Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

John McAvoy: How to Thrive in Lockdown #107

Apr 10, 2020

Join John McAvoy, a Nike-sponsored athlete who transformed his life after serving two life sentences, as he shares lessons from extreme isolation. He emphasizes the importance of keeping a routine and staying active during challenging times. John encourages listeners to view lockdown as a chance for personal growth and self-discovery. With insights drawn from his prison experiences, he offers invaluable tips on maintaining mental resilience and finding hope amid adversity. His journey proves that even in confinement, transformation is possible.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

Routine and Presence

Maintain a daily routine, even in isolation, to stay grounded.
Stay present and focus on each day, avoiding long-term projections.

ADVICE

Helping Others

Help others in your community, even with small gestures.
Offer support to neighbors or essential workers to foster togetherness.

INSIGHT

Shared Experience and Growth

Restricted freedoms create a sense of shared experience and equality.
View this time as an opportunity for personal growth and reevaluation.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Many of us are struggling to adjust to this new way of life. Having spent 24 hours a day in a 12ft by 8ft prison cell for a whole year, my guest on this week’s podcast knows more about isolation than most of us. You may remember John McAvoy from episode 91 of the podcast, where he shared his inspirational story of going from serving two life sentences to breaking British and World sporting records whilst in prison. Now a free man, he is Nike sponsored athlete and gives talks to schoolchildren and has spoken at 10 Downing Street.

On this podcast, John shares what he learnt from his time in isolation – lessons which we can all apply in our lives, especially now. He explains how he maintained a sense of control over his life by keeping himself mentally and physically fit and why keeping a routine, staying active and keeping ourselves present in the moment are more important now, than ever.

John invites us to think of our current situation as an amazing opportunity to re-evaluate our lives and explore new things with the new found extra time. If we look at what John achieved whilst in a small isolated prison, imagine what we can all achieve in our own lives right now. As John says, this could be your moment of growth.

Finally, John shares his invaluable top tips that I know will help many of you bring a sense of calm and control into your lives. Whenever I speak to John, I come out of the conversation a better and more enlightened person than I was when we started, after listening to this, I hope you do too.

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/107

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/

Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/

Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.