How do you measure success? For musician David Davol, it isn’t about fame or fortune — it’s about living life on your own terms, doing more of what you love, and less of what you don’t.In this latest episode of *The Life Lessons Collective*, I reconnect with David, whose career in music has spanned over 46 years and more than 7,000 performances. From bar gigs and cruise ships to country clubs and concert halls, David’s story is a testament to the power of persistence.His life lesson is simple yet powerful: *the harder you work, the luckier you get.* Whether practicing guitar seven hours a day in a seaside motel or jumping at a last-minute cruise ship opportunity, David shows how preparation opens the door to serendipity.This episode is also a reminder that success isn’t one-size-fits-all. As David puts it, “I’ve done more of what I wanted to do, and less of what I didn’t want to do, than almost anyone I know.” That, to him, is the definition of success. It sure is an inspiring message I think about every day.

David (left) and Carty Brown - mid 1970’s. David’s post about this photo inspired my reaching out to him and our conversation. A positive re-connecting moment in the divisive, stormy seas of today’s social media climate.🌟 Nonprofit Plug

This episode supports Rock to the Future (rocktothefuture.org), providing free, student-driven music programs that build confidence and community for Philadelphia youth.

📚 References

* Peter Block’s The Answer to How Is Yes

* Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers

* Historical context: The Beatles’ Hamburg years (example of preparation meeting opportunity)

* Spotify playlist of songs mentioned in the episode.

One small thing.That’s the lesson that helped this week’s guest, Aly Rice, climb her way out of heartbreak, grief, and career burnout—and build a completely new life.In this episode of The Life Lessons Collective, Aly tells the raw and riveting story of how a vacation romance turned long-distance relationship became a betrayal that blindsided her. As if that weren’t enough, she then lost her last surviving parent, faced public humiliation, and stepped away from the corporate world.Her way out? Episode 12 guest, Kathleen Seeley’s advice: “What’s one small thing that’s small enough to get done, but big enough to matter?”From daily walks to launching a coaching practice and two podcasts—Sex, Lies & Tacos and This Could Get Messy—Aly shares how those small, consistent steps became the building blocks of a bold new beginning.🎧 Listen now and walk away with one deceptively simple mindset shift you can put into practice today.—📚 Mentioned Resources

• Getting Things Done by David Allen

• Effortless by Greg McKeown

• The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

Nonprofit Spotlight: In honor of Aly, this episode supports Dress for Success Worldwide, a global nonprofit helping women achieve economic independence and career success.#TheLifeLessonsCollective #AlyRice #Reinvention #Podcast #DressForSuccess #SmallStepsBigChange

In this episode, Michael is joined by attorney and MSP industry leader Bradley Gross, who shares a powerful lesson about the importance of embracing friction—both in business and in life. From his early days prosecuting cybercrime to founding the law firm that bears his name, Brad discusses how pushing through disagreement and discomfort can unlock growth, creativity, and meaningful change. He also opens up about his personal evolution, a divorce, and his newest venture, MSP Terms, which merges legal insight with entrepreneurial tech.

Brad's message is clear: Friction, when welcomed thoughtfully, can move the needle in every area of life.

Brad is the author of Wisdom and Witticisms of an MSP Attorney and the host of the podcast The Technology Bradcast, available at www.technologybradcast.com. Also mentioned in the episode is Gino Wickman’s Traction, a widely-used business framework that encourages healthy team conflict to drive alignment and results.

For more information on the nonprofit mentioned in the commercial break, please visit www.nokidhungry.org.