How to Achieve Our Strengths and Unlock Our Highest Potential

Welcome to the Living to 100 Club Podcast. Here's our host, Dr. Joseph Casciani. Well, hello to everyone joining us today on our podcast. You're listening to one of the public episodes this month on our Living to 100 Club program, and I'm your host, Joe Casciani. Each week, our conversations educate and inspire, helping you get the best out of all the years we're given, regardless of what obstacles come our way. These public episodes air twice a month. With our premium club membership, paying subscribers can listen to all episodes. So subscribers have access to 2 additional episodes a month. All episodes share educational and inspiring stories. With practical tips and strategies for aging well, just like we're going to be discussing today. Premium episodes are for subscribers only, so be sure to sign up today at livingto100club.supercast.com. Our guest for this podcast is Dr. Mike Van Thelen. It's a conversation about the many ways we can overcome barriers to tapping our true potential and unleashing our superpowers. Dr. Van Thelen is the author of the newly released book, The IZOD Method: Unleash Your Superpower, Optimize Productivity and Focus, Free Up Valuable Time, Live Stress-Free, and Upgrade Body and Brain. What are the knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to perform at our highest potential and reach our goals? Is it possible to be in the zone being at our peak performance on demand, or is it just a fluke when it happens? We discuss the importance of a sense of purpose, taking control of our agenda, and measuring progress toward our goals. Before we start, let me give you a little background. As a top swimmer in his native Belgium, Dr. Van Thelen gained interest in optimizing health and athletic performance. He graduated from the University of Brussels in Belgium in 1993, the, with a degree, a bachelor's degree in physical education, and in 1995 with a master's degree in physical therapy. He served as the assistant coach and physical therapist for Belgian Olympic swimmers in preparation for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Dr. Mike himself is an All-American and is a current record holder in swimming. He also holds 31 U.S. national titles. Dr. Mike moved to Florida in 1997, and after managing several pain management clinics, he pursued his Master of Science in Oriental Medicine and his Bachelor of Science in Professional Health Studies. Dr. Mike is a licensed physical therapist, a licensed acupuncture physician, a doctor of Oriental medicine, and a PhD in holistic nutrition. Besides being well-versed in various health applications, Dr. Mike Van Thieland has a vast business experience and a proven track record of establishing and developing successful business operations. Currently, he's an international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and a mentor to those who want to live their life to the fullest. Dr. Mike, welcome to our program today.

Great. Thanks for having me, Joe.

Yes, you're welcome. You've been a busy person.

Yes, we try to stay busy, right?

Yes, for sure. I always like to open by asking our guests to tell us briefly about the journey that brought you to where you are today. I've touched on the highlights, but how would you describe it in your own words?

Yeah, I mean, people can hear my accent, and as you said, I'm originally from Belgium, grew up there with my brother, single mom. Went to the University of Brussels, did physical education, which was fun because obviously I like sports, uh, but didn't really know what to do with that. So I went into the physical therapy program and ended up traveling with the Olympic swim team. And then in, uh, 1996, traveled with the Olympic swim team in preparation for the Atlanta Games. And at the time, they were short of physical therapists in the United States. So recruiter called me and asked me if I was interested in, uh, working here. So I said sure. And so, a year later, I saved $400, packed my backpack, put my jeans on, and came over here to live the American dream. Then, I went back to school to the College of Integrative Medicine. That's where I got all the licenses in acupuncture, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, homeopathy. And after treating almost 1,000 patients with those more conservative therapies, I figured they were less harmful than conventional medicine, meaning drugs and surgeries, but I didn't see the lasting results either. So that's when I decided I had to go back to basics and decided to get my PhD in holistic nutrition. I also started looking at animals in the wild and Mother Nature to find the truths about health. And that's when I got really confident in helping people regain control of their health and achieve optimal health. And so fast forward today, I actually am a mentor or a coach because I feel that I never had a mentor or a coach, so I could have saved a lot of years of agony. I would have benefited from somebody who would show me the pitfalls and, and make me accountable for the things that I want to accomplish. So that's what I'm doing today is helping people with their health, not just regaining control and optimizing health, but also biohacking, which means objectively reversing their biological age. And I also help people with their personal life or with their business, making sure they reach their goals and their dreams by making sure they're accountable, making sure they have the right purpose in their life, and cleaning up the big mess of being disorganized in their personal life or their business.

So you've collected a lot of your experiences, a lot of your studies, insights into this current position as a coach, mentor, helping businesses, helping individuals, helping with health, helping with kind of strategies and performance. That's a, that's a great collection of services, and I can see where there's some real value in working with your clients. So, um, you've consolidated a lot of this, um, this learning and insight into your book, your latest book Correct. The IZOD method. I'm curious about the title. What's the title about?

Yes, IZOD method is something that I trademarked. So IZOD stands for In the Zone On Demand. Right. Most of us have been in the zone, experienced being in the zone during their lifetime, but often it was by chance or accident and it was like, oh my God, I won this competition or I was so focused, I, I killed this presentation at work, or I crushed my sales goals. So most of us have experienced it, but merely by chance or accident. And so most of us know being in the zone when they look at top athletes. But I developed a method because this is not just for athletes, this is for everybody who wants to, you know, you know, unleash their superpower and be the best they can be. So I developed a method that has 3 distinctive steps. Where actually anybody can be in the zone on demand, bring their A-game, crush the competition, and be the best that they can be.

So how do we know we have this unleashed superpower? Where is it? Why is it hidden?

Well, I believe that most people have one, right? We're all here with a purpose on the planet. And unfortunately, I think that the majority of us don't even realize what their superpower is. And the reason why that is, Joe, is because when we're born, number one, there's society that pushes us a certain direction, right? We have to go to school, then we, you know, should go to college. And when we graduate there, uh, we should work for somebody till we're 65, and then we're lucky we could afford an RV and maybe enjoy what they call here the golden years. But often that doesn't happen. And then on the other side, we have our parents that push us a certain direction. If dad's a lawyer, he probably wants to go to law school. His mom's a doctor, she probably wants to go to med school. And so Nobody asks us what we really want in life. And so, what I do with my clients first is I say, okay, let's stop for a moment and let's look back and let's see if we are actually doing the things that you are passionate about, that create fire in your stomach. And often it's not. We have certain credentials because we went to school. We have a certain job. And it's not that most people don't like their job, but it really doesn't fire them up or they're not really passionate about it. So then we have to do certain exercises and have a conversation about what it is really that creates that passion and fire. And often, I mean, there's exercises. And one of the things that I often do is I ask them, you know, what was the superpower that you wanted when you were a kid? What are the dreams about who you wanted to be? Because when you were a kid, you did have no doubts at all in your mind that you could be that person until somebody, most likely your parents, told you that it was impossible to be that person. And so then many of us settle for ordinary. So my job is to get back to extraordinary and awaken that flame and awaken that passion again. And that's the basis because If we are not excited or passionate about what we're doing or what we want to achieve, then we never can be the best that we can be. And so the first objection I get there, Joe, is like, yes, you're right. And after maybe just one conversation, often we find that passion, we find that purpose, but it doesn't align with their daily life. So they say, well, that's all nice and dandy, but I have bills to pay, I have a family, I have kids, and so I can't do what you're telling me to do. And that's usually the first objection. But that's not true because I said, okay, you don't have to drop your job today. What we need to do is we make a transition. And so what we need to do first is we need to free up some valuable time, maybe an hour a day, and start working on that dream and on that goal and on that passion. And so that's what we do. Once we identify somebody's real purpose in life, we start to— we need to start taking control of their life. And control, what that means is we need to start to get in control of our agenda, of our calendar. We need to identify time wasters. You know, a good example is meetings. Everybody always does meetings every day, and we usually block out an hour for the meeting. I've never known a topic or a subject in which we can't make a decision in 15 minutes. And so do yourself a favor, and also the other people on the meeting a favor, and start scheduling your meetings for 15 minutes versus an hour. And so then we identify projects or things that people do at home that really don't contribute to anything, certainly not their goals or dreams. So we're gonna free up valuable time, and during that time we now start working on dreams and goals, the real ones. So I'm never asking people to give up their job. I'm asking to work with me to free up valuable time so we can start gradually working on their real dreams and passion in life. Because control creates clarity and clarity reduces stress. So that's step number 1 of the EIZO method. It's purpose of life and starting to take control of your life so we can get rid of worry and fear and anxiety and depression and uncertainties. So that's step number 1.

That's great. A lot of great information there. So getting back to the superpower, Um, I think what you're saying is that we kind of grow up with these early stories that we tell ourselves, that we put together based on what we think we want, and that's been influenced by other adults, parents, teachers, whatever. So we have these stories that kind of guide our operating principles, and what you're saying is let's stop and take a look at that story and see is it really on track or is it just something that we were influenced to do when we were much younger? I think that's— is that what you're saying?

You said that very well, Joe. It's almost like somebody is writing your book. And so we need to stop and we need to decide, are they doing a good job? Because we should be writing our own book. And maybe, maybe, maybe there's 10 chapters and we're in chapter number 5 and maybe you're not even the main player, or maybe you're a victim, or maybe you feel sorry for yourself. So, you know, we can write our own story, we can write the ending of our book, which is our life, of course. And so we need to become the superhero in that book, and we need to make it a happy ending, an ending that we want to write. So we've been controlled by others, we've been steered certain directions by others. And maybe we are living our dream, but most likely we are not. And it's never too late to change the end of our story, the end of the book that we're writing. So let's turn things around and let's make you the number one figure or the, the main person in your book. And let's decide how this needs to end and how we can save the world in your way or contribute to this world in a better way.

Yeah. Yeah. I talk about writing new chapters, starting new chapters all the time. And it's the same language.

It's very good.

Always, uh, okay, we've been through whatever, and now it's time to stop and reflect and see what's next, see where I want to go. Maybe a loss, or maybe a setback, something personal or physical. And okay, it's time to stop and see, all right, where, where am I headed? What's my next chapter? So that's what you're talking about, continuing to write our own story. Although it's not over. I mean, we have—

but I want to make sure it's the right story. So I want to see passion and fire and excitement, right? So you want to wake up wanting to get things done, which most people don't. And that means they're not living their dream or not living their passion.

Yeah, that's how we find the purpose and get the clutter out of the way and see what single-minded direction we want to take. Yeah. Yeah. So you talked about taking control of our lives and how do we do that?

What's— Yeah, there's in the book, there's many tips and strategies and, you know, it's a little bit different for everybody because some people are just procrastinators, others are fidgeters, others can't focus, others can't say no to people. So when somebody asks them to help them with a project, they say yes. But if it doesn't contribute to your dreams, you got to start saying no. Other people, work with people that really are rowing in a different direction? Are you surrounded with the wrong people? So there's so many things that I help people look at so that we can start taking more control of our life and also, you know, being more productive. It's about focus, it's about productivity. And that's where step number 2, uh, from the ISOT method comes in. Because once we have that purpose of life and start to take control over life, we have to develop a plan or strategy. And it's step number 2. And a plan or strategy, Joe, doesn't necessarily mean that we need to know all the details. All we need to know is the whats, and we're going to put that in a very simple business plan format. What is it that we want? What are our dreams? What are our goals? The details and the how-tos, they will fall in place as we move along. The other aspect that to me is important of, of step number 2, which is the plan or the strategy, is we need to, we need to assemble what I call a team of experts. And it doesn't mean this, those have to be successful people or professionals are millionaires. But a team of experts means is we need to surround ourselves not only with like-minded people, but with people that we identify that can help us reach our highest potential. And so I had a discussion last week with somebody because we also have been taught that we always— that we need to work on our weaknesses. And I totally disagree with that. We never should work on our weakness. So we should continue to work on our strengths and improve our strengths. And to that extent, we need to surround ourselves with people or hire people or work with people that are strong where we are weak so that we can reach our highest potential. And so step number 2 is once we have this plan of what's— and our goals and our dreams clearly defined, then it becomes much easier to get up and start working because all obstacles now become opportunities and stepping stones Closer to our goal and our dream. I usually make the analogy with the 110-meter hurdles, uh, in track and field, or if it's women, the 100-meter hurdles, right? Because those athletes, they know exactly where that finish line is and there are 10 hurdles, but, but we are not gonna throw up our arms because a hurdle is there. We gonna attack those obstacles. We gonna attack those hurdles because we want to get to that finish line as soon as possible. So that's why step number 2 is important. Once we have our plan, our goals, our dreams, and we know what we need to do on a daily basis, weekly basis, and we have everything laid out and we're clear about our calendar, our agenda, and our goals, only then the worries and the stresses of life will reduce. The anxiety will go away because things become clear, and clarity reduces stress. And at the same time, we're going to wake up wanting to get things done. We want to get to that next hurdle and take it with passion and with strength. And so that's step number 2, Joe.

Yeah, well, I love that. You know, when I was in high school, I wasn't a great athlete, but I did run track and field, and my favorite event was running the hurdles.

Oh, there you go. That was a good example there.

I just loved it because it took a lot of precision and, you know, timing, precision, the right step length. Right step length. Yeah. Which leg go over first? And most people went over with their right leg and I went over with my left leg and stay low and you, yeah. Okay.

Very technical for sure.

So, you know, I'd like this thing about strengths and I, I've heard this before and I, I agree so much that we don't wanna focus on our weaknesses. I mean, there are things that we can address, but we really wanna keep doing what we're, what we're good at, right? We wanna keep doing what's right. And it's like, You know, the saying is great minds think alike. Well, you know, that's not so true, right? I mean, great minds are often different of opinion and we don't necessarily want to be around people that always agree with us.

Then we don't learn anything, right? Then we can't learn.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. When you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room, right?

You are, yes.

Yeah, yeah. Well, that's great. So Good. Step 1, purpose. Step 2, the what, what are we going after? And what is step 3?

Step 3 is really, you know, what we call biohacking. So biohacking has many definitions, but I basically have one definition. Biohacking is upgrading your body, your mind, and your life. And when it comes to your body and your mind, or when it comes to health, it means objectively, because we can measure, objectively reversing your biological age. Because when we're talking about being the best you can be, whether you're an artist, whether you're a performer, whether you're an entrepreneur, whether you're an athlete, it doesn't matter. You're always gonna perform better when you are in optimal health or in better health body-wise and mentally-wise, right? There's many people that believe, including myself, that even sports is 100% mental, right? So And, and most of us know or can work on their body, upgrading their body. What I really focus on when it comes to getting into the zone is also really upgrading your mind. And to give you a little bit of background, as an athlete and being in health, I always was mostly focused on the body, obviously. But about a decade ago, I really witnessed the power of the mind and how the mind can actually cure somebody from cancer, disease, and everything else, and how people really get, you know, out of their body, above their body, and start really controlling their destiny with their minds. And so I was always interested in— I always believed that the mind controls the body and controls your destiny, but I really wasn't the practitioner, or I really didn't know how to do that or how to even start that. And obviously, when we talk about a decade ago, it's about, well, Mike, you need to start meditating. So here I go, Joe, I go start trying to meditate. But for me, that is and always was very difficult, is emptying my mind and trying to get to another dimension or another wave, brainwave, right? And so when you practice certain things but you really don't get results, you know, people give up pretty quickly, including myself. But today there is many strategies and technologies out there that facilitate us getting into those zones. And I'm talking about biohacking technologies such as BrainTap or binaural beats or even breathwork, you know, because when you have a breathmaster and you're teaching on how to properly breathe and you do some breathwork, then you're really focused on your breathing only. And that empties your mind. And so even with breathwork, you can get into a, you know, higher state of mind. And so I believe compared to a decade ago, the average person like myself, we can utilize technologies even, or again, mentors and YouTube videos are there to really get into those zones much quicker because the ultimate goal is this. We need to control our minds. We need to control our emotions and our feelings because we're unconsciously thinking usually very negative things. Number one. Number two, you know, whatever, whatever we doubt something, the universe has two options when we have doubt: success or failure. If we don't doubt our goals, our dreams, our successes, the universe only has one option: a big win. So first of all, our mind is our blueprint, right? And so we need to start working on that blueprint. And a belief is only a thought that we keep on thinking. And knowing that, we know that we can change those thoughts at any moment in time. So we can change our beliefs by change our thinking. And so there's things such as visualization, right? Manifesting, meditation, mindfulness, and those types of things available to us that can get us to strengthen our belief system, eliminate false core beliefs. Because a lot of us, based on our past, have false core beliefs, whether it is that we have a low self-esteem or whether it is that we think too highly of ourselves. And with that, I mean, a lot of people always want to be perfect. And that's not good either because you're always going to be disappointed because we can't be perfect, right? So it is both. And so when we work with people in phase number 3, yes, we want to biohack the body and really get really, really healthy and biologically younger. But a crucial aspect, especially for getting into the zone on on-demand and really winning, we really need to biohack the mind. So we need to really get in control of emotions and feelings. We need to be able to get into the different zones or the different brainwaves. We need to be able to, uh, practice visualization and manifest and strengthen our belief system, especially from phase number 1, our purpose, our goals, and our dreams, and make sure there's no doubt in our minds that we will succeed. Because if there's no doubt in your mind, it's the blueprints and there won't be any failure. So that's the work we do really in step number 3 that gets us in the zone on demand.

Wow. Wow. Yes. The mind is so powerful. And, you know, probably 60 or 70 years ago, Earl Nightingale wrote about that extensively and said we basically bring about what we think about. And that's still true. Yeah. So, yeah, I mean, your, your third step here is probably the most powerful one where we actually can unleash a lot of those talents and skills and remove what's blocking us and getting rid of the doubt, those self-limiting beliefs.

So powerful because our brain and our body is so basic, right? As a human being, we're very basic. It's flight or fight. And so now we've been put in this society that is highly stressful. We're bombarded now with an average of 14,000 digital messages per day. And we don't have the capability to organize and absorb all that information. We have this dopamine overload going on with social media. And so it really becomes critical that we get organized and that we take control of all of that.

You mentioned a few methods to get into the zone, like breathwork. What were the two you mentioned before breathwork? You said some other phrases.

Well, yeah, there's technologies. BrainTap is one that I use. It's basically an app with a headphone, and the headphone has certain voices and meditations and binaural beats in the background, and they get you into certain brainwaves, whether it's alpha, beta, delta, gamma, or theta wave. And each wave has its you know, purpose. So you put the headphones on, you put on a certain meditation program that gets you into that brainwave state. At the same time, there's light going through your eyes. You close your eyes, but it's absorbed through your eyes and through your ears. And so there's a lot of technologies out there that really facilitate you getting into that meditative state. You know, which is pretty hard to do by just meditating without any help because you're easily distracted. So, so it's called BrainTap and there's other types of things. Breathwork I mentioned. And then there's nootropics. Nootropics is basically natural substances that are safe and effective that could help you getting into the zone or tune in and focus and not being distracted. So there's, there's several things that we can help, especially initially, to have people feel. Because when you get into the zone and you've never been there, or you get into an altered state of mind, you, if you experience that, then you're gonna be more likely to want to go ahead and spend more time mastering that, right? Versus spending hours and hours for months and months and never even experienced what we are trying to experience. And so the technologies, the nootropics out there can help somebody get there in a matter of a few days. So they experience what we're talking about. And once they experience it, they want to explore it and put in more time.

Is this a continuous peak experience process, or is this happening like episodes through our day? Or I mean, how long does it last, or how long do you think it should last?

Being in the zone? Yeah, well, we can, we can be in the zone for hours for sure. Let's say you have a deadline and you really need to work on a project for 5, 6 hours today. So I teach people how to eliminate these structures, how to get focused. There's many strategies like, for example, a Pomodoro technique that helps for certain people and doesn't help for other people. So we customize a program, a power routine, if you will, that works for people to get them to really very productive and getting a lot of work done in a small time. Quality work, of course, that's what you do when in your zone. You win. You deliver your best work when you're not distracted and when you're really focused on the task at hand. That happens with athletes. I always, you know, people follow athletes, people understand sports. And so often I just say, you know, look at Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. They were always in the zone. They really never had a bad game. Their teammates may have had a bad game, but they never really had a bad game. While many of the other top athletes, NBA players, NFL players, golfers, you know, people say, oh, he had a, he had an off game or he had a bad game, and then the next day he has a good game. So what's the difference? Did their talent diminish overnight? No. Did their physical capacity, uh, diminish overnight? Did their skills disappear? No, of course not. The only thing that changed was whatever was between the ears. So they were unable to get into the zone because they were distracted. Distracted by what? Maybe an argument with the significant other, maybe something with the kids, maybe a financial situation. Who knows? They just were a little bit distracted. And when you're distracted, your reaction time is a little bit slower. You anticipate just a fraction of a second slower. That ball goes through your hands, you miss that free shot. And you don't have the end in mind, which means is if you're in the zone, for example, if you're a golfer and you miss a simple putt, if you're not in the zone, that miss carries over the next few holes. If you're in the zone, that miss does not bother you. It just doesn't carry over to the next game because you only have the end in mind, which is the big win. And so it's the subtle differences that makes the difference between winning and losing are with, uh, between a great performance and a poor performance.

Wow, that's great. That's a great explanation. And, you know, we've heard the line, the, the game of golf is played on a 5-inch course. Yes. The distance between our ears.

It is.

Yeah. So many listeners to this podcast, Mike, are in the 50 and over age group. And let me ask you your advice on how do we, um, how do people in this age group maintain a positive attitude and overcome those setbacks and obstacles that come along.

Well, I'm in that group. I'm 51 now, right? And so that's just number one. No, number one, people need to know that's just your chronological age, right? So it's how do you feel? If you're 50 and you feel like 70, we got an issue. But it doesn't mean it's too late to turn it around. If we're 50 and we feel like 40, or we can do things that a 40 or 35-year-old can do, great, power to you. So let's not focus on our chronological age from now on. Let's focus on our biological age and let's start reversing that biological age, not just our body, but also our minds. And I think when, when you're in your 50s or when you're in your 60s and you're retired, you have time to reflect back. And I see it happen all the time. You know, people get bored, they don't know what to do. It's really a perfect time to sit down and, okay, you know, what was my life? Is that really what I wanted to do? No, it wasn't my passion, but You know, I got kids early. I had to provide for the family. I got a job. I did what I had to get to do. Great. You know, that's the past. We can't change the past. But now you're here. Ask yourself again, what were my passions? How can I contribute to the world? What are my strengths? And so it's not too late, right? You may still have 30, 40, 50 years to go. And therefore, you know, forget about the past. Start thinking what your superpowers are, what your strengths are, what you get passionate about. And let's start delivering. Let's start unleashing, right?

Yeah. Yeah. It's very easy to focus on the setbacks, the disappointments, the failures.

We're always kind of driven by the past, but it's really time that we let ourselves be pulled forward by the future. And that's why, even though I agree with you, that step number 3, the upgrading the mind and the body, it's where all the changes happen. But we need to lay that foundation. You know, what is the purpose? We gotta make sure we are going into the right direction with all that biohacking. So we need to identify that person. We need to take control over life. We need to set that plan. And once that's done, let's go for the races and let's win, you know?

Yeah. I like the line by Dan Sullivan, the motivational speaker. Maybe you've heard it. Our future should be bigger than our past.

Yes.

Yeah.

Well, it should be. It's the same in the book, right? I mean, the book, every chapter should get better, right?

Yeah, sure. That's right.

The beginning is just like introduction and who you are, where you come from. But what is the story gonna be? And you can change it. You can add chapters to it, especially if you reverse your biological age, you're gonna live longer so you can add more chapters. So let's add chapters and let's make 'em better each time.

Yeah.

And, you know, it's just a choice you have to make. It's just a mindset. It's nothing more.

Yeah. Richer chapters. More fulfilling chapters. Sure. Yes. Yeah, that's right.

The problem here is, and I, I touched upon it earlier, but I, I think we didn't, I didn't make my point is where, you know, our brain and our body is so simple and we're put in this, you know, this society, uh, we don't live in pristine areas and we bombarded with all this input and technologies and toxins and you name it. And that's why, you know, as human beings, we like to be comfortable. We like to be in a comfort zone. We like to feel safe. And every time we want to go out of our comfort zone, our brain is telling us don't do it because our brain is designed to protect us and not take risks. That's why it's so difficult for us humans to get out of the comfort zone. So, so what I tell people is, you know, it's just what I told you. So people realize, oh, that's why it's difficult. Now the next step is let's educate people on what's, what's next. If you step out of the comfort zone, what happens? Well, there's 3 more zones. The first thing that will happen is you will enter the fear zone because it's the unknown. Then once you're out of the fear zone, you enter the learning zone because that's where you have to acquire new skills because you're in a different zone. And then you enter the new growth zone, and that's where you want to be. So we always want to go from the comfort zone to the growth zone, but we'll have to go to a fear zone and learning zone to get to the growth zone.. And so once people can understand that, then they will be more likely to take that step because now it's not the unknown. They already know there's gonna be a fear zone, a learning zone, and a growth zone. So we know what's gonna happen. And if you have a mentor or a guide or a coach or somebody to help you to hold the hand when you're going there, then you are gonna be much more successful doing that. The number one reason why people, won't take that step even if they wanted to is because the people that surround them, whether it's colleagues or friends or family, will pull them back because they're in their comfort zone and you're part of their comfort zone. So they don't want you to go move to another town or city, or they don't want you to take another job, or they don't want you to change your job, or they don't want you to hang around with smarter people. Because it's uncomfortable for them. So they're gonna advise against that. They're gonna try to keep you there. Unfortunately, in order for you to be successful, you have to make that step and surround yourself with people in that new zone, right? Higher zone. It doesn't mean you can't talk to them or you can't love your family anymore, but just know that they're gonna try to pull you back, and their reasoning is just very selfish. Because you're part of their comfort zone. But if you know all this information that I shared the last minute, then it's gonna become easier to do that because you know what to expect from your friends and your family. You know what to expect when you step outta that comfort zone, et cetera.

Yeah. Well, that's a great breakdown of comfort zone. I talk about that all the time when I do presentations and stepping outta the comfort zone is, you know, it creates some anxiety cuz we're away from the familiar, the predictable. Yes. The safe, the cozy, the whatever.

And the only way to grow though, right?

The only way to grow. And, you know, see what else is out there. And that's where we get our energy and our excitement. You know, the book, um, by Joe Dispenza, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. Yes. And that's what he talks about, stepping out of that comfort zone and, and rewiring that brain.

Rewiring that brain.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we're just about out of time, Mike. Um, Let me ask you, what's the takeaway for the listeners today? What do you hope our listeners remember from this conversation?

Well, my superpower has become to really help people identify and unleash their superpower because especially today, you know, there's especially COVID and post-COVID. I did many consultations with people and I was flabbergasted on how many people are suffering with anxiety, depression. PTSD, uncertainty, fear, worry. And even though there's drugs and therapies and supplements for that out there, those are just masking the symptoms. And what I found is that most of the time it's because people do not have a purpose. And if you don't have a purpose and you're not in control of your life and everybody bombards you on a daily basis and you're in this vicious cycle of trying to put out fires day in, day out, who would not be fearful, who would not be stressed and worry and uncertain about the future, not knowing what the next day will bring. Everybody would be in that situation. So let's stop for a minute and really think about what our purpose in life is. And from there on, start taking more control of our life versus being controlled, because control will create clarity. Clarity will reduce all your stresses, all your negative emotions, negative feelings, et cetera.. And so, uh, the takeaway is hopefully some of your listeners will just stop and pause and maybe, uh, find their purpose in life or know what their fire in their stomach really deep down is and start slowly going into that right direction. Because today, especially today, we need everybody's superpower.

Yeah. Yeah. Great advice. Thank you.

Thank you.

No, you're welcome.

Yeah. Well, it looks like we're out of time, but before I wrap up, I just wanna remind my listeners to visit the club website, livingto100.club, sign up for my email list and download a free copy of my 9 tips to make living longer enjoyable. You'll also see an option to contact me with your questions and comments. I welcome your feedback. Finally, be sure to subscribe to this podcast series. As a premium club member so you don't miss any episodes. Maybe the episode that could seriously affect your decisions, your outlook, and your actions. Sign up at livingto100club.supercast.com. Mike, thanks so much for being a guest on our show today. For those who might want to contact you, how can they do that?

The best way is just go to my website, biohackingunlimited.com. Because that's where we have all the books. Uh, we also have mentorship programs there. Uh, you can check them out and see if, uh, somebody, uh, some of those programs may, uh, suit your needs. Uh, we also have a biohacking app. So if you go to your smart device, the Apple Store, you can download the Biohacking Unlimited app. The QR code is also on the website. Uh, we have transformational VIP retreats. The next one coming up is in Costa Rica. I also have a 20-minute free Zoom call on my website, so you can just schedule it right there and then on my calendar. And during the Zoom call, we'll just talk about where you are and where you want to be and see if I can help you get there. So go to the website biohackingunlimited.com and everything is there.

Great, great, great resources. Wow, terrific. I'm so glad we could have this conversation today. It was great.

Thanks, Joe. Great for, uh, Great discussion.

Great, great. Yeah. So thanks, and, uh, thanks to all of our listeners for tuning in. Hope to see you next time.

It's time to rethink, renew, and reimagine retirement. Hey everybody, Jared Sylvester here, host of Retire Repurposed. Now this podcast is about the non-financial parts of retirement, which many times can be even more challenging than the financial. We believe retirement is not the end, rather the beginning of what could be the most impactful, purposeful, and fulfilling season of a person's life. So don't retire, become repurposed. To listen now, search Retire Repurposed on your favorite podcast platform, Senior Resource, or Life Audio.