It's Okay Not to Be Okay: Embracing Radical Acceptance and Building Your Life with Richard Kaufman
Episode Summary:
What does it take to lead when you feel like you're falling apart? In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Jim sits down with Richard Kaufman—The Comeback Coach, a veteran, and a Christian leader who has navigated a 36-year recovery journey, bipolar disorder, and a past suicide attempt to build a life of profound impact.
This episode is a masterclass in resilience for any leader who feels broken, burnt out, or alone. Richard shares his powerful story of how a moment of crisis became the catalyst for his calling, how he manages his mental health moment-by-moment, and why true coaching comes from scars, not just certifications. Discover the practical strategies he uses to avoid burnout while working 18-hour days, the power of honest conversations in healing, and how to find God in the middle of your deepest pain.
Key Takeaways:
- Lead From Your Scars: A true "Comeback Coach" is someone who has been through the fire and can guide others through it, not someone who has only read the map.
- Manage Mental Health Moment-by-Moment: Your diagnosis doesn't have to be your identity. Learn to accept what you have, but rule it—don't let it rule you.
- The Power of Honest Conversation: The key to navigating mental health is having people in your life who can call you out on your patterns and hold you until the demons go away.
- The Myth of "Hustle": You can work intensely without burning out by building intentional seasons of deep rest and learning to pour from a full cup.
- Faith in the Anguish: Sometimes the most powerful prayer is simply "Help." Jesus wept, and understanding His pain gives us permission to be honest with our own.
Favorite Quotes:
- "It's hard for me to, for somebody to call themselves a coach if they've never done it before... If you've never been through the hard times and had to come back from it, don't tell me that you're a life coach."
- "It's okay to slow down as long as you don't quit."
- "You cannot pour from an empty cup."
- "I know what I have, but I rule it, it doesn't rule me."
- "If you're unbreakable, then He can't help you."
Scripture References:
- John 11:35 ("Jesus wept.")
- The Serenity Prayer
- Matthew 6:8 (He knows what you need before you ask.)
- Jeremiah 18 (The Potter and the Clay)
Action Steps & Reflection Questions:
- Who is the person in your life you can have a truly honest conversation with about your mental health?
- Are you trying to pour from an empty cup? What is one way you can intentionally rest and refill this week?
- In what area of your life do you need to pray the simple, honest prayer: "Help"?
Resources
- Richard Kaufman's Free Book Offer: [Insert Link Here]
- Richard's Podcast: Vertical Momentum Podcast
- Join the Newsletter: www.leadwithjim.com/nl
- Full Episode Show Notes & Transcript: www.leadwithjim.com/podcast
Connect with Jim
- 🌐 Website: www.leadwithjim.com
- 🎙️ Ask a Question: leadwithjim.com/ask
- 📱 Instagram: @leadwithjim
- ▶️ YouTube: Lead with Jim
- Facebook: @leadwithjim
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✅ For more faith-driven leadership content, visit leadwithjim.com.
Thanks for listening!
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Transcript
This is the unshakable life mindset.
Speaker A:Resilience, action.
Speaker A:No stride.
Speaker A:Break free from the burnout.
Speaker A:Find your true north.
Speaker A:With your guy Jim Burgoon stepping forward.
Speaker A:This is the unshakable life.
Speaker B:Welcome to the Unshakable podcast.
Speaker B:We're so grateful you're here today listening to us.
Speaker B:And today I've got a VIP with me.
Speaker B:It's my dear friend Richard Kaufman.
Speaker B:For those who don't know you, take the next 60 to 90 seconds and let people know what you do.
Speaker C:I'm just a guy that knows a guy.
Speaker C:My name is Richard Kaufman, also known as the comeback coach.
Speaker C:I'm a podcast host.
Speaker C:I'm a veteran father, husband, Christian, a guy with bipolar disease, mental health issues.
Speaker C:So I'm a little bit everywhere.
Speaker C:I try to be everywhere to help everybody.
Speaker C:So I'm just a guy that knows a guy, and with friends like you and Joe Graham, my life is so much better with having you guys in my life and.
Speaker C:And being part of my tribe.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:We appreciate it, too.
Speaker B:I can't speak for Joe.
Speaker B:We've had Joe on the show before.
Speaker B:Love, Joe, but I can speak for myself how much I honor and respect you as not only just comeback coach, but as a fellow veteran and things like that.
Speaker B:So, man, let's just dive into some good conversation.
Speaker B:You ready, man?
Speaker C:I've been ready.
Speaker B:All right, so the first place I want to.
Speaker B:Really want to go into is.
Speaker B:Let's just unpack.
Speaker B:What does it mean to be a comeback coach?
Speaker C:First of all, I got to give a big shout out to Mr. Gary Vaynerchuk.
Speaker C:He's the one that came with.
Speaker C:Came up with the comeback coach.
Speaker C:He's the one that told me to write a book.
Speaker C:He's the one that told me to start a podcast.
Speaker C:He.
Speaker C:He's the one that told me to start speaking from stages.
Speaker C:So if it wasn't for Gary Vaynerchuk, there would be no.
Speaker C:No comeback coach.
Speaker C:So thank you, Gary.
Speaker C:I love you, brother.
Speaker C:A comeback coach is just a guy I believe or girl that has been through some stuff and help other comeback others come back from stuff.
Speaker C:Because for me, it's hard for me to.
Speaker C:For somebody to call themselves a coach if they've never done it before.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:It's kind of.
Speaker C:It's kind of like, you know, if you've never been married, don't tell me you're a marriage coach.
Speaker C:So if you've never been through the hard times and had to come back from it, don't tell me that you're a Life coach, because what kind of life have you led?
Speaker B:That's good.
Speaker B:That's really good.
Speaker B:And I think there's something really valuable in that because we do see a lot online where everybody's suddenly this type of coach or they're now crypto coaches and this coach.
Speaker B:And most of them have never done any of what they're producing.
Speaker B:But I know you're somebody, even in your intro, somebody who has already said, hey, you've got some mental health challenges, you've got some other things.
Speaker B:So, which proves like you've got the goods in order to help people come back from something.
Speaker B:So where do you find yourself in, like, do you find yourself helping people more in mental health, more drug recovery?
Speaker B:Like, where do you find yourself with a lot of those?
Speaker C:Well, it started out when I first started out.
Speaker C:I'm in recovery 36 years, I think 36 or 37, I don't remember how many years it is.
Speaker C:But it started out helping people out in recovery rooms, speaking and speaking at jails and rehabs.
Speaker C:But then I realized once I started podcasting, I can reach millions of people instead of just reaching, you know, 100 people in a room.
Speaker C:So that's when I started speaking on stages and starting a podcast, writing the books.
Speaker C:But that, you know, I still believe in one on one coaching.
Speaker C:I still do a lot of one on one coaching.
Speaker C:I believe that people are not going to really open up to you if they don't feel like they don't know like, and trust you.
Speaker C:We're like, you know, we know, we know different stuff about each other that will never repeat here or anywhere else.
Speaker C:And that's because we built that trust.
Speaker C:And I think that's one thing that a good coach will do.
Speaker C:If you tell a good coach something they're not going to tell anybody else, it's not going to ever get out.
Speaker C:And that's why you can actually really open up to a really good coach because you know it's not going anywhere further.
Speaker B:So then this brings into something a little bit, you know, deeper.
Speaker B:It's with the challenges that you are facing.
Speaker B:You know, you just said you were in recovery for 36 years, you've got the mental health challenges.
Speaker B:How did you get the confidence to really get started without sabotaging yourself or giving up?
Speaker C: tempted suicide, Memorial Day: Speaker C:It was after that moment when I realized, wait a minute, there's many more people out there just like me that are struggling with mental health issues, struggling with traumatic brain injuries, struggling with addiction, struggling with not no imposter syndrome.
Speaker C:You know, there's a lot of people out there struggling with the same stuff I'm struggling with.
Speaker C:How do I reach these people, how do I get them help?
Speaker C:And that's when I decided, you know, because of Gary, obviously, start the podcast, to start talking to people and get the word out that, hey, no matter who you are, if you're the CEO, if you're the janitor, we're all struggling with the same stuff.
Speaker C:You know, I just wanted a place where people can go.
Speaker C:If you're struggling to realize, okay, he's struggling with it, I'm struggling with it.
Speaker C:And it's okay not to be okay.
Speaker B:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker B:I love that statement.
Speaker B:It's okay not to be okay.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's beautiful statement.
Speaker B:So, okay, so you're on this journey, your six month old saved, you know, your life.
Speaker B:Thank God for that.
Speaker B:So now you're in this place, there's people like me.
Speaker B:I can talk to people like this.
Speaker B:I can help them.
Speaker B:How do you keep that in the forefront without being overwhelmed, without, you know, like, today's the day.
Speaker B:I'm just giving up and just going to go fishing for the rest of my life.
Speaker B:Like, how do you keep yourself moving forward?
Speaker C:Honestly, you know, there's days where I want to quit.
Speaker C:There's days where I want to give up.
Speaker C:There's days like even before, well, I didn't want to quit today, but even before I came on, I took a half hour nap.
Speaker C:I was like, you know what?
Speaker C:My body needs it, my mind needs it.
Speaker C:I need to take a little bit of respite.
Speaker C:And just this way, I'm fresh.
Speaker C:And sometimes you want to quit, but it's okay, it's okay to slow down as long as you don't quit, you know, And I think it's okay for your mental health to, you know, my.
Speaker C:One of my favorite quotes is you cannot pour from an empty cup, right?
Speaker C:So if you're, your cup's always empty, you cannot pour into somebody else, you know, just like me.
Speaker C:If I'm, if I'm empty, I can't pour into my, into my clients.
Speaker C:So I got to make sure that my cup is always staying full.
Speaker C:And sometimes it's just saying, hey, I'm going on a cruise for a week.
Speaker C:I'm shutting the phones off, I'm going incognito for a week.
Speaker C:I'm not going to be around.
Speaker C:So when I get back, I'll be recharged.
Speaker C:So I think sometimes just taking time to say, all right, you need a break, it's time to take a break.
Speaker B:I love that because you're giving yourself permission to rest.
Speaker B:And I think that's beautiful.
Speaker B:Now that that brings into this other question then, is all right, so cruising.
Speaker B:I. I hear what you're saying, and I think I want to join that whenever I feel like I'm really down.
Speaker B:Let's go on a cruise.
Speaker C:I'm okay with that.
Speaker B:But obviously you don't take a cruise every month, do you?
Speaker C:I wish I could, no.
Speaker C:But I do only work 180 days a year.
Speaker C:I'm off six months out of the year, and I do that on purpose.
Speaker C:But the six months that I am working, I'm working 12, 18 hours a day.
Speaker C:So I do work hard.
Speaker C:But we do play hard.
Speaker C:We do.
Speaker C:We don't party, obviously, but, you know, we do enjoy life a little bit.
Speaker C:We go on vacations and a lot of guys don't want to go on vacations.
Speaker C:A lot of people.
Speaker C:I realize that I'm more productive after I come back from a vacation or leading up to a vacation, so why not take that time?
Speaker C:You know, because we're only getting so much amount of time on this big blue rock, right?
Speaker C:The average male lives to 78.
Speaker C:The average first responder or veteran lives to 58.
Speaker C:So I'm at 57.
Speaker C:So how many years do I actually have left?
Speaker C:And I want to enjoy the time that I'm here.
Speaker B:So then with your six months, you're working 12, 18 hour days.
Speaker B:How do you not burn out?
Speaker C:Well, I actually learned.
Speaker C:I actually hired my first coach.
Speaker C:Business coach was John Lee Dumas.
Speaker C:Everybody knows John Lee Dumas from Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast.
Speaker C:He actually taught me that, you know, you have to split up your time.
Speaker C:Like, the only time I record podcasts of my own are Wednesdays.
Speaker C:That's my only data record.
Speaker C:So even if, if I got nothing going on the rest of the week, at least I know on Wednesdays I'm gonna record.
Speaker C:And then the rest of the days, Monday through Friday, I put the episodes out with clips and stuff like that.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:But those times, I know when I'm working, I'm actually having fun.
Speaker C:This is fun to me.
Speaker C:Podcasting is, is my hobby.
Speaker C:It's my joy, it's my passion, it's the way I give back.
Speaker C:So I'm not really working.
Speaker C:This is not work.
Speaker C:I'm not, I'm not out there humping, you know, humping shingles.
Speaker C:I'm not out There digging graves like I used to.
Speaker C:I used to dig two graves a day by hand with a shovel.
Speaker C:So I'm not doing that anymore.
Speaker C:So that this is not really work.
Speaker C:So I kind of keep stuff like that in perspective that what I'm doing is not really work work.
Speaker C:But sometimes it can be work because sometimes you're taking on a lot of people's emotions.
Speaker B:So I think it's funny that you casually just drop that you used to be a gravedigger.
Speaker B:I think that's hysterical.
Speaker C:I've never, I've never mentioned that on the show before.
Speaker B:I think that's awesome.
Speaker B:Like, everybody's kind of, you know, like, oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:Wait a minute.
Speaker B:Did he just say I dug graves professionally?
Speaker B:Yes, he did.
Speaker C:A day with a shovel.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:So you're drinking 12ft a day?
Speaker B:Like six.
Speaker B:Six feet per man.
Speaker C:With a shovel.
Speaker B:With a shovel.
Speaker B:Not even an excavator.
Speaker C:No backhoe.
Speaker C:It was just a shovel, dude.
Speaker C:So this, this does not work.
Speaker B:Much respect, Much respect to the audience.
Speaker B:I do want to mention this because you know Richard, the way you love things and all that, and he's.
Speaker B:He.
Speaker B:He never brags about himself, so he's.
Speaker B:Actually, I think you.
Speaker B:Last time we checked, you were right around 2 million downloads on your podcast, weren't you?
Speaker C:Yeah, I think we just hit 3.
Speaker B:3 million, right?
Speaker C:About 3 million.
Speaker C:But again, it's all because of friends like you, Joe Graham, John Lee Dumas, Eric Allen.
Speaker C:You know, without you guys, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing.
Speaker C:I wouldn't be interviewing somebody like Austin Armstrong.
Speaker C:Like, I'm releasing his episode today without him, without you guys.
Speaker B:We had Austin on the show not too long ago.
Speaker B: inning of this year, which is: Speaker B:And so if you do get a chance, go, I'll put it in the show notes.
Speaker B:Not only just the episode with us from Austin, but also when you release yours, I'll add it to the show notes for the vertical podcast as well.
Speaker B:So we're reaching 3 million downloads.
Speaker B:And so team mentality, it's all about relationships, it's all about networking.
Speaker B:So how do you continue to network?
Speaker B:Let's dive into that because want to make sure, like, you're working this much, you're dealing with the challenges and all that.
Speaker B:How do you continue to network to get high value guests or to get high value people in your life?
Speaker B:Like, what does that look like for you?
Speaker C:Oh, now, because I've been in the game long enough, I'VE been in the game.
Speaker C:My daughter's 13, so about 13 years.
Speaker C:I've been in the game long enough.
Speaker C:People come to me now unless I see somebody I have, like, a lot of times, I'll be like, oh, man, he's got a great.
Speaker C:He's got a great.
Speaker C:Somebody's on his show.
Speaker C:I really want to have him on my show.
Speaker C:I'll reach out to you and be like, hey, can you do an introduction?
Speaker C:But most of the time it's friends of friends or a lot of.
Speaker C:I have people that actually send me people that want to be on podcasts.
Speaker C:So now I don't even look for guests anymore.
Speaker C:I think that was the hardest part for people.
Speaker C:First starting out, they're like, well, where do I get guests?
Speaker C:But once you've been in the game long enough, you'll.
Speaker C:You'll eventually get people that email you just to come on the show for no reason.
Speaker C:And we talked about that earlier, man.
Speaker C:You, you know, if I see somebody that's interesting, like Jonathan Mast or if I want to know something, I'm going to ask my friends.
Speaker C:I love what it posts up on Facebook.
Speaker C:Who do you know that is amazing in AI?
Speaker C:Austin Armstrong is going to come up.
Speaker C:Jeffrey Ross is going to come up.
Speaker C:Jonathan Nast is going to come up.
Speaker C:If I'm looking, if I want to learn something, instead of me sitting in front of Robert Kiyosaki, I just reach out to Robert and say, you know what?
Speaker C:I had Sharon Lecter on my show.
Speaker C:How about you come on my show so I can ask you some questions and we could talk about your new book that's coming out.
Speaker C:I like that I'm always adding value first, then asking.
Speaker C:Like, I won't just say, hey, bro, you know, why don't you come on my show?
Speaker C:Or I'll say, you know, like when I.
Speaker C:God, God rest his soul, we lost one of.
Speaker C:One of our good friends Steve, Steve D. Sims.
Speaker C:And one of the ways I had him come on my show, and I was like, steve, I would love to have you come on my show because I know your new book is dropping next week and I would love to come on so we could promote your book and get it out, get it out to my veterans.
Speaker C:So I'll always add.
Speaker C:Always add value before I ask for anything.
Speaker B:I love that because adding value.
Speaker B:And I think there.
Speaker B:We live in a society where we always want to take or get or, you know, we get upset when there's a no, but you don't get nos often because you're Constantly adding value.
Speaker B:And I love that approach because it's a serve first approach.
Speaker C:It's all about generational relationships.
Speaker C:Like with me and you, we probably message each other two, three times a day sometime, you know, just saying, hey, bro, how are you doing?
Speaker C:Are you doing all right?
Speaker C:Is everything okay?
Speaker C:And I think, of course, if we were like, hey, I think you, I got a perfect guest I think would be great on Rich's show.
Speaker C:Of course you're gonna send them to me.
Speaker C:Same thing with you.
Speaker C:I'm like, oh, man.
Speaker C:This new the Unshakable podcast is looking for amazing guests.
Speaker C:Why don't you and I'll introduce you to my friends.
Speaker B:Let's go further into some conversation here on mental health, because it's a big part of my life.
Speaker B:It's a big part of your life.
Speaker B:How do you manage your mental health?
Speaker B:Let's start with the big question.
Speaker C:Moment by moment, sometimes minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.
Speaker C:I deal with it because I accept it.
Speaker C:But I also, it doesn't rule my life.
Speaker C:I know what I have.
Speaker C:I rule it.
Speaker C:It doesn't rule me.
Speaker C:And then, but then also for me, it's, my wife knows.
Speaker C:You know, my wife's my best friend, my bride.
Speaker C:She's my ride or die.
Speaker C:She knows when I'm.
Speaker C:I'm ready for a breakdown.
Speaker C:And she's going to be like, hey, pal, you need to get to a meeting.
Speaker C:You need to go see your psychologist.
Speaker C:You need to take a break or you need to speed up.
Speaker C:Because sometimes she'll see me and, you know, I'm sleeping in later.
Speaker C:I'm starting to eat junk food again.
Speaker C:I'm stop.
Speaker C:I'm stopping going to the gym, you know, I'm stopping working out.
Speaker C:I'm stopping listening to podcast or walk, do my walk at my daily walk.
Speaker C:And she'll be like, hey, pal, you're getting in a rut.
Speaker C:It's time for you.
Speaker C:It's time for you to get your ass up.
Speaker C:And I think a lot of us that have mental health issues, we have to be honest with our partner.
Speaker C:Our partner know where we're at.
Speaker C:Because about.
Speaker C:I think it's about a year now.
Speaker C:I almost took myself out.
Speaker C:She seen it.
Speaker C:She seen it.
Speaker C:I was about to.
Speaker C:I was about to take myself out and she just, she took me, grab.
Speaker C:Put me in bed, wrapped her arms around me and held me for about five or six hours.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker C:Until the demons went away.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:But.
Speaker C:But she knew because she knew I was.
Speaker C:When you're with somebody, like, we've Been together.
Speaker C:We've known each other 40 years, but we've been together 15.
Speaker C:And I'm open and honest about everything.
Speaker C:Once you start seeing the.
Speaker C:Seeing the things, because when you're married to somebody, you see the things, but sometimes it's hard to mention the thing.
Speaker C:You know, I'm married to a kid, an Italian woman, so she, she could see stuff and she'll just call me out on it.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So I think, you know, we definitely.
Speaker C:If you're struggling with mental ill illness, you need to have your people around, you know what's going on and not.
Speaker C:And stop pretending what's, you know, what you think is going on.
Speaker B:I love that.
Speaker B:And I wrote down, because I always take notes during conversations to helps me springboard questions and remember things.
Speaker B:And I wrote three things down off of what you just said.
Speaker B:It.
Speaker B:I said acceptance, identity, and honest conversation.
Speaker B:And I think those things are so important and I find so much value in that and what you're sharing because we have to have that.
Speaker B:You know, in psychology they call it radical acceptance.
Speaker B:And then that.
Speaker B:Don't identify with it, identify that it's a problem, but don't make it your identity.
Speaker B:And then have it.
Speaker B:Have those really deep, honest conversations, especially with the importance of the relationship or the core relationship that it's somebody you trust.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And, man, I think that's a recipe for success in what you just described.
Speaker B:And I thank you for sharing that.
Speaker B:Which now I'm wondering, because in the original part of your introduction, you're like, I'm also a Christian.
Speaker B:We are a Christian podcast.
Speaker B:And so help me layer in the faith that you have into this conversation.
Speaker C:I know I fail him daily, sometimes hourly.
Speaker C:For me, I'm.
Speaker C:I'm that Christian.
Speaker C:It's always saying, you know what?
Speaker C:Every.
Speaker C:Every night before I go to bed, I say the serenity prayer.
Speaker C:I. I haven't missed it, missed a night in 36 years.
Speaker C:But there's a lot of times where I'm like, God, I. I need you.
Speaker C:I don't have this grand prayer.
Speaker C:Sometimes it's just, I need you.
Speaker C:Like, for me, my favorite Bible verse is, he wept.
Speaker C:That means he felt pain.
Speaker C:You know, he felt loneliness.
Speaker C:So for me, Jesus, being my friend, he's felt my.
Speaker C:He's felt the pain.
Speaker C:If he's felt the pain, I know I can go to him and be like.
Speaker C:And I talk to him just like this.
Speaker C:I go, I'm like, bro, you know, I call Jesus my brother.
Speaker C:I'm like, bro, I need your help right through this.
Speaker C:You've been through to sit in the garden, Gethsemane and all you had, all the mental health struggles you were going through when you're.
Speaker C:When you're about to be crucified.
Speaker C:So you know where I'm coming from.
Speaker C:And I think a lot of us forget Jesus wept.
Speaker C:He struggled with.
Speaker C:He struggled with pain.
Speaker C:He struggled with mental anguish.
Speaker C:So if he.
Speaker C:He knows better than anybody, so why does.
Speaker C:Reach out to him and say, no, you don't need these great big prayers.
Speaker C:Just be like, help, I need help.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Some of the.
Speaker B:Sometimes those type of prayers where you go, I just need help, is some of the most honest prayers.
Speaker B:Because sometimes we just don't have words.
Speaker B:Like, sometimes we don't even know what we need help with.
Speaker B:We just know we need help.
Speaker C:And he.
Speaker C:He knows what.
Speaker C:What our needs are.
Speaker C:He just wants to be.
Speaker C:He just wants to be heard.
Speaker C:He's kind of like, I got three.
Speaker C:Three beautiful children.
Speaker C:I know what my kids need.
Speaker C:But sometimes it's nice for them to ask.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:Yeah, it is.
Speaker B:It's like, I.
Speaker B:You know, the Bible even tells us that he knows what we need before we even pray.
Speaker B:In Matthew 5, I believe that's in.
Speaker B:And so, yeah, he's like, he just wants to hear the voice.
Speaker B:He just wants to hear your voice.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:That's the relationship and conversation piece.
Speaker B:And I love that you.
Speaker B:That your favorite verse is he wept.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:That you.
Speaker B:Of all the verses in the Bible, you pick the one that Jesus showed the most compassion, the most soft softness of heart.
Speaker B:And I think that's a beautiful, beautiful testimony to the life that you're winning at, man.
Speaker B:You're successful.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I'm sure there's not days where you don't feel like that, but, dude, 36 years.
Speaker B:36 years in recovery now you help transform others to come back from wherever they are.
Speaker B:3 million downloads.
Speaker B:It's multiple, you know, different books and opportunities and stages, and just the amount of success that God is blessing you with and the humility that you carry in the midst of it is just a testament to exactly how God is showing up in your life, particularly and how it could be a story that people can look to for inspiration of how he can show up in theirs as well.
Speaker B:So thank you for sharing all that.
Speaker C:And I'm grateful for being here.
Speaker C:But, you know, I talked a lot.
Speaker C:I. I'm very active on social and, you know that.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, definitely.
Speaker C:And sometimes, you know, we ask God, you know, in prayers, and sometimes the answer is no, you know, plain and simple.
Speaker C:Like the Garth Brooks song.
Speaker C:Sometimes the best prayers.
Speaker C:Are you saying no?
Speaker B:The unanswered ones.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Or sometimes God gets quiet, and there's a reason why he gets quiet for a reason.
Speaker C:Sometimes he wants you to work.
Speaker C:Some of.
Speaker C:You got to work some of this stuff out.
Speaker C:And I think sometimes, either the answer is no, or sometimes he's going to be quiet for a while and let you.
Speaker C:Let you wallow in it, let you wallow in the pain a little bit until you say, you know what, Lord, I'm done.
Speaker C:I need your help.
Speaker B:Yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker B:I think there's a portion where we get no for number one, because if he said yes, it would hurt us more than help us, you know?
Speaker B:And I think number two, which is really interesting in that the nose are oftentimes ways to break our pride and our entitlement.
Speaker B:And because it is, God will oftentimes redirect us to the place that we're meant to be, not the place we desire to be.
Speaker C:And, you know, anybody knows my story, they know that, you know, 911 totally changed my whole world.
Speaker C:And God broke me that day.
Speaker C:God broke me on 911 because on 9 10, I was the most arrogant human being you will ever meet.
Speaker C:I just lived for myself.
Speaker C:I. I didn't care about anybody anything.
Speaker C:I'll rob anybody, steal from anybody.
Speaker C:911 broke me.
Speaker C:And I think that sometimes, you know, God will break you.
Speaker C:And I think that once.
Speaker C:Once you.
Speaker C:He breaks you, then he can remold you.
Speaker C:But if you're.
Speaker C:If you're un.
Speaker C:Unbreakable, then he can't help you.
Speaker B:That's absolutely right.
Speaker B:And you know that.
Speaker B:That comes back to two images.
Speaker B:That's number one, the threshing floor with Gideon.
Speaker B:Because the threshing floor is where the place of squishing and the place of violence that pushes out the good stuff to make sure the good stuff comes forth.
Speaker B:And then it's also Jeremiah, which is the potter's wheel, you know, the constant molding.
Speaker B:And I like that.
Speaker B:That you can't be.
Speaker B:You have to be breakable, moldable.
Speaker B:But, you know, like, with this show, you could be breakable and moldable, but you could be also unshakable.
Speaker B:And because that's the firm foundation we live on.
Speaker B:And I love that man.
Speaker B:Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker B:So as we start closing this down, let's do two things.
Speaker B:Number one, we're gonna.
Speaker B:How do people find you?
Speaker C:They can just Google Vertical Momentum podcast.
Speaker C:We're on the first eight pages of Google.
Speaker C:We're everywhere.
Speaker C:We're on Every single platform.
Speaker C:We're on 35 different platforms.
Speaker C:So if you just Google Vertical Momentum podcast, you'll find me.
Speaker C:Or Richard Kaufman.
Speaker C:Just Google me, you'll find me.
Speaker C:I don't have a VA.
Speaker C:I answer all my emails.
Speaker C:I answer all my DMs.
Speaker C:It's always me.
Speaker C:So if I DM you, it's me.
Speaker C:It's not.
Speaker C:It's not somebody in the Philippines.
Speaker C:You know, you can always reach out to me.
Speaker C:Have, have a phone call, but I want to offer something to your audience.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker C:If anybody's struggling, they could reach out to you and I'll send them my book for free.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker B:I will put all of this in the show notes so they don't have to go to Google.
Speaker B:They could just hit the show notes up.
Speaker B:And you're very generous, my friend, and I appreciate you and I appreciate all that you're doing.
Speaker B:So, with that being said, guys, thank you so much for tuning in to the Unshakable Life podcast.
Speaker B:You know, where we dive deep into the things that are holding us back from all that God wants us to do.
Speaker B:So with that being said, thank you for spending this time with me on the Unshakable Life podcast.
Speaker B:My prayer is that today's conversation helps you to build resilience, reclaim peace, and step with courage into your God given calling.
Speaker B:If this episode has encouraged you, challenged you, or impacted you in any way, could you do me a favor?
Speaker B:Share it with a friend, leave a review and hit the follow so you don't miss what's next.
Speaker B:And if you want more tools and encouragement for your journey, and head over to leadwithjim.com, you'll find resources to help you grow as a healthy, authentic Christian leader, entrepreneur and creator.
Speaker B:And until next time, remember, your foundation is Christ, your calling is unshakable, and your life can make eternal impact.
Speaker A:This is the Unshakable Life mindset.
Speaker A:Resilience Action.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker A:Strive.
Speaker A:Break free from the burn now.
Speaker A:Find your true north with your guy, Jim Burgoom.
Speaker A:Stepping forward.
Speaker A:This is the Unshakable Life.
