Barry Stephenson

Realtor at The Ashton Agency...Husband to Paige...Daddy to Rylie & Hadley...Accept God's grace and don't be afraid to be yourself...CanadianTX/Flower MoundTX

[Music City Rodeo @MusicCityRodeo_]

Mamas, let your babies grow up to be cowboys… especially if they’re taking over the @opry 🎶🤠🎤

[Music City Rodeo @MusicCityRodeo_]

We tip our hats to Sam Petersen, MCR’s Bareback Riding Champion, on taking home the average title at @LasVegasNFR! And to Stetson Wright, MCR’s All Around Champion, for earning two new world titles in the Bull Riding and the All Around!!

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

Good job by these boys…better job by the homeowner.

[Crazy Vibes @CrazyVibes_1]

Two kids knocked on my door offering to rake my entire yard for $10 total—and what I did next changed how they'll see hard work forever.
It was a Saturday afternoon when I heard the doorbell. Two boys, probably around 11 or 12, stood on my porch holding rakes that looked almost too big for them. The taller one cleared his throat nervously: "Excuse me, sir. Would you like us to rake your yard? We'll do the whole thing for ten dollars."

I looked past them at my lawn. Leaves everywhere. It was going to be at least two hours of work, maybe three.
"Ten dollars each?" I asked.
They glanced at each other. The shorter one shook his head. "No sir. Ten dollars total. We'll split it."

Five dollars each. For hours of hard labor.
I could have said yes. I could have gotten my entire yard raked for pocket change and called it a teaching moment about negotiation. But something about the way they stood there—hopeful, polite, willing to work—reminded me of myself at that age. Hustling. Trying. Just wanting a chance.

"Alright," I said. "You've got a deal. Get started."
For the next two and a half hours, I watched those kids work. They didn't cut corners. They didn't complain. They raked every section, bagged the leaves, and even swept off my driveway without being asked. When they finally knocked to let me know they were done, they were sweating, exhausted, and smiling.
I walked out with my wallet. "You boys did incredible work," I said, handing them four twenty-dollar bills. "Here's your payment."
The taller one's eyes went wide. "Sir, we said ten—"

"I know what you said. But I also know what two hours of quality work is worth. You earned every dollar of this."
They stared at the money like they couldn't believe it was real. Then the shorter one looked up at me and said quietly, "Thank you. Really. Thank you."
As they walked away, I heard them talking excitedly about what they'd spend it on. And I realized something: we talk a lot about teaching kids the value of hard work, but we don't always show them that hard work actually gets valued.
Those boys didn't ask for a handout. They offered a service. They showed up. They delivered. And in a world that sometimes feels like it punishes effort and rewards shortcuts, I wanted them to walk away knowing that good work doesn't go unnoticed.
If you work hard, if you show up with integrity, if you give your best even when nobody's watching—good people will see it. And they'll bless you for it.
That's not just a lesson for kids. That's a lesson for all of us.

[Taylor Karrh @TaylorKarrh]

365 days in a year and my fiancé schedules our wedding on the same weekend as Gameday.

[Music City Rodeo @MusicCityRodeo_]

We’re still lookin’ back at photos from the first-ever Music City Rodeo. We’ll never forget the ride!

[Music City Rodeo @MusicCityRodeo_]

Rodeo 🤝 Country Music

Thanks for having us in the circle, @opry!

[Alex Hormozi @AlexHormozi]

Hot take:

More businesses ideas are killed by casual advice from friends than actual business risks.

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

You are correct. #legend #tahjtime #wreckem

[Tahj Brooks @thetahjbrooks]

MARK MY WORDS ... I WILL BE THE NEXT FOOTBALL LEGEND AT TEXAS TECH #WreckEm 👆🏾

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

Congrats @Boston_Hudson2 !!

[Kale Steed @KaleSteed]

Big news here.. @lamesa_isd has named @Boston_Hudson2 as new boys basketball coach. Hudson leaves Clarendon after four years and two state titles. Here’s the story #txhsbb https://t.co/sLel4yMCOF

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

@steve_maines Happy Anniversary, Steve and Debbie!

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

At the end of every year, I conduct a Personal Annual Review.

It's a transformative exercise that everyone should try.

7 simple questions that may change your life:

(bookmark this + download the PDF template)

1. What did I change my mind on this year?

Finding the truth is more important than being right.

In fact, the most successful people legitimately enjoy being wrong. They embrace new information as “software updates" to their brain.

My Personal Annual Review starts here:

What "software updates" did I have this year?

If you can't think of anything, that's a bad thing.

2. What created energy this year?

I have a framework I call the Energy Calendar:

The idea is that you reflect on your calendar from a day or week and color code the events according to whether they created energy (green), drained energy (red), or were neutral (yellow).

The Energy Calendar is a great, visual way to course correct on a weekly/monthly basis if there are specific activities that are highly positive or negative for your energy.

Examine this on a macro annual scale:

Review your calendars from the year. What activities, people, or projects consistently CREATED energy in my life? Write them down.

Did I spend ample time on the Energy Creators or did they get neglected?

Goal: Spend more time on these in 2024!

3. What drained energy this year?

Continue your macro scale calendar examination, but with a focus on the negatives:

Review your calendars from the year. What activities, people, or projects consistently DRAINED energy from my life? Write them down.

Did I allow the Energy Drainers to persist or did I cut them in real time?

Goal: Spend less time on these in 2024.

4. Who were the boat anchors in my life?

Boat anchors are people that hold you back from your potential. They literally create a "drag" on your life.

Boat anchors are people who will:

• Belittle your accomplishments.
• Laugh at your ambition.
• Tell you to be more realistic.
• Harm the quality of your environment.

Identify who they are.

Goal: Minimize or eliminate the energy you give them in 2024.

5. What did I not do because of fear?

“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” - Seneca

We have to get closer to our fears in order to fight back against them.

Fear distorts reality—this forces you to confront and reflect on it.

Deconstruct the fears that held you back:

• What was the downside of taking action?
• What was the upside from taking action?

Goal: Get closer to your fears in 2024.

6. What were my greatest hits and worst misses?

Your natural bias skews how you see your year:

• The optimist sees all hits.
• The pessimist sees all misses.

Take a balanced view. Write them all down.

Reflect on why the hits hit and the misses missed.

7. What did I learn this year?

“When you stop learning you start dying." - Albert Einstein

It's easy to lose sight of growth in the trenches—zoom out to reclaim perspective.

Take your time on this one. Reflect on the other questions from the exercise.

Write down what you've learned.

***

The Personal Annual Review is a life changing exercise.

Experience + Reflection = Growth

Download a beautiful (and free!) Personal Annual Review template to conduct your own here: https://t.co/PhTlBGvBrk

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

Don’t be afraid to fail. Just make sure you fail forward.

[Bret Magpiong @BretMagpiong]

Failure is often associated with setbacks but isn't the END of the road.

In fact, it's a powerful stepping stone toward growth.

Here's how facing FAILURE can help you succeed:

1. The Connotation of Failure:

Failure is often seen as a devastating event, paralyzing and demoralizing us.

But what if we could shift our perspective?

Failure isn't merely a roadblock; it's a unique opportunity for growth and learning.

2. Fail vs. Failure:

Distinguishing between "fail" and "failure" is crucial.

Failings are moments of mistake, while failure becomes detrimental when it internalizes, making you feel like a mistake.

Recognize that failing doesn't define you; it's part of the journey.

3. Redefining Failure:

Consider Stewart's story - his start-up venture collapsed, leading him to question his worth.

With coaching, he shifted his mindset from "I am a failure" to "I failed in this venture."

Failure is a temporary state, a chance to learn and grow.

4. Risk and Growth:

The path of great accomplishments often involves taking risks.

Failure is part of this journey.

Think of the words of John Eldredge: "Risk requires something of us; it puts us to the test."

It's about discovering our capacities and pushing our boundaries.

5. The Courage to Dare:

Daring doesn't mean guaranteeing success;

it's embracing the possibility of both success and Failure.

Living fully involves stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing the unknown.

6. Fail Forward Fast:

Failing forward means using Failure to move ahead.

Speed matters.

Swiftly analyze your missteps, extract lessons, and take action again.

Remember, quick iterations lead to more chances at success.

7. Learning from Failures of Others:

A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, exemplifies learning from Failure.

He analyzed the company's acquisitions' successes and failures, pinpointing patterns.

Such wisdom is a shortcut to growth.

8. Failure as a Learning Opportunity:

Failure isn't a final destination;

it's a stepping stone to improvement.

Embrace it as a learning opportunity, a powerful tool for personal and professional growth.

In essence, Failure isn't an end but a beginning.

It's not about avoiding Failure; it's about mastering it.

Each setback contains valuable insights that propel us toward success.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we emerge stronger and wiser.

[Tyler Todt @tyromper]

CHOOSING to be optimistic is a cheat code to life.

It’s not that we don’t deny problems exist, we simply SHIFT OUR FOCUS onto solutions & the blessings around us.

If you stay fixated on the PROBLEM & not the SOLUTION you’ll always remain STUCK.

[Daily Stoic @dailystoic]

"It's impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows." — Epictetus

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

Stay in your child’s ear. If you don’t, someone else will. #youareawesome

[Richard Yu @richardyuzee]

One day as a small child, Thomas Edison came home from school and gave a paper to his mother.

He said to her:

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

@mtaibbi Throw your hat up into the corner of the room, touching both walls. This reverses the juju from the bed. At least that’s what I was always taught, growing up in the Texas panhandle.

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

Wreck em…

[Brad Townsend @townbrad]

‘New Alabama’? How full-tilt Joey McGuire has instilled sky-high belief at Texas Tech https://t.co/ke6Lkd4SGO

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

@Tepper @Matt_Stepp817 @ntxcoach It’s like an Easter egg hunt. I never use the drive up at Walgreen’s this time of year. I always go inside so I can see if @dctf if on the shelf yet.

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

@PicturesFoIder 20+40+15 (15 being 7+8)

[Barry Stephenson @BarryStephenson]

@steve_maines Happy Birthday, Debbie!