A lot of parents tend to avoid topics like money when teaching their kids. Some parents may have grown up in a household where talking about it was taboo, and that’s understandable. A lot of people struggle with finances, and so it’s natural to avoid it! Others may think that children are just too young to learn about investing, savings and spending, or maybe they believe the topic is too complicated to explain to young minds. Whatever the case, avoiding the topic does NOT set kids up for succes...
Mar 28, 2023•57 min
One of the topics we get asked to deal with the most on this show is along the lines of strength, courage, and resilience. And it’s not strange, when you really stop to think about it! Plenty of things in this life can zap our strength, steal our courage, and drain our resources. Chances are that if you’re reading this, you’d admit that you could use more resilience. These are tough times, and we’ve no promise that tomorrow will be a bed of roses either. So, what are we talking about exactly? Re...
Mar 21, 2023•40 min
This week, we’ll conclude our three part series called Cultivation. What are we cultivating? We’re cultivating leaders! And as we’ve seen, this is labor intensive, highly strategic, but also incredibly rewarding. In fact, leaders that we’ve seen get to this third phase of leadership are some of the happiest and most fulfilled that we know. Today, I want to share an inside secret as to why that is. Maybe you’ve finally got your team members being successful in their roles. Fantastic! And, you’ve ...
Mar 14, 2023•43 min
After 10 years of leading people through an in-depth, discovery process of themselves, our Next-Level Life event, I’ve discovered that a lot of people are hurting and discouraged. I’ve also found some great perspective that can help us to get unstuck and move forward! The problem is that it’s really easy to blame others, our circumstances, or past failures for not getting ahead in life. However, in most cases, it’s that we’re standing in our own way! That’s not an easy truth to swallow, but ackn...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 14 min
Relationships, time, and money. These are probably the three greatest personal assets that you’ll ever have the privilege (and the responsibility) of managing. When we don’t steward these things well, we end up experiencing difficulty and pain in life. That’s why we talk so much about healthy relationships around here. We dig into topics like setting healthy boundaries, where we get our worth, and surface level responses. Why? These tools help us to reframe our relationships (with ourselves and ...
Feb 28, 2023•39 min•Ep. 511
Today we continue our series called Cultivation. And what are we cultivating? Leaders. If you didn’t catch part one, you’ll want to go back and listen to episode 504 on Making Others Successful. It’s one of our favorite things to talk about around here! Why? “Your job as a leader is to make your team successful, and not the other way around.” Let me highlight one of the main points that we hit last time, because you’ve got to get this before you can move forward and really start to grow the lead...
Feb 21, 2023•49 min
Taking people through an in depth, two-day, transformative process was something of a side-project early on in our company’s development. Fast forward ten years and over 500 events later, and it’s easy to see that the Next-Level Life coaching event has become an integral part of what we do. On the business side, we coach leaders on how to get unstuck, gain perspective, and stay out of the Crazy Cycle that has them focusing on tasks instead of people and the bigger picture. But, have you ever exp...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Leaders frequently struggle in very specific and vital areas of their business. To make matters worse, they tend to lack actionable clarity and they can often feel alone in their roles. Maybe you’ve been here too, stuck in the Crazy Cycle and unable to scale. Teams often lack the quality communication necessary to thrive, and they unknowingly harbor toxic work cultures. After helping thousands of people take on challenges like these in their businesses, we’ve learned a few things about leaders a...
Feb 07, 2023•52 min
So many people who wrestle with perfectionism never get to excellence. Is that you? Well, maybe you’d say, no Chris, I’m a failure not a perfectionist. It’s ironic, but failure is closer to excellence than you might think, and perfection is actually farther away! Excellence is one of our core values, and it’s the goal that we shoot for all the time. But, as much as we talk about it, we don’t hit the mark every single time. At times, we do fail. Which brings up this question, asked by one of our ...
Jan 31, 2023•27 min
You’ve probably heard us talk about making others successful. It’s one of our core pursuits here. In fact, we just did a whole show on this a few weeks back, episode no. 504. Well, there’s a flip side to all of that: it’s when we throw obstacles in another person’s way. The sad thing is that most of us have probably done this at some point in our lives, and we’ve likely had it done to us as well. It sucks and it’s becoming more common all the time! Setting someone’s reality is a divisive way to ...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr 8 min
Ever feel like there’s not enough time or money? Maybe the bills are piling up Your tasks feel overwhelming You’re living paycheck to paycheck You feel like you’re just getting by The appointments are too many to keep It’s easy to fall into the trap of scarcity thinking. We’ve probably all been there at one time or another. But, what do you do if it becomes a habit and then you feel stuck? A scarcity mindset is when you’re so obsessed with the lack of something — usually time or money — that you...
Jan 17, 2023•33 min
Hey leaders, we’ve got a power-packed new series coming at you! First up, your job as a leader is to make your team successful, and not the other way around. But, I’ll tell you a secret. If you’ll spend the time and invest the effort… if you’ll make your team successful … then THEY will eventually make YOU successful. A lot of companies aren’t thriving, because the leader is trying to be the big success story. Here’s a spoiler … being a leader … a true, mature, successful leader … involves a few...
Jan 10, 2023•40 min
Welcome to a brand new year! It’s 2023 and I’ve got some good perspective for you. Tough times are guaranteed to come. Not what you were looking for? Don’t despair, there’s good news that comes along with that. But, let’s evaluate for a moment. How did you feel when you read that part about tough times being guaranteed? If you’re like a lot of people, maybe your heart may have sunk a little bit. Maybe you started worrying. You might’ve even responded by saying, No Chris, the tough times are alre...
Jan 03, 2023•43 min
What’s the difference between people-pleasing and having a real servant’s heart? Of course, no one wants to be taken advantage of. And it’s good to have healthy boundaries and not let others walk all over you. We talk a lot about that around here! On the other hand, how many times have you tried to do “the right thing”, and then had some kind of conflict in your heart about it afterwards? What were you really trying to accomplish? Yup, now you’ve got your finger on it! It all comes down to our i...
Dec 27, 2022•55 min
Are you positioned to be promoted? As we approach a new year, most people begin 1) reflecting on the year that’s ending, and 2) wondering if they’re positioned to get ahead, to lead, or to grow in the year to come. We all know that there’s nothing magical about the calendar resetting to January first. But for many people, this time of year offers a brief pause to consider their lives, habits, and ambitions. Here’s the deal: you have to put your life together by yourself: thought by thought and a...
Dec 20, 2022•50 min
We’re so excited to celebrate 9 years of this podcast with you today! To commemorate this 500th episode, we’re going to talk about what YOU’VE said about this podcast, what YOU want to hear more of, and that’s not all… We’re also going to announce some of our giveaway winners! So, you’ll want to tune in. And, not just for the prizes. The information that you provided through our 500th Giveaway survey has been compiled and the results are in! You might be surprised by what we learned. On this epi...
Dec 13, 2022•1 hr 11 min
Do you like being told “no” to something that you want to do? Very few people like to hear that word. And a lot of people don’t like telling other people “no”, especially when they want to make those people happy. Why? Because this tiny word packs a powerful punch! To make matters worse, we usually think of it as a negative word, something to be avoided entirely. However, the truth about the word “no” is actually really freeing, for those who choose to embrace it. It can become a tool used to pr...
Dec 06, 2022•1 hr 17 min
Nov 29, 2022•28 min
How has examining victim mentality changed or challenged your thinking? Exposing the lies and combating them with the truth will help us to live a life that’s healthy and full of meaning. Victim mentality is just one way that we can rob ourselves of that better life. And while we’ve probably all “played the victim” card - more than a few times - it can be really tough to see when we’re being a bully. Now, you may be thinking, but I’m a nice person, I’d never hurt a fly… Well, let’s walk though t...
Nov 22, 2022•19 min
Have you ever played the “victim-card”? I’m sure that we all have at one time or another. Why? We’ve all been duped into believing some of the Lies Victims Tell Themselves. Here’s the deal, we all struggle with untrue recorded memos in our heads, whether about ourselves or other people, and those recordings are often set to repeat on endless loops. These untruths, or lies, that we tell ourselves usually manifest in two distinct ways: encouraging us to act as innocent victims or evil villains. Ac...
Nov 15, 2022•26 min
Have you ever played the “victim-card”? I’m sure that we all have at one time or another. Why? We’ve all been duped into believing some of the Lies Victims Tell Themselves. Here’s the deal, we all struggle with untrue recorded memos in our heads, whether about ourselves or other people, and those recordings are often set to repeat on endless loops. These untruths, or lies, that we tell ourselves usually manifest in two distinct ways: encouraging us to act as innocent victims or evil villains. Ac...
Nov 08, 2022•25 min
Ever get that sneaking suspicion that not everyone on the team is fully onboard with where you’re going as a company? It’s more common than you might think! Getting others to buy-in to your vision is a challenge, but it’s not impossible and it can be highly rewarding! Can you imagine what it would be like for your team to become fully engaged? There’s nothing like having your entire company owning the vision and running with it! Imagine the possibilities! But that’s not where most business owner...
Nov 01, 2022•47 min
No matter what industry your business is in, you’ve likely got customers or clients that you have to interact with. But, how do you know if you’re really connecting with them? Do you know their needs, wants, or desires? Sure, maybe you do your fair share of market research, but do you have a connection with your clients that goes beyond the statistics? Have you developed a relationship, as much as possible in your field, that helps you intuitively anticipate their needs, even their motives, for ...
Oct 25, 2022•38 min
You probably use some kind of Job Description in your recruiting and hiring processes, right? But, what are you using in order to keep your team members on track once they're on board? Maybe you’ve had your folks ask questions like: “Am I doing a good job”, “Am I doing the right things”, or “What would you want me to do differently”? These are great questions! But what they indicate is that your process is missing something important. Enter KRAs. Maintaining excellence, holding folks accountable...
Oct 18, 2022•44 min
How would you rate yourself as a communicator on a scale of 1 to 10? Most of the time, leaders and their teams think they’re doing just fine. However, most are seriously mistaken! After a careful assessment of team dynamics and interpersonal communication among leaders and team members, we discover time after time that quality communication is missing. High levels of quality communication can be your team’s greatest asset, while the lack of this kind of communication - at high levels - can absol...
Oct 11, 2022•33 min
How do you know if your coping skills are actually helping you in life or holding you back? There are different kinds of coping skills or strategies. For example, some focus on emotions, some on problems, some help us to disconnect from stressful circumstances, and others are basically social or religious support systems. And these things aren’t bad, I mean, they might actually help you to get you through a crisis or two… but are they a good long-term strategy? Well, not if they don’t address th...
Oct 03, 2022•33 min
You were created to grow, thrive, and flourish. You weren’t created to barely get by, wander aimlessly through life, or just maintain the status quo. In fact, that’s contrary to your very design! In fact, when we’re not doing what we’re created to do, fulfilling our God-given purpose and growing into what He created us to be, then we’ll have a hard time enjoying life to its fullest. Viktor Frankl said, When a person can't find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. But,...
Sep 27, 2022•29 min
Should I stay or should I go? That can be a loaded question when it comes to employment. It’s no secret, transitions are stressful, especially when looking to change jobs. And, knowing how to leave a dead-end job, the right way and at the right time, can be a real challenge. Statistically, this is one of the most pressing questions in today’s workplace. However, with so many jobs available, how do you know when to make a change or even if you should? Where I live, in Middle Tennessee, there are ...
Sep 20, 2022•32 min
Today we’re learning why character counts, and why it gets discounted so quickly. In modern culture, character is one of the last virtues to get noticed, even though it's responsible for the rise (and fall) of many. From preachers to politicians to parents and business CEOs, character matters. Without character you won’t last, but that’s not to say that it’s the easier path. Far from it. The road to character is an upward climb; it’s the narrower path, the one less traveled. And yet, it’s the su...
Sep 13, 2022•25 min
Have you ever felt a slight hesitation before confronting a team member, coworker, or even a family member on a goal that they set or a commitment that they made? I think we all have. What’s that tinge of uncertainty or anxiety pointing us to? It’s probably something from our Root System that’s afraid of a negative outcome, the possibility of conflict, or something worse. And while we’ve all seen it abused, when we truly understand what real accountability is, it can become something that’s help...
Sep 06, 2022•41 min
