We Play Full Out with Bart and Sunny

Untangling Life’s Knots: A Cowboy Lesson in Perseverance

• Bart and Sunny Miller • Season 1 • Episode 57

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In this episode of We Play Full Out, Sunny and Bart dive into two powerful lessons: the art of untangling life’s knots and the impact of cheering for others. 

Inspired by a muddy, knotted rope, they explore how patience, effort, and the right tools can transform challenges into strengths. They also share a heartwarming story about how showing up and playing full out for others can create meaningful, energetic connections. Tune in for practical takeaways on perseverance, encouragement, and making a difference!

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Bart:

Welcome to. We Play Full Out with Bart and Sunny Miller. Take it away, Sunny.

Sunny:

All right. Well, this week brought world champion roadie, athlete and dear friend Tyson Durfey back to our house for a few days, so of course you and Tyson had to saddle up a horse and head over to the Cowboy Warrior Ranch Arena for a little roping.

Bart:

Yes, we did.

Sunny:

Little Rolex got saddled up and head over to the Cowboy Warrior Ranch Arena for a little roping. Yes, we did Little.

Bart:

Rolex got saddled up Right. How could you not Right, I mean come on.

Sunny:

Now you're going to have to tell this full story, because my understanding is, while you're out and about, you found a small piece of rope sticking out of the mud. Is that what happened?

Bart:

So Tyson needed a neck rope because he was going to rope some calves. And if you don't understand what that does, it keeps your rope straight and so you tie a rope halfway down the horse's neck actually it's a little further up than that and it basically helps as a guide. So it's called a neck rope, so when you're roping, a lot of guys like to use that, obviously. So he asked me if I had a neck rope out in my horse trailer, and so I said you know he goes all right, you know, piece of bailing twine, something of that nature. So I went out to the horse trailer and I scouted through there and I found a pig and string, which is what they use to tie the feet of the calf up. So, um, but pig and strings are a little rougher, but they'll work Right. So I grabbed it, threw it around myself and I walked in. As soon as I walked in, there was on the panel, was a kind of a soft rope, but it was in like it had like four ropes attached to it and you could see it had been cut. So I untied it and started untying other pieces off of the main strand as I walked back to Tyson.

Bart:

But as I got back there, there were some knots that I mean were from Hades, they were bad, they were so tight, and so there was several people there. And then Tyson and I got one of those knots out and he's like, ah, it'll work this way. And he's like, finally, like, forget it, I'm just going to use the pig and string to work this way. And he's like, finally, like, forget it, I'm just going to use the pig and string. So then I had that piece of rope in my hand and I just kept fiddling with it. And there was another young man there and he's like I'm going to go get a screwdriver, I'm going to start working on this with you. And I'm like, nah, we got this and we were running calves and there was a few people in the arena and in fact one of them messaged me after I did a thing and they're like you got all the knots out because they were sitting there watching me just keep playing with it.

Sunny:

And you were still playing with it when you got home. Yes, I was like what are you doing? Yeah, and you said something like I don't know, but I've got to get this knot out.

Bart:

Yeah.

Sunny:

You're all kind of laughing a little, but you just felt really compelled to get that knot out, and you weren't going to give up.

Bart:

I was not going to give up and I knew what I needed to do and I knew the tools I needed. I knew I had the tools, but at the end of the day, I just kept playing with it, playing with it and yeah, so pretty soon you had that little rope all untangled. Straight piece of rope.

Sunny:

Tyson picked it up.

Bart:

He did.

Sunny:

And he went to work on it. He was sitting there chatting with me and he started working on it. He's like you know, my first paying gig was he tied it into a horn knot.

Bart:

Yeah.

Sunny:

And some guy, when he was like 10 years old or seven years old or something, paid him like 20 bucks for like seven of them. So he's telling us this story. Something paid him like 20 bucks for like seven of them, so he's telling us this story and when he got done with it, there's a perfectly good almost done or not right.

Bart:

Yeah, all it had to be was tightened down, and so he needed a broomstick to do that with.

Sunny:

So he got that done, yeah, and you've been beaming ever since.

Bart:

Yeah, no, it was awesome. I mean, I just think it's such a cool analogy. You know there's so many analogies within that whole example but here was a piece of rope that was literally going to be trash or looked at as trash, left for nothing, that was unknotted, untied, all the things to turn around and be in a professional's hands and tied into a horn knot that literally could go who knows where or do what, but it is 100% functionable, usable and sometime I don't know if it's in a lifetime I said I want to be a horn knot or not, but at the end of the day it's an amazing horn knot.

Sunny:

So how often do we look at our own lives, the mistakes, the mess, the struggles, and see nothing but a pile of garbage? Yeah, with effort, perspective and the right tools, those very knots can be untangled and turned into something strong, useful and even beautiful.

Bart:

Amen.

Sunny:

So the lesson is to never underestimate the value of what feels broken or discarded, whether it's a piece of rope or a piece of yourself. There's a treasure to be found in the effort to untangle life's knots.

Bart:

So true, yep.

Sunny:

Okay, I kind of like this section. They call the winner's cheer on winners with enthusiasm and they call the winners cheer on winners with enthusiasm. So every person, as you say, quite often has a little sign around their necks that says make me feel important. And how cool is it when someone takes the time to do just that.

Bart:

It's pretty awesome.

Sunny:

It's amazing how a small effort to acknowledge someone's passions can have such a big impact. Yep Now. Xander had a band concert while Tyson was in town.

Bart:

Mm-hmm.

Sunny:

And we talked about this. Mm-hmm Tyson had had a long day and these band concerts are long. They're like an hour and a half long.

Bart:

Yep.

Sunny:

Plus, we have to wait an hour for it to start because we live so far from the school that to drop Xander off, come back home, home and go back in would take almost a full hour.

Bart:

Correct.

Sunny:

So Tyson could have easily stayed at our house and rested up for the night and done his thing, but instead he loaded up with us and headed to the band concert to cheer Xander on. He was even hyping him up the whole night, told him how cool it was that he was a band and that he was so excited to go hear him on his game day, and after the concert he made sure Xander knew how good it was, how much he enjoyed the show and how playing an instrument was something he could never do. Now for you and I, as parents, we're constantly supporting our child, we're constantly cheering him on, but watching someone else cheer him on reminded us of the power of intentional encouragement, which I think you're also very good at. It's not just showing up, but it's playing full out for the people in our lives, and it doesn't take much to listen to hype someone up or to celebrate their efforts, but for the person receiving it it can mean the world. Sometimes it's just that one little voice of encouragement that keeps you going for 20 years.

Bart:

Totally.

Sunny:

Like you, never know what kind of an impact that will make. So this week, let's take a moment to recognize someone in our lives, Whether it's a friend, a child or even a stranger. Find a way to cheer them on in what they care about most. You never know the ripple effect your encouragement could have, which goes back to our five text Fridays, which you're so good about promoting. It can be as simple as a text message recognizing somebody, cheering them on, hyping them up in the things that they care about. Let's keep creating these meaningful, energetic exchanges, because that's what they are, because lifting others up is one of the greatest ways to play full out.

Bart:

Yeah, it is, and you know it's called edification in another word too. You know, the more we edify people, and really truly in true edification, yeah, not being fake about it, not being fake, it's just so. It's such a beautiful, beautiful thing and it's such a like magical thing that happens, not for you and to you when it happens, but like when you do it for somebody else, golly, it brings a lot of joy and I don't know. It's just really cool to do.

Sunny:

Yeah, all right. Life updates.

Bart:

Life updates.

Sunny:

So this last weekend we decided to mix it up a little bit and we headed to an Airbnb close to us in our hometown, close to our hometown so many times.

Bart:

I think we always are looking for an adventure somewhere else, but we don't adventure in our own backyards.

Sunny:

Is it the diamonds in our own backyard type of scenario?

Bart:

Right. I mean, there's so many cool things, fun things that we could explore, but yet we invest our time, energy and efforts other places.

Sunny:

Well, sometimes we think we already know what's there right. So we don't even look true.

Sunny:

But surprise, surprise, there was a brand new penthouse on Airbnb and it was off the charts cool. It was so fun. So we're talking like. The elevator opened right into our room. We had pinball machines, pool table, foosball table, sauna, full kitchen. It was a blast and we spent the first night there alone. Yep had a good time. Then we brought Xander and a friend back the next night and they partied it up. We also went to dinner with some friends and we went out dancing and having a good time. And then the next night we hit the Nutcracker and we just decided to stay there the whole weekend.

Bart:

Took.

Sunny:

Xander to school from the penthouse Monday morning. Yeah.

Bart:

What a great weekend.

Sunny:

It was it from the penthouse Monday morning. Yeah, what a great weekend it was.

Bart:

It was really fun, it was very enjoyable and it was very relaxing and just one of those times that I don't think I'll ever forget. But you know, it was just. We were able to walk downtown, watch the snow, go eat at some places that we normally wouldn't eat at, you know, and just hang out. But the cool part was the flight back home was way cool and the packing way easier Way easier.

Sunny:

You can go back and forth and no big deal.

Bart:

No big deal, it's pretty fun.

Sunny:

Then a fellow entrepreneur and friend of ours, Kristen Williams, showed up on Monday for a visit.

Bart:

Let's go.

Sunny:

Let's go. She's a master strategist when it comes to putting on live or virtual events and let me tell you it's really fun to watch Kristen's brain work.

Bart:

It really was. It was a real joy and a treat to have her in our house and we went to Mount River Ranch, which I think you may have already brought up. Haven't yet we took her to an awesome little adventure, which is also where we hold our live events. Yeah, and it was really cool because, as I was communicating with her, while you're here, just experience all the new experiences which is kind of what we were just talking about which is why I like that you're bringing it up again.

Bart:

Yeah, so she got to experience a lot of new experiences and then we got to experience some fun experiences with her.

Sunny:

Yeah. We got to go on a horse-drawn wagon ride to look at some beautiful Christmas lights Yep. Right before the show, yep. And then we got an amazing dinner and we got to listen to a really great band play Mm-hmm. So lots of fun, new experiences for her and for us, because we haven't done it with her before.

Bart:

Well then we went to Indian food, which is what she wanted to do. She loves Indian food, so we got to experience that. And then we got to just really mastermind, which was great for us, and put some really good quality time into the new year and planning it out.

Sunny:

Yep, so that was a lot of fun.

Bart:

It was a blast, way cool, so great, and she comes from South Carolina, yep, so a little ways away.

Sunny:

She left Wednesday around noon and that's when Tyson showed up. Yeah, so we kind of already mentioned that you guys went and did a little roping, we went to the Bend concert and I think we just spent some good time laughing and chatting and even talking business.

Bart:

Yep Watched a little Dancing with the Stars in the last episode of.

Sunny:

Yellowstone, and that was quite an episode. It was for sure, all right. Other than that, we're having a virtual Christmas party in our I Do Epic groups this Monday, which is going to be super fun. I think it's going to be really cool. Some of our people will be playing some music and we're just going to get together and have a lot of good old Christmas cheer.

Bart:

Heck yeah, why not, let's go?

Sunny:

And if you're wondering what I Do, epic is, it is our networking and accountability group for entrepreneurs. So fun, our networking and accountability group for entrepreneurs. So fun. So check that out if you're interested in networking and being held accountable by your peers. Yep, idoepiccom.

Bart:

Let's go.

Sunny:

I think that is it for the week.

Bart:

Yeah, I think we got a lot of snow. We also moved the horses over to the Cowboy Warrior Ranch, so it's kind of odd tonight I didn't have to feed horses for the first time.

Sunny:

Yeah, it feels a little strange.

Bart:

I'm not going to lie, yeah, and how long and uh, so that was really cool, let's talk about that.

Sunny:

So why did you?

Bart:

move them over there. Well, I just it's closer in the winter to be able to actually go rope and it's, you know, the roads here can get kind of dangerous, and so when you're hauling horses and animals and all that kind of stuff it takes a lot, and so to be able to just have them there and be able to drive there just me alone is, you know, way less risk and it just makes the evening way easier because I can just saddle, walk in the arena, go back out, turn them out and be done and not have to get home, take care of everything. Anyway, I could go on. So lots of reasons. But also it gives us a little more freedom in the winter to do what we want to do and to travel. And we've only got one thing at home, which is a dog, which will be a little odd for us, but it just. We can leave, we can do whatever we need to and not have anything to worry about. Make sure the waters are unthawed, nothing to do. Yep, all right, so cool.

Bart:

Well, we're so grateful for you guys listening to this. We hope you pass the pass. Pass this on If it's something that you find valuable for anybody else in your network also stay tuned for lots of magical things happening and we just want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We just want you to know how much we're grateful for you. We are grateful for you, the listener. We hope this provides value for you. You get insights in our life and just have a lot of fun. So Merry Christmas to you and your family from Sunny and I and with that, this segment is brought to you by I.

Sunny:

Do Epic.

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Bart Miller

Host
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Sunny Miller

Host