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Rod: Welcome, everyone. Rod from Sports Adventure here. Today I would like to continue our interview series where we interview inspirational people from around the world and share their expert insights on mountain biking, good nutrition, and good health. My guest today started Mindset For Success to empower individuals to harness the awesome power inside their minds and excel in their lives. Their clients range from business professionals, managers and owners, to athletes, and positive individuals with a desire to harness their full potential. She has been published on various websites, including Dr. Joe and Women’s Network Australia, and has written for many magazines. She has also competed in Ironman and qualified for the world championship in Kona. I would like to welcome mindset coach, Mandy Napier.
Mandy: Thanks, Rod, and it’s my pleasure to be here, talking to you today.
Rod: Terrific. Thanks very much for your time. I really appreciate it. We might kick off there with a series of questions. So for you, Mandy, what do you think is so good about being a mindset coach?
Mandy: For me, I absolutely love what I do. I believe that I found my calling in life from my experiences, and the most wonderful thing is seeing the transformations of my clients that I work with. And every time I see them shine and make incredible changes in their life, it endorses that I absolutely know that I’m doing the right thing here.
Rod: Yeah. To see that change from people who might have mental health problems, health related issues, weight problems, things like that, to see that change, the before and after, must be quite inspiring.
Mandy: Yeah. As you know, there is a world of people out there in great pain. You have experienced some huge health challenges yourself. I have in past, and there is a lot of people who are highly stressed, melting down, not coping with our overload of technology & information and technology, so there is so many people who need to do things differently I believe to be able to survive and thrive in today’s busy world.
Rod: Yeah. What are some of the top things you believe someone should focus on to start to get their mind back on track?
Mandy: I used to believe there was a quick fix, because a lot of the tools and techniques I use are much faster than many of the traditional methods, but really, there is no quick fix to change, and you would know that so well in your journey to health with your challenges. But I guess inside that person, they have to have a little desire to change. It doesn’t matter if they’re fearful of feeling stuck or they’ve got to find that desire. And I guess one of the other really important things is that people need to know you can’t do it on your own. That was one of my biggest things I had to learn. I thought I could fix myself and I would sort everything else out, but I realized as humans, we’re not meant to do it on our own, and when we’re brave enough take the first step and enlist help, anything is possible, but we must also be consistent.
Rod: Yes. I think that first step is a very important one, and certainly very difficult for a lot of people, to acknowledge there is an issue there holding them back and then to make that step. Being consistent is so important. It’s easy to hop on the bandwagon with certain things but to make a change, commit to that day in, day out, and really have it be a life change.
Mandy: One thing there that I used to find as a source of frustration is you meet so many people when you do the work that I do. You can see people at another level, and I see so many people who are looking for help, but they won’t take that first step and they won’t look at the fact because it’s too hard. We’re hardwired to be kept safe, so often people come to me because they’re in a great level of pain, so it’s a necessitated level of change.
Rod: Yeah, I think it would be quite dramatic, seeing people in states like that, to get to that desperation before they can come see someone like yourself to kick start to get moving. How long, in your experience, has it taken for someone obviously how long is a piece of string if you like, depending on the individual who comes and sees you, in the right mindset to make a change, to get moving with their life—what path do you like to lead them down?
Mandy: Nowadays, I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I used to do a few sessions, and the tools I had, I thought they were so amazing. I was a bit of a fast worker and a high achiever but in reality, a lot of my programs are now based on 12 months. 6 months is the minimum because life happens as we’re starting to work on our transformation and interestingly, the more we change, the more we shift our beliefs and change what is going on inside, the more opportunities open up, which with that, brings new challenges. So I would say to people that if you can commit to yourself for a minimum 6 months, you will see changes. Having said that, most of my clients work with me on a 12-month program. I don’t have any nasty contracts; it’s really their commitment. And I have clients who have been working for me for 2, 3, and more than 4 years because the challenges change as they evolve and grow. So it’s an amazing journey.
Rod: That sounds fantastic. Are you able to share any of the techniques or methods you go through to help someone once they are on their way?
Mandy: I have put a trademark on my coaching methodology, and I have an ABC principle of success. The first thing we have to do is we have to get clarity. We spend a bit of time getting really clear so the client gets the picture of where they are now, what isn’t working, what are their pain points, but also looking at their brilliances they’ve forgotten about. We then look at what they want, and I really want them to get so connected to what they really want, and then the work starts when we look at what is in the way. A lot of my work in the beginning are actually spent exploring their inner thoughts and beliefs. Because they are one of the filters that people do life with. And when we can shift some of our beliefs and our thinking, it opens up so many possibilities because our thinking impacts our feelings, and they both influence each other, and both of those impact our behaviors. So I work a lot on teaching my clients techniques how to change their thinking because most of what we do is on autopilot and our thoughts become habitual. Most people aren’t even aware of 2, never mind 200, of the 50,000 thoughts we have going on in our head every day. So we start with that. I also use some techniques and tools from neuroscience, from neurolinguistic programming and inbraining, which is the latest research from neuroscience. Everything in life is energy, so if we can review a past event in our lives from a different perspective, it has to change in some format. We store memories spatially and through our senses, so if we can make a shift and change one of the sub modalities or the senses or the location that it is happening, we’re breaking up some of the problems so the client can see something different. For instance, I’ve helped a lot of people who have had anxiety, depression, and weighed down with negative feelings. So I have some techniques that actually help shift them. And if they do them consistently, they can take charge of their feelings and how they feel and what they are thinking.
Rod: That sounds really exciting. And you mentioned anxiety and depression—your clients obviously come to you with a range of things they’re working through. What other things other than mental health related items would you be helping them with?
Mandy: I’m just going to frame up the mental health. It’s a broad terminology. In my community work, I am a Lifeline telephone crisis supporter, so I have seen that side of life, but I don’t specialize in mental health issues and depression. However, I have had quite a few clients because that is one of the few presenting areas. They’re feeling down and anxious, but a lot of my work is with people who have some type of stress. A lot of that is self-inflicted. They may be perfectionists, they may have poor eating habits, they are probably overweight, maybe they’re drinking too much to self-medicate, and they’ve just got into really poor habits. And I know that’s what you help people with to move their body. It’s also about impacting when people have challenging relationships. The only way to change it is to look at ourselves and change the way we’re showing up in our relationships. So I work a lot with habits, relationships, behaviors, and also effectiveness and productivity. I work with a lot of small business owners, and they often know they’re they lynchpin in their business, so the only way to cope with the fast pace world is to work on ourselves in order to function more optimally, find better ways of doing things, and clean out our beliefs and our blocks.
Rod: Certainly. That all sounds fantastic. You mentioned small business owners, professional people, high achievers. Those type of people are obviously so focused on doing the best they can, obviously with their family and business, working hard day in, day out, and the buck stops with them in most cases. The stress a lot of those people are carrying around would be quite overwhelming.
Mandy: And the problem is that everybody is short of time these days, even though we have this wonderful digital technology. On its down side, it’s actually causing people a lot more time and stress. So people are having a struggle with their work-life balance, they’re becoming disconnected, and they’re not looking after themselves, doing exercise, and moving their bodies. High achievers can have another layer of stress because I used to be one myself. And I do work with athletes, weekend warriors, and elite athletes. The clients I work with, we either take a weekend warrior to an elite athlete, and then when we take elite athletes we work at the Olympian level, we work on fine-tuning. But I help people get off the couch and they have done Ironman races, represent their country, and that’s awesome too.
Rod: That turnaround is extraordinary, to take someone from their daily life where they may work, come home, sit and lounge, couch potatoes, and turn that around to get them motivated, to get them going, and have that positive changes to their life, which starts with a mindset, to nutrition, to exercise. Getting those sort of results and competing in Ironman, which is an extraordinary event, you should be congratulated on that. Well done, Mandy.
Mandy: I think it’s the people. It’s watching them change and transform. I’m the catalyst, or their spark, and their guide and mental coach, but they’re the ones who still have to get up and do it, which really shows people can do anything and they can transform anything with some help, focus, commitment, consistency, and belief.
Rod: We touched on this before, but what level are most people at when they come to see you? Do they just have an inkling that there is a problem there or are they fairly down the line with things looking pretty grim in a range of different situations, as you mentioned? What would be the common person, if I can say that?
Mandy: That’s one of the hardest things. I work with such a broad range of people. But what I see is most people, not all of them, but the majority of people come to me when they’ve got to that really big level of pain. So they’re really stressed, so they’re not sleeping, and it’s impacting on their energy levels, how they’re working, and their family. Or they look at themselves in the mirror and the clothes don’t fit anymore. Or something has manifested in a health problem because I have a lot of people who have got health issues and/or they have seen one of their family members and have had a wake-up call. Those are the majority to be honest and I am sure you would see this in your life that people don’t wake up one day and say, “Oh goodness me, I must find a coach.” I used to be an athlete and athletes always know that you perform better with a coach. Top executives, CEOs, and highly successful people all have coaches, but the majority of people over here won’t invest in themselves because they don’t want a coach. The other problem is that people don’t value themselves and they won’t spend that type of money on themselves because they don’t realize and they can’t quite see or believe the benefit it will give them, and the changes they get, they will take them through the rest of their lives, so they are generational. Most people don’t wake up. I do have some clients that know they need coaching, but unfortunately, most people don’t want a coach. They want their pain and problem to go away.
Rod: It’s an unusual position, isn’t it? Because our kids have a sports coach or a music tutor, or something like that, and for us, we finish school, and to have the mindset that we have stopped learning or you are no longer coached. It’s an unusual position that a lot of people are in. Do you know why that is the case? What is your experience there, Mandy?
Mandy: Something I’ve noticed over here, very much so in Australia, is there seems to be a general perception that it is not our responsibility. People don’t want to take responsibility for their health, their lives. It’s a little bit of, “Oh, it’s the government’s fault,” or “It’s not my fault; the economy is not very good,” or what ever but in reality, when I have had people referred to me from the system, from doctors, some of the people don’t really want to own the problem. They expect this magic pill. So really, people need to wake up, see what’s happening, and say, “Look, how can I get through the turmoil that’s happening in the world? If I became a better functioning person and I got to know who I was, wouldn’t that make a difference?” People are slowly waking up to that, but I think there’s a bit of a general, “I can’t spend the money on me,” and people not wanting to take the responsibility for themselves in every aspect. People spend more on fixing their cars than they do on their minds and themselves.
Rod: Certainly. That’s a very interesting point. You’re right about the comparison with the cars. We bring our cars in for service every couple of months, whenever the sticker tells us to, and we don’t think twice about it. But as far as our minds and bodies, we tend to keep filling it with all sorts of stuff and hope for the best.
Mandy: When my body fell apart and I had to stop my sport, I tolerated it for a while until it broke down, partly because I didn’t know what to do. Some people might go to the doctor for an annual check-up, but to be honest, our medical system doesn’t always know what to do. If you have a problem, and you’re stressed, they’ll either send you off to a psychologist or issue you pills. Both those options aren’t always the most successful. I’m not a doctor. From what I’ve seen, it’s not usually the answer. People need implementation. They need to be shown how to take charge of themselves, and that’s what I really focus on in my work.
Rod: Certainly. We go to the doctor when we’re not well, we take a pill, and that’s going to fix us. To then change that mindset to say if we take it right back and we just look at our mindset and our nutrition—back to bare basics—and what that can do for us day one, without a big cost impact, without a big change in our life. But I’ve been listening to a number of studies recently and talking about functional medicine and the benefit that is giving to a lot of people with autoimmune diseases, just getting back to good nutrition and real good food.
Mandy: Your so right and I am sure in your journey back to health, I am sure you would have done many many things but in my MBIT, which is Multiple Brain Integration Techniques, the information there has studied that we have 3 brains or 3 intelligences. Our gut is our own brain or intelligence in its own right, and it was the first one to form, so it really is critical how we fuel ourselves. Because 80 to 95% of our serotonin is produced in our gut. So if you’re not feeding yourself well and you’re stressed, it’s no wonder autoimmune diseases and other things happen. So you’re so right. By looking after yourself and fuelling yourself right, you can clean up some of that anxiety and depression, as well as many other things. It’s so important.
Rod: That’s exactly right. People listening to our conversation here today may be looking for a magic pill. But we know that is not the case. What can people do if they think it is to good to be true, what is something you could offer to say, “This is real, this is where it’s at, and we can make real change if we make a change in mindset and get onto a new path?”
Mandy: I’m happy to offer your clients—because I love what I do—if anybody is a bit skeptical, and hey there is nothing being a bit skeptical, or you think it’s too good to be true, give me a call, and we can have a short session, you can tell me, ask me a question, tell me what you’re having a problem with, and I will make sure that I help you with that on the call, whether it’s a mind technique, or asking you some questions. I’ll make sure you have something to take away with you and you can choose whether or not you want to work with me. I’ve got plenty of resources on my website, so you can DIY it or you can sample the work, and then people may choose to work with me one on one. There’s no quick fix but I’m pretty persistent. I used to do Ironman races, so I will stick with them every step of the way. Give me a call, no obligation, and I will help you with something.
Rod: That is terrific. Thank you for that offer Mandy I really appreciate it. You’ve got a swag of resources on your website there. But just give an overview of what you have there the different products you have and how it may be able to help people.
Mandy: The easiest thing to get going is people can sign up for a free e-book called, “Your Hidden Mind.” It’s got a few techniques and tells you a little bit about what’s going on in your mind. I sent out monthly mind tips and tools, I have a YouTube channel with short videos, and then on the product page, I’ve written a book called, “Creating Healthy Life Habits,” which is a step by step process to help you get started. I’ve got an online self-study course, where people get coaching from me online. You’ve got to have a little bit of self-motivation to do it, but it’s very inexpensive. Or people can choose to work one on one with me and although I have 6 and 12 month programs, I generally tailor those programs to suit the requirements of the clients. So I don’t have a one-size-fits-all. So I will tailor make a program you know a did a 6 session for every successful business person recently to focus on a particular aspect – confidence & public speaking. Hop onto the website, grab a copy of the free book, or give me a personal call.
Rod: That sounds great, Mandy. The products you have available there, as well as being able to tailor something suitable to the individual—I think it’s so important. There are so many things out there casting a broad brush over solving a range of different issues and problems with a fix but that’s not the case. We’re all so different in so many ways—our minds, our bodies, how we feel, all those things. So the tailor made package you put together would be very interesting.
Mandy: People need a step by step system or someone to help them implement the knowledge. You can Google everything or spend your day YouTubing, but people need the implementation. If I could just mention one last thing, a lot of people, men in their 40s and 50s, maybe they’ve put on a few kilos—I’m finally putting together all my expertise for mindset for sustainable weight loss to help people get off their rollercoaster. I’m aiming to have that program launched in January, but people have to have an exercise and eating program. My website is www.MindSetForSuccess.com.au. My name is Mandy Napier. You can e-mail me at Mandy@ MindSetForSuccess.com.au, or please feel free to pick the phone up and talk to me personally 0408-666-176. It would be my pleasure to chat.
Rod: Fantastic. Well done. At that point, I would like to wrap it up and thank you for your time today. We’ve covered some great stuff, you’ve given away some really great info, and I appreciate your time, and I hope to be in touch in the future.
Mandy: Thanks. That was great. I really appreciate it. And congratulations on your incredible journey. You are really an inspiration
Rod: Thanks very much Mandy.
For more information on Mandy visit http://www.mindsetforsuccess.com.au/
Keep in touch and see you out on the trails.
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About The Author
Rod Bucton, mountain bike fanatic from Mid North Coast, New South Wales Australia…discover the inside edge to become a more confident mountain bike rider and while you’re at it follow Rod on Facebook or Instagram.
Like any sport, bicycling involves risk of injury and damage. By choosing to ride a bicycle, you assume the responsibility for that risk, so you need to know — and to practice — the rules of safe and responsible riding and of proper use and maintenance. Proper use and maintenance of your bicycle reduces risk of injury.