For years, I heard about Dave Ramsey, and honestly… I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I pegged him all wrong. Without ever listening to him myself, I assumed he was just the guy who helps broke people manage their limited supply, while I saw myself as the teacher who helps people expand theirs.

At first glance, that might seem accurate. But I want to set the record straight.

Listening to Dave Ramsey’s podcast and daily radio show has actually become one of the most inspiring and motivating things I do—regularly. And for good reason.

(Pay special attention to reason #2.)

1) Dave's advice is solid. Scripturally sound too, if that matters to you. Truthfully, I wish we’d been listening to him back when we first started making real money. If we had, we probably wouldn’t have nearly lost it all in 2008.

2) The good news is, the principles I teach help you get what you want. The bad news is… the principles I teach help you get what you want. Did you catch that? They work, even if you set stupid goals. Dave’s program helps you set smart goals. REALLY smart goals.

3) In the past, I’ve offered psychological strategies for getting out of debt. And while they align with universal principles, the reality is that people tend to get better results following Dave’s approach than mine. Over time, I hope to revise some of my materials to reflect this evolved point of view. My tips may sound solid—and they are—but the truth is, Dave has a longer track record helping more people actually reach that debt-free goal. And I’m not ashamed to tell you that.

4) I used to think Dave was only about managing a limited supply. But I was wrong—he has a lot to say about expanding cash flow, too. I never realized that before. Pair his tips with the principles I’ve been teaching, and holy moly—you’d be unstoppable.

5) I also assumed Dave’s message was just for low-income earners, and that high-earning entrepreneurs couldn’t benefit. GASP! If you’re already a fan, you know how wrong I was. He offers smart, grounded guidance for growing income through entrepreneurship—if that’s a goal of yours.

6) The principles I teach can be a powerful lifeline when you're in crisis. But once you’re on your feet and building your future, Dave’s advice will help you stay there. It’ll keep you out of debt, prepared for emergencies, on track for wealth-building, and able to give like no one else. And when life throws another curveball? That’s when you bring my stuff back in—to help you bounce back fast and apply faith to achieve those baby steps in record time.

7) His baby step goals don’t have to replace yours—but I encourage you to tune into his podcast for a couple of weeks and just consider the order he recommends for reaching them. It makes a difference.

8) He’s entertaining and incredibly motivating. There’s nothing like hearing real people accomplish things that once seemed impossible—like paying off a house in their 20s, or knocking out $500,000 in student loan debt in three years on a $50K salary. Since listening, we’ve already made more progress than we were making before.

9) Dave often says that when people start following the baby steps, they usually see raises, promotions, or increased business income along the way. He believes God tends to bless those who are on the right path—and I believe that, wholeheartedly.

10) Some people don’t agree with his investment advice. I’m not qualified to weigh in on that. But I do appreciate the education I’ve received just by listening. It’s helping me make more informed decisions than I’ve ever been able to before.

There are plenty more reasons I’m excited about what I’m learning from Dave, but let me be clear: I don’t get paid to promote him. He doesn’t know me from Adam—I’m just another listener.

Still, if you’re feeling unsure about which goals to pursue, how to get out of debt, how to do what needs to be done without going deeper into debt, or even if you just want to know what it feels like to be totally free from it—then I wholeheartedly encourage you to check out his daily radio show or podcast.

Now, I do have colleagues who don’t agree with his philosophy. (I also have colleagues who don’t agree with me.) I don’t always align with other mentors or gurus either—and here’s why: different messages resonate at different stages of life.

These past few years, Dave has been exactly the right teacher for us.

At other times, other mentors were. Even when their advice clashed with Dave’s. And that’s okay. It’s about getting the right advice at the right time. Not always because it’s “the best,” but sometimes because the lesson in the experience is exactly what helps us become better teachers ourselves.

(Remember the sidewalk and picnic analogy at the beginning of The Jackrabbit Factor free download?)

Some of the guidance we’ve followed over the years was costly—emotionally, financially—but the lessons were necessary. Without those experiences, I wouldn’t have become the award-winning, three-time international bestselling author of The Jackrabbit Factor, Hidden Treasures: Heaven’s Astonishing Help with Your Money Matters, and Portal to Genius.

So… I guess it’s okay.

Still, if I could go back, I’d prefer to learn from other people’s mistakes (like Dave’s), instead of my own. It would’ve been a lot faster. And maybe it’ll be faster for you, too.

Dave’s message might not be right for everyone, right now. But it’s a whole lot more right for more people than I ever gave him credit for.

Sorry, Dave!

_________________

•   To discover how to start choosing more effectively now, read The Jackrabbit Factor (FREE!)  
•   If you want more step-by-step guidance on creating the life you really want, join me in the Mindset Mastery program.
•   If you want my help overcoming that giant obstacle right in front of you, learn more and sign up for Genius Bootcamp.