Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

There are times in our lives that call for reinvention. It doesn't have to be some dramatic thing, and it doesn't have to happen at any certain age -  it only matters what it is you are inspired to do as you chart your course for the next stage of your life. Today, McKay reminds us that we are, at our core, full of possibilities, and discusses the power of reinvention as well as the steps to take to reinvent yourself through inspiration and incubation.He begins with the story of Keira D’Amato and how she reinvented herself. He then talks about steps to reinventing yourself by identifying your problem, finding a solution, incubating and acting in the moment of inspiration. Listen in today to learn about acting in the moment of inspiration, running toward your reinvention, and watching your God-given talents shine and grow.The Finer Details of This Episode:How Keira D'Amato reinvented herself The great impacts of the printing press What is reinvention? Steps of invention Learn how to build your day How to reinvent your life The power of incubation Acting in the moment of inspirationQuotes:“It's like you open your eyes after a decade of living your life and keeping up with the busyness of things and look at who you are and wonder, ‘Is this who I am or even who I want to be?’ ”“When you reinvent yourself, the best is yet to come.”“What problem, large or small, needs to be fixed or addressed in your life right now?”“The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”“We all need a little reinvention now and then. And we all have something about us, about our brand, so to speak, that makes us attractive, but too often people run from reinvention.”Show Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Studies summarized in the book Beauty Pays indicate that attractive people earn more than people considered average-looking. In a large nationwide study, it was shown that beautiful people make 15% more than others in the exact same jobs. Given all of this, you may wonder if physical appearance is all there is to be attractive. The answer is a resounding 'No'. In today's episode, McKay brings together stories, studies, and real-life examples of what makes people attractive, opening your eyes to what truly makes you pleasant, and stressing why you need to know what draws you to people.To kick off, McKay tells the tale of the successful moon landing of the heaviest rocket ever built after numerous failures with previous rockets, explains how people are unaware of why they're attracted to something or someone, and lays out that factors such as early childhood experiences can subconsciously draw a person to what they're attracted to. McKay also explores one significant point—attractiveness has a broader definition beyond mere physical beauty and it has more to do with who you are than how you look. citing other such important aspects as positivity, empathy, and interest in other people. He warns against speaking ill of other people in their absence and highlights the fact that being a good listener is attractive. In essence, McKay's overall message here today is that when you are intentionally positive, practice genuine empathy, speak only good of people, know when to say nothing, and be a person who seeks to learn from other people, your God-given attractiveness will shine and grow – a valuable message for all to heed.The Finer Details of This Episode:The story of the heaviest rocket landing on the moon The analogy of the rock found on the moon to today's topic—why you're attractive Why people are attracted to the things they're attracted to A study from the book Beauty Pays relating attractiveness to earning Attractiveness goes beyond mere physical beauty; it has more to do with who you are than how you look The significance of understanding why you are attractive How positive interaction creates more attraction and affinity Case studies of how childhood memories influence attractiveness Other reasons for attraction include similar attitudes, beliefs and values, demographic characteristics, and nonverbal behaviors The attractiveness of positivity, empathy, and being a listener Three things you must always ask yourself before you say anythingQuotes"Research shows that our attraction often stems from our patterns of experiences in life going back to early childhood.""Remember, attractiveness has a broader definition beyond mere physical beauty.""It's proven that attractiveness has more to do with who you are than how you look.""If you're in the people business and have regular interaction with the human side of work, whether it be with customers, vendors, or team members, it helps to have a good understanding of why you are attractive.""Seek to find common areas of interest or agreement. This makes you more attractive. And the more similar you are, the more attractive you will be. When you have a similar outlook and views, it fuels attraction.""Positivity heavily correlates to predicting a salesperson's success even if they lack the prerequisite selling aptitude.""If they're not there to hear what you say, don't say anything or say something positive.""When you're true to others, you have a light about you. When you enter into gossip or tearing down another person, you lose that light. You feel different as a result, and different means not good. And I learned that if you can't be kind, be quiet.""When I'm around other people who speak ill of others outside of their presence, I always wonder how do those people speak about me when I'm not around?""I believe within you are the traits to be incredibly attractive. You are a beauty, a wonder, a masterpiece to your Creator who spent much of his imagination and divine power to make you who you are today. You were made to be attractive, to draw people, to help them and share your talents with them.""Rather than be convinced that you have all the answers, listen. Listen to the advice and wisdom of others. Be interested in others and what they have to say, and that alone will draw people to you and cause you to be attractive.""Be the person who shows up with a humble gesture of 'I want to learn from you.' It'll be a sure way to build bridges and gain trust. It shows your humility, a leadership strength that ultimately influences people.""Attraction comes from who you are more than how you look.""Be intentionally positive, put yourself in the other person's shoes, and practice true empathy. Speak only good of people and know when to say nothing. Be a person who seeks to learn from other people and watch what happens. Your God-given attractiveness will shine and grow. And soon you'll have greater influence and more success in your business, family, schooling, marriage, and other key roles you may be living in your life today."Show Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

A powerful way of opening your eyes to your potential is to step back to see how you’ve been prepared.  Today, McKay helps us understand that when we change our belief window to “I am prepared, I am ready for just a moment as this,” we can seize the opportunity and act with confidence.  It’s time to have faith and engage in a reappraisal of your life and your preparation, and that is precisely what our host helps you do in this week’s inspiring episode.McKay discusses the preparedness of the scientists whose research proved efficient in the face of the pandemic. Their preparation ahead of the pandemic allowed the vaccines to become a reality in a short time. He then goes on to share further stories and insights regarding preparedness and the value it holds for us. Throughout today's episode, McKay challenges you to believe in your experience, build your confidence, have strong faith, and remember that 'the truth is you are prepared, and, when you are prepared, you can work miracles.'The Finer Details of This Episode:The preparedness that was needed for the COVID-19 vaccine to become a reality Having a prepared view What influences our perception? Building your confidence The rule of reappraisal You are prepared for miracles to comeQuotes:“Sometimes in life, we tend to bring too little too late to the party.”“Perception is strongly affected by what we've experienced in the past, and our expectations of what we might experience in the future.”“The great thing about a prepared view is that it removes doubt.”“Don't ever doubt that things have been ordered and prepared for you.”“Now I believe if we could see things as they really are, we would see that we have more going for us than we usually think. We have help and preparation and ability and support. Don't doubt your preparation.”“When you feel discouraged and doubt, don't focus on what you have ahead of you. Instead, look back on what you've already accomplished.”“When we're grateful for what we have for our preparation, it helps us focus on keeping our confidence and keeping our positivity about us.”Show Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay shares some more sage advice for all listeners: no matter what life throws at you, when you choose to 'live above the line', nothing can keep you from becoming who you were meant to be. On so many occasions we are faced with tough times where we have to refuse to be mediocre and take charge – we need to cross above the line with faith and strength – and today McKay provides examples and guidance that demonstrate how to achieve just that.He starts this important discussion with the story of Debbie who rescued her friend despite the danger they were faced with. He then goes on to answer the defining question of what you need to live above the line, highlighting that, when you believe in yourself and believe in what you speak, it becomes easy to understand exactly what you want and can achieve. You become empowered to move from below that line which is filled with excuse making, fear and negative emotions and become who you were meant to be. As you listen in today, your eyes will be opened to the power of seeking to be great and how life will reward you accordingly in response.The Finer Details of This Episode:Debbie's story Wendy Wallace’s courageous decision to live above the line What it means to live above the line What do you need to live above the line? The story of Jake Olson Speaking boldly about what you know There is more above the line How Althea Gibson lived above the line The Hedgehog conceptQuotes:“We face many lions in life - times when we must stand up and fight, times in which we have to be tough, times in which you stand, draw a line in the sand, and say, ‘I will live on this side of the line.’ ”“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”“Strength of any kind, faith of any kind, courage of any kind matters. I call this living above the line.”“Below the line is excuse making, fear, lack of clarity, doubt, an attitude of helplessness. Below the line is where life presses upon you and this depression can be a heavy burden.”“Above the line, we're strong, we believe, we have faith that our goals, our hopes, our dreams can and will happen.”“When people or teams find themselves thinking and living below the line, you hear lots of blaming, you see a lot of procrastination, and experience lots of mental and emotional fatigue as people go about living their life.”“There is a line drawn in the way we choose to live our life. ”“When you live above the line, I don't know why, but you feel good about yourself.”“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”“You will become who you really want to become.”Show Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, as we journey together through this exciting time of year, filled with the positivity that goals and aspirations can provide, McKay proclaims his optimism for 2022. He also delves into the concept of the big rocks in your life – how to find them and what to do once they are found. It’s so important to put these big rocks first in our lives, and today, our host tells us all exactly how to do that. McKay starts the episode by sharing an interesting story about asteroids, and then linking the concept of big rocks to our lives. He discusses the Big Rocks concept as popularized by Stephen Covey and the impact of finding the big rocks in our lives. He explains how we can find those big rocks by following the 80-20 rule and focusing on the one thing that makes everything else easier or unnecessary. When you find those big rocks, McKay tells you to deal with them right away, overcome distraction, stop overanalyzing and overthinking, and then watch as your life becomes filled with success and clarity. The Finer Details of This Episode: -   An insight into asteroids-   Are you focusing on the tiny rocks of life?-   The big rocks concept-   The difficult task of finding the big rocks-   How Steve Young’s life was impacted after he found his big rocks-   The 80-20 rule-   Do that one thing right away-   Overcoming distraction-   Why overthinking and overanalyzing can rob you of your focus Quotes: “We often approach our life, our business, and our goals without focusing on the big rocks, without focusing on the most important and leveraged activities.” “If you look at people who reach their goals or build a prospering business, you find most of those people have become skilled at concentrating on the big rocks.” “We only have so much emotional and mental capacity, we only have so much time in our day, and we can only fit so many things in our life.” “If you've set a bunch of New Year's goals and not decided on your one thing, you'll likely struggle.” “Most of our progress comes from only a few key things. Success does not necessarily come from doing more things.” “Things which matter most must not be at the mercy of things which matter least.” “What one thing can you do that, by doing it excellently, everything else will be easier or unnecessary.” “Life is not about finding yourself or unearthing some hidden talent, as much as it is creating yourself. And the way you create yourself is finding the big rocks in your life.” “Things we just automatically do without thinking or effort free up our minds and confidence and other things needed for the day.” “Distraction robs you of your maximum performance, your inspiration and being at your very best.” “If you've identified the one thing you need to do to reach your goals, don't wait. Be fully energized by your focus.” Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

As the new year approaches, the conversation highlights the importance of fresh starts and having clear life goals. Strategies like the Blue Ocean Strategy encourage exploration of untapped opportunities. Insights from companies like Southwest Airlines and Netflix reveal how innovative thinking can redefine success. The significance of forming strategic alliances and understanding personal talents for growth are emphasized. By blending purpose with strategy, listeners are urged to navigate their journeys toward meaningful achievements.

Explore how political strategies, like those employed by Biden and Trump, mirror personal goal-setting in life. Discover the vital difference between tactics and strategy through intriguing case studies, including IKEA and Disney. Learn to develop your own personal strategy using tools like SWOT analysis. Reflect on the external factors that influence success, enhancing your approach to life's challenges. Ultimately, it's all about crafting a clear path forward to engage new energy and achieve your goals.

​​It's almost the holiday season, a season of joy and giving.  And during this giving season it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of things and get weary in the difficulties that life seems to send our way.  We may want to be a giver but raising kids, building a business, providing a living and all other demands on our life, can rob us of the ability to give. And while it may seem counterintuitive, the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you. If you are emotionally unhealthy, you can’t give your time and inspiration to others.  If you are mentally unhealthy, it’s almost impossible to have the strength to persevere, lead and give. If you’re spiritually unhealthy, you can’t inspire, uplift or be the example you want to be.In this episode, McKay tells the story of Philip Stern, a photographer and book editor. Stern gifted the US servicemen and women in World War II by editing, compiling, and resizing hundreds of popular books to fit into the pockets of military uniforms.  During this inspired time of Stern’s life, he would write the famous story of The Greatest Gift.  It would eventually become the award-winning film It’s A Wonderful Life. Taking Philip Stern's example, McKay elaborates on how we impact the world in unique ways with our choices, and asserts that one gift, our lives, and the choices we make, can bless others for years to come. He shows how selfishness and the pursuit of bringing more to ourselves halt this impact, and draws lessons from the 1987 Jessica Morales rescue story.  McKay then asserts that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you, and shares a life experience when his renewed Mustang got stolen from his garage and relates it to the choice to be healthy. Listen in today as McKay shares lessons learned from both fiction and real life that open our eyes to the ways in which doing good and making healthy choices can lead to a healthier and happier life.The Finer Details of This Episode:Philip Stern’s gift to US World War II servicemen and womenA lesson to be grateful for lifeThe award-winning film It's a Wonderful LifeHow one gift and your life can bless others for years to comeThe effect of selfishness and the pursuit of bringing more to ourselvesThe Morales Family storyThe greatest gift you could give yourself – a healthy youThe reintroduction of the Mustang of the 1960sHow you begin to make choices that lead to a healthier youThe 2003 movie Freaky Friday, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay LohanHow our frame of reference determines our healthGym owner and workout Coach Marc Zalmanoff Lessons from the movie GladiatorLessons from the story of Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. SeussQuotes:"Our life is a gift. It is both the greatest gift we've been given and the greatest gift we have to give.""Raising kids and building a business and providing a living and all the other demands on our life can rob you of any ability or desire to give.""The greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.""When we're always looking for the right person or the next job or more money or whatever we think is going to bring us happiness, we lose sight of what is right in front of us.""Good choices are not perfect choices.""We often just say ‘no’ to good things because we don't have the time or resources to do everything.""Choose what makes you healthier, not what's easier.""If you're striving for a happier, healthier life, you may have to walk away from the habits and behaviors causing discontent.""We get to choose our frame of reference.""What we do in life echoes in eternity.""If choices ripple in the long term of our lives, then remember to choose wisely.""We mistakenly assume that each choice we make and each action we take is only affecting that particular moment or circumstance.""Choices have consequences.""Do not get tired of doing the right thing.""We make choices and choices make history.""God has given you this life to make good choices that will echo in eternity."Show Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

We all have gaps. Gaps in our awareness of others’ feelings, in how we communicate or don’t communicate, or in the many ways we don’t measure up particularly in dealing with people. Our emotional intelligence allows us to navigate through life and difficult times and, as such, the topic of emotional intelligence is one of great importance. McKay enlightens us on the subject today and how we can bridge the gaps many of us tend to have in our emotional lives. McKay starts with the story of the Golden Gate Bridge which was built despite the many apparent impossibilities and how this bridge has become a great landmark in the city of San Francisco. He likens us to this bridge - when we decide to improve our emotional intelligence, we bridge gaps that we have in our lives. Our host also discusses the impact of negative emotions and avoiding the ‘me-monster’ that neglects the views of others, and identifies some ways to strengthen our emotional quotient - bridge gaps by seeing the views of others, and show genuine interest in things that interest them. McKay finishes up by sharing his message for us all to harness the power of time, use the NIB rule - Notice, Importance, and Belonging, and watch how strength comes into our lives as a result. The Finer Details of This Episode: -   Creating landmark moments in your life; lessons from the Golden Gate bridge-   Recognize that you have a gap-   Why does your emotional quotient matter?-   The impact of negative emotions-   How do you avoid difficult emotions?-   Ways to strengthen your EQ and bridge your gaps-   Walk in the shoes of others-   Harness the power of time-   The NIB rule Quotes: “There's something about us or what we're doing that needs to be overcome, and this isn't easy.” “It's our shortfalls that are at the heart of our gaps in life. And here's the thing, bridging the gaps in our life is possible.” “It is critical to remember that we all have gaps, we all fall short, and sometimes we need to step up and do what we think isn't possible.” “When we overcome and become more of who we can and should be, we find landmark moments in our life.” “A ‘me-monster’ is someone so self-absorbed that no one else matters. Someone who thinks and makes decisions out of their mood or need or perspective.” “It's easy in life to get so focused on ourselves, that we don't see the major things going on around us, and this makes us blind to the gaps that exist in our life and with people.” “EQ is the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. It is the ability to understand things from the view of other people, empathize with others, and overcome challenges in dealing with people and defuse conflict.” “Success in school is 75% IQ, and 25% EQ. In life, it's exactly the opposite.” “Every time we strengthen our emotional intelligence, we bridge a little more of the gap.” “When you can step into another person's view with ease, and empathize with their way of thinking, and do that with a variety of people, you don't get stressed or upset or thrown off course in life because you understand others.” “As we learn to catch our emotional reactions before we act them out, we become more self-aware and more emotionally mature.” “EQ comes alive when you're able to become aware of the full extent of your emotions, whether positive or negative.” “I've learned that, over time, things tend to be less important than I thought they were at the moment.” “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

The force of hope is a potent one that has the power to brighten our lives and bring happiness. No matter how isolated or stuck in your business or life you may feel, it is so very important to hold on to hope and allow it to influence the decisions you make. It is a key ingredient in helping you to live the life you want to live, and in this week’s episode, McKay explores the propensity to hope, demonstrating just how powerful it can be even in the bleakest of situations. Trapped in a sinking cave for two weeks, 12 young boys and their coach held onto the hope that they would survive without food and sufficient air. This moving story acts as our opener in this episode as McKay correlates it to situations we face in life. The propensity to hope is having a behavior or pattern that results in a habit of holding on to hope. Today, Mckay discusses what hope encompasses and how it can be defined, and also delves into how to find hope when all seems lost. The episode comes to a close with McKay encouraging us to always choose hope because when we let hope make our decisions, we discover a better and happier way of living. The Finer Details of This Episode: -   Having hope in a bleak situation- the story of the Wild Boars of Thailand-   Understanding what propensity means-   Hope in Pandora’s box-   What does hope encompass?-   How to stop thinking about the ‘nevers’-   How do you find hope when you are down and discouraged?-   A story of hope told in a painting-   The choice of hope-   The benefits of holding on to hope-   Ways to acquire the trait of being hopeful-   Hope as a force multiplier Quotes: “We all get buried, stuck from time to time, whether by our own poor judgment or by factors completely beyond our control.” “We had each other and we had hope.” “We all face storms and darkness and are lost in isolation from time to time. Sometimes we lose, fail, regress and it's in those times that we're unsure whether we can, in fact, do what we're being asked to do.” “Hope is a passion for what is possible. When things around you say give up, hope always remains.” “The definition of propensity is an established pattern, behavior, or an attraction to a thing.” “Are you a person of hope? What's your propensity?” “When we have hope, we have more than we think.” “Don't give in to your depravations, live up to your expectations.” “You weren't placed here to peek into your future, but to open the door wide and walk through with confidence.” “Hope is the belief that circumstances will get better. It's not a wish for things to get better, it's the actual belief, the knowledge that it will happen.” “Remember, you can't make someone else's choices, and you shouldn't let them make yours.” Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen