There are many examples of what a leader resembles, and how they conduct themselves. No one realizes that a true leader has characteristics that are not the same as anyone else. A leader is someone who has become clear with themselves and has become focused on the mission.  It requires clarity, focus, determination, and the willingness to go against the grain and trust oneself. Lisa is an Executive Business Coach, and Founder of Upside Thinking and UpsideSummit.com who offers assistance to Leaders internationally through her program Summit to help them craft themselves into the Leaders they were meant to be. She has been recognized by the International Alliance Of Women, The White House, and The United States Small Business Administration for being one of the top 100 women making a difference in not just their community, but in the world.    Lisa and Jeff speak about LIsa’s program “Upside Summit” and how it has made an impact in the leadership community. Lisa talks about the clarity of reaching into your divine operating system and coming to terms with your darkness. Lisa felt abandoned by God due to constant violence in her household during her upbringing. She discusses the purpose of the 7 pillars in her program and how it may make you rethink why you feel stuck in the same place constantly.    Favorite Quote:  “I would rather move three things a mile each than a hundred things an inch.” -Lisa Marie Platske          How to connect with Lisa:  Forbes  Website LinkedIn   How To Get Involved: Addicting to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue SKy Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

The world is only what you think it is because "they" tell you what to think it is.  Who is "They?"  The one-percenters who manipulate the narrative and highjack the mindset of people around the world.  "Divide and conquer" is their motto and they do it through advertising, programming, manipulating economies, starting wars, creating distractions and leveraging fear and the perception of happiness all in their attempts to keep their narrative flowing.  Back in 1993, the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas were suspected of stockpiling weapons which created a national narrative of distraction, despair, and disdain on all fronts.  They tore through their way of life and this opened some big debates in society on the topic around cults, community, and religion.  As someone raised Catholic, I learned quickly there are cult-type elements in every religion, organization, and community.  I didn't see them until 1993 when I really started analyzing and deconstructing everything I've been programmed to believe.  There are going to be people who want to come into your life and have you live on their terms, according to their narratives.  They'll use all of the tactics above to control and manipulate you, but remember, it's up to you to define the type of life you're going to live. You always have a choice to do something different, to go a different way.  Keep people in your life you're aligned with and stick with them.  Those who don't belong will show themselves out, and in some cases, you may have to show them out, especially if they're toxic to your community, your family, and your life.  Stay focused on positive things.  Keep believing in the true purity of the human spirit.  Have faith, walk in it, and demonstrate it every day.  Others will see what you're creating and want to be a part of it.   That's how you change the world.     How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

Many people wake up every day thinking money is their most valuable asset.  Nothing is further from the truth.  The most valuable asset we all have is time.  We can manage it, conserve it, expand it, give it, and collapse it.  If you can master time, you will become the master of your time. The amount of things you get done with the time you have is determined by how productive you are, the relationships you make, and your ability to keep moving despite challenges, disruptions, and distractions.  Drewbiew Wilson is the Chief Marketing Officer of Apex, Host of the Crushing the Day Podcast, author, speaker, and example of what's possible when you use your time to invest in helping people.  This week, Drewbie shares how he got started in business dating back to playing video games and learning to barter, trade, and work as a team with online friends.  He learned early to build communities, outlining rules and codes of conduct, setting goals, attaining objectives, and focusing on the most beneficial outcomes for everyone involved.  He talks about the importance of serving in the number 2 position in any company, some of the pitfalls, temptations, and why most people fall prey to the human condition of battling the ego instead of serving the organization and leader.   Drewbie shares the challenges most families face when finding the perfect balance in investing family time over working toward a big hairy audacious goal he's excited about.  I bring up the topic of A.I. and Drewbie shares some pretty interesting perspectives including, why he thinks A.I. has always been here, and some of his theories about what we can expect in the future.  Drewbie shares a process for using A.I. to help. you collapse time and save, making you more productive and profitable at the same time.    Favorite Quote:  "Your speed of execution is what generally creates your success."  -Drewbie Wilson   Connect with Drewbie: Book: Crushing the Day  Podcast: Crushing the Day  DrewbieWilson.com    How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

Resilience. Perseverance. Faith. These are strong qualities.....necessary qualities in anything and everything you need to do while you're here on this planet. You're going to be tested, challenged in every aspect of your life.  You're going to need a toolkit and support system to pull from, especially as you're going through anything that leaves you feel like you're on an island.  Matthew Roda is a Family Man, Marketing Agency Owner, Fractional CMO, Leadership Coach, Podcaster, Speaker, and Ultra Runner who works vigorously to help others power through some of the toughest parts of all aspects of their lives.  Today, you're in for an enigmatic journey of spiritual proportions.   Matthew shares his life starting back into his childhood, some of the lessons he learned, how he was raised, why he's grateful for how he was raised, and why he believes he's always had a guardian angel with him the whole time.   The level of consciousness present in this podcast is one that will leave you with goosebumps.    Favorite Quote:  "For 20 years, I was leading people down the wrong path, but now I'm back doing what I am supposed to be doing on this earth." -Matthew Roda    Connect With Matthew: Facebook  Instagram    What You'll Learn:  Some powerful life lessons Matthew has learned along the way  How Roda Marketing serves entrepreneurs by helping fulfill one of the biggest needs at a fraction of the investment  Why Matthew is grateful for his parents and the way he was raised The reason why a few specific people are so important to Matthew Who he'd spend one hour with if he had a chance  One of Matthew's favorite books which is fun and easy that he reads a couple of times a year  Another book Matthew loves and why it's has validated everything he's been processing the last 22 years Why Matthew believes and knows he's had a guardian angel with him the whole time  How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

Everyone we meet in life starts with a first impression. Who you are, what you do, and how you do it is all judged when you first meet someone. The same happens to you. You're being judged whether you like it or not from the very first moment you meet someone.  The same carries over to your business.  The way you present a product, a service, or simply approach relationships with clients are all being judged based on what they see the moment they see it.  Jason Harrell is the founder of Front9Box.com which is one of the premier Golf Subscription Box sets on the market today.   In this conversation, Jason and Jeff dive deep into what prompted his journey into how he lives his life and operates in business. Right now, people have a lot of choices when it comes to whom and what company they do business with, but there is one distinguishing factor....... Presentation.   This is where everything starts and ends for most people looking to make the best investment possible in anything they do.  Jason leans in on the processes he went through to refine the client experience and made it easy.  He and Jeff have a candid discussion about what it takes. to make the biggest impact in business, why its important to make things easier for your clients, and how to retain them by simply doing things differently in business that most are not willing to do.   They get on the subject of Dad Jokes and Jason shares how the whole thing got started featuring a story involving his 11-year-old son.   Jeff and Jason also talk about Apex, what it is and the importance of getting connected and staying surrounded by like-minded winners, and why it will be the one thing to help you get clear quicker in your business and move the needle farther in less time.  Lean in close and get ready to start taking a more serious approach to running your business instead of running in circles.    Connect with Jason:  Front9Box.com  JasonHarrell.Info   How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

I have friends and know people who have worked all their lives towards retirement.  They've invested and saved their resources.  They've spent years planning to take that trip to the Grand Canyon, take the cruise around the world, backpack through Europe, and go scuba diving in the Grand Cayman only to retire after 40 years and fall into a routine that left them uninspired. In some cases, they passed away months later.  I know that sounds dark, but that's the reality for many people.  Life is a journey.  We've been programmed to give the best part of our youth to "Building the American Dream," acquiring things, stuff, and everything that doesn't mean two squats at the end.  In some cases, we neglect our families, stay leveraged up to our eyeballs in debt, write our dreams down in a book, and put our "someday" list on a shelf to collect dust.  This episode is a reminder that you have the ability to deprogram yourself from everything you've been taught and conditioned to believe.  Have you started working on your dream yet?  Are you doing what you love to do every single day?  Remove the excuses and find a way to make it happen.  You've been blessed with the same level of creativity to make it happen, and at this point in human history, you have all the tools to materialize it. Have you taken that trip you've wanted to take for the last 5 years?  Why not?  There are pitstops along the way in life and it's by design.  Sometimes, it's an illness that puts you down for a bit.  An unexpected job change forces you out of your hypnotic patterns.  A child graduates and leaves the nest.  Divorce.  Loss of assets.  And a multitude of other things that could happen over the course of your lifetime.  While you're here, you may as well enjoy it.  Have fun with it.  Take a break and make time to make the time so you can life the most magnificent life you've been dreaming of.  Afterall, it's a journey, and it's up to you to make it colorful!   How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue SKy Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

If you look closely, you'll see there are hints, clues, and roadmaps to help you on your journey. They come through songs, books, podcasts, movies, and natural disasters.  That's the beautiful thing about life....it's always pointing you where you need to go.  If you ignore those signs and synchronicities, you're lucky if you get a direct message directly from another human being.  Adam McChesney is a serial entrepreneur, Owner at Hite Digital, St. Louis, and his digital marketing agency is responsible for managing $2 million dollars a month in Ad spend on Google.  But Adam started just like everyone else......the beginning.  In this episode, Adam shares where he began and attributes much of his success in being an athlete, playing soccer in middle and high school, and later college.  He talks about the pivotal roles his coaches played in helping in his formation.  Jeff and Adam talk about the difference between making money and the importance of finding true purpose by starting with having faith in yourself and focusing on a bigger vision. Jeff and Adam have a candid conversation about why athletes hold a higher advantage over anyone else working in sales.   What You'll Learn:  Some of the best advice and wisdom shared by Adam's coaches when he was playing soccer Why Adam thinks athletes excel in sales more than the average person One of the first jobs Adam held after college and what inspired him to pursue starting an online business  The year Adam launched full-time into entrepreneurship  The fear and anxiety most entrepreneurs experience and why its important to lean into the power of believing in yourself  A favorite book both Jeff and Adam have an affinity for and why  The one thing that has to happen every single day, week, month, and year before success can be achieved   Favorite Quote:  "I was never the biggest, the fastest, or the strongest, but I was the smartest (in soccer) which has served me well in business." -Adam McChesney   Connect with Adam: Adam McChesney Instagram   How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue SKy Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

Addicted to Winning started exactly 100 episodes ago.  There have been many guests from various walks of life, with varying experiences, and different industries who have come to generously to share their failures, great successes, and the lessons they've learned on their journey. All of them have been shining examples of what it means to be addicted to winning.  For the 100th episode, there could not be a better guest to have on in honor of this monumental moment.  Robert Nelson is more than a guest, and more human than most human beings.  He's a father, author, speaker, business consultant, sales professional, master grant writer, and mentor to youth.  You may want to pull up a comfy chair, clear out the distractions, and get ready to take a cosmic dive into existentialism.  In this episode, Robert takes us back to his childhood as a kid on the streets of Chicago, doing battle with distractions that come with drugs and drinking.  He shares the pivotal moment he was awakened as a child and later as a young man and father.  In this episode, Jeff asks Robert what drives him.  Robert shares how we're provoked by life to take action as human beings.  He explains the process of discovery is part of learning lessons, gaining experience, and elevating to the next plane of consciousness.  Robert explains that 90% of the activity required to keep us alive is done without our knowledge; it's a miracle.  Jeff and Robert talk about how to identify goals necessary to solve the problems of this world and help the masses.  They talk about their views on spirituality, religion, and the difference between the two.  Listen in as these two take you on the most impactful, existential, and transformative conversation you'll have the pleasure of being involved in this year.    Favorite Quote: “I will say this though, that I've realized that the term is controversial because what is winning? Winning isn't a nebulous concept. You have to really give consideration to winning involves having a goal. But a lot of people think to win, that means somebody got to lose. It means by whatever means necessary, regardless of who gets hurt in the process, I got to win. But that's not real. The reality, and this is one of the most profound things I've ever discovered, is that Jeff, winning”   “It was love. I'm like, this is a being that I'm accountable for. So if it required my life to get this done, I got to do something about this situation”   “Only people that never fail are supposed to never do anything, right? You got to fail. And it's a part of the process of discovery.”   “There's a discovery to be made wherever you go”   -Robert Nelson   Connect with Robert Nelson Linked In @Robert Nelson Website: https://carechair.org/  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/realrobertnelson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-nelson-21978114/   How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue SKy Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

The number one most under-discussed topic in society right now is mental health. It's a silent epidemic and one that has created a vacuum of greed in the pharmaceutical industry and medical fields.  Every day, people are misdiagnosed and treated with prescription drugs whose side effects hurt more than help, sometimes including a derailed life or even death.  Lori Jewett is an entrepreneur and Author of the Book, 80HD.  She's a wife, mother, and someone whose main mission in life is to help people heal their traumas in life, and find their true path to impact.  In this episode, Lori comes in amped up for Jesus and shares how she just finished the popular human reset program, 75Hard, which requires you to work out twice a day, drink a gallon of water, stick to a clean diet, no sugar, and read 10 pages in a self-development book.   Lori shares her journey from childhood when she was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and was prescribed medication with the side effect that led to an unsuccessful suicide attempt at 19.  This begins the journey of this episode and sets the tone for one of the most important discussions people should be having more often.  What You'll Learn:  How Lori was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult One very popular prescription that left her feeling numb Why it took her 10 years to get her misdiagnosis off her medical record  The power of Vivance and the added benefits it provides to people with ADHD A true-to-life illustration in the movie "Up" that is our lives and how it correlates to life insurance  The biggest opportunity right now in employee benefits and why you should have it Where Lori recorded her audiobook  What kids need from a teacher The power of keeping a running list  Two books Lori read that changed her life  Favorite Quote:  "Everybody wants to complain and yadee, yadee, yada, but no one is willing to go that extra mile and help people and help bring awareness that it's okay to talk about things."  -Lori Jewett   In this episode, Jeff shares the value of being raised a farm kid, and the lessons learned, and Lori chimes in with some impactful wisdom about what children truly need from adults and how you can be a better influence on them.  They talk about the importance of mental health issues in the nation.  Lori and Jeff discuss the importance of mental health is one of the biggest opportunities for employer benefits.  Lori talks about her book 80HD, and shares her overall vision for what impact she wants to leave in this world.    Connect with Lori:  Facebook Website   How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.

The parent-child relationship and experience vary from person to person.  You could talk to one person and they absolutely adore their parents.  Ask another person, and their experience would leave you believing they were raised by the spawn of Satan.  No matter your upbringing, and no matter your experience, if possible, it's important to ask your parents a few important questions.  The answers to these questions will remove any doubt, inconsistencies, hearsay, and rumors you may have believed throughout your entire life.   Imagine if future generations didn't have to rely on hearsay or stories passed down from generation to generation.  As you may have experienced, it's always best to go to the source for the truth or the closest thing to it.  The stories would be a reliable depiction of who the members of your family, are, and would probably add some color commentary as they were experienced in real-time.  In this episode, Jeff shares some of the questions he asked his parents like:  What was the best advice you received? What questions do you wish you could've asked your parents?  Biggest regret?  How was your experience as a parent?  When did you have your first drink?  Where was your first school?  Now, let's go one step further.  With the cost-effective and easily accessible forms of documenting these stories through videos, photos, writing, and publishing, you have the ability to leave a roadmap for future generations with stories of a distant time, the logic deployed at that time, social attitudes, and insights better shared from the source than speculation.  This episode will be one for the books and give you some perspective to take an active role in living your life on purpose.   And it won't be long before your children have it in their minds to ask you the same questions.  This episode will prepare you for all of it!    How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.