396: Willie Robertson on The Backstory of Duck Dynasty, How to Flourish in Every Decade of Life, The Miserable Side of Fame, and Why We Need to Develop Agility

This week, Willie Robertson joins us, and we’re going to unpack the backstory of Duck Dynasty and how he learned how to flourish in every decade of life, especially in the face of adversity. Many of you might be exhausted in life right now, and you might think that you have nothing left in the tank, especially if you’ve experienced a measure of failure. Willie is going to shed light on that specifically and offer some really helpful advice. We’re also going to discuss why we need to develop agility in a constantly changing world (and how to do it).

Guest Bio

Willie Robertson is best known for starring in and executive producing A&E’s Duck Dynasty. He is a New York Times best-selling author of several books including his newest release Gospeler. Willie expanded his family’s small business from a living room operation to a company for all things outdoors and has sold millions of duck calls and merchandise worldwide. While the Robertsons’ story is an excellent example of entrepreneurship and dedication, it is at its core built on faith and family. Willie continues to teach the Gospel to tens of thousands of people worldwide. Willie and Korie live near their children and grandchildren in West Monroe, Louisiana, where he enjoys cooking the family meals.

Dive Deeper

If you enjoy this episode, I’m sure you’ll also enjoy:

• 394: Jon Tyson on Breaking the Hold of Apathy, A Man’s Crisis of Meaning, Being Formed in Private, and the Joyful Pursuit of Sacrificial Responsibility in an Age of Narcissism and Self-Obsession
• 379: Tim Ross on Leaving and Grieving Seasons of Life, Emotional Maturity, Embracing Being Misunderstood, Self-Awareness vs. Self-Consciousness, and Why Sexual Sin Takes People Down

Self-Reflection Questions

1. What grander narrative can you extrapolate from the record of your life experiences? And what is necessary for you to zoom out to see how seemingly disconnected and insignificant events (including losses) are playing a part in forging in you the character and perspective to live an agile, teachable life of longevity? Through the example of cooking, Willie and I talked about how some ingredients in a recipe, by themselves, aren’t appetizing. But when carefully added to the whole, it creates something awesome. Not every part of our lives is great. But wisdom that comes through consistency, agility, and being planted, allows us to grow even in seasons of perceived loss. Here’s Psalm 90v12: “So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
2. How has adversity provided a more holistic perspective on your life? Most of the time, we don’t see the growth and gain the perspective until we’re on the other side of the pain. And thus is the challenge: to keep our hearts engaged and not close them off in self-protection because of fear.
3. What internal shifts will you make this week to become more agile in your everyday life? It’s easier to try to wrap our arms around life to prevent surprises. But that effort is not only exhausting, but it’s futile. Therein is an opportunity to become agile, flexible, and even more teachable, first of course, in our mindsets and expectations.

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Guest Links

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Featured Resources

• Gospeler: Turning Darkness into Light One Conversation at a Time
• From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks
• Healing What You Can’t Erase: Transform Your Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health from the Inside Out

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