Coach Chris is back to discuss how to achieve multidimensional success, which is the process of thriving in the areas of life that are most important to you. In this episode of The Balanced Warrior Podcast, he shares concepts from their best-selling book book, You Have Infinite Power, which focuses on the seven levels of awareness.

Coach Chris challenges you to evaluate your own level of awareness and find ways to create that multidimensional success you crave!

Join Coach Chris as he unpacks one of the most important chapters of their bestselling book.

Awareness!

• Animal: The lowest level of awareness. This is a state of just surviving and existing, focused on meeting basic needs like food and shelter.
• The Masses: This is the level where most of society exists. People at this level follow what everyone else is doing without thinking for themselves.
• Understanding: At this level, you realize you want more out of life but are paralyzed by fear and worry about what others will think.
• Individual: This is when you identify your unique ability or specialty and have a strong desire to express it.
• Discipline: You have developed technical and physical skills to be an expert in your field. This is a level where you can begin to flourish in your career.
• Recondition: This is a level where you become mentally and emotionally connected to what you’re doing and are driven by a worthy ideal or purpose. Your work becomes a mission rather than just a job.
• Disassociation: This is the highest and most difficult level of awareness to achieve. At this level, external circumstances and situations don't affect your internal peace. You can remain calm and centered, reacting rationally to life's challenges.

Welcome to the Balance Warrior Podcast for growth-focused pros and high-achievers!

In this episode, Coach Chris Berlow dives into a concept he's honed from working with thousands of people: the power of mindset. He shares a profound lesson that begins with understanding the 'stick man' diagram, a concept he learned from Bob Proctor, who had a direct lineage to Napoleon Hill.

Chris explains how our conscious and subconscious minds work, and how our thoughts ultimately drive our feelings, actions, and results. He introduces a simple yet powerful strategy to protect your mindset and change your reality.

Ready to spend some time building a growth mindset?

Here is some important advice from this episode:

• Mindset is Everything: Your mindset is the number one factor that will define your level of success, regardless of your age or profession.
• The Power of the 'Stick Man': The conscious mind can accept, reject, or neglect thoughts, while the subconscious mind can only accept them. Your body is a manifestation of your mind, and your feelings are a manifestation of your subconscious beliefs.
• Master the 'Yeah, But' Strategy: To prevent negative thoughts from taking root in your subconscious, immediately counter them with a positive "yeah, but" statement. For example, if you think, "I'm so far behind," counter it with, "Yeah, but I am currently crushing it."
• Protect Your Mindset: Your mindset is your most valuable asset. Use strategies like "yeah, but" to actively block negativity and protect your thought patterns, ensuring you don't take ownership of negative beliefs.
• Thoughts Drive Results: Remember the success formula: thoughts lead to feelings, which drive actions (or inactions), which ultimately produce your results. To change your results, you must first change your conscious thoughts.

If you are a high achiever and driven by the benefits of team dynamics, join the Balanced Warriors as they provide you with must-haves for building and growing a goal-driven team.

Michael Mertens and Chris Berlow share their unique perspective on building a successful business team. Drawing on their decades of experience as martial arts experts and multi-location business owners, they discuss how to cultivate leadership and teamwork.

The principles they share extend beyond the martial arts world and apply to any business owner seeking to cultivate a thriving, mission-driven team.

Do you want your team to be better every day? Join us now!

Key Takeaways & Actionable Advice

• Look Inward for Talent: Don't just hire externally. The best team members can often be developed from within your existing student or client base. Cultivate relationships with people who already believe in your mission.
• Establish a Progressive Training System: Create a clear path for growth. Just like a "farm team" in baseball, your business should have different levels of responsibility and training to progressively develop future leaders.
• Be a Mentor, Not a Boss: Maintain a relationship with your team that goes beyond a simple employee/employer dynamic. Continue to be their teacher and mentor, providing ongoing training and guidance. This fosters loyalty and mutual respect.
• Prioritize Mission over Money: Ensure your team is driven by a shared mission and a love for what they do. While fair compensation is essential, a deeper sense of purpose will inspire them to take ownership and go the extra mile.
• Lead by Example: Your actions speak volumes. Your team will reflect your passion, work ethic, and commitment to the company's mission. Be the "chief culture officer" and a role model for the behavior you want to see.
• Cultivate Team Cohesion: Create opportunities for your staff to bond outside of their daily tasks, like shared training sessions or team outings. This builds camaraderie and mutual respect, which is crucial for a strong team.

Be Better Every Day!

Welcome to the Balanced Warrior Podcast for high achievers! In this episode, Coach Michael and Coach Paul talk with entrepreneur and motivational speaker Matt Toresco. Matt, a former Division I athlete, shares his incredible journey of resilience and faith.

He opens up about a life-altering lacrosse injury that resulted in a broken neck and an 18-year battle with chronic pain and opiate addiction. He explains how his personal struggles led him to a deeper spiritual connection and the realization of his purpose in helping others.

This powerful discussion highlights the importance of overcoming adversity and finding your calling by being transparent about your struggles and paying your success forward.

Key Discussion Points:

• Matt recounts the moment he broke his neck on the field and the years of surgeries and daily pain that followed.
• He discusses the mental and emotional work he did to overcome his identity crisis and self-doubt, finding validation through his faith rather than external sources.
• Matt outlines his current daily routine, emphasizing the importance of setting small, achievable goals, prioritizing family, and taking care of his physical and mental health.
• He describes his current work as a patient advocate, using his personal experiences to help pharma and biotech companies improve the healthcare system for those facing similar barriers.
• The conversation concludes with a discussion on the power of transparency and how personal struggles can become a "superpower" to help others.

Be Better Every Day!

Welcome to another edition of the Balanced Warrior Podcast, where hosts Coach Michael Mertens and Coach Chris Berlow dive into the art of living a life of multidimensional success, regardless of age.

In this important episode, they draw from their decades of experience as martial artists and entrepreneurs, and share how the philosophies of East and West can empower you to master the challenges of aging.

If you are a high achiever and driven professional, the coaches guide you through continuing to maximize your growth and fulfillment as you age gracefully.

The coaches share practical strategies to help you stay motivated, find new avenues for growth, and embrace the wisdom that comes with experience.

Important Takeaways for Aging High Achievers

• Embrace the "Yeah, But" Mindset: Instead of dwelling on what you can no longer do, acknowledge your limitations and then counter them with what you can still do or have gained. For example, "I can't kick as high, but my timing and technique are better than ever." This positive self-talk helps shift your focus from loss to gain.
• Find Your New Growth Space: While some physical skills may decline, there are always new areas for improvement. This could be refining your technique, improving your posture, or gaining a deeper understanding of your craft.
• Embrace Your Role as a Mentor: Your mistakes and battle scars are not liabilities but assets. Use your wisdom and hard-earned experience to coach and guide others. Mentoring allows you to find fulfillment and purpose, transforming your limitations into valuable lessons for the next generation.
• Continuously Learn New Skills: To counter the frustration of physical decline in one area, consider picking up a new hobby or challenge where you can experience the joy of skill acquisition and upward trajectory. The key is to keep your mind engaged and excited about learning.
• Prioritize Consistency Over Intensity: Older athletes often get injured by overdoing it. The key to long-term success is to train consistently rather than pushing for short bursts of intense effort followed by long periods of recovery.

Be Better Every Day! Even as you age!

Join Coach Chris for a peaceful exploration of the traditional tea ceremony. Traditionally called “Tah Do.” In this episode, Chris ventures into the ancient art of preparing and sharing green tea, a practice that offers much more than just a morning beverage.

Discover how this mindful ritual can bring a sense of calm and connection to your daily life.

You can also watch this video on the Empowered Mastery YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredMastery

• The Power of Green Tea: Learn about the health benefits of green tea, particularly the special green tea from Korea, which is rich in nutrients and known for its restorative properties.
• The Art of Unraveling: The tea ceremony teaches us to "unravel with logic," a metaphor for approaching life's challenges with a calm and untangled mind, avoiding unnecessary pressure.
• A Moment to Connect: The ceremony is a powerful reminder to share our time and attention with those we care about. It is a moment to slow down, connect with others, and create meaningful memories.
• Daily Mindfulness: Learn how to incorporate a simple tea ceremony into your daily routine, transforming a simple act into a mindful practice that brings a sense of peace and presence to your day.

Be Better Every Day!

In this episode of the Balanced Warrior Podcast, Coach Paul tackles a powerful topic that can ruin relationships, destroy productivity, and kill sales. It is a negative pattern of behavior.

Coach Paul explains that a single bad interaction, whether it's with a difficult client or a disgruntled team member, can derail your entire day and even spill over into your personal life.

He provides a simple yet effective four-step framework,

• Change Your Physiology: The first step is to interrupt the negative pattern with physical action. Stand up, shake your body out, do some pushups, or take a short walk. This physical shift helps to break the mental and emotional hold of the negative event.
• Reframe the Trigger: Next, ask yourself powerful questions to change your perspective. By actively searching for the positive, you can shift your focus from the problem to the opportunity for growth.
• Redirect Your Focus and Energy: Combat the negative with an "evidence stack." If one person is critical, remind yourself of the hundreds of clients who love and appreciate your work.
• Anchor a New State: Create and repeat empowering statements or "I am" statements to reprogram your subconscious mind. Statements like, "I am in control of my energy," or "My clients love, trust, and respect me," can help you build confidence and solidify a positive identity.

Be Better Every Day!

Welcome to another must listen episode of The Balanced Warrior Podcast for the driven professional! This week, Coaches Mike and Chris tackle the topic of stress and the daily pressures of being a high achiever seeking balance and fulfillment. The Balanced Warriors offer practical mindsets and habits to navigate life's pressures.

If you're building a business or growing a demanding career, you'll face stress and pressure. But it's how you manage it that counts.

Episode Highlights:

• Reframing Anxiety: Mike and Chris argue that the term "anxiety" is often overused and misused. They differentiate between anxiety (a severe mental health condition requiring professional help), stress (debilitating but not immediately affecting physical health), and pressure (day-to-day challenges).
• Checking Your Language: Coach Chris and Coach Mike emphasize the importance of conscious language when describing personal feelings and situations. They suggest that how we label our experiences influences our response and ability to overcome challenges.
• Controlling the Controllables: A core strategy is to identify what you can and cannot control. If a situation is beyond your direct control, emotionally detaching from that aspect allows you to focus energy on what you can influence.
• The Power of Perspective (Zooming Out): Chris introduces the concept of "zooming out" and envisioning the desired outcome first, likening obstacles to "sharks" that can be overcome with certainty. This outcome-oriented mindset minimizes the perceived size of challenges.
• Prioritizing Well-being Amidst Challenges: The hosts stress the importance of maintaining physical and mental well-being that includes adequate sleep, exercise, healthy eating, even when facing significant pressure. They view these practices as essential for high performers in daily life, rather than luxuries to be sacrificed.
• The Wisdom of Pausing: Coach Mike and Coach Chris advocate for taking deliberate pauses before responding to difficult situations. They emphasize that giving yourself time for reflection and accessing a calmer mindset often leads to more effective and thoughtful solutions.

And much more!