Bernard Tyson, who headed up the giant healthcare organization, Kaiser Permanente, died in his sleep not long after our fascinating, inspiring and educational conversation. He had had heart problems in the past, but his sudden passing at age 60 was still a profound and immensely saddening shock.

As you will conclude from this two-part series, Tysons death leaves an enormous void. He acutely recognized and analyzed the problems with todays healthcare system, and he was pushing forward pioneering programs to not only rectify those problems but also profoundly and sweepingly improve the system. In this first part Tyson was vibrant, stirring and optimistic as he described how he got into the field and the innovative and sweeping measures he was enacting. In the second part, next week, we go into more detail on the things he was pursuing. He was, indeed, a joyful and engaging leader.

Tyson, who had spent his career with Kaiser Permanente, recognized that direct healthcare didnt have the biggest impact on the total health of an individual; it was the environment in which a person lived, his diet, exercise, the stresses he experienced in his everyday life, as well as other factors that were crucially important. He called our system today the fix-me system, which pushes volumetests, exams, surgical proceduresover value. He chafed at the stovepipes or silos that characterize most institutions, where labs, X-rays, specialists, etc. never seem to communicate. Tysons agenda included the creation of a truly integrated healthcare system, where information flows freely, breaking down internal barriers.

Bernard Tyson speaking about implementing innovations to improve healthcare.

He pushed community initiatives to make preventive practices a reality for more and more people. He believed in helpful follow-through when patients are discharged from the hospital.

Tyson was also adamant about removing the stigma that is still attached to mental health. Its time, he said, to reconnect the head to the body, and he enacted reforms to do just that.

The system Tyson headed is immense, with over 12 million insured members, more than 200,000 employees and $80 billion-plus in revenues.

But, as you will hear, Tyson learned early on that numbers represent unique individuals. His mission was leading the way to equity of care.

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TimelyAnd Highly RelevantInsights From Healthcare Innovator And Leader: The Late Bernard Tyson - Forbes

Last year, Americans borrowed more than $88 billion to pay for health care. One in four Americans skipped medical appointments because of concern about cost. Medical debt is the number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S. These statistics reflect a trend of increasing costs and declining health outcomes that has been plaguing America for decades.

Back in 1970, the U.S. spent $74.6 billion on health care, but by 2017 that figure had skyrocketed to more than $3.5 trillion. And yet, despite this explosion in health care spending, American life expectancies declined for the first time in 2015, and again in 2016.

Paying for health care has defined much of the political conversation over the past several years, but is our spending making us healthier?

Almost everyone alive has some concern about dying. Mostly, we are worried about the loud killers: Will we die from a catastrophic accident such as a car collision or plane crash, or perhaps as the result of some violent crime? Yet it is the silent killers that ultimately cause the vast majority of deaths in this country heart disease, cancer and stroke.

And then there are the other silent killers obesity linked to poor diet and lack of exercise, as well as habits such as substance abuse and cigarette smoking. Despite the trillions of dollars being spent on health care each year, these killers remain difficult to stop. Some of it has to do with awareness. Americans are not being educated by the health care system about these dangers in time for them to make preventative lifestyle choices that can extend their lifespans and the amount of time that they enjoy good health.

The monetary incentive for doctors and health care professionals to keep people well pales in comparison to that of treating sick people. After all, the cost of prevention is often a fraction of the price of the cure for a malady. But we have proven that, as a society, we could easily go bankrupt trying to cure diseases once theyve reached a critical stage. Our money and focus are far better spent on the activities we can control to keep illnesses from becoming so deadly in the first place.

It is difficult to have conversations about these issues when most of us receive our health care from either the government bureaucracy, which sees us as just a number, or a private health system that sees us as just another dollar. Real health care transcends economics and delves into the social and community realms. It is only when we have long-term relationships with our doctors and medical professionals that real progress begins to take place.

Consumers also need to start asking better questions. Rather than asking how we can cure what ails us, we need to ask how we can maintain our health. What steps can we take, in terms of our lifestyle and behaviors, that help keep us healthy so we dont end up relying on cutting-edge, expensive medical procedures and pharmaceuticals after one of the silent killers has struck?

Luckily, the answers are out there. Health comes from eating a good diet, exercising regularly, getting good sleep and maintaining good relationships and from avoiding harmful behaviors such as smoking and abusing drugs. Avoiding chronic stress is important, too. Prayer and contemplation can reduce stress and build emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

These answers are not hard to conceptualize, but these simple, effective habits may be difficult for many people to implement because of the stresses of modern life and cultural factors. We could learn a lot from other parts of the world where prevention may be the only option. In many countries, the lions share of health care spending is on primary care. This has proven to be a far more efficient and effective use of resources than a misplaced emphasis on emergency care.

While the silent killers may be responsible for many of the bad health outcomes Americans experience, it may be silence itself that ultimately kills us. Among men especially, there is a hesitancy to speak up about problems until they reach the point where we cannot help but scream. Many of us dont get regular screenings for common diseases as we age; we may assume that if we dont know about it, then it doesnt exist.

This plainly does not work. We need to become more vocal about what ails us, and begin to speak up and make ourselves heard before it is too late.

Armstrong Williams (@ARightSide) is the owner and manager of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the Year. He is the author of Reawakening Virtues.

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Curing the silent killers: Speak up and ask the right questions | TheHill - The Hill

ANI | Updated: Nov 27, 2019 13:53 IST

Washington D.C [USA], Nov 27 (ANI): Researchers have recommended using typical resistance exercises such as leg press to overcome the problem of muscle inactivity. Several years of hospitalisation, one example of muscle inactivity, causes a disproportionate decline in the muscle strength known to affect balance, increase the risk of joint injuries, and hinder movements involved in sports, according to research from the University of Roehampton, published in --Experimental Physiology. Thus, rehabilitation programmes should work to build the strength involved in these types of activities, using typical resistance exercises, but with the attention of lifting the resistance as rapidly as possible. The effects of long-term muscle inactivity (via e.g., sedentary behaviour, hospitalisation, or space travel) have proven difficult to study in a laboratory environment, as there are ethical issues with enforcing prolonged physical inactivity. Previous research has shown that the thigh muscles of individuals with an amputation below the knee are used less during movement and therefore become weak. Amy Sibley, Neale Tillin and colleagues at the University of Roehampton, therefore, used below-knee amputees as a model to understand muscular changes that happen with long-term inactivity. Similar changes might happen in the muscles of someone who is hospitalised, sedentary, or travelling in space. Scientific studies have previously defined two main types of strength: maximum and explosive. Maximum strength is what it sounds like, the maximum capacity of your muscles for producing force. People rarely need to utilise this maximum capacity in daily activities. Explosive strength is the ability to quickly produce force and is relevant during many daily activities such as recovering from a loss of balance, avoiding joint injuries, and when playing sports. The researchers showed that when they compared maximum and explosive strength, amputees lost comparatively more explosive strength. They also found that the muscular changes that accompanied this reduction in strength could not have been anticipated from the typical short-term bedrest studies, and were specific to the type of strength examined. Therefore, rehabilitation regimens (for amputees or other populations who have experienced inactivity) should be tailored to help them recover explosive strength specifically. "This research has exciting potential to help people who have been inactive long-term, due to hospitalisation, for example, regain the strength they need for daily activities such as avoiding falls," said Amy Sibley, first author of the study. "To achieve this aim, clinicians need to be specific about the type of strength training they use, for example, typical resistance exercises (e.g., leg press) should be performed with the intention of lifting the resistance as rapidly as possible," added Sibley. (ANI)

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Typical resistance exercises help in recovery from years of inactivity: Study - ANI News

What does loneliness sound like? I asked this question on Twitter recently. You might expect that people would say silence, but they didnt. Their answers included:

The wind whistling in my chimney, because I only ever hear it when Im alone.

The hubbub of a pub heard when the door opens to the street.

The sound of a clicking radiator as it comes on or off.

The terrible din of early morning birds in suburban trees.

I suspect everyone has a sound associated with loneliness and personal alienation. Mine is the honk of Canadian geese, which takes me back to life as a 20-year-old student, living in halls after a break-up.

These sounds highlight that the experience of loneliness varies from person to personsomething that is not often recognized in our modern panic. We are in an epidemic; a mental health crisis. In 2018 the British government was so concerned that it created a Minister for Loneliness. Countries like Germany and Switzerland may follow suit. This language imagines that loneliness is a single, universal stateit is not. Loneliness is an emotion clusterit can be made up of a number of feelings, such as anger, shame, sadness, jealousy, and grief.

The loneliness of a single mother on the breadline, for example, is very different to that of an elderly man whose peers have died, or a teenager who is connected online but lacks offline friendships. And rural loneliness is different to urban loneliness.

By talking about loneliness as a virus or an epidemic, we medicalize it and seek simple, even pharmacological treatments. This year researchers announced that a loneliness pill is in the works. This move is part of a broader treatment of emotions as mental health problems, with interventions focusing on symptoms not causes.

But loneliness is physical as well as psychological. Its language and experience also changes over time.

Before 1800, the word loneliness was not particularly emotional: it simply connoted the state of being alone. The lexicographer Thomas Blounts Glossographia (1656) defined loneliness as one; an oneliness, or loneliness, a single or singleness. Loneliness usually denoted places rather than people: a lonely castle, a lonely tree, or wandering lonely as a cloud in Wordsworths poem of 1802.

In this period, oneliness was seldom negative. It allowed communion with God, as when Jesus withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16). For many of the Romantics, nature served the same, quasi-religious or deistic function. Even without the presence of God, nature provided inspiration and health, themes that continue in some 21st-century environmentalism.

Critically, this interconnectedness between self and world (or God-in-world) was also found in medicine. There was no division of the mind and body, as exists today. Between the 2nd and the 18th centuries, medicine defined health depending on four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. Emotions depended on the balance of those humors, which were influenced by age, gender, and environment, including diet, exercise, sleep, and the quality of the air. Too much solitude, like too much hare meat, could be damaging. But that was a physical as well as a mental problem.

This holism between mental and physical healthby which one could target the body to treat the mindwas lost with the rise of 19th-century scientific medicine. The body and mind were separated into different systems and specialisms: psychology and psychiatry for the mind, cardiology for the heart.

This is why we view our emotions as situated in the brain. But in doing so, we often ignore the physical and lived experiences of emotion. This includes not only sound, but also touch, smell, and taste.

Studies of care homes suggest that lonely people get attached to material objects, even when they live with dementia and cant verbally express loneliness. Lonely people also benefit from physical interactions with pets. The heartbeats of dogs have even been found to synchronize with human owners; anxious hearts are calmed and happy hormones produced.

Providing spaces for people to eat socially has, as well as music, dance, and massage therapies, been found to reduce loneliness, even among people with PTSD. Working through the senses gives physical connectedness and belonging to people starved of social contact and companionable touch.

Terms like warm-hearted describe these social interactions. They come from historic ideas that connected a persons emotions and sociability to their physical organs. These heat-based metaphors are still used to describe emotions. And lonely people seem to crave hot baths and drinks, as though this physical warmth stands in for social warmth. Being conscious of language and material culture use, then, might help us assess if othersor weare lonely.

Until we tend to the physical as well as the psychological causes and signs of loneliness, we are unlikely to find a cure for a modern epidemic. Because this separation between mind and body reflects a broader division that has emerged between the individual and society, self, and world.

Many of the processes of modernity are predicated on individualism; on the conviction that we are distinct, entirely separate beings. At the same time as medical science parcelled up the body into different specialisms and divisions, the social and economic changes brought by modernityindustrialization, urbanization, individualismtransformed patterns of work, life, and leisure, creating secular alternatives to the God-in-world idea.

These transformations were justified by secularism. Physical and earthly bodies were redefined as material rather than spiritual: as resources that could be consumed. Narratives of evolution were adapted by social Darwinists who claimed that competitive individualism was not only justifiable, but inevitable. Classifications and divisions were the order of the day: between mind and body, nature and culture, self and others. Gone was the 18th-century sense of sociability in which, as Alexander Pope put it, self love and social be the same.

Little wonder then, that the language of loneliness has increased in the 21st century. Privatization, deregulation, and austerity have continued the forces of liberalization. And languages of loneliness thrive in the gaps created by the meaninglessness and powerlessness identified by Karl Marx and sociologist Emile Durkheim as synonymous with the post-industrial age.

Of course loneliness is not only about material want. Billionaires are lonely too. Poverty might increase loneliness linked to social isolation, but wealth is no buffer against the absence of meaning in the modern age. Nor is it useful in navigating the proliferation of 21st-century communities that exist (online and off) that lack the mutual obligation assured by earlier definitions of community as a source of common good.

I am not suggesting a return to the humors, or some fictitious, pre-industrial Arcadia. But I do think that more attention needs to be paid to lonelinesss complex history. In the context of this history, knee-jerk claims of an epidemic are revealed to be unhelpful. Instead, we must address what community means in the present, and acknowledge the myriad kinds of loneliness (positive and negative) that exist under modern individualism.

To do this we must tend to the body, for that is how we connect to the world, and each other, as sensory, physical beings.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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A pill for loneliness isn't the answer to our modern "epidemic" - Quartz

Get Healthy Rushcliffe is launching a new exercise on referral programme to help residents of Rushcliffe with long term health conditions become more physically active.

Exercise is a critical component of achieving a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Get Healthy Rushcliffe aims to make that as easy and as accessible as possible to those living in Rushcliffe.

By being more active, you can help reduce the likelihood of developing long term healthconditions such as heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure.

Mark Lambourne, Managing Director of Parkwood Healthcare, the organisation behind theGet Healthy Rushcliffe project said that This is a fantastic opportunity for us to work with our partners at Lex Leisure and the wider health and social care community to help embed physical activity within the community of Rushcliffe.

The new 8 to 12 week programme allows residents of Rushcliffe who have been referredby their GP to engage in a personalised and safe exercise programme on a one to onebasis with a qualified instructor.

The programme offers expert advice in relation to health conditions and exercise. Our instructors are highly trained in planning and delivering programmes tailored to the needs and goals of the individual participants.

As part of the programme, participants are able to access the fantastic facilities at Bingham Leisure Centre, Cotgrave Leisure Centre, Keyworth Leisure Centre and Rushcliffe Arena at a discounted rate to enable them to take up more physical activity.

Rushcliffe Borough Councils Executive Manager for Communities Dave Mitchell said:Were delighted to support Get Healthy Rushcliffe at our leisure centres, building on theBoroughs great sport, lifestyle and place.

Encouraging those with health conditions to continue to be active is vital, whether in a role to assist recuperation or to make a significant difference in wider physical and mental wellbeing.

As well as an Exercise on Referral scheme, Get Healthy Rushcliffe also offers residents of Rushcliffe an online resource through which they can access advice, guidance and resources on how to stop smoking, eat a healthier diet, be more physically active, drinkless alcohol and maintain a healthier weight.

Anyone who is a resident of Rushcliffe is welcome to register at

http://www.gethealthyrushcliffe.co.uk to access the range of services that are available. If you would like more information please do not hesitate to contact us on 0115 784 5690, PARKWOOD.gethealthyrushcliffe@nhs.net or visit the website on http://www.gethealthyrushcliffe.co.uk

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New GP Exercise on Referral scheme to launch in Rushcliffe - West Bridgford Wire

Six Maine organizations were recognized by the Finance Authority of Maine for their work in helping local businesses and students succeed. The recognitions were made at FAMEs Nov. 21 annual meeting.

Business at Work for Maine Award: Amplify Additive of Scarborough, for its innovative manufacturing and work helping other companies choose the right technology for the right application. The company benefited from a unique partnership involving a FAME Direct Loan and financing from other partners such as the Maine Venture Fund, Maine Technology Institute and Coastal Enterprises Inc.

Education at Work for Maine Award: Professional Logging Contractors of Maine of Augusta for its work giving independent logging contractors and sole proprietors a voice in Maines changing forest industry. It offers Maines only post-secondary training program for operators of mechanized logging equipment. Launched in 2017, the program involves a partnership between the Maine Community College System, the PLC, and industry partners.

Education at Work for Maine Award: Ronald Milliken, longtime director of financial aid at University of Maine Farmington, and the financial literacy peer education program he founded that champions financial literacy and responsible borrowing. The programs mission is to increase the financial literacy capability of students by providing them with student-led informational programming regarding personal finance, student loan borrowing, default prevention and financial aid. The program has begun a statewide expansion, and will ultimately be offered at all seven campuses of the University of Maine System.

Lender at Work for Maine Award ($1.5 billion or above in assets): Camden National Bank. This is the banks 10th time as an awardee. Over the past year, Camden National partnered with FAME on 48 loans totaling approximately $13.6 million. This in turn helped to create 109 Maine jobs and retain an additional 484 jobs.

Lender at Work for Maine Award (up to $1.5 billion in assets): Skowhegan Savings. This past year, FAME partnered with Skowhegan Savings on eight loans to Maine companies totaling approximately $6 million. This helped to retain 53 Maine jobs. In partnership with Jobs for Maines Graduates, Skowhegan Savings has developed a career preparation and financial literacy program to give all students in Somerset and Franklin counties the skills and experience needed for success in todays workforce.

Lender at Work for Maine Award: Bar Harbor Bank & Trust: FAME partnered this year with the bank on 20 loans totaling approximately $5.1 million. This helped to create 39 Maine jobs and retain an additional 112 Maine jobs. The bank is being recognized for its increased partnership with FAME this past year utilizing the agencys commercial loan insurance program.

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FAME recognizes 6 Maine organizations for helping businesses and students - Press Herald

For over 30 years, I've managed professional relationships. There is one foundational element that I've noticed remains unchanged: Humans need humans. We're social beings, and relationships with others can help us navigate the challenges and celebrate the victories of personal and business life. According to American psychologist Abraham Maslow, best known for his hierarchy of needs, relationships with others fulfill our desire to belong and our esteem needs.

Gallup research shows that only 33% of U.S. employees are engaged at work and lists "manager or management" as one of the five most common reasons employees leave their jobs. I believe that this stems from poor manager-employee interactions and employees' feelings of lack of belonging.

Case in point: Samantha is a new manager in charge of running a corporate branch office. She has consistently performed well in her previous positions and quickly rose through the ranks to her current position. She prides herself on the separation of the human component and work. In her previous positions, she was measured on individual performance; relationships with others were not a requirement or need for her personal success. She does not participate in lunch or after-hour office gatherings. She openly states her goal at the office is to do a job, earn a living and design her career path; she is not there to make friends.

The side effects of such an attitude may not be glaringly obvious. Samantha scores high on corporate compliance. Directives are followed precisely, and she is an expert in process execution. However, her performance as a team leader has been underwhelming and landed the team at the bottom of the district. The line of demarcation and the emotional disconnect between her and the team is directly impacting her success. Team members feel the emotional deficit in the relationship and have adopted an attitude of doing what is required of the job and nothing more.

To help Samantha change her course, we unpacked this question: What steps can be taken to improve individual performance and team engagement to drive success? Here's the advice I gave her. I believe any leader can use these tips to bond with their team members.

1. Consciously build bonds. Rather than approaching relationships with your team members with only quantitative data, build bonds from a qualitative stance as well. While the numbers show the outcome, they can serve as a small part of the improvement equation. Genuinely listen to your team members' ideas, and explore the feasibility of using them for the good of the team. Take an interest in their career paths; the goal of advancement may be tied directly to motivation to improve engagement and performance.

2. Rather than preparing what to say next, listen attentively as your team members speak. Often, our mind races to articulate what we will say in response, thereby causing us to miss important details. Listening intently shows respect for the speaker and can reveal opportunities to coach for better outcomes.

3. Seek value in every relationship. Different personalities, communication styles and thought processes can make it more difficult to effectively hear what's being said. Strive to find common ground, and commit to exploring ways to build from the commonalities.

4. Speak and respond in ways that encourage others to listen. Constructive feedback rather than criticism can work well to move discussions along. Structure feedback to inspire further exploration into the issue at hand. Ask "what if" questions to delve into the details.

5. Remember that emotions play a part in every discussion. An emotionally aware leader can recognize issues below the surface that have not yet been verbally communicated. For example, a usually outgoing employee who suddenly becomes quiet can be a signal. In such a case, inquire by approaching the subject delicately with empathy and with intentional words, such as "I've noticed that you don't seem to be yourself is there something I can help you with?" Without prying, and depending on how the conversation goes, offer available resources.

Employing these five tips can provide the foundation from which teams can develop cohesiveness and navigate the ups and downs of business cycles and other conundrums along the way.

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The Human Component Of Work: Five Tips For Connecting With Your Team - Forbes

While it is important to recognize and avoid toxic people, it may be even more important to recognize and attract what I refer to as nutric people. The Latin word nutricis loosely translated means to nourish, to support, and to foster growth and development.

Research has shown that human resilience (ones ability to bounce back from adversity) is largely a result of being supported by someone else (cf. Everly & Lating, 2019). It seems to me that it is no quantum leap of faith to accept that ones happinessand success in life is often related to having someone who supports you, someone who nourishes you, someone who supports your hopes and dreams, and perhaps most importantly someone who helps you feel good about yourself. That person would, therefore, be the opposite of toxic, rather we could simply shorten the Latin nutricis and call that person nutric.

Toxic People

Just asthe environmenthas its toxins, humanity includes people who consistently do toxic things. Recognizing and avoiding toxic people is an essential skill to learn as early in life as possible (cf. Everly, 2009). Toxic people can spread unhappiness and personal suffering. They can poison things with which they come in touch: other people, careers, businesses, marriages, and even children.

Specifically, toxic people undermine your confidence, remind you of your weaknesses, and dissuade you from doing anything that might promote your happiness and your success. They may even take advantage of you to further their success, often working in stealth so as not to be revealed as the toxic people they are. They are users, certainly not nurturers. Sound familiar?

Toxic people are easy to recognize. They are unhappy and insecure, though they may try to mask their unhappiness with arrogance. They say things that are hurtful, but quickly say they were just kidding, or that you are being too sensitive. They drain your energy and leave you feeling emotionally exhausted questioning yourself and your desires. They may even sabotage your efforts at happiness or success. If caught doing so, they will say they were simply trying to save you from disappointment.

Oh, and dont think you can change them. Their insecurities are legion, far beyond your ability to alter. But you are inclined to try, so you get pulled into the great abyss of their toxicity. Just remember their toxicity can be contagious.

Source: Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay

Nutric People

Nutric people are the opposite of toxic people. Nutric people nourish, support, and foster your growth and development. They help you realize your dreams. They are uplifting people who help you build your self-confidence. They believe in you. They motivate you to be better than you thought you could be!

Nutric people are easy to recognize. They will encourage you when you have self-doubt. They will support you when you need assistance, asking nothing in return. They are happy more often than not. They often have a smile on their face. Their happiness makes you feel happy. They leave you feeling energized, motivated, and feeling more self-confident. The personal characteristics of Nutric people read like an acronym of the word itself.

Nutric people are:

1. Nurturing. They are supportive and encouraging. They are motivating but not demanding. They seem to truly want you to be happy and successful.

2.Understanding. They seem to understand you. They are perspective-takers able to understand your point of view on most things. When they disagree, they present their point of view without insulting your perspective.

3.Trustworthy. You can trust them without any fear of betrayal.

4. Reliable. Reliability is the key to trust. They act and think in a pattern that is usually predictable and this puts you at ease.

5. Integrity. They evidence honesty and ethics. They seem to follow a moral compass.

6. Confident. They are confident in themselves and their confidence is contagious. Studies on interpersonal attraction show that self-confidence is a key factor in attraction. Do not confuse confidence with narcissism and arrogance, as these two traits are characteristic of toxic people.

How do you attract nutric people? Aspire to be one, or at least close. Nurture others; be a compassionate and supportive presence. Be reliable. Don't make excuses, take responsibility for your actions (a rare quality). Follow a moral compass. Exude a confident humility. Try as best you can to see the world through the eyes of another. You will be surprised by what you discover. These things said, never lose yourself in the process.

While it is important to recognize and avoid toxic people, it may be even more important to recognize and attract nutric people. Nutric people nourish, support, and foster your growth and development. They help you realize your dreams!

(c) 2019, George S. Everly, PhD

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"Nutric People:" How to Recognize and Attract Them - Psychology Today

Thomas Rhettwas always a talented songwriter, but his career skyrocketed around the time that he started releasing deeply personal songs that spoke directly to his own life, such as "Die a Happy Man." That's no coincidence, as Rhett pointed out to The Boot and other outlets during a recent press event.

In fact, he attributes his success to his ability to speak openly about the things that are important to him. Thatskill that hasn't always necessarily come easily."Especially as an artist, it's tough in any genre to be vulnerable and to write songs about your life," Rhett admits. "When you put 'em out, you go, 'Does anybody care about that?'"

The resounding success of "Die a Happy Man," which tells the story of Rhett's relationship with hiswife Lauren, gave him the answer. Since then, songs including "Life Changes," "Look What God Gave Her" and "Dream You Never Had" have continued to prove that Rhett's fansdo care about his story, because it relates to their own.

"And I think what I found out is, the more personal songs I write ... you're really talking to a lot of the population," he continues. "A lot of the time as a dad, or even when I look at Lauren and we're sitting there with a newborn and going, 'Does anybody know what we're experiencing right now?' Well, there's a million people that do. There's abillion people that do."

Distilling those common experiences into song form may be easier said than done, but Rhett says that the payoff is huge. "That is Songwriting 101: to be unabashedly yourself, and do things different, not because you're trying to be different, but because it's actually who you are. I think that doesn't go unnoticed," he reflects.

That commitment to authenticity has taken Rhett to the highest echelons of country music, from awards show mentions to high-power tours and cross-genre collaborations. "Every decision wemade, every tour I said yes to, every tour I said no to, every song I did cut, every song I didn't cut -- it was all part of some crazy plan," he says.

"I don't know where it's gonna lead, but I'm really just trying to live in 2019, in the present, and feel like this is incredible," Rhett adds. "A lot of it is just attributed to being yourself. Being very unashamed to be who you are."

10 Too-Cute-for-Words Photos of Thomas Rhett + Lauren Akins

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What's Thomas Rhett's Secret to Success? Being Himself, the Singer Says - The Boot

While your balance might not be as impressive as Warren Buffet's, you can get closer by adopting these practices.

November 20, 2019 5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Just about every entrepreneur wants to see their business turn into the next Airbnbor Uber. While a successful startup relies on great marketing and delivering a needed product or service, this isnt what necessarily makes the biggest difference for the bank accounts of the worlds wealthiest entrepreneurs.

In reality, accruing and maintaining wealth stems from smart personal-finance habits. Your startup doesnt need to turn into a billion-dollar business for you to achieve your wealth goals. By implementing the same personal-finance habits used by many of the most successful entrepreneurs, you can dramatically improve your financial situation. Here are five to get you started.

As important as it is to have a budget, one area where the wealthy differentiate themselves is by having clear-cut money goals.Writing down a list of financial goals and reviewing them each day will give you a clear direction regarding the actions you need to take to improve personal wealth and the profitability of your business.

Related: Want to Make Money and Get Rich?

Not having a plan for spending and savings habits is one of the biggest pitfalls that keeps entrepreneurs and others from achieving their wealth goals. For greater insight on this, I reached out to Spencer Barclay, founder and CEO of Savology, whoexplained, The problem stems from the fact that many of us simply dont track where our money is going,which can undermine the financial goals youre working toward.Serious budgeting means planning ahead for how you will spend and save your money and then tracking every expense. When you are cognizant of your spending habits, it becomes much easier to keep them in check and contribute more to your savings goals.

With this information in hand, you can then start finding ways toreduce your expenses. This could mean switching to a less expensive internet provider for your business, or simply cutting out your daily trip to the coffee shop on your way to work.

According to Tom Corleys book,Rich Habits: The Daily Habits of Successful People, 65 percent of all self-made millionaires have at least three sources of income, and 29percent have five or more income sources. The significance of these numbers isnt just in the fact that these individuals are earning money through multiple businesses, as well as interest income, rentals or capital gains. By establishing multiple income streams, these entrepreneurs are diversifying and lowering their personal financial risk.

The idea is similar to creating multiple revenue streams within your business. By selling through new channels or introducing new products, you create additional opportunities for sales growth. Even if one channel or product starts to underperform, your business remains profitable because of the stability provided by other income streams. Diversifying your personal finances can lead to similar results.

Where does your extra money go after youve paid off your necessary monthly expenses? For business owners, finding ways to invest the profit back into the company is key to fueling further growth. The same holds true for your personal finances.

Many investment experts recommend implementing the buy and hold strategy as a way to generatepassive income over time. According to Investopedia, a long-term study of this strategy covering the years 1926 to 2010 found an average 12.1 percent annual return for small stocks and a 9.9 percent annual return for large stocks. This even accounted for the three market crashes that took place during this time frame.

Continually adding money to a savings or investment account will allow your growth to compound over time. This passive income serves as the perfect supplement to the money you take home from your entrepreneurial efforts.

Related: 5 Passive Wealth-Building Strategies

Research from CB Insights reveals that 42 percent of startup failures are attributed to a lack of market need for their product or service. Lack of market awareness can directly impact the success of your businessand your personal finances. Wealthy entrepreneurs make an effort to stay up to date on broad trends that could impact their business and personal finances. For example, changing interest rates can dramatically influence your long-term costs for taking out a loan for a new business venture. This could also affect buyer spending habits, influencing the market for your products.

Becoming proactively aware of market shifts will alert you to monitor trends or events that could affect your business and other investments, allowing you to take timely actions that protect your assets. Even something as simple as adjusting your pricing in anticipation of a market change could help you avoid incurring major losses.

For many, achieving personal financial security requires changing habits or a long-adopted mindset. This may seem like a challenge, but the end result is well worth it. By taking full control of the way you use your money, you can grow your personal wealth while also increasing your startups chances for long-term success.

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5 Personal-Finance Habits of Wealthy Entrepreneurs - Entrepreneur