The Jumping Point Podcast

CoPilot's Waiting List - Build Your Own Personal Board of Advisors and Navigate Your Best Self. No one Person fills our gaps. Gain the shift in Mindset and Perspective to Sore Mentally, Physically, and Professionally 

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Napoleon Hill introduces the Principle of Applied Faith described as a major differentiator between successfully achieving a goal and falling short.  

According to Merriam, Webster Faith is defined as “to believe that (someone or something) deserves to be trusted” 

Simply put, this is the principle of Trusting the Process. What we believe is possible for us to attain or achieve is often what we take action towards and ultimately accomplish.

If we are taking the daily actions of a successful person then each day, we are becoming a more successful person. 

If we are taking the actions that accumulate to successfully achieve a goal then it is reasonable for us to proceed with the Belief that we will successfully achieve our goal. 

Sounds Simple right? 

It’s Simple…. but not easy…. The tricky part is that Fear often prevents us from taking the first steps We are afraid that even though we take all the right actions and are on the path to success it won’t work for us.  

Deep within our psyche lives old behaviors and limiting beliefs that have been programmed in us from a young age usually based on Fear. 

They may represent themselves and self-criticism or an undercurrent of belief that we are somehow undeserving or need to be different before good things will happen for us the way they do for others. 

The gnawing thought that somehow even though everyone else is able to be successful in taking the same actions but we will not or even worse… We WILL become successful and then not know what to do to maintain it…. not be enough to keep it.  

How many times does an internal conversation centered around fear, self-doubt, and a belief that “it won’t work for me” cause you to procrastinate in taking the first step towards achieving a goal? 

How many times were you planning to do something entrepreneurial, find a strategic partnership to grow your business, start working out and eating healthier, pitching a new idea at work, or pitch yourself for a promotion but instead used every means of self-justification and self-sabotage you convince yourself to not take the action?  

Thankfully there is a solution. I have been on both sides of this coin and am living proof that we can change our brains. Neuroplasticity allows us to interrupt our old patterns, replace those behaviors with new ones, build new Neurol Loops and retrain our brain. 

Practice for the Week

Here is one simple practice to incorporate into a morning routine that shifts what we believe is possible. 

-        look yourself in the eyes in the mirror every morning and say that “I love and approve of myself”.

Yes, it feels embarrassing and a bit ridiculous at first because if you are like me then you’ve never heard those words about yourself before. The more our brains hear those words, the more synapsis we build in that direction then the more we shift our core beliefs on what is possible for us.  

On the other side of that discomfort of saying this phrase is the confidence that we are deserving and approved of. 

𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 - The energy required to cause a chemical reaction and why getting started is the hardest part of changing. As it relates to Force, Newton, helped us understand that a body at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. That force is the Activation Energy required to get it in motion. When a body is in motion, Activation Energy is the force required to change its path. When it comes to unblocking our minds or changing our habits. ⭐️When the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change. We change. That pain is the Activation Energy required for us to change our path. ⭐️When our Activation Energy is greater than our Energy of Resistants. We change. When we feel like some external force is acting upon us and pushing us in a different direction. That may just be something doing for us that we could not do for ourselves. That may just be the Activation Energy we needed to change our path.   Question for the Week Instead of creating resistance or friction to slow down the rate of change, how can we create momentum? 

Today’s episode is with Amy Gilliland, The President of GDIT.  Her message is simple …we can do Great things and we are all more resilient than we may even know.

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She was raised by a single mother who was in civilian service to the US Army along with her Great Grandfather who served in the Navy.  Amy reflects on the impact they both had on her from a young age to be shown an example of working hard, of service to others and the power of gratitude.

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“If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?” ― Rumi

Every time I read this; I get a little something more out of it.

The first time I read it, what resonated with me was the idea that it is the “rubs” or those things which we may view at the time as pitfalls, adversity, or mistakes that are actually bringing the best in us.

As we become more and more resilient and recover quickly from the inconvenience of a “rub” we are able to continuously seek those actions that are “Rubs” because they are the very experiences that allow us to be polished.  

I want my mirror polished; I want it to shine. It may never be perfect but I am continuously striving for it to be the best version of a mirror that I can have.

Today another thought came to me when I read it…. Why did Rumi choose a mirror?

Is it because is reflects us? As we clear away the dirt, we see who we truly are?  

Is the dirt all of my limiting beliefs that block me off and private a layer of “dirt” over the real me?

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Tom Harker former Navy Secretary joins the DC Local Leaders Podcast. Tom shares the power of learning from our mistakes and that our perceived “failures”  ends up being our greatest lessons. 

He shares his gratitude for learning this lesson early in his career and recalls a vivid memory of bringing a ship into port and making every mistake imaginable -causing damage to pier,all while his commanding officer patiently allowed him to work through fear, anxiety and mental spiral.

This ends up being the most powerful lesson of his life and that experience has been a catalyst for his continuous personal and professional growth and how he mentors others.

Tom opens up about his experience with asking for help and the power of working on our Mental Health just as we would our physical health. He is dedicated to continuing to help both current and transitioned military service members who are suffering in silence to find the help they need.

As he navigated multiple responsibilities from the US Coast Guard, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Veterans Affairs and eventually to the Secretary and CFO of the US Navy and he shares his insights on how to evaluate Risk and its point of diminishing return in our lives.

The lessons he’s learned as the Navy’s CFO applies to Leadership and to Life

Not only is Tom an avid surfer he is also a pretty competitive Beach Volleyball player.

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“𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐞, 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐨, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐭.” Fred D. 

The reticular activating system is the brains filter and gives us some science-based evidence why visualization meditation work.  If you are rolling your eyes at the phrase visualization mediation that this is for you. Listen Today!

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that filters out unnecessary information so the important things get through.  It consists of a network of neurons in the central portion or core of the brainstem from the medulla through the pons and midbrain and into the diencephalon

We can’t possibly take in the full amount of stimulus from all 5 of our senses and our subconscious thoughts all at one time. Our brains caches data and creates muscle memory to focus even when we aren’t always aware.

This explains why we can drive a car without thinking about it after some experience. If we hear about a book or learn a new word we suddenly start hearing and seeing it everywhere…It was always there; our RAS just didn’t filter it in.

It’s why we can tune out a crowd full of talking people in a room, yet immediately snap to attention when someone says your name or something that sounds like it… RAS

Visualization Meditation allows us to program the filter of our RAS. Our Brains can’t tell the difference between a real or imagined memory.  If you’ve suffered resentment or procrastination than you can relate. Both are living the perceived wreckage of the future or the past over and over but in present day. We feel it as if it were happening today.

Listen in to todays Monday Mindset to hear a visualizing method to help program our RAS that takes all of 30 second. Repetition > Duration.   

What do I want my future self to sound like, look like, feel like…

Imaging yourself in that movie screen of our awareness - what am I wearing, hearing, seeing… what emotions do I feel…who else it there… Play the stories out …

What actions can I take today that is in alignment with the person I want my future self to be?

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What we Resist, Persist – Carl Jung

When we resist change, we are clinging to old ideas and limiting beliefs. Where focus goes energy flows. Focusing on the problem makes the problem bigger. Focusing on the Solution makes the Solution bigger.

Resistance can be procrastinating and listening to the voices in our heads telling us we’re some version of not enough; you’re not good enough, smart enough, young enough, old enough, there’s not enough time, even if you achieve it …you’re not enough to keep it.

This negative self-talk that feeds our self-doubt is created by our limiting beliefs, fears, and our selfish opinion of how something or someone “should” be.

Have you ever started “Shoulding” all over yourself?

If we focus on our fears, then they get bigger in our heads. We may even rehearse different scenarios in our mind where things go poorly. It feels like watching a movie in the screen of our awareness where we are the lead character and it somehow turns into a horror film.

We are effectively doing a visualization meditation on the fear and negativity that we are hoping to avoid but instead we are sending more energy and bringing more awareness to it. The Brains filter The Reticular Activating system kicks on in high alert to bring us more of what we focus on the most and unfortunately, it’s the very thing we hoping to avoid.

It’s like procrastinating on something we know we should do. Procrastinating feels like pushing it out of our minds temporarily (Resisting) but somehow when we do it ends up being all we think about all day. (Persisting)

The Secret of Change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but building the new. – Socrates

What have you been resisting?

How can you make space for that feeling or change?  

Where can we refocus our energy to building the new…the Solution rather than the problem?

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 Lieutenant General (Retired) Bruce Crawford former US Army 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫, 𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 and now 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 with Jacobs joins the DC Local Leaders Podcast

“The greatest gift we can give to the next generation is the gif of a great example” … “Never Destroy a young persons dream by telling them what they can’t do”

After 34 years of service Bruce is most proud of the relationships he’s built and the joy he feels from mentoring others.

He reminds us not to rob ourselves of a wealth of knowledge that may exist outside of our own perception.  “Surround yourself with people who look, think, and feel differently from you”

Lean in and hear his journey from being a teenager in Columbia SC in the 70’s to later becoming the CIO of the United States Army. What he thought would be a short career turned into become a Ranger, traveling the World, learning to be a Leader and building mental #resilience by being part of something bigger than himself.

One person saw something in him when he couldn’t see it in himself and instilled a passion for people. That one determined leader changed the trajectory of multiple generations with their generosity and set Bruce on a path to a gratifying life.

 Bruce gives us an honest account of his own experience with #militarytransition  and the 3 Major phases of exiting and finding a career for the next person preparing to transition.

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“𝐍𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐖𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.”- Donald Hebb.

The Consistent and deliberate practice of Gratitude Practice is powerful enough to change the neurological make up of our Brain. 

WHY? - Hebbian Learning shows the discovery of Mirror neurons that give neuroscientific evidence Of Vicarious Activations; the neural substrates of our own actions are vicariously activated while witnessing the actions of others through vision or sound.

If we surround ourselves with People, Places and Things that cause us to experience Gratitude we will be neurologically shifted into more Gratitude. Likewise, if everything we see, hear, and experience is fear based and negative we will be neurologically shifted towards Resentment

HOW?  How then do we increase the frequency of these Vicarious activations in the Brain? By purposely building a consistent Gratitude practice. Hebbs research says that in order for one neuron to begin affecting the efficiency of another in a certain direction it needs to repeatedly (consistency) take part in firing (deliberate action or causality) the other.

simply put to the more gratitude we deliberately practice then the more we will begin to naturally experience Gratitude when not being deliberate.

WHAT? -  I have come to view Gratitude as a VERB and not a Noun. It must be Acted upon consistently towards the people, places and things for which we are grateful. This reinforces Gratitude and increases the capacity to identify things in my life large and small that I am grateful for.

Consistently starting my day with a Gratitude list without any minimum or maximum of items allows for a Jump Start to the Reticular Activating System (our Brains filter) to be on the lookout for more opportunities, people, places and things for which I can practice gratitude.

As experience these People, Places and Things I am purposely ingesting through sight and hearing (what we watch and What we listen to) things that generate a feeling of gratitude that cause these Neurons to Fire Together and Wire together creating more opportunities for Vicarious Activation.

Question for the Week

What direction are YOUR Vicarious Activations occurring in? 

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Diet is way more than the food we put in our mouth.

We’ve all heard that we are what we eat but the idea of Nourishment includes more than just food that we put into our body.

I recently went on a 72 hour fast and have since been incorporating a 36 hour fast each week. One of the many benefits of fasting is that it eliminates Toxins from the body.  In his book The Seven Day Mental Diet author Emmet Fox provides a method for going on a Mental Fast and eliminating the Toxins & negative thoughts from our Minds.

We’re not just what we eat.  We are a product of everything we consume in every way that we consume it. We are a result of the people we surround ourselves with, everything we watch, everything we listen to, the ideas we are exposed to and believe, the examples we follow, and the environment we spend the most time in. Everything that affects our Human senses is a part of our Diet.

Is it reasonable to eat junk food nonstop and refuse to exercise and expect a healthy body? 

Is it reasonable to allow junk thoughts into our minds nonstop and refuse to work on ourselves and expect a healthy Mind?

We take care of what we eat and don’t consume food in excess all day long, choosing healthy nourishing foods to intake, and perform regular physical exercise in a variety of forms to maintain a useful, healthy and strong body.

Likewise, to maintain a resilient, positive, healthy Mindset we must make healthy choices in the diet of what we think, view, hear, and the company we keep.

 As with the requirement for the consistent practice of physical exercise, maintaining a healthy mindset also requires a consistent practice of mental exercises. These exercises come in the form of things such as Gratitude Lists, I Am statements, self-reflection, affirmations, meditation, identify limiting beliefs and reframing them into positive action-based statements.

I Am statements to for the week:

Today I am taking actions to maintain a healthy mindset.

Today I am Standing Guard at the Gates of My Mind.

Today I am fasting from Negative thoughts.

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