A gentleman named Johnny

This week I was in Michigan with a group of guys from my club. It’s an annual trip that is composed of about 20 members from Houston that fly up to the Detroit area. We spend the better part of five days together in three houses all next to each other. It’s one big display of brotherhood. 

I was lucky enough to get the invite this year (this is my second time) and my God was it a great time. 

Some wonderful conversations were had and of course a few observations and a takeaway. 

First, I felt a little out of place in the beginning. Half the guys I barely knew or didn’t know at all. I tend to read heavily into initial interactions and a lot of them just felt peripheral. For those that know me, I’m very transparent and I like to connect with people. Some people keep a facade on for a long time (if not forever) and I pick up on it quickly. Thankfully, pretty much all of the “meh” interactions became real connections!

Second, I played pretty well but was again reminded of how negative my thoughts are when it comes down to performance. Still battling negative self-talk and it has a massive effect on my game. The baseline cause is still not addressed to the degree it needs to be and this was a reminder to get back to work. 

Third, and my takeaway from the week… The need to be included and a guy named Johnny! 

I like to fit into my surroundings. It matters to me more than it should. I’m sure this is not unique, but I do not believe it’s a good trait to be in a group and find it necessary to bring attention to myself instead of letting things flow. With all that said, a guy named Johnny really helped refocus me. 

Long story short, Johnny is a cousin/friend of our host and was cooking an incredible amount of food all from scratch. It was remarkable. What I liked most though was how he carried himself. Stoic! 

When I cook for people, I find myself searching for compliments on my food. A lot of compliments. 

Want to know how many times Johnny searched for a compliment? Zero. He was in flow the entire time and it was magical. This was a confident man enjoying his craft without the need for affirmation.

Johnny and I became friends as I asked questions about his cooking (Chaldean recipes) and his life. I could hang out with Johnny for hours. 

Humble, talented, dedicated, and kind. Enough said. 

Thanks Johnny.