So you're a millionaire.

Meh! Just another day.

Savor it, don't forget to mark the occasion. But also, don't rest yet! This thing is like a boulder being pushed uphill. Keep pressure against it, stay focused and stay the course.

Cash flow is the dream and leads to financial freedom. Not just a number on paper!

Let's celebrate the day together when you become a Backyard Millionaire! But then let's put our heads together to figure out next steps for managing your property and growing your fortune, where you are with what you've got.

Rock on!

Chris Story

Don’t Die a Mega-Death by ComparisonHave you ever felt proud of what you’ve accomplished—only to meet someone who seems to have done more?

They’ve traveled where you want to go.

They’ve built more. Earned more. Experienced more.

And suddenly, the satisfaction you felt just moments before begins to fade.

Nothing about your life changed in that instant. Only your measuring stick did.

In this episode, Chris explores the quiet danger of comparison—and how it can rob you of the joy, confidence, and momentum you’ve rightfully earned.

Comparison doesn’t make you stronger. It makes you smaller.

Your life was never meant to be measured against someone else’s highlight reel.

In This Episode

• Why comparison can quietly destroy your sense of success
• How shifting your “yardstick” changes everything
• The importance of defining success on your own terms
• How to protect your confidence and keep moving forward

Key Takeaway

Don’t die a mega-death by comparison.

Live your life. Run your race. Build your dream.

Chris Story

Can you imagine accomplishing more by doing less?

Henry Ward Beecher believed that was the secret behind his extraordinary success: doing less—but doing it with complete focus.

Most people scatter their energy. They anticipate. They worry. They replay. Beecher concentrated his effort on the work itself—and nothing more.

If that idea speaks to you, take a listen to this episode. And share it with someone who might be carrying too much, when less would serve them better.

If you’d like to go deeper, pick up a copy of my book, Born to Live – Finding Purpose on the Road to Hope. It’s the story of a man who learns, the hard way, that the good life can only be lived in the present moment.

Until we meet again, remember: you really can make a million bucks in your own backyard.

Chris Story

In March of 2020, when the world slowed down, something else began.

Sitting alone in his library in Homer, Alaska, Chris Story wrote a single sentence that would become the opening line to his book, The Backyard Millionaire:

“When I first met the Backyard Millionaire, I wasn’t impressed.”

What followed was not just a book, but the story of a man who quietly built wealth, independence, and a remarkable life right in his own community.

His name was Oscar.

He wasn’t polished. He wasn’t flashy. In fact, he could be downright grouchy. But beneath that rough exterior was a man who had discovered something most people never do: how to win at life on his own terms.

In this episode, Chris shares the story of Oscar, one of his greatest mentors, and the timeless lessons he passed down. Along the way, you’ll hear how Oscar, Chris’s father, and trusted advisor Charles Hough helped shape the principles behind the Backyard Millionaire philosophy.

This is a story about mentorship, quiet success, and the power of building your version of the American Dream—right where you are.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover

• The moment The Backyard Millionaire was born
• Who Oscar was—and why he made such a lasting impact
• The surprising truth about what real wealth looks like
• How mentorship shapes your financial future
• Why you don’t need Wall Street to build meaningful wealth
• How ordinary people create extraordinary lives in their own backyard

“When I first met the Backyard Millionaire, I wasn’t impressed.”

Most people think wealth looks a certain way.

Oscar proves it doesn’t.

His story is a reminder that financial freedom isn’t about flash. It’s about ownership. Independence. Patience. And the quiet discipline to build something that lasts.

Broadcasting from the edge of the continent, this episode carries forward a philosophy born not in skyscrapers—but in backyards.

Learn More

You can read the full story and the principles behind it in the book:

The Backyard Millionaire by Chris Story