Building a “Gym for Your Mind”: Exercising Your Brain with Chris Yonker

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Do you ever feel like you're stuck in a mental rut? That's exactly what renowned personal development expert Chris Yonker experienced before stumbling upon the concept of a Gym for Your Mind. But what he discovered through his own struggles was unexpected: by asking two fundamental questions, Who am I? and Why am I here?, he unlocked the power to co-create his own reality. Now, Chris has developed a unique approach to personal growth that puts purpose and intention at the core. Are you ready to transform your life and build a mindset that supports your vision? Keep reading to learn more.

"I help people get out of their suffering." - Chris Yonker

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About Our Guest:

Meet Chris Yonker, a visionary performance coach and mentor with years of experience helping people break free from their mental and emotional constraints to achieve lasting, positive transformations. As the founder of the Center for Conscious Living and Fulfillment, Chris has developed an innovative methodology that focuses on personal growth and transformation. He is also the author of Soul Intention: An Executive's Guide to Living a Life by Choice, not by Chance, which offers readers an insightful exploration of living an authentic, conscious life.

Reasons to Listen:

• Explore pathways to reach new heights in personal and career growth.
• Recognize the importance of aligning with core values for intentional living.
• Tap into the dynamics of family businesses and the obstacles they may encounter.
• Realize the essential nature of self-awareness in coaching scenarios and beyond.
• Cultivate a mindset that promotes sustainable and effective change in life.

Episode Highlights:

00:00:00 - Importance of Present Moment,

Chris emphasizes that spending more time in the present is crucial for love, connection and meaning. He believes that it is essential to plan and be intentional about where we spend our time and energy.

00:02:12 - Helping People Out of Suffering,

Chris explains that he helps people get out of their suffering, even though it is not something he markets. He says that his clients want a higher level of peace of mind so that they can enjoy their life at a higher level.

00:05:31 - COVID and Mortality and Change,

Chris observes that people don't usually talk about their mortality, and COVID has made people more aware of it. He believes that the pandemic has resulted in a reset, and people are valuing their life, health, and family more. He has noticed that people are willing to make changes in their lives.

00:09:41 - Looking Inward and Finding Core Values,

Tim and Chris discuss how the pandemic has made people look inward and find their core values, rather than living superficial lives. They emphasize the importance of understanding and answering the question of "who am I?" and "what is my purpose?" to live intentionally.

00:12:28 - Illusions of Identity and Language,

Chris talks about the two questions he asks his clients: "Who am I?" and "What is my purpose?" He believes these questions are illusions because most people answer with a label, job title, or role they play

00:14:36 - Relationship with Something Beyond Ourselves,

Chris discusses chapter three of his book, which explores the idea of a relationship with something beyond ourselves. He shares examples of how exploring this relationship has helped some of his clients shift their lives and overcome trauma from their past.

00:21:08 - Privately Held Family Business,

Chris explains that his primary niche is privately held family businesses, which make up about 75% of his work. He contrasts these businesses with Corporate America, where decisions are often driven by the bottom line and quarterly objectives, and explains that family businesses often prioritize values like caring for employees and making a positive impact on the world.

00:23:50 - Differences in Business Structures,

Chris explores the differences between privately held family businesses, publicly held companies, and private equity firms. He notes that publicly held companies and private equity firms often prioritize the bottom line and stock performance, while family businesses often prioritize values like caring for employees and making a positive impact on the world.

00:25:59 - Impact of Work,

Tim and Chris discuss their experiences working in Corporate America and how it can be more difficult to have a meaningful impact on clients and the world. They both emphasize that they prioritize making a positive impact with their work, and that this is often easier to do when working with privately held family businesses.

00:27:23 - Prioritizing Values,

Chris shares an example of how he prioritized his employees during the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing paying them while he took no pay.

00:28:53 - The Complications of Family Dynamics in Business,

Chris discusses the complexity of family and business relationships and how dysfunction in one can impact the other. He highlights the importance of addressing conflicts and challenging beliefs and narratives that may no longer serve the family business.

00:31:10 - The Importance of Loyalty in Family Businesses,

Chris and Tim discuss the idea of loyalty in family businesses. Chris emphasizes the need to question what one is loyal to and the importance of creating new narratives and beliefs that serve the family business's long-term goals.

00:33:59 - Creating Space for Mindful Practices,

Chris emphasizes the importance of creating space in one's schedule to engage in mindful practices such as meditation, breathwork, and exercise. He suggests starting with small increments of time and gradually building up to create a new habit.

00:38:50 - The Catalysts for Personal Growth,

Chris shares his personal journey towards personal development and growth. He opens up about his difficult upbringing and how his pursuit of personal development helped him overcome his self-doubts and transform his life.

00:40:42 - The Power of Coaching for Personal Growth,

Chris discusses the importance of hiring coaches to help in personal development. He emphasizes the value of having someone to guide and challenge one's beliefs and help them overcome their limitations.

00:42:46 - Finding Your Purpose,

Chris Yonker emphasizes the importance of finding one's purpose and journey in life. He believes that having self-awareness and identifying one's core values are essential for personal transformation. Working with a coach or mentor can help individuals identify and address their blind spots and develop self-awareness.

00:44:05 - Redefining Success,

Yonker and Winders discuss how success can be defined differently for different individuals. They mention the importance of being able to live the lifestyle one wants, such as spending time with loved ones or traveling. Yonker believes that being intentional and investing in oneself can help overcome the pain associated with spending money or time.

00:48:28 - The Value of Coaching,

Yonker believes that working with a coach or mentor is essential for personal growth and transformation. Coaches can help individuals develop self-awareness, address their blind spots, and navigate their path in life. However, it is important to work with an experienced and conscious coach who can avoid projecting their own worldview onto their clients.

00:51:18 - Time and Perception,

Yonker discusses how time is a human construct, used for measurement and planning. He believes that emotions are contextualized by time and that being present in the moment is important for finding meaning and connection. Yonker recommends being intentional and investing time in being present with loved ones and pursuing one's passions.

00:53:48 - How to Connect with Chris Yonker,

ChrisYonker.com

00:55:49 - The Value of Thought-Provoking Content,

The host wraps up the episode by highlighting the importance of thought-provoking content that challenges individuals to think critically and expand their perspectives. He encourages listeners to follow and subscribe to Chris Yonker's podcast for more insightful conversations.

00:56:00 - Weekly Episodes and Final Thoughts,

The host reminds listeners that new episodes are released every Monday and encourages them to follow the podcast. Tim ends the episode by urging listeners to continue being true to themselves and fulfilling their potential.

Key Lessons:

• Understanding the beliefs and narratives of a family business is crucial to working effectively with them.
• Having a mentor or coach can help individuals identify their blind spots and drive transformation.
• Success is relative and it's important to have perspective and understand that there is a bigger picture.
• The pandemic has forced people to slow down and reflect on their priorities and make changes in their personal and business lives.
• Creating space and intentionally blocking out time for things like self-care and family time is important for achievers who tend to over-schedule.
• Incorporating spirituality and exploring a relationship with something beyond oneself can help individuals find fulfillment and purpose in life.

Resources & Action Steps:

• Visit Chris' website to learn more about his coaching services.
• Check out The Secret Thoughts of CEO's podcast.
• Purchase Chris Yonker's book, Soul Intention: An Executive's Guide to Living a Life by Choice, Not by Chance.
• Consider working with Chris Yonker to gain insights into how you can create lasting, positive change in your life.
• Sit with the questions Who am I? and Why am I here? to gain a deeper understanding of your core values and purpose.
• Explore the hierarchy of fulfillment, with spirituality as the foundation, to identify areas in your life where you can find greater fulfillment.
• Make intentional choices about how you spend your time and prioritize the things that bring you meaning and connection.
• Be open to revising your perspective on life's big questions as you gain new insights and experiences.

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