Wisdom
A growing collection of lines and themes Arlin returns to in his talks, writing, and interviews. This is a sample selection to show the shape of the page — the real library would be built with Arlin’s input on which lines and ideas matter most to him.
“I am just a simple Iowa farmboy.” — Arlin Sorensen, Thoughts on Scripture
Arlin often pushes people to think about legacy as something built daily, not left behind — a question of what you’re doing right now that will be remembered, and who’s counting on you to show up.
“Legacy is not when you die — you build it while you’re living.” — M&A Nation, 2023
Borrowing the “168 hours a week” framing, Arlin’s writing returns again and again to the idea that how you spend all of your time — not just work hours — is the real measure of a life well lived.
“We only get one chance to live well.” — Thoughts on Scripture
Arlin describes his approach to peer groups and coaching as servant leadership: investing in people first, and measuring success by the growth of the people around you rather than your own title.
Arlin points often to The Go-Giver, by Bob Burg and John David Mann, as a touchstone — the idea that giving more in value than you receive in payment is what defines your worth, in business and otherwise.
In recent years Arlin’s focus has shifted toward helping MSP owners plan for transition — through M&A, an ESOP, or a family succession — arguing that most owners wait far too long to start.
“Hope is not a plan.” — on leadership and planning
Arlin often draws on the rhythms of farming — planting, tending, harvest, and the long view across seasons — as a lens for thinking about business and leadership.
These are starting points. The real version of this page would be built by working through Arlin’s blog and email archive to find the lines and frameworks he’d want featured — see the project notes for how that process might work.