Round 2, Day 1 Sunday, February 15, 2026
Good morning and welcome to Day 1 of Round 2 of the 7-40 Challenge. It’s a chilly morning in Oklahoma, and I’m out on the road getting my walk in early. Getting back to the challenge. Getting back to work.
Round 1 gave me a lot of forward momentum, and I have no intention of slowing down.
What Is a Linchpin?
I’ve been reading Linchpin by Seth Godin, and it’s challenging my thinking in ways I didn’t expect.
First, the literal definition. A linchpin is a pin passed through the end of an axle to keep a wheel in position. Without it, the wheel comes off and everything falls apart. I actually have a linchpin holding the gate of my trailer up right now. If it weren’t there, the gate would fall down and damage something. Small piece. Critical function.
Seth takes that idea and applies it to people. A linchpin, in his framework, is someone indispensable. Someone who provides value, leadership, and creative thinking without being told what to do. They take risks that pay off because they’ve done the work to be excellent at what they do. They’re rarely caught off guard. They’re often honored. And when it comes down to it, they’re extremely hard to replace.
The Air Gets Thinner
Here’s what hit me. Seth says that people who show up at a job just to be present — that’s easy. People who show up and follow orders — also easy. But people who innovate and create? The air gets a lot thinner up there. There aren’t as many people willing to do that.
From what I’ve seen in my own life, I agree.
It is so easy to go in, get depressed, collect the paycheck, and let the cycle take over. Then one day you lift your head up out of the water and realize you don’t know where you are. You’ve been floating for too long. The whole terrain has changed.
Why This Matters for Round 2
This book is challenging my thinking about the excellence I pour into every day. My need to attack these goals and these habits I’m forming. Because we’ve only got so long in this life. We only have so much time to make a difference. So much time to love those around us. So much time to leave a legacy. So much time to do what matters.
What matters to me? My relationship with God. My family. My friends. Caring for the world around me.
To do that well, I need to become a linchpin. More indispensable. More intentional. More excellent.
And because of that, I practice these habits daily. I put my accountability right here on the blog for you to see.
The Seven Habits for Round 2
- Bible Study and Prayer
- Exercise (1 hour daily)
- Water (100 oz daily)
- Calorie Tracking
- Gratitude Practice
- Reading (30 minutes daily)
- Creative Hour
Same seven. Deeper roots. Higher standards.
The Question
How about you? Are you working to be indispensable? Working to give your best and be the best you can be — not because it’s demanded of you, but because you have the opportunity to do so? To make a difference?
I’m going to get through Day 41. We’ll see you tomorrow for Day 42.
Day 41 of 280. Round 2 has begun.
The 740 Challenge 