Brad Reubendale, CEO of SAME Cafe, discusses his 'guardrails' structure for life including a mission statement, bucket list goals, a list of accomplishments, and a 'who I want to be' list. They also discuss the importance of mentors, their personal journey from homelessness to CEO, taking action and being a doer, organization and structure in life, finding comfort in crowded places, and the role of journaling in creating a fulfilling life.
Creating personal guardrails can help structure and guide one's life, including a mission statement, a bucket list of goals, and a 'who I want to be' list.
Seeking partnerships with aligned missions can amplify impact and create positive change in communities.
Focusing on personal growth, finding joy in healthier choices, and cultivating connections can lead to a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Deep dives
Shifting from mentors to seeking guidance
The speaker shares an important lesson he learned about seeking guidance. Instead of trying to find mentors, he suggests finding people you look up to and asking them questions. He emphasizes that almost anyone will give you 15 minutes if you come prepared with a list of questions. This shift in mindset has helped him improve his life and gain valuable insights.
Partnerships for a greater mission
The speaker discusses a partnership he formed with a nonprofit organization called 5050Books. This partnership aimed to provide access to books for everyone in the community, regardless of their ability to pay. They donated 50% of their proceeds to different community organizations each month. Through this experience, the speaker connected with Brad, the CEO of the organization Same Cafe, which shares a similar mission of providing access to healthy food for all. The speaker highlights the importance of finding partners with aligned missions to create a greater impact.
Creating connections and cultivating personal growth
The speaker emphasizes the significance of creating connections and cultivating personal growth. He shares his experience of starting the Human Connection Project when he was homeless, where he offered free coffee and advice to people on the street. This project helped him feel connected to others and gave him a sense of purpose. He believes that connectedness plays a vital role in doing good for oneself and the world. The speaker also discusses the importance of falling in love with the processes that make one thrive and continually pursuing personal goals and passions.
Setting Personal Guardrails
Brad discusses the importance of having personal guardrails to guide his life. These guardrails include a mission statement, creating spaces of kindness, a bucket list of 25 accomplishments, a 'who I want to be' list, and journaling (which has been less frequent recently). He emphasizes the significance of feeling small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, as it helps him stay grounded and humble.
Embracing Healthier Choices
Brad encourages listeners to make healthier choices and find enjoyment in them. He suggests prioritizing the option that is better for one's well-being, rather than solely focusing on immediate pleasure. Brad applies this principle to various aspects of his life, such as fitness, where he seeks to discover moments of joy and satisfaction even in exercises he dislikes. He also shares the importance of finding something to look forward to, highlighting how his morning espresso motivates him to start the day.
In this episode, Brad Reubendale (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-allen-reubendale-31b4a655), the CEO of SAME Cafe, discusses the habits and structures that help guide his life.Brad uses "guardrails" to structure his life, including a mission statement of creating spaces of kindness, a bucket list of goals for each decade of his life, a list of 25 accomplishments to understand his strengths, and a "who I want to be" list outlining how he wants to show up emotionally, physically, and in other areas as a way to course correct when feeling "off."Learn more about Brad’s fascinating “guardrails” structure in this episode.
