Even I didn't know I could pitch like that...

Quote of the week:

"I know you know these types of loans
better than anyone [...]"
- A Senior Loan Originator, referring over a file

Photo of Treadmill Screen

Hey there {{contact.first_name}}!

I did it! I started my 46th year off like a champ.

I won't pretend I was excited about embarking on 4.5 miles on the treadmill, but I felt really good about it when I was finished. The human brain is wired to avoid negative consequences or pain more than to pursue positive outcomes or pleasure. Avoidance of death has certainly been my motivation so far in 2026. I am almost kind of maybe thinking I might make this 4.5 miles a regular habit.

The Markets & Money 101 Playbook: How Capital, Credit, Policy, and Psychology Shape Wealth is a 7 week series on Sunday evenings, beginning the day after tomorrow. This is a financial basics and wealth building course that has been widely requested for months, if not years. Allow me to motivate you to attend by stating that the understanding gained will surely help you avoid future pitfalls and heartbreaks, I have absolutely zero doubt. Even if you think you already know it all, then you should be there to help us answer questions. Register to attend.

This week for lending, let's try something new. Send me any and all questions you have regarding financing investment real estate—no question is too small or too "basic."

As a thank you for your curiosity and in honor of our 7-Week series, everyone who sends a question will receive a free PDF download of my 42-page Financial Independence Workbook.

Plus, every question you send is an entry (up to 10) to win a free Infusion Coaching Packagea $510 value. I’ll be drawing one winner from all submissions to help them accelerate their own path to Resilient Freedom.

Finally, I’ll admit that even I didn’t know I could pitch like that. There is a curious irony in finding your greatest strength exactly where you thought you were striking out. Scroll down to see why "missing the swing" might actually be the best game you’ve ever played.

All my best,
-- Kris 🌱🫶

I am sure that you are feeling the shifts, noticing the changes, and you desire to make prosperous choices about what comes next for you and yours. It may be cliche, but, for $47 total (not per week), can you really afford not to attend this multi-week course?

Check it Out

The Greatest

Song by Kenny Rogers ‧ 1999

OverviewLyrics

Little boy in a baseball hat
Stands in the field with his ball and bat
Says, "I am the greatest player of them all"
Puts his bat on his shoulder and he tosses up the ball

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down
Swings his bat all the way around
The world's so still, he can hear the sound
The baseball falls to the ground

Now the little boy doesn't say a word
Picks up his ball, he is undeterred
Says, "I am the greatest there has ever been"
And he grits his teeth and he tries it again

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down
Swings his bat all the way around
The world's so still, he can hear the sound
The baseball falls to the ground

He makes no excuses
He shows no fear
He just closes his eyes
And listens to the cheers

Little boy, he adjusts his hat
Picks up his ball, stares at his bat
Says, "I am the greatest, the game is on the line"
And he gives his all one last time

And the ball goes up like the Moon so bright
Swings his bat with all his might
And the world's as still as still can be
And the baseball falls and that's strike three

Now it's suppertime and his mama calls
Little boy starts home with his bat and ball
Says, "I am the greatest, that is a fact
But even I didn't know I could pitch like that"

Says, "I am the greatest
That is understood
But even I didn't know
I could pitch that good"

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Donald Alan Jr. Schlitz

The Greatest lyrics © New Don Songs, New Hayes Music, Gehrig Music

I tried something this week and it went astonishingly better than I imagined it would. I was reminded of the line from the Kenny Rogers song above: "Even I didn't know I could pitch like that."

That got me to thinking about mindset for business, which is kind of my jam. How often do we swing and strike over and over, but we "miss" the recognition that we are doing something great because it's not the outcome we are looking for? What if it's because we fail to notice the positive in the outcome we're actually getting?

Many of the coaching conversations I have revolve around the client's concern that things are not going as they hoped. We pick things apart to assess whether it's time to pivot to a different strategy or keep up the persistence because the current strategy simply hasn't worked yet. That's a deeply individualized analysis, but it definitely involves a shift of perspective.

I'm keeping this week's article exceptionally short because I think songwriter Donald Alan Jr. Schlitz already carried the heaviest part of the lift.

What swings do you think you're missing that maybe you're actually pitching?

Whenever you'd like to talk, I'd love to hear from you. hello@krisfleming.net.

I leave you with these inspiring words:

He makes no excuses
He shows no fear
He just closes his eyes
And listens to the cheers
[that only he can hear]

Share the Clarity

I’m committed to making sure every entrepreneur has the strategy they need to build a business that supports the life they want to live. If this week’s guide helped you see things more clearly, you likely know someone else who is ready to stop spinning their wheels and start building something for the long haul.

  • Pass it on: Forward this newsletter to a fellow entrepreneur who is focused on building real, generational prosperity.

  • Stay in the loop: If this was forwarded to you, subscribe here so you don't miss the next guide designed to help you grow without the hustle.

What I'm doing these days...

I am designing interactive AI agents for solopreneurs on the far left while simultaneously virtually co-working in Freya's Arbor. In the center is a bowl of the world's most amazing noodle soup that only requires me to add boiling water . On the right, (yes, at the same time) I am working on the slide deck for this Sunday's presentation of Module 1 of The Markets & Money 101 Playbook.

I generally do not encourage this level of multitasking, but the processing for the AI agent development takes some time, so it mostly runs in the background while I do other things.

ASK ME ANYTHING

As noted above:

This week for lending, let's try something new. Send me any and all questions you have regarding financing investment real estate—no question is too small or too "basic."

As a thank you for your curiosity and in honor of our 7-Week series, everyone who sends a question will receive a free PDF download of my 42-page Financial Independence Workbook.

Plus, every question you send is an entry (up to 10) to win a free Infusion Coaching Packagea $510 value. I’ll be drawing one winner from all submissions to help them accelerate their own path to Resilient Freedom.

NMLS ID: 71640 Licensed States: AL | AK | AR | AZ | CA | CO | CT | DC | DE | FL | GA | IA | ID | IL | IN | KS | KY | LA | MA | MD | ME | MI | MN | MT | NC | NE | NH | NJ | NM | NV | OH | OK | OR | PA | RI | SC | TN | TX | UT | VA | WA | WI | WY

Do you have questions about DSCR loans or want a quote? Email me at hello@krisfleming.net, or click below.

DSCR Information

Generational Prosperity. Resilient Freedom.

This has been newsletter issue 2606, published on 20260213
View an archive at The Genius Journal.

Kristin Fleming, NMLS 804170
615.234.1236
hello@krisfleming.net

Copyright © 2026 The Genius Cultivator LLC, All rights reserved.
Our e-mail address is: support@krisfleming.net

The content provided is presented for information purposes only. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. Information and/or dates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply. Lending provided by Oaktree Funding Corp., NMLS# 71640. AZ State MB 0920541 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org | Not all lending products are available in all states. Kris Fleming NMLS 804170 does not engage in consumer-purpose lending of any kind and this information is intended solely for business-purpose real estate investors. Equal Housing Lender.

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