New year at Microsoft, new team, and a fresh perspective.

It’s been outstanding sharing our core values, vision, heroes, and even failures to build genuine connections. It inspired me to share my heroes here—because in a world that moves so fast and keeps us glued to our phones, we need reminders of what truly matters.

We need more heroes. Not capes-and-comic-book heroes but real ones. The kind who teach us to love, push us to be courageous, and inspire us to slow down, get our hands dirty, and maybe even make pasta once in a while.

Here are mine:

My father and step-dad: One taught me to work with my hands and care for flowers, animals, and people. The other taught me how to be still, listen, be calm, and approach life with patience.

My mom: When others doubted my brother, she refused to accept “no,” teaching me courage and relentless love.

My father-in-law: He inspired me to find what I love, live it fully, and lead by example.

These heroes taught me that true strength is quiet, steady, and rooted in love. They reminded me that the simplest things—planting flowers, baking bread, rolling pasta—can ground us and bring joy.

These lessons, paired with ideas like “Outsmarting Reality” and the “First Rule of Mastery,” shaped my journey. They taught me to see challenges as opportunities, to fill my cup with espresso and Joy, and to bring that energy into every room I walk into.

Today, more than ever, we need that. More courage. More love. More heroes in everyday life.

Who are your heroes? Who inspires you? Please share your story, because we could all use more inspiration and coffee.

#Inspiration #Leadership #Heroes #MichaelEarls #Microsoft #Coffee