“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” — Acts 20:24
Happy Friday, Brew Nation!
We are moving into Week 2 of our series, The Uncommon Season: New Life in Old Lessons. Last week, we stood in the baptism tank to discuss silencing the Inner Critic. Today, I want to talk about a different kind of immersion: the “Spring Shine Up.”
There is a specific energy that comes with this season. Looking out at the back of the house recently, I saw the azaleas in full bloom, perfectly framed by a fresh coat of mulch. The smell of the Traeger smoker is in the air—entering its 11th summer of service—bringing the hope of long summer days and family dinners.
Then there is my truck. It is 20 years young and sitting just under 297,000 miles. If the math holds, we’ll flip that odometer to 300k right around the 4th of July—and Toyota USA has even promised to help celebrate the milestone! While I might outsource the mulch, washing this truck is a task I value doing myself. It’s more than a chore; it’s a task that fulfills me.
The Barrier: The Efficiency Trap
In his book Buy Back Your Time, Dan Martell introduces the Buyback Principle. The idea is simple: use your resources to “buy back” your time from tasks that drain you, so you can fill that time with activities that give you energy and move the needle.
On paper, I should delegate the truck wash. As a mechanical engineer, I could easily calculate my hourly rate and realize it’s “cheaper” to take it to the car wash down the street. That is the Common approach—maximizing efficiency at all costs. But there is a trap in efficiency when it ignores fulfillment.
The Solution: The Fulfillment Factor
The Uncommon shift is realizing that stewardship isn’t just about time; it’s about energy. Washing the truck lights me up. It’s grounding, it’s good exercise, and it gives me space to think.
I’ve realized that the Uncommon Leader Podcast and the Champions Brew are my professional “truck washes.” After five years and 250+ editions of each, people sometimes ask why I keep writing or recording when there isn’t always a direct, immediate “ROI”. The answer is fulfillment.
A recent COO-turned-CEO of a billion-dollar company sent me this:
“Although Champions Brew may not make it into my main stage comments, it’s definitely impacted my effectiveness as a leader! Thank you for your insights and inspiration in your weekly newsletter.”
That right there? That is the tire shine. That is the “cherry on top” that signals the task has been completed with joy.
The Strategy: Breaking the Efficiency Trap
To stop being a “hollowed-out” leader, you have to shift your perspective from managing minutes to building momentum. Here is a 3-part framework to help you identify which “unproductive” tasks are actually your greatest leadership fuel.
1) Audit Your Energy, Not Just Your Calendar: Use the Buyback Principle to prune the tasks that drain you (like the mulch), but protect the tasks that fuel you (like the truck, the blog, or the podcast).
2) The Coaching Caution: When leading others, don’t force them to delegate tasks that provide them with passion. Efficiency at the cost of energy is a losing trade.
3) Finish with Joy: Like the tire shine foam that finishes the truck, the engagement from you—the readers—is what finishes the “Brew” each week. It reminds me of Acts 20:24. The aim isn’t just to finish; it’s to complete the task with joy.
- Quote of the Week
“Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.” — Ecclesiastes 5:19 —
Being the Uncommon Leader means realizing that while efficiency is a vital tool, fulfillment is the ultimate fuel. In a world obsessed with “buying back time” and maximizing output, the Uncommon Leader understands that a Center of Excellence (COE) is not just built on what you eliminate, but on what you intentionally protect.
If you delegate away the very activities that provide you with energy and joy, you aren’t becoming more productive—you’re becoming a hollowed-out version of the leader your team needs. Your mission isn’t just to finish the race; it’s to finish it with the “tire shine” of joy that inspires everyone following you.
What you need to do:
Look at your to-do list for next week and perform a Fulfillment Audit:
- Identify your “Truck Wash”: What is one task that others might tell you to delegate, but it actually fills your tank? Protect it.
- Encourage the Passion: In your next coaching session or 1-on-1, ask: “What is one thing you do that others might see as a chore, but it actually gives you energy?” Don’t let them delegate their joy away.
I want to hear from you. Email me at coachjohngallagher@gmail.com with the subject line “FUEL” and let me know:
- What is the “unproductive” task that actually fuels your leadership?
- Where do you need to add a little “tire shine” to finish a task with joy this week?
It’s an honor to be your trusted Friday Coffee Guy. Each week, I bring what I’m learning and living in the trenches of leadership. If this edition challenged or encouraged you, SHARE it with someone who leads, stays faithful, or learns alongside you, then click SUBSCRIBE. Let’s grow Brew Nation together!
Until next week—stay focused, stay fueled, and finish the race with joy, Champions!
P.S. Building a Center of Excellence (COE) starts with mastering your own energy. If your team is struggling to find their “tire shine,” let’s hop on a 15-minute FREE CALL to audit your current leadership “maintenance” plan. Reply to this email to get it scheduled.
