The maturation process never stops. In this episode, I am joined by one of my former students who is now a father, a teacher and a coach. Ben and I have known each other for 20 years. We talk about his growth and how he is navigating life. Ben shares a little bit of his story and the decision he has had to make in life. Ben shares the wisdom of a young millennial who is taking care of a young son and wife. Take the time to hear how this young man assessed his dreams and goals along with his journey. I highly recommend this episode to my young male listeners.

I DECIDE. Knowing and doing are two separate acts. Even if you have a good grasp of your gifts, are you putting in the necessary work to pursue your dreams? Will you be able to overcome whatever obstacles keep you from deciding to follow your IDEAL path? To be honest, some people choose not to live their IDEAL lives. They choose the easy path. They choose the path that gets them the most money or the most prestige. The IDEAL process is not about fame, fortune, or convenience. It is about deciding to maximize the gifts and talents you have been given and living a life with very few regrets. Our life is about the choices we make and no self-help book or process is going to get you to any place, except for the place that you choose to go. Your determination, your hard-work, and a little wisdom will carry you far in life. You have to decide.

Show notes

00:45 Cold open with Ben Brickhouse

01:10 Recap of the last series

03:10 Explanation of the IDEAL Life

04:05 A little about Ben

04:50 Ben talks about PE teachers and their workload

06:40 The Crossroads of Life

09:40 Family and decision making involves prayer and hard work

10:57 Job versus you calling

12:43 When your passion is taking away from your livelihood you need to reassess.

15:15 Fake dreams are worse than fake news

20:48 What Ben would tell his 20-year-old self—“Don’t waste time.”

24:50 STAY AWAY FROM MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING

26:00 Guard your time

In order to reach our goals, we have had to learn how to wade through all of our life experiences, all of the bits and pieces of wisdom that we have been given and figure out the best path for our individual lives. Avoid the pitfalls that lead to teen and young adult depression, anxiety, and general hopelessness about the future. You have great power in determining how the current circumstances of life will impact your future.

The path to your IDEAL life involves answering five questions:

• Who am I?


• Where do I want to go in life?


• How do I stay relevant in an ever-changing world?


• How can I stay sharp and honed in on my IDEAL path?


• How do I release the baggage of my past and continue to move forward in life?

Using those five questions, I have developed the IDEAL framework for helping people just like you to discover your calling in life. These will help you develop your healthy identity in our cluttered and dynamic world.

1. I AM


2. I DECIDE


3. I EVOLVE


4. I ADVANCE


5. I LET GO

Don’t forget, you can take the STEP OUT! PODCAST with you.

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