Moving from Mind over Matter to Mind Becoming Matter

When I wrote my blog last week about “The First Victory,” I was not expecting the response and questions I received about it.

My motivation behind last week’s blog was to share my belief that mindset is the first thing you must conquer before going out of your comfort zone, growing, and achieving your major goals. Most of the questions I received were about HOW I did it—how I learned it and implemented it.

In my book Moments Matter and our magazine, Moments Matter Magazine, my goal is to share that the moments in your life are there to prepare you for your defining moments. A part of that is developing references from your and others’ past experiences so that when you have to perform, you have the confidence that you can do it.

In one discussion last week, the young gentleman told me what I was doing was ” mind over matter.” I acknowledged that was a part of it, but there was a second part.

He didn’t understand. I shared what I learned from my mentors and read about how great leaders accomplished what they were able to. Yes, mind over matter will only get you so far.

But to accomplish big, massive things in life, known as “Moon Shots, ” you must move from mind over matter to mind becoming matter.

The example I used with my young friend was the story about Roger Bannister. My friend had never heard about Mr. Bannister, so I shared his story about becoming the first person to break the four-minute mile.

In my talks, I share this story in the success model when I teach. I learned this from a conversation I had with Tony Robbins.

Mr. Bannister used a strategy called “envisioning,” imagining a future possibility. He saw the victory of breaking the four-minute mile before he started.

He started with mind over matter and moved it to mind becoming matter.

Mind over matter gives you the first victory: conquering yourself first. Have confidence that you can do it.

Mind becoming matters is its execution.

He asked me how I moved from mind over matter when I did my first swim with the Navy SEALs and on US Airways 1549 to mind becoming matter.

Great question. I used a strategy I learned early in my sales career called “constructive delusion.”

What is constructive delusion? It is the knowledge and genuine belief that there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t be able to attain your dreams because most things in this world are an illusion.

I didn’t know I was practicing constructive delusion until I read a book by Dr. Nate Zinsser. After I read it, I realized that was how I had accomplished the massive opportunities throughout my life.

But how do you implement constructive delusion?

I found there were three things I intentionally do when I need to accomplish something big.

1. You don’t see the glass half full; you see it overflowing. I knew everyone wouldn’t purchase my product or service in sales, but I changed my mindset from it’s not a “no,” it’s just ” not yet.” It’s the same thing when I am going for a big goal. I know I am extremely resourceful, and when I employ that skill, I have what I need to accomplish it.
2. You will see what you expect to see– This is when envisioning occurs. Great athletes see their performance before they go on stage. If I can set the expectation in my mind that what I am about to do I have already done successfully, I have set myself up for success, even when something out of the ordinary occurs.
3. You expect uncertainty, so you embrace it when it happens–  If COVID-19 taught anything, uncertainty will happen even when things are going well, and you must learn to adapt and shift. In sales, there will always be some base that was not covered. You can practice all day, but something will happen, so embrace that it will happen so that you can handle it rationally when it does. It’s the same thing when you go into the ocean to open water and swim. You can practice, have your breathing down, and visualize the swim, but when a wave hits or you hit your fin on rocks, you have to expect it and maintain your mindset, just like when you are going down in a plane.

When you are facing a big sales opportunity, a major physical goal, or your defining moment, the first step is to have the first victory—to conquer self first.

Then, move to the second victory, from mind over matter to mind becoming matter.

1. Imagine the future possibility by envisioning.
2. Employ constructive delusion by seeing your glass overflowing, see what you expect to see and expect uncertainty, and then embrace it

and you will be on the road to accomplishing your personal “Moon Shot” and the pathway to living your

Limitless Life!