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The first time I was humbled as a presenter was while teaching Sunday School to middle school students. I was in my mid-20s and, in my mind, pretty young and hip (which was probably never true). I was given the opportunity to teach Sunday School for the first time – or rather, they found someone brave (or dumb) enough to teach the middle schoolers. I thought back to my own Sunday School experience, and not once did I have a teacher anywhere near an age I felt I could relate t

My youngest son graduates from high school in less than a week. Last year, the head of the school invited me to give the graduation address. She gave me the option of speaking then or waiting until this year, when my son would be graduating. I asked him what he preferred, and in typical Shepherd fashion he had a thoughtful response. “I think you should give it this year instead of next year,” he told me, “because next year I’d rather have it be about my classmates without any

I was hired on to the U.S. Men's National Team staff at the beginning of 2020. Gregg (Berhalter) had been the Head Coach for a year and he used that time to work with the staff and player leadership group to establish the desired team culture. Even though Gregg had a vision and mission for the team, he wanted everyone's input to determine the team's core values. The criteria for the team values was this: What are the values that represent America at its best? After lots of ef

The World Cup is just over a month away, and as we get closer I am often asked, "Do you wish you were still with the team?" Great question. Yes, and no. Being on the coaching staff for the Men's National Team for three years was one of the coolest experiences of my life. You come together for 10 days...or sometimes...30 days...and for that time together there is nothing else. It's 24/7 about the team. Sun up to sun down...the team...the team...the team. To be honest, at times

The last few weeks have been insanely busy — rewarding, exhausting, and, of course, unpredictable. To make matters more challenging, I’ve also been under the weather. What I thought was a 2–3 day bug turned into a nearly three-week lingering “blah.” I’m good now, but it was the unwanted gift that kept on giving. Having to keep stepping on stage to deliver impactful, high-energy talks and workshops — despite feeling well below 100% — hasn’t been easy. It forced me to find peac

March has always been one of my favorite months of the year. In the U.S., March means Spring Break. It also means “March Madness,” my favorite sporting event of the year. This year, more than others, I am looking forward to the distraction sports can provide when things seem out of control. My good friend and serially inspiring author, Evan Griffith, recently released his newest book, Soul Pages . In it, he outlines his daily process for tapping into inspiration, gratitude,

At the end of January, the storm of the season ripped through most of the country. And where was I? Home. In St. Louis. Waiting to see what Mother Nature would deliver. The worst of it was expected Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. I was supposed to fly to Vegas on Monday for a talk. Watching the forecast, I felt that familiar tightening in my chest — the stress that comes when so much is out of your control. Living in an apartment building in the city, I wasn’t just

January 1st is just another day. So is your birthday. So are anniversaries. The cynical part of you rolls its eyes at the idea that a random square on a calendar could somehow be the moment when everything changes. Why decide that this is the day to start? So what’s the point? Why even begin? Funny enough — that is the point. Read one book each month.Beach body by July! Try one new recipe each week. Write in my journal for 30 straight days. Run a marathon by December! The

I had never watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” until about 10 years ago. It’s a classic movie, yet I never felt the urge to sit down and learn from the lessons of George Bailey. But 10 years ago, I took a leap and went to work for myself creating the Live Yes, And business. I had no earthly idea of how things were going to work out or how we would make ends meet. This is when I finally sat down and let George and his guardian angel Clarence, teach me about my life. Like George