Seven Decisions Interview - Andy Andrews

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self developmentAndy: Writing is definitely noremy fbcus now than the other partsofmy carcer Howevet I'm ableto blend them together; I speak allover the world now, and most ofwhat I'm speaking about is theseprinciples. And even in my previousexistence as a comedian, I couldtakc the principles and lay themout in a palatable way for people,not too scriously, but in a way th^tpeoplc are able to laugh at certainsituations they recognise from theirown lives, and doing it in a fun andconver'sationalway,(htilititrc: Ilt^ &) pu t..t..;trfutllrl4in!u It ftlltttr IttLLtrr?Andy: I de6ne it as living my lifeir hannony wilh the dircction inwhich I bclicve I'm supposed 10 behcadcd. My persotal measure ofsucccss is thAt it is not a destiration- il is an ongoing process - theprocess ofbecoming a better t'ather,ofbccoming a bettcr husband,ofbecoming a wiser and morevaluable friend, and b€coming abetter communicator for the peoplewho might Iook forward to, or evendepend on the work that I do. So it isa proccss olbecoming rathcr than adcstination for me.Chrirtitlt: Whut t( ttu n)tli t)tlit)tlLtn t t h i ng,t tt ) .\'t ) i v nu. l i /c 1Andy: My fa,nily is most i,nportantto me - my family is my connectionChtistine: IYhdt en you tell ,teubot nt ec I i ng i n lhte n I i o I peop le.su(h 0.t pasid0tx and liliknt'Andyr One oithe things that Ialways try to do is ask questions,because it seems to me thatas adults, parents, supervisorsand suchlike we spend a lot oftrmc answering questions, andifI'm around people who haveaccomplished something, I try toremembel that the quality ofnlyanswers will be detennined by thequality ofmy questions. So I tryto ask things thal will allow me toleam something that's beyond them,something that's inside them. So Iask them questions like "ltlr.r/ s Ir?.t'irst thing you do when yu u'akep in the tnorning?" "What do youdo v,hen lou re depressed?" Howdo loa put lo|r children to bedal nighl, trhol do yo sa! Io them,tt,h.tl:t lhe larl lhing you want the]nto hear? l lo co ld go backto age l8 a1d change one thing inlotff lilb what i,ould )'ou change?"''Whal': lhe snartesthinglotr/hthet ever did?" 1a,intotry tobdng wisdom that is in there outinto a tbrm where I can understandand use it.Chtirti e: $ rhqt i.\ thc litst tlti r.r!)u,:lt) \,hu.\ou\dli( t) in th.)to where I comc from, it's my Andy: The first thing I do when Iconnection to where I'ln going, it's get up in the moming is to say amy connection to the legacy that prayer and ask God for his guidanceI'll leave - how I raise my children, for today. I look in on my little boys,how they turn out and what they and makc sur€ everyone is okay,will produce - that's part ofthe IfI'm out oftown, I pick up thelegacy I'm working for now. That'sphone and call, and then go aboutthe most inportant thing for me - [ scheduling what I'm doing. But Igauge my work, my books, and my spend some quiet time in between,speeches by what kind ofimpact where I settle myselfand figurethey will have on my family's lives where I'm going and what I'm100 years fiom now Will things that doing for the day and what I need toI produce still be wo*ing 100 years accomplish.from now, will they still be changinglives and influencing others and .t l.t L) clltLll\t ''ptrlling people out ofdespair - and Andy: Empathy. Leaders wirhwill they still be providing guidanceempathy arc pafiicularly effective.for my own family.The type ofl€ader who, when youlook into their eyes, show that theyunderstand you, and demonstratethat whether or not they have beenwherc you are, they can certainlyfeel what it is like. They haveempathy with the people they lead.Anotho chamcteristic I haveobserved which is very attractive ina leader is people who can acceptrcsponsibility for things that gowrong, and give credit for thethings that go right. We see a lotofleade$hip that does the exactopposite - they give all the blanre forthe things that go wrong, and takeall the credit for the things that gongnr,Chrirtin?: llhdtrot it lili?t),:.t lot t)ting /ir. Ih( |ru)f ?Andy: It has been great - ardpart ofthe reason for that is therealisation that the troops arc doingajob for our world, and that thcyaro not politiciscd. They are outthere, and they arc not Liberals orConservalives - they are peoplcdoing ajob that has been demandedofthem. Whcther we agree that theyshould be there or not, in a verydmstic scnse, the troops arc ,ls- theyare our neighbours, oltf sons anddaughters, our fathers and mothers,and that is a major part ofthc reasonwhy they deserye our support, andour love and praycrs, because theyare l/J, They represenl our nations- and they are not only us, theyare among the best ofus. Most ofthem could make morc money ilrprivate service, but these young menand women are choosing to givethemselves to us, to our nations.Christirre: In to.n: o/ro t.ncnhook, The l.\!.1nLl d Sainrs . tLhichfuLuscs on the po|,er o/lbrgivness,have you t)enonolt, /b nLl thdt/argiveness is wlrut nakes thc nostdillercnce itl yout'own li/a?, Andy: Yes.I believe so, because Imrny olus see forgiveness as anend, but it is huly a beginning. Onccyou understand forgiveness, andunderstand that it is something that
self developmentwe can gir?, and that it means moreto us than it does to tbe person beingforgiven, then it's a brcathing point.It's a new start for wherc we want togo, because most ofus do not rcalisehow stunted and stopped we haveI think it's important to rememberthat ifyou are still breathing, thereis morc ahead in your life. Thingsmay be bleak and bad personally,but we're all either in a crisis,coming out ofa crisis, or headingwork with them? No, you don't.Forgiveness and trust are twodiffer€nthings. Forgiveness isabouthe past, and trust is abouthefuture. Trust and resp€ct are eamed,and they arc not permanent,been by a )ack offorgiveness in our for a crisis. That'sjust part oflife, "Alrves.part ofbeing on this planet - so if man offear lives always onChristine: Th( rorl.l is (lelinitel.t you understand that whilst you're the edge ofinsanity. A man ofiI nlrLl d /otgirencss, ho\t,cdn $c still breathing, you're still herc, /aith lives in perpetual reward.tttttnrage ntctrc people b o.lopt the which means that you have notDo battle with the challenge;ttin(i)le o/ lbrgiwncrr to accomplished the purpose you were/ottct'pcu(e unLl ( ottltn nil.\,?sent here forofyour present, and yotr willAndy: A lot has to do with pcoplc Ifyou were through, ifyour purpose unlock the prizes of yourunderstanding forgiveness, and was f'ulfilled, you wouldn't be here..fiiure. "that's what I tried to do in "lsland So, you're still herc, that meansofsaints". I hid it out in a story thcre's morc to do - there's more - AndyAndrews, Thc Traveller's Gift.in a tbrm that people would enjoylaughter 10 enjoy, morc successreading and also understand theto experience, morc childrcD todifterent viewpoinl that forgiveness infiuence, ,norc friends to help @ 2005 Christine Millcrallows. I really believe that "lslaDd - ther€'s morc to your life. And itofSainls" is the bcsthing I've ever will gct better and better and bettcr,donc in my life - I think it's lhe best and to thc people of the UK, and ofstory and the most etTcctive and London in particular -Bio:we apprcciateAndyAndrewspowcrful principle 1br changing ouryour cxampre, we appreclareis the author ofltves,yollr couragc, we appreciatc yourthe New Yorkfriendship. And we appreciate the Times bestsellerChrislinc: lr thet? u ettuge.t,rtu r.l legacy you'vc laid out for us.litu to.)//Lt h thc t)eot)lc o/the UK,u ntl parr it u lu r h, Londo n, u/i c r t he Ch stine: ln k i.\(lli)tgi|anrs:, Gifi:SDenft.cnt hotnhingt?du.t\\t harc un), "^|ggaslk)nr us lahaw prople \ho haw hecn Ll,rcpl!Andy: The people oflhc UK and .r|/cdcL{ b.N thc holihins: und ht rhethe people ofLondon have always \ i I t kr I i (\1 ( a u I d pfttL t i L ! /ot gi 1,.!ncsscemed to be incredibly couragcousS,rccerr (HodderMobius,and discerning to me. I remembcr Andy: There is one thing toI had a friend who said 'i-!r'l Paperback - June 6,2005, €12.99).i/ remember - and thal is fiatHis most recent book is "Island ofotridzing that lhe people ofLondon forgiveness is a decision - it is not Saints" (Nelsoo Books Hardcoverdre going about their business an emotion. lf we try to ask for - June 2005, 110.99) He is a seasonednuch more quiclcly lhon the people lbrgiveness with our emotions, our performer, a prolific writet andin America did a/ier 9/11?' l s id emotions drag us the other way. a successful entrepreneur who isto him that the people ofthe UKForgiveness is something that we intemationally known for his utiquehave a history ofgoing aboutheir c?rn give - and the person we are combination of entertainment andbusiness. People don't realise that forgiving doesn't have to ask tbr it, inspiration.Andrews hasperformedduring the Blitz there were 59 nightsthey don't have to deserve it; they at rhe White House at the request ofin a row when London was bombed,don't even have to know that they four different United States Prcsidents,and 59 momings when the people are being forgiven. Forgiveness and has enteitained thousands ofoflondon got up and went to work. is a decision that we are able to audiences worldrvide. AndyAndrewsThis an extremely courageouswield, and if we forgive, and has achieved success and happinesscountry an extremely courageoLls understand that it is a decision, then by bringing lorth his owlr brand ofpeople, and I believe that the people our emotions follow the decision. dogged p€rsistence to quietly becomeofthe UK are our best friends - People sometimesay what they are one ofthe most sought alier sp€ak€rsjustthey are where many ofus comegoing to get way with it? No,from, and what a wonderful legacy that's not it at all. Do you forgive Contact:you guys have for us, a wonderful somebody who steals liom you? email andy@andyanahews.comexample for us.Yes, you do. Do you continue to website: wrnv.andyanahews.com
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Seven Decisions Interview - Andy Andrews

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