Author: Don McMinn

All leaders can become good problem-solvers. To do so, they must do four things: Anticipate problems before they occur; maintain a positive attitude while they occur; use all their resources to solve them as quickly as possible so they cease to occur; learn from them so the same problems do not occur again. —John Maxwell, Developing the Leaders Around You

The biblical story of David and Goliath pits a giant against a young man in an epic confrontation between good and evil. My favorite part of the story is when the duel begins: “Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.”

David ran at Goliath.

It wasn’t a display of youthful hubris or stupidity; it was considered aggression and confident courage. David’s pugnacity must have thrown Goliath off balance. The giant was used to frightened, tepid foes, but here was a young man running towards him.

In your personal and professional affairs, run at your problems.

The alternate approach is procrastination or avoidance. Most problems don’t resolve themselves; they must be aggressively and tenaciously pursued.

Identify at least two problems in your business or personal life that need to be addressed. Schedule a time to deal with each one.

Travel with Friends 2026 trip to the Iberian Peninsula

Click below for a brochure about the trip.

Iberian-Peninsula-2026-Final Brochure

Travel with Friends Information Meeting

On Zoom – Join me for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 7:00-8:00pm to visit about the trip. If you want to join this Zoom meeting, email me at djmcminn@msn.com and I’ll send you a link. You can download Zoom for free. You can also participate via a conference call using your mobile phone.

At both meetings, we’ll discuss the itinerary, accommodations, and ports of call. The Q&A will answer all your questions.

If you have any questions, email me at djmcminn@msn.com or call me at 214.783.4414

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”   Isaac Newton

Alex Haley, the author of Roots, used to keep a picture in his office of a turtle sitting atop a fencepost. He kept it there to remind him of a lesson he had learned years before: “If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know he had some help” Haley remarked. “Anytime I start thinking, ‘Wow, isn’t this marvelous what I’ve done!’ I look at that picture and remember how this turtle—me—got up on that post.”

We all stand on the shoulders of those who have preceded us. Yes, we have worked hard and been diligent, but we didn’t get where we are without help. When we’re unaware of the contributions of others, we’ll have an inflated perspective on our successes and become proud and arrogant. When we embrace the fact that our lives have been buoyed by the generosity of others, gratitude and humility will prevail.

There’s something about being a grandparent that helps one see the full circle of life. When I’m with my 2-year-old granddaughter, I often think of the unheralded sacrifice my parents made just getting me through the early years of my life. (Back in the 1950s, there were no disposable diapers.) Did I ever thank them for their constant sacrifice?

As I look back on my career, I should applaud the people who supported me in ways large and small. I am here, now because they were there, then.

As I consider my current state of being, I realize my life and career would collapse without the steady support of many friends and colleagues.

But we must do more than be grateful, we must express our gratitude. William Arthur Ward said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” Express gratitude directly to those who have helped you. Acknowledge them publicly. If someone has positively impacted your life, raise a glass and make a toast to honor their contribution.

Travel with Friends 2026 trip to the Iberian Peninsula

Click below for a brochure about the trip.

Iberian-Peninsula-2026-Final Brochure

Travel with Friends Information Meeting

On Zoom – Join me for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 7:00-8:00pm. If you want to join this Zoom meeting, email me at djmcminn@msn.com and I’ll send you a link. You can download Zoom for free. You can also participate via a conference call using your mobile phone.

At both meetings, we’ll discuss the itinerary, accommodations, and ports of call. The Q&A will answer all your questions.

If you have any questions, email me at djmcminn@msn.com or call me at 214.783.4414

The following article made my heart skip a beat.

I seldom copy and paste someone else’s thoughts and highlight it in one of my posts, but here’s an article that is so profound, documented, and well written that if I tried to improve it I’d mess it up. Read and learn.

“The best thing about Disney isn’t the rides or the castles. It’s their rule of hugging.

When a child hugs Mickey, Elsa, or Goofy, the character never lets go first.
Not after 30 seconds. Not after 5 minutes.
The child decides when the hug ends.
Walt Disney himself explained: “You never know how much that child may need that hug.”

Science shows he was right. Sustained hugs release oxytocin, the bonding hormone, that lowers cortisol levels by up to 30%.

Quick squeezes barely register. It takes 8–20 seconds of steady contact to activate the vagus nerve, slow the heartbeat, and flood the body with calm.

For kids, this isn’t just “neediness.” It’s calibration.

Their bodies are downloading safety signals, second by second, until the nervous system resets. Each hug lays down neural pathways for trust.

Over time, children whose comfort needs are met show stronger emotional regulation and healthier stress responses

When the child decides when the hug ends, they also learn autonomy. Their body. Their choice. Their timing. Connection and agency, woven together.

Try the Disney rule at home: when your child hugs you, don’t let go first.
Wait. Let them choose.

The message is powerful: I’ll stay as long as you need.

Connection isn’t built when you let go. It’s built when you wait.”

From the website @readysetparent to parent smarter, not harder.

Travel with Friends 2026 trip to the Iberian Peninsula

Click below for a brochure about the trip.

Iberian-Peninsula-2026-Final Brochure

Two Travel with Friends Information Meetings

In person – Join me Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 6:00-6:30pm in the choir room at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco Texas.

On Zoom – Join me for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 7:00-8:00pm. If you want to join this Zoom meeting, email me at djmcminn@msn.com and I’ll send you a link. You can download Zoom for free. You can also participate via a conference call using your mobile phone.

At both meetings, we’ll discuss the itinerary, accommodations, and ports of call. The Q&A will answer all your questions.

If you have any questions, email me at djmcminn@msn.com or call me at 214.783.4414

I love to travel with friends.

Thirteen years ago I started hosting an annual international trip for friends. I truly wanted to use my travel-knowledge to help others experience the wonders of travel. If you’ve not traveled much, it can be intimidating, mysterious, and confusing. My trips make travel accessible, safe, reasonable, and fun.

It’s also beneficial to travel with others-as opposed to traveling solo-because experiences are magnified when we have them with others. When you have an “ah-ha” moment–like seeing the beaches of Normandy– have it with others and it will be more deeply etched into your mind. Also, deep friendships are formed when you’re traveling with a group. Some of my best friends are those I have traveled with often. I hope you’ll join Mary and me for a life-enhancing 15-days.

On our 2026 trip, we’ll explore Iberia. The culture of the Iberian Peninsula is diverse and rich, shaped by a history of interaction between many civilizations, including the indigenous Iberians, Celts, Romans, Visigoths, and Moors. We’ll visit five countries: Netherlands, France, Portugal, Spain, and Gibraltar (a British Overseas Territory).

Click below for a brochure about the trip.

Iberian-Peninsula-2026-Final Brochure

Two Travel with Friends Information Meetings

In person – Join me Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 6:00-6:30pm in the choir room at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco Texas.

On Zoom – Join me for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 7:00-8:00pm. If you want to join this Zoom meeting, email me at djmcminn@msn.com and I’ll send you a link. You can download Zoom for free. You can also participate via a conference call using your mobile phone.

At both meetings, we’ll discuss the itinerary, accommodations, and ports of call. The Q&A will answer all your questions.

If you have any questions, email me at djmcminn@msn.com or call me at 214.783.4414

Thanks,

Don