I’ve been M.I.A. the last couple of weeks. You might’ve noticed.
My wife, Devon, and I have been dealing with a major situation that forced us to leave our home and live out of Airbnbs and VRBOs for weeks. As my friend Csabi Berger says, “Life is life-ing.”
This has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever had to face. And unfortunately, it probably won’t be over for a while. I can’t share the full story for legal reasons, but as soon as I can, I will.
Lessons from the Chaos
Despite all of the recent hardships, I’ve tried to see the opportunity in all of this mess. It’s reminded me of several important lessons that I want to share with you:
- Your adversary is your training partner.
The person standing in your way is also the one helping you grow, pushing you to become more. That resistance builds strength. - Partnership is powerful.
Devon and I learned that we can withstand just about anything. There’s no one else I’d rather be weathering this storm with than her. - Real wealth is friendship.
Our friends and family really stepped up. When we needed a place to stay, an air mattress to borrow, or some legal advice, they showed up without hesitation. You can’t put a price on that.
I won't pretend this hasn’t cost me something. It has. Time, money, sleep, peace of mind, weeks of momentum. But in exchange, I became someone who knows he can live through the turmoil without falling apart. That’s not a lesson you can get from reading a book.
What My Experience Means for You
All of these lessons can be applied to business as well.
If you’re building something of your own, life will test you.
That’s why it’s important to prepare for the unexpected. I was lucky to have savings to fall back on. That gave me the opportunity to react instead of panic.
From this experience, I’ve learned that freedom isn’t about avoiding life’s challenges.
It’s about being equipped to handle them whenever they decide to show up.
In this instance, I was ready. Knowing that builds my confidence going forward.
So here’s my question to you:
If life threw you a curveball tomorrow, would you be ready?
3 Ways to Prepare for Anything
Here’s how I define “prepared” and my suggestions for you:
- Have breathing room.
Not just money in the bank, but space to think clearly, make calm decisions, and avoid desperation. If you let yourself be backed into a corner, you’ll act from fear, not wisdom. - Keep your business simple enough to move.
If it all depends on one fragile system, it’s not really freedom. Build something you can run from a laptop, a kitchen table, or an Airbnb if you have to. - Invest in people, not just systems.
When everything was falling apart, our friends stepped up. Those relationships aren’t built in the moment, they’re built over years — by how you show up for others.
This Week’s Reflection
This week, think about what “prepared” means to you.
Preparation isn’t just about planning for disaster.
It’s about trusting yourself to handle whatever comes.
Talk soon,
Andrew
