In the Loop with Andy Andrews

ITL083 : Andy's Proudest Accomplishment

Sat, 04 May 2013 13:45:22 +0000

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

ITL082 : Is College Necessary?

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 15:27:21 +0000

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

ITL081 : What to Do When Life Throws You a Crisis

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:14:52 +0000

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

Donna celebrated her 70^th 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

ITL080 : Andy's Tips for Prioritizing Your Family

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:36:44 +0000

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

ITL079 : Why Your Family Should Watch Duck Dynasty

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 14:47:00 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL078 : How to Help Others Take Action

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:07:22 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL077 : The Key to Thinking at the Highest Level

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:12:33 +0000

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.

· 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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL076 : How to Choose Your Friends with Care

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:25:00 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL075 : How to Change the World w/ Special Guest Julie Borlaug

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:17:01 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL074 : An Easy Way to Make Someone's Day

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 18:00:00 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL073 : A Guide to Making Any Ordinary Night Special

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 18:00:00 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL072 : How to Communicate Effectively with Leaders

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL071 : How to Make a Major Life Transition, an Interview with Jeff Jones

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL070 : How to Teach Children to Overcome Adversity

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 15:49:29 +0000

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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL069 : The Art of Goal Setting

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

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 11^th 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 Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL068 : Why You Should Be Comfortable with Confusion

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

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?”

ITL064 : How to Guard Your Marriage from Infidelity

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:45:13 +0000

On today’s episode of In the Loop, Andy and A.T. discuss the epidemic of business, government, and community leaders being unfaithful in marriage and what we can do about it.

What are the sources of infidelity?

· One is the fact that we live in a fallen world—the nature of man is a source of it

· Our affections rule every part of our life, so we must guard them carefully

· Even if you’ve been married for a long time, you still need to constantly guard yourself

· You have to live an open life—a life in which you are honest with yourself

· Never be convinced that this can’t happen to you

Andy recently talked to a group of politicians and their spouses about infidelity and dishonesty

· He told them that all the infidelity and dishonesty among politicians had made the average voter sick of all of them, whether they had done anything yet or not

· He told them not to let weak moments get in the way of all the work they put into getting elected and all the good things they want to accomplish

· Share everything with your spouse—email accounts, Facebook passwords and messages, etc.

· Never be in a room alone with someone of the opposite sex

· Make fences around you that are guarded by those you love

Most of the time, men are at the root of infidelity, but Andy has a thought for women as well

· Marriage is about love and respect

· Women feel respected when they are loved

· But men feel loved when they are respected

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

Questions for Listeners

· How do you guard your marriage from infidelity?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

A Veteran's Hope

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:56:22 +0000

On today’s episode of In the Loop, a veteran writes in and tells an amazing story of losing and regaining hope in her life.

You have to be an honest person to overcome the loss of hope and control in your life.

· Andy says if there had been an 11^th Commandment, it would have been, “Thou shalt not kid thy self”

· Being honest with ourselves is extremely important and allows us to understand so much more about our lives

Principles exist and are at work in our lives whether we know about them or not.

· When we become aware of principles, we can harness them in our lives in ways that can allow us to accomplish great things

· The truth is one of those principles

Hope itself is a thought process.

· It is a specific way of thinking, and it is something that can be proven

· Because of this, it can be chosen—you can choose to be hopeful

· If you’re still here and you’re still breathing, then you have not yet accomplished what you were put here to do

Below our choices and decisions is our thinking.

· Our thinking is at the base of everything we do—the positive and the negative

· Your mistakes and the best things you’ve done in life are all products of the way you think

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

Questions for Listeners

· How do you remain hopeful in tough times?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

ITL062 : Accessing the Power of the Individual

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:25:26 +0000

On today’s episode, Andy and A.T. discuss the power of the individual and how to channel it through discovering your passion.

A listener named Sheryl writes in about her experience with breast cancer. Her story prompted A.T. to wonder how people who aren’t writers or speakers or someone with a large audience can have a big, lasting impact on the world.

Andy brings up the butterfly effect story that he often tells on stage
The story illustrates how great moments or accomplishments all go back to “ordinary” people who did a seemingly small deed that caused big things to happen down the line

Sheryl mentioned that her experience with cancer didn’t “define” her; it “refined” her.

Andy points out that this is often seen as an odd way of thinking
It’s actually a great way of thinking
As a society, we often think logically to the wrong conclusions
We have the ability to choose the way we think

Everybody has something they are meant to do.

It takes a different way of thinking to figure out what that is and master it
When you can mix your passion with value for others, you can affect enormous amounts of people

Quote from H.G. Wells:

“The test of greatness is this: what did that person leave to grow? By this test, Jesus stands first.”

Questions for Listeners

· Have you discovered your passion? How were you able to do so, and what are you doing with it?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL061 : How to Change Your Child's School Forever

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:51:00 +0000

A new friend of Andy’s joins us on the show today, and shares how principles from Andy’s book The Butterfly Effect are being implemented into her school and the effect that it’s having.

The Butterfly Effect teaches the kids how to think and prepares them for the real world

Kids are caught doing something good
Their choices are what matter
They can change their future
Teachers get more chances to have conversations with children and give them guidance
Kids are being told how important they are

How do we change our society?

By little actions every day
Treating those we come in contact with on a daily bases in a positive manner
People will treat others better if they are treated well themselves
We’re not teaching kids what to think, but rather how to think

Questions for Listeners

· What books do you use to help your children make better choices?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

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

ITL060 : Choosing to Be Grateful

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:00:00 +0000

On today’s episode, a listener writes in with the question: How do you apply the principle of “Today I choose to be happy”?

Andy’s simple answer is:

· No one wants to follow a grouch

· You have to become someone whom others want to follow

· Choose to be grateful

· Most people exist in life without anyone telling them how great they are

· Learn how to vocalize the things we are grateful for having in our lives

For those who think that living life this way may be hokey, Andy comments:

· What kind of life do you want to lead?

· What kind of mood do you want to establish in your house?

· What kind of aura do you want around you as you interact with others outside of your home?

· If you’re doing what everyone else is doing, then you’re doing something wrong, because everyone else is not living a life filled with extraordinary results

· If you treat people the way that you would like to be treated, most people will live up to your expectation, so treat them well

· Let others know what you expect of them, and how excited you are to be interacting with them

· The one thing more powerful than telling someone how great they are is telling their kids how great their parents are in front of them

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

Questions for Listeners

· How are you going to implement “choosing to be happy by choosing to be grateful” in your life?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL059 : Beyond the Average Life

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 16:10:24 +0000

We all want to go beyond the average in certain areas of our lives. But how do we begin to do that? Andy and A.T. discuss how living a life of gratitude produces shockingly different results.

What are the practical things you can do that change you life from ordinary to extraordinary?

One of the keys is understanding that you can choose to live an extraordinary life
It is very seldom that an extraordinary life is just granted upon someone
If you choose an extraordinary life, you must understand that you can no longer act and think like the average person

There are many baby steps you can take to start thinking and acting differently.

How Andy treats his garbage men drastically changes the “garbage” area of his life
The way you treat people who do everyday jobs that we all have to have done see drastically different results
These are little areas of our lives, but they can make a big difference in our day-to-day experiences
Look for ways to make a fuss over people
When you treat people beyond the normal way most people treat them, you will get extraordinary responses

To live an extraordinary life, you have to think about how you can serve people better.

You have to pay more attention than the average person
You have to look for different ways to solve average problems
Don’t take anything or anyone for granted
If you live a grateful life, you will achieve shockingly different results

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

Questions for Listeners

What do you do differently than everyone else you know?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL058 : Listener Feedback - The Importance of Association

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:02:23 +0000

A listener calls in with a story of how The Traveler’s Gift has changed his life

A.T. asks Andy what people say his books have done for them:

The importance of choosing with whom you associate
Finding a love for reading that they didn't know they had
Seeing a need to change something in their life

Andy talks about association and the affect it has on our lives:

You tend to live the average of your closest associations
So, you have to choose who you're going to be around
If you don't want to live like average people live then you have to change the association you have with the average lifestyle

Addressing change and what that looks like

Little changes now can mean massive change further on in life
Everyone is changing
So, if you're going to be changing, why not move in the direction that you want to end up?
Change can be achieved while interacting with people or in your own thought process.
Every great thing that ever happened in your life happened because something changed

Question for Listeners

What small steps will you take today to move toward your ultimate goal?

o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
      o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
      o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

What small steps will you take today to move toward your ultimate goal?

ITL057 : Reading Habits and the Power of Books

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:12:47 +0000

Andy and AT discuss how to develop good reading habits and how they will change every aspect of your life for the better.

The role books have played in Andy's past, present, and future

While living under a pier not long after his parents died, an old man names Jones introduced biographies to Andy
Biographies became the basis for the rest of Andy's life and writing
Andy then identified the 7 decisions/principles based off the 200+ biographies that he read

What about people who don’t like to read or say they don’t have the time?

“I don't like to read”

What does that have to do with anything?

Are you expecting yourself to read?

The point is not do you want to read; the point is—what do you want?

“I don't have time to read”

Reading has to be a discipline that helps you get what you want out of life

It is essential to discipline yourself to make time for it

Statistically:

People who read make more money

People who read have a lower divorce rate

People who read have fewer problems with their children

People who read get promoted at a faster rate

People who read get hired at a higher paying rate

The best way to get yourself or your children to read:

Find books that don't bore you
Books of short stories
Sports books or books about athletes

If you already got your copy of Andy’s free eBook, The Perfect Moment, please share it with your friends! Click here to get it.

Question for Listeners

What do you do to find reading time?

o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
      o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
      o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

Find something to read aloud to your family

ITL056 : Intention vs. Action

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:10:00 +0000

Do your actions match your intentions? Find out on today’s episode of In the Loop!

A.T. brings up a blog post Andy recently wrote called “An Important Announcement for Men Everywhere.”

The post is about why we need to remember that watching football (or anything on TV, really) is not what this time of the year is all about
Andy explains that he really does love watching the game of football, regardless of who is playing, and he can tend to get wrapped up in it
His boys love watching it with him, but he has noticed that if he isn’t there to watch a game, they don’t watch it on their own

Somewhere along the line, Andy began to understand that you put your time into what is most important to you.

When he listed the time that he spent reading about and watching football, he discovered that it was much more time than he was spending reading about things like being a better dad

What do we consider to be important in our lives?

Most people would say things like their wife, husband, kids, etc.
But does that answer match up with reality? If we look at how we spend our time throughout the day, will our actions reflect that belief?
Andy realized that his actions were not matching up with what he thought he considered to be important in his life

It doesn’t matter what we intend to do with our time.

Intentions have no power
Intending to do something is not the same as actually doing it
We tend to judge other people by their actions and ourselves by our intentions
There is a big difference, however, between “intentions” and “being intentional”
“Being intentional” means doing specific things with purpose

Because of this, Andy has been very specific about the games he watches with the boys over the past few years.

Doing things with the entire family is more important, long term, than not doing activities that include the entire family
Watching football games can be a great bonding experience in families where everyone is into it
What he’s finding more and more, however, is that there aren’t very many families where everyone is truly into it
If your whole family is into it and it’s a great bonding experience, by all means, go for it

If you already got your copy of Andy’s free eBook, The Perfect Moment, please share it with your friends! Click here to get it.

Questions for Listeners

What activities does your entire family do together?

      o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
      o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
      o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL055 : Andy's All-Time Favorite Movies

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 16:13:46 +0000

Andy and A.T. discuss the movies that Andy enjoys watching with his boys, his wife, and by himself.

What are some movies that really shaped Andy growing up?

Andy saw a ton of Disney movies as a kid
He loved the animal ones
They gave him a great love for the outdoors
He loved John Wayne movies and other Westerns
He hated—and still does—horror movies

What movies did Polly and Andy enjoy when they were dating?

Polly does not like to go see movies…in fact, she’s never even seen Star Wars!

What movies does Andy like to watch with his boys?

A Christmas Story is one of his favorite movies
His manager, Robert, insisted that he and Andy go see it in the theater
They were the only ones in the theater, and they couldn’t stop laughing
Andy and his family watch it every year
The reason why it appeals to him is because it conveys how a kid actually thinks about the world around him
One of the good things about watching movies with kids is that all the great old movies are totally new to them

The Legend of Bagger Vance is another one of his favorites.

Disclaimer: Sports Illustrated actually listed it as one of the worst sports movies
Andy wholeheartedly disagrees; it is a brilliant movie

Andy and Polly love O Brother, Where Art Thou?

They sit there and quote every line
“Gopher, Everett?”

What movies from the last five years did Andy really enjoy?

True Grit blew Andy away, and he didn’t see it coming
Why would you remake a movie that featured John Wayne and won an Oscar?
About 15 minutes into the movie, Andy realized he was blown away
He hates to say it…but he thinks it’s even better than the original
Note: Andy accidentally referred to the directors of True Grit and O Brother, Where Art Thou? as the Farrelly Brothers. Both films were directed by the Coen Brothers.

Listeners, don’t forget to sign up for AT’s Early to Rise Challenge!

Questions for Listeners

•    What movies do you enjoy watching with your family?
      o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
      o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
      o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL054 : Andy Finishes Your Sentences

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:20:18 +0000

This week, A.T. and Andy introduce a new segment called “Finish This Phrase,” where Andy takes listener-submitted phrases and finishes them on the spot.

Parents should always ________

Andy says, “Discipline their kids.”
If parents don’t discipline their kids now, life will discipline them later…and it probably won’t be pretty.

When you go to work ________

Andy says, “Go in a good mood, because no one wants to be around someone who is whining and complaining.”

Husbands should never ________

Andy says, “Put too much salad in their mouth at once.”
“Leave Band-Aids in the shower.”
“Honk the horn when his their wife is doing whatever she does inside.”

When your kids walk out the door to school, you should always tell them ______

Andy says, “Don’t forget to smile while you talk.”
This is huge and will give your kids so many more opportunities.
He also says, “Find someone who doesn’t have many friends and be a friend to them.”

If you want a different life _______

Andy says, “You have to think different.”
“Seek wisdom like a crazy person. Read.”

Before you go fishing, you should ________

Andy says, “Always make sure your rods are in the boat.”
“Always make sure your bait is in the boat.”
“Make sure there is gas in the boat.”
“Put drinks in the boat.”

When you get up early, you _______

Andy says, “Gather insights that would not happen at any other time of the day.”

If you don’t have goals _______

Andy says, “You’re playing basketball without the baskets.”

When you get discouraged ________

Andy says, “Do the things that you know to do.”
Your actions dictate your feelings. Do the things that make you feel better.

If you ever get a chance to ________

Andy says, “Go to a Gaither Homecoming concert, do it.”
No matter what kind of music you like, you will be blown away.
A.T. says, “Take time off from work and go on a field trip with your kids, do it every time.”

Questions for Listeners

•    Want to hear Andy finish more phrases? Submit your own!
      o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
      o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
      o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
      o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL053 : How to Live an Extraordinary Life

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:42:44 +0000

Is there a secret to becoming “extraordinary”? What’s the difference between extraordinary and ordinary?

Define an extraordinary life.

An extraordinary life means a lot of different things to different people.
But there are several characteristics that they have in common.
Being debt-free. It’s hard to live a life of freedom when you’re living with debt.
A track record of wise decisions leads to an extraordinary life. Wise decisions lead people to places of influence.
Influence is essential because it is part of helping people, which is another key ingredient in an extraordinary life.
We all possess influence in some areas.
The pursuit of wisdom opens the door to all of these qualities.

How do you want to live?

In relation to your family, finances, God, your community, etc.
This question will give you a good idea of what your version of an extraordinary life is.
If you want to live an extraordinary life, then you can’t live the way most others do, because most people are leading average lives.

Can anyone live an extraordinary life?

Yes. Anybody can change their thinking. Anybody can change their actions and their path by changing their thinking.
There are two things people need to change: there has to be something in it for them (a benefit); and something has to be proven beyond doubt.
Our thinking guides all of our choices. So if we want to make better choices, we have to change our thinking.
Your thinking is the foundation that your entire life is built upon.

What do extraordinary people do that average people don’t do?

They get up early and with a purpose. If you don’t have something to do, create something to do.
Create a spirit of gratefulness in your life and your children’s lives.
Watch out for other people and have manners. Treat people with respect.

Who do extraordinary people spend their time with?

They spend their time with extraordinary people.
They spend their time with people who are good examples for them, and who are committed to learning the same things they are trying to learn.

Early to Rise Challenge

Go to TakePermission.com/EarlyToRise
Put in your e-mail address and first name and you’ll get an e-mail early every morning.
Each e-mail will give you encouragement and ideas of what to do with your extra time.

Questions for Listeners

What do you consider to be an extraordinary life? Let us know!

            o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
            o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
            o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
            o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL052 : Andy Interviews a Singer with a Life-Changing Message, Jason Crabb

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:18:22 +0000

One of Andy’s favorite musicians and good friends, Jason Crabb, is on the show this week. Jason won Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year at last year’s Dove Awards. He and Andy discuss everything from music to the importance of practicing what you preach.

Andy asks: How did you get started in the business?
      •    His dad was a pastor, so he grew up in the church and learned how to communicate to people and play music
      •    Eventually, people started to take an interest in him and his family and they would get invited to perform all over the country

Andy asks: At what point did you realize you had a gift for singing?
      •    Jason thinks it’s more about being passionate about what you do and seeing the way what you’re doing is affecting people in a positive way as opposed to thinking about your talent level and how much money you’re making
      •    So there wasn’t really one particular moment, but over the years he has been blessed enough to see the life-changing effects his music has had on people

Jason’s song “Somebody Like Me” is played
      •    It’s a song about accepting responsibility and accountability for taking care of one another
      •    Christianity has been painted the wrong way to the world, often due to our own self-righteous behavior
      •    Christianity is about love and taking care of your neighbor
      •    We have to watch what we say and do at all times, because our actions reflect on the entire group
      •    You can view the video for “Somebody Like Me” by clicking here

If you’re not familiar with Jason, click below to check him out online!
      •    Facebook
      •    Twitter
      •    iTunes

Questions for Listeners

      •    What would you like to hear Andy discuss on future podcast episodes?
            o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
            o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
        o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
            o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL051 : What You Need to Know About the Upcoming Election

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:33:00 +0000

Andy offers an encouraging perspective on the approaching presidential election and gives listeners bits of wisdom they can apply in political conversations. He also tackles the all-important question—for whom should we vote?

One thing that everyone agrees with, everyone should be told the truth.

The next question is, what is the truth? What’s your truth, my truth, his or her truth? There is a variation on the theme of truth.
There is only one truth, and the truth defines itself. The truth will also define someone who works within those parameters.

The two reasons why most people don’t vote:

People don’t feel like their one vote will make any difference.
By the time the election comes around, people have poor opinions on both candidates because the person whom they wanted didn’t receive a nomination.

Things to consider when determining for whom to vote:

This is not about an election as much as it’s about a direction and where our country is headed.
Examine what you believe, and measure that against what the candidates believe.
Knowing the difference between being moral and doing what’s right in action.
A good leader is much like a good parent. Meaning, you’re not concerned with what the child wants right now more than what’s going to be best for the child long term. They have the ability to look down the road and tell the child what they may not want to hear right now, but what we know is the best decision for their future.

Questions for Listeners

What factors do you consider when looking at political candidates?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL050 : Andy Sings "Amazing Grace"

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:46:00 +0000

This week’s episode is short, but laughter is guaranteed! Hear Andy sing the three “alternate” versions of everyone’s favorite hymn, “Amazing Grace.” This has become something audiences across the country request from him.

Questions for Listeners

How do you discipline your children when they misbehave? What problems have you encountered?

o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL049 : What's Your Legacy?

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:30:00 +0000

What legacy are you leaving? Andy and A.T. discuss this subject as well as some great listener feedback.

Most people never get a standing ovation.

By helping others and adding value to other people we, in a sense, are giving them a “standing ovation.” The ripple effect of your actions will impact others in ways that you may never know.

How do we create a legacy?

Know that everyone leaves a legacy, but not every legacy is a good one
You start right now
You need to read material that adds value
Start living your life intentionally
Catch people doing something right

Build on what you are so:

Those who come behind you learn from your example
Others can learn from what you know
Others know why you make the choices you make
Others know how you make the choices you make

Write principles that have been important to you down to pass on after you’re gone.

Questions for Listeners

• How are you creating your legacy? What are you doing on purpose to add to it?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL048 : Wisdom Meets Passion, a Revealing Conversation with Dan Miller

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:52:00 +0000

This week, special guest Dan Miller discusses the bold claims he has made about wisdom, passion, and finances in his new book, Wisdom Meets Passion, with Andy and AT.

Dan’s new book is a “different kind of book”
•    Dan is known as a “career guy,” but this book falls under a different category
•    This book is about finding your passion and building a career around it
•    It compares and contrasts Dan’s perspective with his son’s, who lives in Kenya

The crux of the book is wisdom meets passion
•    They are trying to remind people that we have to have wisdom and passion no matter where we are
•    One without the other is meaningless
•    No matter how old you are, you can discover your wisdom and your passion and how to integrate the two

Andy thinks that the greatest book or product or song that somebody puts out is one where you don’t even have to know who the author or artist is to like it
•    He thinks Ken’s book is one of those cases
•    The book would work extremely well for companies across the country to give to their employees
•    Companies need to understand that the younger generation wants to do something that is close to their heart and is something that they truly care about
•    They don’t necessarily care as much about having a Mercedes in the driveway

Dan and his son, Jared, have very different lifestyles, but they believe in exactly the same things
•    That’s how we need to be as people
•    We don’t need to be at odds with people of different generations, denominations, countries, and cultures
•    If we understand each other’s hearts we will see that we want a lot of the same things, but we let a few ancillary things divide us

The book makes some bold claims, like “never get a job with benefits” and “hourly pay will make you poor”
•    A friend of Ken’s who plays guitar professionally was told by his father to never get a job with benefits
•    The meaning behind it was that safety nets will keep you from really pursuing your passion with everything you have
•    In regard to hourly pay making you poor, Dan says that we shouldn’t listen to the conventional way of thinking that says you get paid a set amount one time every time you fulfill a task
•    Instead, we should look for things that have no ceiling, unlimited upside
•    We should look for something that we can do once and then get paid 10,000 times for it—there are ways to leverage your expertise that open the door to financial benefits most people never even think about

Dan’s book will be released in stores everywhere on August 28. You can pre-order the book now by clicking here. At 48Days.com, they will be introducing some special offers that you can also get.

Questions for Listeners

•    Are you living your passion? If you are, how are you able to do so?
     o    Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
     o    E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
     o    Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
     o    Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL047 : The Most Difficult Listener Question Ever

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:22:53 +0000

This week, AT shares some good news and asks Andy to answer the most difficult listener question they’ve ever received.

Andy and AT share some good news:

You can get seven free letters from Andy’s previously unavailable Storms of Perfection book by signing up for the free e-mail list on AndyAndrews.com.

AT shares what he calls the “toughest question ever asked on the podcast.” Rebecca writes:

Andy, the area of parenting I have trouble with the most is making more quality time with my children. I’m a mother of two and since the first day my child was born I have wanted to quit my job and become the manager of my home.
The problem is my student loans. I’m a lawyer, and my education cost a lot of money. It does not seem feasible to quit my job until the student loans are paid off. Even with aggressive payments, the loans won’t be paid off for another three and a half years. By then, my children will be in school, so there will be no point in staying at home.
Right now, I struggle with how to make the most of the time I have with my children. It’s hard not to become bitter about the decision I made about my education 10 years ago. Any insight you could provide would be appreciated.

In a way, this is a problem Andy is struggling with right at this very minute, though he certainly isn’t comparing their situations.

In two weeks, the summer is over and school will start for his two boys, who are 10 and 12. Unfortunately, Andy is past his deadline on the book he is writing.
He’s getting up at 3:30 AM and going somewhere else away from his house to write so that he isn’t tempted to spend time with his family instead of writing.
He’s coming home for dinner every night exhausted. He’s very aware that he’s going to be writing for the rest of Austin’s last summer before he becomes a teenager.

Right now, he’s thinking things like:

It’s never going to be like this again.
I could have gotten this done earlier.
I’ve screwed up with how I’ve spent my time.

However, we live in the present and we have to deal with the choices we’ve made in the past. Andy’s not trying to compare what he’s going through to the seriousness of her situation, but he wants to give Rebecca some “straight talk,” what Jones would call “perspective.”

We can’t do anything about the decisions we have already made. We just have to live with them. We’re not made with the ability to make right decisions all the time. We don’t know what the future consequences of our choices will be. Once we make choices, it’s part of our duty to go about making those choices right.
The two things she’s not lacking are the money to pay the loans off and a time frame in which to pay them. All she is lacking is an idea. One idea changes everything.

The perspective Andy wants her to have is the same kind of perspective that he and Polly had after Hurricane Ivan destroyed their home.

It was going to take two years just to even get back inside the house. Two years just to get a certificate of occupancy.
Three weeks after the hurricane, Polly had a miscarriage. They had a four-year-old and a two-year-old. They moved to three different rental houses during the time. It was a bad time.

During that time, they thought things like:

I can’t believe we have to put our kids through this.
I can’t believe they have to spend all this time moving and uprooting our family instead of doing “kid stuff.”

But there was another way to look at this “bad” time:

At least it happened while the kids were young, because everything was an adventure to them.
Even the new bathtub in a rental house was amazing to them because they could race their cars in it.
This would not be the case had they been teenagers.

The point is that Rebecca’s situation is probably bothering her a lot more than it’s bothering the children.

Since her real concern is with them and not with herself, she can afford to lighten up on herself a little bit.
Understand that she can find quality experiences that will trump any amount of “regular” time a lot of parents spend with their kids.
A lot of parents are home at 5 o’clock in the afternoon and they’re home all night long. But all they do is sit in their chair, tell everyone to be quiet, watch the news.
Lots of families don’t even eat dinner together.

There are things you can do to make ordinary experiences extraordinary, especially for little kids.

Right now, Andy is writing in one of those houses they rented after the hurricane. So, last night, they came to visit him before they went to bed and the boys were running around and talking about all the memories from the old house.
They had those good memories because, during the awful time when Andy and Polly were worried about everything, they didn’t let the kids see that. They still made sure to create extraordinary moments for the kids during that time.

Andy asks Rebecca: What will your kids remember about this tough time in your life?

Her kids are going to remember that they had a mom who worked hard when they were little so that when they were older she could really be there for them.

Questions for Listeners

What is an example of an extraordinary moment you created for a child or a parent created for you when you were a child?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL046 : Andy Weighs in on Listener Questions and Feedback

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:00:00 +0000

After listening to the Father’s Day podcast a reader responded with an idea she does with her children:

She writes letters to her kids each year that will be given to them at a later date.
It’s a way of adding value to children before they are aware of anything being done.
Knowing that they will go through tough times in the future, having a way to say, "I love you and I have always loved you," can have a lasting impact.

Another listener question: What makes you (Andy) most satisfied in life?

Personally, knowing that he's done what he can that day and that God is proud of him.
That he provided for his family and added value to them.
Professionally, creating value for other people through writing & speaking.
Hearing how what he's done has impacted others gives him satisfaction.

Reading The Perfect Moment:

His intention with writing the eBook was to help people become aware of those moments in life that all too often slip past us.

After the Father’s Day podcast, a listener wrote in with a personal story. Andy's thoughts in response:

Great perspective on life in tough times.
Having reminders of joy to look at to help get through those tough times.
The pictures that we love the most are often not posed, but rather moments that were captured.
You have to laugh because life will be hard. You still have to lead your family.
Everyone acts right when things are going well, but what your family will remember will be the way you acted during a tough time.
All the defining stories about great leaders come from the tough times they encountered and how they handled themselves and got through them.
We know that there are going to be crises, but when they come we can know how we're going to act, think, and respond to those crises. It can all be decided. It's a choice.

After the interview with Michael Hyatt, a listener commented that the podcasts are an on-going value, "It's the gift that keeps giving if you go back and listen again and again." Andy responds:

It's great hearing how these interviews are impacting others.
If you (the listener) are receiving value, then please pass it on to others who may benefit as well.

A listener who read The Noticer and found value in learning from what other great people have written asks Andy what books he recommends people to read

· You can find Andy’s recommended reading list by clicking here.

Questions for Listeners

For all the parents out there, what challenges do you struggle with as a parent?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL045 : Life Lessons from the Olympics

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:00:00 +0000

This week, Andy highlights the lessons we can take away from the Olympics and apply to our own lives.

Why are we so compelled to watch the Olympics?

· They give us more than normal sports do the rest of the other four years.

· They mark times in our lives. Everyone has memories connected to the Olympics.

· The Olympics give us a glimpse into the private lives of those who have amazing discipline.

Nothing great happens without discipline.

· Business

· Raising children

· Sports

· Writing

· Anytime you see anyone who has accomplished anything great, you find that they have great amounts of discipline.

Why watch the Olympics?

· You will find a "hero," someone who will be highlighted everywhere. Someone you will admire.

· To see real life examples of people who went out and created success without anyone else paying them to do what they were gifted to do. In spite of challenges, they still succeeded.

While having a conversation with his son after his son’s guitar lessons, Andy illustrated the challenges that one might face as they pursue something they are passionate about.

· The fear of not being any good.

· There is already so much out there, why should anyone want what I have?

· More than just passion, you need to have something that offers value to others and helps them.

· Once you have success, it can be hard to get out there and push yourself again to be better.

· Once you learn the process of being successful in one area of life, you can then apply that to every other area of life when you encounter hard situations.

· Once you've accomplished something great, the world will see it because there are not a lot of other people doing it.

Few people do something great with their lives because when things get hard they think:

· That it's just not for them.

· This is God telling me that I should do something else.

· This is hard, so it must not be something that I can do.

Most people will not ever have success because:

· They avoid challenges.

· They don't push themselves.

· They don't like conflict.

· They make excuses.

The Olympics gives you the example of people who fought through all the excuses to arrive where they are today. It also gives parents the opportunity to teach their kids what it takes to be successful in life.

Questions for Listeners

· What would you like to hear on future episodes of In the Loop? Let us know!

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL044 : What Andy's Books Can Do for Kids

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

This week’s special guest, Melinda Leake, is a middle school English teacher from Tennessee who has integrated Andy’s books into her classroom. She discusses the potential that the books can unlock in young people.

Three summers ago, Melinda had an emergency appendectomy and was hospitalized for 10 days.

· Around day seven, she was in a state of depression.

· She was looking out a window and realized that her perspective was totally wrong. She saw all the people in the hospital who were worse off, and realized she had many amazing things in her life.

· When she got out of the hospital, she and her family went on vacation to the gulf.

· While in a local bookstore in Seaside, she saw The Noticer and decided to pick it up, especially once she noticed the subtitle—“Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.”

· That book is what caused her to fall in love with Andy’s writing.

She realized there were lessons that, not only adults, but also kids could take away from The Noticer.

· She used it in her classroom and the kids absolutely loved it.

· They shared the book with their parents and friends and grandparents.

· She has gone on to teach The Young Traveler’s Gift, The Traveler’s Gift, The Heart Mender, and How Do You Kill 11 Million People?

· Teaching is a lot different now. It used to be about just pouring knowledge in. Now, it’s about preparing kids to enter a society that doesn’t really want to know everything they know…they want to know what the kids can actually do with what they know. And Andy’s books show kids how they can actually do things.

Andy asks, “What do you actually do with the books in your class?”

· She sets the stage for what the students are about to read.

· With The Heart Mender, they learn a lot about WWII and what the country and world was like during the time in which the book is set.

· They explore the books’ characters.

· Then, they simply start going through the book together.

· The quotes from the books that can be applied to the kids’ lives are huge for her.

A lot of the concepts in Andy’s books are things that all adults wish they had known when they were younger.

· The books can set teenagers up to make better choices as they get older.

· Wisdom, worry, and the love dialects are all huge concepts that Melinda’s students have latched onto when they read The Noticer.

There are free curriculums on AndyAndrews.com/Education that teachers can use to plan or supplement lessons about each book. There are also large quantity discounts available for educators.

Questions for Listeners

· Have you seen Andy’s books have a positive impact on a young person’s life? Tell us about it!

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL043 : What Andy Griffith Can Teach Us About Parenting

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:27:00 +0000

In honor of Andy Griffith’s passing, Andy and A.T. discuss The Andy Griffith Show and what it can teach modern families.

How did The Andy Griffith Show have an impact on Andy growing up?

· He watched the show with his family. They would laugh and be entertained and have a good time while they watched.

· At the end of the show, Andy’s dad would always say, “Now what was the moral of that show?”

· There was always a bit of wisdom or a lesson in every episode, and those lessons still hold up to this day.

· Andy thinks the first 5 years of The Andy Griffith Show was the best programming in the history of television.

· To this day, Andy and his family will still quote lines from the show to each other.

· The show was still the number one show in the nation when Andy Griffith left it after eight years.

The show had a very natural sense of comedy.

· Opie was funny in the way kids in real life are actually funny.

· That’s not what kids on modern sitcoms are like. Now, they try to make the kids seem smarter than the adults and wittier than actual comedians.

Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) talked about the responsibility that people on television have for what they produce.

· A.T. is finding that it’s harder and harder to find quality programming for his children on TV, especially because of what is shown on commercials now.

· The Andy Griffith Show is a great alternative that families can still enjoy on TV.

· The atmosphere and sense of community on the show is something that Andy and Polly are trying to create for the environment in which their boys grow up.

· Andy really encourages moms and dads to get this show to watch with their family.

· Season four is the best, and season three is awesome too.

Andy’s Top 10 episodes of all time:

· “Citizen’s Arrest”

· “The Pickle Story”

· “Man in the Middle”

· “Barney and the Governor”

· “The Loaded Goat”

· “Opie the Birdman” (one of the best father/son discipline moments of all time)

· “Ernest T. Joins the Army”

· “Mountain Wedding”

· “Haunted House”

· “A Black Day for Mayberry”

Questions for Listeners

· Do you have an idea for a future show, or just a question you’d like Andy to answer? Let us know!

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL042 : Why We Are All in Sales

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 15:32:09 +0000

Pierce Marrs, the voiceover for In the Loop, is the guest on this week’s podcast. Pierce is a big part of what has made this podcast successful.

Pierce met Dan Miller (who has also been a guest on the podcast) about four years ago. He met A.T. through Dan.

· Pierce is the person who first introduced A.T. to Andy’s books.

· He told A.T. he had to get The Traveler’s Gift.

Pierce has been pretty much on his own since the age of 16 when his parents divorced.

· Throughout his life, he has encountered “Jones”-like mentors who taught him to make good decisions.

· Pierce has spent the last few years teaching people sales techniques and how to serve people.

· He thinks serving people is becoming a lost art in our country.

· Most people miss the idea that service is the key to success and leadership. It seems like a contradiction to most, but it’s not.

· We are all in sales, regardless of our profession. We are all trying to get people to buy into something.

Sometimes our worst times become our best times.

· The pits of our lives exist to make us become something better.

· If you read about the lives of great people, you will discover that their greatness was born from situations in life they never would have chosen.

“Sales” isn’t about getting someone to buy something.

· It’s about communicating a thought process to someone.

· The goal is to put value into people’s lives, regardless of whether money is involved or not.

Pierce has started a new podcast about the television show Shark Tank.

· The podcast came out of conversations Pierce was having with a high school friend after watching each episode of the show.

· They discuss communication, sales, and leadership skills based on the concepts from the show.

· This podcast is a great example of starting a business basically from nothing.

You can find Pierce at MarrsCoaching.com and VoiceFromMarrs.com. Check him out!

Questions for Listeners

· What are you trying to “sell” to others? What techniques have proven successful?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL041 : Work vs. Family

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Andy shares critical wisdom on maintaining balance between work and family in response to a great listener question.

Listener feedback question: Matt became a financial advisor three years ago. The issue with advisors in his business is that no matter how much they achieve, there is still uncertainty and deep-seated insecurity about the business and what might happen tomorrow. He is about to go on a family vacation and all he can think about is opportunities he is missing for his business. He loves his family, so how does he give them 100% of himself?

This is a question a lot of people, including Andy, have struggled with over the years.

· If you ask a group of people, “What comes to mind when you think about success?” They will say things like: boat, house, car, etc.

· If you ask people, “What comes to mind when I say successful life?” Then, people have a whole different set of answers that usually involve their family.

The first thing Andy encourages people to do is to determine what they are after.

· Are you after success…or a successful life?

· You have to always keep your end destination in mind and focus on the tasks that will get you there.

This is a struggle Andy goes through when determining how much time to spend writing and speaking and how much time to spend with his wife and two boys.

· He used to think that if his mission in life is to help other people live the life they could if they only knew how, then he should always take advantage of speaking in front of as many people as possible.

· One day, he read an interview with Billy Graham where Graham said that the one thing he would have changed about his life was spending more time with his family.

· Here’s the interesting thing—when you look at the Butterfly Effect, you will see that the time you spend with your family is at least as important as the time you spend doing your work.

· That one child you spend time with could go on to do something even greater than you ever do because of the time you spend with them.

During the five days you’re gone with your family…you will not miss anything.

· If you spend that vacation thinking about work and looking at your cell phone, then when you get back you’re going to spend your time at work feeling bad for not giving 100% of yourself to your family.

· Your life will be thrown into disarray and you will be living in fear.

· Instead of living in fear, we should strive to live in faith.

· As you continue to improve in your field, you won’t have to worry about missing anything because eventually people will be waiting on you to return.

Questions for Listeners

· Have you read Andy’s new free eBook, The Perfect Moment? If so, we’d love to hear about the perfect moments you’ve experienced!

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL040 : Why We Give

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:43:49 +0000

Andy and A.T. discuss a letter sent in by a podcast listener about the power of giving.

A.T. reads a letter from an In the Loop listener.

· The listener describes why he gives away so many copies of The Traveler’s Gift.

· He began giving the book away while in the midst of a year and a half of unemployment.

“Giving is an unbelievable action that continues to produce returns that are unexpected in nature.”

· The listener’s time of unemployment was mitigated by the preparation he had undertaken, not knowing whether a time like that would ever come.

· Maybe it would have lasted even longer had he not been prepared.

· He understood the power of giving away not just a book, but a kind of thinking.

This listener knew that during this difficult time in his life he couldn’t think like everyone else.

· If you’re doing what everyone else is doing, you’re doing something wrong…because not everyone is making it.

· If you want an above average life, you have to think outside of the average and what you see going on around you.

· The listener who wrote the letter probably had people telling him he didn’t need to be giving away books while he was unemployed and low on income.

· There is a lot of pressure from society to be normal. It takes a different way of thinking to overcome that pressure.

Living outside of the average will allow you to build a legacy for your family that will live on beyond your years.

· By setting an example of hard work and a different kind of thinking, your children will grow up with an understanding of those things

Questions for Listeners

· What have you learned from the power of giving?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL039 : Laughing with Andy and One of His Favorite Comedians, Jeff Allen

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:52:00 +0000

Andy talks parenting, marriage, and life with one of his favorite comedians and good friend Jeff Allen on this week’s episode of In the Loop.

Jeff has been one of Andy’s favorite comedians for years.

Jeff and Andy had been fan of each others’ for years, but first really met and became friends during a Gaither cruise.
They got to sit on the back row while everyone else was singing and make fun of them.
They would consistently cause all the singers to laugh and get in trouble with Bill Gaither.

Andy believes that comedians know more about what children are doing than any other kind of adult, so he asks Jeff about his parenting and kids.

Jeff says that he and his wife communicate in their own love and parenting language—bitterness and sarcasm.
This, of course, is not one of the love languages Andy describes in The Noticer.

Jeff has been selling Andy’s newest release, How Do You Kill 11 Million People?, at his comedy shows.

He was inspired to get it into the hands of voters before the upcoming election.
He had been fed up with politics and elections for a long time, but the book got him interested in trying to do something about his concerns for the country again.
He has had some really interesting dialogues with his friends of all political opinions because of the book.
The trick of the book is to get people searching for the truth instead of trying to tell them what to believe.
If we all are searching for the truth, shouldn’t we all eventually arrive at the same conclusions?

Andy wants his friends who are being introduced to Jeff Allen today to see a comedian who has not only lasted but has continued to increase his skills and success with different people.

A hugely successful comedian is not only one of the smartest people you will ever meet, but one of the most serious.
Jeff's upcoming CD is titled Three-Word Vocabulary. Check out JeffAllenComedy.com to find him.

Questions for Listeners

· Do you have any questions for Jeff’s next appearance on the show? Let us know!

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL038 : How to Make Father's Day Truly Special

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Andy talks about the best thing kids can do for their dads on Father’s Day, and the best thing dads can do for their kids.

A.T. asks Andy: “What is Father’s Day like for you since you lost your father at a young age?”

· It’s odd to Andy that his wife and kids never knew his dad.

· Andy makes an effort to look at Adam and Austin and see the good qualities his dad possessed that they also have.

· Instead of getting sad about his dad being gone, he focuses on talking to the boys about a legacy and a thought process that he is trying to pass down to them so they can continue the family’s traditions, attitudes, and qualities.

How can we take care of dad’s in a unique way on Father’s Day?

· For kids—get a nice box and make it into a treasure chest of sorts.

· Write a letter to your dad about what this treasure chest is. Tell him about the qualities he has that you want to have in your life. Honor him with the letter.

· Ask him: What do you think about? What is important for me?

· Dads—you will take this box and create a treasure chest for your child. On the top, you will put the date when your child can take possession of the treasure chest.

· Dads will put a book in there that will be important to their child. Write why it will be important to them in the front of the book. Fill it with books that have been important to you. Fill it with things that have been important to you and things that have reminded you of your child.

· Handwriting is important. Seeing a parent’s handwriting gives your child a special connection.

You don’t just leave a legacy for your kids. You build a legacy, and then you leave it.

· We need to be intentional about the legacy we are building.

· What can you begin building today to leave for your kids?

Questions for Listeners

· Have you made a “treasure chest” for your kids? We would love to hear about it and see it! Contact us to tell us the story and/or send pictures.

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL037 : The Story Behind the Seven Decisions

Thu, 31 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Andy answers an interesting listener question about the seven decisions from his first novel, The Traveler’s Gift.

Andy answers a listener question: “How did you come about identifying the seven decisions from The Traveler’s Gift? I’ve never come across a book that encapsulates those ideas the way yours did.”

· The first chapter of The Noticer actually tells a lot about how Andy found the seven decisions.

· An old man named Jones got him to start reading biographies. Andy was instantly hooked after reading about Winston Churchill.

· Eventually, he read more than 200 biographies from the library. He began to ask himself, “How did these amazing people turn out this way? Were they born like that, or was it something they did?”

· Andy eventually identified seven things these people did that made them great. These became the seven decisions in The Traveler’s Gift.

Andy began to realize that if you asked these great people if they knew they were doing these seven things, they might know that they embodied three or four of them, but there would at least be a few of which they were unaware.

· He began to ask himself, “What happens to somebody who knows about all seven and actively pursues them?”

· Eventually, Andy came to realize that these seven “things” weren’t just “things”—they were principles, which are at work whether you are aware of them or not

· The crazy thing is that 30 years later, Andy is still discovering new things about these principles

· The power of the principles, however, lies in how you apply them to your life

Questions for Listeners

· Which of the seven decisions has affected your life the most? In what ways?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL036 : Surprise! New Book from Andy…for Free!

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Andy talks about his new ebook, The Perfect Moment: Capturing Life’s Greatest Gifts, and how you can get it for free!

Andy’s new ebook is called The Perfect Moment: Capturing Life’s Greatest Gifts

· It came from a particular moment he shared with his son, Austin

· While they were fishing, Austin, at eight years old, said one of Andy’s all-time favorite quotes, “The reason I like to fish is because when everything is still and quiet your whole self is full of hoping, and whether you catch anything or not, you get to hope. It’s a great feeling isn’t it? Hope, I mean. It’s next best to excitement.”

· Later on, when he and Austin were throwing the football, Austin pointed out why the moment was just perfect, something Andy had totally missed

How many perfect moments have we missed?

· We spend so much time focusing on what’s wrong, that we rarely notice when things are great

· The book is designed to help readers notice and create perfect moments in their own lives

· You will be able to create more memories that your family will remember forever

Here’s how you get the ebook:

· Go to AndyAndrews.com/Perfect to get the book

· All you have to do is type in your e-mail and a link to download the ebook will be sent to you immediately

· You’ll also get added to the Andy Andrews VIP e-mail list, so you’ll get each blog post and all the podcast notes delivered right to your e-mail

· If you’re already on the e-mail list, you’ll get the book sent to you automatically in a few days

Questions for Listeners

· After reading The Perfect Moment, have you noticed any perfect moments in your life? We want to hear about them!

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL035 : 100% Listener Feedback – Why You Need Adversity

Fri, 18 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Andy answers some amazing questions from listeners, including a 1st grade teacher and an anonymous listener with an insightful question about adversity.

Amanda, a 1st grade teacher, wanted to share how Andy’s books have affected her life positively

• She had the opportunity to incorporate The Boy Who Changed the World into a social studies lesson and her students loved it

• Andy says it’s not about what’s in the book; it’s about what you do with what’s in the book

• Surprisingly, The Boy Who Changed the World has been really popular with high school graduates

• Public schools, especially in small towns, are dying to have adults come in and read to the kids. It’s an awesome opportunity for you to make a difference in the lives of other people

An anonymous listener asks how to help a close friend gain perspective. Can a lack of adversity be a hindrance to gaining perspective?

• Yes, a lack of adversity can be a hindrance to perspective

• When things are going great with your finances, marriage, etc. people tend to not dig as deep for answers

• This is a perfect example of what we tell people about adversity—adversity is not necessarily a bad thing. It will shape you into something better

• Many people don’t understand the battle between “good” and “the best.” When things are good, we tend to not strive as hard and struggle and push past a certain point

• Finding your purpose is the best motivation to push past good and attain the best. Your purpose will ignite your passion

We all have periods when there is no adversity, hopefully. When Andy is in a comfortable place, he has to intentionally remind himself of the purpose he wants to fulfill.

• He asks himself, “What is it that I want to affect, that I want to create, that I’m after, that I want to help?”

• Then, he asks, “Who do I have to become to be the kind of person people will listen to? Who do I have to become to be the kind of person that my family needs me to be?”

• Asking those questions will give you a tremendous amount of responsibility and control over every aspect of your life

If you’re interested in reading what In the Loop host Andy Traub (A.T.) writes, check out his blog at TakePermission.com. Andy (Andrews) highly recommends his blog post “5 Things to Do When Leadership Leaves”.

Questions for Listeners

• Have you volunteered time to read to young children at school? We’d love to hear about your experience!

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY

o E-Mail: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com

o Facebook.com/AndyAndrews

o Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

ITL034 : Why You Need a Platform (feat. Author, Speaker, and Publisher Michael Hyatt)

Fri, 11 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

This week’s guest, Michael Hyatt, is the former CEO and current Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers. He is also an author and speaker and blogs every day at MichaelHyatt.com. You can also follow him on Twitter. He and Andy discuss why building a platform for yourself is more important (and easier) now than ever. You also get to hear Andy sing part of his famous “Happy Birthday” song!

Andy would not have a career as an author if it were not for Michael

· He was the CEO of Thomas Nelson when Andy was attempting to publish The Traveler’s Gift

· Michael showed Andy’s manager, Robert, how to write a great book proposal for The Traveler’s Gift

· Andy gave the manuscript to Michael’s wife, Gail, which led to the contract for the book

Michael’s new book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, is being released on May 22, Andy’s birthday

· Andy says this is one of the few new books that will actually break new ground for readers

· This is the book Michael wishes he could put in the hands of every author he ever had to turn away as a publisher because they didn’t have a platform

· The game has changed because it’s easier now than ever to have your own platform thanks to the Internet and the rise of social media and blogging

· This book will show you, step-by-step, how to build your platform

· This is a book for anyone who thinks they may want to write a book, for anyone who wants to increase the membership in their church, for anyone who wants to become a speaker or performer

One problem today is that so many people are waiting to be picked. They think no one will ever notice them.

· Because of the tools available to us now, that excuse is gone

· If you want to know how to utilize those tools, Platform will show you how

· The best time to build a platform is before you need it

· The best time to build one was 10 years ago, the second best time is today

If you purchase Platform during the first week of its release, you can e-mail the receipt to Michael and you will receive $375 worth of free bonus content. For more information, go to MichaelHyatt.com/Platform.

Questions for Listeners

· What topics would you like to hear covered in future episodes of In the Loop?

o Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY