Episode 1624: Interview with Ryan Reichert About Discovering His Calling From the Military to Coaching

===

Scott Maderer: [00:00:00] Thanks for joining us on episode 1,624 of the Inspired Stewardship Podcast.

Ryan Reichart: I'm Ryan Reichart. I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence and impact the world by using your time, your talent, and your treasures to live out your calling. Having the ability to recognize that kindness is key in one way, to be inspired to do that.

Is to listen to this, the Inspired Stewardship podcast with my friend Scott Maderer.

Someone holds the door open for me today when I'm like 20 steps away from it. I'm like, you are? Wow. Like it's angelic, you know? And then like, Hey, how you doing? Like eye contact, smile. You're like, man, I'm having the best day ever. And I wasn't right, like my head was down. I'm like slumping my way to the door.

But somebody had that pause. They [00:01:00] took. Because they're unconditionally kind.

Scott Maderer: Welcome, and thank you for joining us on the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent, and your treasures for your true calling.

In the Inspired Stewardship podcast, you will learn to invest in yourself. Invest in others and develop your influence so that

Ryan Reichart: you can impact the world.

Scott Maderer: In this podcast episode I interview Ryan Rechart. I asked Ryan about his journey and how it's allowed him to uncover more and more of his calling as he's gone through his journey. Ryan also shares with you his books and their important messages. I have a great book that's been out for a while now called Inspired Living.

Assemble the Puzzle of your Calling by Mastering your Time, your [00:02:00] Talent, and your Treasures. You can find out more about that book over@inspiredlivingbook.com. It'll take you to a page where there's information and you can sign up to get some mailings about it, as well as purchase a copy there. I'd love to see you get a copy and share with me how it impacted your world.

Ryan is a professional speaker mindset trainer, executive coach Arthur and podcaster based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He empowers overwhelmed professionals to break free from limiting beliefs, discover their God-given purpose, and pursue meaningful transformation. A born again believer in Jesus and a servant leader at heart.

Ryan brings more than four decades of life experience to his work, moving seamlessly from small town America to global metropolitan markets. He served 23 years in the US Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after four combat deployments and a leadership role as a foreign service director. [00:03:00] After his military service, Ryan translated his skills into the Fortune 500 world gaining practical insight into corporate leadership.

Strategy and high stake decision making. Ryan's passion is helping others. He's a recovery advocate who overcame alcohol addiction and his personal journey and forms a compassionate, accountable approach to coaching. He's the father of two daughters, a business owner. And fun fact, he played rugby at the University of North Dakota.

Whether volunteering, speaking or coaching, Ryan follows where God leads committed to making a lasting impact today. His mission is clear to guide others towards faith, purpose and transformation, cultivating confidence, restoring hope, and unlocking potential in leaders who are ready to live their best lives.

Welcome to the show, Ryan.

Ryan Reichart: Hey Scott. Thank you so much for having me here.

Scott Maderer: Absolutely. I'm looking forward to our conversation today. So I shared a lot in the intro about some of the work you do. You know, [00:04:00] speaker, coach author podcaster, man of my own heart doing a lot of the same things that I do and some of your history, some of where you came from.

But I also always think that when we, we get to these points where we're. Called to put a certain message out into the world. That message doesn't come from a vacuum. It, it comes from a history. It comes from a past, it comes from a journey. So take us back in time a little bit and share a little bit about your journey and what, what has brought you to the point where this is the message that you're sharing and the work that you're doing.

Ryan Reichart: Yeah, absolutely. I, uh, I always go back to where it started just 'cause uh, you know, we all have a history and we're for you. And I, you know, 6-year-old little boy is still kind of maybe trapped in these larger frames. And, uh, yours are

Scott Maderer: six, according to my wife. Mine is two.

Ryan Reichart: I'm sure I have my moments where I throw a 2-year-old temper tantrum still.

Uh, but yeah. Uh, grew up in a, you know, super small town in, uh, North [00:05:00] Dakota called Hoople tater Town, USA. So obviously potatoes, uh, at one point in time were the number one crop, and, uh, we just happened to be the business family in town. My. Grandfather and father had rikers insurance. And, and so it just started off where we were, you know, different than everybody else, right?

A minority in a place where everyone was either, you know, a farmer or a farmer. And I think I counted with a friend, uh, the other day. There might have been seven other, you know, like business type things. You know, you got two bars, you got a grocery store, gas station, a hardware store, the bank, uh, the post office, and the lumberyard as I, when I was growing up today, I think there's.

Three of those things that still exist. And so for me anyways, my perception of this small town and how things were was very much we were the minority. And, uh, we also had a religious side of things. Uh, you know, where it was a Luther or Protestant [00:06:00] township and we were Catholic, so we had to go seven miles up the road to church and, you know, Wednesday nights for catechism and so forth.

It was just different. And I think that to me, I started this like division between. Ryan Riker and everybody else, and this chip grew and it grew. And so what do you do to like, make yourself different? It's like obviously do, do really well in school. Like later on, you know, not right away.

'cause you know, as an author I laugh with the good Lord's humor in this where, you know, I couldn't read, I'm the third grader getting ready to get held back. My mom's a reading teacher, and you know, I'm failing miserably in my reading and my writing.

Scott Maderer: Coler cobbler's kids have no shoes.

Ryan Reichart: Exactly. That's the perfect, perfect analogy.

So those dynamics to me is kind of what set the stage. And, you know, uh, we'll fast forward a little bit, uh, in high school, you know, I got [00:07:00] hurt. I made varsity freshman year. So it's like Friday night lights, you can't beat it, right? You, you're dating like the head cheerleader and going to homecoming with her.

And you know the game before the homecoming week, you blow your knee out. And, uh, it, uh, that got me into prescription drugs and, uh, starting to hang out with the different circles that weren't in sports or, you know, uh, other athletic programs that would, you know, keep them from the riffraff on Friday, Saturday nights and so forth.

And, uh, that's, uh was gotten a drinking and it's, uh, it took a little bit of a path and, you know, I came out of that valley and found myself, you know, later on in high school and wanted to join, uh, the Army, go to West Point. And I ended up, uh, you know, not being able to get into West Point 'cause of that knee injury and so forth.

And what I didn't realize, you know, all these redirections, that's all they were as we kind of pivot or move through time and space and, uh, like most of my family grew up North Dakota, I went to [00:08:00] University of North Dakota. And, uh, you know, that's where I ran outta money. And uh, it was like, now what do I do?

And lo and behold, I was able to get an ROTC scholarship. Uh, things had changed with waivers and medical things at that point had been four or five years since I had applied. And uh, yeah, I got in and joined the army and, uh, we can just kind of moderately fast forward to the military career because I think when I really look at it, I was always.

I look at my grandfather, grandpa Reich, and I lived with them a lot my first six years. My dad's a recovering alcoholic. And uh, you know, the first six years he was still drinking. He, he sobered up when I was six. And so I spent a lot of time with my grandpa and grandma a lot of overnights and so forth, and, you know.

As I've asked my mom and dad over time, space, like why was I such a perfectionist? Uh, you know, being Captain America, being perfect on the outside and having all [00:09:00] these flaws on the inside. Maybe I'm talking to everybody out there listening, maybe not. I don't know. But I, you know, seemed to have it all together.

I certainly did not. And, uh, about halfway through my military career, um. I hurt the opposite leg and needed to have a surgery. And that took me even further into prescription drugs. A little thing called Oxycontin is what they had prescribed. And I got really hooked on that and I was able to hide it, but I abused my rank to continue to get it.

And uh, you know, I made it through my career. Um, okay. You know, I'd set the bar at Colonel. I retired as Lieutenant Colonel. I guess finally, you know, get to where really we're in the redemption season. I retired and went to corporate America and found that just 'cause they pay a lot of money doesn't make you happy.

And, uh, I finally kind of burnt things to the ground with my addictions. You know, I went back to drinking at that point. I'd [00:10:00] been on a lot of prescription drugs from the VA in retirement and there were some that you could abuse to take your pain away and. I certainly did and found myself, uh now divorced my kids not in my life at the time, kind of when we started to take this turn and finding the Lord.

And, uh, I lost that Fortune 500 job. And, you know, all these things was kind of talking to some guys at Bible study this morning about it. And uh, you know, it's like how do you strengthen that faith? Well, I don't know. Where my faith was two years ago, uh, when I sobered up, but I certainly know where it's at today, and it's through a lot of those suffering moments that it's gotten stronger.

Every hurdle that I've had to go over you know, because I sobered up two years ago and. I started going back to church and then I finally bought my, my first personal Bible that Ryan Riker [00:11:00] purchased, you know, and, you know, Reddit cover to cover joined a Bible study, so on and so forth. And every day it's just, it keeps pouring into this cup that I had emptied out completely.

And, you know, sure. I need things like, just like you and me talking today, where it fills it back up even more if I emptied some of it out. But realizing in all of that, that 47 years it took to get to this interview where you really need to reflect on, you know, how can you improve and redeem yourself because we all have our moments that we're not proud of.

We, you know, maybe our, our character, you know, maybe some of those character defects that any and all of us might have, you know, 'cause year two, I'm six, you know, kind of thing. And what does that look like? How we can really learn from those pain points. And then for me, it's all about talking about 'em and, and getting it out there.

So somebody maybe, you know, if you're two or three steps into, you know, this long journey of talk I've already put us on [00:12:00] and you can realize that by just getting in front of it, telling the truth, letting people know you're hurting that you need help. Like, 'cause I was never gonna ask for help.

Scott Maderer: Never, ever, ever gonna ask

Ryan Reichart: for help. And I realized that's the first thing you should do is ask for help. And it's amazing how many people are right there to help you, but I was too prideful. So that dynamic in itself was where, you know, it took me a long time to get here.

Scott Maderer: Mm-hmm.

Ryan Reichart: But I'm so glad I'm here.

Scott Maderer: You know, I, I obviously a lot about the journey and again, I think when. People think of we see the outside. You know, you talked about being Captain America on the outside and, and not not really put together on the inside. We see the outside of folks. We usually don't see. The journey, the, the, the bumps, the bruises, the scars.

You know, and again, most people don't like to share that part of 'em, uh, but you're [00:13:00] obviously very open and honest about it. What you mentioned earlier, you said something about wondering why you were such a perfectionist. Did you ever get an answer to that question?

Ryan Reichart: You know, it was really interesting.

I mean, it was, you know, a reflection. Now today, grandpa Reich's been gone since 89, you know, so like there was moments like, this is really crazy when I reflect now before I always wanted to be like, I wish I had 10 minutes with him. And it could be like while I was in service, he was in the Navy. He spent like three years World War ii.

And so I know what some of the things I suffer from. You know, it's been four years in the Middle East. Uh, can't imagine what he went through eons ago in World War II and, um, just, yeah, life in general. But yeah, both my mom, my dad said, yeah, he had a tendency to want everything to be put in that perfect box and I laugh at that 'cause I had a boss, great battalion commander Tomahawk six was his call sign.

And, uh. [00:14:00] Had the tomahawk six and one of 'em is there is no box. And it meant, you know, if you say, you know, you gotta think outside the box. Well, there's a box still then there and, and that means you're in it. And so like, no, there is no box. Like, don't even allow that to be in part of your lexicon. He also said, had another great one on there.

It was. Don't go anywhere, you've never been before. And that just meant like anything that you think you're gonna do, like at least kind of have a rehearsal done in your head of like what you believe it's gonna look like. So therefore you, you know, you show up with pants on and a shirt maybe, you know, if it's some type of event, you know, it's not where you're board shorts and flip flops and missing a shirt and so on and so forth.

And so I think to me, when I really reflect on that, is whatever I saw, whatever I picked up. Because I loved my grandpa and grandma. It was one of those, when they moved to California in the eighties and, you know left us there in Hoople. I, I remember still in their driveway just bawling my eyeballs out, you know, kind of thing.

Because they were leaving [00:15:00] and I'm like, why are you leaving me here one, you know? North Dakota back then they got cold winters and uh, two, they're going to,

Scott Maderer: I

Ryan Reichart: hate to California,

Scott Maderer: North Dakota still has cold winters. That hasn't changed. Yeah. I have a client in North Dakota, so I know how cold it gets up.

You know, one of the things I like to highlight on the show is the intersection between what I call our faith journey and our life journey and how those kind of feedback one into the other. And you've touched on that a little bit already, but unpack a little bit more. What do you think was going on in terms of your faith journey?

You know, both when you were, you know, you grew up with it and then you kind of moved away from it in the dark night of the soul moments, and now you've kind of returned. What has that been like? How has that feedback loop happened for you?

Ryan Reichart: I mean, it's super wild when I think about that dynamic. I really laugh 'cause we were an Irish Catholic family and you know, for those who don't know what that means, it, it just means that, just 'cause you're drink a lot of alcohol doesn't mean [00:16:00] you're an alcoholic kind of thing.

Mm-hmm. And uh, it's just part of the dance. But yeah, it was like super involved and, you know, whatever that looked like. And I think my faith was really, really strong until I hurt my knee in high school and then it kind of dipped and then I think I was okay for a bit. Going to college, you know, kind of non-existent.

And then I married a Lutheran, nothing against that, but for me, in my mind it was like sweet Catholic light. We don't have to go to church as much, you know, at least at a minimum. We only have to go once a week, not twice. Um, and in Afghanistan, this would've been like 2004. There was an event over there for me that.

Some guys and myself went through that. It put me in an o uh, an off-putting. Just why? Why God, why Lord, why would this ever, why, why, why, why, why? Lots of whys. And I think it just put me on my [00:17:00] heels for a really long time. You know, we had the girls I have two adult children today.

Beautiful young women, but they, uh, you know, we, we did the normal thing, right? They got baptized. Uh, they had, first of all, communion they got, but it wasn't I didn't read, like I said, I just said, I got a Bible like a year and a half ago kind of thing, you know, they're, you know, 18 and soon to be 20 now, so.

Granted, they didn't see, like, they saw this strong military presence and authoritarian probably, you know, dad obviously loud in charge and everything else. But you know, to see this soft side now that I present and being calm and kind and nice in such a way that my soul is at rest, we'll get, I'll land the plane here with all this, but the dynamic was, I think, the Lord knew the runway that I was on and the dynamics of when I would find him again. And it just took that I had a [00:18:00] I had to knock out all seven deadly sins before I was ready to come to him. And that's what it was, that dynamic of like, to finally be put into full surrender and go like, alright I can't do this anymore.

I, I can't carry my rucksack was full of the big rocks that had pick pride, lust, you know, envy, greed. Gluttony Wrath. Like it's, they were all in there, man. They were heavy and you know, I was like, so I can actually put this down now. And he's like, I've been waiting, I'm waiting 45 years for you to put all those down.

And that's the thing, when I did it was like instantly, the first AA meeting I went to, like after that, like absolution and I, I think that was like my dad broke that curse the alcohol even though I had a, you know, fine 33 years of drinking from 12 to 45. But so dad had taken care of that curse, [00:19:00] but there was a lot of other curses that he did not touch in his sobriety journey that he's still on today.

And we've had lots of conversations about all of this and over the last two years, which has been wonderful because we had an okay relationship. Like he probably thought we had a great relationship. You know, I just held a lot of stuff back, you know? Right. It's like, can't be disrespectful kind of thing.

And and I was the only father I got, so I wanted him in my life. And now I understand that like we can actually, you know, have like two grownup conversations together about all the different things that I had to take on that, you know, he didn't break those family traumas, generational curses, whatever we want to call them.

Um, so that now I, I do it so my kids don't have to carry it, right? Mm-hmm. And, you know, it stinks 'cause. I mean, we're, uh, like I never want to be like my dad and more and more and more finding out that we are, and that's perfect because I look at it now as like. [00:20:00] Jesus Christ and God is a father. You know, the dynamics in all of this is where we just continue to be more like.

Mm-hmm. And that is where I've found it's all about the work you're gonna put into it and now today, it's just part of my daily. Spiritual practices and I'm like, you can't have spiritual without ritual. And a lot of that is, you know, my prayer, meditation, my gratitude.

Scott Maderer: So spoken, spoken like a true Catholic.

I, I grew up Methodist, so, you know, another, another Catholic, like, just like Luther.

Ryan Reichart: Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. It's wild. It's wild.

Scott Maderer: The old, the old joke is how do you get a Methodist, let a Catholic and a Baptist get married?

Ryan Reichart: I've never heard that. I I like that though. I'm writing that

Scott Maderer: one down. You can also, also, you can also say that about Lutheran too.

That's, that's some truth to that too. Yeah. So talk a little bit about, [00:21:00] you know, the message that you're trying to put out, the mission that you find yourself on now. You know, I would call it your calling mission. Whatever name you wanna give, it doesn't matter, but. How did that come about? Why is that what you feel called to, to share with the world?

Ryan Reichart: Yeah. I mean, it is really, really wild because like the flesh thigh to me says I don't want to do any of it. Like now I wanna just. Retire and go somewhere warm and keep my toes in the sand and fish and golf and whatever. And the spirit side of me is like, just like you said, it was called out of, you know, this dark place and a year ago.

You know, it's like start a business, write a bunch of books and help every single soul you come across. To just show them the light, you know, be the lighthouse, basically what it's become, you know, through his [00:22:00] light. And I struggle some days, like earlier before getting on the call. I was like, man, I do not feel like doing a podcast today.

You know? But Scott and I, we've met and like, obviously I'm not gonna be like, Hey, I don't feel like doing this. And you know, as soon as we got on the horn, it's like this, the Holy Spirit just like jumps in you and you know, you're like, all right, cool. This is what part of the calling. And it's really, really hard.

'cause there's those dynamics is if I don't do. Specifically the downloads that I get. It's so weird. Like, you know, as having the ability to write, like cause I'm not a writer, like he never was a writer. Um, you know, and, you know, be able to write books like 30 days, like knock a book out and.

It's that was not me. You know? I wasn't sitting in here locked in a room, like figuring it out. It's just like, kind of like a, you know, I don't know what movie out there, but like, you know, where your hand's just going on a notepad and it's like, holy [00:23:00] cow. It's like, and then throw in a Word document, you're like, oh, okay, that's 20,000 words, like, let's get the edited in it. But it's all about like saving. Saving myself really, you know, like trying to intervene or interject or redirect those who I see all the time. I mean, the guys that I work with between being a mentor at Veterans Court between, you know, being, you know, a sponsor for guys that are in sober houses mental health is huge for me.

Like when it comes to, you know, my struggles with suicide and so forth, uh, all these things that. When I reflect on the last time, like what intervened the last time that, you know, I wanted to take my life and it was the dynamic of my master gun area in Saudi Arabia. It was my last deployment.

Um, so going back about five, [00:24:00] yeah, five years now. It's been retired for almost four. And, you know, literally having my M nine, you know, in my mouth when there's a knock at the door, you know, like how, like how is this, you know, I've lost so many buddies over the years and yeah, my master gunner literally is like making a cake.

He's like, I need some flour and sugar. I ran out. And that's the kind of stuff now that I just, it's like we have no idea, you know, our ability, I call it, um. Step method to transform our lives. And it's, you know, the ability to smile, look someone in the eye every time you come across somebody, you know, just like eye contact, smiling, smile, eye contact, whatever that looks like.

Doesn't matter what type of day you're having, what type of day you believe they're having. You know, like be the one who smiles first. It's like a drama, an old Western movie eye contact, smile, I got you, ha. You know, kind of thing.

You know, and then it's pleased. [00:25:00] Thank you. Excuse me, I'm sorry.

And then you just do that all day long and you go to bed and then you do it again the next day and you do it again the next day. And that's how we transform this world into unconditional kindness. Like no matter how we're feeling, you know, you don't want to get on a podcast, you know, in the afternoon or whatever kind of thing towards the tail end of the day, and you're like, Nope.

Eye contact, smile. And you know, please. Thank you. Excuse me, I'm sorry. To me. Wow. When people do that, like when someone holds the door open for me today, when I'm like 20 steps away from it, I'm like, you are. Wow. Like it's angelic, you know? And then like they, they're like, Hey, how you doing? Like eye contact, smile.

You're like, man, I'm having the best day ever. And I wasn't right. Like my head was down, I'm like, boom, boom. Slumping my way to the door. But somebody had, you know, that pause they took 'cause they're unconditionally kind and. That changes my day. I do the same thing. Right, like the dy that [00:26:00] dynamic of it, or who are those people in your life that when you have your normal repetitive things, like the gal that cleans the building I live in, like at the gym when I'm over there four or five, six o'clock in the morning.

Like she's the first person I see and we make eye con, we got her earbuds in, she's jamming out like vacuuming, but we make eye contact, we each smile at each other and it's like a little wave. It's like, man, the day can not, it's gonna be great. It's gonna be a great day.

Scott Maderer: Mm-hmm.

Ryan Reichart: And so I just, I just wonder if we all kind of took that on like I challenge those listening and, and then I challenge you to tell someone about that basically because mm-hmm.

Without that, if I wasn't challenged I don't know if I would've kept going back to aa, my first AA meeting. Someone said hey, it's great that you're here. We challenge you to come back next week. And I mean, I, I had a buddy that took me to a meeting the next day and another buddy to the next day and the next day.

But some of us need that challenge, that line in the sand drawn to go like, [00:27:00] all right, let's go. Like I accept a challenge. Yeah. And um, yeah.

Scott Maderer: Now one of the things I did when I worked corporate is, uh, a lot of my team would stay late and you know, it was very normal for us 'cause we were the leadership team, you know, we were often there six o'clock, seven o'clock, eight o'clock at night.

And so almost always, you know, the, the people would come in to empty the trash and do all of that stuff while we were there. And so I offered a $500 bonus if they could tell me what her name was. Yes.

That first year, nobody got it. No. You know,

Ryan Reichart: I guarantee. Yeah, I mean, her name's Maria, and that's that dynamic is like, do you, how important do you believe you are versus how important is everybody else?

Scott Maderer: Do you even bother to ask the name because you said you've literally seen her probably 180 times this year, if not more.

Ryan Reichart: Yeah.

Scott Maderer: And there wasn't even one day that you said, [00:28:00] Hey, what's your name? And you know, I mean, I knew her name. I knew how many kids she had. I knew, you know, I knew her husband's name.

I, 'cause I made a point of. And by the way, that does not come naturally to me. That comes naturally to my mom, my, my wife, you know, my, my wife can walk into the airport and make five friends and have dinner plans before we get out of the airport. You know, that, that's just her doesn't come naturally to me.

I have to work at it.

Ryan Reichart: Same, I'm, that's not me. My dad, like when he, he was. He's visiting this past Thanksgiving and, uh, like that dude, like he sold more books probably than than I ha like kind of the dynamics of him, just like on the plane rides when he is up here. He is like, oh yeah, I talked to so and so, like, they're on your YouTube, they're on this, they're on that now.

Like, I'm like, sweet. He's like, oh yeah. And then I met somebody at Beg, you know, I'm, I'm like, how do you just naturally love. To to spark up. It's so, it's cool though because it's it's made me now get out of that. Mm-hmm. And just go, [00:29:00] that's the point. The point is to do that, it's hard, right?

Like the natural abilities, I believe, like our greatest talents, I look at it as spiritual warfare, where the dynamic is like, there's some presence that forces us to, you know, not be natural like you and me, obviously, to have this great and amazing conversation. But we're both probably in a very comfortable space, right?

Mm-hmm. Like you're office, my office, whatever. It looks like we're comfortable and enjoying ourselves. But if you were to put us yeah. Out somewhere else, like we're not talking to anybody. We're not engaging, like, you know, it's like, what's the motive? And so it's like, come on guys, like this is your gift.

This is like your calling, your greatest gift. And we were afraid for some weird reason, one way, shape or form not to share it because of something.

Scott Maderer: Right. Yeah. It's, it's, uh. And what I have to remind myself of is that [00:30:00] part of we're called to. To, you know, love God, love others, love ourselves, you know?

Right. In that order noticing there is the others, you know, and to love on people. You do actually probably have to know 'em and talk to 'em and, and connect with 'em and do all that. Oh yeah, this is part of my job. Nevermind, I forgot, you know? Yeah. It's like,

Ryan Reichart: oh,

Scott Maderer: I, I think about all you could tell us to do that,

Ryan Reichart: you

Scott Maderer: know?

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, so talk a little bit about your books. I mean, I know you said you're not a writer yet. You've written books. You know what?

Ryan Reichart: Yeah. I mean,

Scott Maderer: where do they come from and what are they?

Ryan Reichart: Yeah, I mean, today, okay, I'll say I'm a writer. You know, obviously you can't write three or four books and then not call yourself a writer.

I think that's doing a disservice to all the other people that have written books, right? Like, um, call themselves authors. I call myself an author today and uh, yeah. So the first one, it's God only knows when the Devil comes for your second chance at life. To simplify it's. [00:31:00] You know, like your second chance at life.

My second chance at life, a second chance at life. And it was the painstakingly one year process of separation, divorce, uh, loss of a corporate job, all these dynamics, sobriety, and still being here to tell it. And like actually being in a pretty decent place when I reflect a year ago when I wrote it or started writing it, um.

I didn't obviously feel that way, but feelings are feelings. I mean, that's why we call them feelings and they come from our emotions. And obviously while you're, you know, going through a divorce process, you might have some, you know, angry, sad, mad, glad, you know, a lot of different ads there and, uh, and so forth that make you feel all kinds of different things depending on where you're at along the journey.

And to me it's kind of like an, this is a, a bunch of [00:32:00] tools over, you know I think 12 chapters that I'll take you through literally. The grief process that comes with the loss of a 25 year relationship, what you believed was gonna be, uh, your career for like the next 20 years. So then, you know, you retire at 59 and a half and go live on that, that beach somewhere and, and, I don't know, do nothing and be of no service possibly.

And, you know, happy with just getting up, going to work, you know, making the donuts every day. And, uh, with all of that gone, you know, I was like, now what? You know, so it's got, I call 'em focus boards now, but when I wrote that book it was vision boards, like how to develop like the life that you want to live.

'cause you get a choice, you know, it's not the life you have to live and uh, I was doing the life I believed I had to live, right? Mm-hmm. Like it's like the five bedroom house with a pool. Two expensive luxury automobiles, a [00:33:00] boat at the lake season, tickets for the hockey team. Trips, you know, that the kids would, you know, whatever, right?

Whatever magazine that you thought was like X. Like don't worry. We had all of it to a T and I thought that's what you had to have. You know, that was the life, that was the framework. And I look at my life today, it's very different in such a way that, um. I was captain of America again, right? Like I had to have that all the, you know, looking real shiny and, uh, so broken.

So broken on the inside. And, uh, yeah. So, uh, coming out of that one, we go right into, let's talk about those emotions and feelings. It's the Icarus effect, uh, the highs and lows of our emotions. We all have feelings, and that one, to me is kind of your. Artistic way of looking at a boy to a man in such a way where if you lie, you cheat, you steal, [00:34:00] you're a boy, you know, you're the boy who cried wolf.

And at no point do you collect $200 once you pass, go. And so that one in itself has got you'll find yourself reading that one. And even for women out there, the dynamics, you know, we, we all have the, those highs and lows of our emotions that create the feelings we have on a day-to-day basis.

I mean, even as I reread it cause that was right on the heels of, uh, a second chance of life. You know, there's things in there that I've forgotten that I wrote about, or the poems that are in there that just really go like, wow. Every time I still read 'em, you just like, I break down and 'cause it.

It's that emotional connection that was tied to where I was at on this journey. And then, uh. Living Truth with Jack Canfield paired up with Jack Canfield, uh, you know, Mr. Chicken Soup for the Soul and the Success Principles and, uh, 10 other folks. We [00:35:00] wrote a group book together. And, you know, for me, that's where I was really getting in the stories.

I, you know, I was like, I don't need to tell any of these stories. The one that I talked about in the last deployment, you know, talking about suicide and so forth. 'cause today I can, I can see how people. You know, if you're into X, Y, and Z and securing yourself and you're healthy, you know, mindbody, soul like kind of thing.

I get where it's like, man, yeah, I, I've never thought about suicide. I, like, I can see where those people are coming from. Like, because like the work you put in is like the health you, you get out of it and, uh, you know, trust me, I got problems. Like my life's not all rosy and shiny and, you know, different dynamics of it, like, but.

Every day I put the work in, I continue to take the steps in the right direction to answer this calling, you know, because I was chosen many are called, you know, but few are chosen. It's that dynamic of [00:36:00] it that, uh, you know, knowing that this, it is the greatest gift I've ever been given, you know, this second chance at life.

And I'm not screwing it up this time around because I probably don't get a third chance. And, uh, that's where I really start to reflect on um. What it all looks like as I reflect that, you know, just the saying of what do you want to be when you grow up kind of thing. Better than I was yesterday.

Scott Maderer: Mm-hmm.

Ryan Reichart: Better than I was yesterday.

Scott Maderer: Mm-hmm. Sometimes that's actually the, the best answer to that question. I also point out to people, you're never too old to ask how, what do I wanna be when I grow up either? 'cause oh, if you're still sucking when you can still ask that question. So and it's usually a good question to ask.

'cause you know, we've all got another chapter in our life if we want it. So we just keep, have to keep moving forward. So I've got a few questions that I like to ask all of my guests, but before I ask you those, is there anything [00:37:00] else about this mission that you're on or your books or anything else that you'd like to share with the listener?

Ryan Reichart: Yeah, I, uh, wanna make sure I get in the, the fourth book. Let's get spiritual. It goes back to those six step method to transform. Why did

Scott Maderer: I immediately hear Olivia Newton John?

Ryan Reichart: Because that's what, that's what came to me. That's how I, that's how I got that title. I was listening. We're

Scott Maderer: showing our age, by the way, but that's,

Ryan Reichart: I know we're, no one's gonna know, like, who's that?

Scott Maderer: Yeah. All, all the Gen Z listeners go look up, let's get physical and just move on.

Ryan Reichart: Well, I mean, people know Greece, right? Like her and John Travolta. I mean, most people like still even my kids like know, like the movie Greece, like yeah,

Scott Maderer: but they don't necessarily know the rest of her.

Ryan Reichart: They don't know the rest of it, but they know Olivia from that.

And, uh. Yeah, I was in the gym and it came on and I was struggling with like, I mean I had like 20 different titles to the book and none of 'em were sticking and all of a sudden, yeah, it's, let's get physical [00:38:00] comes on and I'm like. Let's get spiritual and it's, uh, yeah, let's get spiritual, the six step method to transform your life.

And, uh, that's the one that'll take you through obviously working on that, uh, eye contact, smiling, saying please. Thank you. Excuse me, I'm sorry. And doing it all day long, but it, there's a lot more to it. It's a, it's a 90 day prayer meditation journal and, uh, it'll break you open and really get you into some stuff that, uh.

I've used that. It took me a year and a half to figure it out. And we, uh, once we started utilizing it with guys with case studies and, uh, one guy tried to overachieve it, you know, he did the 90 day program, but he, he amped it up and did it to 200. So, I don't know, he, whatever, 200 Xed it or however you wanna look at it.

And, uh, he's, yeah. The things he's doing today are amazing. Uh, when I think about. It's all about how much work we want to put in, you know, and this isn't talking about like hamster wheel work, right. It's the dynamics of truly productive work.

Scott Maderer: Yeah.

Ryan Reichart: [00:39:00] Productive, transforming yourself into something that you've dreamed of.

'cause that's the thing that, like if you, if you are thinking it, if there's a reason why it's getting downloaded into you, like it's just like, are you willing to truly hear it, listen to it, and then put it into action? That's the dynamic of it.

Scott Maderer: Yeah. Let's make sure too, what, what's the title of your podcast for anyone that's out there and interested in checking that

Ryan Reichart: out?

Oh yeah, absolutely. It's, uh, our healer, our protector with myself, Ryan Reichert and Lisa Sander. And so, yeah, you can find that one out there. I think we're on every kind of, for the most part platforms, the Spotifys, the Amazons, the Apples, the, I just,

Scott Maderer: if you got a podcast, I definitely wanna mention the name of it 'cause people are hearing this on a podcast so they might wanna check out your podcast as well.

So

Ryan Reichart: Absolutely.

Scott Maderer: Um, make sure we get that name in there. So my brand is inspired stewardship and I kind of run things through that lens of stewardship and yet at the same time I've. Kind of discovered [00:40:00] over the years that that's one of those words that like leadership and a lot of other things can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

So for you, what does the word stewardship mean to you?

Ryan Reichart: Yeah, I, I look at it as like the servant leader side of things for me. 'cause I just use servant leadership as the same. And you know, it's, I'll never ask anyone to do something that I wouldn't do. I will be the example for anyone that I'm associated with.

Right. Like the dynamics of like, even though you're have a title. Like when it's time to clean up, you clean up like you're not above any one thing under the sun, and you literally have this ability, we're given two ears and one mouth for a reason. So therefore you listen first or you ask questions before you task anyone out there, because the, the dynamic of, just like you brought up, you know, with the cleaning lady and.

[00:41:00] Understanding, you know, your surroundings, right? Like that dynamic, like you can't steward if like you're oblivious to everything else in your surroundings. And I think that to me really gets after like when I think back in my military career, I don't ever really remember like the guys not following because like, you know, I was like, oh shoot, I have no problem cleaning toilets.

I have no problem doing X, Y, and Z because I'm not above that. And knowing that the dynamics is, is once you do that I have this old saying of I'll run through hell with gasoline underwear on, you know, it's the dynamic of you just have this ability to harness the greatness out of every single one around you.

And that's what, you know, like I see in stewardship or servant leadership.

Scott Maderer: So this is my favorite question that I like to ask everybody. Imagine for a moment that I invented this magic machine, and with this machine, I [00:42:00] was able to take you from where you are today and transport you into the future, maybe 150, maybe 250 years.

And through the power of this machine, you were able to look back and see your entire life, see all of the connections, all of the ripples, all of the impacts you've left behind. What impact do you hope you've left in the world?

Ryan Reichart: I hope everybody that I've met understands who Jesus Christ is from the perspective of he's your best friend who's father wrote a book or however you wanna look at the Bible coming to existence.

And from that dynamic, you wanna read it and then you wanna share that with anybody and everybody you come across. And you do that through your actions that you live ev every single day. And that's that unconditional kindness that I spoke of earlier that's what I would love to see. Like the dynamics [00:43:00] of every person that you've touched along the way.

There's, you know, if you want to use the word legacy and you know, we don't have to use that word, but you know, let's use legendary. That's the North Dakota's motto since, since I'm a North Dakotan, the legendary aspect for everybody that you just see, like I. By the interactions and conversations that they've had, that they've done all of that and then some, and then their kids have done all of that and then some and so on and so forth.

And like you say, that ripple effect across the board just continues to carry on and over and with his light and you being the lighthouse, no one's getting wrecked on the shores 'cause they can see it coming.

Scott Maderer: So what's on the roadmap? What's coming next as you continue on your journey?

Ryan Reichart: Yeah, it's uh, it's really wild.

You know, as I reflect on the rear view mirror, you know, we've had TEDx talk in Duluth, Minnesota, so that was an awesome, you know, thing that happened. Uh, you know, so continue to look forward again, as many stages [00:44:00] as possible to share. My teachings of focus, and that's, uh, faith, opportunity, consistency, unconditional kindness, and the standard.

And, uh, that's kind of my overarching umbrella of everything that moving forward kind of happens, is what you focus on. You know, you'll get, so if you focus on the good. Keep getting better. You know, if you focus on the bad, it won't. And, uh, you know, I've seen that time and time again throughout my life, you know, wherever I was focusing my energy.

Like today, I focus on my three wins every day before I start, you know, doing the coaching and the speaking and the writing, and it's the physical win. It's the mental win and spirit, excuse me, spiritual win. And I do all those from, you know, five to nine basically, you know, it's like walk the dog, go to the gym.

Read my [00:45:00] Bible jot or sometimes journal if I really know what I'm actually thinking about. But a lot of time it's just jotting that came, you know, by throwing the weights around and stuff like that, that you have a few words you jot down and then it'll come to you later on. But what I've noticed is by doing those three things every single day, like I haven't lost a single day yet, um, in that execution kind of thing, you know that five to nine locks in the nine to five and the rest is gravy.

And, um, yeah, it, uh, it just keeps getting better. So couple more books, like I said in the Works. Uh, that'll come out I suspect, uh, this summer. And, uh, we'll just keep, uh, cranking out podcast episodes and, uh. I know we got retreats on the horizon but in Minnesota we want it to be nice out for people to come visit us.

So, uh, that'll probably be summer, fall of, uh, yeah, 24 6 years.

Scott Maderer: So that that'll be what, July [00:46:00]

Ryan Reichart: at a minimum of July

Scott Maderer: when you, when you finally get the snow off the ground. Sorry, I have to tease my northern neighbors. I'm in Texas, so we don't, we don't get that.

Ryan Reichart: Yes.

Scott Maderer: Yeah, when we have winter down here we yell out the window, Hey, y'all can come get your winter.

It got out of the yard and it's drunk. You know, come, it came down here.

Ryan Reichart: Oh, I get that. I totally get that.

Scott Maderer: So you can find out more about Ryan over@ourprotectordevelopment.com and of course I'll have a link to that over in the show notes as well. Ryan, anything else you'd like to share with the listener?

Ryan Reichart: No, I'm just internally grateful, Scott, for your platform and my ability to share my calling with everyone. And then just know that, uh I'm praying for everybody out there if you got something, you know, that's tough or something that you know you're wanting make sure you share it with somebody.

So the ability is that we continue to pray over everyone out there and, uh, I just, [00:47:00] uh, love having the ability to share. So thank you.

Scott Maderer: Thanks so much for listening to the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen, but act on what you've heard and find a way to live your calling. If you enjoyed this episode. Please do us a favor. Go over to inspired stewardship.com/itunes.

Rate all one word iTunes rate. It'll take you through how to leave a rating and review and how to make sure you're subscribed to the podcast so that you can get every episode as it comes out in your feed. Until next time, invest your time, your talent, and your treasures. Develop your influence and impact the [00:48:00] world.