It is word to the third Wednesday, my reflections on purpose, life and growth. Until we brook, I'm a speaker, author, professor, and forever student. Each week I'll be coming undone, I bring you guests who have dared bravely, risk mildly, and grown relentlessly, high achievers who've transformed from falling apart to falling into place. But every third episode is my turn to reflect, refine, and reprocess onward to the third. This past week I was on the road traveling to North Carolina for work and trying furiously to claw my way back to some semblance of not behind. It's a losing battle I know. My most recent two guests both had inspiring stories no doubt, with Cricket Carpenter overcoming a near fatal accident and marriage she couldn't remember. In a story that's been chronically in books, movies, and television, the world over. Meanwhile Rob Sims overcame the loss of his dad to cancer at an early age. To go on to play four years of college baseball at Division 2 Truman State University. And after graduating and searching for his new identity elsewhere in sports media and communications, he eventually found a new career as a development and fundraising expert. Both undoubtedly have lived through their share of ups and downs, pain, turmoil. What I recognized is that both of them have been able to remain positive despite incredible setbacks by relying on their faith and the connection that it provides to other like-minded people. But it didn't just happen this way. For both success and happiness have been a consistent and sometimes difficult, active choice. This springtime in our academic program which historically means that my students are near their breaking points. They're working furiously to finish up their last few classes while also studying for their board exams and doing hours and hours of clinicals. It's a lot. It's not something that other students before them haven't done, but it is usually the first time they've been stretched as far. And it's a predictable consequence that when the pressures rise and the stakes get high, tensions rise too. Here's what frequently happens. The first semester in the program, things are tough, but they're still new to the program. People are friendly and the spirit of togetherness and shared struggle seems to win the day. Doing heart-thanks, especially overcoming huge challenges together, has a way of bringing people together. But when that shared suck carries on for months and even years, fractures begin to form. It makes a merge. There's a concept in leadership circles called the line of choice. It goes like this. When I'm confronted with a decision or a challenge, whether in an organization or simply in my life, I'm confronted with a decision. Above the line lives ownership, accountability, and responsibility. When my student's struggling in my class, above the line thinking forces media as their teacher to take a hard look inside. What am I doing that isn't landing with them? How can I find new ways to connect with them or keep them not just coming to class but actively engaged? What's my role in fostering their success and their excellence in my classroom? Sometimes those are really hard questions to ask, but I've come to realize that they're probably the most important ones I can face. Being above the line can be summed up as short term hard leads to long term easy. The flip side of this is what's been called below the line choices. Here's where blame, excuses, and denial live. As a teacher in grad school, it'd be easy for me to simply write off poor performance on their part to poor motivation, lackluster effort, or something else that they're either doing wrong or failing to do right. Below the line thinking says that the failure isn't my fault. No performance isn't linked to what I'm doing. And likewise, they could in turn blame their schedules, their responsibilities, or even me as their teacher. The problem with below the line behaviors is that they don't solve anything. They also don't even move me in the vague direction of solving anything. They're simply a way for me to feel better about myself and explain away bad behaviors or poor outcomes. They'll put another way, short term easy leads to long term hard. I certainly operated below the line in my past. As a leader, I've allowed below the line behaviors in those I lead. And the problem with this is that when we fail to own our responsibility in a situation, we give up our power. The situation now controls us. What cricket and rob both did was plant their flag squarely above the line. They took total responsibility for the things that they could control. They let go of the things they couldn't control. And they let the results speak for themselves. My goal in my intent is to make what remains of my time with my class who's closing in on graduation as helpful, as productive, and as meaningful as possible. I want to speak life into them and inspire them to become all that I know they can't. cricket and rob have inspired me this week to take a good hard look at what I'm doing for them and redouble my efforts to be the best I possibly can be to help them find the success that they're all hoping to achieve. Brickson buckets. This week's brick is the law of entropy. Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful for my home, my cars, my truck, all the things that I've worked so hard to earn. But with a 13 year old house, it's just old enough that everything seems to be wearing out, looking worn, or otherwise needing replaced. My shop's newer than my house, but it has massive cracks in the concrete floor thanks to a shotty job by a contractor I found on Craigslist. Big surprise there. My car, a 2018 Honda Civic, was in the shop this week for an issue with the brake system. So I had to pull my 1994 Dodge Ram duly into service. Now this thing's been torn apart getting a new interior in it since the lockdowns. And I've just kind of squandered away time. It's still in pieces. The air ride leaks. The wiring still needs replaced. Meanwhile, my daughter's key is all needs pretty much a whole new passenger side. My son's Camaro has a recall in these new ignition switch. My bathroom needs remodeled everywhere I look. I see things that need my attention, my money, or both. And considering right now that I don't have extra of either of those things, this pile of to-dos just sits there and mocks me. I'm ready for a world that is more ordered. But for now, it all seems to be an at times overwhelming version of poorly managed disorder. Screw you, entropy. My bucket this week is baseball season. I know some people are stoked that pictures and catchers are reporting, but that's not what I'm talking about. This cool, but the team that I'm most concerned about is the Lubbock Christian High School of Eagles. After winning State and Football, my son and his teammates turned their attention to the diamond. The taste switch school was a little over a year ago. And I couldn't be prouder of the 13 months of growth and community that he's enjoyed in his new home. After recovering from ankle surgery in the summer of 21, and battling a mystery illness that we think is now managed in the summer of 22, I feel like the stars are finally aligning from my guy to see what he can really do. Now, I finally feel like we know the family, some of the other players. I've got high hopes that these boys can put together a successful season. He's a leptic, so he's playing first-base, pitching, playing some outfield, but I'm absolutely stoked to get to see him simply be part of this team. His team. Max out Eagles. What about you? What are you working for or waiting for? What are you doing in the meantime to get better every day? I'd love to hear about it. Surf on over to undenpodcast.com and drop me a note. Toby Brooks and this has been Word to the Third. Becoming unden is a Nitro-hype creative production. Written and produced by me, Toby Brooks. If you or someone you know has a story of resilience and victory to share for Becoming Unden, please contact me at undenpodcast.com. Follow the show on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn at Becoming UndenPod. And follow me, the Toby Brooks. Listen, subscribe and leave us a review at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you'd get your podcasts. Till next time, everybody, keep in bed.