In short
The episode argues that habits shape identity and outcomes, and that “positive habits” can create exponential improvement. It also stresses removing “worst habits,” using simple, enjoyable habits that stick, and using mindset practices (thought control, encouragement, visualization, gratitude walks, smiling, silence/stillness). Notable examples include squatting “like a child,” walking after meals (5–10 minutes), morning sunlight, reducing/eliminating drinking, and “habit before the habit” (laying out shoes/clothes, placing books on the bed).
Key claims
negative thoughts aren’t chosen; you can control the “second thought.” Focus determines what you see (“look for blue cars”). Recovery is essential; soreness is acceptable if you recover.
Guests
Jon Gordon (author of 32 books, Cornell grad, Emory master’s in teaching; principles tested with Fortune 500s, sports teams, hospitals, nonprofits). His clients include Los Angeles Dodgers/Rams, Campbell Soup, Dell, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat. He also shares personal background: wife nearly left him due to negativity; he built habits via a positive tip newsletter starting in 2002.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOThe Power of Habits
0:10 to 0:39
Understanding how habits shape our lives and the potential for change.
“What if I told you that your life is a result of your habits?”
Why Habits Matter
1:53 to 2:52
John Gordon discusses the significance of habits and their impact on our lives.
“Let's dive in this conversation with the incredible John Gordon.”
Positive vs. Negative Habits
2:52 to 6:45
Exploring the consequences of both positive and negative habits in our lives.
“It's a positive habit that will actually create a positive future for you.”
Making Habits Stick
6:45 to 9:28
Strategies for implementing and maintaining positive habits in daily life.
“I don't know what yours is, but I've got one.”
The Importance of Self-Talk
9:28 to 12:09
Discussing the impact of self-encouragement and positive self-talk.
“The reason why we don't stick to our habits is because we're picking complex habits.”
The Power of Positive Thinking
14:03 to 16:42
Learn how thoughts influence feelings and beliefs to transform your mindset.
“Man, you give yourself life, you give yourself strength, you give yourself power because those thoughts and those words become what you think and feel and believe.”
The Power of Positive Thinking
17:05 to 17:16
Learn how thoughts influence feelings and beliefs to transform your mindset.
“That's W-I-L-D-P-A-S-T-U-R-E-S dot com forward slash model.”
Implementing Habits Before Habits
17:16 to 19:08
Explore strategies to prepare for new habits by reducing friction.
“Yeah, I think in our culture, we're so focused on the habit themselves, but we don't put a lot of thought into the pre-habit.”
Identifying What Brings You Joy
19:08 to 21:04
Learn to prioritize activities that bring you happiness and fulfillment.
“And as you know, like we have your books here at the studio.”
The Importance of One Positive Habit
21:04 to 23:01
Understand how focusing on a single positive habit can change your life.
“Like one habit literally will change the course of your life.”
Show all 22 chapters
Creating a Positive Highlight Reel
23:01 to 24:38
Learn how visualizing past successes can boost confidence and performance.
“In the book, you have so many creative, but more so it's not just about creativity.”
Choosing a Warrior Mindset
24:38 to 27:11
Discover the difference between a hero and a warrior in pursuing goals.
“Because when you look for the good, you will start to find the good.”
The Neuroscience of Smiling
27:11 to 28:01
Explore how smiling impacts our mood and mental health positively.
“I envision, you know, when you're so in the flow and so in the zone and in that moment, there's a flow to it.”
The Power of Smiling
28:01 to 32:12
Learn how smiling can improve mood and connection with others.
“And it's something that we're doing a lot of, just hanging out together.”
The Power of Smiling
32:20 to 32:37
Learn how smiling can improve mood and connection with others.
“The lemonade salt is incredible, especially if you're doing anything where you're sweating a lot, that lemonade salt, it's different.”
The Importance of Habits for Performance
32:39 to 36:15
Explore how daily habits influence athletic performance and personal health.
“And it's just what you're doing for us, besides giving us these science-backed habits that we can start to implement, but you're giving us more insight into the value, right?”
The Science of Weightlifting
36:15 to 41:23
Understand the benefits of weightlifting and muscle maintenance as we age.
“I had Eric Spolster, the coach of the Miami Heat.”
Recovery and Its Importance
41:23 to 42:01
Learn why recovery is crucial for maintaining performance and health.
The Importance of Recovery and Commitment
42:01 to 44:35
Learn how recovery and personal commitments are crucial for achieving your goals.
“And, you know, the game is over and now things are kind of settling in like, oh man, like I feel like, you know, I might've got hit by a truck.”
Embracing Lifelong Learning
44:36 to 45:31
Discover the significance of being a lifelong learner and teacher for personal growth.
“So as long as you're learning and growing, man, the sky's the limit.”
The Power of Stillness and Silence
45:32 to 47:25
Explore how stillness and silence can help you connect with higher energies.
“And I believe the more silent you are in your meditation and your prayer, that's where God comes in.”
Transforming Relationships Through Prayer
47:47 to 49:22
Understand how a simple nightly prayer can strengthen your marriage.
“I want to ask you one more question about you personally.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Shawn Stevenson:You are now listening to The Model Health Show with Shawn Stevenson. For more, visit themodelhealthshow.com. Welcome to The Model Health Show. What if I told you that your life is a result of your habits? Charles Duhigg said that once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them. You can remake yourself. You can be renewed. You can remake your life at any time. And the catalyst for that is changing your habits. And today we have a masterclass on the power of positive habits with one of the world's leading experts in this subject matter. And I'm telling you right now, it's going to be a game changer.
0:52Now, with all of that said, let's go ahead and dive right in with our special guest and topic of the day.
1:00Shawn Stevenson:John Gordon's bestselling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous Fortune 500 companies, professional and college sports teams, school districts, hospitals and nonprofits. He's the author of 32 books, including 18 bestsellers and five children's books. John is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a master's in teaching from Emory University. And he's utilizing his teaching talents to transform the success of individuals and superstar companies. His clients include the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Rams, Campbell Soup, Dell Publix, the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, the list goes on and on.
1:49Shawn Stevenson:And he's here today to teach us the power of positive habits. Let's dive in this conversation with the incredible John Gordon. We have the return of a legend, the return of John Gordon. I'm so happy to see you, man. Man, great to be back with the OG of podcasts. Come on, let's go, let's go. Listen, if you could, can you enlighten us to why habits are so powerful in our lives? Why are habits so valuable? Well, the habits that you do become who you are. You are your habits, your actions, and also your thoughts. Thinking is actually a habit. We often don't think of thinking as a habit, but it is.
2:30And so as a man thinks, he becomes. As a woman thinks, she becomes. And so your thoughts, your words, your beliefs, your actions, the habits of what you eat, the habits of your exercise, you are creating your life, your body, your mind, and your future every single day. And so that's why habits are so important. And it's not just any habit. It's a positive habit that will actually create a positive future for you.
2:57Shawn Stevenson:Right. And you talk about the fact that this creates not just a result, but it's exponential what happens when we're implementing certain types of habits. Yeah, when I was thinking about this book and writing this book, I wanted to share habits that exponentially grow someone. How does it exponentially grow you and elevate you? And these are habits that I've been putting into practice for years. I actually started my career writing and sharing what I was doing for myself as I was trying to become a more positive person. Because as you know, Sean, my wife almost left me because I was so negative, which is ironic.
3:33I wrote a book called The Power of Positive Habits. But being negative and wanting to be more positive and having to become more positive to stay married caused me to really say, okay, what's working and how is it working? I began writing about that and and sharing that. So this was 2002 I began doing this. I started with a positive tip newsletter. I had five subscribers, my mother, my brother, best friend from college, my teammates, and I'm putting it out there, but people started sharing it. So here, full circle now, 25, 26 years later, I'm now doing this and I wrote this book as a collection of all these habits that I've done over the years and also what I've shared with all the athletes, all the teams, all the high performers, the CEOs, what I've shared with them over the years and what has really helped grow them.
4:19And I know like these habits changed the course of my life. They changed the course of their lives. But as I was writing the book, I was like, okay, what else do I need to add to it? So I began researching new habits, new thoughts, new ideas. So I actually grew in writing this book, even with the physical habits, which I know you're going to love, that I started doing, changed my life. Like squatting like a child. I began squatting like a child after researching how important it is. Man, I couldn't get past a chair at first. but now I can almost get to the ground. I feel stronger, my legs feel more flexible, my body feels healthy and younger.
4:54One simple habit like that, I feel so much better. Because you're supposed to squat and be able to squat. And most people in our country can't, but you should be able to. And it shows that you're not aging well if you can't. So if you really want to have great longevity, start squatting like a child. That's why it's one of the habits.
5:10Shawn Stevenson:I love this so much already. You know, just to piggyback on that really quickly, this is something that we're also designed to do throughout our entire life. As a matter of fact, your life depends on you being able to squat, whether it's simply to use the bathroom or not. But as you mentioned, this gets me thinking about my wife's grandmother and my youngest son is here. So this is his great grandmother. And into her so-called elderly years, she sat on a stool that is literally like three, four inches off the ground making chapati. And, you know, this was just a normal part of life. And so thank you for sharing that.
5:51Shawn Stevenson:And now with this being said, positive habits, the emphasis is on positive. Let's talk about the negative a little bit too, because you said that essentially our habits become us. What happens if we have a habit of not having habits? What happens if we have a habit of implementing often unconsciously negative habits? do we then experience exponentially negative results or exponential sameness? Yeah, no doubt about it. Your negative habits will create a life of destruction and despair. Your positive habits will elevate you and create an amazing life. I was actually thinking about this today. I was walking around Santa Monica.
6:28I'm here visiting to see you and do these podcasts. And I was thinking about the fact that, man, I wish I would have put that in the book because one of the habits I should have put in the book is to actually get rid of your worst habit. Because your worst habit is what is destroying you, not exponentially growing you. And we all have a worst habit. I don't know what yours is, but I've got one. We all got one. And mine isn't that bad, but some people have really bad habits that are destroying their life. And you've got to get rid of that worst habit. And that worst habit also is keeping you from all the positive habits.
7:00So maybe it's not destroying your life, but maybe it's limiting your life and keeping you from growing. We have to make sure that we get rid of the bad habit and replace it with a positive habit. I think that's when you get exponential growth. What's holding me back, what will propel me forward? And when you make that combination, that's key. But we can't just focus on positive habits. We have to make sure we get rid of the bad habits. And one of them I put in the book, like I said, I really believe one of the habits here is to reduce or eliminate drinking. A lot of people don't realize how harmful it can be and is in their life and how much it holds them back.
7:36I've never had someone say, I regret that I stopped drinking. People usually feel great when they stop. And they might miss it a little bit, but they feel great when they stop or when they reduce it. And so I say, hey, just try it in your life. Try this habit of reducing or eliminating drinking. Just see how you feel. And if you start to feel better, great. Well, then make that a habit in your life where you don't do it as often. and you might even want to eliminate it.
8:02Shawn Stevenson:I regret being so freaking healthy. I regret being so fit. It just gets on my nerves. You know, like I love that framing, you know, because I don't think we think about it in that kind of perspective. So thank you for sharing that. Now, the big question. You're being facetious, of course, right? Of course, yes. So the big question is many people are aware and have a desire to have healthier, more positive habits. What is going on with the struggle? Why is it so difficult for most people to actually implement the habits that they want to have? Yeah. So I was thinking about that as well this morning because this is actually not a book about how to make habits stick.
8:47There's a lot of great books out there on the science of habits. This is a collection of 93 habits that you'll actually do. These are habits that will stick. And I think the best way to actually put forth a habit, to start living a habit, to make it stick, is actually to pick a habit you will do. And a habit that is simple, practical, powerful. A habit that makes you feel great. And because you feel great, you get addicted to it. And then you want to do it again and again. So I wrote a list of habits, basically, and how to put it into practice and made it compelling and engaging and simple for you to do it, that I believe that when people start putting these habits into practice, it will stick.
9:29And I think that they don't stick. The reason why we don't stick to our habits is because we're picking complex habits. We're trying to do things that we don't naturally want to do. We're not doing things we love to do. We're not seeing the incredible feel-good benefits right away of that habit. So we have to get people to take small steps and make those small habits. and when they feel good from those small habits, they'll actually want to do more and more. So for instance, like take a walk of gratitude. That changed my life, that walk of gratitude. But don't start with an hour, just start with 10 minutes.
10:06Start walking for 10 minutes, practice gratitude, see how you feel. Well, I'm now doing an hour walk of gratitude, but start with 10 minutes. Walk after meals is a habit that will change your life. You know this. It will exponentially elevate how you feel and your metabolism, your overall brain health, your blood sugar level will improve when you just take walks after meals. Now, does it have to be an hour walk? No, a five to 10 minute walk after a meal. Just start doing that. How do you feel? Getting morning sunlight on your eyes in the morning. We know the benefits of that. You start producing more cortisol right away, increases alertness and energy, helps you sleep better at night.
10:47So doing that in the morning helps you sleep better at night. Set yourself up for a great day. So simple, practical habits. And on the thought side, right? Talk to yourself. Don't listen to yourself. That's a habit. Negative thoughts are coming in. I'm not going to listen to the negative thought. I'm not going to believe it. I know it's going to come in, but here's the key. It's not coming from you. How do I know? Who would ever choose to have a negative thought? So when it comes in, don't believe what it says. Don't agree with it. Instead, speak truth to it. speak words of life speak encouragement to yourself talk to yourself don't listen to yourself now you start doing that on a daily basis at first it's going to be weird but then that habit will become who you are you'll start having more control of your thoughts you'll have more resilience a better mindset next thing you know you're now becoming a more positive person this is what i have done actually to become more positive in my life and it transformed my life so i got people now all over the country over the world taking walks of gratitude every day those thank you walks they're talking to themselves and I'm already getting emails man I've been doing it for a week feels so much better so anyway that was my whole thought process I wanted to write about habits that people will do and can do make it simple fun engaging and now it will stick come on it's about the stickiness the stickiness make habits that stick instead of worrying about trying to make a habit you don't like stick I love it I love it when you talk about talking to yourself instead
12:15Shawn Stevenson:of listening to yourself, that might sound a little bit crazy, right? And the truth is you've already got that voice in your head that's chattering away. And we don't realize or take agency or dominion over that voice. Like that's us who's talking and we can say, we can determine how we're speaking to ourselves. And thankfully there's a lot more data emerging about this because people have been dealing with this since humans have had brains, but just the power of of how we're speaking to ourselves versus how we speak to others, right? Some of the stuff that we say to ourselves, we would never say to somebody that we care about.
12:52Shawn Stevenson:We would never say certain things that are demeaning or berating or just ugly to the people that we love. And why do we treat ourselves so bad? Why do we speak to ourselves in such a negative way? You know, so - I'm so glad you're talking about that because if you don't take your negative thoughts captive, they will take you captive yeah and that's why one of my favorite habits in the book is to become your own greatest encourager because if you had a best friend who was struggling you wouldn't say to your best friend hey you should give up yeah you suck you don't have it yeah it's hopeless you wouldn't say that to your kids no you wouldn't encourage them you would speak a life into them you would say you know i know you're stronger than you think i've seen you overcome so much i know you can overcome this.
13:38You're more powerful than you now. I believe in you. And you should believe in yourself because you're going to accomplish something great. That's what you would say to them. But you don't say that to yourself. You beat yourself up. You talk to yourself like your worst critic, not your greatest encourager. Man, but when you start encouraging yourself on a daily basis and become your own greatest encourager where you're not worrying about or needing encouragement from others, although it's nice to have, you're encouraging you. Man, you give yourself life, you give yourself strength, you give yourself power because those thoughts and those words become what you think and feel and believe.
14:11And it changes, it changes everything. I would say that's my greatest work when I work with athletes and teams and high performers is to really get them to think differently and start doing this. Because for years, Sean, I beat myself up. For years, I was my own greatest critic. For years, I lost the battle of my mind. And it is a battle between negative and positive. I had a 16 year old who was struggling with his mental health. He was in the ER two nights before I talked to him. He was suicidal. And I met with him finally. I knew his mom. I went to high school with his mom. And I said, hey, do you have a lot of negative thoughts?
14:46He said, oh yeah. I said, do they bombard you? Do they attack you? Do they accuse you? Do they tell you you're not enough? He said, all the time. It's so much. I just want to give up. So I asked him if his negative thoughts were coming from him. And he said, yeah, they're in my head. And I said, really? I said, would you ever choose a negative thought like that? And he said, no. I said, let me tell you something. You're in a battle between positive and negative. There's nothing wrong with you. You're not broken. You don't need to be fixed. The thought just comes in so fast, you believe it. Then you speak it out loud.
15:15Then you reinforce it. And then you start saying it a lot. And then it does become a part of you. I said, you have to realize you're in a battle between positive and negative. You're not the thoughts you think. You're the thoughts you believe. And you don't have the power of the first thought. I told him, you have the power of the second thought. We all have the power of the second thought, to speak word and words of life to ourselves. And as we do, man, that changes everything. So as you become your own greatest encourager, adversity will definitely not defeat you. Negativity will not sabotage you.
15:46And failure won't define you. You'll rise above, you'll overcome. And that's why I think it's such an important habit.
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16:38Shawn Stevenson:Again, fast delivery from their farms direct to your door. And right now, when you go to wildpastures.com forward slash model with a Wild Pastures subscription, you're going to receive an additional 20 % off for life, free shipping and$15 off your first order. Again, just go to wildpastures.com forward slash model to take advantage. That's W-I-L-D-P-A-S-T-U-R-E-S dot com forward slash model. to take advantage right now. Head over there, check them out. Now back to the show. Yeah, I think in our culture, we're so focused on the habit themselves, but we don't put a lot of thought into the pre-habit.
17:25Shawn Stevenson:The concept that you talk about, the habit before the habit. Yeah. Talk about that. Okay, so if I wanna encourage myself, a habit before the habit would be writing down those words of encouragement I will say to myself when a negative thought comes in. So on the left side of a piece of paper, I'll write down a lot of my negative thinking and those thoughts that do come in. On the right side, I'll write down the words of encouragement I will say whenever a negative thought comes in. Or perhaps I want a habit of walking and exercising in the morning. At night, I'll put out my shoes and my clothes as the habit before the habit.
18:00Because when I wake up, I'll see it. Less friction. And now I'm more likely to do it. I don't have to go search for my clothes, search for my shoes. It's already there. I can't make an excuse. Oh, I can't find anything. I have to go do it because that's right there. I put them on and I go work out. So the habit before the habit helps you implement any habit that you want. Here's one more. You want to read more at night before you go to bed, put that book on your bed. Just put it on your bed. So when you're going to bed, you'll see it. It's a reminder. Oh, read my book before bed. The habit before the habit.
18:34Shawn Stevenson:I can attest to that one. I've got books and my wife actually gets a little bit pissed about it, but I've got books right on the arm of my couch. Yeah. And it just makes it automatic. Like in the morning I come, you know, into the living room, the books right there, I could just dive right in. The same thing in the evening as well. I see accessibility. Yeah. I love that. And you asked earlier, why don't we engage in habits? Why don't we succeed with our habits? Because we're not doing things that set ourselves up with these great habits. So the more you can remove friction and you can make things simple, easy, practical, then you'll actually do it.
19:05Then it's more likely to stick.
19:07Shawn Stevenson:Yeah. Talking with you and being a part of your world, it tends to spark different ideas. And as you know, like we have your books here at the studio. Honored. Even when you're not here, we have your books here. And over the last couple of years, you know, when guests come in, I'll gift them one of your books. Wow. All right. It's very, very special stuff. That means a lot. One of the things that this conversation and this new project has inspired for me is like, let's just be honest, okay? Which is something that we struggle to do, being honest with ourselves. What do we really want to do? What do we really love to do?
19:48Shawn Stevenson:Because as you mentioned, this stickiness is such a powerful force because it's, again, we've got all the science on like, why won't you do the things that you say you want to do and habits, create habits. where's the joy factor? Because that's such an easy inroad to get something that is a positive addiction. And so what I would encourage people to do is just even now you could pause this and just make a list of 10 things that you love to do. What are 10 things that you absolutely love to do? Do you absolutely love to play pickleball? Which I know you're a pickleballer now. Let's go, I love it.
20:24Shawn Stevenson:Do you absolutely love to hang out with your kids? Do you absolutely love your date nights with your partner? Do you absolutely love going for a walk at the park? Write those 10 things down so that you have access top of mind. And chances are those things that you love to do, for most people, they're not doing them very often because of whatever thing they got going on in their head as to why they can't do it. And start to prioritize those things. Take one of those things and have that be the thing that you start your day with. Give yourself permission to do that. That is so good. It's so practical too.
20:58And I'm thinking about this book, 93 Habits. You don't need 93. You just need one. Like one habit literally will change the course of your life. One that you love to do, one that you enjoy doing, and one that uplifts you. Mine is my thank you walk. Years ago, I began taking this walk of gratitude to become a more positive person because I read you can't be stressed and thankful at the same time. So you're feeling blessed, you won't be stressed. So I'm thinking, man, I'm really miserable and negative. I got to start doing something. I began doing these walks of gratitude. On those walks is where all the ideas for the books came about.
21:32So the books you're talking about that you give away, I'm so thankful for that. I know those books came about because I was walking and practicing gratitude. Next thing you know, I'm feeling good. I'm uplifted. I got the endorphins, the dopamine, the serotonin. My brain is now at a higher frequency. And I start tuning into these ideas and these thoughts because of one habit. So that's what you're talking about. Like, yeah, pick 10, write down 10. And that's what I say to do with this book too. There's 93 habits. Go through it all and pick your top 10. Then pick your top three and then start with one.
22:06Just start with one. Have your two ready to go, but start with one. Master that one and then add another one. Master that, then add another one. Don't try to do them all at once, but just make your list and do what's going to bring you joy because that is a positive habit. I love that you're saying that. What brings you joy? What uplifts you? Like, yeah, I would love to say, you know, I'm going to start riding a bike every day and be one of these guys who rides his bike for miles around. But I just don't love that. And so I can make myself try to do it. But how successful would I be? No. Love to walk.
22:41Love to run sometimes. Love to play basketball. Love pickleball more than anything. So get me out playing pickleball. Yeah, that's a habit I can do. I'm competing against young guys. I feel young when I'm on the court. I feel 85 when I'm off the court, but man, I feel, but yet it keeps me alive and keeps me energized. So I'm willing to do it because I love it.
23:01Shawn Stevenson:Yeah. In the book, you have so many creative, but more so it's not just about creativity. It's creative how you've said them, but these are things that we all have access to. Maybe we've done, you know, accidentally sometimes. And one of them is to play your highlight reel as a habit. Talk about that one. Yeah, I got to give Ed Milet credit for that one. He gave me that idea and he was talking about how he as a baseball player would create his highlight reel of his best hits. And he would visualize them. And when he would get up at bat, all of a sudden you'd visualize it. Now you're having more success.
Read the full transcript
23:36But you can do this any era of your life. Like when I'm about to go speak, I'll play my highlight reel, some of my great moments on stage. So you got these moments. It's a highlight reel. You step on stage. You're feeling more confident. You're ready now to take on that audience to bring joy, love, energy, insights, wisdom to them as well. Because you just saw it when you did it a number of times before. So playing your highlight reel just gives you confidence. And because you see it, it allows you to do it and have more repetition. It's the power of visualization.
24:06Shawn Stevenson:Absolutely. And it's really being intentional about your come from. Where are you coming from in whatever the situation is? Well, let's be honest. How often do we have a negative highlight reel playing? I think most of us go through life with a negative highlight reel, always imagining the worst, thinking about the worst, thinking about our failures, the mistakes we made, the things we did wrong when we failed instead of actually all the positive moments in our life. So the more you create these positive moments and you start looking for positive moments, you'll start to experience more of them.
24:38I always say, look for the good. Because when you look for the good, you will start to find the good. What you look for shows up more in your life. What you focus on, You experience more of. You don't believe me? Look for blue cars on the road today. You will see more blue cars on the road. It's the power of what we're focusing on, what we're looking for, and then we'll find it.
24:58Shawn Stevenson:Yes, yes. What we're tapping into intentionally, I love this one so much because it's simply remembering. It's remembering who you are, what you're capable of. And this is something that I encourage in my son. Again, he's here with us today. He's one of those guys, he's had those incredible experiences that a lot of people, not let alone kids have had where he's the MVP of the AAU basketball tournament, you know? And just the way that he plays, how he's expressed himself, how he's been a great teammate and all these different things. And you might come up against some, you know, really tough opposition on paper.
25:35Shawn Stevenson:You know, maybe they're saying, oh, this team is this, this team is that. But it's remembering who you are coming into this situation and knowing that, yeah, I'm that guy. And we have access to that, or it can be the negative, right? You could just focus on, oh, this, this, is that. I don't wanna mess up. We can focus on these things, but it's all within us. We get to basically choose what channel we're tuned in. Oh yeah, and I think one of the greatest habits is to just focus on loving it. Now, when you're loving it and you're loving the battle and you're loving competing and you're loving the moment and you're a warrior, who's only focused on the moment and focused on loving the battle, you're not worried about the outcome.
26:16You're not worried about making a mistake. You're not worried about messing up. That's fear. There's a difference between a hero and a warrior. The hero wants the outcome. The hero wants the glory. The hero wants the win. So they're looking at the clock when they're winning going, please, please move faster, go faster so we can have this win. The warrior has no concept of time. Of course, the warrior is so engrossed in the battle and loving the battle that they actually fight to the end. And so you want to be a warrior and have a warrior mindset where you're just loving it and loving competing.
26:49And you're expressing yourself, as you said, like when I say warrior, you might think of a warrior who's like a warrior fighting. But yeah, you're fighting with a joy and a love of what you're doing. And there's something about that. There's something really powerful and beautiful about that because you're expressing yourself authentically of who you are. And that's when you're your most powerful self. I envision, you know, when you're so in the flow and so in the zone and in that moment, there's a flow to it. I watch an artist on stage, a performer, a musician, and they're just doing what they do.
27:23They're just playing their music and they just have such a joy about them. But there's something incredible as you're watching them do that. And I think to myself at times, am I doing that on stage when I'm speaking? Is an athlete doing that when they're thinking about what everyone is thinking? No. The key is to not look outside, look inside. Inside to the heart, to your soul, expressing yourself instead of worrying about what everyone else is thinking.
27:48Shawn Stevenson:Yeah. There's a very powerful habit that you talk about that we've got the neuroscience now. It's connected to positive emotions. It's connected to more optimism. It's connected to an instant state change. It's proactively smiling more. And it's something that we're doing a lot of, just hanging out together. We tend to do this, but this is one of those things that even in my meditation, I'm a big smiler, you know? And it's like, it's something that's ingrained in us. It's in our genetics, you know? Babies are smiling and expressing that emotion. So this is that hard wiring. But what tends to happen over time with life and with stress and with all the things that we start to put smiling into like a special compartment, I'll get to the happiness and the smiling and the laughter when I got time for it.
28:37Shawn Stevenson:But you talk about the habit of smiling. It's so powerful. Remember during the pandemic when we couldn't see people's smiles? Couldn't see their faces, just their eyes? That was a tough time because we are meant to see smiling faces. When you smile, you produce more serotonin in your brain. And the recipient of your smile also produces more serotonin. So I don't care what your job is. You're also a pharmacist dispensing that antidepressant serotonin with every smile you give someone. And I purposely will look at people on the streets of New York or California, and I will smile at them. It's amazing how many smile back, but also amazing how many don't.
29:17How many just keep on walking and don't acknowledge it. We've lost that human connection in a lot of ways. And a smile, I really believe, connects us to ourselves, to each other, and I believe to God as well. Yeah, so powerful, so powerful.
29:33Shawn Stevenson:Our special guest today knows a thing or 20 about athletic performance and really fueling his body. And one of the things that he utilizes every single day is the powerful electrolytes from Element. Now, here are four specific ways that electrolytes impact your exercise and athletic performance. Number one, optimal muscle function. Electrolytes like sodium and magnesium are essential for nerve signaling, allowing your muscles to contract and relax properly, which prevents cramping and fatigue. Number two, fluid balance and hydration. Sodium helps your body and your brain to retain proper fluid balance.
30:12Shawn Stevenson:Inadequate hydration can lead to cardiovascular strain and decreased strength and power. Number three, energy and endurance. Replacing your lost sodium improves blood flow and helps transport nutrients into your cells, sustaining energy levels during long duration and high-intensity workouts in particular. Number four, mental sharpness. Good electrolyte balance helps to maintain cognitive function and reaction time during competition. And scientists at McGill University found that sodium functions as a quote, on-off switch in the brain for specific neurotransmitters that support optimal function.
30:47Shawn Stevenson:Now here's the problem. We know that this is all true when it comes to electrolytes and our performance. But for decades, the Gatorades and Powerades of the world have been dousing our bodies with crazy amounts of sugars and artificial colors and all these different shady ingredients. And Element stepped in and said, no more, no mas. We're going to deliver science-backed ratios of these key electrolytes without the added sugar, without the artificial colors and the dodgy ingredients. and we're going to do this in a way that today element is fueling some of the greatest athletes and high performers in the world including team usa weightlifting nba and nfl teams navy seals the list goes on and on and right now you get to take advantage of the world's number one electrolyte supplement when you go to drink element.com forward slash model.
31:48Shawn Stevenson:That's drink l m n t.com forward slash model. And not only that, with every electrolyte purchase, you're going to get a free sample pack of their most popular electrolyte flavors. And to top it off, you get to try all this risk free with their no questions asked refunds. if you don't absolutely love the way that it makes you feel. Again, head over to drinklmnt.com forward slash model right now to take advantage. My favorite flavors right now, grapefruit is popping, lemonade. The lemonade salt is incredible, especially if you're doing anything where you're sweating a lot, that lemonade salt, it's different.
32:31Shawn Stevenson:So again, head over there, check them out. Drinklmnt.com forward slash model. And now back to the show. You know, again, we have access to this stuff all the time. And it's just what you're doing for us, besides giving us these science-backed habits that we can start to implement, but you're giving us more insight into the value, right? And this is something you've done for so many different people, let alone these companies, let alone these teams. We're just talking about before the show, some of the teams that you've impacted. And it's just so special, man. I'm thinking about the Rams right now.
33:11Shawn Stevenson:I almost said St. Louis Rams because I'm from St. Louis, but the Los Angeles Rams and what they've got going on now and they're a championship-minded team, right? And having certain practices and you being an influential factor in what they're doing right now is pretty cool. But, and I'm thinking about them paired with another habit that you talk about, which is something that you clearly do yourself, which is lifting weights. why'd you put that one in the book because it's important because lifting weights as you know increases your hgh it increases your testosterone you feel stronger you feel more confident all the health benefits that go with it boost your mood boost your energy your alertness i just felt better when i started lifting again what happened was i was at an event during the pandemic and I talked about Ed Milet earlier, he was there and Ed was jacked.
34:08And I remember looking at him going, I used to look like that. I used to be fit like that. I had allowed myself to go. I let myself go. Like wasn't in shape, wasn't strong, wasn't being fully the man I could be. And so I said, I'm going to start lifting weights again. And I started lifting weights, man, it has been a game changer in my life. How I feel, I feel younger and stronger now, at 55 than i did when i was 40 because of lifting weights and you are better researched at this than i am you know more about this than i am which you could probably give some more on the science of lifting weights but i just i just know as we age we really need to do it we need to have that that resistance we need to have that thing that we're we're building the muscle we're building in order to grow and get stronger and get better so yeah i'm glad you noticed that i've been lifting weights because I have since the last time we saw each other, but it's all natural.
35:03I don't do anything but lift weights and try to eat healthy and eat a lot of good protein. That's what I do. I'm not even doing peptides, although there's nothing wrong with peptides, but I'm not doing any of that stuff. I'm just lifting, playing pickleball, walking a lot, getting a lot of sun, and just trying to be fit. And going back to the Rams, it's pretty cool that you were a St. Louis fan and now you get to root for them in LA. You get the best of both worlds with the Rams. and you look at Sean who also lifts weights, right? Clearly he still works out. He's become a great friend.
35:34Shawn Stevenson:Sean meaning the coach of the Rams. Yeah, the coach of the Rams. The other Sean. Yeah, Sean, well, you, yes, Sean McVay of the Rams. And he is a guy that is a championship-minded coach who has developed and built a championship-minded team. And you know that you always need great leaders. Like it all starts with leadership. And if you have a leader that has that mindset, that is living with great habits in their own life, you become an example for your team. And to be honest, that's how I want to live my life. I want to be an example for my kids and the people that I'm hopefully influencing. I can't be on stage talking about all of this and looking like I don't take care of myself.
36:15I had Eric Spolster, the coach of the Miami Heat. He saw me recently and he goes, John, you look like the former Division I athlete that you were. You used to look like a writer, but now you look like that former athlete again i said all right thanks i'm glad i got back to that
36:28Shawn Stevenson:that's amazing that and also he knows he knows transformation yes i didn't he is he heading up the olympic team this year i think he is i think he was picked as the the coach yeah he's an unbelievable guy unbelievable coach who again knows about transformation and eric actually started lifting and getting really fit again you know after years as well so he's been into it as well. Yeah. Like you mentioned, this is especially, especially important as people are aging, you know, and this is one of those things where, you know, we talk about sarcopenia, muscle loss over time, but the science is clear, even at 80, even at 90, you can still build muscle, which is pretty powerful.
37:11Shawn Stevenson:And so it's really, again, honoring the body's blueprint, which is use it or lose it and being proactive. You don't just have to experience this dramatic muscle loss, but you've got to put in the work. You've got to be intentional. You've got to have the habit. Yep, yep. A habit. Oh, go ahead. You look great. You're staying young and fit. What are you doing? Come on now. First of all, thank you. You know, I'm somebody who I'm very much kind of regimented as far as, you know, my strength training for years and years and years. but where I'm at right now, I'm really training with another purpose.
37:48Shawn Stevenson:I'm training with agility, with functionality, with performance in mind, with being able to, you know, play with my, my son, you know, being able to, you know, compete, being able to do dynamic things at the drop of a dime and leaning back to a friend of mine, Dr. Kelly Starrett, he wrote a bestselling book called the Becoming a Supple Leopard. He's a doctor of physical therapy, but just being able to do things in life that need to be done. And so I'm training with more of a mindset around functionality and performance. And so with that, though, my recent focus has been more building, right? So putting on more muscle mass, you know, which is something that I, of course, you know, most guys would want to put on muscle, but the way that I was training was not saying that, you know, and with the training was also the nutrition.
38:43Shawn Stevenson:And so I would train fasted in the morning for years and years, that's great for fat loss. It's great for the mindset of digging deep, but I don't have to have a little like intra workout, some carbs during the workout. Like, wow, you notice how your lifts, you can lift more and all these different things, but also, you know, with that being able to, you know, be more intentional. so last little bit here is i'm i'm doing more focus on um quality sets so i might instead of doing the three to four i used to do i might be do just do two or really slower maximize the right so we could do eccentric we could focus on that part of the lift so i'm doing that coupled with isometrics.
39:32Shawn Stevenson:So, you know, holding certain positions for the tendon strength and all this stuff. So I'm saying all this to say, I love to experiment. I love to play around, but my habit is when I choose to do something, I do it for an extended amount of time. I'm not just bouncing from strategy to strategy to workout to workout. I find out what works and master that. You know, I create a level of mastery. And it's so cool, you have all these different tools that you could go to whenever you want. Do foods make us more supple? Do foods help us be more flexible? For instance, does eating salmon and having that fish oil in us, drinking cherry juice, breaking down the acid in our bodies, does that help us not feel so crotchety and help us be more flexible and feel more alive and more bouncy?
40:23Shawn Stevenson:That's such a great question. It's more so the things that we want to avoid that cause that. Really? You know, just the inflammation. Okay. Right? Because that's what we're really talking about when we're talking about being more rigid, having less, you know, kind of flexibility, more pain. Yeah, it's inflammation, you're right. Inflammation, you know? So it's avoiding the things, ultra processed foods and all the, you know, kind of junky stuff that can kind of clog up our system and our mobility. But there are some things, of course, we want to make sure that we're providing the nutrients for those ligaments, for the tendons to repair, to regenerate, to have that elasticity.
40:59Shawn Stevenson:Right. So yes, the nutrition piece is important. And we also have to do the thing. You know, you could guzzle fish oil, you know, till you're, you know, half fish. But if you're not actually doing the mobility work, right, giving your body a reason to drive that into the tissues, to create the, you know, the catalyst for that mobility. it's not gonna make a difference so when i'm playing singles pickleball against a 30 year old like former nfl player and we're going at it and i'm really like moving side to side and when i'm done i'm having trouble walking because i am that sore is that good for my body though to be put through that strenuous exercise in the long run to actually come back and go okay repair or is that something that's going to break my body down great question again we need the catalyst we need the stressor, right?
41:51Shawn Stevenson:That discomfort is stress. It's all in the recovery. It's all in the recovery. That's absolutely awesome. You're in joy. You're having fun. You are expressing yourself. And, you know, the game is over and now things are kind of settling in like, oh man, like I feel like, you know, I might've got hit by a truck. Over time, as long as you're recovering, you're going to have less and less of that, you know, but the dose makes the poison. The poison makes the dose. So if you, you know, when you're going way too far, if you like, can't move the next day, that's, that's too much. Or I take a nap for two hours the next day.
42:28Shawn Stevenson:But you know, it's, it's one of those things to not shy away from because in our culture, we can tend to swing to the other side, which is like, you don't want to get sore. You don't want to, oh, some, especially, you know, when you're having fun and this is creating those conditions, that's all right. We can lean into that. But if you're not recovering, you don't have any business doing that stuff again frequently. Makes sense. It's all in the recovery. Yes, the magic's in the recovery. Okay, that's a habit of recovering. I had an NFL guy say he was going to make it a habit to recover and really focus on his recovery because when he doesn't, he breaks down during the season and can't reach his goals.
43:05So we talk about a lot commitments versus goals. You got goals. Goals are great. But will your goals take you to where you want to go? No. Yeah. Because every team wants to win a championship. Only one team wins one. Your commitments will. What are you committed to? And when you make your commitments, they will take you to your goal. So you want to make it to the championship? Good, you got to make sure you're recovering so you have the body and the health and the optimization to reach it.
43:31Shawn Stevenson:You are doing the exact habit that you have in the book. And this is one of the things I wanted to ask you about. You know, you've turned the tables on me and you're asking questions. Yeah, I love it. I'm learning from the OG here. Your habit of being a lifelong learner. Yeah. Talk about that. Yeah. You're never done learning. And if you're done learning, you'll be done growing. So when you're learning, you're always growing. So a lifelong learner is key to your life. We always have to be asking questions. How can we get better? How can we improve? What's the next thing we could do to gain our edge?
44:07We always have to be looking for that way to go to the next level because there is always a next level. You know it. You're never at the finish line. There is no finish line. You got to keep on moving past it. And then you'll find a new finish line and a new level. So I never want to stop growing. I'm 55. I want when I'm in my seventies to be my best years, not my fifties. People still think of their thirties as their best years. No, I think these are my best years now. And then let's make the seventies even better. So as long as you're learning and growing, man, the sky's the limit. I think too many people, they think they've arrived at the door of greatness.
44:45So what happens? It gets slammed in their face. Never think you've arrived. Humble and hungry, learning and growing. And one of my other favorite habits in there is not just to be a lifelong learner, but a lifelong teacher. Because as you know, when you're teaching someone, that's when you learn the most. So the more you teach, the more you'll learn and grow. So learning is great, but teaching, you'll grow even more.
45:10Shawn Stevenson:Love it. I love it. I want to ask you about one more of these habits. And it's something that I mentioned a little bit earlier that I did today, be still and be silent. This is something for me, especially today, and for all of us, really, there's so much noise. There's so much influx. There's so much influence. There's so many different things that are coming at us and literally battling for our attention why would you present this as one of the habits in stillness there is power i call it silent energy when you're silent you're really tapping into this incredible energy that wants to flow and move through you the more we're chaotic the more we're busy we got this clutter in our mind we're actually tuning into a lower frequency when we're silent you're able to connect and elevate to a higher frequency.
46:05And I believe the more silent you are in your meditation and your prayer, that's where God comes in. That's where God is able to now move through you. If you're so busy and you're moving around and you're so chaotic, you're tuned into this lower frequency. So God is trying to speak to you. He's trying to move through you, but you cannot connect to him because you're at a lower frequency. But you got to tune that dial. And the more you tune that dial through silence, actually, through silence, through prayer. And as you do that, you then elevate to that higher frequency. now you're able to receive all that power.
46:34And I see so many people living today with limited power, low power, no power, feeling powerless. And we're not meant to go through life that way. We're meant to go through life with power, with strength, with confidence, with courage, with joy to take on this world and to have dominion over this world in a good way, not a bad way. When we say dominion, in a good loving way where the warriors who love people that's who wins and helps others win. Those who are just focusing themselves, focusing on winning to exploit, that's a very low frequency, a low vibrational energy. But that higher energy, that's what sustains, that's what drives and that's what ultimately makes the greatest impact.
47:20Shawn Stevenson:Man, I love talking with you. I wish I could talk with you every day. Love talking to you, brother. John Gordon, The Power of Positive Habits. Get your copy. Where can people pick up a copy? Amazon, Barnes & Noble, any bookstore, they can go to powerofpositivehabitsbook.com. That's a long one. powerofpositivehabitsbook.com. When they go there and they get a book, we're going to give them a free habits builder. What is that? It's a free AI tool where you put in your top three habits and it gives you a 30-day customized plan to implement those three habits in your life. Amazing. Amazing. I want to ask you one more question about you personally.
48:01Shawn Stevenson:I want to know, you know, your relationship with your wife was a catalyst for all of this. Oh, all of it. What is a habit that you have today in your relationship that helps to keep you guys connected? This is the number one habit that changed our marriage and elevated our marriage. And I would like to say it was being physically intimate, but that's not it. It was praying at night before bed. Every night before bed, we say a prayer together. And this prayer came about because she almost left me and because we had some struggles. And I met a guy on a plane, told him what I was going through. And he said, my wife and I pray before bed every night and it changed our marriage.
48:43So I pray, God, I want to pray with my wife. What's that prayer? God literally gave me a prayer right away. And I wrote it down. And it's this, God, we invite you into our marriage to love us, to unite us, to strengthen in us so that we can grow strong together and serve you together and raise children that glorify and honor you. And ever since we've been saying that prayer before bed, it's transformed our marriage, elevated our marriage. And I would say we have like an incredible marriage, 29 years we just celebrated and we almost didn't make it twice. But now we not only made it, but now we're really thriving because of that prayer we say every night.
49:21Shawn Stevenson:John, thank you so much. I appreciate you. Thanks for asking that question. Of course. The one and only John Gordon. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode today. I hope that you got a lot of value out of this. If you did, you already know what to do. Share this out with somebody that you care about. Send the good news. Send the gospel to somebody that you care about, about the power of positive habits. You can send this directly from the podcast app that you are listening on. Spotify, Apple, Google Play, Hey, wherever you're listening, you can send this directly to somebody that you care about.
49:57Shawn Stevenson:And by the way, whatever platform that you are listening on, please make sure that you are subscribed. We've got a significant percentage of the Model Health Show listeners that are not subscribed to the show. And so they're missing episodes. You're missing the masterclasses. You gotta make sure that you're subscribed. And also, you can share this out on social media. We're doing some cool things on social media as well. you can take a screenshot of the episode tag me i'm at sean model on instagram i'm at the model health show on facebook and also i'm on x are we calling it x now twitter is it twitter i don't know what the name is but i'm out there you can share it there as well and listen we got some incredible master classes and world leading experts that you're not gonna want to miss coming very very soon so make sure to stay tuned take care have an amazing day and i'll talk with you soon you
From the publisher
Did you know that implementing just one small habit, consistently, can help you build momentum toward your goals? On this episode of The Model Health Show, you’re going to hear why you need better habits, and how the right habits can change your results. Whether you want to improve your health, strengthen your relationships, or uplevel your career, this episode is for you.
Today’s guest, Jon Gordon is one of the top influential speakers of our time. He’s served as a consultant to numerous CEO’s, major league sports coaches, championship teams, and Fortune 500 leaders. Jon has authored 19 bestselling books about positivity, leadership, and mindset. His newest release, The Power of Positive Habits, is a groundbreaking guide to building a better and healthier version of yourself through simple, practical habits you’ll actually do.
In this interview, you’re going to hear some of the top lifechanging habits from The Power of Positive Habits, plus how to create habits that are easy to stick to. You’re going to learn about the power of a gratitude walk, how to silence your negative inner thoughts, and how to remove the barricades that might be stopping you from implementing the habits you wish you had. I hope you enjoy this interview with the one and only, Jon Gordon!
In this episode you’ll discover:
Why habits are so valuable. (2:18)
What happens if you hold onto your negative habits. (6:18)
Why It can be so difficult to implement new habits. (8:44)
What a gratitude walk is and how it can change your life. (9:59)
How to become your greatest encourager. (13:10)
What “the Habit Before the Habit” is. (17:30)
Why you should create your own highlight reel. (23:19)
How smiling more can change your neurotransmitters. (28:41)
Why the habit of lifting weights is so important. (33:40)
The importance of being a lifelong learner. (43:43)
Items mentioned in this episode include:
Wildpastures.com/model - High-quality, responsibly sourced meat—delivered right to your door. Wild Pastures makes it easy to eat clean without overpaying. Get 20% off every box + $15 off your first order.
DrinkLMNT.com/model - Get a truly meaningful dose of electrolytes in a science-backed ratio. Free sample pack with any order.
Becoming a Supple Leopard by Dr. Kelly Starrett - Read the ultimate guide to resolving pain and preventing injury!
The Power of Positive Habits by Jon Gordon - Learn how to build the best version of yourself through positive habits!
Connect with Jon Gordon Website / Facebook / X / Instagram
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This episode of The Model Health Show is brought to you by Wild Pastures and LMNT.
High-quality, responsibly sourced meat—delivered right to your door. Wild Pastures makes it easy to eat clean without overpaying. Get 20% off every box + $15 off your first order at wildpastures.com/model.
Most people are underhydrated—and it’s costing you energy, focus, and performance. LMNT delivers a science-backed electrolyte ratio with no sugar, no junk—just what your body actually needs. Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/model.