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“The brain appears to possess a special area which we might call poetic memory and which records everything that charms or touches us, that makes our lives beautiful.”
​Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

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This past spring I took my son Liam to his first Barcelona football (soccer) match. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it would be the last game to be played at Camp Nou for a few years as the storied stadium was set to undergo renovations.

Normally, I wouldn’t have thought too much about this. It feels like everywhere I turn, updates are being made to make our world more modern and efficient. But shortly after Liam and I got settled in to watch the game, I quickly realized just how much the match meant to people — or at least, how much value it held for Josep — the elderly man who quietly took a seat to my left.

Despite being 93 years old, for the duration of the game, Josep stood up with the same anticipation as my son when Barca went on the attack and cheered like a banshee when they netted a goal.

But as the final whistle blew, and event organizers began their hour-long tribute to the magical moments that defined the stadium’s 65-year history, I saw a single tear running down the elderly man’s left cheek.

For close to five decades, being a season-ticket holder, Josep hadn’t missed a game. Not one. Camp Nou had become his third place away from work and home. And for much of that time, prior to many of them passing, he’d meet up with his buddies after the match to enjoy a beer together at a family-run bar across the street from the stadium.

Throughout the procession, while a hundred thousand fans sang and cheered as the big screen played classic goals from Barca greats, every few minutes, I’d notice Josep’s tear-stained face transfixed on my son’s wide, mesmerized eyes — as if in Liam’s youth, he was reliving his own.

Experiencing the thrill of his first game.
Screaming with his father at the referee when they made a bad call.
Buzzing across the street with his friends to toast a victory.

When we finally parted ways four hours later, Josep looked Liam and me in our eyes, shook our hands, and as a smile spread across his face, he left us with one parting word — “Onward!” — before proudly disappearing into the crowded shadows.

Though he didn’t spell it out, I knew exactly what Josep meant and what that moment signified for him.

As Liam enjoyed his first Barca game at Camp Nou, Josep had most likely experienced his last.

***

The image of a 93-year-old man reminiscing over his past before confidently stepping into an unknown future has hijacked my mind for months.

How did he do it with such honesty?
With such poise?
With that sweet mix of vulnerability and bravery?

At the time of meeting Josep, though not at the same life stage and not nearly as scary, like him, I was on the verge of closing a chapter of my own. For the preceding 18 months, when I wasn’t working on my book proposal and manuscript for my publisher, I was helping three clients finish theirs.

Despite being new to book writing, I loved the challenge. But in the process, I missed sharing the things I was experiencing and learning in shorter formats; it was time to find a sustainable way to consistently get back online.

So after taking a much-needed breather and playing with my kids as much as humanly possible, now is the time — to steal a line from Josep — to move “Onward!”

And this newsletter is me doing just that.

From here on out, this will be my playground for all things MEMORABLE that I come across that hit me equally hard in both my head and heart.

• Some messages will entail a meaningful life lesson or a heartfelt experience I encountered in the form of a short story.
• Other weeks it will consist of relationship insights worth holding onto, after all, love rules.
• Lastly, being that I teach and coach both seasoned executives, recent college grads, and MBA students, you’ll find actionable creator, career, and communication advice — especially ways for shy people like me to quietly stand out (the theme of my book).

Or most likely, you’ll find a combination of these three lanes.

Life.
Love.
Doing work that matters.

I’m excited to get back to sharing what I’m learning from the world and the good people in it on a weekly basis. Combining personal stories, actionable insights, and thought-provoking questions feels like me — because it is me.

The things that charm us.
That touches us.
That makes our lives beautiful.

Thank you for continuing on this ride with me.

My best to you and yours.
Until next week.
Onward.

—Michael

***

PS: Keep your eyes peeled for a message on Monday to get an idea of what’s in store going forward. The themes are —

On creating connections, enjoying people, and being in awe of others

PS2: If we aren't connected on Linkedin — feel free to change that here — and drop me a DM as I'd love to learn more about you.