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  • Beyond Financial Fitness – Summary and Reviews

    Beyond Financial FitnessChris Brady and Orrin Woodward went above and beyond the call of duty when they created the Beyond Financial Fitness Program. With decades of experience building businesses, investing, managing personal finances, developing security and prosperity for their families, and mentoring others to do the same, it’s safe to say that Brady and Woodward have the credibility and experience to teach people about the complex subject of money and wealth creation.

    Excerpt and Overview of Beyond Financial Fitness:

    The original Financial Fitness book and program introduced the three-part concept of the Offense, Defense, and Playing Field of personal finance, with an emphasis on eliminating consumer debt and taking basic steps toward saving. Now, the long-anticipated Beyond Financial Fitness builds on that platform by teaching how to maximize the potential of your various streams of income by properly accumulating an ever-growing portfolio of cash-flow-producing assets. Learn what money is truly for, how your greatest investment will always be yourself, how to organize your money flow into a hierarchy of assets, and how to get the power of compounding to work in your favor. Understand the Risk Factors working against you and how the “money game” is rigged in ways that are not in your favor. Finally, learn how to protect your gains while growing your financial security for the long term. 

    Drawn from many of the greatest minds in the history of personal finance, Beyond Financial Fitness teaches you to gain mastery over your money once and for all through:

    A Comprehensive Financial Plan:

    • How you will earn
    • How you will save
    • How you will spend
    • How you will borrow
    • How you will invest your money

    An Investment Policy:

    • How to spell out your approach to investing
    • How to turn your efforts into assets
    • How to recognize risk factors working against you

    An Asset Allocation Plan:

    • How much money to keep in different investment categories
    • How to understand the risks of assets relative to each other
    • How to diversify and allocate your assets

    The program is available in both physical and digital formats and includes the Beyond Financial Fitness book and comprehensive workbook, an audio version of the book and several single audios, two DVD’s, and a bookmark and decal.

    Chris Brady

    Here are some comments from satisfied customers of Beyond Financial Fitness:

    “Beyond Financial Fitness is an excellent and balanced view of investing and markets and where they should fit in your overall financial life. It cleared up several misunderstandings I had of markets and certain instruments. I have made several course corrections based on the book, and have plans for future changes once certain milestones are reached.” – Marc Page

    “Beyond Financial Fitness is a resource that has provided me with a sense of relief, clarity, and empowerment. As I dove into the pack, I found unbiased information that has helped me answer questions that I’ve had for years about what to do with our money. I find myself returning to the information again and again. Beyond Financial Fitness contains simple steps that have helped me make better financial decisions almost immediately. In contrast to an appointment with my financial adviser, I now feel more in control of my financial decisions.  Plus, I have confidence that learning from authors with uncommon financial results will help catapult me toward my own financial success.” – Matt Mielke

    “We have used and are still using and applying what we have learned in the Beyond Financial Fitness Program. The tools cover such a wide spectrum of financial education and are designed to help the average person comprehend complex topics so much easier. I have enjoyed sharing this with family and friends. I love how it even incorporates education on the inside of the book sleeve and I have it in my office as a constant reminder.” – Steve Duba

    “I love how the Beyond Financial Fitness Program is designed for anyone of any financial level or status. The information applies to anyone – from basic insurances one should have to protect themselves, their family, and property, to in depth and easy to understand explanations of various investment opportunities. I also love how Beyond Financial Fitness provides the risk and reward levels and tax advantages of investments.” – Scott Coons

    “We appreciate how Beyond Financial Fitness is so much less about following markets, trends, and timing, and more about taking a methodic dollar-cost-averaging approach to building assets over time. Thanks for taking seemingly complex financial concepts and various instruments, and siphoning them down in a way we can understand, as well as the level of risk involved to help us better determine whether to invest in a given area. We would be well advised to make our ‘Beyond Financial Fitness’ pack our ‘best friend forever’! in other words; make our BFF our BFF!” – John and Penny Graff

    “The Beyond Financial Fitness Program is the perfect next step in gaining financial wisdom. It makes simple to understand what the financial world makes complex and confusing, for their benefit, and to our detriment. By really understanding asset classes along with applying the risk meter, we can make intelligent financial decisions that will have a huge, life changing impact on our future. If this is studied, absorbed, and learned, it will be truly a life altering investment in ones future. I can’t say enough good about what Life is doing in the area of encouraging a thirst for knowledge to gain financial freedom. I believe the Financial Fitness products are the best out there. They are the only ones that seem complete with all of the correct principles and values, in a simple to understand format.” – Rick Amdahl 

    You’ve worked enough for money – now it’s time to get it working for you!

    For more information on Beyond Financial Fitness, click here. 

    (Posted by Kristen Seidl, on behalf of Chris Brady)

    The information presented on this blog and in any of its videos is for general educational purposes only, and provides information the authors believe to be accurate on the subject matter covered.  It is presented here with the understanding that neither the authors nor the publisher are providing advice for any particular portfolio or for any individual’s particular situation, or rendering investment advice or other professional services such as legal or accounting advice.  If expert advice in areas that include investment, legal, and accounting are needed, please seek a competent professional’s services.

    This publication may make reference to performance data collected over various periods of time.  Remember that past results do not guarantee future performance.  Performance data, as well as laws and regulations, change over time, which could affect the applicability of the information presented on this blog and its videos.  Any data presented herein is used merely to illustrate the underlying principles.

    This blog and its videos are not to serve as the basis for any financial decision or as a recommendation of any specific investment.

    No warranty is made with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein, and both the authors and the publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this blog and its videos.

  • NEW! Caption Contest 2016.12

    I'm sure you've all been patiently awaiting a new Caption Contest, considering it's been 3 years since the last one! Yikes. We apologize for that. 

    Well, here it is. The first (and last) of 2016! Not to worry, 2017 will be a more humorous year for us all with more (frequent) contests and books to give away. 

    And now, we introduce the next chance for one of you to win a free autographed book of Beyond Financial Fitness by best-selling authors, Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward! Just make Chris laugh harder than anyone else, and the book is yours. 

    Here it is (click on the photo to enlarge):

    Caption Contest 1

    (posted by Kristen Seidl, on behalf of Chris Brady)

     

  • How to Deal with Difficult People

    Have you ever had to deal with a difficult person in your life?

    Of course you have! So, since we already know we will face difficult people, the question should really be, how do we do it?

    How-to-deal-with-difficult-peopleFirst: Don’t be a difficult person yourself.

    If you’re a negative, combative, and crabby person, chances are you won’t like being around yourself and others won’t either. Instead, earn a reputation of fairness. If you’re honest, firm, reliable, consistent, have emotional control, have courage, are loving, likable, forgiving, principled, strong, non-judgmental, and a ‘good-finder’ in people, then we would know for sure that the problem wasn’t you. 

    However, even exhibiting all of these qualities won’t always help, even if you’re an angel. You are still going to run into “those” people. You could be in the best possible mood, your heart could be filled with charity for your fellow man, and then you run into “that” person.

    Opposition is natural and healthy. If you’re going to amount to anything in life, there will be people out there who will oppose you. The higher your ideals, the larger your aspirations, and the more you want to accomplish, the more you will be opposed. The only way you can avoid opposition is to stand for nothing, to do nothing, to attempt nothing, and to be nothing. That’s just about as safe as it gets, but it’s also the most risky because it risks the wasting of the very life that carries it.

    Second: Have discernment.

    Here’s why: because everyone is difficult at times. Even occasionally you are more susceptible to it than at other times. Everybody has their bad moments and even you have times when the rock in your shoe will irritate you more than normal. It’s when these two overlap that we have the most trouble.

    Third: Identify specific misbehavior types.

    When addressing or dealing with difficult people, you may be at the mercy of some seriously intelligent manipulation. They’re going to confuse you and get you all turned around and inside out and will make it difficult for you to have a clear picture of the issues. Which is why it’s very important and helpful to have their specific misbehavior precisely identified so you can be very clear on what’s not right and what needs to be fixed, because conflict can get confusing.

    Here are the top 10 specific misbehavior types:

    1. Dishonesty/poor character/liar
    2. Combativeness and objectionable behavior (overall difficult to get along with)
    3. Passive-aggressive triangulation with political gossip
    4. Prideful and selfish
    5. Hurtful, mean, and callous
    6. Bully/terrorist type behavior (silent treatment, always starting arguments, sabotage)
    7. Addictions, out of control, unreliable
    8. Poser/faker/phony
    9. Unpredictable and bi-polar
    10. Negative/complainer/critical

    It’s important to know which 3 of these you’ll most likely exhibit from time to time because it will help you understand how to deal with and identify these behaviors in others.

    So, here’s how to actually deal with difficult people:

    • Don’t escalate issues.
    • Don’t drop to their level – remain emotionally in control.
    • Address problems head-on while they’re still small.
    • Extend grace and don’t assign motives.
    • Don’t give them a piece of your mind. Instead, give them a portion of your heart.
    • Understand the different personality types.
    • Remember this: LSMFT- Low Self-esteem Means Friction and Trouble.
    • Apologize where you can and where you should.
    • Never address controversy, hurt feelings, relationship problems, or challenges of any kind over voicemail, e mail, or text. 
    • Attack the behavior, not the person.

    Remember, reconciliation is the goal. Let them know you want to help, implement a fix, reach an agreement, check progress, and love them through the process. Figure out if you can help and then serve them. Sincerity mends a lot of fences.

    All you really need are two things when dealing with difficult people: courage and love. We all tend one way or the other and it’s good to know which one you tend to. Do you tend to just love and forgive? Or do you tend to be courageous and stand to confront? Both are wonderful. However, if you tend more with one, you are really going to have to manufacture and work on the other; because you’re going to need both.

    Lastly, if you have a choice in the matter, don’t entangle yourself with someone through a commitment if some type of obvious, consistent, systemic, bad behavior is on display. It’s one thing to serve them; it’s another to hook your wagon to theirs. In some instances, the best way to deal with difficult people is to put distance between them and you. There is a time when you break fellowship because you’ve done all you can do. Sometimes you need to be wise enough to see them coming, and then don’t allow them into your life.

    To sort-of summarize:

    • Don’t be a difficult person yourself! (If everybody did this one then this article would be unnecessary)
    • Address the difficult situations head-on if you can.
    • Ignore the crazy ones . . . and then serve.

    Sincerely,

    Chris Brady

    Chris Brady image1

    You can also pick up the book, Dealing with Difficult People, from the Life Essentials Series, which will expand more on this topic.

  • The Top 6 Mistakes Public Speakers Make

    Applause

    1. Being Boring. Speaking in front of a group of people is as much about entertaining as it is about informing, sharing facts, or explaining. For some reason, most public speakers are entirely oblivious to this truth. They seem to think that if they plow ahead and bury the audience with words that they are communicating. For the five things you must do to actually communicate with an audience, see my earlier article called Public Speaking According to Old MacDonald. 

    2. Failure to Use Illustrations/Examples. This is the biggest reason speakers are boring. And by illustrations, I do not mean pictures and graphs on PowerPoint. I mean stories and colorations to bring your point(s) to life. Remember this: you haven't told them until you've shown them. I suffered through a sermon recently that was devoid of even one single example or illustration. If you can't (or don't, or worse, won't) come up with memorable sketches, illustrations, stories, and humorous little ditties to help bring your points to life, you are dead before you begin. Keep your seat when they introduce you. At least that way the audience will remember you.

    3. Being Nervous. Okay, telling you not to be nervous is like saying don't have a headache when you do. Still, like a headache, there are things you can do to prevent them and even things you can do to mitigate their symptoms once you have one. The way to prevent nervousness is to practice your presentation a million times, even if it's just to your spouse who is wearing headphones and watching Youtube videos the whole time. Practice your talk until you're sick of it and you won't be as nervous. The other thing to do is give enough talks in front of people often enough that you no longer get nervous. I promise this will happen.

    4. Not Credible. 76.5% of people agree that there is nothing worse in the whole world in our entire human existence than a speaker who over-exaggerates, makes unsustainable claims, and plays fast and loose with statistics. Stay away from statements such as "best in the world," "greatest ever," and words such as "unbelievable" and "awesome." If it's unbelievable, then why are you trying to get them to believe it? And awesome should be reserved for something that truly invokes awe, such as, say, the Creator of the universe. 

    5. Using Power Point. The only thing I can think of that makes me shudder more than having to sit through a Power Point presentation is reading through the entire U.S. Tax Code. Twice. Oh, and having a dog lick the inside of my mouth. I would bet there are more people who've butchered presentations using Power Point than there are teenagers who've typed "LOL" into a smart phone.  Power Point is like a gun, perfect for what it's designed for but deadly in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use it. So how can/do you use Power Point properly? Use no more than 10 slides and have no more than 10 words on each. If you actually read the text that comes up on the slides to the audience, you need to quit public speaking altogether and get a job writing U.S. Tax Code.

    6. Going On Too Long. Rambling is only okay if you're a Jeep. Have something to say, say it in an entertaining and memorable way, then shut up and sit down. The cluelessness of speakers who go long is only akin to that of left lane drivers. Know how much time you've been given and stay well within it. The trick is to be done a few moments before the audience wants you to. This leaves them wanting more, which is good. Why would you want to leave them wanting less?

    There's more, but if everybody who ever held a microphone in front of a group would only implement these six things, the world would be a better place.

    The next time you are trapped in a boring speech that is going on too long with some dweeb reading teeny tiny text on a Power Point slide, remember this article and send it to them anonymously. Consider it an act of public service.

    Sincerely,

    Chris Brady

     

  • The Scam of our Life: Our Smart Phone Culture

    It's not that often that I use this blog for a rant, but today I just can't help it. After noticing the marked increase in the terrible affliction known as Left Lane Driving (LLD), and quickly discovering its cause, I can no longer remain quiet. The culprit in the growth of this virus is also responsible for lameness in relationships, terrible posture, squinty eyes, and a near pandemic of teenaged girls standing in unnatural poses in front of bathroom mirrors.

    What could possibly by the cause of these varied and seemingly unrelated ailments?

    Smart phones.

    In this work I will seek to establish the so-called "smart phone" as the bane of our modern existence. I will show how it has invaded our lives and changed almost everything about how we behave, interact with each other, and spend our time.

    Here are just some of the odd human behaviors that have resulted from the proliferation of smart phones in our society:

    1. People look at their phones almost constantly while driving.  I HATE this one. As if folks (not including myself, of course, as I am an excellent driver, AND I would never group myself into any category named "folks") aren't bad enough drivers without an addiction to a small rectangular distraction device. Take a small survey for yourself. Next time you are out driving a dangerous, fast, heavy, mostly-metallic contraption called a car, notice how many people are doing so while looking down at their phones, as if there is nothing dangerous about it, as if looking away from what they are doing doesn't threaten the lives of everyone around them in serious ways. This is really common at intersections, in which lights can turn green and cars just sit there waiting for someone to honk, except that more and more there is nobody to honk, because everyone is looking down at their phones. It has been known to happen that entire green lights have gone unused by clueless zombies texting nothing more important than "lol." AA2

    2. People ignore each other by instead being engrossed in that little screen.  Go into any restaurant, coffee shop, airport, or waiting room and what will you see? People who are supposedly together who are anything but together.  "Together" now means nothing more than occupying adjacent space. It certainly doesn't mean conversation, or eye contact, or true listening. I can pick up three or four teenaged boys and drive them all the way across the state to a soccer match and won't hear a thing for hours.  Why? Because they are all playing something on their phones, or "liking" something posted somewhere, or posting something for someone else to "like."  It's even more embarrassing (for them) to see "couples" sitting at a restaurant table clicking away on their phones and not interacting at all, except maybe to show a meaningless video or post to the other person for a quick laugh or smirk.  Deep. Have you ever had anyone get into the car with you and as soon as they hit the passenger seat they immediately get out their phone and start tapping away, ignoring you for miles and miles? AA3 

    3. People now multi-task during almost every waking hour. Just watch teenagers today. For most of them, it is so natural to multi-task that they can almost never be caught doing only one thing at once.  And what could be so important that it would be allowed to intrude into meals, conversations, movie watching, etc. etc? Looking at their smart phones, of course.  Group chats, texts, social media posts and replies, all add up to minute-by-minute interruptions that our young ones take as natural. There is a complete lack of singleness and focus in our smart phone culture, and we've become interruptible to the point of lunacy.

    4. The smart phone slouch. There is a certain posture that goes along with smart phone fixation: hand slightly extended forward, elbow bent, head forward, neck bent downward.  It's the smart phone slouch.  This is most easily spotted (in fact, try to avoid seeing it) in airports.  Nine out of ten people are standing in the smart-phone-slouch position, fixated on their screens. AA1

    5. The smart phone conversation. This is the loud talking smart phone user who pollutes the air around him with the noise of his conversation, shouted into the phone as if the person on the other end is deaf. This, thankfully, has become slightly more rare as texting has taken over.  At least when people text all the time their slouching is quiet.

    6. Ridiculous response time expectation.  I once had someone ask me if I was mad at them because I didn't respond to their text within an hour. Now mind you, I don't fight terrorists, I am not involved in any emergency rescue operations, and nothing I do professionally can't wait a few hours here and there. Why was this person so expectant of a quick response? Because such fast (nearly immediate) reaction times are now so common as to become the norm. Our availability has become dictated by a secret enemy called "smart phone culture" which demands we be on-hand, ready to respond, all the time and any time.

     

    Here are some questions to ponder:

    1. How did this happen to us?

    2. Did we give it permission to happen or did it sneak in unawares?

    3. Assuming that all the good things smart phones can do for us outweigh the bad we've been considering, how can we at least control our addiction to them a little?

    4. Where does it go from here?

    5. How much worse can it get?

    6. What might be the long term ramifications of such a radical shift in how we humans interact (or don't) with each other?

    7. Why do teenaged girls stand like that in front of their mirrors while taking pictures of themselves?

    8. And finally, who is John Galt?

    Sincerely,

    Chris Brady

     

     

  • Orrin Woodward: Financial Matrix Scam Exposed

    Financial Matrix_cover1. Debt is Stupid

    2. You're a Victim

    3. There's a Way Out!

    In essence, this is the message of NY Times best selling author Orrin Woodward's latest book (to be released this month), entitled The Financial Matrix.

    Cleverly relating today's complicated financial environment to the popular 1999 smash hit movie The Matrix, Orrin Woodward draws upon deep scholarship to simplify a complicated picture, showing how the great masses of people have throughout history been ensnared in powerful webs of control.

    The first scam or "Matrix" of control was slavery. This is the instance in which the powerful aristocracy simply (and horribly) "owned" another human being and therefore captured 100% of that person's output for themselves.

    After slavery came the scam or "Matrix" of feudalism, in which the powerful aristocracy owned the land and therefore captured a large part of the production from the other person's working of that land.

    Today, slavery and feudalism have thankfully receded, but in their place (and this is the key premise of Orrin Woodward's book) is a complicated, nearly invisible system of control every bit as diabolical as its two predecessors.  He calls it the Financial Matrix.

    I won't spoil the mystery for you, but take a look at some of the statistic pulled from the pages of this captivating publication:

    1. The average American in 2014 is more than $225,000 in debt. 

    2. Average credit card debt among indebted households: $15,263 at an average interest rate of 14.95% APR.

    3. Only 59 percent of Americans have at least $500 in a savings account.

    4.  Household income in America has dropped nearly 8% since its 1999 peak of $56,895. 

    Shockingly, these results are not accidental, nor, as some pundits would proclaim, are they merely the result of "stupid Americans over-consuming."  As Orrin Woodward develops in his book, the condition of the average person's finances is actually the direct result of a financial system designed to feed off the unsuspecting. Fiat money, fractional reserve banking, and other mechanisms work behind the scenes to entrap those who don't realize the dangers of consumer debt.

    For more information directly from Orrin Woodward himself, one can visit his blog here.

    Enjoy what you learn and do what you can to escape from the scam of the Financial Matrix!

    Sincerely,

    Chris Brady 

    Smile - Version 2

     

     

     

     

    The information presented on this blog and in any of its videos is for general educational purposes only, and provides information the authors believe to be accurate on the subject matter covered.  It is presented here with the understanding that neither the authors nor the publisher are providing advice for any particular portfolio or for any individual's particular situation, or rendering investment advice or other professional services such as legal or accounting advice.  If expert advice in areas that include investment, legal, and accounting are needed, please seek a competent professional's services.

    This publication may make reference to performance data collected over various periods of time.  Remember that past results do not guarantee future performance.  Performance data, as well as laws and regulations, change over time, which could affect the applicability of the information presented on this blog and its videos.  Any data presented herein is used merely to illustrate the underlying principles.

    This blog and its videos are not to serve as the basis for any financial decision or as a recommendation of any specific investment.

    No warranty is made with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein, and both the authors and the publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this blog and its videos.

  • T-Shaped Model for Leadership Development

    In a recent article in Fortune Magazine (January 22, 2015 by Geoff Colvin), Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld presented a very simple model for what they as a company look for in leadership development. Klein stated:

    "There is a T-shaped model. The horizontal line across the top represents qualities [we look for] related to analytics, strategic thinking, languages, some math skills, and some international experience. But I also look at depth. A person needs to have the stamina to experience, at an early point in his or her life, something very deep or challenging or frustrating—and getting through it.

    And I almost don’t care what it is. If somebody said, “I spent two years in India studying Indian spiritual practices,” and then I find out how the person thinks and what the individual has learned, that for me counts as one of those deep dives.

    If you want to lead anything, it doesn’t work to just have the general management skills because there are going to be one or two or three issues where you have to roll up your sleeves and get into it and don’t stop digging until you’ve found the bottom. If you don’t do that, you’re not going to earn respect." 

    It has been said that genius is taking the complex and boiling it down to the simple.  I believe that Mr. Kleinfeld has displayed at least a touch of that quality here. For over twenty years Orrin Woodward and myself have been teaching leadership and seeking to intentionally develop people in their marches toward high achievement. We have talked about the "Science" side and the "Art" side of leadership.  We have taught that there are "methods" and "principles" involved in success.  We have tried to relate this nuance that there are at least two dimensions involved in all of this. I think Kleinfeld's T-shaped diagram makes a nice contribution to the concept.

    TshapedIf I may, I would like to summarize his horizontal bar as "skills," or "ability."  These are things that are not endowed at birth but are rather acquired through effort and desire. The vertical bar is "character" or "fortitude," or things that reflect the deeper composition of a person.  So if we label the horizontal bar as "Ability," we could most likely remember a vertical bar labeled "Stick-ability."

    How many of us know people who are wide on skills but shallow on depth? You scratch the surface of their existence and they are a quarter inch deep.

    On the contrary, how many have known people who are quite deep as individuals, strong and full of character, but their interests are so narrow that they can only talk about their particular vocation and little else.

    I suppose we could debate for hours the merits of being on one side or the other.

    But really, we should all aspire to be both wide and deep. Our yearning should be to fulfill all of our human potential by broadening our skills and deepening our strength of character and rectitude.

    This is what we look for when we hire. It is what we teach when we talk about what is necessary in order to lead effectively. And it is what we demand of ourselves in our daily walk.

    What about you?

    What intentional and regular steps are you taking to broaden your skills? What new studies have you taken on? What training have you inculcated? What are you doing to add to the variety of what makes you interesting?

    Similarly, what about depth? How often to you test yourself and push yourself to the limits? How often do you hold yourself accountable, and who have you enlisted to help in keeping you honest? What steps do you take to stoke the flames of your inner motivations so that your ability to hang tough when the times get even tougher is sufficient for the challenge?

    Excellence is a combination of Ability and Stick-ability, and neither are an accident. They are both the result of intentional cultivation.

    Thank you Mr. Kleinfeld, your diagram suits us to a T.

    Sincerely,

    Chris Brady 

    Smile

     

    Related articles

    "Gimmick Prospect"
    Leadership Lessons from the Age of Fighting Sail
    What We Can Learn from the Painter of Light

  • “Gimmick Prospect”

    Inadequacy

    How many times in life have you felt inadequate? How often have you sensed deep down that you didn't really have what it took to make it? How frequently have you found yourself short of confidence?

    We can probably all answer these questions with many instances springing from our memory. We can all quickly recall incidents and moments when we were embarrassed, fell short, and just didn't make the cut.

    Additionally, how many times in your life have you had others dragging you down, telling you that you weren't good enough, and betting against you? 

    Again, I'll bet we can all think of instances when this was the case.

    Let's take it further.

    How often have experts and official commentators given testimony to your shortcomings and thereby added credible fuel to the engine of your self doubts?

    Case Study

    Imagine being a college football quarterback of average size and dimension. Imagine determining that you wanted to play in the NFL no matter what, even if it meant having to change positions. Even if it meant having to break onto a team as not much more than a practice squad player with the possible chance to play some special teams? Even if it meant they would even stick you in as a defensive back to fill the gap where there had been many injuries? 

    Currently one of my favorite football players is Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots, and the prospects I've outlined above were his. A quarterback at Kent State in college, he made the pros with an undefined future, most teams not even sure what to do with him. The New England Patriots, well known as creative re-assigners of players to new positions, took a chance on him. Even so, his prospects of actually making it on the team, much less becoming a starter, much less becoming the practical runner-up for MVP of the Super Bowl, were extremely slim.

    One of Edelman's best friends told a reporter, "Julian's line for people who doubt him is always this: 'Bet against me!'"

    Once again the old adage of "It's not the size of the man in the fight, but the size of the fight in the man!" comes true.

    May this video be a source of motivation to anyone who's ever been told they were too small, too unusual, or even in the words of the official draft report on Edelman, too much of a "gimmick." 

    When in such a position, there are only two things you can do . . .

     

    Sincerely,

    Chris Brady

    AAAA

  • 5 Steps to Communicating Effectively

    Consider the simple four letter word "fine." Based upon how you utter that little word to your wife when she asks you how she looks that evening can have drastically differing results. This is just one example of the nuances involved in this ever-so-important topic called communication. Exactly what do I mean? Watch this brief video for some common sense tips that serve as good reminders. 

    Sincerely,

    Chris Brady

    Applause

  • What We Can Learn from the Painter of Light, Part III

    Here is the third and final installment in this video series which seeks to dig into the success of the world famous artist, Thomas Kinkade. I hope you find it illuminating.

     Sincerely,

    Chris Brady

    Small