In the Loop with Andy Andrews

On this week’s episode, I address the difference between being decisive and impulsive.

More people fail at what they attempt because of an undecided heart than any other reason. 

  • They’ll talk to their friends.
  • Then talk to their family.
  • Finally, they’ll make a decision.
  • Then they’ll ask if they should have waited longer to make a decision.
  • Then they’ll take the decision back.
  • Life then becomes an ongoing analysis.

The question you need to ask yourself before making a decision is…Is this a wise thing to do?

  • This is one of the best questions in life and one of the best questions to teach your kids to ask.
  • It reveals what is ahead of you.
  • If you’re asking if something is wrong, you’re going to rationalize the situation and keep pushing the envelope on what is “technically” wrong.

Andy Stanley states that direction determines destination—not intention. 

  • Intention has no power.
  • Imagine how I would sound if I said, “I can’t believe Polly is treating me this way after everything I intended to do.” 

The difference between being impulsive and decisive is wisdom

  • An important piece of wisdom is seeking out divine guidance.
  • I count on being divinely guided.

What is wisdom?

  • A deep understanding of principle.
  • 3/4 of a principle gets you nothing; you must understand all aspects of the principle.

Questions for Listeners

 

Do you have a question? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

  • Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
  • E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
  • Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
  • Twitter.com/AndyAndrews
Direct download: ITL113_How_to_Be_More_Decisive.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:00am CDT

On this week’s episode, I give the inside scoop on my short story Socks for Christmas and also do a live reading of the entire book.

 

In this reading of Socks for Christmas, you will hear a childhood story about how the gift of socks is one of the greatest reminders I have for being grateful.

 

I love talking about the inside scoop on some of these books, and to see the way that people use these stories to help others.

 

In the picture below, Jan Burch in Key West, FL, organized a Sock Drive with her ladies club.

 

On the cover of Socks for Christmas, that is my sister Christie and me on Christmas of ’68.

            I was nine years old

            Christie was four

 

On page nine, that is a picture of me at May May and Granddaddy’s house on Christmas morning.

 

On page 12, for Christmas Eve we would have a birthday cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus and it was always great. My family still does that.

 

On page 21, that is a picture of Christie in Dothan, AL. This was the same year that she was “Little Miss Sunbeam” on the Sunbeam float in the Peanut Festival Parade.

 

I also love the pictures of the different popular presents at the time

            Matchbox Cars

            Operation

            Candy Land

            Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots

 

If you order Socks for Christmas from AndyAndrews.com, they all come with a CD of Andy reading the story. All copies ordered before Tuesday, Dec. 17 2013 will be autographed.

 

Questions for Listeners

 

Do you have a question? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

            Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

            E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

            Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

            Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

 

Direct download: ITL112_A_Christmas_Tale_for_the_Whole_Family.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:00am CDT

On this week’s episode, I explain what a personal board of directors is, and how you can create one for your life and/or business without spending a dime.

           

I realized that most major companies and great speakers had a group of people that keeps them on track.

           

I thought to myself, why can’t I have a board of directors?

                My first answer was because I didn’t have any money

                However, you don’t have to pay someone to be on your board of directors…if they don’t know they’re on it!

 

I want to find people who are….

                Better

                Smarter

                Wiser

                More productive

 

What’s important?

                My children

                My writing

                Speaking

                Finances

                Health

 

Mentally, I went though the people I loved and knew. I wrote down the people with long marriages or who were financially successful. I then started going through people who were in newspapers and were easy to follow. I called this group my board of directors.

  

This is a life application of the decision, I will seek wisdom.

 

I have 30 or 40 people on my board of directors.

 

First thing: Make a list of important things in your life. Attach names to those things. 

Questions for Listeners

 

  • Do you have a question? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!
Direct download: ITL111_Your_Own_Personal_Board_of_Directors.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:29am CDT

On this week's episode, Andy announces a new host for In The Loop, and the events leading to the publishing of The Butterfly Effect

Be sure to visit check out Andy Traub's latest eBook The Early to Rise Experience  and visit AndyTraub.com for more information.

In the middle of the night during a hurricane, Andy received a phone call from General Foglesong in Afghanistan. 

  • He wanted Andy to find proof that every life matters and could make a difference to the world.
  • The Air Force's suicide rate was higher than the general population's suicide rate.

Andy's interest in the Butterfly Effect, also known as the sensitive dependance upon initial conditions, led him to reverse engineer the life of Norman Borlaug, who is credited with saving the lives of over 2 billion people. 

  • Andy found that Norman's life was steered in its direction due to others' actions in the preceding years. 

After hearing Andy tell the Butterfly Effect story live, Zig Ziglar told him that he should make part of his speech into a book.

  • When the book was initially turned down by Thomas Nelson, the online publishing company Simple Truths picked it up. 
  • Over the course of the next 18 months, the book was picked up by two more publishers and became a success. 

Never look at the "No's" as a final answer. There is always a "yes."

  • Even while things are not going your way, keep a smile on your face and don't get frustrated. 
  • You don't know where things are going, and you need to keep doing what you think needs to be done. 

Questions for Listeners

Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL089_The_Crazy_Story_Behind_The_Butterfly_Effect.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:12am CDT

On this week's episode, Andy discusses his passion for cooking and the steps to make his most famous dish.

When did Andy start cooking?

  • He started with breakfast foods at an early age, moving from toast to eggs and bacon.

Was Polly skeptical about Andy being a good cook?

  • She was delighted because chicken and rice was the only thing she knew how to make. Since then, Andy and Polly have worked together, and they both help prepare dishes. 

Why does Andy like cooking so much?

  • He loves to eat! What does he love to eat? The answer is, "Yes!"

Andy's blue ribbon recipe for his famous chicken and dumplings. 

  • Start the night before with a whole chicken in a pot of water. Add salt and pepper, cover the pot, and bring it to a boil. Once the water boils, put the pot in the oven at 250 degrees and let it sit overnight.

  • The next morning, stir the pot and take out a cup or two of the broth. Strain the broth, add salt, cover it, and place in the refrigerator for later. 

  • Take the pot out of the oven and remove the chicken to cool. Strain the rest of the broth until it is clear and free of all the chicken particles.

  • In a separate pot, mix 2 cups of plain white flower, 1/2 cup of oil, and 1/2 cup of the broth from the refrigerator together into dough. The leftover refrigerator broth can be poured back into the other pot of broth. 

  • Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough. It will take a couple of tries to determine the thickness that you prefer the dough at. Use a knife and cut the dough into strips that are six inches long and one-and-a-half inches wide. Bring the broth to a boil and add the strips. 

  • Now turn to the chicken and pick out the pieces that you want. Rinse them off and add to the boiling pot of broth and dough. The chicken will cause the broth to stop boiling. Once it boils again, turn off the heat and let it sit for 30 minutes. 

  • Serve it in either a bowl with added broth, or on a plate with just the chicken and dumplings. 

Young men need to learn how to cook!

Questions for Listeners

  • Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

 Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL088_Chef_Andy.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:21pm CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy answers a listener question about the best way to communicate with teenagers.

Listener question:

When my daughter was 12, her three best friends moved away. Around that same time, another friend decided to tell her everything people didn’t like about her. We’ve been trying for the past three years to empower her again. She is now at a new school, but can’t seem to break out of the “new girl” frame of mind. What do we do as parents to break her out of this rut?

The most important thing you could do at this time is to be friends and talk to her. Really talk to her.

Sometimes you will have to talk about why you are talking to her.

A lot of times, kids this age tend to go to their room and put up a do-not-disturb sign.

In spite of this, you still must talk to them.

It is important that you don’t teach your kids what to think, but how to think.

We see this problem in our schools, but we tend to ignore it at home.

Many parents sadly miss the opportunity to have long conversations with their kids about why they believe what they believe.

Kids will have conversations with you if they don’t think the answer will be a lecture.

Giving kids the reasons and thought process behind the things you believe will create much more productive conversations.

You need to be vulnerable sometimes and reveal that you recognize that you don’t know everything.

This is not to say that you should stop being an authority figure.

You don’t need to be on “equal footing” with your child.

But these conversations will allow you to teach your child how you arrived at these positions.

Like it or not, at some point, your children will decide what they will believe, and you will have no control over it.

Questions for Listeners

Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL087.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 8:34am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy answers listener questions on transitioning out of a corporate job, gaining wisdom, and overcoming fears about things you can’t control.

Listener Question #1: Which stories and biographies have had the greatest impact on you, and how do you read these stories in a way that allows you to gather wisdom from them?

  • If you want to know what books have had a huge effect on Andy, look at what he has written.
  • For example, the historical figures in The Traveler’s Gift were all people whose stories had an impact on Andy during the time he was writing the book.
  • One of the things that is most important to gathering wisdom is to simply acknowledge that you are actively seeking it.
  • You have to ask for wisdom to receive it. Remember, God was delighted when Solomon asked for wisdom.

Listener Question #2: Is there one book in particular that would be the most helpful to someone who is trying to go from a corporate job to something different? What do you prescribe to someone who is stuck and wants to move?

  • A lot of the answers to these kinds of questions are going to be in Andy’s upcoming book that will be released October 1, The Noticer Returns.
  • Andy’s recent video blog, How to Start a Business from an Idea, might get you started in the right direction as well.
  • People change when two things line up: What’s in it for me? Proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
  • You must acknowledge the benefits that are there for you, and then you must be aware of the steps that have proven to work for others.

Listener Question #3: How do you control the fear of losing a valued relationship, such as a marriage?

  • Fear can be overcome with a logical answer: fear is not from God.
  • Generally, smart people are the ones who have a problem with fear. People who aren’t smart seem to have no problem with fear.
  • If you remember that fear is not from God and that you are a smart, creative person, then you have to conclude that fear is a misuse of the creative imagination that has been put inside you.
  • You cannot control the people you value in your life at all times. So you have to give those concerns about things you can’t control to God.

Resources Mentioned on This Episode:

  • The Noticer Returns by Andy Andrews
  • Early to Rise by Andy Traub
  • Platform by Michael Hyatt

Questions for Listeners

  • Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!
    • Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
    • E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
    • Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
    • Twitter.com/AndyAndrews
Direct download: ITL086_Listener_Feedback.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy explains why you must change your beliefs about yourself (and how to do so) if you want to achieve better results in your life.

Opportunities are drawn to people in motion.

  • One of the first things Suzanne did was to seek counsel. 
  • She sought it from sources that she trusted instead of just asking everyone.
  • She determined the steps that needed to be taken, and then she took those steps.

When seeking counsel, it’s important not to ask everyone.

  • You must seek wisdom from wise people.
  • How do you determine who is wise? By examining the fruit on the tree. What kind of results is this person you’re thinking of asking for counsel getting?
  • The purpose of analysis is to come to a conclusion, not to continue analyzing. 

If you’re ever going to move beyond where you are, you must force yourself to think beyond what you already know.

  • It’s important to determine a result and then form a process that will lead you to that result.
  • It’s impossible to perform past what you believe. Our beliefs can be an extremely limiting factor.
  • Our actions and results are tied to our beliefs.
  • Beliefs come from critical thinking, prayer life, and your changes in perception.

Questions for Listeners

  • Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

                  o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL084.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 8:07am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy discusses why he feels that he has finally “arrived” in the field of professional coaching.

Andy is now the official Mental Coach of…the Orange Beach Sharks.

This is his son’s 13-14-year-old baseball team.

He talks to the team before every practice and game.

At the beginning of the season, he talked about umpires with the team.

The first thing they needed to know about umpires is that they’re kind of like TSA at the airport. You will not win an argument with them.

You can, however, tick them off.

Umpires are like brothers. If you tick them off, they won’t give you the benefit of the doubt on close calls.

Here’s the plan he gave the team:

Other teams are going to go out on the field and say nothing to the umpires, unless they decide to complain.

Andy told them to never, ever argue a call or roll their eyes.

He told the team to talk to the umpires. Say hi and ask them how they’re doing. Ask them where they’re from.

This lesson with the team is a lesson that applies to life as well.

If you treat people with kindness, things will generally work out better for you.

You never know who knows the people who may in the position to give you a job or an opportunity one day.

Questions for Listeners 

·           Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

                  o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL083.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 8:45am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy tackles the listener question…is college necessary?

Casey wants to become a speaker and asked if it’s possible to do so without going to college.

  • You have to figure out what value you bring to other people.
  • What can you bring to the table that will change someone’s life?
  • You have to go beyond simple “You Can Do It” speaking.
  • Encouragement is good, but it takes more than that to create lasting value.

There is a huge resistance in corporate America to motivational speakers.

  • If the audience thinks they’re about to see a “motivational” speaker, you’ll lose half of them before you say a word.
  • Proof is better than motivation or encouragement.

There was a time when if you did not have a degree, you would not be getting a job in certain fields.

  • Obviously, that’s still the case in some areas, like medicine.
  • Generally, it isn’t the case. Most people couldn’t care less if you have a piece of paper.
  • All they want to know is: can you do this? And will they like being around you?
  • It’s what do you know, as opposed to what do they say you know.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with going to college. It can be a great thing.

  • But it is not a necessity.
  • If you have to go into debt in order to go to college, always remember that it is not a requirement for success.
  • College is not bad; putting limits on people or yourself is.

Questions for Listeners 

·           Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

                  o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL082.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 10:27am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy answers two listener questions about preparing for life transitions.

Donna celebrated her 70th birthday shortly after hearing Andy speak about how to prepare for the next crisis in our lives. The next day, she went zip lining and got caught in the middle of one of the zip lines. Now in a crisis, she did not panic and calmly waited for the crew to come get her.

  • Life can be lived like a second baseman.
  • You don’t know what’s going to happen from one play to the next.
  • But you do have some indications of what might happen.
  • You do have to be prepared for whatever happens according to the circumstances.
  • Before every pitch, you have to ask yourself, “If the ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it?”
  • If you can think ahead a little bit, life becomes easier. You don’t make as many bad choices and mistakes.

The same was true for Donna.

  • She had already decided that God was in control.
  • She knew how to respond when things went wrong.

Another bit of listener feedback from a woman named Susanne: She fulfilled her dream of becoming a doctor. Now, she believes God wants her to change direction, but she’s not sure what that direction is. What do you do when you feel restless like this?

  • We definitely should be open to shifts in direction.
  • Sometimes when we work so hard to get to a certain place, we think we’ve achieved everything we were supposed to achieve.
  • But if we’re still here breathing, that means our purpose hasn’t been fulfilled yet.

We have to be very open to shifts in direction.

  • However, God cannot guide a still object. You have to be in motion.
  • God feeds the birds, but he doesn’t throw the worms in their mouth.
  • If you feel you’re being pulled in a different direction, start going out and doing all the different things you can.

Questions for Listeners 

·           Do you have a question for Andy? Call in and your question might be featured on the show!

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

                  o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL081.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:14am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy talks about how to make your family your number one priority…and keep it that way.


If you want to maintain a good balance between work and your life that enables you to spend more time with your family, you must start with priorities.

  • If you say your family is your number one priority, you have to step back, observe your actions, and then determine if your actions match your words.
  • It’s easy to “think past” certain aspects of your life that you think are certain and absolute.
  • You may THINK your family is your number one priority, but have you really assessed whether that’s true or not?

One thing that can mess your family up is if you don’t set expectations for how you will spend your time.

  • You have to communicate your priorities and the exceptions to your priorities to your family.
  • If you are having family time, let them know it is family time and that it’s the number one priority.
  • If there are certain phone calls you know you may have to take, let your family know in advance.

When you’re with your family, you have to make the decision to intentionally engage with them.

  • This is something that’s easy to overlook.
  • You have to be intentional about the purpose of the time you spend with your family. Don’t just let it pass by.

Questions for Listeners 

·           Give us a call and tell us know how you have shifted your priorities and found ways to spend more time with your family.

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

                  o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL080.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:36am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy talks about his family’s favorite show on TV, and why it could be a great thing for YOUR family to watch. 

Duck Dynasty has become the Andrews family’s new favorite TV show.

  • It’s like a modern-day version of The Waltons.
  • They end every show with the entire family around the dinner table saying a prayer together.

It’s a great show about family and business values.

  • The people on the show offer great examples for mothers and fathers.
  • They are also a great example of creating a business by coming up with a way to offer tremendous value to people.

It’s not just another “reality” show.

  • The episodes aren’t all about fighting and bad language.
  • They show how families can sometimes disagree without being so disagreeable.
  • The show reflects how large of a role faith plays in their lives.

Questions for Listeners

·      What would you like to hear Andy discuss on future episodes?

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL079.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:47am CDT

On this week’s episode, Andy answers a listener question: What are some different, tangible ways that we can help others take action?

 

One of the most important things we can do to help others take action is to tell the truth that is the truth.


·      The truth stands alone, and the truth is the truth.

·      Yet someone can tell the truth while not telling the truth.

·      You must tell the truth that IS the truth.

 

You only know what you know, so you only do what you know to do.


·      To know something different requires an outside source: a person, a book, etc.

·      Most people think they are already taking action when they actually are not.

 

You lose perspective when you stop actively seeking growth.


·      You can’t go to the gym for three months and stay fit for the rest of your life.

·      If you read a book that changes your life, you can’t just stop after reading the book.

·      It’s hard and inconvenient to keep pushing yourself, but it’s essential to growth.

 

The ultimate answer is that nothing will encourage someone to take action more than actually taking action.


·      If you want someone to take action and read a book, start by reading the book yourself and showing them how much value it can offer them.

 

A great example of the value that comes with taking action is AT’s book, Early to Rise.


·      To get your copy, click here.

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Description

Andy uses a listener question to illustrate how to move your life to the next level by changing the way you think.

 

John, a listener who grew up with an alcoholic father and rough childhood but has turned things around and created a great life for his family, wrote in with a question.


·      He feels as though he could inspire people to reach their potential and succeed, but he doesn’t want his ability to provide for his family to suffer in order to chase after his dream of helping others.

·      How can he help others while also continuing to provide for his family?

 

John is ready to move to the next level.

·      You can look at people at different levels of life and deconstruct what steps they have taken to get there.

 

For John to be successful in moving to the next level, he needs to do these things:

·      He needs to get to the point where he’s duplicating his efforts and understands that he can teach other people how to do what he has done.

·      There is a type of thinking that has yielded choices that have created actions that have yielded results that have made John what he is.

·      John, what were you thinking that has led to the results you are currently enjoying?

·      How can you teach that way of thinking to others?

 

There is no such thing as a neutral choice.

·      Everything you do is the result of a choice you have made.

·      You are either choosing to do nothing or choosing to do something.

·      The way we think determines who we are. However, you are allowed to choose the way you think.

 

Questions for Listeners

 

·      What would you like to hear Andy discuss on future episodes?

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

                     o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL078.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:07am CDT

Andy uses a listener question to illustrate how to move your life to the next level by changing the way you think.

 

John, a listener who grew up with an alcoholic father and rough childhood but has turned things around and created a great life for his family, wrote in with a question.


·      He feels as though he could inspire people to reach their potential and succeed, but he doesn’t want his ability to provide for his family to suffer in order to chase after his dream of helping others.

·      How can he help others while also continuing to provide for his family?

 

John is ready to move to the next level.

·      You can look at people at different levels of life and deconstruct what steps they have taken to get there.

 

For John to be successful in moving to the next level, he needs to do these things:

·      He needs to get to the point where he’s duplicating his efforts and understands that he can teach other people how to do what he has done.

·      There is a type of thinking that has yielded choices that have created actions that have yielded results that have made John what he is.

·      John, what were you thinking that has led to the results you are currently enjoying?

·      How can you teach that way of thinking to others?

 

There is no such thing as a neutral choice.

·      Everything you do is the result of a choice you have made.

·      You are either choosing to do nothing or choosing to do something.

·      The way we think determines who we are. However, you are allowed to choose the way you think.

 

Questions for Listeners

 

·      What would you like to hear Andy discuss on future episodes?

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

                     o  Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL077.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 10:12am CDT

On this episode, Andy tackles the question—how do you find and keep truly great friends?

 

There are three things you need to do in order to have great friendships:

·      You have to make an increasing effort to be a great friend.

·      God’s grace—they have to be able to forgive you when you mess up, and you have to be able to forgive them.

·      The biggest factor of all is the ability to narrow your focus and become intentional about what a friend actually is. That will enable you to seek and nurture that relationship. You have to know what a friend is in order to recognize a great one.

 

The people around you affect the person you become.

·      Would you rather be around someone who is constantly negative?

·      Or would you rather be around someone who is positive and keeps you moving forward with your life?

 

You have to be intentional with the way you budget the 24 hours you are given each day.

·      Are your friendships creating value in your life, and enabling you to create value for others?

·      Are they pushing you forward…or dragging you down?

 

Questions for Listeners

 

·      What would you like to hear Andy discuss on future episodes?

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o   Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL076.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 7:25am CDT

Andy and AT bring special guest Julie Borlaug, granddaughter of Norman Borlaug (whom The Butterfly Effect and The Boy Who Changed the World is about), on the podcast to discuss the legacy of her grandfather’s life-changing work.

 

Norman Borlaug hybridized corn and wheat for arid climates, which ultimately saved the lives of over 2 billion people across the world from famine.

·      Andy reverse engineered Norman Borlaug’s life in multiple books to show that everything we do matters.

·      He absolutely changed the world.

·      Julie now works for the Borlaug Institute at Texas A&M, which continues the work Norman Borlaug started.

 

Andy came up with The Butterfly Effect story when the military contacted him about the problem of suicide among soldiers.

·      How do you prove to people that their life matters?

·      He was researching George Washington Carver when he discovered Norman Borlaug.

 

Julie had the opportunity to work directly with Norman during the last six years of his life.

·      Norman was adamant that we must believe in the young and inspire them and give them the resources to show them they can change the world.

·      He made his breakthrough with wheat in his 30s after everyone told him what he was doing was not going to work. He was even fired and he quit a few times.

·      He was working on a technique called shuttle breeding, and his stubbornness eventually paid off.

·      Norman truly believed that it will be the young who will come up with the solutions to our greatest problems.

 

If you’re doing what everyone else is doing, you’re probably doing something wrong.

·      Most people aren’t getting extraordinary results. So if you’re doing what everyone else is doing, you’re only contributing to the average.

·      If you want extraordinary results for your life, your marriage, your children, your profession, you have to stop doing what everyone else is doing.

·      Norman Borlaug’s least favorite word was “mediocrity.”

 

Were you encouraged or helped by this podcast? Share it with a friend!

 

Questions for Listeners

 

·      What would you like to hear Andy discuss on future episodes?

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL075.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:17am CDT

Andy and AT share a message from a listener about an amazing moment the listener created in a restaurant by honoring a friendly waiter.

 

When you honor people and give them a “standing ovation,” amazing things happen.

·      Everyone involved will end up paying it forward.

·      It will change the way they interact with everyone for at least the rest of the way.

·      It will create an immeasurable ripple effect.

 

We’re very quick to tell someone when things aren’t done properly.

·      Why don’t we point out when things are done right?

·      We can change our culture by beginning to do things differently, and honoring those who get it right…instead of always complaining when something is wrong.

 

We’re either doing something or nothing.

·      Which one are you doing?

·      If you’re doing something, Andy wants to hear about it.

·      We’ve all got the guts to tell everyone how bad someone did, but who has the guts to tell someone what a different they made?

 

Were you encouraged or helped by this podcast? Send it to a friend!

 

Questions for Listeners

 

·      Have you given a “standing ovation” recently? Andy wants to hear about it! Call, email, or contact us on Facebook or Twitter.

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o   Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL074.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:00pm CDT

Andy and AT discuss what we need to do to make days like Valentine’s Day special. Andy shares a funny story of what he recently did to make just an average night with his family a special occasion.

 

Is it important to make Valentine’s Day special, or is it just a dumb holiday?

·      Yes, it is a dumb holiday…and yes, we DO need to make it special.

·      At one point, Andy was just having his assistant order flowers to send his wife, Polly, for him.

·      Eventually, Polly told him that flowers he had his assistant order didn’t mean all that much.

 

So he started putting more intention into doing something that showed Polly he actually cared.

·      You don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day or any kind of special day to surprise your spouse or your kids or anyone with something special.

·      Andy did this the other day by cooking a surprise dinner with an extremely unique menu for his family.

·      Look for ways to make ordinary days special days, no matter whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not.

 

If you do a surprise dinner for your family, find Andy on Facebook or Twitter and send him your menu!

 

Were you encouraged or helped by this podcast? Share it with a friend!

 

Questions for Listeners

 

·      What would you like to hear Andy discuss on the podcast? Let us know!

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o   Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL073.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:00pm CDT

A few weeks ago, Andy had the opportunity to speak in front of a large number of members of the U.S. Congress and their spouses. Before he spoke to them, he and A.T. discussed what the talk would be about.

 

What king of message should someone share when speaking to leaders, influencers, and decision-makers?

 

  • You should always go in with a humble attitude.
  • Show gratefulness for their service and their influence.

 

All leaders face criticism, so you have to take that into account.

 

  • You may be thinking the leaders you are speaking to need to change some things, but that’s true with all leaders.
  • You have to show a little grace if you’re hoping to engender change.
  • If you go into a room of people and tell them they’re stupid and going in the wrong direction, the result you desire will not happen.

 

You have to remind them of the things they already know to be true.

 

  • You may not be that qualified to speak about the specific type of work they are doing, but you can illustrate principles to them that are true no matter what they’re doing.
  • Andy is not an expert in golf, but he was still able to talk to a group of the best female golfers in the world and help them bounce back from a rough start in the Solheim Cup.

Were you encouraged or helped by this podcast? Forward it to a friend!

 

Questions for Listeners

 

  • What would you like to hear Andy discuss on the podcast? Let us know!

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o   Twitter.com/AndyAndrews


Direct download: ITL072.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 10:00am CDT

On today’s podcast, professional drummer Jeff Jones, formerly of the band Big Daddy Weave, joins Andy and A.T. to talk about transitioning your life and career.

After reading The Traveler’s Gift and listening to the podcast, Jeff decided it was time to transition from being a drummer to becoming a speaker.

  • He had been the drummer for Big Daddy Weave, touring all over the country and the world, for 13 years.
  • He had been gone about 140 days per year for his family’s entire life.

Jeff came up with the acronym WISE, which has become the crux of his message.

  • It stands for What I Sacrifice Every Day.
  • The acronym embodies the choices you make in order to achieve the results you want in your life.
  • When he was a kid and decided he wanted to play drums for a living, he began making sacrifices every single day in order to achieve that dream.

Andy’s Storms of Perfection series also inspired Jeff to create a custom pair of drumsticks for camouflage company Mossy Oak.

  • The series inspired him to take action.
  • It taught him that almost every successful person started out overcoming adversity.
  • You don’t have to be “special” to be successful.
  • All you have to do is seek wisdom and take action.

 

To get a FREE eBook from Jeff, go to JeffDrummer.com, enter your email address, and he’ll send it to you!

 

Were you encouraged or helped by this podcast? Click here to forward it to a friend!

 

Questions for Listeners

 

  • Have you ever made a major career or life change? We’d love to hear your story!

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o   Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL071.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 4:00am CDT

On today’s podcast, Andy and A.T. discuss how to teach children to persevere through difficulties and struggles.

 

Listener question: How do you influence your boys in a positive way in regard to what they want to be when they grow up?

  • It’s important to connect what someone wants to do with the things they have to do to get there.
  • You want to encourage while also keeping in mind that their mind can easily change, especially when they are younger.

 

Whatever your children are trying to do or learn, you have to encourage them to stay in the hard places.

  • You gain ground when you keep going through the hard places.
  • Even adults tend to stop trying when things get hard.
  • We remain comfortable only with the things that come easy.

 

We need to change the culture surrounding childhood education in our country.

  • Cultures that have better results in education have better results because of the way they think.
  • Our culture does not think there is honor in struggling, which causes us to avoid struggling through difficulties.

Were you encouraged or helped by this podcast? Forward it to a friend!

 

Questions for Listeners

 

  • ·      What are the biggest challenges you have with raising your children?

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o   Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Direct download: ITL070.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:49am CDT

On today’s podcast, Andy and A.T. discuss the techniques that are necessary to mastering goal setting.

 

Andy’s tip for goal-setting is to be honest with yourself

  • If Moses had spent a little more time up on the mountain, he would have come down with an 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not kid thyself.
  • Don’t set yourself up for defeat by trying to do something crazy.
  • As opposed to saying, “I’m never eating brownies for the rest of my life,” try to not eat brownies for a week.
  • Accomplish your goals in small chunks and you will eventually accomplish something major.

 

Reward yourself when you accomplish small milestones

  • Don’t overdo it, but give yourself a small reward.
  • It’s important to keep your morale up.

 

Be able to measure your goal

  • The bathroom scale is a great tool.
  • Find a “bathroom scale” to measure any goal you set.

 

Instead of always focusing on the ultimate goal, focus on the process

  • Become a master of the little things you have to accomplish along the way to the ultimate goal.
  • Never lose sight of what you must be doing right now.

Were you encouraged or helped by this podcast? Forward it to a friend!

 

Questions for Listeners

 

  • What goals have you set recently? How are you going about accomplishing them?

o   Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o   E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o   Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o   Twitter.com/AndyAndrews


Direct download: ITL069.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

On today’s podcast, Andy discusses how the ability to work through confusion is what separates the great from the average.

 God has created you with a will that is stronger than your emotions

  • People often say “That’s just the way I am” and use it as a crutch for bad behavior
  • But you can use your will to overcome your feelings and emotions
  • You have to use your will to overcome the tendency to ignore your health

If what you are currently doing is not getting the results you want, you need to:

  • Begin thinking differently
  • Go beyond just “thinking outside the box”
  • Do not do what everyone else is doing, because not everyone is achieving the results you want

Confusion always guards the answer

  • Ordinary people have no problem getting through little bitty pieces of confusion
  • Those who can work in the midst of great amounts of confusion can do great things
  • Ask “Why?”


Direct download: ITL068.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 6:00am CDT