Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

McKay Christensen
  • 4.8 (120)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

What you can’t see, you can’t be. That’s why we all need a clear vision of who we are and what we can become. On Open Your Eyes join author and business leader McKay Christensen to discover the steps to lasting change on your path to personal and business growth. From personal improvement to team leadership, get the insights and tools you need to open your eyes to a happier life.

  1. 21h ago

    S6E9 - The Best in You

    Too often in life, we get to thinking that we are less than capable of doing what we set out to do. But the truth is: we are better than we think. So, how do you find the best within you? In this week’s episode, McKay shares some valuable tips for finding the best within you and discovering your own potential. He talks about the dangers of making excuses, why it’s important to take calculated risks in life, and how to rise to your true self. As he nicely puts it, you are way better than you think, even though you might not see it at the moment. However, you’re not alone in this; most people get so caught up in the chaos of everyday life that they miss the beauty of it all. That’s precisely why it is so important for you to tune in today, and learn how you, too, can turn things around and find the best within you. The Finer Details of This Episode: Enjoying the beauty of the moment Recognizing your own potentialDangers of making excusesTaking calculated risksFulfilling your dreamsRisk-taking for a better lifeBelieving in your true value Quotes: “Because people are so busy and focused on their day, they miss the beauty and rarity of the moment.” “In life, there are so many things around us that are, in fact, better than we think. People are better than we think. Circumstances, our life, kids, job, our own potential, often are much better than we think. ” “You are better than you think.” “Over time, it becomes more of a habit to talk than to walk.” “Most of us have ideas or dreams of what we'd love to do. And we make an assessment and the impossibility of the thing takes over. And soon we place the idea on the shelf hoping that someday we can dust it off, open it up and dream a bit more.” “To find the best in us, we must risk a bit of ourselves - our pride, our time, our effort. It's the risk that teaches us to value the outcome.” “It's in the risk of it that we learn to bring out the best in us.” Links: McKay Christensen Homepage

  2. Jul 20

    S6E8 - Isn’t It Time?

    In this episode of Open Your Eyes, McKay delves into the theme of taking control of one's life and reaching one's potential, and he does this through the lens of the Boston Marathon. The stories of some Marathon runners, as discussed by McKay, offer insight and encouragement to do the hard things in order to achieve success. The rigorous process of qualifying for the marathon, the dedication and hard work required to be considered as a participant, the emotions and experiences of race day, and the camaraderie and support of the spectators and fellow runners are all explored. Our host also shares the power of determination and perseverance, and introduces listeners to the "Scream Tunnel" - a powerful reminder of the impact that support and encouragement can have in an individual's journey towards their goals. During the episode, McKay also recounts the remarkable story of Katherine Switzer, and emphasizes the importance of proving our abilities and the price we must pay to truly run the race of life. As you listen in today, you will gain insight into how to take your life back and do the things necessary to grow your business and achieve success - including losing things such as idle time and the willingness to procrastinate so that you can gain energy, satisfaction, and a sense of being remarkable. Inspirational and motivational, today’s episode answers that most crucial of questions: Isn’t it time to do the hard things necessary to take your life back? The Finer Details of This Episode: Overview of the Boston Marathon and its significanceThe power of determination and perseveranceThe "Scream Tunnel" Doing the hard things in order to achieve successThe story of Katherine Switzer Taking your life back and doing the necessary thingsLosing a few thingsThe importance of training and working hard, even when no one is watchingProving yourself yourselfMaking the effort to be remarkable Quotes: "500,000 spectators line the route and gather at the finish line to cheer on a brother, a sister, a friend, or to just watch runners reaching their goals." "Race day is an experience all by itself." "One magical place on the course is called ‘Scream Tunnel.’" "Isn't it time to take your life back, do the hard things when it's time?” "And soon you'll be in the habit and your life, yourself, your self worth, will return." "It also means you may gain a few things - energy, satisfaction, and a sense of you being remarkable." "She trained and worked and finally ran a marathon plus an extra 5 miles to prove to her coach that she could run the distance." "And in Katherine's case, she proved her ability in training by herself with no one watching.” "The other runners were happy to see her and supportive of her.” Links: https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

  3. Jul 13

    S6E7 - What’s in Your Heart?

    Delving into the transformative power of internal resolve, McKay argues that what we carry in our hearts determines our success far more than external conditions or resources. By examining historical turning points and personal anecdotes, he illustrates how acting with conviction before proof exists is the key to overcoming fear and achieving the impossible. McKay uses the "Trenton moment" of George Washington’s icy Delaware crossing to show how a single act of resolve can shift the momentum of an entire revolution. He explains the "law of diminishing intent," warning that delay erodes confidence while action, much like regenerative braking in a hybrid car, actually recharges our faith through resistance. Through the lenses of Peter’s walk on water and Jim Morris’ mid-life Major League debut, we see that potential is limitless when we remove distractions and commit to our choices. Ultimately, this episode serves as a call to stop reacting to past setbacks and start feeding a vision of who we are becoming through consistent, heart-led effort. Main Themes: How internal resolve outweighs external resources and conditionsThe Battle of Trenton as a psychological turning point for the American RevolutionUnderstanding the "law of diminishing intent" and the cost of delaySusan Jeffers’ five truths about pushing through fearPeter’s walk on the water as a source of lifelong faithRegenerative faith: How resistance builds belief through actionWhy faith is a "sales job" we must perform for ourselves every dayIdentifying and removing distractions to avoid a vicious cycle of declineThe story of Jim Morris and the power of a heart-led dream at age 35The definition of faith as a commitment to choices rather than a matter of chance Top 10 Quotes: "What you resolve in your heart will have more impact on what you’re doing than just about anything else." "The longer we delay doing something, the less likely it is that we will do it." "Faith is a sales job. Each day we are selling to ourselves the thing in which we are placing our faith." "Pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes out of helplessness." "Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death." "Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of faith is to see what you have believed." "It is against resistance that faith grows." "Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow better.'" Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

  4. Jul 6

    S6E6 - What Glasses Are You Wearing?

    The "belief window" - the invisible lenses that shape how we interpret every life event - comes under McKay’s learned scrutiny today as he explains that, while we assume we see objective reality, our brains actually construct our experiences based on past conditioning. He then demonstrates that questioning these default settings moves us from being constrained by old perspectives to being empowered by new ones. Referencing the Northern Thailand cave rescue and the Mann Gulch fire, McKay shows how mental models can save us or become blind spots. He highlights NVIDIA’s AI vision and Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup to illustrate how "future glasses" overcome skepticism. Through Daryl Davis’s conversations and behavioral science, we learn that transformation begins with perception, not just behavior. Throughout this episode, McKay encourages us all to stop reacting to the world through the lenses of your past and start constructing a new reality through the vision of who we are becoming. Main Themes: How the "belief window" shapes our constructed realityIdentifying default lenses formed by childhood and past setbacksThe Tham Luang cave rescue and the power of "What if?" questionsWhy old "safety" habits become dangerous blind spots in new crisesHow "today glasses" favor immediate comfort over long-term goalsUsing a "five-year lens" to reduce emotional distress and gain perspectiveNVIDIA’s AI journey as a model for choosing future vision over current viewsViewing failure as information instead of evidence of impossibilityWhy perception must shift before lasting behavioral change can occurThe impact of environmental lenses and expectations on our decisions Top 10 Quotes: "Your brain isn’t simply observing reality, it’s actively constructing your experience of reality." "The world begins to look like the glasses that you’re wearing." "Our greatest strengths quietly become our greatest blind spots." "When you view a problem from the future, it loses some of its emotional grip." "Today’s glasses constantly ask, 'How do I feel?' Five-year glasses ask, 'Who am I becoming?'" "People wearing future glasses are willing to change strategies without abandoning the goal." "To construct a new reality or way of living, we have to first put on a new view." Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

  5. Jun 29

    S6E5 - Go the Distance

    McKay demonstrates that life's greatest victories are achieved through steady, everyday efforts rather than sudden breakthroughs through his exploration of the "go the distance" mindset. While our world celebrates quick finishes, real resilience is forged in the quiet, ongoing dedication that persists long after the initial excitement fades. Alongside his friend Austin's adaptation to a paralyzing injury, McKay shares stories of deep perseverance. He explores Stallone's true vision for Rocky and W.P. Kinsella's pursuit of redemption in Shoeless Joe. He then traces Katalin Karikó's long mRNA research and José Hernández's twelve attempts to join NASA. These examples, including Jessica Long's Paralympic path, show that success lies in the quiet, daily struggle. Main Themes: Why the "go the distance" mindset serves as the foundation of long-term success and personal transformationHow Austin redefined his daily reality and found purpose through handcycling after a life-altering accidentRealizing that extraordinary results come from continuing to make ordinary efforts long after excitement fadesRocky Balboa's definition of going the distance as a quest to discover identity rather than simply winning a championshipW.P. Kinsella's Shoeless Joe and the journey of reconciliation and healing at the heart of Field of DreamsWhy the greatest rewards in life arrive when we choose to push past the point where quitting would be reasonableJosé Hernández's journey from migrant farmworker to NASA astronaut through twelve years of persistent applicationsHow Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman's decades of unrecognized mRNA research paved the way for the rapid COVID-19 vaccine responseUnderstanding the industrial history of "losing steam" and the vital importance of refueling our minds and emotions dailyJessica Long's athletic legacy and how true greatness is forged in the invisible, uncelebrated moments of practice Top 10 Quotes: "Real life is not built around breakthroughs; it is built around continuation." "Real wins in life happen to those who stay the course, who go the distance." "Often, the greatest victory is becoming the kind of person who can stay in the arena long enough to get there." "The greatest rewards in life often come only after we continue beyond the point where quitting would have been reasonable, when we go the distance." "The question is never whether discouragement will arrive; it is rather what will happen after it arrives." "We don't know when the breakthrough will arrive... What we do know is that continuing creates possibilities that quitting never can." Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

  6. Jun 22

    S6E4 - Because You Choose To

    McKay explores the "because I choose to" mindset - the principle that circumstances don't dictate our reality or outcomes. Throughout the episode he demonstrates that, while life often burdens us with the heavy weight of "I have to," freedom and success emerge when we recognize our inherent agency to choose our response. In addition to highlighting Ashleigh Barty's intentional return to tennis and contrasting it with her earlier burnout, our host goes on to share such stories as Desmond Doss's battlefield convictions and Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku's choice to be "The Happiest Man on Earth." From Arunima Sinha's Everest climb to McKay's lesson at a prison gate, this episode shows how embracing reality changes destiny, urging us to use choice to build an extraordinary life. Main Themes: Why the "I choose to" mindset and intentionality outpace obligation and pressureAshleigh Barty's choice to walk away from and intentionally return to professional tennisLearning to find the positive in a backward-loaded route through the delivery truck lessonHow Desmond Doss held onto his convictions at Hacksaw Ridge despite hostile circumstancesWhy resisting reality consumes energy without producing results and the value of embracing it insteadEddie Jaku's survival of Auschwitz and his decision to become "The Happiest Man on Earth"Kerry Egan's hospice observations on finding meaning at the end of life through acceptanceHow Arunima Sinha scaled Mount Everest and redefined her identity after a tragic train incidentBuilding identity through small and repeated choices that turn into habits and characterDiscovering the ultimate freedom by recognizing our agency and participation in any circumstance Top 10 Quotes: "Most of us do have a choice. And when we remember that we can choose and do choose, our approach is different. It's more healthy." "The human mind has the ability to assign meaning to experience, and that meaning directly influences our behavior and long-term outcomes." "The circumstance itself doesn't determine the meaning, but the response does." "Suffering is not only caused by what happens, but also by what we do with it." "Happiness does not fall from the sky. It's in your hands. It comes from a choice inside you." "Small choices accumulate into identity through repetition." "The shift from 'I have to' to 'I choose to' is therefore not semantic. It's internal strength." "To live from this perspective is to recognize that while circumstances may be given, our level of participation is chosen." Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

  7. Jun 15

    S6E3 - The Gentle Slope

    The transformative power of the "gentle slope," the principle that our lives are not defined by singular, dramatic events, but by the accumulation of tiny, consistent choices comes under McKay’s scrutiny today. Acknowledging that the world often waits for a "lightning strike" of inspiration, our host explains that true change happens through the quiet persistence of daily habits. Analyzing the history of the Grand Canyon, McKay contrasts a 1956 crash with the slow erosion that actually shaped its depths. He also shares stories of John Woolman’s anti-slavery persuasion and Jennie Flexner’s book-by-book literacy drive. From Edith Eger’s resilience to Barry Magee’s endurance, this episode shows how a one-degree shift changes your destiny. McKay provides a framework for "evolving instead of revolving," urging us to use small habits to build an extraordinary life. Main Themes: The Grand Canyon: Why small forces are more powerful than spectacular eventsThe 1956 mid-air collision and the birth of modern air traffic controlJenny Mass Flexner: Changing generations one book at a timeJohn Woolman and the thirty-year mission of "gentle persuasion"Benjamin Banneker: How a habit of curiosity builds a scientific legacyEdith Eger and the "50 anyway" mindset: Taking risks at any ageEvolving vs. Revolving: Breaking the cycle of past-based thinkingThe Wheat Field Analogy: The science of building neuro-pathways in the brainBabar Ali: The journey from after-school teacher to world-renowned headmasterThe Lydiard Method: Why building an aerobic base is the key to enduranceThe "One-Degree" Rule: How tiny deviations in direction change your final destination Top 10 Quotes: "Extraordinary results are often the product of ordinary actions repeated consistently over time." "The river never set out to carve a canyon a mile deep; it simply kept moving in the same direction." "The great things we achieve, or the erosion in our actions and character, are not arrived at in a moment. Rather, it is a gentle slope." "Our lives are shaped by small choices... like a river carving a canyon, the effects are almost invisible day by day, yet over years, they become impossible to ignore." "Impact compounds." "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." "You’ve got to evolve instead of revolve." "Today's small choices become tomorrow's habits, and tomorrow's habits become next year's character, and character becomes destiny." Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

  8. Jun 8

    S6E2 - See the Good in Everyone (New Episode)

    McKay explores Dolly Parton’s philosophy of ‘finding the God-light in everyone’ as a transformative leadership discipline. He argues that choosing to see potential rather than faults is a practical way to inspire growth and redirect lives. Our host highlights how belief in others alters history through the stories of Louis Armstrong, Walt Disney, and Abraham Lincoln. Detailing Nelson Mandela’s healing of South Africa and John Wooden’s UCLA coaching, McKay demonstrates that by applying the Pygmalion effect and defending the absent, listeners can foster trust and move beyond automatic negative thinking. Main Themes: Dolly Parton’s "God light" philosophy The Pygmalion Effect on performance Lincoln’s "Team of Rivals" strategy Louis Armstrong’s reform school start Walt Disney and the power of affirmation Defending the absent to build character Mandela’s use of rugby to unite a nation Overcoming self-centered "default settings" John Wooden’s shame-free coaching Belief as a practical leadership strategy Top 10 Quotes: "I try to find the God-light in everybody." "If you see someone without a smile, give them yours." "Human nature tends to notice faults first." "When people are seen as capable, they often become more capable." "If you humiliate people, they resist; if you honor people, they change." "When you defend those who are absent, you retain the trust of those present." "Seeing the good in others is a discipline, not a feeling." "Remembering everyone is good makes a meaningful life possible." "Correct what can be improved, not what is wrong with you." "Seeing good in someone can redirect an entire life." Show Links: Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

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4.8
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What you can’t see, you can’t be. That’s why we all need a clear vision of who we are and what we can become. On Open Your Eyes join author and business leader McKay Christensen to discover the steps to lasting change on your path to personal and business growth. From personal improvement to team leadership, get the insights and tools you need to open your eyes to a happier life.

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