Passion Struck with John R. Miles - Why We Become What We Think About w/ John R. Miles EP 139

Starting point is 00:00:00 coming up next on the Passion Struck Podcast by their very nature, our beliefs can either be empowering or restricting. Restricting or negative beliefs for us from fulfilling our true potential. Hold us back and advance harmful thoughts and emotions. On the other hand, empowering or positive beliefs enable us to act with resilience, have faith in ourselves and conjure positive thoughts and feelings. No matter what you are told, ensure that it is only those things that help you to become better

Starting point is 00:00:35 that you believe and hold onto. Welcome to PassionStruct. Hi, I'm your host, John Armiles. And on the show, we decipher the secrets, tips, and guidance of the world's most inspiring people and turn their wisdom into practical advice for you and those around you. Our mission is to help you unlock the power of intentionality so that you can become

Starting point is 00:00:58 the best version of yourself. If you're new to the show, I offer advice and answer listener questions on Fridays. We have long-form interviews the rest of the week with guest-ranging from astronauts to authors, CEOs, creators, innovators, scientists, military leaders, visionaries, and athletes. Now let's go out there and become PassionStruck. Hello everyone and welcome back to Momentum Friday, an episode 139 of Passion Struck. Recently ranked as one of the top 50 most inspirational podcasts in the world, and thank you to each and every one of you who come back weekly to listen and

Starting point is 00:01:36 learn how to live better, be better, and impact the world. In case you missed my interviews from earlier in the week, I had on Jordan Harbinger, who is the host of the extremely popular Jordan Harbinger show. And during our discussion, we went into why he believes his legacy is better than currency. And I also head on Crystal Rose, who is also a podcast host,

Starting point is 00:01:58 Transformational Coach and serial entrepreneur. And she and I discuss the importance of self-love and how you can achieve it in your own life. I also wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge our fan of the week from the United States, Robert White, who writes, "'Cure inspiration.'"

Starting point is 00:02:14 I couldn't be more grateful to have John Miles providing this inspirational content, weekend and week out. The material covered has helped me so many ways in my life, with self-development care and love. Thank you for all that you do. It is truly a pleasure to listen to and to apply the content provided. Thank you so much, Robert, for that incredible review, and thank you to all of you who give us five star reviews. They mean so much to the show, and we now have over 7,000 of them

Starting point is 00:02:46 on iTunes globally. And if you like today's episode or some of the others that I mentioned, we would so much appreciate it if you forward them to a friend or family member. And if you truly, truly love it yourself, please do us the honor of giving us a five star rating, which as I mentioned before, help us grow with the popularity of the show. Now, let's talk about today's episode. Notable American radio speaker and author, Earl Nightingale said, we become what we think about. This truthful statement embodies and emphasizes just how vital our mindsets and beliefs are to

Starting point is 00:03:22 creating the lives that we live. A belief is defined as any cognitive notion that is held as accurate. It is the acceptance that something exists. Even though its existence cannot be proved, this means that the potency of a belief is entirely dependent on a person's willingness to accept it or reject it. Take, for example example two people who have

Starting point is 00:03:46 similar qualifications and each are given a thousand dollars to start a new business. One of them believes that they can start that business profit and earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. In contrast, the other person believes that a thousand dollars is too little to start anything of meaning and fails to start anything at all. What we believe doesn't lie solely in facts, but what a person believes is actual and possible. Our beliefs go far beyond just our perception of human possibility. It drives us to discover things that have never been done before. The idea that we can create a new reality that does not already exist, birthed many, many innovations

Starting point is 00:04:31 and fascinating technologies that we all enjoy today. For instance, though we can't ourselves physically fly, our belief that it was possible has driven and enabled mankind to create airplanes that move across the sky and rockets to explore the depths of space. It has helped us to land on the moon

Starting point is 00:04:51 and send complex machines to be our eyes and ears to research across the galaxy. The things we choose to believe form the very basis of our existence and go on to define for us what is possible or what isn't. In the last episode, I provided you in-depth information on how your mind impacts your reality in five ways that you could create a healthier and more productive one. Today, I will enlighten you on just how powerful our beliefs are and the steps that you can take to create and maintain the right beliefs.

Starting point is 00:05:28 Let us start with the story of Sean Stevenson, a man who suffered from a severe congenital deformity, but believed wholeheartedly he could make a positive impact with his life. He did this by intentionally breaking free from the negative self beliefs about himself? Thank you for choosing PassionStruck and choosing me to be your host and guide on your journey to creating an intentional life. Now, let that journey begin. Sean Stevenson was born with osteogenesis in Per perfecta, commonly known as brittle bone disease. Most of his bones were broken during his birth due to his condition and he was admitted

Starting point is 00:06:12 into the intensive care unit at Chicago's Children's Hospital. The doctors actually warned Sean's parents that he may not even live to be one day old because of the severity of his condition. Fortunately, that did not happen, and not only did he survive for 24 hours, but he went on to live to the age of 40. He spent much of his youth in pain, experienced stunted growth, standing at the height of barely three feet tall, had to use a wheelchair because of the inability of his bones to support his body, and often bullied and weirdly stared at everywhere that he went. But the amazing thing about Sean Stevenson is that he

Starting point is 00:06:52 never allowed his condition to define him, even though he suffered hundreds of fractures to his legs, arms, neck, ankle, collarbones, and nose. He rose above it all to become an inspiration for literally millions worldwide. He chose to believe in his ability to do certain things despite his deformities and became a therapist, self-help author and motivational speaker. In 2001, he published his first book titled How Youth Can Succeed, Transforming Dreams Into Reality for Young Adults. And in 2008, his second book, Get Off Your But, How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself, with the Ford provided by his mentor and life coach, Tony Robbins. Stevenson received his bachelor's degree in Political Science in 2001 from DePaul University and enrolled in the American Pacific University

Starting point is 00:07:46 in 2004 to pursue a doctor of clinical hypnotherapy. He ran a counseling practice out of Outbreak, Terrace, Illinois. He also worked as a motivational speaker, earning between 15,000 and 30,000 per speech. Stevenson married the love of his life, Mindy Nis in 2012, and the two were together for 10 years. He died on August 28, 2019 after experiencing a severe concussion, but having lived a fulfilled life. Sean Stevenson's story is inspiring, proving that we can all rise above negative beliefs and accept ourselves for whoever we are, regardless of our circumstances. Using Sean's story as our backdrop, we will now dive more deeply into this topic of beliefs and answer the following questions.

Starting point is 00:08:34 How do beliefs work? How powerful can a belief be? What steps can we take to ensure we acquire and maintain beneficial beliefs? We will be right back to Passion Struck. Oprah Winfrey, she's living, breathing proof of the power of passion, running away from home at age 13, starting a media empire, and now worth $2.6 billion. All to say that, when she makes a big move, you can learn a lot by watching. And after she made $60 million in one fell swoop,

Starting point is 00:09:05 I did some research on how. And my eyes were open to a market out there worth $1.7 billion. That, for the first time, we all can be part of no Oprah-level billions needed. How? There's a startup that's blowing the whole thing wide open called masterworks powered by passion, like all good startups are, and eager to change the world. To learn more, go to masterworks.io and use promo code passion. That's masterworks.io

Starting point is 00:09:40 promo code passion. See important regulation A, disclosures at masterworks.io slash CD. That's masterworks.io promo code passion. And we know all these promo codes can be so difficult to remember. So we put them in one convenient place on passionstruck.com slash deals. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors who support this show and make it free for our listeners everywhere. Now, back to PassionStruck. So let's first talk about how beliefs actually work. Anton Chekhov, a Russian playwright once said, Man is what he believes.

Starting point is 00:10:19 Beliefs stem from what we hear and continue to hear from others. This starts in our childhood and even before that. The origins of belief include the environment that we were raised in, events that were exposed to, what we learned in school, past experiences, visualization, trauma, et cetera. One of the most significant misconceptions people maintain is that a belief is a fixed intellectual concept.

Starting point is 00:10:44 This actually couldn't be further from the truth. At the end of the day, what we believe in is a choice. We have the power to choose what we believe in, and our beliefs become our reality. Take, for instance, the universal means of exchange called currency. What exactly is currency? It is, but a piece of paper or metal with words and numbers inscribed. While the early forms of currency derive their value from the content of the precious metals inside them, today's fiat money in cryptocurrency

Starting point is 00:11:14 are backed entirely by social agreement and belief in the issuers' trustworthiness. We can only transact with them because we collectively believe in their perceived value. My point here is that it is completely useless outside of our collective mindset and belief about currency. In like manner, the things we choose to believe become a reality and directly go on to affect our actions in life. Your thoughts are triggers for a self-perpetuating cycle. What you believe directly influences how you feel and also how you behave. So, if you believe

Starting point is 00:11:52 that you cannot achieve something, you'll act in alignment with that perceived inability and will end up unable to do it. Beliefs are essentially the key tenants in life that provide guidance and meaning. So now that we've talked about beliefs, let's talk about something known as the placebo effect. A particular phenomenon that proves just how powerful our beliefs are is commonly known as the placebo effect. A placebo is a drug, pill, or other treatment that looks to be, but is not, medical intervention. Inert tablets such as sugar pills, inert injections, such as saline, and other treatments

Starting point is 00:12:28 are common examples of placebos. When an individual improves, despite receiving a placebo, rather than an active medical treatment, that is the moment the placebo effect occurs. For example, if you're given the same arthritis tablet frequently, to ease your stiff aching joints,

Starting point is 00:12:45 you may grow to link it to pain alleviation. However, if you're given a placebo that resembles your arthritis medication, you may still believe it provides pain relief because you have been conditioned to believe so. It has been observed that under the right circumstances, which includes a person's belief in the efficacy of the drugs, a placebo can be quite as effective as traditional treatments. The biochemistry of our body derives from our awareness. In other words, a belief-informed awareness becomes our biochemistry. Every minuscule cell in our body is entirely and perfectly cognizant of our feelings, ideas, and beliefs. The following are seven things

Starting point is 00:13:27 that you can do to change negative beliefs and imbibe new positive beliefs that will help you live your best life. The first is to be self-aware. Self-awareness is a key factor in discovering areas in your life where you need to change and understanding exactly how to affect the needed transformations, the awareness that we are part of an ever-changing world that constantly interacts with one another gives us the key to unlocking the enormous power within us. It is our awareness of this astonishing truth that alters everything. When we experience this awareness, we can transform ourselves from passive onlookers to influential creators. Our beliefs provide us a script to write or rewrite the code of our reality.

Starting point is 00:14:19 You can become self-aware by paying sincere and honest attention to the thoughts that run through your mind and your actions to situations. The second thing that you can do is to challenge your current beliefs. Perceptual modifications are the preconditions for altering our beliefs and modifying our bodies biochemistry favorably. Our inherent fascination and willingness to discover and develop lead to renewed perceptions. When we intentionally allow ourselves to experience new perceptions by seeking new experiences or learning new skills, our bodies can also respond differently. That is the secret to growth. Intentionally consider the kinds of thoughts that you have to see how accurate your beliefs actually are. When you do, you will be able to identify false beliefs. After identifying these false beliefs, engage in things that make you feel and prove that you are capable of great things. Do you have a topic like today's that you would like to see us cover?

Starting point is 00:15:30 You can reach us at Momentum Friday at PassionStruck.com. Keep your emails concise. Use a descriptive subject line that keeps things easy for us. Reach out to us if there's a topic you're interested in learning about. There's something that maybe you're going through any big decision that you're wrestling with or perhaps you just want a new perspective on work, love, or life.

Starting point is 00:15:52 Whatever's got you staying up at night, hit us up at Momentum Friday at passionstruck.com. We're here to help and we keep every email anonymous. Now, back to passion struck. The third thing that you can do is to understand your environmental influences. When we subconsciously cling to deep rooted beliefs, our minds continuously look for evidence to validate and strengthen them. A person's environment is the submachine of the realities and associations around them. It plays a vital role in what you think and who you eventually become.

Starting point is 00:16:26 You need to realize if you are in an unhealthy environment that doesn't provide you with empowering beliefs. If so, take the appropriate steps to change your circumstances and associations. By their very nature, our beliefs can be either empowering or restricting. Restricting or negative beliefs for us from fulfilling our true potential. Hold us back and advance harmful thoughts and emotions.

Starting point is 00:16:51 On the other hand, empowering or positive beliefs enable us to act with resilience, have faith in ourselves, and conjure positive thoughts and feelings. No matter what you are told, ensure that it is only those things that help you to become better that you believe and hold on to. Fourth, exchange self-pity for self-compassion. When we experience self-pity, it goes beyond healthy sadness. By feeling sorry for yourself, you magnify your adversity and experience a sense of both helplessness and hopelessness. This creates an unhealthy cycle. On the other hand, self-compassion permits oneself to see the interconnected experiences of self and others

Starting point is 00:17:32 without isolation and disconnection. With self-compassion, you do not need to feel better than others, to feel good about yourself. Self-compassion provides greater self-clarity because individual failings can be recognized with kindness, not resentment. Moreover, self-compassion isn't conditional on what may happen to us externally. It is available whenever you need it, especially when you fall flat on your face. The fifth thing that we can do is learn to adapt to new situations. Change is all around us and is an inevitable constant in all our lives. Sometimes we can control it, but the reality is most of the time we cannot. The circumstances of our lives simply change and unfortunately not always for the better.

Starting point is 00:18:16 It is our ability to adapt to these changes that ultimately defines us. When you fail to adapt, you become incapable of navigating your way through change and making the most of it with impact. You must learn to adapt to whatever environment that you are in. Believe in yourself and focus on the impact that you can make regardless of what your current condition, title, or stature is. The sixth thing that you can do is make your choices intentional. The humanitarian author and Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl once said, Everything can be taken from a man, but one thing. The last of the human freedoms, to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.

Starting point is 00:18:58 Remember that you can make your own choices, and intentionally exercise that ability to choose healthy and empowering beliefs. The seventh thing that you can do is to love and accept yourself. Realize that the type of relationship that you have with yourself will determine whether or not you will have positive beliefs that will help you become your best self. Reminding yourself of what's important. Your partner, family, friends, beliefs, health, great music, creativity, and so on can form a surprisingly potent buffer against whatever troubles may be ailing you.

Starting point is 00:19:35 For example, if you value and appreciate yourself, you will believe that you are talented, competent, and deserving of love and success. However, if you don't, you won't be able to believe in yourself enough to recognize and seize the opportunities that are right in front of you. So, in whatever situation you may be, make sure that you love and accept yourself first. And if you want more information on this topic, I released a full episode on self-acceptance, which was episode 133. So let's go back to Sean Stevenson. In his TED talk, which he gave at Ironwood State Prison,

Starting point is 00:20:13 Sean explains that the real prisons exist in the mind. He was making this statement that it didn't matter where you physically found yourself. What counts the most is your belief about yourself in your situation. It is your beliefs is your belief about yourself and your situation. It is your beliefs that will ultimately determine not only your freedom, but your potential. And for more on Sean Stevenson and his remarkable life, please check out episode 35 that I did on never believing a prediction that doesn't ignite you. Remind yourself not to allow any belief to restrict your potential, just as Sean said, just because you perceive something is real. That doesn't make it accurate. You can train your

Starting point is 00:20:51 mind to think differently and become free from those self-restricting beliefs with sufficient practice. This will help you become better equipped to reach your greatest potential and live your best life. I hope throughout this episode you now comprehend why it is so crucial to examine our self-beliefs, something that most people never do. It's also vital to pinpoint our stricting beliefs so that we can start replacing them with empowering ones. After all, we choose our paths. Why would you desire to live with constraining beliefs that hold

Starting point is 00:21:25 you back, make you unhappy, and prevent you from exploiting your full potential? Put all the points mentioned at today's podcast into practical use. And as you do so, you will see yourself reaching new heights and achieving things you never thought possible. Now go after those things and live your life, passion struck. And I wanted to take this opportunity to also mention some of the incredible interviews that we have coming up. One of those is on May 24th with Admiral James Stavridas, where we are launching his new book to risk it all, as well as his book, Sailing True North, and much of the geopolitical situation that is impacting the world today. I also have on the fascinating story later that week of Navy Strike Fighter pilot Keegan Gill,

Starting point is 00:22:10 who is the only person to survive an ejection at near Mach 1. You absolutely don't want to miss either one of those interviews. And if you're new to the show or you would just like to introduce this to friends or family members, we now have episodes starter packs, both on Spotify and our website. These are collections of your favorite episodes that we organized my topic to give any new listener a great way to get acquainted to everything we do here on this show. Just go to passionstruck.com slash starter packs to get started. And thank you, as always, for being here, following and supporting this podcast and sharing it with friends and family members. We are so appreciative of you being part of this community. And if there's ever a topic or a guest that you would like to see on this podcast, reach out to us at Momentum Friday at PassionStruck.com.

Starting point is 00:22:58 Now, go out there and live life, passion struck. Thank you so much for joining us. The purpose of our show is to make Passion Go viral. And we do that by sharing with you the knowledge and skills that you need to unlock your hidden potential. If you want to hear more, please subscribe to the Passion-struck podcast on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to your podcast ad. And if you absolutely love this episode, we'd appreciate a five-star rating on iTunes and you sharing it with three of your most group-minded friends so they can post it as well to their social accounts and help us grow

Starting point is 00:23:36 our passion-struck community. If you'd like to learn more about the show and our mission, you can go to passionstruck.com where you can sign up for our newsletter, look at our tools and also download the show notes for today's episode. Additionally, you can listen to us every Tuesday and Friday with even more inspiring content. And remember, make a choice, work hard, and step into your sharp edges. Thank you again for joining us. you

Passion Struck with John R. Miles - Why We Become What We Think About w/ John R. Miles EP 139

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