It’s that time of year when people are buzzing with excitement about what’s ahead. There’s this anxious optimism in the air — daydreaming about possibilities so close you can almost touch them. If you think I’m talking about the holiday with the big tree and the fat guy in a red suit climbing down chimneys at midnight, you’d be wrong. I’m not trying to be Scrooge, counting coins late on Christmas Eve. What I am saying is that there’s something just as important to us as business owners this time of year — something that deserves to be a holiday on our company calendar: Business Planning. It’s so important we should set aside a full day (or several) to reflect on what we did well this past year and what we must improve going forward. This is what separates the good from the great companies. The average agent from the successful agent. When people plan for success — and aggressively address their weaknesses — it launches them to a different level in their career. And here’s proof: Only about 33–35% of small businesses have a formal written plan… But 71% of high-growth businesses create a strategic plan every year. One of my favorite quotes comes from the British Royal Air Force in WWII — painted on their walls as a reminder: > Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. It’s blunt. It’s true. If you want next year to be great, plan for it. If you’re tired of being average, plan for it. If you want to be in the top 10%, plan for it. No one is going to do it for you. This week, our team is meeting to plan for the upcoming year — and we’ll have a retreat to finalize our calendar, events, and growth strategies. Because if you focus on this principle consistently, it will lead to big returns for you in the future. Success is never accidental. It’s planned. Be Principled, Caleb

The coaching staff of a high school cross country team got together at the end of the year to assess their season. It had been an incredible one. The team had won the state championship not just that year, but two years in a row. As the celebratory dinner continued, a question was naturally asked: “Why are we so successful? We don’t work any harder than other teams, and what we do is just so simple. Why does it work?” The conversation went back and forth from coach to coach until they finally reached a conclusion: We run best at the end. We run best at the end of workouts. We run best at the end of races. And we run best at the end of the season—when it matters the most. As I write this, it’s December 1st. Statistically speaking, December is the least productive month of the year—and not by a little. A study done by a group called Teamwork found that people are almost 50% less productive in the final month of the year than any other month. The average business and its employees coast during the last few weeks of the year. Production drags at a snail’s pace. Motivation drops. And the only thing consistent is how much people daydream during work. But what if you did the opposite this year? What if you finished strong? Imagine the momentum you’d carry into the new year—confidence because you already have “wins” behind you, clarity because you didn’t quit early, and an edge because while others slowed down, you kept pushing forward. Dates on a calendar don’t determine success—discipline does. This is where the good and the great separate themselves. The great have clarity on what it takes to be great. They don’t need a fresh start on January 1st—they’re too busy finishing what they started. The runners on that team put it best: “We run best at the end. So if I’m hurting bad, my competitors must hurt a whole lot worse.” So I’ll ask you—what could you do in these next 31 days? Don’t stop. Don’t slow down. Don’t quit. Finish Strong. Be Principled, Caleb

This week, we pause to reflect on the things we already have — the blessings we often overlook as we gather around tables full of incredible food and tasty treats. We’ll self-indulge so much that we’re on the verge of gluttony, loosening belts and laughing about it… but beneath it all, are we truly thankful? Or do we quietly wish we had a little more? Does the neighbor have a bigger turkey? More Amazon boxes on their porch? Do we catch ourselves comparing instead of appreciating? As the Christmas season approaches, I’m reminded of The Christmas Carol — particularly the Cratchit family Christmas dinner. Before they eat, Bob Cratchit gives thanks to Mr. Scrooge, because without his employer, the meal before them wouldn’t have been possible. His wife is furious at the idea of being thankful for a man so cold and cruel. But Cratchit understands something deeper: An unthankful heart eventually becomes a bitter one. Even though Mr. Scrooge has his flaws, Cratchit reminds his family that thankfulness is still the better path. And then there’s Tiny Tim — frail, sick, coughing through the dampness, barely able to stand at the table. His parents’ faces are filled with worry, but his heart is full of joy. He looks around the table and finishes the prayer with a smile: “God bless us, everyone.” It’s easy to forget how much we truly have. We look at the glass and see it as half empty instead of being thankful there’s water in it at all. This season, step forward with a thankful heart and a warm spirit. Let your friends and family know they are loved and appreciated — not for what they bring, not for what they accomplish, not for how perfect things look — but simply because they are. Imperfect, but loved anyway. Before I conclude, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you. For the time you take to read this. For your commitment to this company. For your dedication to putting others before yourself. For choosing to be Principled in both work and life. For your unending encouragement and support of me, despite all my own flaws and imperfections.

On the surface, it sounds easy: just ask for help. You’re overwhelmed. The workload keeps growing. The pressure is wearing you down mentally and physically. You even know exactly who could help — someone with the experience and expertise you need — and yet… you don’t ask. And you’re not alone. Studies show that 41% of U.S. adults feel uncomfortable asking for help, and it’s even higher among teenagers in grades 9–12, where 58% say they struggle to ask. So if asking for help is such a simple, reasonable request, why don’t we? For many, it’s the fear of rejection — What if they say no? For others, it’s fear of judgment — What if my question seems too simple or makes me look incompetent? And often, it’s fear of inconvenience — They’re too busy. I don’t want to bother them. I see this play out often, especially with newer agents who hesitate to come to me because they think they’re interrupting. I remind them: Helping you grow is never an interruption — it’s part of my purpose. Our fear — especially the imagined kind — keeps us silent. But silence doesn’t make us stronger. It limits our potential. --- In his book The Dance of Hope, Bill Frey tells of a day from his childhood when he tried to pull a pine stump out of the Georgia soil. At 11 years old, one of his chores was collecting firewood, and pine stumps were prized because their resin helped them burn better. One afternoon, he found the perfect stump and spent hours pushing, pulling, prying, and leveraging with a crowbar — yet he couldn’t free it. Exhausted and frustrated, he was still struggling when his father came home from work. After watching quietly, his father finally said, “Son, I think I see your problem.” Bill snapped back, “What’s that?” His father replied, “You’re not using all your strength.” Bill erupted — he had used all his strength. He had worked for hours. He insisted there was nothing more he could give. But after cooling down, he asked what his father meant. And his father delivered a sentence that changed everything:

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