Grant Baldwin's Blog » Personal

The Best Decision I Ever Made

Grant — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:29:08 +0000

Eight years ago today I married the love of my life. We dated for five years before that, so for those keeping score, that’s 13 years we’ve been together. And 13 years later, I’m still just as crazy about her.

She’s an amazing wife and incredible mother to our two daughters. There’s no one else in the world I’d rather spend my life with. And she’s really hot as you can tell.

I love you Sheila!

The Most Honest Car Buying Experience I’ve Ever Had

Grant — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:10:08 +0000

Over the weekend, we bought a new van. Well, not a new van but new to us. (First of all, don’t judge me…I look cool driving it)

If you’ve ever purchased a vehicle before, you know it can be a little stressful. In the back of our minds, I think we all wonder the same thing: “Is this person trying to screw me over?” It’s like we like as soon as we sign the papers and drive off, all the lights on the dashboard will come on, the tires will automatically deflate, and a timer will start counting down saying the car is about to explode.

But thankfully, our transaction was one of the least stressful experiences (side note…we found it on Craigslist…still one of my favorite sites). Why? Because the seller was honest. Not just kind of honest, but over-the-top honest.

He told me about every possible little thing that was wrong with the van (which wasn’t much thankfully). Even little things that most people would leave out.

“There’s a tiny scratch here. There’s a little wear there. This button doesn’t work.”

You know what was weird though? The more negative stuff he told me about the van, the more comfortable I felt. Strange I know.

But it gave me reassurance that he was being straight up with me. He wasn’t going to hide anything. I knew that if we drove away and the bumper fell off, this guy didn’t know about it or he would have told me.

It just reminded me how important honesty is in our society. It’s one thing to be honest about all the good stuff but to volunteer to share the bad stuff too…that’s honesty.

Keep that in mind next time you sell something…you interview for a job…you turn in a paper…your parents ask where you were last night.

Be honest. It works.

6 Ways To Make Your 2010 Goals Stick

Grant — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:45:47 +0000

If you’re like most people, late on December 31st you came up with your mental list of a few “resolutions” you wanted to keep for 2010. And if you’re like most people, now that we’re 11 days into the year, you’ve probably already thrown in the towel.

Why do we do that? Because resolutions don’t stick. Goals do.

One of my goals for this new year is to run a half-marathon. I’m not some avid runner by any means, but I do want to stay in shape, so it seems like a solid goal to shoot for. So here are 6 things I’ve done to help make this goal stick for 2010…

Write It Down – Don’t leave it floating around your brain. You’ll forget it. Get a piece a paper, write it down, and stick it someplace where you’ll see it everyday. Your pillow, your mirror, that cute guy you stare at everyday (you’re stalking him anyway, you may as well accomplish a goal in the process!). I typed out my goals for 2010 and have them printed out and on my desk.
Make It Specific – Lose weight. Earn more money. Make better grades. Those are all good goals, but how do you know if you’ve accomplished them? For me, I could have set my goal as simply: run. But I wanted to make it specific: run a half-marathon. You should be able to tell if you accomplished the goal or not.
Set A Deadline – Are you going to accomplish that goal this year or could you push yourself a little more and accomplish in the next 60 days? The less time you give yourself to accomplish the goal, the more focused you’ll be on making it happen.
Tell The World – By simply sharing my goal to run a half-marathon, I feel like I’m really committing to it. Why? Because I’d look like a loser if I don’t do it. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Announce it on Facebook. Let the world know you mean business.
Make An Investment – Don’t waste money, but if you’re serious in accomplishing your goal, you’ll invest a few shekels in yourself. For me, I registered and paid for my entry into a half-marathon in Chicago. The best part: it’s non-refundable. What is it for you? Buy a book. Buy a domain name. Sign up for classes.
Be Held Accountable – It’s one thing to tell the world, but take it a step further and have someone hold you accountable. For me, I’m running the half-marathon with my brother-in-law. We’ve both signed up so not only do we not want to disappoint ourselves, but we don’t want to let the other one down.

What else can you do to make your 2010 goals stick?

My 2009 Highlights…

Grant — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:50:11 +0000

As we wrap up 2009 and begin to turn the page towards 2010, I know a lot of people are happy to leave this year behind them. And while it has been an unusual year (the economy, housing market, bailouts, Speidi, Susan Boyle etc), it’s always a good thing to pause and reflect back on the past year. Sure there were some low points, but I’m confident everyone had some great moments as well.

Here were a few of the highlights for me from 2009…

Moving into our new house back in March
Building a fence at the new house (a labor of love)
Going to Hawaii with my hot wife and no kids (she couldn’t keep her hands off me)
Traveling through a true blizzard in North Dakota
Being named to GO Magazine’s “20 Under 30″ list
Taking my girls on trips to Chicago (twice), St. Louis, and Dallas
Completing several puzzles with my daughter
Being able to speak at NPC several times
Attending the Home Run Derby with my Dad
Taking a cruise to the Bahamas with my hot wife (she still couldn’t keep her hands off me)
Driving a convertible around Yosemite National Park
Visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame with my Dad
Ordering a 2nd printing of my book Reality Check
Doing the opening keynote at the BPA National Leadership Conference
Both my sister and sister-in-law got married (and my daughter made a lovely flower girl)
All the time spent at the pool over the summer with my girls
Creating the student money website www.BrokePiggy.com

Here are some additional stats from my travels and speaking schedule from this year…

55 Events
134 Presentations
73,000+ People Spoken To
51,000+ Miles Traveled
19 State Spoken In
61 Nights In Hotels

As I was going back through my calendar, I could recall so many of the places I was able to go, the students and teachers I was able to meet, and am once reminded how fortunate I am to do something I love.

What about you? What have been some of your highlights from 2009?

The Value Of Living In The Moment

Grant — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:59:32 +0000

I’ve written before about why memories matter more than possessions…last week was one of those experiences for me.

After speaking at the New York Student Council state conference (video here), I met up with my dad who flew in so we could visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. We’re both big baseball fans (specifically for the St. Louis Cardinals…the greatest team in all the land), so this was certainly a field trip we’ve always wanted to take.

It was truly an amazing experience I’ll never forget. To me it was more than just the experience of visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame, but it was being able to share that with my dad.

It was a simple reminder of the importance of living in the moment. Someday when my life wraps up, I won’t remember how fancy of a car I drove, the square footage of my house, or my high score on some random iPhone game. But I will remember trips, experiences, and moments.

Take advantage of every opportunity you have to live in the present, to live in the moment. It’s what life is all about.

Today Is My Wife’s Birthday!

Grant — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:05 +0000

Today is an exciting day in the Baldwin family…it’s my beautiful wife’s birthday!

Now we all know that you’re not supposed to ask a woman her age, so I figure for my own safety and well-being, I shouldn’t reveal how old she is! Let’s just say she still looks just as young and as good as the first time I saw her (cue your ooohs and ahhhs).

I really am blessed to married to her. She’s an amazing mother to our two girls and an incredible wife. She’s a huge support for what I do and is truly my best friend.

I love you Sheila…happy birthday!

August CHANGES Update

Grant — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:19:56 +0000

Here’s my update of progress for the various CHANGES in my life I’m trying to create. You can read more about the original concept in the post, “Introducing Small Changes To Your Life,” and also updates from February, March, April, May, June, and July.

CHANGES For July:

• Read 3 Books – I read one full book and half of three others. I’m good at starting books! The book I finished was “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely. The ones I’ve started and am in progress with are “Please Send Money” by Dara Duguay, “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing” by Al Ries and Jack Trout, and “The Jamie Oliver Effect” by Gilly Smith. (Grade: B-)

• Go Camping With Sydnee – We did this, and it was a blast! We set up a tent, had our sleeping bags, but I will confess it was indoors! Nonetheless, it was a great time with my daughter. We’ll do it again sometime soon. (Grade: A-)

• Go To The Pool More With My Family – We actually did pretty good at this the first few weeks of the month, but it’s turned out to be an odd July. We’ve had a lot of cooler weather, which is nice in July, but not nice for going to the pool. (Grade: A-)

CHANGES For August:

I’ve noticed as I’ve gone along with this experiment that several of these items aren’t necessarily life changes, but rather experiences that create memories. I’ve completed most of the items on the list I made at the beginning of the year, so I’m looking for some new ideas. What are some experiences I need to have with my family that will create memories? Ideas?

And That’s Why You Have An Emergency Fund

Grant — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:00:29 +0000

Last week I had the “check engine” light come on in my car.

Awesome.

I love it when lights on my dashboard come on. Not really. It’s never something positive like “you just won the lottery” or “hey Grant, you look nice today.”

A light on the dashboard typically means, “Hey buddy, hope you didn’t have plans for the weekend, because I’m about ready to cost you some cash!”

So I took it in to be worked on. First, it was just a sensor that needed to be replaced. Then, some tune-up work came into the picture. And next thing you know, I was swiping my debit card for $372 (because you don’t need a credit card for emergencies).

Awesome.

But here’s my point. A few years ago, this would have been a major stress, because I wouldn’t have had $377 for such a situation. But thankfully we have an emergency fund for times such as this.

So while I can probably think of 372 different things I’d rather do with $372 than pay a mechanic, it didn’t cause a panic attack.

Instead of it being a huge crisis and cause for stress, now it’s just an inconvenience. A very minor bump in the road (which my car will be better suited for now with it’s awesome new sensor and tune-up).

And that’s why you have an emergency fund…for when lights appear on your dashboard.

Why Memories Matter More Than Possessions…

Grant — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:49:15 +0000

On Monday night, I had the privilege of going to the Home Run Derby in St. Louis with my Dad. We have both always been die-hard St. Louis Cardinal fans, so this was a unique experience we didn’t want to miss.

On the drive up there, naturally we were talking about our excitement and anticipation for the game. In addition to our hype over this experience, we were reliving various vacations we had taken growing up and other moments we had shared.

And we got to discussing how important it is to accumulate experiences in life and to create valuable memories with those you love most.

That’s why my wife and I have placed a priority on taking trips not only with each other but with our girls. It gives us the opportunity to gather experiences that we’ll never forget compared to buying another toy that will break.

Life is short. Take the time to create valuable moments, memories, and experiences that will last.

What is one experience you’ve had in life that you’ll never forget? Who did you share that moment with?

(This pic was taken by a friend from the other side of the stadium…apparently he had a serious zoom lens! And yes, I brought my glove…don’t judge me. We were in the right field bleachers…it was a safety issue.)

My Daughter Turns 1 Today!

Grant — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:12:22 +0000

Today, my beautiful little daughter Emilee turns one! Being a parent is one of the greatest privileges in the world, and I wouldn’t trade my daughters for anything. We have so much fun together, and I think the world of them both. Oh, and their mom is smokin’ hot! Related posts:My Little Girl Turns 2 Today…My [...] Related posts: