Confronting the paralyzing question that plagues every leader, parent, and dreamer -"How do you know if you are on the right path?" - McKay challenges the common misconception that clarity must precede action. He argues that confidence is not a prerequisite for starting, but a result of "walking the path" and leaning on proven principles rather than fleeting fads.

McKay opens with Kiva co-founder Jessica Jackley, who discovered her purpose through a single connection in Uganda rather than overwhelming data. He then spotlights Bill Courtney, a coach who rebuilt a team by valuing character over the scoreboard. The episode weaves in lessons from NFL legend Jerry Rice and McKay’s own career pivot to Idaho to illustrate the power of proven principles. It concludes with his daughter’s story, illustrating that clarity often arrives only after we commit to the journey.

Main Themes:

• Clarity is found by walking the path, not by waiting for certainty.
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• When the destination is unclear, rely on "proven principles" like character and discipline.
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• True happiness comes from "self-concordance" - aligning goals with internal values, not external pressures.
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• The sign of the right path is peace, not comfort; comfort is ease, but peace is alignment.
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• Direction often comes through "small miracles" and quiet confirmations rather than dramatic signs.
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• Failure isn't a stop sign; it's "fertilizer" for your growth and potential.

Top 10 Quotes:

"Rarely do we know with absolute certainty that we're on the right path. We start something new without certainty, hoping that it's right, but often unsure."

"Character is what you do when no one is watching."

"Stick with the critical activities. The self-assurance you get from doing so will carry you through the less-than-clear times."

"Comfort means ease. Peace means alignment."

"Peace says, ‘I might be struggling, I might be working hard, but I know I'm in the right struggle.’"

"God will give you some signs. And those signs come in the form of people, encouragement, moments of clarity, or a feeling of certainty."

"You have to walk down the path of uncertainty a bit... you have to try the thing on and start as if you're going to do it, and then you find the answer."

"Start walking, give it your all, and soon you will know."

"Failure can be good. It's fertilizer."

"The difficult road you are on is a purposeful road to help you rise to become more like your Maker."

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Confronting the universal internal battle against "resistance" - the invisible force of procrastination, fear, and self-doubt that stops us from doing our most important work - McKay draws upon the powerful distinction between an "amateur" and a "pro” to argue that we can consciously decide to adopt a professional mindset in any area of our lives. This decision, he notes, is not about a title or a paycheck; it's an act of will that transforms our approach to challenges, failures, and our ultimate potential.

Opening the episode with the core lesson from Steven Pressfield’s book The War of Art - the hardest part of any task is simply starting - McKay then illustrates the professional mindset through a series of compelling stories. Listeners hear about Kobe Bryant’s legendary work ethic that reset the culture of the 2012 US Olympic basketball team; Captain Tammie Jo Shults’ incredible composure while landing a crippled Southwest jet; and astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell’s steadfast focus on her work, even after being overlooked for a Nobel Prize. The episode culminates with the idea that, like the Apostle Peter, even when we fail, we can "decide again" to be a pro, recommitting to our purpose with even greater strength.

• The greatest obstacle to achieving our goals is an internal force called "resistance," which manifests as procrastination and fear.
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• An amateur works when they feel inspired, but a professional does the work regardless of their mood, the circumstances, or their fear.
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• "Turning pro" is a conscious decision - an act of will to show up and do the work, especially when it's hard.
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• True professionals don't dwell on mistakes; they learn from them and immediately focus on the "next play."
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• A pro is defined by their commitment to their purpose, not by external validation, credit, or praise.
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• Even after a setback, you can always choose to recommit and be "twice born" into your professional mindset, emerging stronger than before.

Top 10 Quotes:

“It's not the writing part that's hard. What's hard is the sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is resistance.”

“That's the price for being in the arena and not on the sidelines. Stop complaining and be grateful.”

“Pros do the work regardless of how they feel.”

“You can't win the next play by thinking about the last one.”

“We make up our minds to view ourselves as pros and we do it. Simple as that.”

“Pros don't get overly excited, emotional, or moved off their professional approach.”

“Every day that you sit around trying to figure out what to do, someone else is already doing it.”

“This time, having decided twice, he is stronger than ever.”

“You can choose to be a pro again.”

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

McKay tackles a quiet but pervasive modern crisis: the decline of belief in ourselves, our institutions, and each other. Using powerful case studies and the core concept of the "Belief Window," he argues that this trust can be intentionally rebuilt, transforming our personal and collective realities.

Starting off with Matthew McConaughey's observation that "belief is in short supply," McKay uses a 2025 Pew Research Center study to explore the root causes of this erosion of trust, from the internet's rise to political polarization. The episode then pivots from problem to solution, drawing on the real-world success of a struggling Scottish primary school and the cultural transformation of the Cleveland Clinic. These examples illustrate how specific, actionable strategies - such as listening, celebrating small wins, and fostering empathy - can reignite trust and achieve remarkable results.

Main Themes:

• Belief is the invisible architecture of a functioning society, and its decline is a quiet crisis.
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• Trust can be systematically rebuilt through intentional acts of listening, learning, and celebrating small wins.
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• Our "Belief Window" is the powerful, personal filter that shapes our reality, and it can be changed.
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• True leadership, whether in a family or a business, is about actively building belief in others.
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• A belief in God or a higher purpose can provide a moral foundation and hope in the face of adversity.
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• Deep learning fosters belief, while the age of easy information can lead to superficiality and mistrust.

Top 10 Quotes:

“In our world today, belief is in short supply.”

“Trust is like the air we breathe. When it's present, nobody really notices. When it's absent, everybody notices.”

“If you'll go home and be a light, not a judge, trust and belief will grow.”

“The decline of belief is not an abstract philosophical idea. It very well could become a quiet crisis shaping our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves.”

“You were not put here on this earth to be less than. You're not defined by where you've been, only by where you're going.”

“Learning increases belief.”

“Our belief window makes all the difference.”

“The simple belief that there is a life after this, and the choices we make here in this life have a lasting impact, cause people to make better choices.”

“If you bet on God and you open yourself to His love, you lose nothing, even if you're wrong.”

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

The universal human experience of falling off track and the courageous journey of finding our way back comes under McKay’s scrutiny this week. Analyzing why we wander from our goals, he provides a practical guide for course correction, whether in our careers, health, or personal lives.

Using the inspirational stories of Lindsey Vonn and Bethany Hamilton, McKay shows how our "why" helps us overcome monumental setbacks, and he also draws on the biblical story of Jonah to highlight the importance of acting even when we don't feel like it. Our host then cites such thinkers as Oliver Burkeman and Joseph Campbell in dismantling the myth that we must feel motivated to act, arguing we should instead "follow our blisters, not our bliss" by finding purpose in the work and sacrifice. This episode is a toolkit for anyone who has drifted, offering actionable strategies - like starting small and building rituals - to reclaim their path, emphasizing that progress is about persistence and reminding us that discipline and routine are the true engines of change.

Main Themes:

• Discipline, not motivation, is the engine of progress.
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• Wandering is inevitable; the real work is in choosing to return.
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• To find your way back, first remember your "why."
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• Purpose is found in the effort, not just the enjoyment.
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• Momentum is built one small, consistent step at a time.
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• Character is built in the small choices you make every day.

Top 10 Quotes:

“Motivation is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work.”

“Who says you need to wait until you feel like doing something in order to start doing it?”

“Progress doesn't mean perfection. It means returning to the path quicker each time you wander.”

“Don't give in to the immediate feeling. Give in to your true motive.”

“Getting back on track almost always begins by rekindling the reason you cared in the first place.”

“We don't have to get swallowed up by life or things if we face the things we don't want to do and do them anyway.”

“Wandering just doesn't steal our habits; it steals pieces of who we want to be.”

“Small acts of integrity strengthen your integrity muscles.”

“Getting on track requires simple clarity.”

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

McKay explores a collection of life-altering epiphanies by asking the powerful question, “What has been one of the most helpful thoughts or epiphanies that you have had that has made you more free or empowered to act?” He reveals how simple yet profound shifts in thinking can redefine our reality, from the principle that “what you focus on expands” to the freedom that comes from choosing our thoughts.

Using the incredible story of Jim Carrey's focused visualization, McKay illustrates how our focus acts like a spotlight, magnifying whatever it shines on. He also introduces the powerful management metaphor of “the monkey on your back,” teaching that we can empower others and protect our own priorities by refusing to take on problems that are not ours to solve. Citing profound near-death experiences and the work of thinkers like Mel Robbins, he demonstrates that we always have the agency to choose our thoughts and actions, regardless of our feelings or circumstances. Ultimately, this episode is a guide to identifying and embracing the ideas that empower us to live with more intention, joy, and resilience, serving as a powerful reminder that our greatest freedom lies in our ability to choose our perspective.

Main Themes:

• Our thoughts and energy have a way of magnifying what we focus on, whether it is problems or solutions.
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• We can empower others and avoid burnout by not adopting their problems or responsibilities (“monkeys”) as our own.
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• True and lasting joy is often found by savoring the small, simple moments in life rather than chasing grand experiences.
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• The resilience to overcome challenges comes not from perfection, but from the simple commitment to “just try” again and again.
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• We have complete agency over our thoughts; we can choose grace, optimism, and action regardless of external circumstances or internal feelings.
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• Understanding that our journey continues after this life provides a powerful incentive to invest in becoming our best selves now.

Top 10 Quotes:

“What you focus on expands.”

“What I went through made me who I am. What I am going through will make me what I will be. What I choose to put my focus toward will now create that person.”

“We do not remember the years that come and go in our life, but we do remember the moments.”

“Successful people have very clear goals. They know who they are and what they want. They write them down and make plans for their accomplishment.”

“I do not have to adopt other people’s problems as my own to help them.”

“I get to choose what I think about.”

“The test is not whether you reach your goals in one burst of energy, but the test is to see if you will stay in the game and just try.”

“There is always a way, even when it feels like there is not.”

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Conducting a fascinating exploration into the origin of The Beatles and the role of "dumb luck" in history, McKay demonstrates the power of expectations. Along the way, he reveals how the gap between expectation and reality is a key source of our happiness and offers a framework for harnessing this power to shape a better future.

Our host goes on to explain that happiness depends less on our circumstances and more on their alignment with our expectations. He illustrates this with The Beatles' story and fascinating historical examples of "dumb luck," such as a change of wind saving George Washington's army. Citing that the core solution is to actively shape our reality by setting powerful expectations, McKay reveals how visualizing our "best possible self" creates new neural pathways in the brain, making success more likely. And referencing studies on rats and mentally-practicing basketball players, he shows that what we truly expect, we tend to create.

Main Themes:

• Our level of happiness is determined by the gap between our expectations and reality.
• Random chance and "dumb luck" play a significant role in life's outcomes, so we must be flexible.
• What we expect, we unconsciously work to create; our expectations directly influence our actions and results.
• We can consciously harness the power of expectation by vividly imagining and defining our "best possible self."
• Visualizing success creates neural pathways that can make achieving goals more likely than physical practice alone.
• Setting high expectations for yourself and others is one of the most powerful catalysts for growth.

Top 10 Quotes:

"Happiness is less about the reality of life and more about the alignment or misalignment between what we anticipate and what we encounter."

"Dumb luck is a bigger part of our life than we think."

"When we expect something, we change our behavior, even if we're not consciously aware of those changes."

"When you imagine yourself doing something, you create a neural pathway."

"In your mind, you never miss a shot. This is the power of expectation."

"The ‘future you’ is found in a belief window full of expectations."

"If you don't have an expectation, a destination, you really have no reason to make plans."

"Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."

"There is no passion to be found in playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

"You and I were not put here on this earth to just get by or tread in the waters of unfulfilled thoughts or lack of expectations."

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Drawing upon the inspiring stories of such people J.K. Rowling and Sara Blakely, McKay explores how the biggest obstacle to our dreams is often ourselves. Throughout the episode, he reveals practical strategies to overcome common forms of self-sabotage and finally achieve your goals.

McKay breaks down the most common examples of how we get in our own way, such as the fear of failure, waiting for perfect conditions, and overthinking. He contrasts this paralysis with the power of taking immediate, imperfect action, highlighting Sara Blakely's journey with Spanx and Jeff Bezos's "70% rule" for decision-making. The core solution presented is to build momentum through small, consistent efforts and to act with integrity in the "moment of choice" - simply doing what you set out to do. By focusing on your own journey and avoiding the trap of comparing yourself to others, you can dismantle these internal barriers and move forward.

Main Themes:

• The biggest barriers to success are often internal fears, doubts, and procrastination.
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• Take immediate, imperfect action instead of waiting for the "perfect" moment to begin.
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• Act with integrity in the "moment of choice" by following through on your commitments.
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• Small, consistent efforts are more effective than short, intense bursts of work.
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• Overcome overthinking by making decisions when you have 70% of the information, not 100%.
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• Measure your progress against your past self, not the curated lives of others.

Top 10 Quotes:

"More often than not, the greatest obstacle is the person staring back at them in the mirror."

"I stopped pretending I was anything other than who I was, and I determined more than I had ever determined before what I was meant to do."

"Exercise integrity in the moment of choice."

"Waiting for no risk or perfect conditions is one of the most dangerous forms of self-sabotage."

"Overthinking is a form of self-sabotage disguised as diligence."

"Comparison is the thief of joy."

"Consistency compounds results. Intensity, however, without regularity, often leads to burnout and frustrations."

"Make a decision when you have roughly 70% of the information you want. Waiting for 90 to 100% certainty often causes missed opportunities."

"Progress shouldn't be measured against others. It should be measured against our own past selves."

"Getting out of your own way happens in small, consistent steps and buying into faith instead of fear."

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

McKay explores the habits of self-made wealthy individuals in this week’s episode of the Open Your Eyes podcast. Drawing insights from such entrepreneurs as Elon Musk, Ingvar Kamprad, Warren Buffett, Lucy Guo, and Chuck Feeney, the episode aims to extract actionable insights from their lives that we all can implement in our own.

Noting that wealth is built on key behaviors, not just saving, McKay highlights the power of continuous learning, calculated risk-taking, and an unwavering commitment to a "winning strategy". He also explores the value of "urgency bias," doubling down on talents, and prioritizing time. Throughout this revelatory episode, our host stresses that true worth stems from contribution (as exemplified by Chuck Feeney's philanthropy), and guides listeners to appreciate the significance of these proven habits and cultivate a mindset for prosperity and satisfaction.

• Successful individuals avoid procrastination and act promptly.
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• Embracing lifelong learning and constantly seeking knowledge is crucial.
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• Willingness to take informed, calculated risks is a common trait.
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• A relentless commitment to a clear, winning strategy sets them apart.
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• They focus efforts and creativity on their greatest strengths.
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• Prioritizing time, often investing money to save it, is key.
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• Hiring and learning from experts is something they do readily.
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• Find true worth and satisfaction in helping others and making a contribution.
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• Entrepreneurial journeys often begin in their teenage years.

"Most people think that great brands like Tesla just appeared, but not so."

"Wealthy people are always learning."

"Your mind is your greatest asset."

"The truth is, you can always make money, but you can't always make more time."

"I think most people could have work-life balance if they cut out where they waste their time."

"They pay for expertise without hesitation."

"The habits of wealthy individuals are not built on secret formulas or mere good fortune."

"The compounding effect of such habits can redefine both financial outcomes and life satisfaction."

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen