Crazy Unbelievable Faith

Be the 2%: Finishing Strong and Starting Well


Listen Later

In this raw and humorous year-end reflection, Brian and Kersha Owen hit pause on the holiday chaos to ask the question most people avoid: Are you part of the 2% who finish well, or the 98% who just finish? What begins as a slightly rushed Christmas Eve recording quickly becomes a rallying cry for intentionality, self-reflection, and choosing to stand out rather than blend in.

Between stories of parking in "the back 40" at Target, too much complimentary ice cream on vacation, and a hilarious on-the-fly moment where Brian admits Kersha's brain "doesn't process like his," this episode delivers both the wisdom and the authenticity Crazy Unbelievable Faith is known for. Brian and Kersha unpack the power of daily habits, the danger of self-judgment, and why most people wait until January 1st to start what they could begin today. They challenge listeners to pick 1-3 areas for growth, stop analyzing themselves to a tee, and remember that growth happens daily—but not in a day.

With Paul's words from 2 Timothy echoing through the conversation—"I have fought the good fight"—Brian and Kersha remind us that as long as there's air in our lungs, we should be growing, stretching, and refusing to coast through life. This isn't just about New Year's resolutions; it's about becoming the black sheep who stands out for God's kingdom rather than the white sheep who blends into mediocrity.

🔥 What You'll Learn

  • The 2% vs. 98% Principle: Why only 2% of people truly finish well, and how you can join them by being intentional about your year-end reflection and New Year planning.
  • Black Sheep or White Sheep? Brian's powerful reframe of what it means to "stand out" versus "blend in"—and why being the black sheep for God's kingdom is exactly where you want to be.
  • Growth Happens Daily, But Not in a Day: The crucial mindset shift that transforms how you approach personal development, goal-setting, and lasting change.
  • Stop Analyzing, Start Acting: Kersha's challenge to quit self-judging and instead focus on 1-3 specific areas where you want to see growth—and give yourself grace along the way.
  • Failure Is Feedback: Why the Owens teach their children that failure means you're trying, and how reframing setbacks as learning opportunities changes everything.
  • The Power of Relationships: Why 2026 should be the year you intentionally expand your network, ask "Who do you know that I should know?", and open doors for others.
  • Fighting the Good Fight: Brian's conviction from 2 Timothy 4:7—"I have fought the good fight"—and why you should refuse to coast or become complacent as long as there's air in your lungs.
  • What Is God Saying About Your Tomorrows? The importance of sifting through the noise to truly hear the Holy Spirit speak to you about your future and calling.

💬 Memorable Quotes

Brian: "Do you want to be the 2% or the 98%? Are you part of the 2% that really try to finish well?"

Kersha: "We had to park in the back 40 at Target. The holiday rush is REAL."

Brian: "I was making notes and she's like, 'This doesn't seem very authentic,' which is totally true."

Kersha: "He's still holding onto them. His grip..."

Kersha: "My brain doesn't process like yours."

Brian: "Wednesday, December 24th, 2025. Brian has a speechless moment."

Brian: "I definitely don't want to be the white sheep and blend in. I do want to be the black sheep and stand out."

Kersha: "Do you want to be vanilla and just coast through life? Or do you want to be the chocolate which stands out?"

Brian: "It was complimentary ice cream. There's also consequences to the complimentary ice cream. Weight gain."

Brian: "Why do people wait until January 1st to start their weight loss initiatives? I'll just start it when you start it."

Kersha: "Growth happens daily, but not in a day. It has to be intentional."

Brian: "It's like eating the elephant. I have to eat the whole elephant instead of it being one bite at a time."

Kersha: "I've never eaten an elephant."

Brian: "I have fought the good fight. I don't want to say that until the end of my life. There's still air in my lungs."

Kersha: "Stop analyzing yourself to a tee. Find a couple of areas that you want growth, then focus on those areas."

Kersha: "Don't look at missing the target as though you failed. Look at missing the target as though you won because there was growth along the way."

Brian: "Failure is good. It means you're trying."

Kersha: "Take the word 'can't' out. Matthew McConaughey grew up where his dad would get him in trouble for saying that word."

Brian: "What's his name? That guy? Oh my gosh. Texas. Matthew McConaughey. Welcome to my mind."

Brian: "That's the definition of insanity—doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Brian: "Who is it that someone knows that you should know? The only way you can do that is by having a conversation—coffee, lunch, whatever."

Kersha: "What is God saying to you today about your tomorrows?"

🛑 Reflect + Apply: Questions to Ask Yourself

  • Are you part of the 2% who finish well, or the 98% who just finish? What would it look like for you to finish this year strong?
  • When was the last time you took intentional time to reflect on your wins, losses, and challenges from the past year?
  • Do you want to be the white sheep who blends in, or the black sheep who stands out for God's kingdom? What does standing out look like for you in 2026?
  • What are 1-3 specific areas where you want to see growth in the coming year? (Remember: don't try to dissect yourself to a tee!)
  • Are you self-judging and staying planted in quicksand? What would it look like to give yourself grace and take the first step forward?
  • What daily habits and routines do you need to establish to support your growth? Remember: growth happens daily, but not in a day.
  • How do you currently view failure? Can you reframe it as feedback and a sign that you're trying?
  • What relationships are causing you to stay in neutral or go in reverse? Who do you need to surround yourself with in 2026?
  • Who is it that someone in your network knows that you should know? When will you have that coffee or lunch to ask?
  • Are you waiting until January 1st to start something you could begin today? What's stopping you from taking action right now?
  • When you set goals and miss the target, do you beat yourself up or recognize the growth along the way?
  • What is God saying to you today about your tomorrows? Are you creating space to truly hear the Holy Spirit speak?

📖 Biblical Principles Focus

This episode centers on the biblical call to finish well, live intentionally, and refuse complacency as long as God gives us breath:

  • Principle of Finishing Well (2 Timothy 4:7): "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Paul's declaration becomes Brian's life motto—that we should be striving and growing until the very end. This isn't about perfection; it's about persistence, intentionality, and refusing to coast through life. As long as there's air in our lungs, we should be fighting the good fight.
  • Principle of Intentional Reflection (Lamentations 3:40, Psalm 139:23-24): "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." The episode's call to year-end reflection echoes the biblical practice of self-examination—not for condemnation, but for growth and realignment with God's purposes.
  • Principle of Daily Faithfulness (Luke 16:10, 1 Corinthians 15:58): "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much." Kersha's insi...
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Crazy Unbelievable FaithBy Brian and Kersha Owen