Minute With Mallon: 1+1=3!
Welcome to Minute with Mallon!
Something I Taught:
One of my sons works for an international, entrepreneur-focused, digital-first company. He has just been promoted and has been given a new project to develop from scratch.
He called, described the project, and asked if I had any recommendations or suggestions about how to move forward. What came to mind was for him to first sit down for a couple of hours and just map it all out on a piece of paper. I told him to take his time and just let it flow on to the pages as things came to mind.
That reminded me of this…
Last year, we did a complete remodel of our master suite, including a new bathroom. My wife Sandy and an incredible architect named Greg Venable worked on the plans for weeks. Over several meetings, they made a lot of changes as thoughts came to them. It was actually fun watching them work together.
My wife is kind of a genius when it comes to decorating and planning things out like this. Greg was very impressed with the ideas that she came up with. After a while, they knew that they had everything they wanted on paper.
Then the contractor took what they had come up with and made it a reality. He and his team completed the whole project in about six weeks. I thought it would have taken much longer, but with great plans like they had, it made it so much easier. They didn't really have a lot of questions, they just followed the plans.
So how does that relate to you?
Lesson #1: Clarity Up Front Saves Time on the Back End
What struck me most wasn’t just how good the plans were—it was how quickly the project got done. Because so much thinking happened before the work began, the contractor didn’t have to guess. There weren’t constant questions or rework. He simply followed the plan.
Application:
If you’re facing something important right now—a project, a decision, or a new season—slow down and think it through first. Time spent planning is almost never wasted. In fact, the clearer you get up front, the faster and smoother things tend to move later.
Lesson #2: 1 + 1 = 3
When two people think together with openness and humility, the result is almost always better than what either person could create alone. My wife brought vision and creativity. The architect brought experience and structure. Together, they created something neither would have come up with on their own.
Application:
If you’re stuck or spinning right now, don’t stay trapped in your own head. Invite someone else into the thinking—someone who sees the world differently than you do. When collaboration is done well, 1 + 1 doesn’t equal 2… it equals 3.
So here's a question for you:
Where in your life right now would slowing down, thinking it through, and inviting the right person into the process make everything clearer and easier?
Take 30 minutes this week, get it out of your head and onto paper, and then invite the right person into the conversation.
Something to Ponder:
“If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”
-Albert Einstein
Something I Learned:
This weekend, one of my clients named Kyle Bochat invited 5 couples to participate in a 2-day workshop called "The Family Legacy Workshop."
We worked on developing an intentional 150-year plan. In essence we created our five top Family Values, our Family Vision Statement, our Family Mission Statement, and how we as a family will specifically live generous lives.
Toward the beginning for the first ½ day, we discussed two different families and how proper planning or lack of planning plays out over time:
The Vanderbilts:
Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in 1794 and built one of the greatest fortunes in American history, starting with a ferry business at age 16 and expanding into steamboats and railroads. At his death, his wealth was estimated at $100 million—roughly a billion dollars today. Despite having 12 children, he left 95% of his fortune to his oldest son, William, who doubled it but died just eight years later. By the third generation, no Vanderbilts were working in the business, and generations of lavish living followed. By the sixth generation, the family wealth was largely gone, and descendants had returned to working for a living.
The Rothschilds:
Mayer Rothschild was born in 1744 and apprenticed in banking before building a financial empire with his five sons across Frankfurt, London, Paris, Vienna, and Naples. He loaned each son money to start their banks with two requirements: repay the loan and stay in constant communication with one another. The family was built on three core values—integrity, unity, and industry—symbolized by their crest of five arrows held tightly together, inspired by Psalm 127. As generations passed, the family enterprise expanded into numerous industries, and today the Rothschild name remains associated with vast, enduring wealth.
Take a minute and think about that! What really determines whether success lasts for generations—or disappears within a few?
Family is meant to be multi-generational! But most of us don't think that way. So here's Kyle's contact info if you'd like to discuss possibly attending one of these events yourself: kyle.bochat@financialpwm.com or 706-768-6796.
Something I Saw:
Hiking by a stream in the North Georgia Mountains!
If someone came to mind while you were reading this, that’s probably not an accident. Feel free to pass this along to them—I’d love for them to be part of this community too. Just share this link: RobertMallon.com/Newsletter
Hope you have an incredible week!
Robert
