Orrin Woodward uncovers the lies of the Financial Matrix we’re in

Last week Orrin Woodward made free to the public, on his personal Youtube Channel, a video from one of our recent leadership workshop weekends. In the video it has him discussing what is called Financial Freedom, the Financial Matrix and how it affects us all, including those that think that “Money is not all that important….” and yet they go to work 5 times a week for about 8 hours a day…. <shakes head stunned>

He brings up that we should learn “Financial Literacy” to help solve one of our biggest problems, one that most people don’t realize they have, and yet feel the effects of constantly.  He expands on the talk, that I’m proud to say, many of us have been sharing for years around kitchen tables and meeting rooms.  Better yet, I love when new people just start to learn for themselves go out and start to share with others!

In the video Orrin teaches principles from from the same Green Box we’ve been given the privilege to use and help ourselves, and share with others.  Now let’s get out there and talk about the Green Box.

Enjoy the video below , share it, and remember to check out Orrin’s New Biography page and regularly his Blog for a continuous flow of practical knowledge and wisdom.  Let’s just say he tends to write a little more often then I do.

Have any of you benefited from the following some of the Financial principles talked about? How so?

CH

A Matter of Honour

 

Duty and honour have a close relationship. In my last Toughen Up post, I mentioned the linguistic roots of these two words, and today I’m going to tell you a little more. When it comes to succeeding in your life’s purpose, it’s necessary to understand these two concepts and how they’re connected. After all, you hardly ever see one without the other.

From the Oxford English Dictionary (OED):

Duty: “something one has to do because it is morally right or legally necessary.”

Honour: “great respect”, “a clear sense of what is morally right”, “something that is a privilege or a pleasure.”

I find these definitions really interesting. The second definition of “honour” is almost identical to “duty”, which is notable in itself. But the first and last definitions of “honour” are the most striking to me: honour is used to pay “great respect” to the people who have earned it, and it’s “a privilege or a pleasure” to do it.

The biggest difference between duty and honour is even more interesting to me because it’s also one of the things that tightly bind the two concepts together. That difference? Enthusiasm.

I’ll elaborate. In addition to the definitions above, the OED defines duty as something that’s “done because of a feeling of obligation rather than enthusiasm.” But honour is all about enthusiasm. After all, when we have honour, we do the right things because we feel passionate about doing them—it’s a “privilege or a pleasure”. We don’t do them because we feel we should. We do them because we genuinely want to, and we genuinely care.

But when we’re doing the right thing, we’re doing our duty. An attitude of honour gives us the motivation to do it enthusiastically, without complaint. And that’s where the connection lies.

When I first started building my business, Lana and I spent a lot of time talking to and learning from Orrin and Laurie Woodward, and a number of others. These people unselfishly gave us their time and their experience, helping us to build a successful future for our family.

As we began to experience success, we felt an overwhelming sense of respect and honour towards these people—not only because they helped when we needed them, but also because they were a big factor in our success. We’re grateful to them.

In the military, we placed great importance on honouring the people who earned our respect. The people who paved the road ahead of us with hard work, bravery, and loyalty. The people who cared so much about doing their duty that they were willing to give their lives for their cause. We spend time learning about these men and women, and we honour them as much as we can.

Unfortunately, this kind of honour is often missing in business and family, even when it is well deserved. I’ll never forget the sacrifices that Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady made so that I could be successful. And whenever I can, I make an effort to show them how grateful I am. That’s honour.

Honourable Mentions

 

A few months ago I outlined eight strengths that will change your life. Those strengths were attitude, courage, character, duty, honour, relationships, passion, and tenacity. Each one of these strengths is critical to your success, and each one is linked in some way to all of the others. Without courage, you don’t have character. A bad attitude could mean you’re neglecting your duty. And without honour, all of these strengths could be in jeopardy. Today, I’m going to start writing about honour, and what it truly means.

Duty and honour are especially closely linked. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the modern English word duty originally came from the Latin word debutus, which means “to owe”. The word honour came from the Latin word honerum, which means “dignity, reputation, chastity, virtue, courtesy, and distinction”.

But let’s step away from the linguistics and look at how various people showed and talked about honour throughout history:

Christopher Columbus: Columbus is one of my personal heroes. Not only did he travel across the ocean to discover a new land, he did it without a map, on simple faith that eventually, he would reach safety. It’s hard to take risks—it’s scary and it’s a lot of work—but Columbus knew there was something that needed to be found, and despite the challenges, he went out and found it.

Mortimer Adler: This man was an American philosopher, educator, and author. Besides writing a long list of works on everything from education and capitalism to ethics and the arts, he also co-founded the Center for the Study of Great Ideas, which aims to encourage everyday people to realize the importance of philosophy. He explained the difference between duty and honour by putting it this way: “Duty usually involves obligations to others, but a man’s sense of honor may lead him to act in a certain way though the good of no other is involved. To maintain self-respect, he must respect a standard of conduct which he has set for himself.” And based on his body of work, I suspect Adler held himself to a very strict code of conduct.

Lester Pearson: The Prime Minister who brought in Canada’s universal healthcare, the Canada Pension Plan, and the 40-hour workweek was no stranger to honour and duty. In Canada’s centennial year, he wrote some profound words that expressed the sense of honour that he wanted the country to uphold: “Our national condition is still flexible enough that we can make almost anything we wish with our nation. No other country is in a better position than Canada to go ahead with the evolution of a national purpose devoted to all that is good and noble and excellent in the human spirit.”

These are just a few examples of the people I admire for their sense of honour. But I want to hear from you. Who is the most honourable person you know. Why? 

How to Do Your Duty

If you’ve been following my blog, then you’ve spent plenty of time reading about duty. I’ve written a lot about the theory and history of duty, and my last post explained why it’s critical for you to find your life’s purpose and do your duty. But none of that will do you any good unless you know how to do your duty. Today’s post will point you in the right direction.

Step One: Build strength

When it comes to doing your duty, you can’t be hesitant. You need to act with confidence and precision. But before you can do that, you need to know what your purpose is. Otherwise, you’ll feel indecisive and weak—exactly what you don’t want when you’re trying to make an impact in the world. So spend time getting to know yourself better. Once you understand what you were put on this earth to do, it will be easier to focus on the task at hand. Abraham Lincoln once said: “Let us have the faith that might makes right; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” 

Step Two: Build your confidence

Once you’ve found your purpose, you need to learn as much as you can about it. Whether it’s a business idea or a desire to build a family, start by talking to other likeminded people, reading books, listening to audios, and taking courses. Immerse yourself in it. Because the more you understand your goal and everything about it, the more confidence you’ll have when it’s time to do your duty. And that’s important—because confidence drives action.

Seems simple, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. But it doesn’t mean it will be easy. As I wrote in Toughen Up, “We have to strive for it, work for it, and settle for nothing less than real excellence. Never let convenience or any other distractions get in the way. That’s toughness. And it’s our duty.”

Step Three: Build your plan

Imagine that you’re building a new home. But your contractor tells you that since they have the materials and the skills, they don’t need a blueprint. They’ll just design your house as they go. You probably wouldn’t have a lot of confidence in them, would you? After all, building a house without a plan just doesn’t make sense.

It’s the same when it comes to doing your duty. You may have confidence and strength, but without a plan, it’s easy to get confused and make poor choices. Plus, putting a plan on paper makes your life’s purpose real. It will bring you clarity and it will make it easier to gather people who will work with you to achieve your duty.

Why not sit down and write your plan today?

Your Duty Matters

 

On my blog, I write a lot about the concept of duty. I’ve written about why we should do it, I’ve looked at how it’s changed throughout history, and I’ve discussed convenience and excellence—the two major internal cultures that every individual has to choose between. But today, I want to tell you what duty means to me.

When I toughen up, I’m doing my duty. When I choose excellence over convenience, I’m doing my duty. When I’m doing my very best, living my life’s purpose, and achieving my potential, I’m doing my duty. Why? Because we’re all connected, and we all have our jobs to do. Each one of us has something very specific that no one else in the world can do in quite the same way. If we don’t do that task to the best of our ability, if we decide to make excuses when the going gets tough, we let everyone down. As author and pastor Mark Batterson once said, “Uniqueness isn’t a virtue, it’s a responsibility.”

When I was still working as a military diver, it was my buddies’ responsibility to look out for me. And I did the same for them. In the military, the way you do your duty could mean the difference between life and death. Thankfully, they did their duty, and as a result, I’m writing this blog post today.

The story of Paul Kariya’s winning goal in the 2003 Stanley Cup finals is one of my favourite examples of a man who’s done his duty. According to the Calgary Herald, he took a major blow to the head at the hands of Scott Stevens. He was taken off to the dressing room for first aid, and everyone assumed he was out for the game. To the crowd’s astonishment, he came back out onto the ice and scored the winning goal. He did his duty at a time when everyone would have completely understood if he’d decided to bow out.

Now think about your life’s purpose. Are you working towards it? Have you chosen a culture of excellence? Because if you aren’t, the world is missing out on whatever it is you do best. It may not be a matter of life and death (although it’s possible that it is), but it will still make a difference to someone. As I wrote in Toughen Up, “We’re all worse off because some people choose convenience over excellence in their lives. And we’re all better off because some people have chosen to do their best, to live their life purpose to its fullest.” American president Theodore Roosevelt put it like this: “The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, safety first instead of duty first, and love of soft living…”

It’s probably not your life’s duty to score the winning goal in the Stanley Cup finals. But maybe it is. Or maybe it’s your duty to be a patient parent, even when you’re exhausted. Or to build a business that helps others. Whatever your duty is, will you tough it out when you’re on your last legs? I hope so. After all, everyone else is counting on you.

Enjoy your weekend!

Claude

LIFE on LIFE teams up with Literacy Nova Scotia

Hi everyone!

I hope your new year is off to a great start. I know mine is!

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ME WITH JAYNE HUNTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT LITERACY NOVA SCOTIA

On Saturday, January 9, the LIFE on LIFE Initiative teamed up with Literacy Nova Scotia to host the inaugural book packing and delivery event. Over 2,000 books were donated by First Book Canada, a nonprofit organization. Through LIFE on LIFE donations and volunteer work, we were able to cover the shipping and delivery costs. Members of both the local and LIFE community came out to help prepare the books for delivery. Books were each labeled with a LNS sticker, and LNS bookmarks and activity books were added to each delivery box. Afterward, fifteen drivers delivered the books to locations across Nova Scotia—from Yarmouth to Cape Breton and everywhere in between! Literacy Nova Scotia shared an awesome video that highlights some key aspects of the event.

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DARREN FISHER, MATT WHITMAN, BILL HORN, DARRELL SAMSON

Journalists and news crews from Global and CBC also showed up. It’s so great to see the public support for such an important cause as it helps to shine a light on the value of family literacy.

Some local politicians attended the event as well: HRM Deputy Mayor Matt Whitman, Councillor in HRM District 13; Darrell Samson, MP Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook; and Darren Fisher, MP Dartmouth-Cole Harbour all made an appearance. Bill Horne, MLA Waverly-Fall River-Beaverbank, attended as well, representing the province on behalf of the premier;

In addition to the book delivery, over fifty event attendees registered to be members of Literacy Nova Scotia, many of whom also included donations with their membership fees. If you want to become a LNS member, you can sign up here for just five dollars!

I’m so grateful to all who participated in the event, especially the drivers. It couldn’t have happened without your support. I’m so passionate about literacy, and I really believe it begins at home, so I couldn’t be more thrilled with how well Saturday went. This event is just the beginning, and I’m looking forward to a long relationship with Literacy Nova Scotia. Together we can bring change!

Family Literacy Day is January 27, and I can’t wait to celebrate with my boys and some of our favorite books. What do you have planned for Family Literacy Day?

Claude

Supporting Literacy Nova Scotia

Hey everyone!

Recently I shared the amazing news that LIFE Leadership’s LIFE on LIFE initiative is teaming up with Literacy Nova Scotia. This is exciting because it not only allows me to pursue my personal passion for education and literacy, but it is also helping my provincial community, which is incredibly important.

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Presenting Jayne Hunter and Marie David with a cheque for $11,000.

The LIFE on LIFE Initiative takes a portion of the profit from each LIFE subscription. The first organization supported by this initiative, Triangle Literacy, is in North Carolina, where our head office is also located. Since the start, we’ve known we want to branch out our funding, so I’m incredibly excited to announce this partnership with Literacy Nova Scotia. Last week I presented Jayne Hunter and Marie David of Literacy NS with a cheque for $11,000. This money will help provide brand new Disney books to families all across Nova Scotia, just in time for Family Literacy Day on January 27.

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Why is supporting literacy important to you?

It’s been great to see everyone’s support across social media thus far. The first week of November marked Literacy Action Week, and my newsfeed was filled with your selfies telling me why literacy matters to you. I compiled all the #LAW2015 photos and shared them on Flickr, so if you missed the posts, be sure to check it out!

As time goes on, there will be more ways to get involved with Literacy Nova Scotia, including donation and volunteer opportunities. In the meantime, you can follow Literacy NS on Twitter and like their account on Facebook for updates. You can also become a Literacy NS member for just five dollars! Members are able to vote at the Literacy NS Annual General Meeting, and your voice adds to the advancement of all levels of adult literacy in NS.

I’ll continue to share updates on my Facebook and Twitter as this partnership continues!

Share in the comments below why literacy matters to you!

Have a great week!

Claude Hamilton

LIFE on LIFE supports Literacy Nova Scotia

Hi everyone!
On Monday, the LIFE Leadership blog shared an exciting post announcing the recent donation we made to Literacy Nova Scotia. On November 23, I was able to present Jayne Hunter and Marie David of Literacy NS with a cheque for $11,000! It was such a great feeling to know that the money from the LIFE on LIFE Initiative is being put toward such a great cause. Literacy NS is a powerful organization and I’m confident the money we have donated, and continue to donate, will be used to have a positive impact on our local community.
You can read the original post below.
Thanks!
Claude

Life Leadership Makes Large Contribution to Literacy Nova Scotia

BY

“Literacy is one of the greatest gifts a person can receive.” – Jen Selinsky

Life Leadership‘s Life on Life Initiative has inspired thousands of people to give back to organizations that support underprivileged and disenfranchised members of society. Life Leadership Members have been getting involved in unique and creative ways, some through community service outreach programs and others by organizing events that provide necessities such as food, clothing and hygiene items. As part of Life Leadership’s corporate Life on Life Initiative, CEO Chris Brady announced that the company would be contributing funds on a monthly basis to qualifying literacy centers in the company’s various markets at the rate of $1 donated for each Life Leadership subscription.

In August of 2015, Chris Brady and COO Rob Hallstrand presented the first check totaling over $11,000 to the Triangle Literacy Council in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since then, several other literacy programs have benefited financially from these corporate contributions. In fact, this literacy initiative even inspired Life Leadership co-founder, Claude Hamilton, to get involved.

Hamilton stated recently that he is so passionate about literacy that he has decided to personally contribute time, money and influence to support the cause. That’s when he sought out Literacy Nova Scotia – a non-profit charitable organization that provides services to ensure that all Nova Scotians have equal access to quality literacy, essential skills and lifelong learning opportunities.

During the first week of November, Hamilton and several of his teammates participated in Literacy Action Week in order to help raise awareness on the importance of literacy.

In working closely with Literacy Nova Scotia, Hamilton realized how much good they were doing to support and promote literacy that on November 23rd, 2015, he presented the first check to the organization – totaling $11,000. This donation was just a portion of the funds provided by Life Leadership as part of the company’s corporate Life on Life Initiative.

“Life Leadership is delighted to be able to provide funding to the very important fight to improve literacy in Canada. We are honored to be able to contribute and hope this is only the beginning of a huge difference we can make together!” – Chris Brady

Check out this highlight video of the partnership between Life Leadership and Literacy Nova Scotia:

Life Leadership has already poured tens of thousands of dollars into various literacy programs for its Life on Life Initiative; however, what’s even more exciting is the ripple effect that is already being felt all over North America. We are so thankful for the leadership of co-founder, Claude Hamilton, for actively carrying the torch to improve literacy in Nova Scotia in order to make an even bigger difference for those who need help functioning in society.

Why is literacy important to you? Please be sure to leave a comment below!

“Robbed” – Claude Hamilton

Hey everyone,

We recently held a few LIFE leadership conventions across the country. When I was speaking in Springfield, MA., I read the poem “Robbed.” I’ve had quite a few requests to share the poem online, so I’ve decided to post it on my blog for those of you who may have missed the convention, and for those who just want another look.

The poem has such an important message about how dangerous nay-sayers can be. It’s not the physical threats that pose a risk to us, but instead those who threaten our emotional well-being and our drive to work toward a better future.

Do you relate to this poem? Don’t forget to leave your comments below.

Remember, it can be done.

Claude Hamilton

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“Robbed” – Author Unknown

 

Getting to Know JL and Nicole Pellerin

Hey everyone!

Today on the blog we have a profile of JL and Nicole Pellerin.

JL and Nicole are such amazing people to have as friends. They’re so much fun, and some of Lana and I’s greatest and most fun adventures have included the Pellerins.

The first time I met JL, he was the sharpest dressed guy in the room. I was there to show him an opportunity, and he came dressed better than me!

I look forward to a long (and fun) life of hanging out with this awesome couple!

Claude

Getting to Know Kaizen Leaders: JL and Nicole Pellerin, as written by Bethany Sampson

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JL AND NICOLE PELLERIN

Rock and Roll.

It’s not just a team name for JL and Nicole Pellerin; it’s a way of life, and everything they do revolves around this expression.

The phrase originates from the seventeenth century when ships would rock and roll due to the motions of the sea. As a metaphor for the Pellerin’s action-packed lives, the expression is more relevant than ever.

“You can go through life on auto-pilot, if you want,” says JL, “but I’d rather be out there in the seas where the action is happening.”

“You can’t stay secure, docked, and calm on the shore,” Nicole agrees. At least, not if you want to experience the good stuff.

JL and Nicole Pellerin are high school sweethearts. They’ve been married for seventeen years, and dated for nearly another ten years before that. Over the last quarter century, the Pellerin ship has rocked and rolled over many different seas.

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Ten years ago, Nicole Pellerin had just closed down her retail shop. She’d gone to school at the University of Moncton, and had an interest in entrepreneurship, but after the closing of her store, she wasn’t necessarily looking for a business venture.

JL also worked in business. He, too, had obtained a degree from the University of Moncton, and with his marketing background, he pursued a job in sales. He ended up working as the national sales manager for a provincial newspaper, a job he still maintains to this day.

The couple, content in their life, wasn’t looking for any new opportunities. A close friend, however, introduced the couple to the business, and the opportunity came knocking anyway.

unnamed-7Initially, the couple declined the business venture. At the time, Nicole was pregnant with the couple’s youngest child, and felt they had no time to spare.

The Pellerin’s friend was able to convince them to attend an Open. It was there that the couple met the Dionnes and the Hamiltons. It was also at this Open that they were first able to see “the big picture.”

unnamed-3That said, the couple still maintained that they were too busy to explore this new avenue. When their friend asked, “Are you doing anything now that’s going to change [the business]?” the couple realized that they, indeed, were not.

Their schedules were packed with work, family, commitments, and life. For the Pellerins, they thought the solution to their over-packed lives was to try harder, and to plan smarter.

That solution, however, was not working.

That night at the Open, on a whim—and with the intentions of gaining more time—the couple said, “Let’s give this a shot!

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THE PELLERIN FAMILY

Flash forward one year, and the couple was able to fully replace Nicole’s income, allowing her to fulfill her goal of being a stay-at-home mom to the couple’s two children, Nicolas, 12, and Jacob, 10. The couple hopes JL will soon be able to join Nicole as a stay-at-home parent.

The Pellerins relish in the amount of time they’re able to spend together. The flexibility in Nicole’s schedule means the kids can go home everyday after school, as opposed to attending an after-school program. In addition, the couple schedules in weekly family nights, date nights, and nights dedicated to “helping [their] friends win” in business.

LIFE Leadership’s content has allowed JL and Nicole to better understand each other, and their children.

Understanding each other’s love language, has allowed them to improve their connection, to understand and appreciate each other’s strengths, and to recognize their weaknesses.

Having been together since their teenage years, the couple has learned to grow and adapt together.

“People don’t always change at the same rhythm,” says Nicole. She emphasizes the importance of both understanding and respecting the other person, even if you don’t necessarily agree on everything. Ultimately, she and JL are two different people with two different personalities, and it was important for the two of them to learn that that is okay. Gaining this knowledge has helped the couple to be—and remain—strong, both individually and together.

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A FAMILY ADVENTURE

This knowledge of personality types has also helped the couple with their parenting. Their first child, Nicholas, was a sanguine, easygoing child, which made the parenting easy as well. Their second child, Jacob, had a choleric, go-getting personality. JL and Nicole read many books, which aided them in parenting different personalities, as well as informing them of the different love languages and the different needs of each child.

“We love them the same way,” says Nicole, “but you can’t necessarily parent the same way.”

The parenting techniques the Pellerins have brought to the family have made their way into the community. JL coaches the boys’ hockey and baseball teams, and tries hard to constantly encourage the players. He has learned—through his own experience with Joce, Claude, and Orrin—the importance of positive encouragement, and he tries to pass that onto his sons and his sons’ teammates.

“When you give them the smallest bit of encouragement, they just flourish,” says JL.

The business environment has been a backdrop for nearly all of the kids’ lives, and they have been—and continue to be—shaped by the positivity of the business, the material they hear on the CDs, and by witnessing their parents run for goals. JL and Nicole admit to both missing and hitting some goals, but the lesson is still clear: it’s important to set goals, no matter the outcome.

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LIFE Leadership has provided the couple with so much more than just a business. They have time, community, friendship, and notably, the chance to help others take the same chance they once did.

“Go on faith,” says Nicole. “This business can offer you whatever you’re look for. Not everybody’s looking for money, but everybody’s looking for something.”

She encourages people to find the dream inside of them, whether it’s for time, money, vacation, or the chance to volunteer, and pursue it.

Despite the successes they’ve achieved, JL and Nicole are still dreaming. LIFE Coach is a long-term goal, building an in-law suite for Nicole’s parents is what they’re hoping to do in the short-term. The couple is confident these are goals they can hit.

unnamed-8“I can’t see us not having this in our lives,” says JL. “The whole business has brought excitement, effectiveness, and betterment to everything that we do.”

“It’s a way of life,” says Nicole. “It’s who we are.”

“We were just a regular small-town Acadian family,” says JL, “and we had the guts to say, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’”

The risk, it appears, has paid off.

Do you know JL and Nicole? Leave your comments on the couple below!