Dear Family,

Growing up, one of my most impactful experiences was attending St. Benedict's Prep (SBP) in Newark, NJ. 

SBP serves predominantly at-risk students and taught me about the power of persistence. Its motto is "Benedict's hates a quitter." This ethos, coupled with the discipline I learned from wrestling, instilled in me the values of hard work and ownership—essential qualities for achieving excellence.

They say hard times create strong people, who then create good times, which, in turn, create complacent people, leading back to hard times. 

There's a ring of truth to this cycle, but it's not a cycle I accept for myself or anyone I engage with. Imagine if we actively sought out challenges instead of avoiding them. What if, by facing difficulties head-on, we could accelerate our journey to the good times? This approach to life might seem counterintuitive—like investing, where one must endure the lows to appreciate the highs.

Choose Your Hard

Embrace the tough choices because doing so reduces the temptation to quit. Excellence demands hard work—a fact no technological advancement can change. Though technology promotes efficiency, it doesn't negate the need for effort; it simply accelerates our response to the challenges that require it.

Working Genius

Recently, my therapist introduced me to Patrick Lencioni's "6 Working Genius" assessment, which helped me understand where I excel: Invention and Galvanizing. It's no wonder I find joy in writing these newsletters and advocating for causes I believe in. Recognizing where we naturally excel can help us align our efforts with our capabilities, increasing our effectiveness and fulfillment.

Creating Clarity and Removing Limits

I started my business to help others like me unlock financial freedom. Part of this process involves having honest conversations about our skills, capabilities, and limits. Acknowledging and understanding our constraints doesn't diminish us; it humanizes us and can remove barriers to our success.

The Long Haul

The path I've chosen—marked by consistent 12-15 hour workdays over the last decade—hasn't been easy. It requires tremendous effort and persistence, qualities that I know many of you share. High performance in any area of life, whether it's your career, faith, family, or finances, often involves navigating through tough seasons.

A Call to Perseverance

Let's commit collectively to persevering and not giving up on what is important to us. If we can continue through the hard times, maintaining faith in the journey and each other, we can lead truly enriched lives. Remember, you are not alone in this—reach out if you need support to keep pushing forward.

Together, we can redefine what it means to live well. Let's see it through to the end.

Warm Regards,

Matt