Deacon Michael Halbrook

Deacon Michael Halbrook

Faith, family, work, and life - all intertwined.

Permanent deacon of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Husband, father of four sons, builder of Catholic technology, and writer of essays, fiction, and homilies.

The Long Middle
Ad Alta ↗ Reflections

The Long Middle

Last week I wrote about the two ways honest people answer the identity question wrong - the role trap and the wound trap. A lot of you wrote back. Some of you s

What I Couldn't See Then
Ad Alta ↗ Reflections

What I Couldn't See Then

When I first took a Director role at Adobe, I thought I knew what I was saying yes to. I didn't. On the two traps that catch honest people in a career transition - and what the identity question actually wants.

The Question Underneath
Ad Alta ↗ Identity

The Question Underneath

He sat down and told me he thought he was done climbing. He wasn't sure he was allowed to say that. What surfaced next changed how I think about every career decision - my own included.

Two Weeks Left
Ad Alta ↗ Transitions

Two Weeks Left

Two weeks. That's what's left of my Adobe career. Ten days of handoffs, goodbyes, and the strange ritual of turning in equipment that's been part of my daily life for years

Running and Building
Ad Alta ↗ Identity

Running and Building

I'm writing this from Walt Disney World. Not a sentence I expected to include in a post about leadership transitions - but here we are.

The Long Goodbye
Ad Alta ↗ Transitions

The Long Goodbye

I'm leaving Adobe. After eighteen years, I'm walking out the door at the start of next month. Not because something went wrong - but because something else is pulling me forward.

Clarity Before the Climb
Ad Alta ↗ Transitions

Clarity Before the Climb

I turned 48 today. For most of my career, I didn't think much about birthdays. But this one feels different. I've been asking different questions - not "What's next?" but "Who am I becoming?"

Legacy Over Achievement
Ad Alta ↗ Identity

Legacy Over Achievement

I used to measure success by what I built. Now I measure it by how I showed up. Here's the question that changed my definition of success in the second half.

The Money Question
Ad Alta ↗ Practices

The Money Question

"What would I do if money wasn't a factor?" This question changed everything for me, because it revealed what I actually care about.