Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

The power of one word and how it can change your life is the overriding theme of today's episode. As McKay asserts, we can all get stuck in negative thought patterns in our lives, but by finding one word or thing upon which to focus, we can change our perspective and move forward. Throughout the episode, he recounts several examples of how this practice has helped individuals improve their lives.The stories of Steve Young, Michaela Schifrin, Bob Mankoff, and an infirm man at Bethesda all  combine to demonstrate how committing to a single word or phrase can provide direction, focus, and motivation during challenging times. As you will hear today, whether it’s thriving in your role, overcoming self-doubt and anxiety, implementing the power of persistence and self-discovery, or rising above excuses and taking action towards your goals, finding your one word can truly make a formidable difference in your life.Episode Highlights:The practice of focusing on one word or one thingHow it can ignite an amazing sense of purpose and energyWhat you should do with your one wordAssimilating your resolution to become a part of youSome stories that illustrate the power of focusing on one word or thingHaving a sense of direction, focus, and motivation during challenging timesPersisting and learning from our failuresHolding onto excuses and remaining stuckAccepting help and making changesQuotes:"It's easy in life to get a bit off track.""The practice of focusing on one word or one thing isn't new. But new or not, it has power to bring a fresh sense of feeling and purpose to your life.""Whatever it is, you can see how a word can change your life.""What one thing could you do that by doing it well, everything else would be easier or unnecessary?""But when you find your one thing, your one word or two words... it has a magnetic-like pull to help you get your mind straight and your spirit lit to who you can be.""The point is this: it was the one word 'funny' and the realization that he was truly funny that turned Bob to do what was necessary to learn, to discover, and to grow and become one of the greatest cartoonists of our day.""We're all a bit infirm and need God's and each other's help to step away from our excuses.""Your best days are not behind you, but in front of you, if you can lock onto what you need to learn in this season of your life.""Use these next few days and weeks to find your one word that can help you rise."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

In this week’s episode, McKay explores the road that lays ahead of you in your life. He begins this exploration by sharing two stories from Tom Watson's experiences at the Masters Tournament which highlight the importance of embracing both the highs and lows in life. These stories serve as powerful reminders for us to reflect on our own journey, to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead with grace and resilience, and to stay committed and focused on our goals, regardless of the obstacles that may come our way.The podcast episode also discusses the topic of failure and how to handle it. By focusing on the road ahead and fixing our vision on our end goal, we can learn to see failure as an opportunity for growth and learning. It's important to have a clear understanding of where we're headed, as this helps us navigate our journey with purpose and intention. Difficult roads may lead to beautiful destinations, and by persevering through the challenges, we become the person we are destined to be. Join McKay here today and you will be inspired to approach life with a growth mindset and to embrace the journey, no matter what it brings.Episode Highlights:Tom Watson's stories and their significanceEmbracing both the highs and lows of life with grace and resilienceThe importance of commitments and promises in our livesThe power of love and supportFailure as an opportunity to learn and growFocusing on the road aheadHaving a clear end goal in mindDifficult roads and beautiful destinationsThe importance of not giving upLearning how to react to future mistakesDefining yourself and your mistakesQuotes:"Life is full of highs and lows, and we need to learn to navigate both with grace and resilience.""Tom Watson's stories remind us that life is full of surprises and opportunities, and we need to be ready to seize the moment.""Commitments and promises are powerful drivers of our actions and choices, even in the face of adversity.""Love and support from our family and friends can help us overcome the toughest challenges in life.""The road ahead in life may be uncertain, but we can choose to embrace it with courage and determination.""Failure can be good. It's fertilizer.""Looking ahead is a huge help in life.""We each have the ability to make meaning from our actions and the actions of our children.""It is a simple fact that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.""Your difficult road will help you rise and you will find the strength to travel the road and make a better you along the way."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

McKay’s focus today is on the power of discovering what lies within ourselves, and he begins by introducing the story of Aaron Sorkin. Armed with a passion for drama and theater from an early age, it wasn't until Aaron dared to fail that he found success. His story serves as a testament to the power of daring to fail and discovering what lies within us.McKay also shares the stories of Eric and Laura, individuals who both faced adversity and overcame it to find success. Their stories, along with Sorkin’s, inspire us all to embrace our own journeys and discover our potential. They also teach us that, to find what lies within us, we must be resilient, determined, and willing to let go of what we cannot do, while remembering who we are and where we came from. Mckay’s words of wisdom here today, combined with these powerful narratives, empower us all to discover the very best that lies within us.Episode Highlights:Open Your Eyes’ two-year anniversary Aaron Sorkin's storyHow the best that lies within us can lead to remarkable successEric and Laura’s stories of overcoming adversity and finding success Embracing our journeys and discovering our potentialThe power of resilience and determinationLetting go of what we cannot doRemembering who we are and where we came fromDiscovering the best that lies within youQuotes:"The best that lies within you is waiting to be discovered.”"Success is not the absence of failure; it's the persistence through failure.""Daring to fail is not about wanting to fail. It's about recognizing that failure is a possibility, and deciding to take the risk anyway.""Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place.""The most important thing to do is to get started, even if it's a small step.""The things I cannot do, I will let go. But the things I can do, I will learn to do well.""She continued to write, and she became a successful author, living out her passion for writing about horses and racing.""To find what lies within you, you may need to remember who you are and where you came from."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

Today, McKay explores the power of an “I Got This” belief in your life. McKay then recounts the inspiring story of Amy Bockerstette, a golfer with Down syndrome who defied the odds and became the first person with the condition to play in the Arizona high school state championship and go on to golf on the PGA tour as a sponsor guest. Amy uses an “I Got This” approach to her life. Throughout the episode, McKay uses examples of how you can develop your own “I Got This” approach to work, overcoming habits and life. Essential to this mindset is the power of surrounding yourself with people who empower your core belief, treating opportunities as a privilege, and the empowering strength of taking action. In essence, today’s episode highlights the power of mindset, work and action in empowering yourself and your team.  He emphasizes the importance of taking action, even when it is difficult, and believing that “you’ve got this” so you can move closer to your goals.Episode Highlights:Self-belief as a crucial factor in achieving our goalsAmy Bockerstette's storyThe statistics around the chances of making it to the professional level in sportsThe difference that encouragement and uplifting messages can makeCultivating self-belief through positive self-talk and affirmationsBelieving in ourselves and putting in the workThe story of the Thompson tripletsTreating things as opportunities rather than requirements Taking action, even when it is difficultThe different impact of action and inactionThe impact of a team understanding and feeling what they're fighting forMoving closer or further away from who you're meant to beQuotes:"Self-belief is the foundation for achieving greatness in any area of our lives.""Amy Bockerstette's story reminds us that anything is possible if we believe in ourselves.""Sponsors' exemptions are a testament to the power of self-belief and the willingness to seize opportunities.""Encouragement and uplifting messages can make a world of difference to someone who is struggling with self-doubt.""Self-belief is not just a mindset, it's a way of life that can lead to success in all areas.""Few things at my age are more important than one - surrounding myself with good people who influence me for good, and two - being the type of person who can lift others by my goodness or work ethic.""The contagious effect that they had on each other gave them the needed power to do the work to win.""He who has a ‘why’ to live can bear almost any ‘how’.""Inaction breeds doubt, complacency, fear. Action feeds your faith."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

This week, McKay looks at just what it means to be inspirable and reflects upon the different ways in which people react to life experiences. Today’s episode begins with an exploration of how inflation happens both in the economy and inside ourselves. Being inflatable or “lit up” from the inside is a skill we can develop.  It’s the skill of being inspirable. Using his Business Strategy class as a metaphor for life, our host emphasizes the importance of focusing on the important things and not getting distracted by the unimportant. He shares some stories, including that of Steven Spielberg's film Hook, which highlights the importance of imagination and family in life. He encourages us all to see our lives as an adventure, to be inspired to rise to new heights, to step out of our comfort zones, and to try new things to learn and grow. As you listen in to McKay’s wise words today, you will undoubtedly find yourself empowered to take action to find inspiration and to face life's challenges with both courage and faith.Episode Highlights:How we, in large part, cause inflation ourselvesThe impact of avian flu on the egg industryThe significant cost of bringing eggs to the store shelfWhy some students are enriched, while others remain indifferentFocusing on the important things in lifeSteven Spielberg's film HookBeing inspired to rise to new heights and see your lives as an adventureRuth’s story of summiting the peak of Cucamonga Peak What she learned from her experienceThe keys and fuel for being inspirableQuotes:"Now, I don't know if you're like me, but when I wander into the grocery store to shop nowadays, I'm shocked at the price of food.""The largest percentage of the cost of bringing an egg to the store shelf is animal feed.""What makes for enriching and inflating experiences in life? What can we do to let good things lift us more?""We can be so caught up in doing the unimportant that when the important comes along, we can't open our eyes and recognize that it's of extreme value.""I think a lot of people today are losing their imagination because they're so self-involved with work and success and arriving at the next plateau that children and family almost become incidental.""To anyone out there who's facing a difficult situation and suffering from physical pain or inner scars, there is real help and comfort found in Jesus.""Sometimes the tough things God gives us are meant to inspire us, to allow us to become something more than we've been.""In the challenge, you could learn something that will bless your life for years to come.""Whatever you and I are going through, we can be inspired more easily when we actively read, listen, and seek to learn."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

Finding Your True WorthIn today’s 100th episode of the Open Your Eyes podcast, McKay focuses on the theme of finding your true worth, beginning with the inspiring story of Bruce Willis. A famous and gifted actor, Willis’ success came after overcoming the challenge of childhood stuttering and finding his voice through humor, which eventually helped him discover his passion for acting. Highlighting the themes of speech development, the power of humor, the importance of self-discovery, and how these all culminated in Willis's breakthrough role in the television series  Moonlighting, McKay notes that Bruce’s story offers lessons that we can all learn about overcoming obstacles and finding our true calling.Our host also goes on to use the lesson of the potter and the clay to explore the molding and shaping of our lives. He draws from Scripture to emphasize that we are all works of God's hand and must learn and grow from our challenges, failures, and difficult life experiences to become who we are meant to be. The story of the Hereford cows further reinforces the theme of finding purpose in the difficult experiences of life by encouraging us to face life's storms with confidence and resilience. Ultimately, today’s very special milestone episode reminds us all to recognize our worth, and to embrace and grow from our challenges in order to fulfill our potential and make a positive contribution in the world.Episode Highlights:Bruce Willis’ journey to becoming a famous and successful actorThe molding and shaping of our livesGrowing from our challenges, failures, and difficult life experiences Becoming who we are meant to beOur worth and contribution to the worldThe story of the Hereford cowsEnhancing the lives of those around us and making the world a better placeGain knowledge from afflictions and trialsThe great peace to be found in understanding that our lives are being shaped for a purposeQuotes:"Perhaps there's someone, maybe you, who needs what we'll talk about, and I hope it gives you some hope.""Somehow, when he acted, he didn't stutter.""Bruce found his true worth by enrolling in drama school and working with a speech therapist.""Success doesn't come easy, but when you find your true calling, it's all worth it.""There is great peace when you believe that there is purpose in the molding and shaping of your life.""Likewise, you and I sometimes need a bit of regrinding to help us become who we're supposed to become.""And here's the thing - when we experience challenges, there are opposing forces telling us to quit, to give into discouragement, to feel insignificant.""Don't give in to discouragement. Keep trying every day. Keep your faith. God will have his way with you.""Just face life's storms."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

In today’s episode, McKay shines a spotlight on the concept of being a bucket filler and how listeners can live their lives with more intention and kindness. The inspiration for the episode is rooted in a poignant story from paramedic Jamie Erickson's life, and throughout the episode, our host discusses the concept of filling others' buckets with positivity to make them feel valued and appreciated. The episode also explores different themes that relate to the concept of bucket filling, such as the Platinum Rule, emotional bank accounts, social connection, empathy, perspective, and grief. McKay emphasizes the importance of being authentic and finding ways to fill others' buckets with things that are important to them, rather than what the filler might like. His words here today will inspire listeners to become more intentional about making a positive impact in the lives of those around them, to enhance their relationships with others by building trust and communication, and to listen intently to others in order to serve them and fill their buckets.Episode Highlights:Bucket fillingThe power of empathyThe role of perspective in navigating difficult situationsThe importance of small daily actionsGrief and how it affects individuals differentlyThe significance of resilience in overcoming adversityThe power of community support during times of griefBeing intentional about filling others' buckets with positivity.The Platinum RuleEmotional bank accountsSocial connectionListening intently to othersQuotes:"I want to be inspired, I want to learn, I want to improve my thinking.""My worst nightmare as a paramedic has come true.""Bucket filling is a way of life.""Fill their buckets with the things that are important to them, not you.""Just connecting, just sharing, just listening, can and does make all the difference.""A bucket filling move may be to spend time helping them, to give of your time, to help them set appointments or practice their work skills.""To be sincere in your connections or your bucket filling is to simply not have an agenda other than to be interested, to give, and to help.""One must continually make deposits of honesty, kindness, unconditional love, patience, all of those essential virtues that strengthen any relationship.”Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

The term “expecting” refers to the act of anticipating something or someone that is likely to arrive, and in today’s episode, McKay reveals that it also holds the potential to unlock untold possibilities and transform our lives for the better. He begins by recounting some remarkable stories of mothers who were expecting, and goes on to explore such aspects as geographical location and the science behind twin pregnancies to highlight how our expectations can be shaped by external factors.The episode also touches on the power of setting expectations for oneself, and how, by creating neural pathways in our brains, we can learn to form expectations that enable us to achieve our goals. Practical tips on how to create empowering expectations, starting with visualizing our best possible selves, and writing down our future goals in a positive light, are shared as well. As you will hear in today’s inspiring episode, whether it's in the context of pregnancy or personal growth, expecting is a powerful force that can shape our lives in profound ways, and by learning to set empowering expectations and visualizing our future selves, we can create a life that aligns with our deepest desires and aspirations.Episode Highlights:Unique stories of mothers who were expecting The changes that occur when a  woman's is expecting Setting the right and reasonable expectationsCreating neural pathways in the brainImagining your best possible self and writing down everything about your future lifeDepicting explicit images of achievement and you vision of the futureThe impact of expectations on identityThe effort and thought necessary in forming expectationsQuotes:"But one mother from Mali who was expecting recently did something remarkable. 25 year old Halima Sissy set a new world record when she gave birth to nine babies at once.""And based on my experience with a wife and three daughters who have had children, it is obvious that more than their bodies change when they're expecting.""Expecting is an apt or fitting term because getting pregnant does change your life.""Time spent to set the right and reasonable expectations may have more power to influence outcome than training or many other factors.""When you imagine yourself doing something, you create a neural pathway.""Studies show that depicting explicit images of achievement, which I call priming, helps you more than you realize at reaching your goals.""Once you do this, like expecting mothers, you begin to put on a different identity, and that identity begins to guide your efforts."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

In this week’s episode, McKay’s focus is on change and how there can be little change in the world until we have the courage to change ourselves. He begins by looking at the advancements of artificial intelligence including the story of the development of OpenAI, a nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by tech entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk and Reid Hoffman. McKay notes that, despite the potential positive impact of AI, there are also concerns about its negative effects, and he encourages us all to learn more about this momentous change that is coming to all our lives.He also highlights the inspiring stories of Marva Collins and Tererai Trent, two women who overcame obstacles and changed their lives and those of others through education. Both women's stories demonstrate the transformative power of education and the importance of instilling people with belief in their own potential.  Our host concludes by reminding us all that our belief in ourselves will do more for us and those around us than we can possibly imagine, and to put our fears aside, choose change, and rise - to become who we can truly become.Episode Highlights:Artificial intelligence and its potential benefits to humanity The story of OpenAIChatGPT and concerns about its useMarva Collins, Tererai Trent and the positive change they have made in the world The power of belief, discipline, and hard workThe transformative nature of educationEmpowering people with the belief in their own potentialEnvisioning and reframing the future for yourself and your teamSharing evidence and stories of successQuotes:"OpenAI is located in San Francisco and runs the fifth largest supercomputer in the world.""AI systems work by ingesting large amounts of data, analyzing the data for patterns, then using those patterns to do the work.""The news has reported that students won't ever have to write their own research papers again. They'll just go to ChatGPT, ask a question, and the AI will write the lesson for them.""When you give them belief and they can see their own power to change, you will change your team.""Almost all beliefs are hand-me-downs.""If you have belief the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains.""Both Marva Collins and Tererai Trent's stories illustrate the transformative nature of education and the importance of empowering people with the belief in their own potential.""Belief also comes from experience and evidence, as well as envisioning and reframing the future for oneself and one's team."“May God bless you this week as you and I both choose to change.”Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

In today’s episode, McKay explores the power of knowing and learning through experience.  Recounting a variety of stories and examples, McKay emphasizes the importance of this way of learning and living, and highlights the negative impact of shifting from knowing by experience to knowing by description. Throughout the episode, he encourages listeners to engage with the world around them and put in the effort to truly come to know and learn.Our host also touches upon the idea of being a prisoner in our own lives and the walls that can keep us from learning and growing. Through the story of Ingrid Olsen, a recently divorced mother who takes a long bike ride in search of spiritual solace, the host illustrates the power of faith and determination in overcoming life's challenges. His words of wisdom today serve as a reminder for listeners to step out of their comfort zones and actively seek out new experiences and knowledge, regardless of the challenges that may arise. By learning through experience and engaging with the world around us, McKay assures us all that we can break down those walls that may be holding us back and live a more fulfilling life. Episode Highlights:Trivia and knowledgeThe importance of experiential knowledgeThe impact of the shift from knowing by experience to knowing by descriptionThe effort necessary to really know and understand a person or a principleParents becoming ‘personal assistants’ to their childrenExpanding knowledge in all areas of our livesAvoiding falling back into negative patternsEmbracing opportunities to learn and growQuotes:"But is knowing trivia really knowledge? Is it useful?""Well, it might be a good sign that you can remember things, but does it make you a better decision maker? Does it give you direction in your life?""Those with whom you are interacting are either buying into you or not buying in at all.""It's not really about the product or message. It is about you.""We have a lot of knowledge about a lot of things, but we've lost the power, the personal power of knowing by experience.""The mentally poor life is a life that lacks feeling, depth, or emotion.""What you come to know can bless your life for years to come.""There's more in life than what we know today.""We have choices that can help us step out and come to know new and amazing things in our lives.""Success comes from taking risks and learning from experience."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/