THE PEGLEG PODCAST: Parables for the Soul

I was in the front yard of a friend's house watching my daughters play with some neighborhood friends. Suddenly I heard teenagers yelling a couple houses away. What happened next was both scary and inspiring. Sometimes we hit moments of discomfort and fear, and our instinct is to leave. But what if those moments, those feelings that seem to be telling us to disconnect are actually a clue about how (and where) to become the people we've always wanted to be.

A couple stories about letting people down and how their responses to my mistakes shaped the future. Plus one of my favorite stories about Jesus and shame. This episode covers mistakes, failure, shame, mercy, and grace.

It takes courage to seek out relationships that help us grow and evolve. It is life-changing to truly be known and to know others who help us see ourselves more clearly. So what keeps us from doing that? What keeps us from seeking out and spending time with people who can help us grow and evolve? And why is it worth it?

A strange prompt to talk to a stranger in the park. A feeling that I need to encourage a bartender. Is that God nudging me or something else? In this episode I share two stories that remind us of all the invisible things that are happening. There's mystery there. And so much potential.

I talked to Brian Anderson about his experience as TNT's play by play announcer the night Lebron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record. This episode is that conversation.

This is a story about me meeting me in the woods, and how that encounter changed the way I see pretty much everything, including work and parenting. I also share some theological thoughts and some practical ideas, plus one really important question.

In this episode I'm very transparent about my faith journey. I might be sharing too much, but I want to get it out of my memories and into audio so that the people I care about can listen and reflect on their own stories. It's intense for me to share it. The death of my faith was as important as its reawakening. Thank you for listening.

I wanted DeVona to join me on my podcast, because I’m inspired by her story and wisdom. She grew up in a segregated city, experienced intense racism in high school, worked extremely hard to achieve her dreams, and now uses her platform to do a lot of good. DeVona’s voice is full of wisdom. We talked about career, race, success, caretaking for a parent, and much more.

Brian Lammi is an entrepreneur and owner of six companies, including the Founder and CEO of TEAM LAMMI, which represents and has produced events for a wide range of epic athletes and personalities. I wanted to know the story of how he landed his first professional athlete client, and what it's like to navigate that world. I was also curious to know what role he played in Donald Driver (his client, friend, and business partner) winning Dancing with the Stars...

Craig Counsell is a very successful professional baseball player turned manager. He played sixteen seasons with five different teams, and has now been the manager for the Milwaukee Brewers since 2015. He’s had a very impressive career, and he’s also a really good guy. I treated this interview like a coffee shop conversation, asking quite a few random questions... all stuff I'm really curious about. There are some special moments in this episode. Craig said some things about ambition that were really helpful to me.

Keller knows wealth, poverty, failure, success, and the wisdom that comes with it all. She is an entrepreneur, an author, and an artist. This conversation touches a full spectrum of those topics and goes extraordinarily deep at times. Keller shares real wisdom about how to find our way through complex life situations and challenges. This is a special conversation.

Ava is full of joy. She says the trajectory of her life is happiness. But why is that true when she suffers so much? When Ava was 13 years old she was forced to make a choice between living with extreme chronic pain for the rest of her life or to have her nerves severed to end the pain which would cause her to lose all feeling. Imagine being faced with that decision. And that's just scratching the surface of this 19 year old's struggle. So why is she happy? Where does her joy come from? And how can the rest of us find it? That's what we discussed.

Antonio is a 24 year old entrepreneur who started his career at the age of 12. When he was a child, he hid his love for computers because he thought black kids weren't supposed to be good at using them. Secretly, he started a YouTube channel where he taught people how to use design software (when he was 12). His videos earned hundreds of thousands of views. At the age of 14, he got his first job as a graphic designer, creating products for the NFL and Disney World. At age 18 he started the business he runs now with his business partner. I interviewed Antonio because I believe his story will inspire other young people to believe their talent can be activated in powerful ways.

At age 10, Richard Moran came home from school and found trucks emptying his house. They were being kicked out and lost everything. Flash forward to adulthood and Richard was the CMO of Trek, finding massive success, and hanging out with celebrities. His story is impressive, but woven throughout parts of it are alcoholism and passive aggressive leadership. This is a conversation about how Richard came to realize he needed to change, and how that transformation is becoming real. The turning point is unforgettable.

Is time moving too fast? In this episode, I tell a story about a girl and a family who changed the way I think about time. They helped me think beyond it.

This story is about love, saying goodbye, and finding hope. It's about a baby boy that came into our lives and left a forever-mark on our hearts. I'm sharing this story, because it's a beautiful reflection for 2021. How do we make the most of this next year? This story might help us find that answer.

Jim Taugher is CEO and Creative Director at a creative marketing agency that he started over 25 years ago. This is the story of how he went from dysfunctional teen to extraordinary creative leader. We also talk about our first encounter, a meeting that changed the trajectory of my life.

The first time I saw someone freestyle, I was in awe. I became obsessed with it. Every chance I got, I freestyled. At parties. In cars. At school. At home. Everywhere. And I never stopped. I still freestyle as often as I can, even at work. In this episode, I tell some stories about how learning to freestyle impacted my life, and why I teach my daughters how to do it. In addition to personal experiences, I share some research I found that reveals what happens in someone's brain when they freestyle rap. At the end, you'll get to hear a family freestyle session with my 7 year old, my 10 year old and me.

Jeremy Bryan, aka Quill the Messenger, has written several hip hop albums for all ages. He has performed for millions of people and won many awards for his music and for two books he co-authored for educators and parents. A couple years ago, Jeremy wrote an intense album called Plight of a Parasite. I re-listened to the album recently and it struck me deep. Its music production and lyrical content are worthy of deeper conversations. So I asked Jeremy to join me for a series of conversations about the songs. This first conversation explores the deconstruction of Jeremy’s faith, his rejection of fundamentalist Christianity, and the new questions he’s asking. If you’re interested in real, deep conversations, this is a must listen. Note for parents who might listen with children: This song and conversation contain some explicit lyrics.

In episode 16, I talk with Caron Butler, a 15-year NBA veteran, prolific commentator and analyst, two-time All-Star, author, entrepreneur, philanthropist and media personality. His story is being turned into a feature film, and it should be. It's pretty amazing. And it continues to grow. Caron is investing his influence and resources into making positive change in communities. I've enjoyed learning about what he's doing. Some story highlights: his friendship with Kobe Bryant, his encounter with the police as a teenager, and the work he is doing to change the world.