Words Crafted Into Stories…

Create Positive Feedback Loops — 9:25am yesterday morning I received a text message. A buddy of mine who I have not heard from in a while. A successful entrepreneur who I enjoy talking with as we bounce ideas off each other and provide honest feedback for problems we are both trying to solve. Knowing how busy we both are I completely understood why he never read my newsletter, until now. “Time” is a very precious asset we all must cherish and spend wisely. So, when I received this text from my friend the feeling was amazing. It stopped me in my tracks. I parked the car, shut off the engine and read his text message… not once, not twice but five times. Every time I read the words I asked myself different questions: Why did it take so long for him to open my letter… I’ve been sending them for 18 months? What did he read in my letter that would motivate him to send me a text message? Man I wish we could hook up more often and share more stories? How is he doing? I’m so glad I wrote that letter this month to reconnect with him. Sitting back reading this message from a buddy of mine it gave me a chance to reflect on “The Power Of Words” an email I sent out a while back: http://www.timkmurphy.com/whats-on-my-mind/beliefs/are-they-just-words-on-paper-or-do-they-have-power/ As I was reflecting I took into account the emotions a simple little text message like this, from a buddy,
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Everyone gets knocked down in life… The real test — getting up

Bam! She got hit in the mouth and went down… That’s what it felt like earlier this year when we found out our daughter, Ireland, made the “C” team for traveling softball. She worked so hard in the offseason to get better on her throwing, hitting and catching knowing tryouts were a big deal this season. We all kept rooting her on. Then, we got the news. This was the first time we had really been vested in sports and the process of tryouts and making a softball team. I’ll never forget those times when I was a kid. As a parent, it’s 10x more intense. You just want to get out there and do it for them. Ireland was devastated, tears started rolling down her cheek, she lost her breath as she started to gasp for air; then she started crying. As a parent this is the most helpless feeling you will ever have when it comes to parenting. The reality of competition just hit home. That’s when your fight or flight instinct kicks in. “Ireland, you don’t deserve this. You are better than this. There has to be some kind of mistake.” I said. Mom, coach and long time collegiate softball player herself, starts running through all of the players out loud. Trying to determine why Ireland landed on the “C” team. After hours of talking it through we both said to each other, “This is a mistake!” Then I thought to myself, Wow! this is so real.
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Leader, Manager & Operator all at the same time…

“Wow!……… I’m speechless Murph, give me a second.” Scott said, as he looked to the sky, then looked down at the table and gradually put his hands on his head pulling his hair back. You have to know Scott to appreciate this moment of silence. Scott is the type of guy who can walk in a room and light it up. Kind of like Norm when he walks into CHEERS. “Norm!!” everyone shouts as he walks in the door. Scott, is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, will give the shirt of his back and loves nothing more than a good conversation. Coming from a military family Scott knows what it means to work hard, do the right thing and treat others with respect. His military father instilled these military principles in him. You can just feel it. Quickly, Scott lifted his head to say, “Bro, I knew you wanted to talk today. But, I didn’t know you were going to completely blow my mind.” Scott said, with a passion in his voice that moved me. He then said, “Murph, you need to understand something about me. I was raised by a military father in a military home. He loved me. But, he was hard on me because as a drill sergeant in the military that’s all he knew. Sure, I hated that as a kid. I fought his orders… to my dismay. As I grew older, I became to respect the lessons my father taught me.
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Murph, “Why The Edina and Southwest Minneapolis Local Advice Givers Podcast?”

Edina-SW Mpls Advice Givers® podcast is an entire media company, in the first place. Let me start by stating the obvious. Media companies today aren’t about serving the local community. Minneapolis or St. Paul. Their only interest (and mission) is to generate advertising revenue, and pulling national stories from the Associated Press. We, Edina-SW Mpls Advice Givers®, are here to help break that mold. It used to be that you could visit a media company’s website, or read their publication, and find stories about local entrepreneurs. Business people and leaders in the community, striving to build interesting things, solve problems and make impact. When you read these stories, you were inspired. “If he or she can do it, why can’t I?” Further, you often knew the people that were featured. Maybe it’s a parent of your kids’ friend, at the local school. Or a young entrepreneur who invented a gadget, solving a painful problem. Or a service provider, like a financial planner or local chiropractor, helping individuals, families, and retirees to live better lives. Now though, you open that publication, and it doesn’t matter which it is, only to find more ads. In the famous words of Dave Thomas, Wendy’s founder, “Where’s the beef?” And the stories that are published, aren’t even about the people in our local community, city or county. They’re from someplace we’ve never heard of. Then there is the issue of content. What has happened to the art of great storytelling? Where did the human element
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Catch me I’m falling…

Standing on top of a 1,000 story building — jump “I can’t eat, I can’t sleep — the thoughts of “what if” running through my head. My stomach feels like its dropping and will never stop. The worst part… I don’t even know If I’m wearing a parachute. If I am… will it open?” Walking into a realm which you’ve never been. Traveling outside your comfort zone. Pushing yourself beyond the limits you knew possible. As a young child this is an hourly occurrence. As a kid it happens daily. Becoming an adult you start to see it less and less. Then finally you’re “Older” or “Elderly” scared as hell for what tomorrow will bring. As life reveals… There is usually someone or something there to catch you when you’re falling. Sometimes you don’t know who or what — that is the most frightening thing of all. Trust, is a very complex and extremely fragile thing. You think you have it but, then it’s gone. You think you know what it is, like an Eagle flying through the sky, when in the blink of an eye it turns into a vulture swooping down for its next meal. The question trust always leads us to “Why.” Why do I feel the way I do? Why am I not willing to let go and trust they will catch me? As an entrepreneur I live in a world of endless jumps from 1,000 story buildings. You embrace, when jumping, there is no parachute. Confidence lies in an ability to
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Are they just words on paper… Or do they have power?

This made me think about two mothers of individuals I showcased in my “Special People Doing Special Things” section of our newsletter. I wrote about a buddy of mine and I wrote about a gal on my team. The gal Diana, on our team called me yesterday, “Tim, you won’t believe this…” she said. “What! What did I do now?” I responded. “My mom is here reading the section you wrote about me in the newsletter. She is in tears reading it and can hardly finish.” Diana said. In the background I could hear her mom say, “Let me talk to him!” She got on the other end of the line. I could hear her sniffles and her hand bump the phone as she went to wipe her eye. “Give me a second to gather myself Tim.” 2 seconds go buy and she gets on the phone. A deep breath and this is what she says, “Tim, I know we have never met but, Diana has told me so much about you these last 3 years. I want to thank you for everything you do. But, this letter…” she had to take another deep breath and pause. “This letter, these words mean so much. They are so true and so real. Diana does have a huge heart. She is loyal and dependable. Most of all she always sacrifices for others. You and I know the ruff roads she has traveled in these last 3 years. For this I thank you
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The Process Is As Important As The Result – Anxiety of the unknown…

Like a first date, you walk in, sit down and look around you… What do you see? How do you feel? What can you expect? These are all natural feelings when you’re going to meet someone new for the first time. Anxiety sets in as you have prepared, to the best of your ability but, still you don’t know what to expect. You are about to embark on the most significant journey of your life. It will symbolize your step from being a young adult to a responsible grownup. These are the feelings Brad Fisher had just before meeting us at our office. Like everyone else who is buying a home for the first time Brad had questions about the process and needed answers. Because of this, we stressed an initial one-on-one conversation which allowed Brad to walk through the process of buying a home from start to finish. Brad shares the experience of having his first buyer consultation with us: “Tim & Diana were both extremely friendly, informative, and honest right from the start. Being a first time home buyer, I didn’t know exactly what to expect with the process of buying a home, nor did I know what types of homes were realistic to find in my search area and price range. Also, during our first meeting, they supplied suggestions of lenders, home inspectors, etc… to help begin my search and answered all my questions about what to look for in these services. I walked out of my
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a “Heart” as big as the moon

From the very first day I met her until today Diana has shown me a “Heart” as big as the moon. I’ll never forget that day I called her to say she is hired onto Metropolitan Home Team as our Office Manager. I uttered the words, “I think you are going to be perfect for this job. I would love to have you on our team.” from that very moment I felt what it was like to be in Diana’s presence. The line went silent, I heard a deep breath on the other side… “Tim Murphy I am so thankful to you for giving me this opportunity. I will not let you down.” Diana said just as she couldn’t hold it back any longer. I could hear and feel A sniffle, another deep breath and a soft sense of relief on the other side. This is the first time I felt her heart and there would be many more times to come in the next 3 years. As we have grown to know each other over these last 3 years Diana has been a sounding board for many of my good and not so good days. Many days Diana and I will joke about life, work or family. There are even times when we are laughing so damn loud you will hear doors slam in the office… telling us we are being too loud. It’s times like this we both look at each other as say, “Life is too short
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Procrastination is the killer of fulfillment.

We all yearn to be more, do more and fulfill a higher purpose. This burning desire comes from a passion ignited in all of us. Your path to fulfillment is not obvious. It’s unlike the well light runway you find airplanes landing on. Nor is it as simple as waking up in the morning to brush your teeth. Fulfillment, is an inner desire to be more, do more and leave a life knowing you made the most of it. Some define fulfillment as “Legacy.” Others define fulfillment as “Legend.” You see we all look at fulfillment differently, through a different perspective and influenced by different environments. This is what makes finding “it” so difficult and frustrating. You can feel it, you can envision it but you don’t quite know how to make “it” happen. This is where procrastination ruins the path to fulfillment. Procrastination is like a child inside tugging at your attention. Wanting, needing, screaming for it. You know each child needs attention but, deep down inside that child must grow up and become self sufficient. The trick to caring for procrastination lies in your ability to accept it like you do your children. Identify and relate, aim to educate and empower. only then will procrastination become independent. Once you have created an independence from your procrastinations the door to fulfillment will open. I promise you – walking the path of fulfillment is well worth the discipline and sacrifice it will take to become independent of procrastination. – TimKMurphy.com
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Seeing the world through your eyes…

Over the last few weeks I have realized more than ever just how perspective changes everything for each one of you I have conversation with. From the post I wrote about my buddy Charlie Lawson and his brother who suffered severe burns on his body. I received this message from Jenna Colvin: “Tim — I want to chat with you about this . His brother is the type of people firefighters for healing is all about helping …(the board I’m on) …. let’s chat“ www.FireFightersForHealing.com The stroy I told in my April newsletter about my good friend Chris Cornelius and his amazing daughter who is battling cancer with a smile on her face. I received this message from Chad Schumacher: “Murph, Loved the newsletter! I am on the board of a non-profit called Hope Kids. It’s an organization set up for children with life threatening illnesses. They try to offer events for kids and families every day to take their minds off of the treatment schedules and match up families with similar problems. Anyway, you should point her family in this direction………“ www.hopekids.org My conversation with you on a weekly basis through my emails you continue reading and responding to. Yesterday, I received several responses like the ones from Lorrie & Bob: “Tim, I loved the story. I enjoy following your family, real estate team, and now your broadcasting career. Looking forward to seeing and hearing the red A-H.“ “Good morning Tim, thanks for sending this When your guest was speaking about the year at
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