Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Are you waiting for the best time of your life? McKay is here to tell you that NOW is that time and all you have to do is seize the moment. Turn this hour into your finest hour and watch that make all the difference. Today, McKay opens the episode with a story of Winston Churchill, who against all odds refused to give in to the battle with Hitler, resulting in his finest hour, and goes on to discuss the need to  listen to that tug, the feeling that tells you to seize the day. He then broadly expands upon the fact that the most important time in your life is now, not later, and rounds off with tips on how to make the best time of your life by breaking with unimportant things, and getting into the habit of not listening to others who try to discourage you. Listen in today and learn how to make your finest hour happen now. The Finer Details of This Episode: -   Winston Churchill’s finest hour-   The change you experience when you decide to seize the moment-   How do you make this the best time of your life?-   Why you should value who you were before today-   The labor of Lin-Manuel Miranda - writing Hamilton-   Listening to the tug-   McKay’s finest years-   The 30 million word gap research at The University of Kansas-   2 tips for getting started on making your finest hour happen-   What Southwest Airlines did different Quotes: “Many of us have felt like we've retreated over and over again, we've been let down, and in many ways life hasn't kept its side of the agreement - health problems, children's health problems, and other struggles.” “Let us, therefore, brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.’”“Will your friends and family and business partners look back on this time and say this was your finest hour?”  “When you open your eyes to the opportunity in front of you right now and decide that you will seize it, it's like you opened a jar of enthusiasm and adventure, and this infuses your living with real living.”  “Get focused on the work of today, rather than the hope of tomorrow.”    “You're not doing anything wrong, you're simply not doing enough of what's right.” “If you could go back to age 20, keeping the knowledge that you have now...and you could start again knowing what you know now, would you do things differently? Would you make different choices?” “Life is made up of little things - smiles and kindness and doing good.” “There are many people who can do big things, but there are very few people who will do the small things.” “The value of a future goal is the present change in you that it fosters.”  “Don't let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”  Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

What does it mean to be twice-born? Today, McKay talks about the key characteristic that successful parents and leaders possess - they are twice-born, and when they try a second time, they’re more successful because the second time around is an empowering one. The episode opens with McKay narrating the story of New Orleans when the city was overwhelmed by Hurricane Katrina which ravaged the city, leaving it damaged and killing thousands in the process. The people soon lost faith in the city, until a rebirth occurred. McKay encourages listeners to imagine they are at day one whether struggling with a habit or with a business. Noting that there is immense power in becoming a rookie, McKay gives four helpful tips on how to get in the rookie zone and rounds off with lessons from the movie, Groundhog Day. The Finer Details of This Episode: -   New Orleans’ Superdome - a story of rebirth.-   What does it mean to be twice-born?-   The devil in Mainville.-   The characteristics of twice-around leaders.-   Lessons from rebuilding a business-   The power in doing the opposite - what George Costanza teaches us-   Being in the rookie zone - Liz Wiseman’s research results-   4 tips on how to get into the rookie zone-   Seeing the world from both sides - the power of perspective-   Lessons from Groundhog Day Quotes: “It's easy to feel beaten down by the storms of life, discouraged, wondering if you can rebuild what you once had.” “When you attempt and possibly fail, and then decide to repeat or revive or improve and start again, there's immense power.” “The second time around gives you perspective. It gives you strength, it awakens your mind to the challenge.” “Twice-around leaders know how to influence and they lead by example, and build consensus.” “People are like sticks of dynamite. The power is on the inside, but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit.” “Begin again with new eyes.” “There's power in starting again, and going back to year one and being a rookie, again.” “With experience, comes a lot of virtues and assets but with experience also comes a number of blind spots.” “In that rookie space, we ask better questions, we're more alert, we listen more, we value feedback, we seek feedback.” “If I were starting again, what would I do differently?” “I would trade youth for perspective any day.” Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen 

Today, McKay brings to you another important subject — personal power. He highlights the importance of finding your personal power for an enriched life, the benefits of determination, and how learning and improving your skills can boost your personal power. As he notes, “You have the power to make your life a glorious life”, and today’s episode provides further guidance in reaching this noble goal. McKay begins with the story of Juliane, the sole survivor of the LANSA Flight 508, who against all odds, never gave up and put on her personal power in order to survive the Amazon rainforest. He also looks at settling the dispute within you in order to fuel your determination, and moves on to offer tools that help you put on your personal power and turn your weaknesses into strengths. He admonishes listeners to gain new skills, play their cards right, give themselves a new title and increase and increase their positive emotion by laughing and exercising. Once you achieve these goals, you will get to watch your life change for the better. The Finer Details of This Episode: The story of Juliane, the sole survivor of the deadliest lightning-strike disaster in aviation history.Settling the dispute withinHow determination turns into personal powerWhy you need to have personal powerHow to put on your personal powerTurning your weaknesses into strengthsHow to be a better listenerWalter Mischel’s Marshmallow testThe importance of skills and learning for self determinationThe power of putting on a new title - Ruth’s successHow horoscope titles impact usThe power of positive emotionThe Losada effect3 benefits of exercise Quotes: “Have you ever felt that way in life - powerless? Waiting for the right circumstance? Hoping for things to change? Wishing life was different?” “Should I continue or give up?” “Your determination does not often result in some huge, perfect immediate solution, but a small stream of opportunity.” “You are of more value than your past performance and you're greater than your habits.” “You are equipped, able and fortified to make an amazing contribution still in this life and your talents are needed.” “Everyone can find their personal power.” “The more skills I learned, the more I wanted to put them into practice, and the more I put them into practice successfully, the more I wanted to learn, each time gaining personal power.” “The biggest barrier to success in almost any endeavor is powerlessness, negativity, and helplessness.” “If we see ourselves in a certain way, we gain personal power.” “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?.... As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.” “The medicine of laughter is a miraculous thing.” “Small streams lead to rivers, and rivers lead to your end goal. ” Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay delves into the concept of following the right impressions and the impact that can have on our lives. How do you tell right impressions from wrong ones? How do you get into the habit of following the right impressions? McKay answers these questions and more in today’s episode. He begins by narrating the near-death accident that his family was involved in a few years ago in Northern Cincinnati, recounting the anger he felt towards the drunk driver who caused the accident and how he was going to do whatever it took to make him pay. After feeling pity for the driver and forgiving him, McKay found that following that impression of forgiving the driver has made him forgive others easily. He also reviews the science behind following impressions and also teaches about finding and doing what you love as the path to happiness. The episode comes to a close with McKay giving advice on how to use your educated self to follow right impressions and why you should record your impressions for an inspired life. The Finer Details of This Episode: The tragic accident in Northern CincinnatiHow following impressions impacts your life.How do you decide what impressions to follow?The tale of a married couple and a lamp.The power that comes from doing what you love.Differentiating purpose from profession.The science behind following impressionsHow does positivity affect our impressions?Cultivating the habit of following impressions.Using our educated self to know when to follow the right impressions.Why you should save your impressions. Quotes: “That is how we felt on that special day - we had won the prize, we had walked away from the accident intact.” “That impression has helped me throughout my life. I forgave others more easily after that.” “I've learned in life that following impressions is a skill that you can learn.” “This way of living, of following a hunch now and then, is the faith that makes life worth living.” “Follow your bliss.” “There's a great feeling of peace that comes with moving towards what you love to do.” “It's not your profession that determines your calling in life. It's what makes you tick. It's your talent. It's your passion.” “Happiness is found in what we do, not necessarily in doing less.” “Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.” “Following impressions gives us energy and perseverance. ” “When we feel positive, we make better decisions. We follow our impressions better. ” “Positive energy and curiosity towards something automatically bring the right impressions to bear.” “Following our impressions or not following impressions does become a habit.” “As impressions come your way, don't lose them. Write them down and return to them.”  Show Links:  Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

What does it mean to be inspired? Why does it matter to be inspired? If you’re looking for answers to these questions, you’ve definitely come to the right place. In today’s episode, McKay not only offers his responses to them, but, along the way, he also teaches us the characteristics of an inspired person, and how to grow into someone who lives an inspired life, in order to achieve your purpose.   McKay uses his illustrative storytelling to bring to life the story behind the famous Iwo Jima photo and Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. He delves into what being inspired means, discusses the characteristics of an inspired person, and challenges you to increase your intrinsic motivation by seeking regular feedback, making meaning of what you're doing, and learning with other members of your team. He rounds off with the story of Jake Olson who dared the impossible and encourages us to do the same. Prepare to be inspired yourself while learning all about the power of inspiration here today.   The Finer Details of This Episode:   The inspiring story of the famous Iwo Jima photo “I Have A Dream” - The result of being inspired What makes a thing or a person or a life inspired? How do you live inspired? The characteristics of an inspired person. Intrinsic motivation vs extrinsic motivation Why extrinsic motivation does not last. 3 ways to increase your intrinsic motivation Doing the impossible - Jake Olson’s story. The most inspiring time in McKay’s life   Quotes:   “We all wonder sometimes if our current efforts or job or life's choice of work is worth the effort.”   “Imagine if you and I could harness the power of being inspired.”   “When we let inspiring people and words into our life, we change, we get inspired.”   “Being inspired is more than just a momentary thing.”   “There's something that enters into our very being when we are growing and learning.”   “When you reflect on yourself or you see your reflection when you look in the mirror, I hope you see what I see, what your family and what your team and your Maker see - your inspiring potential.”   “Every day in every city, on your team, you can make more of a difference than you imagined.”   “You were not made to be invisible. You were made to be invincible.”   “Let the inspired feeling of what you can do work inside of you.”   “Ships were not made to sit in the harbor where the water is smooth. They were made to sail in the ocean, where there are risks and danger.”   “Start by doing what's necessary, then do what's possible, and suddenly, you're doing the impossible.”   “When you're inspired, you find something unexpected - you find who you really are and what you can become.”     Show Links:   Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

From time to time, we all get to the point of utter discouragement, and the idea of giving up may arise. In response to that, today’s episode is all about the power of trying despite being faced with challenges, of persevering, and of having patience to maintain your pursuit of your goals. Listen in today as McKay teaches us all that we should always continue to try - no matter what.   This episode starts off with the story of George Washington’s army that decided to reenlist despite having little success with the war against the British army. McKay then discusses the power of trying and never giving up, how residual pain can prevent you from trying again, and 3 ways on how you can gain the ability to keep trying and to reach your goals. As you will hear today, it all begins with doing something today, doing more of what works and less of what doesn’t, and above all, never quitting   The Finer Details of This Episode:   The story of the  brave army of George Washington that decided to try again The power of trying. A mission to try - a story of a missionary couple. Trying the extremely difficult - Queen Esther’s predicament. Celebrating your scars; what the art of Kintsugi teaches. The story of Bethany Hamilton who never gave up. How residual pain keeps you from trying again. 3 ways to gain the ability to keep trying.   Quotes:   “Wherever you are in life, you need to just show up and try.”   “You are more than enough.”   “Trying is noble.”   “Ignore the negative self-talk when you feel like you don't measure up and try to focus on the joys in the learning, in the work of it.”   “Good things come to those who wait and keep trying.”   “You are the right person at the right time, and your small try can make all the difference.”   “Don't give up. Don't ever give up.”   “Growth and development takes time. Learning takes time. That's why you keep trying.”   “We all have scars from our mistakes and weaknesses.”   “We are what we repeatedly do. So keep doing.”   “It's often through some of our simplest actions that some of the greatest changes occur.”   “We must learn the virtue of patience.”   “Happiness does not depend on what happens outside of you but what happens inside of you.”   “Patience is a willingness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of life with a sense of wonder and awe rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance.”   Show Links:   Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay discusses the power of action as a reinforcer of our goals. Recognizing that we all, at some point, give in to pressure and refuse to act, he takes us on a journey on the dangers of inaction and the benefits that come with starting - and starting immediately. This episode drives this message home as McKay starts off with the tragic story of the 1986 NASA launch crash that occurred as a result of inaction. He then delves into the rewards that come with being a person of action and goes on to discuss how you can act now on your goals and become the person who you are meant to be. Drawing upon real life examples and the wisdom of Chinese proverbs, and great minds such as Thomas Jefferson and Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mckay presents a compelling argument here today for the undeniable and ultimately rewarding power of action.  The Finer Details of This Episode: The tragedy of the 1986 NASA Challenger launch- a consequence of inaction What is the normalization of deviance? How failure to act results in a normalized behavior of missing your goals. The dangers of being a person of inaction. From waiting tables to a life of great value- Lynn Orman’s success story How do you become a person of action? The power of extreme clarity. How to start small then build up from there. The power of small choices and making them now. How to become the person that doesn’t wait. Quotes: “We all fail to act, to do what we know we should do. We set goals and don't act….and we deviate from what we can and should accomplish.” “Every time we choose not to act, or to correct our course, we stray further from our goals, we normalize our deviation from who we are meant to be.” “When you don't act, you're not standing still. You are, in fact, paying a price.” “Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask, act.  Action will delineate and define you.” “You have the power to act, the power to do, the power to be what you want to be, it's been inside you all along.” “I believe that God put you in your circumstance at this point in your life, to act, to learn to grow to be someone remarkable.” “Everything you see is the result of action. Every successful person, every successful business, successful relationship, every successful before and after picture.” “The difference between becoming a person of action, and a person of regret is less than you think.” “Action attracts.” “By the yard is hard; by the inch it's a cinch.” “That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our power to do the thing has increased.” “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” “The very best to-do-list is an empty list.” Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Do you ever wonder why some people know exactly where they’re headed and are willing to take calculated risks? Why, no matter what they face, they are determined and have clear-headed goals? They have the power of positive reframing.In this episode, McKay gives insights to what positive reframing is about, beginning with the story of the scientist, Galileo, and how he was able to reframe his mindset despite criticism. McKay also shares his personal story of reframing, goes on to discuss the benefits of reframing your mindset, and finishes by sharing some reframing tools that you can use to help get you started.The Finer Details of This Episode:A lesson from the man who proved that the Earth orbits, Galileo Galilei.How your belief window affects your life.The thinking of the best golfers—Jack Nicklaus’ principle.The positive expectancy of Jeff Bezos— The Amazon story.How McKay changed his mindset with the help of his teacher.Why you should step up and take calculated risks.Building your belief window through cognitive framing.4 basic steps to reframing your mindset.A reframing technique health practitioners use.4 reframing tools you can apply immediately.Quotes:“People who are not moved seem to have a fixed view and the ability to only see their end goal.”“This prevailing view interprets all that goes on in your life.”“Too many of us fail to take calculated risks in life.”“What lens are you looking through? What is your frame of reference? What telescope, so to speak, is forming or framing your belief?”“You've got it inside you. Step up and be yourself.”“The stuff of life is made from a new purpose.”“Everything in your life has improved by passion and challenge.”“Doubt is a mental habit, and it can, and does, spread to other areas of your life.”“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again.”Show Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay explains the science behind priming and shielding. Priming and shielding affect our behavior which, in turn, influences our goals. McKay discusses how to use priming and shielding to our advantage and to achieve our purpose. McKay opens the episode with the story of George Danzig and how he was primed into facing challenges. He explains what priming is and how we subconsciously prime everyday. Throughout this episode, he gives studies of priming including John Bar’s experiment, and goes on to explain how priming can be used to shape up our lives using the power of reading and imagery. He concludes with 3 keys to make shielding work for you and the power of knowing your ‘why’. The Finer Details of This Episode: The priming story of the American mathematical scientist, George Bernard Danzig What is psychological priming? How pre-established habits influence your thinking and ultimately prime you The legend of the Touchstone: A priming example How does priming reflect in our lives? The outcome of John Bar’s priming experiment Engaging the power of priming to your advantage The power of reading and imagery and how they affect your thinking 2014 Super Bowl: The power of imagery at work What is psychological shielding? 3 keys to making shielding work for you Harnessing the power of “Why” to do what seems impossible Quotes: “What you read will control the way you act.” “We are primed everyday.” “Prime your brain with the right input each day.” “He who has a ‘why’ to live can bear almost any ‘how’.” “There is tremendous power in shielding.” “The ultimate shield is to have a real purpose in our life or goal.” “That purpose, if strong enough, will override habit, temptation, or any other disruption.” “When you find your ‘why’, you can't see very many obstacles.” “A ‘why’ is the ultimate shield against bad habits. The stronger the ‘why’, the stronger the shield.” Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay delves into the topic of confidence – something about which he is often asked to speak. Recognizing that so many people suffer from not having confidence either in the moment or throughout their lives, McKay, supported by examples taken from real life, shares his wisdom and advice on ways to both create and keep confidence. In addition to his trademark illustrative stories, McKay discusses the perils of comparing yourself to others, the ‘80/20 Rule’, and 3 ways to pivot away from the ‘comparison trap’. He also shares 4 daily actions that will change your confidence, as well as the results of some experiments in taking responsibility. Given the vast amount of experience and understanding which he brings to this topic, you will quickly understand precisely why McKay is regularly invited to speak to others about confidence, and just how fortunate we all are that he shares this knowledge in today’s informative and instructive episode. The Finer Details of This Episode: ·   The stories of James Monroe and Napoleon, McKay’s daughter Mary, Kurt Warner, Dean Furness, Nokia, and Bob Gale, and the lessons they teach·   Comparing yourself to others·   The 80/20 Rule·   3 ways to pivot away from the ‘comparison trap’·   4 daily actions that will change your confidence·   Experiments in taking responsibility Quotes:  “We often fail to see our own value. We underestimate what we have and who we are and the extent of our ability to contribute to the world, all while others are realizing the value in their life.” “The only measure that matters is how we compare to where we have been or where we're going.” “Comparison is the thief of joy.” “The apostle Paul once wrote to the Hebrews, ‘Cast not away your confidence, which has great possibility of reward’.” “He realized the quicker you move on to the next thing and focus on doing a little bit better. Soon, the good outweighs the bad, and that's when your confidence returns.” “When we compare, we become stuck, paralyzed in our ability to act.” “Whatever we hold on our belief window or consistently hold in our mind will eventually be what we experience in life. Where focus goes, energy flows.” “Focus on what's most important to you, letting the small minor things go.” “Remember what you've got, return to your confidence, and refocus on what you're grateful for.” “You are exceptional, you have immense value.” “Any action of any kind creates confidence, and consistent action repeated with intent helps you keep that confidence.” “Focus yields success, and success yields confidence.” “Your future is waiting - waiting for you to give your full confident self so you can improve your life and change what needs changing.” Show Links: Open Your Eyes: 10 Uncommon Lessons to Discover a Happier Life