Steady Notes
Steady Notes features conversations about leadership, faith, and the everyday challenges people face. It offers thoughtful reflections for listeners who want to lead, live, and listen well. The show is hosted by Don Hornsby and is connected to his Substack newsletter.
Episodes
Play to the First Row
There are few things more exhilarating than landing a line just right.I learned that years ago when I was acting in plays. You feel it immediately. The timing lands. The room responds. And something in you lights up.But life has a way of becoming its own stage.We spend years trying to reach the whole room. Trying to impress people. Trying to lead well. Trying to win over critics. Trying to make su
It's Not Retirement That's Killing Us
A neuroscientist recently said something that stopped me in my tracks: retirement might be the worst idea the brain ever encountered.I’ve spent years watching people retire, especially the men I’ve known, and I keep noticing the same pattern. It’s rarely the absence of a paycheck that does the damage. It’s the absence of anyone needing them anymore.There’s a real difference between a job and a rol
The Catch
A flattering message showed up in my inbox recently.For a few moments, I wanted it to be true.It praised my years in leadership, ministry, and writing. It even suggested I might be worthy of a magazine feature.Then came the sponsorship fee.There it was.The catch.In this episode of Steady Notes, I reflect on why recognition can feel so powerful, what leadership really costs, and why the most import
The Set of the Sail
A notification. A headline. An email. A delivery update. Another opinion.Most of it is not urgent. Much of it is not even important.In this episode of Steady Notes, I reflect on William James’s observation that “the art of being wise is knowing what to overlook,” some fascinating neuroscience about how the adult brain continues learning to filter information, and Jim Rohn’s reminder that it is not
The Third Box
In this episode of Steady Notes, I talk about focus, distraction, old maps, smartphones, and the discipline of choosing only three big things each day.I reflect on a lesson I first learned as a young salesperson: much of what demands our attention feels urgent, but very little of it is actually important. I also explore how our devices have changed the environment around our attention, why focus c
The Leader’s Ear
What separates a leader who merely hears from one who truly listens?In this first episode of Steady Notes, I look at Saul, David, feedback, pride, and the difficult question every leader eventually has to ask:Do I have a leader’s ear?Hearing without heeding isn’t hearing at all. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visi
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