The Foundational Coaching Vault

In this episode, Fred and I wrestle with what it means to hold faith, hope, and love in a fractured world. From shifting gears in a shifting culture to guarding your heart and mind from noise, we draw on lessons from Scripture, leadership, and personal stories. This is not about shallow positivity. It is about standing firm on a promise, seeing through the noise of the present, and stepping into a...

This week inside The Vault, I sit down with my good friend May Linn Bie to explore the virtue of Optimism. From South Korea to Norway, Paris to Uganda, May Linn’s path through adoption, global work, and family life shows how optimism carries us through loss, change, and growth. Her story and wisdom draws a clear line between shifting positivity and disciplined optimism, how hope fuels resilience,...

Optimism. Today’s framing story isn’t about sunny skies or silver linings. It’s about learning from the long, dark winters of Norway and from seasons of my own life when light felt absent. Optimism isn’t pretending the darkness isn’t there. It isn’t shallow positivity. It’s the defiance of refusing to let the darkness have the last word. Reflect on this question and share your thoughts:
What if li...

In this discipleship dialogue, we explore the Head, Hands, and Heart of Flexibility and why expansion joints matter not just in concrete but in families, teams, and cultures. From parenting lessons that cut deeper than discipline to leadership moments where trust is built (or broken) by our ability to bend, Fred and I wrestle with what it really means to flex without losing our core. Is flexibilit...

From childhood memories of life in Germany east of the Berlin Wall to fatherhood, military service, and adapting to life in a new culture, my dear friend, Jens, shares stories that show why flexibility matters in leadership, family, and everyday life. Together, we reflect on the difference between resilience and flexibility, how culture shapes adaptability, and why lasting leaders learn to bend wi...

Sidewalk cracks, construction work, and a $5 Walmart hand-me-down shirt jacket. This week inside The Vault, I’m framing #Flexibility with a story from my dad’s trade and a lesson I’ve carried into my life as a husband, father, friend, and leader. Expansion joints aren’t flaws; they’re deliberate cuts that allow even the strongest structures to endure. The same is true for us. This week, I’m asking...

Stewardship. Whatever notion of this virtue you’ve been spoon-fed… 
erase it. It's not just stuff. It's everything... and how you view and manage life's gifts, especially the ones that seemingly should've ended you, is everything. Yes, even when your dad curses you for the last time… even when you clean your buddy's blood and flesh off of his charred rifle... even when Marines slam your office doo...

In this conversation, my wife (Laura) and I explore the virtue of stewardship through the lens of marriage and parenting. We share personal stories from family life, reflect on trust and encouragement, and highlight how stewardship shows up not just in resources, but in time, relationships, and faithfulness. Stewardship isn’t about control — it’s about obedience, growth, and multiplying what God h...

“How are you gutting, guarding, growing, or gifting what you’ve been gifted to own?” This week on The Power of Framing, I share how something as ordinary as mowing the lawn turned into a reminder that stewardship isn’t simply about what we can claim as our own — it’s about how we multiply what’s been entrusted. 🎙️ And for Off the Hinges this Friday, my wife, Laura, will be joining me. You drive th...

In this discipleship dialogue, we explore the Head, Hands, and Heart of Ownership—unpacking why complaining kills progress, how spoken identity shapes your future, and why true ownership demands we question the familiar, explore the unknown, and put everything through the fire.

What do you own that was never really yours to carry? And what should you own that you keep ignoring? One year after launching Off the Hinges with a conversation on Humility, Garita Coddington returns. This time, we explore what it means to live with Ownership—of your story, your choices, and the road ahead. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Friendship Dynamics 04:45 Garita’s Thanks, Learning, and G...

“How do you challenge what's familiar, explore what's unknown, and intentionally own what's yours—in your head, hands, and heart?” Everything we own begins in our thoughts. If we don’t take them captive, we risk letting borrowed words and false beliefs define us. This week on The Power of Framing, I share a story from life aboard the USS Estrogen—and how the words we repeat, speak over others, and...

In this episode, Fred and I reconnect after a brief pause and dig into one of life’s most universal challenges: problem solving. We unpack why perspective matters, how clarity can shift the way we view obstacles, and what it means to show up with wisdom and humility when faced with the unexpected. From unmet expectations to relational tension, we reflect on how the best solutions start by identify...

What do you do when the plan breaks, the stakes rise—and the problem is bigger than you? In this episode, I sit down with my long-time friend and fellow Marine, Gunnery Sergeant Myles Kerr. Myles is currently training the next generation of 0369 Infantry Platoon Sergeants—and raising two young daughters. That blend of missions creates powerful lessons worth unpacking. ▶ What we cover:
• How leader...

“What do you do when your situation is unprecedented, expectations are unmet—and your problem is bigger than yourself?” This week’s episode explores problem solving through a moment that surprised me—watching my daughter hit a wall with a simple division problem. What unfolded wasn’t just a math issue. It was a moment of frustration, vulnerability, and reflection—for both of us. She turned to me,...

⚠️ Content Note (Discretion Advised): This episode includes discussion of combat trauma, injury, and loss. If it feels heavy, please reach out for support. You're not alone—and you're worth the care. 🎙️ This conversation spans nearly three hours—and still only begins to scratch the surface. It holds lived experience few have encountered, and even fewer have ever voiced aloud—revisiting some of the...

“What helps you look beyond the surface and meet someone where they truly are?” This week’s episode kicks off our focus on empathy—led by the insight and heart of my 6-year-old daughter. She noticed a boy being left out. And instead of walking past, she stepped in—bridging the language gap, helping him feel seen, and reminding us what empathy in action really looks like. 🇺🇸🇳🇴 Thank you, Alessia, f...

🎙️ “I’m at your service—and love and Semper Fi.”
That’s how Willy Buhl (retired USMC colonel) signed off at the end of this episode.
And honestly, that’s exactly who he is. This week on Off the Hinges, I sit down with my dear friend and fellow Marine—a man who’s led in combat, carried the weight of command in the most storied units through some of the Corps' hardest fighting, and lived out what it...

🪢 What effort are you really making to weave, maintain, and strengthen the relationships that matter most? This week, I’m sharing a story about something that hangs in our home—but more importantly, about the relationships that hold us together. 🧵 From a handmade macramé gift to a note that’s lived on our fridge for years, I reflect on how the most meaningful relationships in our lives aren’t bu...

⚓️ Hope is not a mood or fleeting emotion. It’s an active, present anchor—rooted in future promise, steadying the soul with courage and rest. In a world struggling to find (let alone offer) hope, Scripture lifts it up as essential—“an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). And behavioral science echoes the call: real hope is goal-directed, practiced daily, and formed through vision...

Some conversations don't just transform your mind—they renew your spirit and fasten the heart's anchor in hope. This week’s guest did all of these things for me. 🎙️ This week on Off the Hinges, I sit down with Erica to talk about #Hope—not as abstract optimism, but as a practiced virtue that anchors our souls, directs our actions, and transforms how we show up in each present day with a confidence...

🌱 This week, I’m joined once again by my daughter—this time to explore what it really means to hope well. From dreams of getting a puppy to thoughtful reflections on what’s realistic and what’s not, we take a closer look at the delicate balance between optimism and groundedness. 🎢 On a scale from Eeyore to Pollyanna, where does your future orientation land? Are you anchored in hopeful action or...

Kindness starts close to home—with how we treat ourselves. Before it’s a gift we offer others, it’s a way of being we extend inward: patient, gentle, and honest. This episode invites us to explore kindness not as something extra, but as something foundational—formed in our thoughts, practiced in our actions, and rooted in love that endures. 🎙️ Watch the full episode now and take a few moments to s...

Some guests are a quick "yes" for podcasts. Bobbie Sue Wolk is not one of them. She doesn’t chase podcasts, although she is invited on them frequently—and honestly, I respect that. She values presence over platforms, depth over display, and she shares her message of loving kindness with great care and intentionality. Our stories are intertwined. Our friendship is anchored. And I’m deeply honored t...

🌟 In this special episode, my daughter joins me to share a meaningful conversation she had with her school counselor—exploring what it means to show kindness intentionally, balancing empathy and respect in everyday interactions. 💬 ⬇️ We'd love to hear from you! Drop your own insights or questions in the comments below (or message me directly). Join me Friday as Bobbie Sue and I take The Vault Of...