In The Loop With Andy Andrews

On this week’s episode, I discuss whether transparency helps or hurts your leadership potential.   I’m in a period of learning a ton right now. When it comes to my boys, I want them to understand that I’m still struggling to be wise in my choices and thinking everyday. We’ve heard leaders promise to be transparent and we see varying degrees of their choice to pulling that off. If you declare your intention to be transparent and you’re obviously not, then that hurts your leadership. Other than that, I do not see how transparency can hurt your leadership—UNLESS it reveals something about you that makes you not worthy of following. (details on what makes someone unworthy of following available in podcast)   As a leader, we’re human and we’re going to mess up. If you know the difference between a choice and a mistake, and you handle both in a proper way, your leadership will grow by leaps and bounds. When a choice has been made, only true remorse and “Will you forgive me?” can press the reset button. Woul

On this week’s episode, I discuss the little-known benefit of the hard times in our lives—and how my greatest struggles led me to my most important realizations.   During the time I was living under the pier and reading biographies, I was graphing out in my mind what had worked to make these people turn out like they did. I was at a point in my life when I had a tough time with, “Is there more?” I thought, were these people born this way, or was it something they did? What did they do and how long did it take them to do it? After reading that many of them, you start to realize the things these people have in common. I realized they weren’t habits, or theories, or really even mine. But I saw that they worked every time, and that they were principles. I began to think what happens to somebody who knows all seven?   A lot of people don’t understand there is huge value in tough times. To back this up this statement, my idea for the Seven Decisions came from a horrible time in my own life. I would not have read

In previous episodes, I’ve talked about how you can only achieve the level of success that you truly believe. This week, I’ll tell you how you can expand this level of belief.   When you have an expanded level of belief in yourself, it allows you a different level of belief in others. Money is a very easy way to provide a gauge. I’ve found that if you can expand your level of belief in other areas, your money goes up—largely because you have become more valuable to other people.   Sometimes people ask if I really believe that anyone can be successful. I don’t just believe it. I know you can. I know that because I was the guy in the ditch. Do you think God made any person thinking they’ll never be able to do anything, or thinking they’ll be a failure from the beginning? No.   There is a huge level of belief that you can grab ahold of, but it will come about by shaping how you think. Your beliefs are totally governed by how you think. How you think is determined by what you subject yourself to (books, movi

On this week’s episode, I talk about passion, procrastination, and how they will shape your future. I believe passion is a lot like momentum. •When you have momentum, you perform better than normal. •You produce at a level far beyond what you normally would if we measured you. •When you lack momentum, you produce at a lower level than normal. •People don’t generally stay on a level playing field. They either have momentum or they don’t. I see people who have amazing abilities and opportunities but they won’t get out of their own way. •They will not discipline themselves. •Overcoming procrastination is saying, “I’m not going to live my life according to a feeling. I’m not going to let a feeling dictate the way I act. Instead, I’m going to let the way I act dictate my feelings.” What do you like to do more than anything in the world? •Can you make yourself do something you don’t want to do for a little while to get something you’d like to have for the rest of your life? •Would it be worth it to you if for

On this week’s episode, David Loy has several holiday related questions for Andy,   Listen in to hear Andy’s answers to: What is your favorite Christmas carol? Who is the most unique family member from your childhood? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving and New Years food? What’s your favorite indoor and outdoor holiday activities? Do you own any tacky pieces of holiday clothing? What’s your favorite tradition from when you were a kid? What’s the topper on your tree? What is your favorite gift you’ve ever received? What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?   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

In this episode, I talk about selfishness, and how it can keep you and everyone around you from growing.   One of the top three most important things Jones ever told me was, “Most people live their entire lives and never understand that you can’t always believe everything you think.” I received a call a few months ago from a company that lost one of their executives to another company offering more money, and it was a big problem. The company let him go because they wouldn’t match the offer for a reason that they may think is true, but it’s not. I think if Moses spent more time on the mountain he would have come back with the 11th decision, “Thou shalt not kid thyself.”   The truth isn’t that they couldn’t match the offer; the truth is that they chose not to match the offer. The deeper issue is… what is in your belief system or plans for the future that causes you to choose not to match that offer? Did that person start developing bad habits or peak with what they were bringing to the company?   You want

On this week’s episode, I discuss when to eliminate negative people from your life.   We hear that we need to eliminate negative people from our lives. Yet, if we know that we are consistently negative, we certainly hope everybody is not eliminating us.   What if Jones eliminated negative people from his life? He would have certainly eliminated me. But Jones didn’t have to consider dropping me from his life. He had moved so far beyond where I was that I had no influence on him at all. His challenge with me was figuring out how to say things to me so that I could understand them and so they would resonate with me.   When I was living under the pier, I really needed to eliminate the negative influences in my life. I had to determine which people always acted negatively. If they were both looking and thinking, I could be friends with those people safely. There are people at a very high level of success, and I’m looking to spend more time with them and watch them carefully. There are also some people who are

On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question on staying positive day in and day out.   We’ve talked about this a lot but I really believe that our thinking is the foundation of everything that we become. It’s what we accomplish. It’s who we are. It’s the family we raise. It’s the society in which we live.   Frankly, I’m not always positive. It’s something that I want to be, but I don’t want to be an idiot. I want to be positive because I’ve figured out the version of the truth that I want to live my life with. What I mean by “version of the truth” is that sometimes, people are able to look at the same thing and get two totally conclusions, but in a way both of them are true.   A huge thing for me is to have a long view of time. A long view of time will generally yield a more positive way of looking at things that is more hopeful, more peaceful for you and your family, and absolutely true. When you have a long view of time, you can see the truth easier.   If you feel people are looking to you for

On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question on the difference between discipline and punishment.   Before getting into that I have a quick story: A few weeks ago, I was getting ready to head out of town and Polly asked, “Have you seen Carver?” Now he’s a huge standard black poodle, and it’s unusual not to see him for a few hours. As I’m about to leave, Polly says that they found him. He was under the garage with Skippy, our outdoor cat. It turns out the cat was sick, and Carver been under there with it for hours taking care of it. Polly took Skippy to the vet and he didn’t make it, but it’s amazing how intelligent these dogs can be. These moments can be times to talk to your kids about death, and give them comfort with how small of an amount of time they will be without someone in the grand scheme of eternity.   So, what is the difference between discipline and punishment? Discipline is what you are creating in a child. Punishment is a necessary part of discipline to get to an end result that you

On this week’s episode, I discuss money and the influence it should have on your parenting style.   How does the amount of money you have (or don’t have) affect your parenting style? Obviously both can create issues and both have to do with the thinking of the parents. If you have more money, there are more places you can go or vacation, but that stuff isn’t necessary under the umbrella of “parenting.” Our goal is to raise kids who become great adults. I’ve seen situations where having a lot of money created more problems with kids than situations where money was scarce.    Austin just turned 15, and he was aware at 10 years old that he would be buying his own car.   I’ve talked with him a lot about why it is important for him.  He understands that we are after him having an awesome adult life.    For a child to become a great adult, it’s easier to reach your potential if you have the confidence that you are capable of doing things yourself.  That will give you some pride (not in the egotistical way).  A

On this week’s episode, I give some advice to a family with two boys gifted in different ways, and I give suggestions on how the parents can help guide them to the right career paths.   My wife says I have been gifted with being able to remember every single thing I’ve ever seen or heard, and I do have one very odd gift that I will display on occasion. I can listen to someone and repeat almost instantly what they are saying with some of the inflections and barely miss a beat. My teachers used to say my mouth could run by itself.   Isn't it odd how the same parents can raise children the same way, but they still can turn out so different? I try to direct my boys toward thinking about the benefits of being brothers. “You will always have each other, and being different is a good thing. You can fill the empty spaces that the other one has.”   When it comes to picking a career path, take a breath. When I was twenty, I was living under a pier. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t be working, but I thought I was

On this week’s episode, we have Patsy Clairmont back in the studio to talk about her new book Twirl, and share some personal stories.   A lot of people have ideas but it’s rare the people can actually pull them off. Patsy brings people into her home who need to do something creative in their lives. It’s a planned way of getting in touch with the stories that have been sitting inside you for years.   Patsy’s battle against agoraphobia: I was an agoraphobic by the time I hit my early twenties and began to let my emotions rule my choices. Once I learned I could make a choice in spite of my unstable emotions, then I began to find solid ground. That was a tremendous moment of discovery.   “You have been created with a will that is stronger then your emotions.” I tripped and messed up over and over but I was getting stronger and started having more success. I realized that a lot of my thoughts came out of the disuse and the imbalance of my own metal condition rather than from scripture. When agoraphobics come

On this week’s episode, we have Crystal Paine, “THE Money Saving Mom,” in our studio to answer a few questions about how her business has grown into what it is today.   How did this all get started? My husband and I committed to stay out of debt while he went to law school. We were literally living on beans and rice, but we started finding ways to stretch our dollars because we had to. I was a new mom and started blogging about frugal topics, and there was a lot of interest from outside people.   How did it all evolve into what it is today? I had already established myself as an expert with frugal living. Within 3 months we had 16 thousand views on the blog, and within a year we were making a full time income off blog. Today we have about 1.5 million unique visitors to the site per month.   How did the book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, come about? The book was a result of two things… People telling me they were just trying to survive and figure out how to get their life in order My own personal journey

On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question on finding role models when none are present in your life.   If you’re having a hard time finding role models, then you’re already on the right track because you’ve identified the need to seek out others.   How do you find somebody to be mentored by? Get biographies and read about people. You will learn from their great decisions and mistakes. Compare and contrast what you’re reading with what you’re seeing around you.   I urge you to take notes on people. Observe the people you see in your community or even when you travel. Take note of how others treat people and the reactions they get back. Take note of body language and actions. There is so much you can learn from observing all kinds of people.   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

On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question about the characteristics of a successful coach.   I speak and write but I also have a couple of clients, including football teams. My criteria for taking on a client: I’ve got to like them. I have to be convinced that their belief level is at a point where they can accomplish great things. Their ability to process information and shift on the fly is also important.   People can only achieve to the level that they really believe.   To me, the characteristics of a successful coach are: They have a high level of belief in what they do and what they can accomplish. No matter their age or past success, they’re always looking to expand and push the boundaries of what they already know. A lot of people think they’re a little crazy. I don’t mean they lose their temper or anything—I mean people look at them and don’t understand why they do what they do. They accept the “Jones’ Secret Principle of Extraordinary Achievement.” If you’re doing what everybody else is

On this week’s episode, we have very special guest Patsy Clairmont in the studio to talk about her life and have some laughs.   I was on tour with Patsy for three years while touring with Women of Faith. If I kept a list of my favorite speakers, I don’t know if it would be her or Zig Ziglar at the top. I can honesty say, professionally, watching her speak was the best experience I’ve ever had.   Listen in to hear Patsy talk about the small group workshop in her home, and tell stories about finding creativity (including a time when someone called her “the worst student I’ve ever had”).   Go to PatsyClairmont.com and check out Shaking Your Tree to hear more from Pasty on how she can help you develop creativity and confidence.   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  

On this week’s episode, I respond to a listener question about discussing the topic of depression and suicide prevention.   This week’s topic comes from a father who lost his daughter to suicide in a nationally televised story. I know it must be one of the hardest things in the world when somebody you love so deeply makes a decision to do this. I heard in your letter that she left behind two boys, 3 & 7. Navigating this for them is going to be tough. As they get older, they will need your presence and your son-in-law’s guidance.   You may have heard people or doctors say this kind of thing runs in families. I’m not a medical doctor, so I can’t speak to the actual working of the brain. But I take a different view. I think when a family member commits suicide, it brings that up as an option. Unless it’s dealt with, I think other family members can think, “well, so-and-so did this, and this is how they dealt with that.”   The tough thing about this will be to separate your daughter from the act and remem

On this week’s episode, I talk about a very unusual summer event that occurs a few times a year on the shore of Mobile Bay. Something very unique happened earlier this week while at a book signing in Fairhope, Alabama.  There is a 15-mile stretch on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. In the late summer on a still night between two and five in the morning, fish pile up on the shore for several hundred yards. I’m talking thousands. Flounder, Whiting, Mullet, Shrimp, and more. This is only one place in the world this happens and it is called a “Jubilee.”   I am shocked by how many people read The Noticer Returns and think “Jubilee” is something I made up. This has been going on for centuries. Years ago they had bells on the porches of the houses along the bay to let the community know when the phenomenon was occurring.  The fish are almost stunned or asleep. It will last for an hour or two and then they’ll wake up and swim back into the gulf. People will fill their ice chests and have fish for a year.   It’s a

On this week’s episode, I address a listener question on the distinction between coaching and mentoring. The question we received is, “What are the differences between coaching and mentoring, and does the distinction really matter?” I think the distinction does matter, at least financially. Mentoring is less in your face, and it’s a little more guidance oriented. When a specific relationship is outlined and you have a detailed goal, you are getting into the coaching area.   I’ve been mentored by people that don’t know it and people who are already dead. George Washington Carver and Joshua Chamberlain have been mentors for me — people who have been written about or have a large volume of work that I can follow. The length of time is a defining feature. I could coach you for 15 minutes, but mentoring is an ongoing process.   A buddy of mine a few years ago told me that his mom left him some money, and he was thinking about hiring a person he knows as a financial planner. I asked how much money the financia

On this week’s episode, I address a listener question about my perspective on finding peace when dealing with death.  This topic was on my mind when I was writing The Noticer Returns. When I wrote this book, I wanted to have Jones deal with several things that people have a hard time with. I wanted to handle this subject with sensitivity, but in a way that answers questions and gives people real comfort. Listen in as I answer this question by reading a full chapter from The Noticer Returns. Get your full version of The Noticer Returns for a more thorough answer to this question. To get your own copy now, just click here. 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