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Everything your “immaterial” mind imagines leaves material traces. Each thought alters the physical state of your brain synapses at microscopic level – Dr, Alvaro Pascual Harvard Medical School.

Visualizing what needs to be done to reach your goals will help to build the neural network to actually accomplish your goals. Take time to practice in absolute detail the each small step you need to take to move yourself forward.

If you would like help in hitting your goals or overcoming barriers, please reach out to me at Kirk@maxbelief.com. Together we can come up with a plan customized for you to overcome the obstacles on your path to success.

I was sent this photo and it hit a nerve with me.

Motivation starts the journey to your goals. Planning, preparing, and putting in the work up front is key so WHEN the challenges come you can “calm down” and identify how you will persevere and succeed in making it to the top. Take the time and do the work. The results are worth it.

We see with our mind not the eyes. The eyes themselves only sense changes in light energy. The mind is what interprets those changes and creates the images for us. This means we get to choose what we see and more importantly how we see it. Choose to see a path that allows you to make an impact and the world a brighter better place.

2020 was a tough year for goals. As March rolled around many of our goals went straight out the window. Let’s get back at it in 2021 even though we still have significant challenges in front of us both seen and yet to be discovered.

Over the past 20 years I have helped hundreds of people reach their goals be it personal, professional, or athletic. In doing so I have learned quite a bit. Often what I see are more of a wish or hope than a goal. One of biggest keys to being successful is to put serious time and effort into the creation of a real goal.

When creating your goal be sure to make it is SMART.

S – Specific and as Simple as possible

M – Measurable and Meaningful to you.

A – Action (you must do something to hit it) and Act as if now (model the behaviors of someone who has already accomplished this goal or if you cannot do that envision what you believe those behaviors are and take them on as your own).

R – Realistic and Relevant to you in the bigger picture.

T – Timed (when will it end) and Towards what you want (will accomplishing this move in the direction of your hopes and dreams)

Write your goal. Take the time to go through the SMART process and be sure to cover each of the 10 letters in smart. Then build your plan on what You need to do daily, weekly, monthly to reach goals.

It starts and ends with you. When You Believe in yourself it is amazing what you can accomplish.

If you would like help in hitting your goals this year, please reach out to me at Kirk@maxbelief.com. Together we can come up with a plan customized for you to overcome the obstacles on your path to success.

Politics can be a wonderful thing to discuss, debate and learn about. Just not right now. The negativity that surrounds all things political, and those that are not but have been politicized, is overwhelming. I am finding myself avoiding the news, social media, TV, and radio. I have gone into hibernation as we are moving out of covid hibernation.

I am traveling again, meeting and talking with people from all over the country and finding that I am not alone. With those that I have talked with it doesn’t seem to matter if they tend to lean to the right or left, they are fed up with the negativity and nastiness of it all. Of course, one of the keys to the above statement is to lean one way or the other. What we are seeing, and hearing is not from those of us who lean but those who are at both ends of spectrum. It is important in this environment to remember the extremes often are loudest.

It is okay to have closely held beliefs. It is good to be involved and passionate about a cause. Please remember, it is just as important to take a few minutes to stop, look around and see if what you are doing is causing the stress and negativity to spread. The world is full of individuals. Show your individuality in a way that does not take down those that may not see things the same as you. Have a conversation and listen to those that may not see things the same way as you. You might learn something and the person you talk to might learn something as well. Listening, being respectful and sharing your side is a good to start bringing us back together. There will be times that you just can’t find common ground. When that happens, walk away, hang up, or stop posting. It doesn’t need to get ugly. You will not change a mind by going negative. All you will get is the same reflected back.

I am not here to tell you who to vote for, that is your choice, and please make the choice to vote.  Even if you are frustrated and not happy with any of candidates, be it federal, state, or local. In the meantime, if you run into me lets have a great conversation. Just know I am still in hibernation from news, TV, radio, and most of social media so I might not have a clue what you are talking about if you are talking current events.

If you have any questions or comments contact me at kirk@maxbelief.com or post them in the comment section.

It is crazy out there. The markets are crashing, the internet is on fire with misinformation and panic, and the stores are running out of toilet paper. Let’s take some time and just focus on ourselves. What is your state of mind? Are you hurting yourself or have you made the decision to help yourself as these challenges close in on all of us? The mind is powerful and the decisions we make impact us both physically and mentally. 

In Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book “Think, Learn, Succeed” she states “Every time you utter a negative statement, you release negative quantum energy and upset the balance of peptides, which affects the environment of the brain and puts the body into toxic stress”. This happens not just when we utter a statement, it happens when we think the negative. When we go negative, we stress our body. I am confident we have all seen studies on what stress does to us. Why add to the stress we already have by carrying with us a negative mindset. Instead, choose to be informed. Make decisions based on rational thought. It is okay to be concerned about a virus and the economy and all the other things happening. Make plans, be proactive, do what is right for you and your family. 

I have decided to have a positive mindset and reap the benefits of that mindset even as all of this goes on around us. I have this mindset because I am hopeful. Hopeful not that governments will solve all of our problems but hopeful that myself and my family will continue to be healthy. Hopeful because I see so much good in the people I interact with daily. Hopeful that overall, we as a nation and world can put aside our petty differences and do what is right. I also know that being hopeful will keep me healthy because I will not be tearing myself down from the inside. In the end, when I am hopeful and healthy, how can I not be happy at a core level? I intend on sharing my happiness with those I interact with. In hope of helping them to be happy, healthy and hopeful as well. 

In closing, I am not a doctor and have no medical training. What I have done is research and reading on the mind, as well as worked with 1000s of individuals over the years to help them improve performance. I have seen the impacts the mind can make on us mentally and physically. 

I ask that you choose to not panic and instead make the choice to be hopeful. It may even lead to you being healthier and, in the end, happy.

If you have any questions or comments contact me at kirk@maxbelief.com or post them in the comment section.

A couple of years ago I wrote an E-Book called The FAITH Formula. It’s about believing in yourself and using a proven formula to help you accomplish your goals. I think it is time to revisit the idea of believing in yourself and being confident of the path you are on.  Over the past few months I have had some experiences that challenged my belief and confidence in myself. It is not only me. I am seeing this lack of faith or belief regularly when I engage with people. Often, they seem lost or just downright depressed.

As I looked at myself, I was not confident I was on the right path. So, I went back and looked at where I was, where I am, and where I want to be. When I looked at the overall picture, I decided it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. Throughout the years I have come a long way and have made some pretty significant impacts both personally and professionally. I can see how what I am doing is moving me in the direction of my overall goals. I remembered that I needed to have FAITH in myself and the decisions I make, and so do you.

The FAITH Formula – A Structure for Success

F – Formulate a plan

A – Act on your plan

I – Identify what drives you / others

T – Transition into a solution to benefit the situation

H – Handle any issue or objections

This is a basic process to get better at what you are doing. It is nothing more than a structure or process that you can use to coach yourself towards whatever goal you want to achieve. Please note this is not a linear process.  As you work through the process you will jump in and out of it at different locations.

If you are questioning yourself, use the formula and get moving in the right direction again. First, create a picture of where you want to be. Take time to identify your goals and picture yourself succeeding at hitting them. Then figure out the steps you must take to get from where you are today to get to where you want to be. Remember, you need to know where you are going in order to get there. Use those steps to help you formulate your plan for success.

Second, take the plan you created and act on it. In acting on your plan be sure to identify and acknowledge what is driving you at your core to accomplish your goals. This may require you asking some tough questions of yourself as you go through the process. That’s okay, in fact it is good because it helps to keep your focus.

The third point is to continue to look for the benefits of each step. Let yourself transition into seeing and feeling each benefit as you move toward what you want. Of course, there will be roadblocks as you move through your plan on your journey to success. Remember when you have FAITH in yourself and know why you are doing what you are doing, you can handle any issues or objections that come your way.

 Know that when you have FAITH in yourself and those around you,     you can and will do amazing things.

Remember to focus on what you want because your energy flows where your attention goes. Make sure that energy is taking you towards your goals. If you would like some assistance in reaching your goals reach out to me at 515-499-6455 or kirk@maxbelief.com and together we can identify if coaching is the right choice for you. 

Do you remember back in the old days when people could believe different things and it was ok? In fact, you could even be friends with people who saw the world differently than you. Today, if you watch the news, listen to talk radio or go on the internet, it seems like everyone is at the extreme of whatever topic is hot at that moment. When paying attention to those outlets you would assume all left-leaning people are at the extreme left and all right-leaning people are at the extreme right, and they hate each other with a passion that is never-ending. This is not just political, it goes to sports where the fans of one team hate the fans of another and both hate the incompetent refs, and many other areas of life as well. This extremism has seemingly penetrated all areas of life.  The internet is a wonderful thing. The amount of information we have at our fingertips is amazing and when used in the right way, we can do wonderful things. When used the wrong way, I believe the anonymity of it has led to some of this negativity and hate. We are currently a culture that is focused on the now, clicks and likes. Nothing gets a click like controversy or anger. 

This focus on the negative and constantly needing to be upset by something is exhausting. I made the decision recently to stop watching the news, some TV shows and eliminating the negative I see on Twitter and Facebook, no matter what side it is coming from. Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t totally put my head in the sand. Instead, I have made a conscious decision to limit the extreme’s that I am bombarded with. 

Like most of you I live my life in the real world. I have some views that would put me on the left and other views that would put me on the right. I am not on the extreme in either direction, be it politics or other areas of life. I care about the people around me. It doesn’t matter if they are one of the extremes or flexing both ways like me.  I don’t always agree with every belief they have or decision they make. Sometimes I voice my agreement or disagreement, other times I don’t. Just because I think one thing does not mean everyone around me needs to think the same. It would be incredibly boring and dangerous if we only had group thought.  

I travel often for work. I spend time in airports, hotels, coffee shops, restaurants and in doing so I run into all kinds of people. Here is something I have learned. Most are not hate-filled extremists. Almost everyone is civil and kind. Last week I traveled to Vancouver BC. I arrived on Thanksgiving in Canada. It seemed like everyone’s first words where Happy Thanksgiving, even as I went through Customs. That wasn’t just a fluke, each day I met with different groups and they all treated me with respect. Sometimes we disagreed and then we worked through the issues without malice or ill feelings. On my way home, back in the states I had a major delay on my connection in Denver. Instead of disagreement, I saw people helping each other. I saw people giving up seats in the waiting area. I saw parents helping other parents. I saw kids making friends. It was almost like we didn’t have to hate each other.  

 The kindness and civility in the previous paragraph is the norm. Not what we see on the news or the internet. Here is a belief I have and love to share.  I fully believe that every individual has the innate strength, courage and resources required to achieve greatness! I choose to believe in you. We don’t have to be sucked into the negative. Look to those around you and instead of thinking about how we can tear them down. Look to see how you can help them move in the direction of their goals. Let me share a little secret with you. When you see the good in someone else and help them, you unconsciously find the good in yourself and take a step in the direction of your goals as well. 

Find the good, and remember that where your attention goes, your energy flows! So, focus on what you want. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. If you are looking for someone to help you achieve a goal that is just beyond your reach I am here to help. You can contact me by email at kirk@maxbelief.com.

In today’s world we often hear about the mind-body connection. That connection is that what we think influences the body. One of my favorite little statements when leading a class or working with a client is “What we believe (think), we project. What we project, ourselves and others perceive. What is perceived becomes one’s reality.” These statements go right to the fact that what we think, influences our behavior. The mind-body connection is well proven and is used daily in many different ways by therapists, teachers, and coaches. In fact, I use it regularly when working with people as I do anchoring exercises to help them move purposely into different beneficial emotional states.

Let’s try a quick mind-body experiment. Read the rest of this paragraph and then close your eyes and do the exercise in your mind. Think of a time that you felt completely powerful. I mean a time you felt totally and completely powerful. A time when you could do anything you wanted, and you would be successful. Go ahead and go right into that moment of feeling totally and completely powerful. That’s right, go right into that moment and feel the feeling of feeling totally and completely powerful. See what you saw, hear what you heard and really feel the feeling of being totally and completely powerful. Let that feeling wash right over you, totally and completely feeling it just like when it happened.

Welcome back. I bet you are feeling more powerful, right now. In fact, I am sure of it because if you took the time to do the exercise you can’t help but bring that feeling back with you. Take a moment and think about your body. When you feel powerful your shoulders move back and the chest projects out more. You begin to breathe deeper and feel calmer and more confident. Your head comes up and the chin is more prominent. That is the mind-body connection.    

 Isn’t it great to know that if you want to feel powerful or confident or any other positive emotion all you need to do is go back into your mind and replay a time you were in that state and then bring it back with you?  Be sure to remember this before your race or presentation at work. Use the mind-body connection to your advantage.

As we just saw the mind influences the body and we can use that to our advantage when needed. Can the opposite be true, is there a body-mind connection as well? This idea is a bit newer in Western culture, however as you look to many Eastern cultures, it has been there for a long time.

 For example, to see the body-mind connection all you need to do is look to yoga. With yoga you use a combination of mindful breathing, along with different poses to create a relaxed state of mind. In fact, there was a study done by Jeremy R West, and Christian Otte on the effects of hatha yoga and African dance on perceived stress in 2004. They concluded that both African dance and Hatha yoga reduced perceived stress and its negative affect. So, if you are feeling stressed, yoga or some dance might be a way out of it.

Amy Cuddy in her famous 2012 Ted Talk (Your Body Language may Shape Who You Are) talked about using power poses.  She found that adopting a power pose for two minutes altered the levels of hormones in our brains significantly, and impacted behavior as a result. One of the power poses she talks about is the Wonder Woman or Superman pose. Feet shoulder width or more apart, hands on hips with head up and looking out. In this pose we are taking up space and projecting confidence and dominance. The body-mind connection. Take a few minutes to stand up, get into your power pose and see how you feel. That is the body-mind connection.

So, which is it the mind-body connection or the body-mind connection? My answer is yes, it is. What really matters is how you take this information and use it to help yourself to be consistently in the most productive state for you on your path to reaching your goals. Know that when you find yourself in a state that is not productive you have the tools to change. It is not always easy and sometimes knowing you have tools is not enough.  You need to use the tools and in fact put some Structure, Rigor, and Discipline around how you use them. But that is a topic for another time.

Be powerful and know that where your attention goes, your energy flows!

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. If you are looking for someone to help you achieve a goal that is just beyond your reach I am here to help. You can contact me by email at kirk@maxbelief.com.

I want to share with you that Gibson Consulting Group (GCG) my nights and weekend career is no more. It is now Max Belief. I made this change because it really is about belief. Gibson Consulting Group gave the wrong connotation. What I do is not about consulting, it’s about working with people to help them clearly see their goals and dreams come to fruition.  One of the biggest keys is for them to have maximum belief in their ability to accomplish those dreams and overcome any barriers that are put in front of them. I have the background and tools to help and it is time for me to make sure people are aware that I am here to do just that.

I have helped hundreds of people get past the barriers keeping them from reaching their dreams and goals. For some reason while working with those I have coached, and classes taught I was not listening to myself. In the past I was reluctant to post my blogs or market myself as Gibson Consulting Group. I was worried that some at my corporate job would get the wrong impression or think I was doing something inappropriate if I promoted myself as GCG too much. I was worried that someone might think there was a conflict of interest. I have wasted so much time worrying. I love my corporate job. In fact, I am one of those people who looks forward to Mondays (most weeks). I know I am not going to put that in jeopardy by doing something shady or unethical. I know I am not going to skimp on the time I give. I know I work for a great company with great people and great products. I know the leadership structure is able to see the bigger picture. Yet, I worried. I let fear and doubt get in my way of reaching out. It is time I listen to myself and the coaches I lean on for advice and guidance.  I’ve decided to change my thinking and have Max Belief in myself and share the knowledge I have gained to help others.  

When you believe in yourself it is amazing what you can accomplish. Believing in yourself seems easy and of course we all believe in ourselves. Don’t we?  It is easy to believe as long as nothing challenges us. When a challenge arises, and one will if you are pushing for a real goal or dream. Use the tips below to keep you at Max Belief.

Keeping the belief alive:

1. Clearly see yourself accomplishing the goal or dream in your future.
2. Visit your goal daily, or at least weekly.
3. Identify at least 2-3 cheer leaders to help you stay on track.
4. Find a Structure or process that works for you that you will follow.
5. Get a coach to guide you through, over, or around the barriers.  

There is more to be said on this, but this is a good start. I have changed my thinking and have Max Belief in my ability to be a great corporate person while spending nights and weekends building Max Belief to help those who want to reach new peaks in personal performance.  Take a moment and visit my web site https://maxbelief.com/ to learn more about what I offer or see my previous blog posts.

If you are interested in coaching or have any questions, please send me an email at kirk@maxbelief.com.