In my years and years of attending church, I’ve never sat in the front row because well, that means that you have to pay attention 100% of the time. Ironically enough, you can learn quite a bit when you give teachers your complete focus.

The Spur Leadership conference was held at a really nice Austin church called Lake Hills. While the common thread of the speakers was their faith, the messages that they provided were tailored for growing business leaders — young and seasoned.

This compilation didn’t do the day justice, the conference exceeded my high expectations. I’m thankful for Clint, Johnita, Roy, Buzz, Rich, and of course — Mac. I hope that this format is helpful. I’ve compiled 50 notes that, while simple enough, were great reminders for those of us seeking personal and professional growth.

It’s worth your six minutes.

Julie and Mac Richard (ree-shard) founded Lake Hills Church in Austin, Texas’ hill country in 1997. Married for 22 years, they have two successful college-aged children and a growing ministry with over 3,500 active members and a impact well beyond Texas. Mac has been a friend, mentor, and spur to me for six years. Here is what left an impact on me:

1. Leadership is getting deception out of the way of the workplace.
2. ‘Organic’ is code for lazy.
3. You can’t be a slave to culture but you need one.
4. Likability is a big deal.
5. Be authentic with everybody, be transparent with a precious few.
6. Connectedness only happens when we engage in empathy.
7. Real leadership: you are competent, you care — a lot.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. — Laurence J. Peter

Instagram: Mac Richard

Buzz Williams is the former head basketball coach at Marquette University, a perennial Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight finisher. He currently coaches for ACC program — Virginia Tech. This past year, he executed a record turn around for the Hokie basketball program and will likely be a fixture in the ACC for years to come. Here is what left an impact on me:

1. Create a vision and remember — no number can be a part of that vision.
2. Leadership equals influence, culture equals habits.
3. Create ownership for the team and keep everyone accountable to the path.
4. Keep the team connected: habits lead to influence and influence leads to growth.
5. The strongest leadership is servant leadership.
6. Leverage practice, not people.
7. Imposters litter the path.
8. Team rules: (a) tell them the truth, secrets are lies (b) Learn from it, grow. (c) Keep moving forward.
9. You have to be consumed by your work.
10. We don’t know when our contract ends.
11. Leaders say, “Me too.” They always participate in the movement of the moment.

In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and willing to accept constructive criticism. Without 100 percent dedication, you won’t be able to do this. — Willie Mays

Instagram: Mac Richard

Johnita Jones received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1983. She began work as a facilities engineer with Exxon Company, U.S.A, in Harvey, Louisiana. She is currently the board president of the Texas Conference for Women and the Pipeline Risk and Integrity Manager for ExxonMobil Pipeline Company where she manages 6,000 miles of pipeline. Here is what left an impact on me:

1. Three C’s of leadership: communication, credibility, and care.
2. Leading people has to be done by personal interface.
3. Credibility: set the example, lead from the front. Set the example of work-life balance. A leader always picks up the slack.
4. Make data-driven decisions.
5. To avoid mediocrity, perpetually raise the bar by focusing on attention to detail.
6. Nothing bulids credibility like setting the example.
7. If everyone likes you, all the time, you are not doing your job.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. — Maya Angelou

Instagram: Mac Richard

Roy Spence is chairman and cofounder of GSD&M Idea City, a legendary national marketing communications and advertising company. Roy’s Purpose-based Branding™ philosophy has helped build such companies as Southwest Airlines (30+ years), Wal-Mart, PGA Tour (20+ years), Lennox International (15+ years), AT&T (15+ years), and the U.S. Air Force (10+ years). Also, Popeyes Chicken — an American institution. Here is what left an impact on me:

1. Every religion has one thing in common — the Golden Rule.
2. The Grand Bargain: play to your strengths.
3. What’s the purpose of life? Do good and be happy.
4. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never be found.
5. Build your business on your purpose.
6. Be extra kind to everyone you reach.
7. You become what you look for.

Where your talents and the needs of the world cross; there lies your vocation. — Aristotle

Instagram: Mac Richard

Clint Bruce attended the Naval Academy where he lettered for four years and was named Captain of the ’96 Aloha Bowl Champion team. He entered the Navy SEAL Community in 1997 by completing BUD/S with Class 217 and reported to SEAL Team 5. Mr. Bruce is the founder and president of Trident Response Group, a global intelligence and advisory group headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Here is what left an impact on me:

1. Opinions don’t cost anything, conviction costs everything.
2. “My father was a great man. He did what he said that he’d do. But he was never done.”
3. Proper execution is like watching water roll down the hill.
4. The reward for excellence is no punishment.
5. There are five outcomes: bad, average, good, excellent, and then elite.
6. The excellent and the elite are built to run with the “not done” kind.
7. Gifts of elite achievers: balanced, curious, tribal, intentional, and capable of preaching from their pain.
8. “I always want to be dangerous but I have no time for the reckless.”
9. If something is important to you, you measure it.
10. Look for a catalyst.
11. Plus up for every mission.

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? — Esther 4:14

Instagram: Mac Richard

Rich is quite simply a hurricane of timing, a functional fitness movement, good parenting, hyperactivity, and intellectual curiousity. The result has been four individual titles and one team title at the annual CrossFit Games. He runs a successful business in Cookeville, Tennessee that thrives on subscription based media, events, and membership fees.

He’s a graduate of Tennessee Tech University, a minister, and one heck of an athlete. I’ve known Rich personally since 2011 and I’ve extracted a few key points from the conversation between Mac Richard and Mr. Froning. Here is what left an impact on me:

1. Competitive fire translates well beyond the lines of sports.
2. Be consistent.
3. Community and togetherness can go a long way.
4. Translating training pain into the tolerance for other types of pain can be an effective way to increase overall capacity.
5. You have to hate to lose.
6. Be gracious.
7. Balance is the most important tool in the shed.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. — Galatians 6:14

The irony of cliche is that we tend to ignore the simple, timeless messages that have worked for a lot of people. The commonality that I noticed with the above folks is that, statistically, none of them should have earned their place in life. They got there by following many of the personal statutes that I’ve mentioned above.

For those interested in learning more, Marcus Luttrell, USN (ret.) is headlining 2017’s Spur Leadership Conference.