The Simple Talk with Wayne McCullough

When life knocked Wayne’s daughter Amelia down as she faced disappointment, our family learned a powerful lesson about rising back up with grace. It's these moments of resilience that I'm eager to share with you. As we explore the significance of balancing the 'big five'—faith, family, friends, fitness, and finances. We're living in a world that's constantly testing our strength; from global pandemics to the everyday grind, it's crucial to find harmony and foster peace over conflict. Join us for a candid conversation on the vital role of play in managing stress, and the grounding effect of staying accountable, both to ourselves and to our listeners, through life's tumultuous journey.Links:https://open.spotify.com/episode/31qziZxRwdKx1KC8YYqfmj?si=a6X9IN1yRuG2BNxul9soWA&nd=1&dlsi=11182282549342dahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAFcHMidJj8&t=82s

Episode 16: Betsy Price: Every Heard Follows a Lead Steer. Faith, Fiscal Responsibility and Fighting for What is Right

For Tracy Walder, the easy path has never been an option. Raised in a family with generationsof military service, she understood from a young age the importance of giving back. In college,she studied history and took opportunities to gain experience as they came, but couldn’t quitefind the right fit for her skills. One day, she saw a recruiter for the CIA on her college campus.She handed in her resume and by the time she graduated, she had a job offer on the table. Thatdaring decision, made while she was still a student, ultimately shaped much of her professionalcareer.She spent the next several years working with the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center before movingon to the FBI, where she was a special agent focusing on Chinese Counterintelligenceoperations The hours were long and the work challenging. At some points along the way, sheexperienced adversity and harassment, but Walder persevered. On this week’s episode of TheSimple Talk, host Wayne McCullough speaks with Walder about the ups and downs and thenuggets of wisdom she’s learned along the way. The path might not be easy, but withconfidence and humility, you can put your knowledge and skills to work in service of a betterfuture.This Week’s Takeaways:-Be proactive about finding opportunities-Have confidence in yourself-Don’t leave situations without a reason-Push the boundaries of your comfort zone-Use your knowledge to give back to othersQuotes:“I believe fully that how men and women are treated really starts at the top.” -Tracy Walder“I was bullied.The amount of bullying that I faced was astronomical. … I spent a lot of my lifehating myself and not being very confident. So, I think at 16, I would have told myself to havemore confidence.” -Tracy Walder“Working out has always been my therapy. I think, from being at the FBI, I would just go oncrazy long runs by myself with no one else.” -Tracy Walder“The thing I always tell (my daughter) -- because this is what I always told myself -- is be brave.Be brave, be brave, be brave. That’s always my message to her.” -Tracy WalderContact:You can find out more about Tracy Walder online at https://www.tracywalder.com/. You can alsofollow her on Twitter @tracy_walder and Instagram @TheUnexpectedSpy. Be sure to check outher new book, The Unexpected Spy: From the CIA to the FBI, My Secret Life Taking DownSome of the World’s Most Notorious Terrorists, available online, in stores, and as an audiobook.Mentioned This Week:-Girl Security, a nonprofit dedicated to closing the gender gap in national security throughtraining and mentoring support for girls: https://www.girlsecurity.org/

Summary:Sometimes it takes a spiritual awakening to find the right path forward. This week, MichaelMolthan shares his story of addiction and recovery, from hitting rock bottom to pushing throughto the other side. In years past, Molthan was known as one of the preeminent luxury homebuilders in the country. But more than 25 years into his career, an addiction to drugs and alcoholled him on a downward spiral. He lost his marriage and relationships with family and friends.After 27 arrests and four years in prison, Molthan started to read a Bible he’d gotten from afellow inmate. That began his journey to recovery and to serving others first and foremost as aguiding principle in his life. Through service and a dedication to being present in the moment,Molthan found a way to freedom, both inside and out. He continues that work today, helping at arecovery facility and sharing what he’s learned in weekly social media talks to connect withothers looking for a light to shine the way.This Week’s Takeaways:-Learn the difference between shame and guilt-Be open to a spiritual awakening-Serve others with an open heart-Cherish the relationships you have with family-Welcome opportunities to learn and growQuotes:“When I look at my mugshots … the common denominator in every one of those mugshots wasspiritual bankruptcy. There was no God.” -Michael Molthan“I had this spiritual awakening like no other and I became free.” -Michael Molthan“I did not want to think about the future. I did not want to think about the past. I wanted to live inthe now because I was realizing the safest place is right here, right now, because that’s whereGod’s at.” -Michael Molthan“In order for God to set me free, I had to set everyone around me free. I had to set the peoplearound me free that were holding me hostage. The word forgiveness means so much to metoday.” -Michael Molthan“Guilt is an opportunity to do a moral inventory on my immoral behavior ... to look at what role Iplay in it and what I need to do to change the behavior and make it right.” -Michael MolthanContact:You can find out more about Michael Molthan and his work online athttps://www.m2therock.com/. There, you’ll also find links to his weekly talks on Facebook andYouTube about addiction, alcoholism, unmanageable habits, and recovery. If you are looking forrecovery resources on drug and alcohol addiction, process addictions, trauma, and more youcan find information at https://www.healingspringsranch.com/.Mentioned This Week:-Detours: The Unpredictable Path to Your Destiny by Tony Evans-”In the Know” with Brian Glenn

Summary:There’s a lesson that many people don’t learn until it’s too late: Keep your life straight. Thisweek on the Simple Talk podcast, the Honorable Allen B. Clark talks about the importance ofhaving thoughtful priorities and keeping all aspects of your life moving forward along a goodpath. Clark is a West Point graduate who volunteered for a tour in Vietnam as a militaryintelligence officer. Just weeks before his tour was set to be over, he sustained serious injuriesin a mortar attack. He ultimately lost both of his legs.Along with his physical injuries, Clark struggled emotionally with the new trajectory his life hadtaken. He’d planned on being a career officer and found himself having to envision a differentfuture. He went into business and then politics, working in state office and later, as apresidential nominee to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “The Lord didn’t promise us arose garden,” Clark says. You will encounter challenges and trials along the way. But bymaintaining a strong spiritual connection and keeping your life, family, and faith straight, hesays, you can reach your full potential.This Week’s Takeaways:-Forgive yourself for past mistakes-Never give up on your goals-Strive for heart knowledge, not just head knowledge-Don’t let ego dominate your actions-Practice good daily habits for a structured lifeQuotes:“To keep my life straight, I need to forgive all others all the time, no matter whether I want to ornot. I don’t need to harbor the resentment.” -Allen B. Clark“The Lord didn’t promise us a rose garden. … And the world is not a rose garden, by anystretch. You’re going to be beset and besieged — what I call tactical spiritual warfare on youindividually — to get at you, to tear you down, to bring stress into your life, to bring conflict intoyour life. So, you’ve got to keep yourself straight so the demon spirits tactically cannot get atyou.” -Allen B. Clark“If you don’t have your spiritual connection, nothing else matters.” -Allen B. Clark“Love your family first and foremost outside of the Lord. Be loyal to them, take care of them,love them.” -Allen B. Clark“Pay attention to friends. Take care of them, just like you want them to take care of you.Develop and encourage friendships.” - Allen B. Clark“It’s really painful if you have everything, and you don’t have anything.” -Wayne McCulloughContact:You can find out more about the Honorable Allen B. Clark’s work through Combat Faith athttp://www.combatfaith.com/. He’s also written three books, which are all available on Amazon:-Valor in Vietnam: Chronicles of Honor, Courage, and Sacrifice, 1963-1977-Soldiers’ Blood and Bloodied Money: Wars and the Ruling Elites-Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior: A Personal Story of a Vietnam Veteran Who Lost His LegsBut Found His Soul

Summary:Your thoughts lead your actions. If your inner voice is stuck on a negative loop — like a brokentape — it’s hard to change your mental habits for the better. This week, author, coach, andpsychologist Dr. Julie Bell talks about the importance of mindset and how it can guide yourjourney in the right direction, or make you stray from the path. She shares stories from her ownlife about the challenges she’s overcome and what she learned to do differently along the way.One way we can work to improve our inner coach is to focus on how we got to where we are,rather than just the outcome itself. It’s important to acknowledge successes, of course, but it’seven more critical to celebrate what got us there. That gives us room to learn from our mistakesand really work to change our habits. It also takes the power back from the idea of perfection.There’s no such thing as perfect, Bell says. Whenever you reach a milestone, you realize youcan aim higher. But if you’re on the right path already, future goals will be attainable if you put inthe work and keep your thoughts ahead of your actions.This Week’s Takeaways:-Walk with the Lord, hand-in-hand-Focus on what you can do, instead of what you can’t-Train your inner voice to guide you-Own your average-Practice with a purposeQuotes:“Once you choose your focus or your direction, then your voice in your head has to coach youthere. I think, too often, that voice in our head is playing for the other team. So, it’s putting us onthe sidelines rather than really bringing out our best.” -Dr. Julie Bell“We have to own our average. Whatever it is that you’re doing, you have an average. You havethis achievement side of you that could be your goal and then you have your below average. Alot of times people see if you haven’t achieved your goal, it’s failure. But really, anytime that youare executing above average, you’re in that success field. And that’s what you have to be ableto see. If you can see it, you gain confidence. When you have confidence, you have moresuccess. It grows that way.” -Dr. Julie Bell“I think, too often, we celebrate the success — the outcome — and not what got us there. Wehave to reinforce playing the game. We need to recognize the outcome and celebrate how wegot there.” -Dr. Julie Bell“As soon as you start getting closer to your goal, you realize there’s another level. So, perfectdoesn’t exist.” -Dr. Julie Bell“I think the most important thing in a coaching relationship is a relationship. And so, you’ve gotto find somebody that you connect with, that can be honest with you, that can be that thinkingpartner, that can help you make decisions.” -Dr. Julie BellContact:You can follow Dr. Julie Bell’s work online at themindofachampion.com. The Mind of aChampion is also active on LinkedIn and Instagram. For more in-depth information, check outThe Mind of a Champion’s Virtual Mindset and Mindset on Demand offerings on their website.The next Champions Club is scheduled for March 30-31 in Dallas, Texas.Check out her book, Performance Intelligence at Work: The 5 Essentials to Achieving the Mindof a Champion, wherever you buy your books. Dr. Bell also has a Christian version of the book,called Renewed, available for download as a 21-day journal on her website.