What did you want to be when you grew up? Perhaps an astronaut, actor, artist or even the President of the United States? For Andrew Schultz, President of The Theory of 5 University, it was a professional baseball player just like his father.
Strict and regimented, Andrew learned a lot of life lessons from his dad, who was a player for the St. Louis Cardinals. One of the most significant was how to be a coach, a mentor and–most importantly–the difference between the two.
Now, Andrew has 40 years of experience in the areas of personal growth, training, coaching and mentoring; he even worked alongside and was close friends with Stephen Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Although he is not a professional baseball player, this is not why we are asked the question ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ What this question does is offer introspection into your innermost thoughts, hopes, desires, passions and purpose. This is a relatively tall order, but it all starts with a single question.
Andrew can recall a time where he finally asked his father if he had what it took to make it into major league baseball, which was answered with another question: “What do you think?” At the moment, Andrew knew this was a ‘No, son, I do not.’ But, in this simple moment, he understood the difference between a coach and a mentor.
“Mentoring is about asking important questions,” said Andrew.
Unlike a coach, a mentor does not only guide you, a mentor also inspires you and helps change paths. And this is what The Theory of 5 is all about. Discovering the secrets of the happiest, most prosperous people is just the beginning; providing the tools and resources to multiply this success to anyone and everyone is the real key.
When Chris Saraceno wrote The Theory of 5, it was not to provide yet another loose guide to success in an over-saturated self-help market; he wrote it to offer a framework for finding mentors in each theory that propels someone into success: spirituality, marriage, parenting, business and finance and health.
This sense of enablement is not unfamiliar to Andrew. During his work with Stephen Covey–who created and developed the 7 Habits–Andrew was known as the embodiment of the habits themselves. This high compliment came directly from Covey himself, saying that Andrew was a direct product of the habits by integrating them into his daily planner, and thus his daily life.
“How you do one thing is how you do everything in life,” said Andrew, “so the small things are very, very important.”
Under the guidance of Covey, Andrew became molded into the man he is today; he changed the way he talked, the framework of his thoughts and learned how to show up as his ideal self day-to-day.
It turns out that Andrew was never meant to be a baseball player, or on any bench for that matter. After years of reflection, his purpose is to inspire and lead others. But, if it were not for the mentoring from his inner circle, he would not have found the means to live to this potential.
Again, a lesson from his father resonated with him most: “You can always do a little bit better.”
Since joining Chris’s mission, Andrew has channeled his skill into the values of The Theory of 5 through the development of The Theory of 5 University and The Theory of 5 Masterclass program. As president, he works alongside the team members to prepare, develop and execute program materials that will not only resonate with the participants, but more importantly develop tangible skills to apply towards their daily lives.
More specifically, The University is a coaching and mentoring company targeted in heart-centered coaching and relationship building; a component of this is The Masterclass. This is a 8-10 week program, which varies by topic, guided by certified coaches and offers insight into Chris’s philosophy in the five key theories. While each program is centered around the book and corresponding workbook, the topics are meant to offer specific individuals the opportunity to make changes in their lives. Previous The Theory of 5 Masterclass groups includes women, business executives, teens and families. Although, it is meant for anyone who has a growth mindset and thirsts for a better life either for themselves or their families.
Sometimes, the people you spend the most time with are not your ‘mentors,’ and it requires stepping out of your circle or bringing in new faces who bring inspiration and influence to the areas of your life that are valued.
“We can’t do it ourselves . . . we are so much better together,” Andrew said.
Those seeking this sense of hope and change are encouraged to join The Masterclass, and stay tuned for the in-person The Theory of 5 Summit, 2024–an all-encompassing retreat filled with top-line coaches specializing in DISC, authenticity and more–to make the investment into their new future.