS TO WONDER
Not Ready, Not Set... Go
"The path is made by walking."
— Antonio Machado, Spanish poet (1875-1939)
PERSPECTIVES TO PONDER
I was listening recently to an interview with Ed Sheeran, and he was asked about his songwriting process. Did he start with lyrics or music? Did inspiration come from a particular place? Did he follow a system?
His answer surprised me in its simplicity.
“I don’t really have a process,” he said. “I just do it. I pick up a guitar every day and write one or two songs.”
Then he added something even more important: most of those songs aren’t good. Some, he admitted, are downright terrible. But by writing a lot—by showing up day after day—he sharpens his craft. And every so often, hidden among the forgettable songs, something beautiful emerges.
I love that approach—not just to songwriting, but to life.
So often, we wait. We plan. We prepare. We tell ourselves we’ll begin once we feel ready, confident, or clear. We try to create the perfect conditions before taking the first step. But clarity rarely comes before action. More often, it comes because of action.
That’s what Antonio Machado was getting at when he wrote, “The path is made by walking.” The way forward isn’t revealed on a map—it’s revealed through movement. The path appears only after we begin to walk it.
There’s wisdom in planning, of course. But there’s also wisdom in starting before we feel ready. In increasing our volume of effort. In allowing ourselves to produce imperfect work, have awkward conversations, take clumsy steps, and learn as we go.
Most of what we do won’t be remarkable. And that’s okay. Because somewhere in the middle of the mess—amid the false starts and failed attempts—we begin to find our stride. We discover what works. We learn what we're capable of by trying.
So instead of asking, “What’s the perfect plan?” try asking, “What will I do today, and again tomorrow?”
Write the rough draft. Make the call. Take the walk. Begin badly if you must—but begin.
THINKING OUT LOUD
1. Busyness is the most socially acceptable form of underperformance.
2. Sooner or later, we learn that time (not money) is what we're really spending.
3. What we avoid says as much about us as what we pursue.
A TALE OF TWO KICKERS
This past weekend, the final regular-season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens came down to the final play of the game.
The winning team would advance to the playoffs. For the losing team, the season would be over.
The game swung back and forth all night. It was a battle. And in the final seconds, with the season hanging in the balance, the Ravens sent their kicker, Tyler Loop, onto the field.
The snap was clean.
The kick was up.
And it missed.
Just like that, the season was over.
Kicker Tyler Loop after missing the kick
What followed was heartbreaking. In the days after the game, the kicker became the target of an avalanche of anger and abuse. Online harassment poured in. His fiancée’s social media accounts were flooded with hateful messages. The hostility grew so intense that the couple required security for their own safety.
One missed kick and Tyler Loop was now the most hated man in Baltimore.
Now consider a similar moment from another era.
On January 27, 1991, the Buffalo Bills were playing in their first-ever Super Bowl—Super Bowl XXV. With seconds left on the clock, the Bills trailed 20–19. Everything came down to a 47-yard field goal.
Their kicker, Scott Norwood, lined up.
The kick was up.
And it sailed wide right.
The Bills lost. Norwood and the Bills were devastated.
But what happened next is one of the most beautiful responses in sports history.
Instead of turning on Norwood, Buffalo showed up for him. Fans sent letters of encouragement. The city held a parade—not to mourn the loss, but to honor the team. And during that parade, the crowd began chanting, “We want Scott!”
Norwood, overwhelmed and unsure, was standing in the back. Slowly, sheepishly, he made his way forward. And when he did, the crowd erupted—not with anger, but with applause.
Crowd supporting Scott Norwood after his missed kick
Two kickers.
Two devastating misses.
Two very different responses.
Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone misses. Everyone has moments they wish they could do over.
The question is not whether people will fail.
The question is how we will respond when they do.
Will we pile on—adding shame to disappointment, cruelty to pain?
Or will we offer what every one of us hopes for when it’s our turn to fall: grace, encouragement, and support?
I can’t help but think the world would be a better place with more fans like those in Buffalo.
BEFORE YOU GO
We’re one week into the new year.
Maybe you’re energized—making progress and feeling hopeful about what lies ahead.
Or maybe you’ve already stumbled, lost momentum, or feel discouraged.
Either way, it’s not the past seven days that matter most. It’s the 358 days still ahead—and the one you’re living right now.
Life isn’t built in perfect streaks or flawless starts. It’s built in ordinary moments, small steps, and quiet course corrections. There’s no need to catch up. No need to restart. No need to have it all figured out.
There is only now—and what you choose to do with it.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living.
Kevin