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Turning Volunteer Work Into Engaging Challenges
How to Make Service Feel Like Purpose-Driven Adventure Let’s be honest: When most people hear “volunteer work,” they imagine chores, long hours, or thankless tasks. But that’s because they’ve never seen service transformed into a challenge —a mission, a test of grit, heart, and leadership. At Covenant of Courage , we don’t just recruit volunteers. We raise purpose-driven leaders who serve with energy, urgency, and excellence. And the secret? We turn service into challenge-ba
Kirk Carlson
Oct 242 min read


Do It Because They Said You Couldn’t: The Fire Behind Defiance
There’s a moment in everyone’s life when they’re told “You can’t.” You’re not strong enough. Not smart enough. Not the right background. And in that moment, you’re left with two choices: • Shrink yourself to fit their expectations • Or rise up and prove them wrong The image of a weathered man, cigarette in mouth, holding a homemade sign reading “Do it because they said you couldn’t” says more than a thousand motivational posters. It doesn’t just scream rebellion—it whisper
Kirk Carlson
Oct 232 min read


What Is Group 7 and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?
— by Covenant of Courage x JLBC Cadet Corps ⸻ 📲 A TikTok Trend With a Twist If you’ve opened TikTok in the last few weeks, chances are you’ve seen something about Group 7 . From memes to motivational videos, jokes to life lessons, the phrase “Group 7” is showing up everywhere. But what does it actually mean—and why is it resonating with so many people, especially youth, veterans, and digital leaders? Let’s break it down. ⸻ 🎥 Where It Started: A Creator’s Social Experimen
Kirk Carlson
Oct 233 min read


Why Discipline Is the Best Therapy: Rebuilding from the Inside Out
In a world flooded with quick fixes, self-help trends, and instant gratification, one timeless truth remains: discipline is the foundation of transformation . While therapy, support groups, and medication have their place in healing, discipline is the internal compass that guides us through chaos toward clarity — and ultimately, toward a better version of ourselves. ⸻ 🔧 Discipline: The Framework of Stability Therapy teaches us to unpack our trauma. But discipline teaches us
Kirk Carlson
Oct 232 min read


Turning Volunteer Work Into Engaging Challenges
How to Make Service Feel Like Purpose-Driven Adventure Let’s be honest: When most people hear “volunteer work,” they imagine chores, long hours, or thankless tasks. But that’s because they’ve never seen service transformed into a challenge —a mission, a test of grit, heart, and leadership. At Covenant of Courage , we don’t just recruit volunteers. We raise purpose-driven leaders who serve with energy, urgency, and excellence. And the secret? We turn service into challenge-ba
Kirk Carlson
Oct 212 min read


You Don’t Meet People by Accident
There’s Always a Reason: A Lesson or a Blessing. Every person who enters your life is part of your story—for a moment, a season, or a lifetime. And whether the experience is joyful, painful, or somewhere in between, there’s always something they leave behind: A lesson to sharpen you. A blessing to build you. Or sometimes… both. ⸻ 🌱 The Lesson: Growth Wrapped in Discomfort Not everyone you meet is meant to stay. Some come into your life to challenge your thinking, test you
Kirk Carlson
Oct 202 min read


Building Brotherhood Across Generations: Covenant of Courage at the Janet Goeske Foundation
On September 16, 2025, Covenant of Courage hosted a powerful tabling event at the Janet Goeske Foundation in Riverside, California, as part of our ongoing Veteran Empowerment Workshop Series. The event brought together veterans from different generations — including several Vietnam-era veterans — for a day of connection, reflection, and renewed purpose. We shared stories of military life, sacrifice, and resilience — moments that reminded us how much we have in common despite
Kirk Carlson
Oct 201 min read


Start Leading with Purpose
At The Covenant of Courage , our mission is simple but powerful: to build a community where men ignite their potential through authentic connection, meaningful conversations, and shared experiences. Our vision is a world where no man walks alone —where every man searching for friendship finds a deep, unshakable brotherhood rooted in leadership, truth, and transformation . Why Small Group Leaders Matter Small group leaders are at the heart of this mission. By opening a space f
Kirk Carlson
Oct 191 min read


Comfort Is the Enemy of Growth. Get Uncomfortable.
There’s a reason growth doesn’t feel good. Because it’s not supposed to . Growth demands stretching, adjusting, letting go, and stepping into the unknown. And if you’re always chasing comfort—if you’re always waiting until it “feels right”—you’ll stay stuck exactly where you are. Comfort zones don’t build warriors. They build walls. ⸻ 💥 Growth Requires Discomfort You can’t get stronger without resistance. You can’t become wiser without challenge. You can’t lead if you’re af
Kirk Carlson
Oct 192 min read


Expanding Reasonable Ranks Across the Nation
By Covenant of Courage ⸻ ⚖️ A Movement for Fairness and Reform The #ReasonableRanks Campaign began as a small but determined effort to confront one of the most overlooked injustices in military policy — the lack of reasonable accommodations for injured and disabled service members. What started as a single petition has now grown into a national movement calling for systemic reform in how the U.S. military handles medical discharges . With more than 600 signatures and counti
Kirk Carlson
Oct 192 min read


The Goal Is to Get Finer, Happier, Wealthier, and Healthier
And You Deserve All Four. Let’s make something clear: Wanting more out of life isn’t selfish—it’s strategic . We live in a world that tells us to “be grateful and sit down,” but real growth happens when you say: “I can be grateful AND still want to elevate every area of my life.” So here’s the new standard: Finer. Happier. Wealthier. Healthier. Not for show. Not for clout. But for you , your future, and the people you’re called to impact. ⸻ 🔥 Finer – Level Up Your Presence
Kirk Carlson
Oct 192 min read


LOOKING FOR VETERANS READY TO BREAK INTO IT
By Covenant of Courage ⸻ 💻 The Fight for a Second Mission Are you a veteran or service member who was told that because of your medical discharge , you’re unqualified to do what you did in the military? You’re not alone — and you’re not unqualified. Every year, thousands of skilled men and women leave the military not because they can’t serve, but because the system doesn’t know what to do with them once they get injured. The phrase “Leave no man behind” seems to vanish whe
Kirk Carlson
Oct 192 min read


The Cost of Leadership: Why True Leaders Must Be Willing to Be Misunderstood
“If you accept the call to leadership, you must be willing to be misunderstood, criticized, opposed, accused—even rejected.” Leadership isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s not a title. It’s not popularity. It’s a calling that demands courage , clarity , and conviction —even when it costs you comfort, approval, or peace. Too many want the influence of leadership without the isolation it sometimes brings. But the truth is this: To lead is to be willing to walk alone… and still k
Kirk Carlson
Oct 182 min read


What “Reasonable Accommodation” Should Mean for the U.S. Military
⚖️ Redefining How America Treats Its Injured and Disabled Service Members For decades, the phrase “reasonable accommodation” has stood as a pillar of civil rights law. It represents fairness, inclusion, and the idea that a person’s worth is not defined by their limitations but by their willingness to serve and contribute. In every workplace across the United States — from the White House to the post office — the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures that employees
Kirk Carlson
Oct 183 min read


Reasonable Ranks Campaign Progress Report — October 2025
🛡️ Building Momentum for Military Discharge Reform The Reasonable Ranks Campaign , led by Kirk Carlson and Covenant of Courage , continues to gain national traction as it fights to close one of the most overlooked civil rights gaps in military law: the lack of reasonable accommodation for injured service members. As of today, the campaign has reached 627 petition signatures , reflecting growing public support for military discharge reform and fair reassignment pathways for
Kirk Carlson
Oct 173 min read


Working with Smart People Is Great
— Working with Kind and Humble People Is Next-Level Amazing In a world where intelligence is often prized above all else, there’s something that stands out even more than raw brilliance: 👉 Character. Yes—working with smart people is great. They solve problems. They innovate. They bring big ideas to the table. But when you combine intelligence with kindness and humility — that’s when the real magic happens. Smart Gets Things Done. Humble Gets Things Built. Smart people know
Kirk Carlson
Oct 172 min read


Choose Your Circle: Build a Tribe That Elevates You
We’ve all heard it before: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” But let’s take that further. You are the energy you allow into your space. You are the standard your circle sets for itself. You are the vision that your people either push you toward—or pull you away from. The Power of the Right Circle The people around you are either: • Fueling your growth , or • Feeding your fears . When you’re around people who are driven, disciplined,
Kirk Carlson
Oct 162 min read


How Law Students Can Earn Credit Through Public Service
By Covenant of Courage | In Partnership with JLBC Cadet Corps and the #ReasonableRanks Campaign ⸻ ⚖️ Bridging Education and Impact Every law student enters the field with a dream of justice — to use their education not just for a paycheck, but for purpose. Yet many don’t realize that their journey toward becoming an attorney can start right now through public service credit programs that count toward graduation. At Covenant of Courage and the JLBC Cadet Corps , law student
Kirk Carlson
Oct 163 min read


The Hidden Civil Rights Gap in Military Discharge Law
⚖️ Why Injured and Disabled Service Members Are Being Left Behind — and How We Can Fix It When Americans think of civil rights, we picture marches, courtrooms, and landmark rulings. We rarely imagine the quiet heartbreak that happens inside a military base, when a service member who’s been injured, disabled, or medically limited is told: “You’re no longer fit for duty — you’re being discharged.” Behind that single sentence lies a hidden civil rights gap that leaves thousand
Kirk Carlson
Oct 163 min read


The Power of One Conversation: How Veterans Can Change Military Policy
🇺🇸 Every major movement in history started the same way — with a conversation. One person sharing an experience that makes another stop, listen, and care. For veterans, that power is multiplied by service, sacrifice, and the moral authority that comes from living the very policies they seek to change. In the campaign for #ReasonableRanks , that truth sits at the heart of everything we do: one veteran’s story can move mountains — but only if it’s told, shared, and heard. ⸻ �
Kirk Carlson
Oct 163 min read
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