When the Plan Gets Punched

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” – Mike Tyson
“Everyone has a plan until they hit a deer in Kansas.” – Matt Gleaves

This week has been… a lot.

Monday morning started quietly… coffee with my Dad, talking about work and life. The kind of conversation that grounds you before the week begins. Then later that day, we buried my father-in-law… a man who built his life on faith, family, and open hands.

On Tuesday, I visited Brian Burnette (we went through apprenticeship together) and the team at Plumbers and Pipefitters L.U. 441 out of Kansas for a tour and a good talk about coffee, training, and brotherhood. After that, I caught up with my brother in Wichita… the kind of visit you don’t realize how much you needed until you’re there.

Then, on the way home… I hit my first deer. (Managed to miss the other two bedded down in the ditch.)
By Wednesday, it was insurance calls, rental cars, and a meeting in Manhattan, KS… before finally heading back to Indiana on Thursday.
Next week, it’s Dallas for the Dirt World Summit.

None of this was part of the plan.

But that’s the thing about plans… they look clean on paper. Life, however, doesn’t take orders from your schedule.

It shows up with a mix of the unplanned and the unexpected — the good, the bad, and everything in between. Some days it’s loss, flat tires, or deer on a dark highway. Other days it’s unexpected laughter with your brother, a strong handshake from a crew that just gets it, or the kind of conversation that reminds you why you do what you do.

The interruptions — the good and the hard — both shape us.

When plans fall apart, the temptation is to push harder, to fix it, to get back “on schedule.” But sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is stop.
Pause.
Breathe.
And remind yourself:

✅ It’s just a truck.
✅ God is still King.
✅ Weariness doesn’t mean weakness.

Because the truth is, those interruptions often carry the lessons we didn’t know we needed. They refine perspective. They reveal priorities. They remind us that life is lived between the lines of the plan… not just inside them.

I’m grateful to walk away safely. The deer wasn’t so fortunate… but then again, it probably didn’t plan for this week either.

If you’re heading to the #DirtWorldSummit, let’s connect. Grab a cup of coffee, share your story, and let’s talk about the real work happening — in the field and in the lives we’re all trying to build.

#Leadership #Faith #Resilience #Brotherhood #ConfinedSpaceCoffee #DirtWorldSummit