How do you become limitless in a limited world?
Jim Kwik is a world-renowned brain coach and a best-selling author, Limitless. He is the founder of Kwik Learning and a widely recognized world expert in speed-reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning. For two decades, he has served as the mental coach to students, seniors, entrepreneurs, and educators, and as an advisor to many of the world’s leading CEOs and celebrities. Jim is the Host of the podcast Kwik Brain, which has over 2 million downloads and is consistently a Top 10 Podcast in the world in the Education category.
Below is our edited transcript of Jim Kwik’s talk, “The Attitude of Gratitude,” at the Imagine Talks Annual Symposium.
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The World-Renowned Brain Coach— Jim Kwik
Francis Kong: Hello, Jim, how are you doing?
Jim Kwik: I’m doing fantastic, Francis. Thank you for having me.
Francis Kong: Oh, my God, no, thank you so much for joining us. It’s been absolutely such an honor to have you here. Such a big fan of all your work, your videos, your programs, your books. So thank you for being part of Imagine Talks 2021. You’re really a breath of fresh air for us as we move into literally the new decade.
And I really believe that we can only go up from where we are right now. So I have so many questions for you. And a lot of these are my own personal questions, but also some that we collected in the community. But this is almost like my own personal question because you have a kindred spirit with me in terms that I love reading comic books, especially before I go to sleep. That’s basically how I really just relax myself and comics have been with me since I was I can’t remember when I didn’t have comics in my life.
So my question to you is, who is your favorite superhero of all time and why is that superhero so special to you?
Jim Kwik’s Favorite Superhero of All Time
Jim Kwik: What a great question. Comic books, something you and I share in common. One of the reasons why is because I grew up with learning challenges and I had trouble. It took me three years longer to learn how to read after my brain injury at five years old. And I taught myself how to read by reading comic books late at night and something about the stories that one person can make a difference, that there’s hope and there’s real help brought it to life —the words.
My answer would be the same as I—It’s funny because one of my mentors was a gentleman by the name of Stan Lee, the creator of most superheroes, and I got to introduce him to another modern-day superhero because they wanted to meet over dinner —who’s Richard Branson? And I post his picture on Instagram. But in the car I asked him that same question as like, “Stan, you created Avengers, X-Men, and all of them. Who’s your favorite?” And he says, “Jim, it’s Iron Man.”
And I’m like, “wow, it’s one of my favorites.” It’s actually—that’s on my—even my phone. It’s on my laptop cover, everything. And he said, “Jim, who’s your favorite superhero?” And he had a big Spider-Man tie and I said, “Spider-Man.” And without a pause he says, “with great power comes great responsibility.” Right? It’s an iconic voice, and I still reverse things a little bit because of my traumatic brain injuries and learning difficulties.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility = With Great Responsibility Comes Great Power
Jim Kwik: And I heard something different. And I think our listeners could appreciate it. I heard something different said, “You’re right. With great power comes great responsibility.” And the opposite is also true. With great responsibility comes great power. When we take responsibility for something, we have great power to make things better. And he gave me this...people watching on video, I’m showing the top of my office here. I have a portrait...
Francis Kong: That’s great!
Sharing About the Late Stan Lee’s Passion
Jim Kwik: Made out of candy of Stan Lee with the Spider-Man background— the webs. He loves...he’s a big kid and he loved his candy that is made out of like all different kinds of candy. But it was original. I put it in my office just as a constant reminder that age is a state of mind that we should always play. He had two passions in his life. He loved going to work still— nine to five, Monday to Friday — because he loved telling stories.
That was his passion and his other passion was his wife. And I really respect and admire that and so I know you talk a lot about mentorship and so that’s for me. But Spider-Man and the reason why is, growing up, he was one of the first superheroes I read about, and it was maybe — I was in New York and he was in New York — but he was also bullied and he was misunderstood, he had challenges and he had lost his parents.
He was orphaned, you know, and but he still did the hard thing. He had this responsibility to make—to do good. And I related with that, those aspects.
Francis Kong: Wow! I couldn’t agree more. Iron-Man and Spider-Man definitely—very very hot there. I think for me over the years it shifted, but I think for me it always comes back now to Professor X: he had to play the role of mentor, and he plays that role, and that he’s first and foremost a mentor, and second, a hero.
Finding Inspiration From Comic Books
Jim Kwik: Yeah, [I] love that. Some people who read Limitless know my story of trying to find the X-Men school because I grew up with my parents. They immigrated to United States and we ended up being right outside the city—New York City. And when I found out reading the comic books, that the X-Men school, it was really interesting because they’re mutants, right? They didn’t fit in. And I felt like I didn’t fit in with my, you know, I was one of two Asians in our school system, and the other one, Roger —
Roger Lee, one year older, he was valedictorian, he was headed to debate team, he was out of the math team [and] he missed one answer on his SATs. So he was upset. He took it again to get a perfect score. So it kind of set a perception. And then I come afterward and I was on the opposite side of the bell curve. But, you know, so I was bullied and I was saying I had these challenges and some a lot of people could relate to.
But I found myself pouring myself in my imagination and comic books. I mean, I found out the X-Men, they were like the same. They weren’t the strongest, but you know, they didn’t fit in. They were mutants, they were marginalized—not understood. And I could relate to that and I found out the X-Men school was in the—it was in Westchester, New York—my neighborhood, and so on the weekends, I would get on my bicycle when I was like nine years old and I would try to find the school because I wanted to run away and just to find my superpowers—I want to find my Superfriends and so, I could appreciate the mentorship of Professor Xavier, Professor X, and Charles Xavier, and he is a real icon. It’s hard to name which our favorite, but the X-Men are near dear to my heart.
Francis Kong: Yeah, absolutely. Those...I don’t know how Marvel does it but Marvel really...I love DC as well, too. That Marvel really knows how to write in the human factor so well into their universe that, right?
Jim Kwik: Superman, for me, is just—it’s easy to be courageous when you’re bulletproof and you’re everything but somebody who’s not. And that’s why I like in DC, I like Batman. Batman. He—again, it’s interesting. A lot of the ones that we admire had the most adversity, like most of them are orphans, like the big Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Spider-Man, Iron Man.
Jim Kwik: You know, they had very challenging and through challenge and change, through struggles, they found strength.
What Defines Jim Kwik as a Superhero?
Francis Kong: Exactly. And exactly that’s the reason why your story is so inspiring is through your challenge. Not only did you not let it define you, you saw beyond it. And now you are actually touching others, not just because of it, but despite it. And you turned it into a book like they did. So which defines you as a superhero, Jim?
Jim Kwik: Yeah, I appreciate that. I mean, I think we all have that potential to take our struggles and turn into strengths or superpowers. My two biggest challenges growing up were learning, and I was labeled broken. And these challenges of public speaking was a challenge, too, because when you feel like you’re not enough or there’s something wrong with you, you don’t really—you’re not going to want to the spotlight. And my superpower really was being invincible—I would hide behind the tall kid in class.
I didn’t want to be called on. I don’t want to be seen, I was shrinking down all the time, so I was getting small. But it’s interesting, the universe has a sense of humor because my two biggest challenges became my two biggest strengths. All I do is public speak on this thing called “learning.”
Francis Kong: (Inaudible)
Jim Kwik: I think my message for everybody is that adversity, your adversity could be an advantage to a lot of things. I grew up that was—I was a little bit of maybe I even had some shame around, you know, coming here, not having money or speak the language or just my learning difficulties or fear of public speaking or this stuff is these things I’m really most proud of today.
Francis Kong: Absolutely. And it shows and I could go on on this topic with you forever, it seems like, with so many other questions. I want to ask you and talk. OK, so based on all that stuff that we’re now learning about your philosophy and also some of the missions you have. Obviously, this year, is the year like no other...and probably most of the people who have been alive at this point, right? Anyone who has experienced this is probably along there from the flu of 1918.
And now we’re experiencing a whole another, I guess, phenomenon again in this most recent period of our time. Now, you have such a good, strong, very disciplined morning routine. I know that I’ve watched some videos and I heard that you also meditate. You have great reading. You exercise every day. Has 2020...it has changed for everybody, but for you, what are some significant changes in your morning routine that you’ve taken on and adapted because of 2020?
And has that been a hindrance, or adds as a enhancement of how you are now focused on reaching your life goals anyways?
Jim Kwik: That’s such a great question. And I’m curious. I would love to see people who are listening to post their answers to this question also, as well as I’d like to, I’d like to hear how everyone else is doing. In Limitless—in my book, I have a quote from a French philosopher. He says, Life is the “C” between B and D. Life is a “C” between B and D. B stands for birth.
D stands for death. And “C”—life choice. And I really do believe that these difficult times, they could define us, these difficult times can diminish us or these difficult times can develop us. Ultimately, we decide with the choices we make every single day. And so it’s certainly been a trying time for so many of us and as I think about it, I feel like that this was the year that a lot of people started 2020 because it’s 2020, 20/20 vision, and vision through your life and they thought it was going to be the year that they would get everything they wanted. And I think this ended up being the year we appreciate the things that we have and I always go to gratitude and the power of gratitude on our brains and how it requires our brains for peace and productivity and greater performance.
The Butterfly as a Symbol of Transformation
Jim Kwik: And here’s the thing for me. It’s certainly changed a lot from you know, the metaphor I’m using. And I would invite everyone to embrace it or at least maybe reflect on it. Is that of a butterfly, a butterfly, as the ultimate symbol of transformation. And it feels like we’re going through a life cycle. And while the caterpillar feels like it’s the end of the world, it becomes that butterfly. But while the beauty is in the butterfly, the growth actually happens in the cocoon. It’s that willingness for and the desire for that caterpillar to be more that it develops. The strength that soared to new heights and become that amazing, beautiful creature.
And speaking about a butterfly, we feel like we’re cocooning and we’re cocooning, we’re alone with our thoughts, you know, physically distancing our self where we might be feeling alone. We’re alone with our doubts and our fears. And so it’s a trying time. People don’t know if they’re working from home or they’re living at work. And it’s confusing. Days are blending together. And one of the reasons from a memory standpoint is we don’t have those same outstanding situations, but we’re going out for dinners or going to plays or going to concerts or comedy clubs that are just out and about.
Jim Kwik: So things we don’t— people don’t know what days they’re on and so, you know, it’s very concerning and the amounts of what’s going on with mental health, of feeling alone, it’s an epidemic to our mental health, and so that being said, for me, it was trying personally with some family and friends and such people who are suffering and struggling, especially with their health physically and mentally. But also for me, out of work-wise, we launched a book, my very first book in 29 years.
And I didn’t know they asked—my publisher said, “Should we delay it?” And, you know, because everything going on, I was like, no, this book is more than a book on speed reading and remembering names and learning languages. This is a book about managing your mind in times of crisis. It’s about how to regain your focus, your flow when you’re working from home. How do you support your kids if they’re in and out of school? How do you learn a new skill or subject rapidly if you’ve lost your job?
And so I believe, for me, you control the control levels. You always control what you can control. And for me, it’s really...I had to double down on my structure. When you’re forced to work from home and you’re not traveling, you need consistency. And the brain loves human consistency in terms of your sleep, in terms of knowing when you’re eating. For me, I talk a lot about my morning routine — things I do in the morning to really get my mind right.
So I’m not reacting to everything. So little things to give you control, like making your bed seem so simple. But the brain loves a clean environment and you train yourself to be excellent making that bed. And you might think it’s minor, but then you take that excellence into other things in your life, because how you do anything is how you do everything. Challenging yourself to do little things in the morning. Like instead of checking your phone — which I know we all do when we have a habit of doing — because those platforms are designed and when you’re in the mecca of social media and online mobile.
But it’s a challenge and re-wires our brain to be distracted with every ring-ding-ping, like, share [and] comment. It’s wiring our brain just be distracted and wonder why we can’t study well, because your mind going somewhere, I have a conversation on Zoom without your intention have to going somewhere else, or it’s also rewiring our brains and sometimes our devices to being reactive, where we’re just fighting fires and we're just responding to things out of just like being a thermometer as opposed to being thermostat and setting and leading.
Jim Kwik: And so for me, I don’t touch my phone in the first 30 minutes. And for me, it just became honestly kind of sad. And I think it’s important to know what’s going on. But your mind has an algorithm like Instagram does that if you just watch all the cat videos and like and cherish the cat videos, it shows you more of it. That’s the algorithm. Whatever you engage with, the more of that grows, just looking at everything gloom and doom and threatening and scary, your brains are still looking for that and you start training your brain and the challenges since you don’t have the bandwidth to focus on possibility, on opportunity, on things you could even be grateful for.
Right now so as well. So, the answer to your questions, a long-winded but for me, yes, all the external things are going on and I control what I can control. And that’s what I—that’s my mindset. That's my motivation. That’s the things that I do every day. My methods that I employ to learning [and] to lead. So I would say that to set a structure for yourself and that structure should also have some kind of gratitude in whatever gratitude is for you.
It might be a prayer, it might be having a gratitude journal. But I think gratitude again, it just being grateful is a wonderful place to start for your brain to thrive, you know, because how are you going to go out there and achieve success and accomplish things if you don’t appreciate what you already have and what you appreciate, tends to appreciate, tends to grow. And so, a lot of my thing is to get out. And gratitude is the antidote to fear, chronic stress.
It shrinks our brain, chronic fear. It suppresses our immune system. There’s a whole area of science called psychoneuroimmunology, where chronic fear can make you more susceptible to colds, flus, the viruses. And I think the antidote to fear is gratitude. And so you know a lot of that. That’s a lot of my focus.
What Has 2020 Revealed About Jim Kwik And The People Around Him?
Francis Kong: Wow. I love that —I love the simplest thing you’ve said is control was controllable. I think that...for me that’s the core takeaway I’m going from your answer and that makes the most sense to me. So leading up from that again, we're talking about 2020, because it's such for all the purposes, the word unprecedented year. Have you learned anything about yourself in this year that you did not discover from 2019 and before? And also have you learned anything about your community and how do you define that also was not visible or you didn't know about? Because 2020, like, what has 2020 has revealed both about yourself and the people around you?
Jim Kwik: I really do believe— I mean, a big lesson, if I was to sum up the word, a couple of words for 2020: I’m amazed how resilient people are. Resilience to something that many great people have is tremendous that they can...anyone who is struggling right now — I’m talking to you— is just... acknowledge how far you’ve come, you know, like part of self-care. Even brain care is falling in love with that person in the mirror, who’s been through so much, but is still standing.
You know, that you honor the people around you and you inspire the people around you with your grit and your grace, whether they acknowledge it or not. And so, I think I’m amazed at how limitless our ability is to be able to come together, our ability to be able to persevere. And sometimes, we don’t know until we are tested that we put pressures on ourselves internally or from external of the world, you know, in terms of what we could really survive and thrive under.
Because, again, for those whose struggling, listening to this, I know it’s... it could be tough, but you remember that time where you thought you couldn’t survive. My response is, well, you did. If you’re listening to this and you will continue to do that because you are stronger than you think you are. And so my big lesson is that human beings have the incredible capacity to be able to persevere and to move on in spite of adversity.
And that’s the superhero way, right? You know, the hero’s journey is you go in this world from the ordinary to a world that’s extraordinary. Where you have to fight dragons and you have to level up your skills and your discipline and your self-belief and your faith in yourself and in others. And that’s when you get that prize, right? That elixir, that treasure elixir. And then when you do, you use that elixir to be able to go back into that world to make...to help other people realize their potential.
Because I think we’re all right now on a journey. We’re on this journey right now to realize and reveal our fullest potential when people heard of my title, Limitless. Limitless is not about being perfect. Limitless is about advancing and progressing beyond what you believe is possible. And we all, we all could do, we could all be more and do more and even have more. It’s just sometimes we’re not pushed. And so I think resilience, grit, grace, these are words that I’m thinking about 2020.
How Do You Become Limitless in a Limited World?
Jim Kwik: And to take those learnings and that wisdom in that experience and use it to fuel you through every single day to have in your life. And so I’m just...I’m amazed at how limitless people are. People ask, like, you know, like in that proverb that says if you want to go faster, go alone. If you want to go further, go together. Because I get a question all the time saying, how do you become limitless in a limited world?
Well, the answer is very simple. The way to become limitless in a limited world is we do it together. We do it through community. There’s no limit to our ability to solve these problems, here’s no limit to our creativity, there’s no limit to human imagination, there’s no limit to human determination. There’s no limit to our ability to come together as a community, to be able to elevate ourselves to be able to not shrink our dreams, to meet this current situation.
Do not—I think it’s a big mistake. I think a lot of people right now are shrinking their dreams to meet this current situation. I think what we need to be doing is not shrink our dreams. Don’t downgrade your dreams to meet this current situation. Upgrade your faith, upgrade your discipline, upgrade your skillset— you know— upgrade your capabilities to be able to meet your dreams. And so that’s what I would say right now.
Jim Kwik’s Biggest Lesson
Jim Kwik: My biggest lesson right now is I’m just inspired by what humans can endure and what they could do for each other and show up for each other. And for me, that's the superhero way. A superhero doesn’t just have superpowers. Yes, they discover their superpowers. Yes, they develop their superpowers. But just having superpowers doesn’t make you a superhero: you have to use that power for purpose. And so I’m amazed that people be able to come together, you know, in spite of —and while we are different, remarkably, we are more the same than we are different. And in spite of everything that’s going on.
Francis Kong: Well, I love that. Such a powerful answer. And I agree, you couldn’t have sent a better time to have your book out than the now, like, I think that’s literally like for so many people I know people with mine that would have been almost a month and a lifetime for them. That kind of book exactly that you put out there has helped them get some sort of anchor, some sort of reference point that they could hold onto.
Jim Kwik: And I appreciate that for you saying that. A lot of people buy multiple copies, one keep in there where they work and one by their bedside. But even if they’re not reading it, yes, it has all these things will be more productive. The best brain foods that optimize your sleep, how to lead your team to build learning organizations, and speed read and remember names and all these things is very tactical. But it’s also a title limit that shows people what they’re capable of.
It’s a reminder that we live in the millennium of the minds. Your brain controls everything, yet it doesn’t come with an owner’s manual. Yet we upgrade our phones and our apps more than we upgrade the most important technology, which is the human mind. And so I title that Limitless as a reminder to show people really what they’re capable of, because most people shrink what’s possible to fit their mind when they should be expanding their mind to fit what’s possible. And so, having that title, even just having it there, it just reminds you of how powerful you really are and how you could use that power for real purpose.
Francis Kong: I love that. I love that. I love the fact that you said we shouldn’t be trying to fit what we have in here, but expanding this to basically comment what is out there. So riffing off of that I want to expand that question even further now. From a global perspective, what do you envision or hope that we as a human race — America, China, Russia, Africa, the whole whole world — because this is literally a global phenomenon here — what do you hope the whole world can learn from this as a whole going forward in 2020 as a species?
Jim Kwik: My answer for that would be, and I’m curious again, what everyone else would please tag me as you post your answers or take a screenshot of this conversation and post and tag us both, and I’d love to know everyone has answers to these so many of these great questions, because these aren’t questions I usually—you get and people— for people who want to learn about the speed and memory, they could just listen to our podcast and there’s no advertising or sponsors.
You just listen to it to get the tactical stuff. And I love the philosophy because I think it all begins with philosophy and attitude and mindset before the methods in terms of what I hope my hope that we as a global community get out of this is a little over a year ago, I spoke at the United Nations and it was the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing. It was on...which happened in July 20th, 1969 and I spoke with all of these astronauts on stage from all over all over the world.
And it was interesting because I spoke about moonshot thinking and changing your beliefs to think what’s what else is possible. Right. To be able to reach these goals, to be able to solve these challenges that the UN has taken on in the area of water and education and poverty, and so on. And it was a [wonder].
I enjoy that event when the...my take away was — ... my answer for this — is these individuals, men, and women who have been out in space, they describe their experience when we were talking backstage and everything, or even on the sense of oneness that when they left the Earth’s atmosphere and looking back at the Earth. There were no borders, there were no boundaries, none of these manmade constraints. And they had...they talked about this emotional, almost spiritual experience that’s called the Overview Effect, the Overview Effect that we are really on Spaceship Earth together and we are connected and we know we’re connected because, you know, as viruses are contagious and fear is contagious, we are connected.
And but you know what else is also contagious? Wisdom, consciousness, caring and compassion and kindness is also contagious and it spreads. And so, you know, I would hope that everyone sees from this that we are connected, obviously, that we’re all experiencing a similar phenomenon because we are all connected. And that sense of oneness is that, you know, that when we hurt somebody, we’re also hurting ourselves. You know, and my hope here is that the people I really wish people could put on V.R. or then can see something from, like, the International Space Station, and all leaders could actually experience like what it’s like to look and have that same kind of effect, looking at our planet, you know, and see like this sense of oneness.
Team Stands For “Together Everyone Achieves More”
Jim Kwik: That we work together in unity and, you know, and use our differences, which are not bad, you know, use those differences as our superpowers like you. It’d be kind of boring if the Avengers overall just strong like the Hulk, they are all just smart, like Iron Man, right. That we all have a different role to play, but we can come together. It’s the ultimate team, and it’s kind of corny acronym. But team stands for “Together Everyone Achieves More.” And I feel like we could work together is better for sure.
And so I would say that sense of oneness, a sense of unity, that overview effect that astronauts have, I would say like this is positive proof that we’re all connected, you know, viruses in ... fear. But also, it’s just we could use that and create a Butterfly Effect. Butterfly Effect is that if a butterfly flaps its wings in San Francisco, it could create a tsunami of change across the globe. And I would say that, you know, what are the little things that we could do that could create that butterfly effect, that could affect the cosmos?
Francis Kong: I love that. And to hazard the analogy, my geek—my hit was it took that whole—the death of that Agent Coulson and the invasion to bring them together in a movie. So they actually came together from all these different backgrounds. And only then they act as a team, I’m hoping what you said is true, that this...and then they can help us break those borders and we come together and become an actual global team, just like you said.
I hope, I hope —I pray that is how 2021 onward goes. And I love that vision of yours. Fantastic!
What does Jim Kwik look for in a mentor?
Francis Kong: Last couple of questions: I am again, very, very curious that now you’re obviously a mentor, a role model, a leader now. That everyone who starts off, who plays that role also has to start off at some point when they were a student. What do you look for in your mentors, people who inspire you, your role models?
Jim Kwik: Such a great, thoughtful question. I believe having a mentor is the fastest way. To fast track our success and happiness, to have somebody who’s done and kind of walk that path and can share their wisdom and experience, I spent a lot of time even previous to this and with seniors in senior centers. And part of it is to help polish off their memories because that’s what I do. But also just to learn through. I think everyone can be our teacher.
Everyone can be our teacher, you know, and you know, and in my household, we always taught to revere our elders and how that I love, almost reverence and respect where we can learn so much and so I believe the life we live and the lessons we teach, the life we live are the lessons we teach and you and I were talking about near-death experiences. You know, for me, I had one right before this book, because people say, “Why did you wait three decades, twenty-nine years to write a book, after teaching for twenty-nine years and being a mentor to so many people?”
I, I had an accident previous to this that I almost died and it made me think about legacy and what I leave behind. And that’s when I signed the book contract the next day because I’ve always had that option for a decade. And so my answer for, you know, which is a powerful question for mentor, is I have mentors. I interview most of them on my podcast. So I have a mentor to help me with my mindset, with my movement, like a movement coach, if you will.
I have a voice coach because I think the greatest people out there, they all have a coach, you know, me— can be mind coach or a brain coach. To some notables, it’s, I look for the same thing that I would hope they’re looking in to be. I’m looking for competence and I’ll make them all C’s so everyone could remember them easily. “Competence,” because you want somebody who’s a world-class, you know, I mean, good at what they’re doing.
They know what they’re doing. They’ve gone down this road. They’ve learned it through education or experience. The second “C” I would look for as a mentor, is “character,” you know, because somebody, you know, they can be competent here, but they don’t have a lot of character integrity. So I—or somebody can have a lot of character, but they don’t have the competence. So that would be a great formula for a mentor. But if somebody has competence here in their mind, they have character in their heart.
Jim Kwik: And I would always say a couple more is “consciousness.” For me, this is the third “C” I recently added, meaning that for me, the vibe that I love being around people who it’s yes, they’re experts here in their mind and they have character, but they also have consciousness, not metaphysical. But more of a...they want to make a difference. They know and they realize it’s not just about themselves, you know, that they could go. And just like everything in nature grows and also gives back.
Right. And to, you know, to the ecology and the ecosystem. And I would say that, you know, that part of this idea, again, that we’re a team and it’s about we not always me. So I look for those kind of characteristics and a mentor, someone who is competent, you know, in that area that I’m seeking to advance and somebody who is a lot of character and integrity. And then, somebody who is conscious also.
Francis Kong: I love that. I’d definitely remember that. So, competence, character, and consciousness. I love those C. When I look for team members and mentors myself, I also have three criteria is — I like yours better because it’s easier to remember. Mine is very equal to yours. Mine is “intelligence,” which echoes competence. The other one’s “integrity,” which echoes character. And I think the third one could probably echo consciousness— it’s “maturity.” How you deal with essentially everything around you in a mature way.
Jim Kwik: And I think that that’s very conscious and I think that comes through experience, a level of maturity.
And part of that wisdom that comes out of that is understanding that it’s part of it is just, you know, they were doing more good than we are. And we could do it more together for sure. I love that.
Jim Kwik’s Call to Action
Francis Kong: Thank you. I’m definitely incorporating yours as well, too. And my last question for you before we close out is, as we come to the end of this crazy year and the start of the new year — 2021, what is one challenge you want to give to everyone listening here to give them that ‘call to action’ of how they can move forward from this point onward.
Jim Kwik: I’ll give everyone one. And I encourage everyone to actually—because I love feedback. That’s why I’m asking people to post this and tag us both in it so I can see their answers. I want to see what people respond with. If it’s OK, I’ll give two quick ones, I think. And I did this sense of story with Will Smith, who was kind enough to give the cover quote for my book and I ask, “What are the two things? What are some...what do you do to keep your brain alive and active? And just how do you just, like win?” And he’s like, “Jim, I have to do two things every day. I run and I read, you know, I have to do something physical every day and I have to do something mental every day.”
So, I challenge everybody to sit and realize that your brain is like a muscle. It’s ‘use it or lose it.’ I have that on my shirt for those of you who are....
Francis Kong: Oh wow. I love it!
A Trained Brain Vs. An Untrained Brain
Jim Kwik: Because I feel like we have to be...sometimes we get a little lazy physically and we get lazy mentally. And there’s no such thing as a good or bad memory or brain or focus. There’s just a trained brain and an untrained brain and when you’re more mentally fit, you will remember the things that you need to do, and then you’ll be able to get through the overload and be able to focus when you need to in spite of distractions.
And you’ll be able to critically think and solve problems and be creative and concentrate. And so that my message to everyone is to challenge them, challenge yourself physically and mentally each day, because your brain is like a muscle. It thrives on novelty and nutrition, and just like your body does, you give it exercise— novelty and then you feed it good foods while you can do the same thing for your brain.
Do You Appreciate What You Already Have?
The second thing I would just add as a secondary challenge is what we talked about today about gratitude, taking time throughout the day just to, just to appreciate what you already have, because what you appreciate appreciates.
And if you’re having trouble with that, just here’s a thought experiment. What if the only things you had in your life tomorrow were the things you expressed gratitude for today? What if the only things you had in your life tomorrow, the people, the opportunities, your health, everything, or the things that you expressed gratitude for today? Because I did a Thanksgiving episode on our podcast, How Gratitude Rewires Your Brain, and form ways to get into appreciation and how it really primes you for prosperity, rewires you for performance, gives you a sense of positivity and peace of mind.
I would recommend everyone listen to that. But I would say is: you don’t have to wait for a greater life to be grateful. Be grateful and you’ll have a greater life. You do not have to wait for a greater life to be grateful. Be grateful, and you’ll have a greater life. So challenge everybody in the upcoming decade as we’re going on this journey through, you know, Spaceship Earth around the sun. Again, what I would say is to make the most out of this year come from that place of gratitude and give them.
Because if you want to feel wealthy, you know, take time to list all the things you have that money can’t buy, you know, and then and then start from there, gratitude in your heart, gratitude is your heart’s way of remembering things.
Are You Physically and Mentally Fit?
Francis Kong: I love that. So I’m going to live 2021 in honor with that. Physical and mental—each and every day. Just remind me and myself of how thankful I am with my brain and my body and making sure that I am always constantly aware of my attitude of gratitude.
Jim Kwik: Yeah. I love that.
Francis Kong: Thank you. We have to finish this up, that’s all the time we have. But again, thank you so much, Jim. This is such an honor and a privilege to be here on Zoom with you.
And thank you for all the gifts and your new superpowers and the mission impact and the example you set for the community. I can’t thank you so much. I can’t thank you enough.
Jim Kwik: Thank you and I appreciate you. And not only what you do, but the manner you do it. And thank you to everyone who is listening. My biggest challenge for everybody is take one step, you know, take one step. You don’t have to do everything, just do one new thing, one step in a new direction, and completely change your destination. You know, in your life that, again, these difficult times, they could define you, diminish you or they could develop you —we decide.
And so if I...and I encourage people to follow us on social media, @JimKwik, and share. I want to see your answers to these great questions about what you look for in a mentor. What your 2020 is like, what your big learning lesson from there? And also there are all the links for what we talked about is in my profile on Facebook and Instagram. We have a free speed reading class there. We have links to our podcast.
And so if people want to go on this journey of mental fitness can become a mental superhero, that’s the best place because your life is like an egg that if an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. But if it is broken by an inside force, life begins and the great things begin on the inside. And everyone, if they’re listening to this, they have greatness inside of them. They have genius inside of them. And this new decade, this is the time to let it out. So let’s do it.
Francis Kong: I love that. Thank you and we’re going to make sure all those things are down below in the comments section for everyone to follow up along. And thank you again so much. I can’t wait to hopefully be able to engage with you in person someday, but in the meantime have yourself a wonderful 2021 and I hope to see you and more events, and thank you for, again, for doing all the amazing things you do for us. Thank you so much, Jim.
Jim Kwik: Thank you.
Francis Kong: Thank you.
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