Welcome back to another installment of Experience Andy Weins Live. This weekly session is my chance to delve into a topic that's not only significant in my life right now but also universally relevant. Today, we're exploring the concepts of being a victor, a victim, or a villain through our choice of words when reacting to events around us.

But first, let's chat about gratitude. Each week, I focus on gratitude because, honestly, it's something I've always struggled with. This practice ensures that at least once a week, I pause to truly appreciate the people and things in my life. Today, I want to give a shout-out to Aaron from Camo Crew. He's been with us for almost a year, and I've often wondered what he thinks about his job. After asking him, he shared how working here has opened his eyes to the importance of recycling—a concept he'd never considered before. His new perspective is not only changing his life but also influencing his family's habits. This transformation is why I'm grateful for the chance to educate and impact others through our work in recycling.

Now, onto my weekly ask—I'm inviting anyone in or visiting the Milwaukee area to join me for lunch. Every day between 11 and 12, I give a quick tour of our warehouse, followed by lunch at the Butler Inn. It's a simple yet fantastic way to connect. Let's grab Lunch!

Let's dive into today's main discussion about being a victor, not a victim or a villain. This theme was almost a chapter in my book that I had called Hustle, Struggle, Grind, but it didn’t fit the final cut. However, the essence of choosing your words carefully remained crucial, shaping our final title, Words Fucking Matter. In any challenging situation, the words you choose can dictate whether you emerge as the victor who learns and grows, or fall into the roles of victim or villain who blame and deny reality.

Take responsibility—it's a powerful choice. Recently, a team leader blamed others for a messy truck, but upon reflection, he realized he hadn't supervised effectively. This shift from blame to responsibility is what transforms situations and personal outcomes.

I’ve faced many setbacks—failed businesses, a divorce, near-dismissal from the army—but like Rocky Balboa says, it’s about getting up one more time than you’re knocked down. That’s what victors do: they see each challenge as a chance to improve and grow.

Finally, I had an enlightening experience with my godson this weekend. Despite his struggles at school, spending time working together showed him the value of hard work and personal effort. It was a moment of victory for both of us, highlighting the importance of facing challenges head-on.

So, this week, regardless of the situations you find yourself in, look for ways to be the victor. It’s all about the language you use and the choices you make. Remember to take ownership, stay accountable, and be responsible. Do the fucking thing, tell the fucking world, and show the fuck up—consistently. See you next week!

Welcome back to another episode of Experience Andy Weins Live, where every Monday I dive into what's on my mind and how I'm planning to make the world a better place this week. Today, I want to explore the theme of why it's cruel to be kind, drawing on some principles from Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life, and how language plays a crucial role in shaping our world.

First, I want to express my gratitude toward all the hustlers and grinders out there—the people who inspire me daily through their posts on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. One standout example is Macy Estrada, a former WWE wrestler known as Lacey. Macy and her husband share insights into what it means to be in a partnership, both in life and business, which really resonates with me.

In today's discussion, I'll delve into the paradox that being overly kind can actually be a form of cruelty. This insight struck me during one of my monthly CEO roundtable discussions. When we withhold honest feedback to spare someone's feelings, we're not doing them any favors. Instead, we're postponing necessary confrontations and growth opportunities.

This weekend, I came across some compelling thoughts from Jordan Peterson about the importance of being precise in our speech—a principle I've centered my book around. Words truly matter. They shape our reality and influence our outcomes, so it’s crucial to choose them wisely.

Peterson also highlighted one of his toughest rules: "Tell the truth, or at least don't lie." This rule challenges us to face uncomfortable truths and engage in difficult conversations that we might prefer to avoid. The tendency to avoid conflict for the sake of temporary peace can lead to prolonged turmoil down the line.

Drawing from this, I'm reminded of the analogy between bison and cattle when a storm approaches. While cattle run away, prolonging their exposure to the storm, bison charge toward it, minimizing their discomfort. Similarly, we must face life's challenges head-on to reduce long-term strife.

This Friday, I have the opportunity to teach interview techniques to middle schoolers. It’s a chance to share practical advice and inspire young minds, emphasizing the value of direct and honest communication.

Reflecting on the broader impact of my words and actions, I realize the importance of being truthful and proactive, both in personal and professional contexts. This approach not only fosters real growth but also aligns with my commitment to contribute positively to others' lives without expecting anything in return, a concept championed by Simon Sinek.

As I continue to share my journey and learnings through this platform, I challenge you to consider how you can confront your own storms. What truths do you need to face? How can you communicate more effectively to foster genuine progress for yourself and others?

Until next week, let's strive to be honest, face challenges boldly, and live authentically. Because it's that simple. When I follow this three step plan, I live the life I want to live.

And I will challenge you: Do the fucking thing, Tell the fucking world, and Show the fuck up. We'll see you next week.

Hey there, welcome to this weeks post. I recorded this episode from the center camera today since the top one decided to bail on us—but hey, that's actually what we're diving into: learning to respond to situations rather than reacting to people or stimuli. Let's unpack that shortly.

First off, a little gratitude moment here. I'm feeling really thankful for the weather here in Wisconsin—70 degrees the past few days, can you believe it? In my line of work with junk removal, winters can be brutal, so this warmth is a huge lift. Just this Saturday, fresh from an electronics recycling event, I swung by Dunkin' for a coffee—yeah, I'm a Dunkin' nut—and man, was I in a great mood, mostly thanks to the event and this stellar weather. It's those simple joys, right?

Gratitude for these uncontrollable blessings really tones down my itch to control everything else, which in turn creates more scenarios where I'm genuinely content. So today, I'm all about the simplicity and beauty of good weather.

Now, down to business: I've got a book out, "Words Fucking Matter," available on Amazon in all formats. We'll be tapping into some insights from it today as we talk about responding over reacting.

We all have our moments of overreaction, part of being human. But it really boils down to our early wiring. Picture this: we've got our 'big brain'—the clear, confident, creative part. Then there's our 'lizard brain,' the one that's all about fight, flight, or freeze. In between, there's a crucial part making the call on how we handle incoming stimuli—do we see it as a threat or an opportunity?

This is fundamentally about choice. How do we respond? Do we operate from a place of abundance, love, and assurance, or from scarcity, hate, and insecurity?

A lot of this wisdom comes from Dr. Bill Crawford and some military resiliency training I did in the Army. We face events that trigger us, and we get to choose—do we use our frontal lobe, our 'big brain,' or regress to that primal 'lizard brain'?

I’ve come to see that reflection is not the last step in understanding ourselves but the first. It allows us to evaluate our reactions to past stimuli and align them more closely with our values and beliefs.

Years back, during a particularly rough divorce, I learned the hard way. Initially, I reacted—anything my ex said would set me off. It was a cycle of negativity, costing both money and peace. But I shifted my approach. Instead of reacting, I'd call someone else—often my mom—or just take a moment to assess the truth of the situation calmly. Over time, I didn't need to call anyone. I could just reflect, recognize the inaccuracies in claims made against me, and choose not to engage. It saved me unnecessary stress and confrontation.

This approach has not only helped in personal matters but also in running my business. Just last Friday, faced with negative feedback, I reminded myself of the positive impacts we've made—both in our community and within our company.

So, here’s what I’m getting at: sometimes, the best response is no response. Not reacting doesn’t mean you're ignoring the issue; it means you're choosing to not fuel someone else’s fire but to nurture your own flames of positivity and productivity.

I challenge you all this week to reflect on how you respond to challenges. Do the fucking thing, tell the fucking world, show the fuck up. And I'll catch you next week to see how you've transformed your reactions into responses.