Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

Overcoming Setbacks with a Growth Mindset: Reframing Your Attitude | Niall McCann

Feb 28, 2023

01:05:04

When terrible things happen it is our mindset that determines how it impacts us. Niall McCann explains how he found gratitude for the opportunity to redefine his life after breaking his back.

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Dr Niall McCann is the Director of National Park Rescue protecting large areas of nature and the species within. He is also an intrepid adventurer having rowed the Atlantic, cycled the Himalayas and skied across Greenland.

Ever the positive thinker Niall faced his biggest obstacle head-on when he suffered a broken spine in 2016, on a speed flying exercise in the Brecon Beacons. He broke five vertebrae, one of which was - in the words of his surgeon: obliterated. After being told he might never walk again, a year after his accident Niall joined the Mountain Rescue team that rescued him

He is preparing to cross the Vatnajökull icecap with two other friends with broken spines to raise money for charity.

Millimeters 2 Mountains The charity helps those facing adversity experience the outdoors and the healing power of adventure.

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Connect with Dr Niall McCann:

Website - N iallMcCann.com
Twitter - @NiallPMcCann
Instagram - @DrNiallMcCann
Charity - National Park Rescue

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Connect with Sam:

Sam's newsletter on creativity - Explosive Thinking
Watch the pod - YouTube - Growth Mindset

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
02:58 Niall McCann
04:02 Quickfire questions
06:00 How did Niall break his back and survive - Speed flying
08:42 Rode across the Atlantic tangent
11:02 Any app that could help you with Speed flying?
11:37 Femur photograph tangent
11:53 What happened during the accident
16:29 Tolerance for pain
20:25 Niall's road to recovery: 1st surgery
23:18 Second surgery
24:35 Bowel issues
28:59 Humor as a coping mechanism
29:22 Niall and Sam facing the fact that he may never walk again from their injuries
32:29 How much feeling does Niall have in his lower extremities
33:49 Activities Niall does after his injury
35:19 Niall's friend - Ed Jackson
36:27 Coming to terms with doing things differently than before
38:39 What adventure awaits Niall
39:30 Niall's friend - Darren Edwards
40:52 3 guys on an expedition to raise awareness and motivate those suffering from a spinal injury
42:21 Tom - Niall's best mate, as a source of inspiration with his injury
44:00 Tangent on physio stuff
45:04 Vipassana tangent
45:25 Feet and exercise tangent
48:19 Positive mentality goes a long way
48:51 Story on Niall's dad and his blood type
50:50 Make the most of your year and build upon it
53:25 Niall's mindset on how he chooses his adventures
55:52 How Niall gets to make his adventures happen
57:50 Outro