Bringing Amazingness to Sioux City: The Power of the Mind and Mastery

This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to bring the AMAZINGNESS to a fantastic private event in Sioux City, Iowa!

In addition to the standard amazingness you’ve come to expect, I captivated the audience with visual metaphors—because let’s face it, people listen best when they can see the story unfold. My message was clear: with the right mindset, we can all view the world as a call to adventure!

The Power of the Mind: Shaping Reality

The focus of my performance was on the power of the mind when consciously observed and how it shapes our reality. We all battle that inner critic—the nagging voice that questions our abilities and tries to distract us by dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. But here’s the truth: the only moment that truly matters is the NOW!

Silencing the Inner Critic with Physical Progress

The key to quieting that critical voice lies in seeing progress toward a physical goal. Over the years, my interests have evolved from archery to BMX, skateboards to martial arts, magic, and countless other skills. The common thread? My goal has always been to align my mind and body to unlock new abilities.

Whether it’s something as simple as rolling a coin across my fingers or as complex as mastering a 360 Kickflip (still working on that one!), the process is the same. At first, these skills seem daunting, sometimes even impossible. But with time and repetition, you begin to build a part of your brain that handles that specific skill. The neural pathways start to connect, and before you know it—you get better!

The Importance of Failure: Building a “Motor” for Success
But here’s the thing—you have to fail. A LOT.

Each failure teaches your brain how NOT to do it. This negative information is processed throughout the day and, crucially, during sleep. The next day, you improve a little more, and the day after that, even more. You’re essentially building a “motor” in your brain designed to handle that specific skill.

Overcoming the Plateau: Leveling Up

So, what happens once you’ve built that mechanism and the skill is on autopilot? It becomes so easy that, as the saying goes, you can do it without thinking about it. That’s when you hit a plateau. And guess who shows up? That sneaky inner critic, ready to distract you with worries and doubts.

But don’t worry—that’s your cue to start leveling up! Ask yourself: What’s the next step on the ladder of difficulty? It’s time to put your inner critic to work, forcing them to put in the reps. Remember, grinding is represented by the spades archetype. In every adversity, there’s an equal seed of opportunity! Leverage that inner critic and make them work for you.

Embrace Your Uniqueness: Follow Your WeIrDnEsS!
It doesn’t matter what skill or discipline you choose—whether it’s dancing, throwing darts, mastering an instrument, or martial arts—what truly matters is showing up every day and focusing. Focus is the foundation of learning, and by dedicating yourself to a skill daily, you keep the inner critic too busy to interfere.

The more you focus, the more you grow, and as you grow, that critical voice transforms into a creative force within your art form. Nietzsche’s Three Metamorphoses concept, anyone?

Wrapping Up: The Amazing Sioux City Experience
Sioux City, you were an incredible crowd! I’m already looking forward to returning and AMAZE-ing you all over again!