In our first episode back in the refreshed, Shaun McCambridge Podcast, you hear from Mark Mathews.

Not only is Mark a world-renowned big wave surfer, but he has also been sponsored by Red Bull, Go Pro and Ripcurl to name just a few. He is an international speaker with clients such as Deloitte, Westpac, NRL and Land Rover.

Mark is obsessed with personal growth, and he has a crazily inspirational journey. He is a dad, and a husband and through all of this has developed a process for overcoming fear.

 

Mark speaks to how he did not create these concepts, but he researched and unearthed the different concepts out there and ways to make them available.  He became inquisitive by facing his own fears and found the best ways to deal with them, for himself and others.

 

2.45 – How would you describe the process of overcoming fear?

Mark had an early relationship with fear yet through constant exposure, his learnings have stuck with him. 

“You learn the skills and knowledge to master the environment you fear. Once you have them you become less anxious over time. Something switches and it turns to excitement as you have the skills.”

“Remember the moment it turns from fear to excitement, for me the desire to keep doing it was greater than the fear.”

 

‘Sensations and psychophysiological functions occur when there is a perceived threat. Your body senses them, emotional or socialized versions of angst arise and your body senses and fears them. Historically interpersonal relationships with these versions were life or death, now we perceive the threat as if it’s life or death.”

 

6.30 - How do you overcome it? 

Through Voluntary Exposure Therapy – which is, choosing to expose yourself to the fear to condition yourself around it. Remaining calm and conserving energy. Figure out how to want it, how to desire it more, to get you through the conditioning.

 

“Fall in love with looking back at what you were doing a few months ago and be proud of that. Then get addicted to that feeling and continue to chase it.”

 

“Create crystal clear pictures of what success looks like to you and why you want to succeed.”

Mark talks about tying his loved ones to his success, how will they benefit from the hard work and your success?

“The line between success and failure is the state of flow and living in the present moment”. Being able to live in the present moment is a by-product of that fine line where you can be nervous enough but not in complete chaos.

Mark speaks to investing in himself and what he has done to equip himself to get there. He has gone through a long journey of dealing with his own fears whether it be drowning in the ocean or that public speaking as an introvert can be terrifying. 

The things that you can’t go without, the things that help you be resilient enough to face fear.

 

These are additions to the foundational pieces mentioned before, they work alongside them as cognitive behaviours are the everyday habits you have that can be realigned to make small steps towards breaking down anxiety.

 

“Put in the time to research as well as having the motivation.” 

 

If Mark is assessing how he is coping with life and how to optimize his level of resilience, he adjusts it to multiple areas of his life. 

 

“Something may be in peripheral view so you are not aware of the stress it’s causing you; you may have gone off course and you don’t realise it. Make tiny adjustments to hit the thing that is having a negative impact, they are all linked like a negative snowball. You want a positive snowball.”

 

“Assess the foundational elements and create adjustments. Small amounts of progress that will be beneficial such as exercise, the small gains, assess at the end of the week if you get there and adjust if not. Bringing attention down to a smaller time frame can keep you sane.”

Tangible things are those that will help you shift your perspective to one of gratitude.

Positive things come when you look at that one thing in a more positive light. So, you ask yourself how can I do this more consistently? 

Taking a lifestyle habit and stacking on to a primary habit.

Primary habits – things you do consistently day in and day out (autopilot), time there you can do something positive.

Send a message of gratitude to someone and see how your nervous system, as well as theirs, will settle. These messages can change lives.

"Rewind your life to think of things that make you grateful."

 

33.45 - Tips for parents on how to deal with fear
Kids should understand that it’s okay to be different and feel different. Compare yourself to yourself and who you were and see the changes you have had. “You can foster the growth mindset if you start it early.”
 
37 – Neuroplasticity
Shaun speaks to how the brain can change and evolve, you can overcome fear you just have to expose yourself to it and see where you were to where you are now. Fear is normal and everyone experiences it differently.  

Wrap Up & Thank You
Visit markmathews.com