Your host, Austin Fabel
CONTACT - austin@successpodcast.com
Maximize Your Mondays!
Mindset Monday was created to cut through the fog of your weekend each and every Monday. Monday is not something you should dread. Monday should be used as a new beginning, to try new things and strive for improvement.
Each week Austin provides seemingly simple yet impact Evidence Based tactics, tools, and techniques you can implement in your own life. Each week we focus on two specific action items. In the morning Austin provides an overview of each topic and how you can begin to utilize each in your life starting today. Then, at the end of the day Mindset Monday will provide you with the long form raw materials to really dig in and take your new tools to the next level.
Examples of topics include how to negotiate like a FBI Hostage Negotiator, how to influence like a secret agent, overcoming your fears from an astronaut who went blind in space and much more!
Subscribe to get all the goods plus some bonus materials and check out our past episodes! You can get in touch with Austin directly with your ideas, thoughts, topic suggestions and more by emailing austin@successpodcast.com.
In this episode, we welcome back to the show author, musician, writer, and fitness expert Pat Flynn. We discuss how to overcomer perfectionism, why you need to create a mess to tap into your creative side, and what it's like to record an audiobook.
In this episode, I sit down with writer, speaker, and co-founder and CEO of Ultraworking, Sebastian Marshall. We dive into the concrete steps to building your perfect life and accomplishing any goal you desire.
In this episode, we dit down with Thane Marcus. A former professional golfer turned writer and entrepreneur to discuss self-awareness and the journey to mastery.
In this episode, we discuss perfectionism, martial arts, how to practice effectively and more with author and coach Pat Flynn.
On this episode, we interview the founder of The American Negotiation Institute, practicing lawyer, and author, Kwame Christian.
In this episode, we dive into the dos and don'ts of meetings and tell you how you can make sure your meetings never end up being a waste of time.
In this episode, we're going to show you how to build a foundation for the rest of your life by developing a personal philosophy like a champion.
In this episode we examine one of the most valuable skills of the 21st century and how you can begin to build it into your own life, starting today!
In this episode, we explore the most powerful mindset you can have and what separates those who grow and succeed in life from those who fail.
The Practice of Fear Setting and Planning for any Situation
Two of the most powerful and actionable strategies for overcoming fears come from Tim Ferriss and Commander Chris Hadfield. Tim is a multi-best-selling author and lifestyle hacker with tips for everything from travel, cooking, health, and more. Commander Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut who has won numerous awards and was the first Canadian to command the International Space Station. Commander Hadfield has an incredible story recounting how we went blind in space, I'd highly recommend it.
First, let's dig into a strategy from Tim called Fear Setting. Tim practices this exercise at least once a month in order to keep himself tuned up.
Overcoming your fear involves first defining them objectively. Write your fear down at the top of a piece of paper and proceed to answer the following questions. (Writing these out on paper will compound the effect) The goal is to put down as much as possible and do no editing at all. Spend a few minutes on each answer.
Define your nightmare, what is the absolute worst thing that could happen if you did what you are considering? What are the crazy "what-if" scenarios that come into your head? Envision them in great detail. Would this be the end of your life? Are these things permanent and likely to happen? What would be the permanent impact on your life on a scale of 1 - 10?
What could you do to repair the damage you are imagining? How would you, if in the worst case, get things moving back in the right direction? How would you get things back "under control"?
What are more probable scenarios? Now that you've defined the nightmare, what's more likely to happen? What are the potential positive outcomes? Would you self-esteem go up? Confidence? How likely is it the you could produce a moderately good outcome? Have other people done this before? How did they do it and find a positive outcome? What is the impact of these more likely outcomes on a scale of 1 - 10?
If you had no choice and your worst fear happened right now, what would you do to get things back under control? How could you at very least get back to where you are right now if you had to?
What are you putting off because of fear? Most times, the thing we fear most is the thing we need to do most. That phone call, conversation, action, whatever it is, oftentimes fear is a good compass. Resolve to do one thing that you fear each day.
What is this fear costing you? Financially, emotionally, physically? Do not only evaluate the potential downside of action, you also have to look at the cost of inaction. If you don't pursue those things that excite you, where will you be in one year? Five years? Ten years?!?! Write it down. If you don't make this change that scares you, will you be miserable in ten years? If so, the cost of inaction is very high.
What are you waiting for? What is it that is holding you back? If you cannot answer this without leaning on "Oh its just not a good time for me" then the answer is that you are fearing fear itself... just like the majority of people.
Use these seven questions and really dig in deep. Do not censor yourself and put all your scenarios and thoughts down on paper. The more you put down the less is bouncing around in your brain.
Episode 5 - Discover The Science of Body Language
Oftentimes we can't help but pick up on the non-verbal cues others are transmitting. If someone is avoiding eye contact and fidgeting we can't help but notice that something going on is making the other party uncomfortable. Being able to read these cues and learning how to dig into the hidden meaning behind them can keep you from being lied to, taken advantage of, and can give you an upper hand.
One of the worlds top experts in this field is a man named Joe Navarro. As a police officer, Joe was recruited to the FBI at the age of 23. He then spent the next 23 years of his life as a body language expert conducting thousands of interviews throughout this career. Today, Joe is retired from the FBI and is a bestselling author and highly sought-after speaker and training.
What Exactly Is Non-Verbal Communication? - Non-verbal communication is absolutely everything that is not expressed with words. Many believe non-verbals are constrained to ticks and movements but this is incorrect. Our non-verbals include everything from from the shoes you wear, whether or not you shaved that morning to the color of your shirt. Everything and anything that someone else can notice and assign meaning to is part of your non-verbal communication.
It Happens At The Speed of Light - These pieces of information are transmitted at the speed of light. We are transmitting before we can possibly realize it. Others are also picking up on these transmissions from how we are standing to what we are wearing and they are assigning meanings to them before they are even aware of it. This is where we get our base judgments of others, even before we realize it.
We Are ALWAYS Transmitting - No matter what you do. No matter what you wear. You are always transmitting information about yourself to others. Just as they are always transmitting to you. Understanding this allows us to begin the journey of being able to control these transmissions and tailor how others see us to match how we would like to be seen.
Let's dig in an identify the top body language behaviors!
Negative Body Language - Signs of Discomfort, Uncertainty, etc...
Eye Blocking - I'm sure everyone recognizes this behavior. It's a common image when the market takes a dive. A stock trader sitting down holding his or her head in their hands. Or when we hear some news we don't like and we pinch the bridge of our nose. We do this subconsciously as a way of trying to shield ourselves from the truth we need to face. Studies going back as far as 1974 have illustrated the meaning of this behavior. Studies have shown that babies who were born blind still block their eyes when they hear something they don't like despite having never seen.
Lip Compression/Jaw Shifting - Typically this means that something is wrong and that the person is struggling with something. This is when we push our lips together making them much smaller. Or, when we clinch our jaw and others can see that our jaw begins to bulge.
Neck Touching - Men and women do this differently. Women will tend to cover up the base of their neck at the super sternal notch. (The little indention at the base of the neck) Whereas men will more commonly pinch the back of their necks or more physically run and massage the back of their neck. Either way this is a sign of discomfort and even more specifically a sign of concern or worry.
Ventilating Behaviors - These are small actions such as tossing ones hair, pulling on your shirt, or scratching your head. What we are subconsciously doing is trying to ventilate ourselves as when we become nervous our body temperature spikes. Without even realizing it we take immediate action to combat this which, for others, is a tell.
Positive Body Language - Signs of confidence, certainty, authority, etc...
A Good Handshake - I'm sure most everyone has heard the importance of a good handshake at some point in their lives. A good hand shake is a sign of confidence and comfort around others. A few main points that make up a good handshake.
Give the same handshake to everyone. Regardless of gender.
Keep it firm but don't try to crush anyone's hand.
Don't engage in a power struggle. - The Jiu-Jitsu Handshake
Fingers pointed down
Gauge Your Distance - During a handshake, lean in slightly. Then, take 1 - 3 steps back, all the while gauging their facial and body expressions to judge how large their desired comfort zone is. Once you know, you can use this to your advantage. If you're trying to intimidate and keep them uncomfortable... keep it close. If you are looking to comfort someone, maybe give them the full 3 steps back.
Learn From Man's Best Friend - For the dog lovers out there, have you ever noticed when your dog hears something that grabs their attention they tilt their head? This is because they are truly listening and the behavior is programmed into humans as well. When we are truly listening or hear something surprising our head tilts. This exposes the most vulnerable part of our body, the neck, and shows the other party we are truly listening.
Eyebrow Flashing - Babies as young as three week's old respond to eyebrow flashing. Many recognize this behavior from instances where a friend walks into the room while they are on the phone. You look up at them smile and raise your eyebrows. This is seen as saying "Hey, I see you!" even though you may not be able to speak at that time. This let's other know we are acknowledging them and a sign of confidence.
Episode 4 - Your Guide To Public Speaking, Presenting, and More!
In this episode we reveal some of the most effective ways to combat your nerves when the spotlight is on you! We Use these methods to calm your nerves, remain cool (literally), and speak with authority and composure whether it’s on a stage or in a meeting.
Many of these tips come from the work of Matt Abrahams. Matt is a Professor of Strategic Communication for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He is also the author of the book Speaking Up Without Freaking Out.
Some of the main takeaways from this week’s episode include…
The real root of our anxieties when speaking in front of groups.
How to deal with the symptoms of nervousness and anxiety in seconds so no one notices.
Why we sweat and blush when we are nervous.
The origins of “cold feet” when we get nervous.
How to stay cool, maintain blood flow, and maximize awareness even when we are nervous and our minds scream for us to flee.
The top ten most common mistakes people make when they are public speaking.
If you’d interested in learning more, be sure to sign up for our email list above to get even more details and resources each week. You can also check out some additional resources below.
[TED Talk] - Speaking Up Without Freaking Out
[BOOK] - Speaking Up Without Freaking Out
Episode 3 - The Science of Luck
Luck is a topic that has fascinated researchers for years. Are some people just born luckier than others or is there something we can do to maximize our luck?
Luckily, (pun intended), research has shown that you in fact take steps to maximize your luck. The most well known researcher to tackle the topic of luck is Dr. Richard Wiseman. Dr. Wiseman is a best-selling author and a Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. He is also the creator of the Quirkology YouTube Channel, which we highly recommend.
Dr. Wiseman conducted a now famous group of studies which focused on answering the question. Can we create our own luck? Listen to hear some of the crazy stories from these studies and finally learn how to create your own luck!
Episode 2 - The Perfect Night's Sleep - Your Science Based Guide
You will spend nearly a third of your entire life sleeping. Don’t be fooled into thinking that is time wasted. Sleep is one of the most important keys to success, and if you’re going to spend that much of your life doing it; you owe it to yourself to get the most out of your time.
Dr. Matthew Walker, founder of The Center for Human Sleep Science, has spent his life studying sleep, its effects on the brain, and human behavior. “Sleep has an image problem in society” notes Dr. Walker. “We seem to stigmatize sleep and suggest that people who are getting sufficient sleep are being lazy.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. We dive deep into the top 5 tactics and tools for maximizing the most out of your slumber!
Then, we look at the best way to begin a daily mediatation practice.
Some of the benefits of meditation include reduced stress, anxiety control, increased attention span, and even lower blood pressure.
With so many benefits to a daily meditation practice, you owe it to yourself to give this powerful routine a shot.
Many say that they don't have time to meditate so we're going to break down the best way to get started and our favorite and most impactful practices.
Episode 1 - How To Gain The Upper Hand
In our first episode of the show, we dive into some incredible tactics from The Godfather of Influence, Dr. Robert Cialdini and former FBI Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss.
These tactics include how to gain more information from someone when they are being vague or do not want to open up. Whether in a negotiation, an interview, or around the dining room table this tactics will help you gain a complete picture of not only what someone is saying but WHAT THEY MEAN and why they feel a certain way. Then, we look at where you should sit in a meeting to maximize your influence and the single most powerful question you can ask in a job interview. All this and even more in time for your morning commute!
Be sure to sign up for our email list at www.successpodcast.com/mindsetmonday to get all the long form more detailed materials to continue the learning each Monday afternoon!
Welcome to Mindset Monday! In our trailer, we give you a sneak peek at what you can expect in the weeks to come!