Discovering Wisdom, over Coffee with Mark Bertrang

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. Here's the link for Chapter Nineteen – “The reason for thanksgiving”

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. Here's the link for Chapter Eighteen – “Keeping your dignity.”

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. Here's the link for Chapter Seventeen – “What does an illustration really show?”

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Sixteen: "What's left?"

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Fifteen: "The Colonel".

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Fourteen: "Understanding Cash Values".

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Thirteen: "A nearly perfect day".

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. Here's the link for Chapter Twelve – “May I take your picture?”

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Eleven - Whole Life: Built to last

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Ten: "I thought it was stupid for them to do it."

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Nine - "If they say you're disabled, you're no good to me."

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Eight: Term Insurance

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Seven: “Remember how she was.”

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Five: Human Life Value

FREE DOWNLOAD “Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author.

FREE DOWNLOAD “Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author.

FREE DOWNLOAD “Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author.

FREE DOWNLOAD “Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author.

“Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author. This is Chapter Six: “We thought we were invincible.”

FREE DOWNLOAD “Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset” – A weekly audio book segment, a gift from Financialoscopy® creator - Mark Bertrang, as read by the author.

Who Was I Before Retirement? Who Am I Now After Retirement? These are the questions many people ask as they enter the "retirement zone." They're not fully retired yet, but their financial concerns are settled. Health insurance is arranged, and the formalities of their financial life are in place. But what about who they are now—their passions, their purpose, and their soul? What is their identity after retirement? Mark Bertrang, author of "Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset," sits down for an hour-long conversation with Lee Rasch, past president of Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Together, they discuss Lee's new journey of discovery. Lee shares how, six months before his retirement, he started researching by speaking with 50 retirees about their own transitions from pre-retirement to post-retirement life.

The Medicare conversation should be easy. It isn't. There are multiple decisions to be made and these decisions are not only for the first time you qualify for Medicare at the age of sixty-five. The decisions you make that first year could potentially lock you into a plan that you could embrace or regret for the rest of your life. There may also be annual decisions you may need to continue to make, as well. Our guest, Tina Johnson, an Elder Benefit Specialist & State Health Insurance Counselor from the Aging and Disability Resource Center in La Crosse County Wisconsin walks us through the Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D elements of Medicare.  We'll discuss original Medicare and Advantage programs, along with a visit about Medicare Supplement policies and more. Stay tune. Your health depends on it.

Laurie Finn is our guest from Finnottes.  Laurie lives a life of Mission, Nuts and Chocolates.  She makes a lasting impact on everyone she meets. Finnottes was established in 1986 by the husband-and-wife team Frank Finn and Laurie (Otte). Merging their lives and their last names, they have grown their business over the years to become Finnottes Nut & Chocolate Shop.  This episode may be considered a course in business, but also of caring and realizing the impact that can be made from behind a retail counter; but more importantly, by coming around from behind the counter and embracing those around you as a personal mission to impact your neighborhood, your community and the world around you. 00:00 Introduction 02:10 Laurie's Background 05:06 Caring for Customers 06:37 Faith & the Chocolate Ministry 11:21 Growing in Wisdom 18:26 Driven by Gratitude 22:53 Doug & Debbie Downers 26:33 More than just a Job 40:07 World Outlook 43:11 What if you didn't have the store? 44:09 The History of how Finnottes started 44:43 Mark Bertrang's Book – Investments Don't Hug 52:10 Seasonal Candy Inventory 55:02 Online Sales & Local Deliveries 57:13 Where did ‘Finnottes' name come from? 59:00 The Finnottes Family 01:01:42 Creating Special Moments 01:05:25 Conclusion

Mark Bertrang interviews Sarah Gebo, the Program Director of ”The Exchange” the La Crosse Area Furniture Bank. The Exchange provides donated furniture and household goods to families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness and poverty. It is driven by volunteers and donations of basic household goods and gently used furniture from the community. The team of volunteers carefully inspect the donations when they enter the warehouse so that they meet our quality standard. The Exchange partners with social service/community advocates to identify and accompany recipients in need.  Recipients must have a confirmed residence before they come to ‘shop' at The Exchange.  Once an appointment is made, the recipient and advocate are invited to select essential household items, free of charge, to furnish their home. At The Exchange, it is very important that each clients' experience is dignified from the moment they arrive at the warehouse to the moment their home is furnished. If needed, The Exchange even delivers furniture to the recipient. The Exchange was founded and coordinated by 4 women. In the first 5 years they grew their regular volunteer base to over 65. Here's their website -  You may also watch the video here - 

You haven't gain real wisdom until you have walked through the pasture of life and unexpectedly step into a fresh cowpie, feeling the warm manure squish between your toes.  Life can sometimes playout like a checkerboard of bovine bingo, a unique community activity which oftentimes plays-out on hot summer days in town squares, as townspeople celebrate their local festivals in small gatherings, throughout the Midwest. In this game, you might be the winner, but when it happens in real life, how do you clean-up after the mess?

How much has changed during your life? Will it keep on changing? Do those changes concern you? How can you add certainty to your life? It's like knowing you have a winning lottery ticket.  If you owned that ticket and you knew it was going to payout in the future, how might that change how you live your life today?

Have you ever found yourself needing to clear space but having no idea where to even begin? Perhaps you were named in a departed loved one's will to clear the estate, or you need some guidance preparing for a home renovation, or maybe you're just overwhelmed by clutter. Mark speaks with Sara Washburn of Peace by Piece Professional Organizing to discuss the purpose of her organization and what services are offered. 0:00 Intro 2:41 How "Peace by Piece" Came to Be 8:00 DIY Action Plans and Coaching 12:05 Home Decluttering and Organization 18:25 A Kind Request 19:24 Estate Clearing 24:24 Renovation Preparation 26:40 What Motivates Sara? 29:26 Cause for Tears 32:50 Hoarding 38:40 Investments Don't Hug 39:12 Hoarding (cont'd) 46:19 Sara's Army Lesson 48:17 The One Thing 52:55 Conclusion To contact Sara, or for more info on her services, please visit: https://peacebypiecewi.com/

When I told the social media world that I would be dropping a video and podcast soon with Chris Lezpona as my guest, I was surprised by the huge reaction I received. Chris has weathered many storms in his life, the biggest being a brain tumor and the following surgery to remove it over a decade ago and then the resulting handicaps he has overcome since. To know Chris is to know someone who causes you to see not his handicaps, but instead the handicaps in yourself, the handicaps that we all have, those that can't be seen with the naked eye. Chris may share with you what he may believe are his personal limitations, but you won't see them. Instead, you may wonder instead, what your own limitations are, that you have set upon yourself. If I ever need a positive boost in my life, I know where to find it. Its embodied in a man who works at a busy Kwik Trip convenience store down the street from our office. This spectacular young man's name is Chris Lezpona. 0:00 Introduction 1:32 Who is Chris Lezpona? 5:42 Life Changing Diagnosis 9:10 A Kind Request 10:08 Navigating Life with a New Perspective 18:22 Life is Hard 19:50 The Good You See and Try to Be 23:49 Investments Don't Hug 24:20 God Bless Moms 26:21 Chris's Tattoo 29:02 Rules to Live By 31:53 Kwik Trip 33:03 Conclusion

We are all bombarded with so much “stuff” that fills our basket of ‘to-dos' each day.  How is an overwhelmed person supposed to conquer the pile of life's stuff that blocks our path to success and happiness.  Mark Bertrang revisits Gary Keller's book – The One Thing.  He explains how he prioritizes what needs to be accomplished first, from each list of to-dos in his life. 0:00 Intro 1:10 A Day in the Life of Mark 3:49 What is "The One Thing"? 5:44 Conclusion

How do you begin your day?  Upbeat or downtrodden?  We're told that you can choose your outlook.  If that's true, how should you begin your day? Mark Bertrang, author of "Investments Don't Hug" provides his simple formula to beginning and staying positive each day. 00:00    Intro 00:35    Why beginning your day with the News is a bad idea 02:33    Mark Bertrang's morning routine 05:41    Stay Informed on world events, but tread carefully 06:46    How to change and maintain your ‘default' attitude 09:11    What do you owe yourself and others? 10:55    Your Future Self - Who do you want to be? 14:01    Conclusion

0:00 – Intro 3:10 – Why “Truth Concepts”? 6:42 – Sensationalized News and Number Panic 19:00 – Overcoming the Fear of Utilizing Your Own Money 21:27 – Todd's Passion for Financial Services 25:18 – Using Strategy to Uncover Truths 32:49 – Investments Don't Hug 33:24 – Insuring Your Most Valuable Asset: You! 41:08 – Finding Peace of Mind 44:52 – The Safety in Whole Life Insurance 50:46 – Benefits of Truth Concepts Financial Software 57:52 – Conclusion Purpose with Mark Bertrang, Ep. #143 "Math tells the truth" Guest: Todd Langford, Truth Concepts Todd Langford is a believer in the truth.  Many financial products sold in today's world revolve around gimmicks or hide behind words that seem less than the total truth.  As the creator of the Truth Concepts™ software platform, Todd Langford spends his waking hours questioning the numbers and concepts used by the financial industry in communicating the reality of math.  We don't live in a world where all of our decisions are made purely by math, but we do live in a world where math can determine our destiny.  Forget “conventional wisdom” or what the latest financial magazine or infomercial might be pushing. Truth Concepts™ pulls back the curtain and shows us the reality of the math. It can compare financial strategies, to consult and answer specific financial questions, or to educate your about financial principles such as opportunity costs and the impact of taxes and fees. Truth Concepts™ is desktop software program that analyzes the impact of various financial choices. It includes over 20 multi-faceted functions – a suite of 16 calculators and additional tools and tables of historical information (such as tax rates). It lets you evaluate the effectiveness of limitless financial options.

Yesterday, I was at our local Office Depot. I needed to pick up some more spiral binders. I write each and every morning, and I believe that journaling is an important way to focus your thoughts for the day. If that is not something that you are doing now, I would highly recommend it. If you want to center yourself and have clarity, I suggest that you don't turn on the news or listen to podcasts. Instead, enjoy some silence in your day. During that silence, grab a pen, some sheets of paper, and begin writing. I had somebody recently ask me at a national conference how it is that I do my journaling. He wanted to know specifically how I start writing about something.  I told him I usually begin with one sentence or sometimes just one word. If I'm upset about something, I will just write “I had a crappy day yesterday”. Then, I just write what went on yesterday. Usually, by the time I get to the end of my journaling, I solve the problem that was irritating me, and I come out on the other side of my brooding into sunshine and positivity. I might also write down something like “I am so thankful today because…”. Then I write about that. The goal is not just to fill the page with words. You may find that it is actually pretty easy to fill a page or 2 or 3. For me, journaling oftentimes becomes a prayer., and at the very end, I simply write “amen”. So, while I was at Office Depot picking up some more journaling supplies, I took a stroll around the rows of merchandise to see if there was anything that intrigued me, and I came across sheets of emoji stickers. I thought these were really cool. I can use these little dimples of emojis and put them on thank you notes that I write. I write thank you notes every single day because I believe that gratitude is an important part of what our life needs. How many times during the course of the day do you say thank you? If you don't say it often, why not? Are there no people in your life?  Even with people that you come across each and every day like the checkout person at your local grocery store, when was the last time that you paused, looked into their eyes, and said “thank you” instead of just inserting your card and walking away? When our children were young, we repeated again and again to our children. We would ask “What do you say?” They would know that the correct response was either “please”, or “thank you”. Reignite that voice in your mind. If you can remember that voice from your mother and father, make today the day that you begin to say “please” and “thank you” again. If I was writing a thank you note to you today for doing this, I would take one of these little emojis stickers and place it on that note to show my appreciation for what you have decided to do today for others.

What are the odds that as you are driving the roadways of Wisconsin that your life will end this year? Maybe the better question is: how many people are negatively Affected by accidents in the state of Wisconsin? I was discussing this with the team one morning. There are often signs with blinking lights placed next to highways that will say how many people have been killed on Wisconsin roadways during the course of the year. The most recent data from Wisconsin's DOT website was from 2020, and the total number of people that were killed was 593, which is actually a lower number than usual because people were not traveling as much during the pandemic, but it was still 593 people that died that year. That's just the people that didn't walk away from an accident. Instead, they were taken away by hearse. What about the people that were taken away by ambulance? How many people were injured? These numbers are scarier. In 2020, 32,373 people were injured in automobile accidents in Wisconsin. The number of serious injuries, these are people whose lives have been forever changed, was 3,186. The total number of crashes in our state back in 2020 was 115,694. The reason I'm discussing this is because life is risky no matter what we do, and I am always very cautious when I'm out on the roadway. I drive very, very cautiously, making sure that I look both ways, and that I stay with-in the speed limit. However, there are people out there that just appear crazy to me (in all the decisions they make), and just because you are playing it safe, it does not mean that they are. Nobody gets into a car thinking that this may be the day that they die. Nobody thinks today's the day they might get a serious injury that will leave them disabled. They don't think that this year might not turn out how they expected. They don't expect to become disabled for the long run or permanently. They don't expect to maybe lose their job because of it. Have you taken steps to ensure that 100% of your income is fully guaranteed, no matter what happens in your life? No matter your age, it is the ability to produce an income source that allows us to live the life that we want to live. I realize that even if you do have that 100% coverage you might still say that if that were to happen, what's the point, your life would be crap. Personally, I would rather have a crappy life and money than having a crappy life and not have money. Are you 100% able to say today that no matter what happens in your life medically: an accident, a disability, and/or death, that you are covered? Are you sure? It's kind of a sick joke you hear that “every single day, people are just dying to get into the obituary column of their local paper”. Make sure you are 100% covered today. There is no reason to wait on any of this. It's a gift to yourself to make sure this is all setup now. Additionally, it's a gift to your family, to your loved ones. If I'm making a point to you today, then act on it. Feelings will not get you anywhere; hope only gets you so far. It's taking action today that will actually make a difference in your life. Do not become a statistic.

In my first career, decades ago, I worked as an announcer at a radio station in a small, rural town. One of my jobs included doing the emergency broadcast testing on a monthly basis. I can still remember what I needed to say during the test: “The attention signal that you just heard, had it been an actual emergency, would have been followed by official news or instructions. Remember, this is only a test.” Let's talk about the test of income. Someone recently asked us: “What is an immediate annuity?” You will often hear financial professionals talk about annuities. The annuities that they are usually referring to are called an accumulation annuity. Those are annuities where you are accumulating money inside the annuities. That could be an equity index or index annuity, a fixed-interest annuity, or a variable annuity. There are many different options available when a person is putting money into an annuity. What I am referring to is not the accumulation of money within an annuity. What I'm talking about is the payout of an annuity. I actually went to my bookcase today and looked in The American Heritage Dictionary. It gave a pretty good definition of what an annuity is: “1. The annual payment of an allowance or income.” Think of it as your kids receiving an allowance; you are receiving an allowance of income. “2. The right to receive this payment or the obligation to make this payment.” Typically, a person or a company (usually an insurance company) is obligated to pay you on a regular basis. “3. An investment on which a person receives fixed payments for a lifetime or a specified number of years.” You should be very familiar with that structure of an immediate annuity. If you are a lottery winner, you receive a choice of receiving either a lump sum or payments throughout a certain period of time. That is an immediate annuity. If you have a pension program with our local brewery in town, Trane, or with the Wisconsin Trust Fund because you were a teacher or a municipal employee, that is nothing more than an immediate annuity. In fact, you can basically say an immediate annuity is often analogous or the same thing as a pension. Payments from immediate annuities are quite unique. It can be based on the rate of return the annuity can receive from the investments put inside the annuity. It can be based on if you are a man or a woman. Men typically have shorter lives than women. Annuity payments to a woman are usually smaller because she is expected to live for a longer period of time or have a guaranteed payment for a longer period of time as compared to most men. Age also can play into it as well. Here is a great example: Social Security. We know the longer that we wait to receive the payout from the government for Social Security, the higher the payment will be. Some people elect to retire early thinking they'll get more money than if they take the money later. However, everything else being equal, it is exactly the same amount of money as the person who waits and receives a higher payment. If they have the same life expectancy as someone who is younger and takes the lesser payment, it mathematically works out to be exactly the same. You should make a decision based on things like what your health is like at that time. The longer you live with any pension, Social Security, or immediate annuity, the better off you would be. Then, based on the issuing company and the stability of the company, you should be able to have a payment with a lifetime immediate annuity that you cannot outlive. What you will typically find is a person in their 60s or 70s will begin having conversations around immediate annuities. The older a person is the more money they would receive on a monthly basis. The important thing to realize is that everyone's situation is unique. Everyone's health is unique to them. The amount of money that they have is unique to them. When you are trying to decide if you should use an immediate annuity, you must remember that you are giving up the accessibility of money. You are trading that accessibility and purchasing an income, potentially guaranteed, for your entire lifetime.  If you have some specific questions about annuities or in this case immediate annuities, it's important that you go slow. Take your time and see all the possible formulas that can affect your financial situation. If you have some additional questions regarding this or anything else, please reach out to our team. “Annuity.” The American Heritage Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1991, p. 112.

What does it mean to be a CEO, a Chief Executive Officer? Most people think about a business CEO, but what does it mean to be the CEO of your family's financial future?  I got to thinking about this last week: it was the end of the quarter and I picked up a report of our corporation for the first three months of this year from my accountant.  This gives me information that I need to figure out how we are doing as a company, and many of the same expenses that we take care of here at our office are the same expenses that you might take care of on the home front. First item on my report is revenue. If we're talking about the home front, that is income. Then there are expenses. Business expenses could be things like utilities, telephone, freight and postage, bank charges, advertising and promotions, repairs and maintenance, educational expenses, Social Security taxes, state taxes, federal taxes, depreciation, rent or mortgage, legal and accounting expenses, licenses, dues, subscriptions, and travel expenses. Every, single quarter, I get a breakdown on the money that is going in (revenue), and the money going out (expenses). Businesses use these reports or something similar to determine if they are a profitable business. That same reasoning should go hand-in-hand when you are your family's CEO. A lot of people get frustrated being in this position because they feel like they are not keeping up with their expenses. One of the reasons that they aren't keeping up is because they are not getting a quarterly report like I do. They are not tracking what goes and what goes out. You have to take responsibility when you are the family CEO. We do this at the office by going through the checkbook on a monthly basis. Most of our expenses are put through a company credit card because it's more cost efficient. We get some additional points that we can accumulate along the way. Instead of writing out many, many checks, we just write out one check for the list of multiple expenses to the credit card company at the end of the month. We keep track of all of the receipts, and then we share those expenses with our accountant. We make sure to keep track of everything and pay off that credit card monthly, just like you should if you have a personal credit card. When my spouse and I first got married, we realized that we really did not have our budget under control. We knew what our income was, but we really didn't have an understanding of our outgoing expenses. Starting back in 1981, we started to fill out a Dome home budget book, which you can still get at Home Depot or online. A lot of people can do all this on a phone app or excel sheet now. However, if you get the book and have to physically write everything out, it really makes the expenses that much more painful. This may be a bit old-school, but a home budget book will have many of the same things: food, clothing, laundry, rent, mortgage, electricity, gas, telephone, heating, auto, insurance, loans, education, entertainment, personal care, gifts, contributions, interest, taxes, childcare, and additional miscellaneous items. What I like about this particular booklet is that you complete each one of these areas, and then you also fill everything out on a day-to-day basis so you can see exactly where the money is going. You can see what it looks like at the end of the month. This is the recommendation that I make to people who have never done a budget before: they always think they need to come up with a budget to figure out what they should be spending, I actually believe that it's best to do several months of what I referred to as “reverse budgeting”. You just keep track of what your expenses actually are for at least a few months and write it all down. Back in the 1980s, we had a particular goal that we wanted to accomplish, and it required us having an understanding of our budget. By doing reverse budgeting, we kept track of what our expenses were as they occurred, day-to-day. It only took a month or two for us to look back into the budget book and realize a problem. We realized we were spending way too much money on going out to eat, then what our income would really allow. Until we actually saw the number, we couldn't make the adjustment in our lives because we couldn't see how big of a problem it was. Treat your family as if it were a business because it is a business. Let's say your last name is Smith. Your family is now the Smith Corporation, and you are the CEO. Run it like a corporation. Look at the income. Look at the expenses going out. If your business is not making or saving between 15-20% of your income that means that there needs to be some adjustments in your lifestyle. It's just like going to my accountant on a quarterly basis and reviewing my business checkbook every month. It's something that you need to do on a monthly basis as well. You need to know and understand your numbers. 

People often have a difficult time when it comes to accomplishing their goals and focusing in on their needs and wants, and the aspirations in their life. Sometimes, it comes down to just one question. In my office, I will often look up at my bookshelf and just look at one book in particular. The book is titled, The One Thing. I should probably have the back of the book facing me because it shows a big question mark that reminds me of the question that I need to ask when I'm distracted by a problem. This is the problem with many people, they get distracted by all the noise. They get distracted by all the traffic that is going by on their roadway of life. During the noon hour today, I was on a zoom call and for much of the hour, people were dealing with the problem of squirrel syndrome. You probably remember the movie “Up.” One of the main characters of the movie was a dog named Doug that was very focused, unless it heard or saw a squirrel. Then, it would turn its head and yell “Squirrel” and everyone would have to wait for him to focus again. No matter what was happening, the possibility of a squirrel seemed to be the most important thing to that character. That is sometimes the way it is with us; we have “squirrel syndrome” or sometimes people will refer to it as “shiny object syndrome.” Often, the newest or shiniest object will be the thing that we become most focused on. I had read this book, The One Thing, several years ago. In the book, there is one question a person needs to ask themselves: “What is the one thing I can do that such by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary?” Isn't that the truth. Often, if you would just get this one thing or piece done, you wouldn't have to worry about a whole host of other things that revolve around it. It's like our life is the earth with thousands of satellites orbiting around us. We chase around wondering if we should keep on looking at all the satellites, look at this or that shiny thing, or that squirrel over there. The one thing that you need to do is get a piece of paper, put a question mark on it, placing it in front of you, and ask the question, “What is the one thing I can do that such by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary?” What is the one thing in your life, in that moment, that you need to focus on? What is the one thing you need to do today? 

People often have a difficult time when it comes to accomplishing their goals and focusing in on their needs and wants, and the aspirations in their life. Sometimes, it comes down to just one question. In my office, I will often look up at my bookshelf and just look at one book in particular. The book is titled, The One Thing. I should probably have the back of the book facing me because it shows a big question mark that reminds me of the question that I need to ask when I'm distracted by a problem. This is the problem with many people, they get distracted by all the noise. They get distracted by all the traffic that is going by on their roadway of life. During the noon hour today, I was on a zoom call and for much of the hour, people were dealing with the problem of squirrel syndrome. You probably remember the movie “Up.” One of the main characters of the movie was a dog named Doug that was very focused, unless it heard or saw a squirrel. Then, it would turn its head and yell “Squirrel” and everyone would have to wait for him to focus again. No matter what was happening, the possibility of a squirrel seemed to be the most important thing to that character. That is sometimes the way it is with us; we have “squirrel syndrome” or sometimes people will refer to it as “shiny object syndrome.” Often, the newest or shiniest object will be the thing that we become most focused on. I had read this book, The One Thing, several years ago. In the book, there is one question a person needs to ask themselves: “What is the one thing I can do that such by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary?” Isn't that the truth. Often, if you would just get this one thing or piece done, you wouldn't have to worry about a whole host of other things that revolve around it. It's like our life is the earth with thousands of satellites orbiting around us. We chase around wondering if we should keep on looking at all the satellites, look at this or that shiny thing, or that squirrel over there. The one thing that you need to do is get a piece of paper, put a question mark on it, placing it in front of you, and ask the question, “What is the one thing I can do that such by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary?” What is the one thing in your life, in that moment, that you need to focus on?  What is the one thing you need to do today?

Imagine, you can't speak. Your eyes watch as the doctors and your family discuss your medical treatment.  Your love ones don't know what to do.  They don't even have the legal permission to provide the hospital staff with recommendations for your care.  Worse yet, if they had the legal right, they're fighting among themselves as to what care you would even want to have.  If they only knew.  If they only had something from you to help direct them to all the answers, to all their questions. If they simply had the power to act on your behalf, as you lie there unable to let them know. Before we discuss this emergency event, please download this fillable PDF from the following link:  Mark Bertrang's guest for this episode is Denise Nicholson, BSN, RN - The Advance Care Planning Program Manager with the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Our step-by-step discussion will assist you in creating your very own legal Advance Directive, including the Power of Attorney for Healthcare. Time Stamps 00:00 – Intro 04:57 – Power of Attorney for Healthcare vs Advance Directive 16:00– The Five D's 25:55 – Where to Store Copies 32:40 – Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Healthcare Agents 39:15 – Authority of Healthcare Agents 51:40 – Statement of Desires 1:00:05 – Being Clear and Specific with your Wishes 1:09:43 – Leaving Personal Messages 1:11:37 – What Do You Want Your Death to Look Like? 1:20:50 – Making it Legal 1:25:00 - Conclusion

A question I asked recently of a medical professional. The answer shocked and emotionally moved me.

Life Insurance is a difficult industry.  Statistics have shown that about five percent of life insurance agents survive just five years in this career.  Why is that, especially since improving the lives of families can be so rewarding? This conversation might draw the curtain away from the industry, so the layperson can see what this profession actually entails.  This is an opportunity for a life insurance agent to understand how to become more proficient at their calling.  Janet Sims, the caregiver of the Prosperity Economics Movement shares her story of what this industry has meant to her, while providing insights on how to overcome the day-to-day hardships of becoming a better advocate for families which this profession provides in helping others. 00:00 – Introduction – Janet's Background 03:10 – Listening and Being Authentic 15:00 – Moral Responsibility of a Life Insurance Agent 20:10 – Importance of Community 27:30 – “Aha” Moments – Staying Engaged 36:20 – Being “Prospect” Focused vs Engaging People at All Times 40:50 – The effect of the Pandemic and Technology on Communication 44:00 – Develop a Passion and Urgency 46:00 – Leaving a Legacy 50:45 – Conclusion Other resources: prosperityeconomicsadvisors.com prosperityeconomics.org truthconcepts.com

Have you ever made a promise? Was it for a short-term promise or was it a forever promise? There's a difference, isn't there? Forever promises typically aren't flashy. They're thoughtful and serious. This morning, I saw a promise through, which was made thirty years ago. So, as I pause and take in the scenery of this new fallen snow, let me share with you a story of a watch, a wake and a promise.

Have you ever found yourself needing to tighten a screw, but you couldn't find a screwdriver?  Admit it.  You went to a kitchen drawer and pulled out a butterknife, didn't you?  Once the project was complete, you probably returned the knife to the drawer slightly bent at its tip, because a butter knife isn't a screwdriver.  Would you have consider buttering a piece of bread with a screwdriver?  Let's hope not.  Here's the thing – Use the correct tool for the correct purpose.  I see this time and time again with people who tell me that their 401k or their IRA is a retirement plan.  Neither is a plan.  They're both accounts, a place to accumulate money.  In fact, there are many advisors who spend countless hours working with these products to try and create a retirement plan and I've met many attorneys who try to coordinate ways of alleviating the problems associated with these retirement accounts to correct estate planning problems or mistakes.  You may believe that your account is a plan.  You may also believe that a butter knife is a screwdriver.  Neither is.

Before you discuss will-planning with an attorney, prepare your hard data collection. Mark's guest – Katelyn Doyle, attorney with Johns, Flaherty & Collins, SC discusses those items you may wish to outline prior to your first meeting with a lawyer.  Our discussion includes a conversation of your dependents, special needs individual who maybe in your life, life insurance, debt, retirement account balances, non-retirement balance, second homes, business assets, real estate investments, personal representatives, executors, guardians, trustees, trust distributions & payouts for your children, guardian gifting, default estate planning, charitable giving and having a financial power of attorney. If you would like to request a copy of our fillable will preparation form used during this podcast, please email us at and include “Will Prep Form Request” in the subject line. Here is an additional resource you may wish to listen to: Advanced Healthcare Directives

At some point in our lives, things become real. In fact, sometimes things become ‘really' real.  Years ago Mark Bertrang had a client who worked in the silk screening industry.  This specialization creates the display printing on the front of your kitchen appliances and the imprinted dials and woodgrain dashboard finishes of your automobile. Mark had always been impressed with some of the beautiful finishes he would see on the dashboard detailing of premium automobiles. He was disappointed to learn that the ‘wood' finishing was barely wood at all, which he admired so much. Instead, it was a simply a sheet of paper (so, it was actually wood) incased inside epoxy or plastic.  So, was it real or was it not real?  The discussion of life insurance can be the same, as Mark shares the story of how this young design engineer's life ended abruptly.  How might term insurance play out as compared to permanent whole life insurance? Was one real and the another not real?

As an employer, how do you show up for your team?  As a team member, how do you show up for your co-workers?  How do you show up for any audience, whoever that audience may be?  monthly I engage in a half-hour Zoom personal critique with my good friend Michael Baker, a wealth advisor from Alberta, Canada.  When we're sharing our international Zoom Room, we debate the steps we use to make the lives better for our families, our clients, our communities and lastly - ourselves.  As believers in servant leadership mindsets, we question ourselves in the service and guidance we provide others.  A question we asked during a most recent visit was “How do you show up for others?”  For the last 35+ years of my career, this meant to ‘dress' for the occasion; to ‘dress' out of the respect for my clients – which means a dress shirt, a tie and a suitcoat. What does this mean to my clients and what does this mean to me?  What's correct? Is there a standard I should consider?  Is there a right or wrong way to approach this question? What does “How do you show up for others” mean to you?  How do you show up for those around you? Are you making choices based upon what you want or what the expectations are from others.  There may not be an absolute correct answer, except for the correct answer for you, specifically.  What is your answer?

It is seldom that I am able to provide a conversation that will be needed by nearly every family at some point in their lives.  I am blessed to have had this intimate end-of-life conversation with two medical providers who have answered the very important calling of working in hospice care. My guests are: Dr. Larry Skendzel - Medical Director, Gundersen Hospice and Dr. Jasmine Hudnall - Department Chair: Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Medical Director: Advance Care Planning department, Gundersen Health System.  Following this audio outline, resource links are provided. 02:50 – Hospice: As a noun is it a person, a place or a thing? 07:00 – Young age hospice compared to elderly end-of-life care. 09:00 – Letting go, on our own schedule – Individual mysteries. 12:30 – Rewards of working as a medical caregiver. 14:45 – Bettering the quality of life. 18:00 – What improvements can be made? 20:00 – Death at home or in a facility. 21:00 – Four levels of Hospice care. 23:15 – Who makes-up the team? 26:15 – Religious faith and personal spirituality. 28:15 – Volunteers. 30:15 – Covid's effect on Hospice. 32:35 – Fear of Hospice. 36:30 – Who pays the costs? 40:30 – Initiating the hospice conversation. 43:00 – How are Doctors trained? 46:25 – Has medical training changed? 49:45 – What do you wish your patients knew? 51:45 – Hospice verses Palliative medicine. 55:40 – Where do I find more information? 57:00 – Additional online Resources. 57:30 – A typical day as a hospice doctor. Additional Resources:

There are three questions you need to ask yourself.  Mark Bertrang read these questions from Joe Polish's new book "What's in it for them?" this morning as he engaged his team, as he does each day at 9:00am sharp!  These questions are:  #1. Where are you?  #2. Where do you want to go? and #3. How are you going to get there? These three questions might be the only ones you need to ask yourself in determining your present, your future and your journey. During this video Mark Bertrang also explores the additional three roadblocks that might be preventing you from succeeding in your personal goals.

This is the time of the year that we begin focusing upon taxes. Jason Steinhoff, CPA and Partner at Hancock & Robinson is our guest. We'll discuss the selection of a tax preparer, your own preparation prior to that first meeting, how are audits conducted and what happens during that audit; how does your return move through the IRS and what are the pitfalls you should lookout for.

At the end of the year, it's a perfect time to listen-in on a conversation on life's reflections, with guest – Michael Baker during this episode of “Purpose with Mark Bertrang”. Guest:  Michael Baker, Baker Wealth of Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada 00:00 – Insight comes from others, not yourself. 01:30 – Family Christmas Traditions 06:30 – Why we close our office for a full week at the end of December 10:30 – Asking questions, adjusting for conversations and being connected 14:15 – Resolutions and living with integrity 19:45 – Focusing, letting go and striving for a better work/life balance 22:30 – Don't wait for perfection 24:15 – Getting a Two-fer or a Three-fer out of everything you do 25:50 – Get “Negative First Responders” out of your life

When winter arrives, become much more cautious.  While having my morning coffee at breakfast this morning, I received a text from a team member notifying me that they would be arriving late into the office due to his young and still somewhat inexperienced winter teenage driver sliding into the ditch on the way to school.  He was waiting for a tow truck along the side of the road.  This incident only damaged the driver's feelings; but it provided important future wisdom, that can only be learn through the experience.  We can't all know all things or expectance all things. That's when we look toward the wisdom of others, who have gained that wisdom through their own years of experience.

What does the package say for throat lozenges?  How about this - "Has not been evaluated by the food and drug administration."  Yet, we buy them.  I did in fact, for a sore throat and cold I'm working through right now.  When you need to make life decisions more important than a sore throat lozenge, the small print becomes much more important.  I will oftentimes see people enter into contracts without reading them.  Think of when you purchased a house for the first time and you sat at the bank conference table to sign a thirty-year mortgage.  The loan officer perhaps simply said - "Sign here, and here, and here and there".  Did you wonder what you were really signing.  The same should be the case when you enter into a life insurance contract.  It may be called a policy, but it's actually a contract between you and the life insurance company.  What does it really say?  What are the guarantees.  Do you know?