“Don’t aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference.” – Denzel Washington
Happy Friday, Brew Nation!
Grab your favorite coffee cup and get ready to embark on a transformative journey. The Champions Brew Newsletter is here to invigorate your mornings and ignite your drive for personal growth and impact! Fuel your mornings with motivation and purpose. As you savor your first cup of the day, let the Champions Brew infuse you with the insights and strategies you need to make each day a stepping stone towards your aspirations. Let’s Go!
- Uncommon Leader Insights – In In the latest episode of The Uncommon Leader Podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Auntie Anne Beiler, founder & former CEO of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels about her journey and we uncovered valuable insights that resonate deeply with challenges we may face in our own paths to growth and leadership. Here are a summary of my top 2 takeaways from our conversation:
1. Your Pain Can Lead to Your Purpose: Auntie Anne emphasizes the transformative power of overcoming one’s pain and trauma, using it to find compassion, make good choices, and discover one’s purpose. She demonstrates how personal struggles can shape a deeper sense of purpose and drive to make a positive impact. When you listen to the entire episode, it will be tough to not feel empathy for her struggles and joy for her success!
2. People Don’t Care How Much You Know Until They Know How Much You Care: John Maxwell says that we go through 5 levels of a leader. Your position or title will only get you to level 1. People follow you because they have to, but to climb through the other levels, people have to know that you care about them. Through her experiences at Auntie Anne’s, Beiler highlights the importance of compassion and understanding in leadership. She shares stories of helping employees through difficult situations, showing how empathy and support can foster a healthy and strong work environment.
3. Be L.I.G.H.T. – The principles at Auntie Anne’s were simple during Anne’s tenure and they continue on today:
Lead by example
Invest in Others
Give Freely
Honor God
Treat Everyone with Respect
I hope that these insights inspire you to overcome obstacles, lead with compassion, and find fulfillment in pursuing your purpose as an uncommon leader.
To gain further insights from Anne Beiler and her book, Overcome and Lead, I invite you to listen to the entire episode here.
Are you aware that The Champions Brew explores various topics that I frequently coach and consult on with other leaders and organizations? If you or someone you know is seeking to elevate their business or personal life from underperforming to uncommon, I would love to connect with you and discuss 1:1 or group coaching, as well as performance consulting. In fact, click the following link to schedule a FREE CALL to explore how coaching could benefit you and your team. Let’s work together to unleash your full potential and achieve your goals
- ‘Exercise’ Daily – Leadership is a journey that unfolds gradually, not something achieved overnight. As someone who values personal growth, I understand the significance of lifelong learning. While books and podcasts are valuable resources, there’s an unparalleled energy when 2,500 individuals come together to worship and learn. I had the incredible opportunity to attend LifeSurge in Raleigh, NC last weekend, front row center with family and friends to experience an exceptional lineup of speakers including Tim Tebow, the Benham Brothers, Auntie Anne Beiler, Ed Mylett, Willie Robertson, and Kevin Sorbo. And, the worship led by Donnie Bolden, Jr. and Crowder was truly awe-inspiring.
During the event, Tim Tebow shared three impactful ways to build confidence: engaging in daily Bible reading, seeking wise counsel, and viewing others through the lens of compassion and grace. The Benham Brothers challenged us to integrate our Sunday theology into our Monday biography, bringing our faith into all aspects of our lives. Ed Mylett, both in person and through his podcast and the book we are reviewing, was incredibly inspiring. One quote he shared resonated deeply: “If you want to know the road ahead, ask the ones coming back.” It reminded me that greatness often requires taking the road less traveled.
Setting aside intentional time for personal growth is vital. Whether it’s through reading, listening to enriching podcasts, or investing in events like LifeSurge, where you can connect with and learn from inspiring leaders, it’s crucial to prioritize your development. I wholeheartedly recommend attending a LifeSurge event. You can find more information at https://lifesurge.com/ . Keep an eye out for upcoming locations in Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati.
- Read More – Here we go. We are traveling together on a journey with an inspiring speaker, and author, Ed Mylett, and his book “The Power of One More – The Ultimate Guide to Success and Happiness”. As an avid listener of Mylett’s podcast, I’m thrilled to revisit this great book that holds a special place in my Top Ten influential reads. Join me as we uncover wisdom within its pages. Got your copy yet? Let’s dive in!
Chapter Ten – “One More Higher Standard”
I’m happy to share with you the insights I’ve taken away from Chapter 10 of Ed’s book. In this challenging chapter, aptly titled “One More Higher Standard,” Mylett first draws the distinction between goals and standards, emphasizing the pivotal role of standards in driving us toward our desired outcomes. This resonates profoundly with the methodology I teach, making it an essential read for personal transformation enthusiasts like us. Mylett underscores the critical importance of reaching a point where we can no longer tolerate our current state before embarking on the journey toward higher dreams or goals. This pivotal decision marks the initial step in any personal transformation(or organization transformation for that matter!). We must determine if the discomfort of change is surpassed by the dissatisfaction of remaining the same.
Surprisingly, aligning the right standards with our goals can alleviate stress, contrary to the common assumption that disciplines (standards) add more pressure to our lives.
Here are five personal principles I’ve distilled over the years when it comes to disciplines:
- “Know your ‘so that'”: Uncover the deeper significance behind your goals. It’s not merely about reading 12 books a year; it’s about becoming a lifelong learner to continuously enrich and add value to others.
- “Make the standard measurable”: Avoid ambiguous statements like “some” or “soon” by specifying precise measurements and time frames. For example, committing to read 10 pages in the morning and 10 pages in the evening each day yields better results than a vague ambition to “read more.”
- “Start small”: Often, the downfall of New Year’s resolutions lies in setting unrealistic expectations. Begin with manageable standards that align with your current capabilities. Remember, consistent progress trumps sporadic leaps.
- “Don’t overthink it”: Rather than attempting to think your way into a new way of acting, act your way into a new way of thinking by taking deliberate steps and allow your actions to shape your standard.
- “Purposeful reflection”: Dedicate a weekly time slot for self-assessment. Evaluate what’s working well, identify areas for improvement, and strategize for the upcoming week. Determine what you need to keep, start or stop doing to stay or get back on track.
Setting new standards is undoubtedly challenging, but let’s consider the alternative: embracing mediocrity or worse. The discomfort of change pales in comparison to the regret of unfulfilled potential.
Next week: One More Impossibility Thinkers and Possibility Achievers
Quote of the week: “Overcome yourself and you can overcome any obstacle.” – Anne Beiler, author of Overcome and Lead
What You Need to Do:
Call to Action: I’d love to hear your thoughts on these principles and how they resonate with your personal journey. Share your insights in the comments below and let’s inspire each other to reach new heights of achievement.
It’s an honor to be your trusted “Friday Coffee Guy”. Each week, I’m excited to provide yet another round of curated content that I’ve been reading, listening to, watching, or thinking over. The purpose of the Champions Brew is to inspire, equip and encourage you to become the uncommon leader you were designed to be. I am so grateful for your decision to invest a few moments with me! I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Champions Brew. If you did, I would appreciate it if you would share it with someone who might enjoy it as well and ask them to subscribe! I will make sure they automatically get this email every week.
Until next time, Go and Grow Champions!
P.S. – Are you a podcast fan? Maybe the Uncommon Leader podcast is for you. Are you interested in being a guest on the Uncommon Leader Podcast? Do you have a story to tell? Email me [email protected] and let’s have a chat and set something up!!
