Don's Thoughts

Habits of an Extraordinary Family: A Preview of Our Building an Extraordinary Family Event

With our “Building an Extraordinary Family” event coming up in just a few days, I wanted to give you a preview of my session on Habits of an Extraordinary Family. I’m not talking about things like packing school lunches or making sure everyone’s teeth are brushed; I’m talking about intentional habits that bring families together, like morning prayer, one-on-one time with each child, spouse, or other family members, and specifically, family dinnertime.

First, what does it mean to have an “extraordinary family?” While this definition is sure to vary from family to family, person to person, I’m willing to bet there are a few consistent themes, including connection, support, and growth. An extraordinary family is marked by its commitment to shared values, meaningful rituals, and unwavering support for each other. Challenges are faced together, communication is valued, and goals are made and achieved as a family unit.

One key to an extraordinary family is prioritizing daily habits and rituals that deepen connection, foster communication, and make meaningful progress toward shared goals. Family dinnertime is one of the most important and easiest daily rituals to implement. This means taking intentional time to come together, putting the phones away, and having impactful conversations where we can learn about each other. The dinnertime habit encapsulates the essence of familial unity and growth.

Author of Habits of the Household, Justin Whitmel Earley says it best: “The difference between people who happen to live together and families who befriend each other are rhythms of conversation at mealtimes.” Having started this habit with my family when our two oldest sons were barely toddlers, I can attest to just how powerful it has been as a way to foster open communication and grow closer as a family.

Every evening, no matter how hectic the day has been or where we are, Carla, Donny, Alex, Jake, and I come together for dinner. It’s amazing how you can find the time to slow down from even the busiest life when you’re purposeful in your habits. We begin every dinner with a prayer, thanking the Lord for all of His blessings upon our lives. As we eat, we often take a turn answering several questions. Some examples of these questions include:

“What did you learn today?”

“Who did you help?”

“What did you accomplish?”

“How did you fail?”

Carla and I have found that when we approach the boys with pointed questions like this, rather than “How was your day,” we open the door to meaningful conversations that let us get to know our sons better each day. When we answer these same questions about our own days, we show the boys a little bit about who we are and have the opportunity to lead by example rather than drilling them with our expectations. Of course, your dinnertime ritual may look different from ours, but the important thing is to create this lasting habit of coming together, learning from and about each other, and growing as a family.

We also encourage reading each day, and over dinner, we often discuss books we’ve started or finished, sharing why we liked (or didn’t like) a book, what we learned, and how we plan to incorporate our learnings into our everyday lives.

I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation about what makes a family extraordinary at our upcoming “Building an Extraordinary Family” event in a few days in Dollywood, where I’ll dive into all of our family’s habits, why I think they’re paramount for all families, and actionable skills and advice that you can take home to help transform your family. I look forward to seeing you there!

Join DLP Capital on June 19 for a Discussion on the Book High Road Leadership: Bringing People Together in a World That Divides with Author and Renowned Leadership Expert John C. Maxwell

This year, I’ve had the honor and privilege to travel and work alongside John C. Maxwell, a renowned author and speaker known for his profound influence in the field of leadership and personal development. A #1 New York Times best-selling author recognized as the top leader in business by the American Management Association, John has published over 80 books sharing his expertise on leadership, communication, teamwork, and personal growth. He has inspired countless individuals and organizations worldwide to reach their full potential while leading with integrity and purpose–and now, he’s coming to DLP Capital.

I’m honored to invite you to join us for a special meeting of our leadership and personal development book club, Driven 4 Greatness (D4G), where we’ll welcome John for a discussion on his newly published book, High Road Leadership: Bringing People Together in a World That Divides. I’ve seen John speak about leadership to crowds in the tens of thousands, so being part of a live chat with him in such an intimate setting is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

We’re highly selective with the titles we choose for D4G, and even among the truly exceptional books we’ve discussed in this group, High Road Leadership is a clear standout. Whether you can join us on June 19 or not, I highly encourage you to read it. In the book, John asserts that “everything rises and falls on leadership;” good leadership can help people rise up to a better life, while poor leadership can cause people to fall into despair. In today’s increasingly divided world, John argues, we’re seeing more leadership that does the latter, causing people to fall “into disputes, frustration, anger, and despair.” He introduces the concept of high-road leadership as a solution and, ultimately, the key to increasing influence and making the world a better place. Leaders who embody high-road leadership value all people, do the right things for the right reasons, take accountability for their actions, and place people above their own agenda.

Once you start reading it, you’ll understand why he’s sold more than 35 million books.

Strengthening Our Leadership Team: Nick Stonestreet and Roman Stephens Join DLP Capital

As we pursue our BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) of positively impacting and transforming 10 million lives by funding the building of 5,000 Thriving Communities, our progress is only as strong as our leadership. I’m thrilled to introduce two new DLP Capital leaders whose experience and vision will be instrumental in growing the organization. Please help me welcome Nick Stonestreet, President of Financial Services, and Roman Stephens, President of DLP Capital Real Estate Management.

I’m thrilled to share that the DLP Housing Fund is in the process of acquiring Asheville Exchange, a 312-unit apartment complex built in 2017. The property has 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units, offering flexibility for growing families, with plenty of retail, dining, and entertainment. After a year that made it challenging to find acquisitions that made sense for the Fund’s investment strategy, we’re finally starting to see projects like this hit the market, and we’re ready to take advantage of them for investors in DLP Capital Sponsored Funds. If you’re interested in learning more about the Asheville Exchange opportunity, it is highlighted on a recent webinar, which you can watch on-demand here.

I want you to experience the magic of Asheville with your own family, too. You’re now the first to know that DLP Capital will be hosting our second annual “Extraordinary Impact Family Event” in this beautiful city at the Omni Grove Park Inn from June 25-29, 2025. Mark your calendars and look out for more information in the coming months!