Monthly Archives: April 2026

The world likes to define our potential. It often measures our performance by observing a few snapshots in time and imposes judgment on what we can accomplish in the future.

However, the world has no idea what our true potential is, and, honestly, neither do we.

This week, we look at Thomas Edison and how he shrugged off the world’s definition of his potential at a young age, thanks to his mom. We also take a quick and harrowing trip into New York City.

Don’t let anyone limit you.

Be great today!

Steve

I am currently gearing up to teach a class on Stoicism and deep into Marcus Aurelius’s book, “Meditations.”

The first chapter is called “Debts and Lessons,” where he references 16 people from his past and what they taught him. These lessons he carried into ruling the Roman Empire, and they helped him become known as the last of the “Five Good Emperors.”

Meditating on people in our lives and how they helped us is an amazing thought exercise. This week, I gave it a try and learned why it’s so important to do this.

Be great today!

Steve

This week, Wes Lewis, a first-time guest author to The Maximum Standard, joins us with an exceptional narrative on transitioning leadership skills throughout our careers.

Wes, a 25-year U.S. Army veteran and now retired, has travelled the globe in volunteer and community service. He brings us an observation on how military leadership is not just a useful construct in the service, but everywhere, from the rank-and-file regiments to the social impact organizations in Bali.

Leadership structure affects organizations, and if you’re not consciously tracking this, you may be missing something. Wes fills in the gaps.

Be great today!

Steve

In an Easter miracle this Sunday, the U.S. military rescued its downed Air Force officer shot down over Iran. For around 48 hours, a weapons systems officer serving as the back-seater in an F-15 Strike Eagle fighter was reported missing by the military, and the nation was praying this person would be found alive and brought home. Frankly, it wasn’t looking good.

Yet in an amazing comeback story, reports of the officer’s rescue graced the headlines on Easter Sunday. I can’t imagine what this service member was going through, evading Iranian hunting parties seeking the bounty put out by their government. What I do know is that the experience was traumatic, terrifying, and potentially deadly. Moreover, I know that this officer never gave up hope.

There’s a reason why we should never quit, even when all seems lost. It’s a great reminder that no matter how dire the situation is, optimism, hope, and endurance always give us a chance to win the day.

Read the rest of the article below.

Be great today!

Steve

“I’d rather be lucky than good.”

People often say or think this when cutting things close. But in practice, it’s flawed reasoning where it’s not a choice of one or the other: lucky or good. Instead, luck happens when we create opportunities by taking action in the spaces around us.

Today, Alex Le join us as a multi-article author with a great narrative on making our own luck centered around the USS Laffey in WWII.

Be great today!

Steve