U Can Do It with Michael McGinnis: Inspiring Growth ~ Igniting Potential - BECOME YOUR OWN OLYMPIAN: THE POWER OF VISUALIZATION, MEDITATION, & MANIFESTATION

BECOME YOUR OWN OLYMPIAN: THE POWER OF VISUALIZATION, MEDITATION, & MANIFESTATION

08/09/24 • 28 min

U Can Do It with Michael McGinnis: Inspiring Growth ~ Igniting Potential

QUESTION: What do those striving to be their full potential in this life have in common with the thousands of athletes at this year's Olympics?
ANSWER: A dedication to personal growth so that we can become the best that we can be!
Surprisingly, there are techniques that have been researched and used to achieve peak performance, that we can use too! When I visited the Winter Olympic Training Cener in Lake Placid, NY, I realized the extent of the training that the athletes went through. There was physical training to enhance the body, dexterity training to coordinate the movement, and mental training that conditioned the mind. To pull all of these together was the use of Visualization, Meditation, and Manifestation.
VISUALIZATION: techniques THAT involve creating a mental image or scenario in which you see yourself successfully performing a task or skill in your mind. This practice can enhance actual performance by improving focus, confidence, and the execution of physical skills. According to Psychology Today: "if athletes and chess players use this technique to enhance performance, how can it enhance the lives of the "average Joe"? First, study results highlight the strength of the mind-body connection, or in other words the link between thoughts and behaviors—a very important connection for achieving your best life." Check out this video, "A Beginner's Guide to Visualization (Sports & Athletes)"
https://youtu.be/EAGKsvhAPME?si=K_w_OJ4N9Imwvj5h
MEDITATION: Meditation is a practice that involves using mental and physical techniques to focus or clear your mind. It can help you relax, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your emotional well-being and overall health. Meditation can also help you learn to stay centered and keep inner peace.
MANIFESTATION: Manifestation is based on the power of positive thinking and the law of attraction. Positive Thinking is “strongly believing that you can achieve your goals can help you focus your energy and actions toward them. This belief can help you work toward your goals and overcome any fears or self-doubt that may hold you back, or worse, keep you from even trying.” The Law of Attraction "states that what you focus on is what you will attract into your life.”

Previous Episode

MENTAL FITNESS Quieting the Negative Voices in our Head with Guest Rachel Karu

By using a tree as a metaphor for the growth process, we recognize that our capacity to attain our full potential stems initially from nurturing ourselves from the very seed from which we originated. It involves cultivating that seed into a flourishing, resilient, strong, and beautiful living life form, regardless of where our seed was planted or the early storms it had to weather. This is the first stage of growth, referred to as Personal Growth. Personal Growth, akin to cultivating our root system is understanding and cleaning out our subconscious. Here, we strive to foster a robust and healthy self-esteem, build confidence, and enhance self-awareness. Simultaneously, we learn to take control of our lives rather than succumbing to a victim mentality. With this foundation in place, we become resilient, much like a tree that withstands storms, droughts, and adverse weather conditions. We learn to stand comfortably and confidently on our own two feet. Key elements of our growth in this stage relates to growing our Self-Awareness, developing our Emotional Intelligence, along with our Mental Fitness. This session will focus on a proven method to improve our Mental Fitness!! WHAT IS MENTAL FITNESS?? Mental fitness is the capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive rather than a negative mindset. We all have a negativity bias to survive and those negative voices in our head tell us “I’m not good enough, I’m an imposter, what if I’m wrong, I will fail, or what will people think?” Sound familiar?
Research shows that only 20% of people hit peak mental performance. The question is, how can we be part of the 20%? Many of us have intentions for the best, and yet time, knowledge, accountability, and/or motivation hold us back especially when we don’t build lasting habits. Many of us are ruled by our "saboteurs", especially since the pandemic impacted many of us by living in a constant state of fear. What if there was a way to enjoy success while experiencing positive emotions such as empathy, curiosity, creativity, passion, and purpose? Well, the good news is, that you can, by learning how to access your inner Sage! Build your emotional intelligence by learning about Positive Intelligence, a powerful framework based on factor analysis and grounded in neuroscience, to shift you from your Saboteur to your Sage by building your mental muscle fitness. Click Here to learn more about the Positive Intelligence Workshop. GET 10% OFF - Scroll down and click on "Register" Add the word "CONNECT" in the "Message" field. Watch Michael McGinnis' LiveStream Here - episode will automatically play at designated time in "Watch" window

Next Episode

Becoming Our Full Potential As We Get Older Getting Older or is it “Getting B-older” with guest Heather Orengia

During our working years we dream about the day that we can retire. Our understanding of "retirement" is largely shaped by the billboards showing couples playing golf and traveling the world. Our only focus is on funding our 401K so that we have enough to retire. This however is challenged by having to use our funds marked for retirement to purchase a home, cover medical and other bills, or fund our transition between jobs. "Retirement for boomers is different than it was for their parents in the so-called Silent Generation. Life expectancy has improved, and today’s 65-year-old can expect to live at least another 20 years. About 80% of households with older adults — or 47 million such households — are struggling today with money. And they risk falling into economic insecurity as they age, the National Council on Aging says."
It is not just finances that challenge us with this thing called retirement. After 40 plus years of working, raising a family, being a soccer Mom or Dad, our identity or how we see ourselves revolves around these roles. Abruptly these come to an end with the onset of an Empty Nest and no longer working. "Retirement can lead to a loss of identity for many people because work can be an important part of who they are, and retirement can take away that sense of purpose and meaning. This can lead to feelings of uncertainty, restlessness, and a lack of purpose."
Upon entering retirement, which can amount to 1/3 of our life, our excitement can quickly transition into the "3 - D's" as noted by Dr. Riley Moynes, that stand for, "Divorce, Depression and Decline". This was the case for me, and now I have come to realize are common to many of those that I coach. What I realized is that there is a lack of understanding about what retirement really is like, along with the many changes that we experience throughout this time. I found myself back at the beginning of the growth process, having to go through the stages of Personal Growth, Self-discovery, and Enlightenment once again. Our guest talks about the loss of her grandfather shortly after he retired, which can be a direct result of these challenges. We begin to confront our own mortality which can be a daunting task in a society that tends to avoid these conversations.
Our goal here is to provide a means of education, conversation, and tips to be a guide and inspiration to learn how to prepare for and deal with the major life transition. The good news is that this can be an amazing time and learning how to "squeeze all the juice out of what is left in our life." The key is education, and then applying tools and techniques to help develop a new mindset about our life, and in a way that promotes greater physical, mental, social, and spiritual growth, leading to a happier and more meaningful time, as we define new meaning and purpose.
Join our conversation that will cover several podcasts as we zoom in on this topic.