Becoming Kings

How you can easily improve your financial literacy

For many people, personal finance is something they can do in their sleep. Those who are numbers and financial wizards can open up a spreadsheet and it instantly makes sense to them. Let me tell you right now… that is not my experience. 

I’ve got enough stuff going on that I need a quick and easy solution to my financial planning. Luckily, there are no shortage of apps, tools, and resources to set monetary goals and learn how far my dollar goes, and to where it goes. Luckily for myself, I’m past the point of making emotional purchases and just splurging on some new clothes, or getting a new snowboard at a moment’s notice. 

There are so many ways we can easily improve our financial literacy, we just need the right tools. Take the stress and strain out of the monetary aspects of your life by taking advantage of these tools and increase the value of your life immensely.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Do you enjoy budgeting? (0:48)
• Why Mint didn’t work for me. (3:49)
• Giving every dollar a job. (7:51)
• YNAB and their support team. (10:40)
• It’s SO GOOD! (13:07)

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Living life on your own terms

The heavy metal would be blasting over the car speakers as Chris Bello drove home from yet another day wasted sitting in his cubicle. Following suit from his friends who were plugged into the corporate matrix, he watched the clock tick away for 9 hours a day as he daydreamed about living a life of his own design. 

Chris knew change was needed. Surrounding himself with people who were where he felt destined to be, he followed their path to financial, and ultimately, personal freedom. Free of the shackles of his own expectations, he dove into real estate and hasn’t looked back. Chris was able to rip off the band-aid of the corporate world and harness his ability to talk to people and turn it into the lifestyle he’d dreamed of in his cubicle. 

This enlightening episode is dedicated to those who feel disassociated from their true purpose at work and dream to design the lifestyle of their dreams. Chris and I dove deep into how you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Background on Chris Bello. (1:06)
• What does life look like outside the comfort zone? (8:28)
• Life as a connector. (18:02)
• Sacrifices of a top-performer. (27:43)
• Outsourcing everything that isn’t personally necessary. (35:38)
• Living life as an adventure vs toxicity. (42:01)

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Man’s reach should exceed his grasp

What strikes fear into you? Is it your career? Relationships? Hell, even snakes? We’re all scared of something, but I often find one thing that many of, if not all of us are scared of. 

Taking a leap of faith.

Leaving your job and starting your business can carry the same amount of stress as asking out that girl you’ve been talking to for a while but haven’t worked up the courage to do. But no matter how much planning you do, how many times you say “I just need six more months,” there’s no time like the present to make that leap. It is undeniably scary, but also undeniably valuable.

No matter how much you plan in advance, or consult with experts, and lean into your areas of expertise, life is going to find a way to throw challenges at you. That’s why I’ve always tended to go with my gut, believe in my areas of genius, and take the leap into the unknown. 
This episode of Becoming Kings, is for those who believe in their dreams, but maybe don’t believe in themselves enough to reach into the unknown.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Are you ready to go for it? (1:13)
• Business plan or leverage. (4:56)
• The allure of security. (8:45)
• To be great, do fewer things. (12:21)
• Create accountability, support and leverage. (15:51)

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Righting past wrongs

Bullying has been ever present in our society, and with the rise of technology, has only gotten worse. The act of bullying is more pervasive than ever before, but the roots of it haven’t changed. Looking back on it, we’ve probably all been bullied and have bullied at some point in our lives. 

Wreckoning with that can be a tough pill to swallow, but a necessary one in order for us to mature. Even my older brother would tie me up to trees when we were kids. Events like these can leave lasting imprints, and affect our relationships years into the future. We are in a position to be able to give forgiveness and speak our hurts from a position of authenticity. 

Just expressing anger isn’t the only part of healing. How can we healthily talk about wounds from far back in our past that are still manifesting now? This episode of Becoming Kings is dedicated to emanating an energy of forgiveness. 

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Joe Bell. (0:48)
• People mature after high school? (4:16)
• Making wrongs, right. (8:15)
• Speak your truth and seek healing. (11:56)
• Lead with love. (15:21)

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Learning to live again

Zach Bloom came out of college with the world in his hands. A national champion hockey player, editor of his school’s paper, and high academic achiever, Zach had a great support system around him that enabled his high level of performance. At the end of the day though, he still felt a gaping hole in his soul that could only be filled by alcohol. 

Drugs, booze, and women were his vices and he couldn’t shake them for years. Certain that he would be facing death if he continued living his life this way, he turned to the 12-step program for answers. Along the road to recovery, he found himself deeply analyzing himself, his family’s travails, and wounds that had gone untreated for years. Now a life coach himself, Zach is able to look others in the eyes and tell them how he was able to rise from the ashes. 

On this raw and emotionally gripping episode of Becoming Kings, Zach and I dive deep on how one can barely be scraping by and eventually learn to grow into a person they never previously thought possible.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Spiritual stretch marks. (2:21)
• Family heritage of alcohol abuse. (11:12)
• AA & the need for support. (25:25)
• Finding Faith & the 12 Steps. (38:02)
• The light is on but nobody’s home. (50:28)
• I love you man. (1:01:51)

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How big a role does control play in your life?

We all have hopes and dreams. Goals we’ve wanted to achieve for months or years on end can be helpful, but ultimately distract us from the beauty the world has to offer. We forsake our lives by chasing a desire instead of opening up our hearts. 

We get so attached to desired outcomes that they take over our lives. They cloud our vision and we get lost in the fog of what we have dreamed about for however long. Our fixation makes us miss the forest for the trees. If we were more open to the twists and turns life inevitably takes us on, we’d be much more likely to experience joy and abundance along the way. Tunnel vision may work at some points, but only to a certain degree. 

Instead, try to be more open to whatever life gives us. Whatever your fixation is, let it go and let it be, no matter how long you’ve held onto it. Open your heart to whatever the world has to offer and let the abundance of the world flow into it.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Our addiction to control. (0:47)
• Growing in your emotional fitness. (4:41)
• Receiving once we finally let go. (5:21)
• You must grieve your attachment to an outcome. (8:44)
• It’s time to let go and let it be. (12:32)
• Focus on the feeling. (16:05)

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Chasing joy and not a paycheck

As I reflected on a hectic year that was 2021, I highlighted what were the biggest value adds and events in my life. Using those, I was able to cast a vision for 2022. What was the most profound revelation from this exercise?

None of it was related work. 

As a self-diagnosed workaholic, I spend a lot of time that doesn’t really move the needle for me. These activities are life-sucking and disassociate me from what I feel really driven to achieve. 

I obviously love my life and my work (or rather my purpose and mission), but how much time am I really spending doing the parts of my work that I really enjoy? Teaching, coaching, having deep conversations. These are the components of my work and life that I get the most joy out of, yet spend the least amount of time in. 

This year, how can we spend more of our time actually doing the things we love? Take a look at your key performance indicators and think about how you can add value to your life by chasing joy more often.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• What do you value? (0:52)
• Work vs play. (4:29)
• What are your highlights? (8:32)
• Money, time, fulfillment, waiting… (12:23)
• Let go and let God. (15:16)

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Clarity of Purpose and Action

Uriel Berrum has education at the forefront of his mind. His goal to bring adequate technology to every child that needs it is not only a worthy cause, but one he’s poured his whole life into. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that he’s actively working toward all the time. What does he attribute his success and drive to? 

Being active vs being passive.

Life is so fast paced and ever-changing. Taking life in as it comes to you is not a recipe for handling stress well. Uriel tries to attack life in a way that gives him full autonomy and empowers him to live his dream as an entrepreneur. Another integral part of the proactive mindset is being willing to start over and admit that your plan isn’t working. 

On this deep and wide-ranging episode of Becoming Kings, Uriel walks us through his journey, the roadblocks he’s met along the way, and how being proactive in seeking clarity has led to him living a fulfilling life.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Effect and Education Technology. (2:11)
• Education, the great equalizer. (9:43)
• The balance of preparation and trust. (19:23)
• Discipline and ironman training. (28:24)
• Clarity of purpose creates clarity of action. (37:27)
• Difference between competition and comparison. (45:13)

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Do you wanna go steady with me?

We expose our truest selves to others when we are in committed relationships. So when they end in heartbreaking fashion, we’re inevitably left feeling hurt, confused, and wondering where life will take us next. That trauma can often go unresolved because of just how difficult it is to face in the wake of despair we feel post breakup.

An added complication is that we often carry that trauma into prospective relationships. We’re trying to find compatibility with someone else, when we still haven’t resolved our own hurt feelings and not committing to healing and moving forward. If left unresolved, this trauma can leave us feeling like we’re sleepwalking into future intimate relationships. 

Let’s discuss what is right in front of our faces, but that we hide in fear of being hurt again. How do we rise to the occasion and allow ourselves to live a life of fulfillment with someone who loves us by our side?

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• Would you go steady with me? (0:48)
• Why no tears? (4:47)
• Are you staying because it’s safe? (8:32)
• Are you able to see what’s right in front of you? (11:57)
• Easy come, easy go. (15:31)

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Polarity and synergy in our sex lives

What are we actually talking about when we discuss our sex lives? A lot of guys talk a big game while tiptoeing around the real issues surrounding our intimate relationships. 

In reality, many men, even those who are regularly intimate with partners, are struggling to come to terms with their own sexual being. To counteract this confusion, we need to talk about how sex can be a value add to relationships. How can it deepen and strengthen your bond with your partner, while also providing pleasure? It’s a simple, but important question. 

This episode is full of talking points that we often dance around instead of engaging head on. Let’s have an honest discussion about our sex lives and discover methods to unlock what can often be a frustrating dilemma.

In this episode you’ll learn about…

• How much sex do you have? (1:18)
• Let’s see a raise of hands. (4:12)
• Is it really a double standard? (6:04)
• Sexual blueprints. Get educated! (9:42)
• Get curious about your partner’s needs. (13:12)

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