1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Oh I love it. It's to Alex. Thank you for 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: running the only enterprise on this planet that is equal 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: parts badass and caring. Yeah, I'm reading it badass. I've 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: learned from the best professionals from different continents all my life, 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: but I've never learned as much in as little time 6 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: as from Coach Bill. I have received the simplest, most direct, 7 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: and yet most profound lessons just listening to your podcast. 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: Thank you for helping me hone my grit caring. You 9 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: all put your whole heart and soul into every person 10 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: that you come across, even little ol me. My students 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: and their parents can tell you that. I often quote 12 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: coaches don't win games dot dot dot AnyWho with love 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: much love, Vita. Ps. I didn't expect the bell to 14 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: be so loud, but I'm glad it is so Beta 15 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 1: Scott finally set us or no, Vita Scott was kind 16 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: enough because Alex didn't take care of our shop talk 17 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: bell in the office. Well, I guess that's true. She 18 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,639 Speaker 1: is and look it says an army and normal folks 19 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: on it. So, Vita, every shop talk we will ring 20 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: this thing to tell everybody's shop talks coming and that's 21 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: pretty loud. Yeah, all right, Vita. This is the official 22 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 1: army of normal folks shop Talk bell to be used 23 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: every time, and it's staying here where we record because 24 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: Alex will forget it. Thank you, thank you very much, 25 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 1: and thanks for the kind words. That's insanely kind. Thank 26 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: you everybody. It's Bill Courtney with an army of normal 27 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: folks and today is shop Talk number twenty nine. Are 28 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: you ready? Is shot Thought number twenty nine. Thank you, Vita. 29 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: So in an upcoming episode, you guys are going to 30 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: meet Larry Reid, who I'm not going to screw his 31 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 1: story up by telling you about him at all, but 32 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: when interviewing him, he mentioned a story that I'd actually heard, 33 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: thought of a lot and forgotten, and I went back 34 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 1: to read it again and then found that he had 35 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: actually written about it. And it's really about the power 36 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: of encouragement. So first we want to give Larry a 37 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: shout out for planting the idea for a shop talk 38 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: and give him the correct footnote that in terms of 39 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 1: the power of encouragement as it relates to this story, 40 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: it really came from Larry's idea. I want to expound 41 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: about it a little bit so shop Talk number twenty nine. 42 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: Never underestimate the power of encouragement, footnoted by our buddy 43 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 1: Larry Reid, who is an army of normal folks, Guest, 44 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: And we'll dive into that right after these brief messages 45 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: from our general sponsors, everybody, Bill Courtney shop Talking number 46 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: twenty nine. I love it. Do you like that? Eyes? 47 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: I love it too. Oh, we're gonna do it throughout 48 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: the whole thing. We're gonna that things. The Clapper's gonna 49 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: wear down. Never underestimate the power of encouragement. So tell 50 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: you about a story. And this happened years ago, like 51 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: in I think it was two thousand and eight, Yes, 52 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: it was two thousand and eight. There was a high 53 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: school football game, Faith Christian High School in Great Vine, Texas. 54 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: Good football team getting ready for the playoffs, had a 55 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 1: game late in the season and they were playing the 56 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: Gainesville State School Tornadoes. Now the Faith Christian players had 57 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: everything in their favor. They were headed down to the playoffs. 58 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: They were good, getting ready to go. The Gainesville State 59 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: School Tornadoes, y'all were teenage prisoners and a maximum security 60 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: correctional facility for teenagers. They'd never won a game and 61 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: this particular season they'd only scored two touchdowns. They were 62 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: losers in football, but also in life and you know, 63 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: a maximum security prison for teenagers. So they boarded their 64 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: bus for a one hour drive up to Grapevine with 65 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: not much of any expectations except to maybe get out 66 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: of the compound for a little while. The game is 67 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: supposed to be nothing. So what happened is when they 68 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: showed up, they found out that the grape Vine excuse me, 69 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 1: the Lions of Faith Christian High School had a coach 70 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: who was a little different. His name was Chris Hogan. 71 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 1: He saw an opportunity to make a statement, so under 72 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: his guidance, the school treated the visiting team like it 73 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: was the home team as the kids from the correctional 74 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: facility Gainesville. As they entered the field, the Faith parents 75 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: and students wave Tornado banners to welcome them. Then, incredulously, 76 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: about half of the Faith fans and cheerleaders moved to 77 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: the visitor side of the stadium and cheered on the 78 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: Gainsville players. Throughout their game, parents of the Faith team 79 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: were encouraging kids they didn't know to tackle their own sons. 80 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 1: The prison team didn't win the game, but they scored 81 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: two touchdowns and it was the best game of their season. 82 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: And I'm going to read a quote about what happened next. 83 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: After the game, the teams met at midfield for prayer, 84 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: with faith fans standing all around. Mark Williams, through Tornado's coach, 85 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: asked if his quarterback could pray in a simple manner, 86 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: but with heartfelt depth. The player thanked God for the 87 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: things easily taken for granted, like the sun coming up 88 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: that morning and the opportunity to play football. There's one thing, however, 89 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: for which he said he did not know how to 90 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: express thanks, because he never knew that there were people 91 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: in the world that could care for him and his 92 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: teammates because of where they came from. Tears flowed after 93 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: that prayer, and mind's changed. The power of encouragement is phenomenal. 94 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: A team that never won a game and it only 95 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: scored two touchdowns all season played their best game against 96 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: one of the best teams they'd ever lined up again, 97 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: simply because they had people on their sideline encouraging them. 98 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: And we're not talking about run of the mill kids. 99 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: We're talking about kids that were from a maximum security 100 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: prison that all of a sudden because of a little 101 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: bit of encouragement, found the ability to do something a 102 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: little better and different than they'd ever done. I also 103 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: read something that Larry Reid wrote that I think is 104 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: really interesting on a macroeconomic scale. Think about countries that 105 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: have systems that encourage investment and risk and entrepreneurism purchased 106 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: countries that don't the United States, Canada, most of Western 107 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: and Eastern Europe, whether they have taxes and tariffs and 108 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 1: all that stuff in different models, they in general encourage 109 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: people to take risks, be entrepreneurial and build things, and 110 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: as a result, their societies are better from it. Take 111 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: by contrast, Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, some other economies that don't 112 00:08:56,040 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: do things to encourage individualism and thought and creativity and entrepreneurship, 113 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: and look how they suffer, and look how the people 114 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: there suffer, and look how the countries falter. Think of 115 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: children that grow up in families where their parents teach 116 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: them and show them that they can be a doctor 117 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: or a dentist or a president, They can be an attorney, 118 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: they can be whatever they want to be, and they 119 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 1: provide the tools necessary and encourage them. They certainly hold 120 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: them accountable, but the power of that encouragement to help 121 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: them to believe in themselves and their dreams propels them 122 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: to chase those dreams. Conversely, think about the kid who 123 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: doesn't even have a who's never been saying a lullaby, 124 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 1: it's never been read a bud dumb story, who is 125 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: in a project somewhere where the most encouraging thing they 126 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: can do is escape the streets and get to them 127 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: from school every day safely, and then hold up in 128 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: a parartment somewhere with a flan that clicks. The power 129 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: of encouragement is phenomenal. It can take kids from a 130 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: maximum security prison and have them tear up just for 131 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: being cheered for and cared about. It's the difference in 132 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: nation building and nation destruction. It's the difference in kids 133 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: reaching dreams and even having dreams and others just trying 134 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: to survive. It also works for an army of normal folks. 135 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: For a year and a half now, we've been telling 136 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: stories every single week of amazing people you've probably never 137 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: heard of, who were just normal and they saw an 138 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: opportunity and they used their passion and their discipline and 139 00:10:55,320 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 1: intersected that passage and passion and discipline with opportunity and 140 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 1: made something amazing happen for the betterment of people that 141 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,679 Speaker 1: weren't as blessed as them. We tell these stories every 142 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:12,079 Speaker 1: single Tuesday, every week, a new story, and they're different. 143 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: Some are about adoption, some are about foster care. Some 144 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: are about substance abuse. Some are about tattoos. Some are 145 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: about running with the homeless. Some are about helping quadriplegics. 146 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: Some are about serving people who are victims of hurricanes 147 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: or tate narratos. They're all different, but they all have 148 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: the one thing in common is that they're just normal 149 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 1: people who use their passion and discipline. They're passion and 150 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: their talents at a place of opportunity and amazing things happen. 151 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 1: Why do we tell these stories. Certainly we tell them 152 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: to be interesting and entertaining, and hopefully you laugh and 153 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: you cry and you find interest in them, and maybe 154 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: you google afterwards and everything else. But here's why we 155 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: really tell them. Encourage you to offer the power of 156 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 1: encouragement to you, to get off the sidelines. If you're 157 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 1: doing something, do more. If you're not doing anything, find 158 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: a way. We're giving you a blueprint. A blueprint each 159 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: story is a blueprint of different things you can do, 160 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: and I'm not saying that you can do all of them. 161 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: Your interests are varied because you're a varied audience. But eventually, 162 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: if you listen long enough, there's going to be a 163 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: story you hear that aligns with your passion and your talents. 164 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: And don't tell me there's not opportunity everywhere surrounding you. 165 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: So the whole idea behind an Army and Normal Folks 166 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: is that it is the power of encouragement to encourage 167 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: you to get involved, to encourage you to stay steadfast, 168 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 1: to understand when you dive into places where there are problems, 169 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: it is not going to be a cake walk. But 170 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 1: it's worth the time, it's worth the investment, it's worth 171 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: the consistency. We want to encourage you to deploy your 172 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: passion and your abilities and areas of need and help 173 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: change your corner of the community, just like every single 174 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: person on Tuesday has done. And what if we could 175 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: encourage a million of you. What if we had a 176 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: million people in Army and normal folks with the power 177 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: of the encouragement of the stories you hear every Tuesday, 178 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: getting out there and changing our community. The power of 179 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: encouragement can help kids in maximum security prisons just understand 180 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,679 Speaker 1: that love and care is real and that can change 181 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: the trajectory of their lives. The power of encouragement changes nations, 182 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 1: the power of encouragement changes families, and the power of 183 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: encouragement can change our country. Join the army of normal folks. 184 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: Get off the sidelines. If you're on the field, play harder. 185 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 1: If you're on the sidelines, get on the field. Let's 186 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: take back our country. Let's take back the narrative. Let's 187 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: quit with the division, and let's serve and in doing 188 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: so lead. I encourage you on a weekly basis to 189 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: do that. And we have stories that should encourage and 190 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 1: inspire that every single week. Please listen, please share them, 191 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: Please encourage your neighbor, and I encourage you. The power 192 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: of encouragement can change lives, and it can change this country. 193 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: I'm Bill Courtney. That's Shop Talk number twenty nine, and 194 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: I want to say this to you. If any of 195 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: our guests have inspired you in general or better yet, 196 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: to do something, please let me know. I want to 197 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: hear about it. You can write me anytime at Bill 198 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: Atnormalfolks dot us, and I promise you I will respond, 199 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: and guys, if you have an idea for shop talk, 200 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: send it to me. If you have any idea about 201 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: a current event, or a tenant, or a fundamental or 202 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: something going on in your life, I'm not going to 203 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: respond to all of them because I don't have all 204 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: the answers, but if it's something I feel like I've 205 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: heard something or been taught something, or have an idea 206 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: that might help it, we will do a shop talk 207 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: on it, and we will ring the bell for you. 208 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this episode, share it with friends and 209 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: on social subscribe to our podcast, rate and review it. 210 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: Join the Army at normal folks dot us. Consider becoming 211 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: a premium member. Do anything we can to help grow 212 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: this army of Normal Folks, because the more people we have, 213 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: the more impact that we can exact on our country. 214 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: I encourage you to get involved. Thanks to our producer, 215 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: Iron Light Labs. I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see you next week.