S3E01 - One Word That Can Change Your Life

04/24/23 • 29 min

1 Listener

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 thing
How it can ignite an amazing sense of purpose and energy
What you should do with your one word
Assimilating your resolution to become a part of you
Some stories that illustrate the power of focusing on one word or thing
Having a sense of direction, focus, and motivation during challenging times
Persisting and learning from our failures
Holding onto excuses and remaining stuck
Accepting help and making changes

Quotes:

"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/

Episode Highlights:

The practice of focusing on one word or one thing
How it can ignite an amazing sense of purpose and energy
What you should do with your one word
Assimilating your resolution to become a part of you
Some stories that illustrate the power of focusing on one word or thing
Having a sense of direction, focus, and motivation during challenging times
Persisting and learning from our failures
Holding onto excuses and remaining stuck
Accepting help and making changes

Quotes:

"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."

"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/

Previous Episode

S2E52 - The Road Ahead

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 significance
Embracing both the highs and lows of life with grace and resilience
The importance of commitments and promises in our lives
The power of love and support
Failure as an opportunity to learn and grow
Focusing on the road ahead
Having a clear end goal in mind
Difficult roads and beautiful destinations
The importance of not giving up
Learning how to react to future mistakes
Defining yourself and your mistakes

Quotes:

"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/

Next Episode

S3E02 - Peaks and Valleys

Welcome to today’s episode of the Open Your Eyes podcast where McKay shines his spotlight on navigating the peaks and valleys that we all experience. Noting that life can throw unexpected challenges our way, McKay examines how these challenges can affect our perspective and offers insight into how to navigate them with a positive outlook.

By exploring the experiences of people from different walks of life, McKay provides a diverse range of perspectives on resilience, strength, and grace in the face of adversity. In addition to sharing their stories, McKay also highlights the importance of maintaining a positive outlook and finding the hidden good in difficult times. Throughout the episode, McKay emphasizes the importance of being able to learn from our experiences and use the pain and discomfort of the valleys in our lives to propel us towards growth and change. His main message here today is yet another powerful one: by embracing reality and stepping out of our comfort zone, we can prosper through both peaks and valleys and ultimately become the best versions of ourselves.

Episode Highlights:

Peaks and valleys in life
Stories of people who have faced challenging situations
The importance of perspective in both peaks and valleys
Overcoming challenging situations
Finding the hidden good in difficult times
The importance of resilience and determination in overcoming adversity
The power of choice in shaping our response to difficult situations
Allowing yourself grace in navigating challenging times
Leaving a peak too soon and staying in a valley too long
Steps to follow in the valleys
Traps to avoid
Embracing reality, stepping out of your comfort zone, and bringing about the needed change in your life
Preparing to handle the next peaks or valleys better

Quotes:

"It's natural for everyone everywhere to have peaks and valleys in work and business and life."

"You can change your valley into a peak when you find and use the good that is hidden in the bad times in the valley."

"Sometimes we get moved about in ways we don't want. And the outcome of these ups and downs in life always aren't easy and are disruptive."

"Conversely, the view at life's peaks are just as warped. At peaks in life, we think the market will always grow, our business will always be strong and the sun will always shine."

"You don't have to be perfect or have all the answers. You just have to choose to keep going."

"At the peaks in our business or life, what we learn and do can keep us from the valleys in our life."

"You see, if you're in a valley right now and feeling some pain, then it might be a great time to ask what you are to learn and how you can step out of your comfort zone."

"A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing grows there."

"There is power in seeing things as they really are. It's called reality."

"Whether you're at a peak or a valley in your life or business, they don't last. And what we learn in our peaks and valleys prepares us to handle the next peaks or valleys better."

Links:

https://www.mckaychristensen.org/