Olympic dreams and being inspired by the power of our brains

I first got interested in learning why we do the things we do, and what truly leads to our success while I was sitting on my living room floor as a kid, watching the 1996 Olympic games on our big box TV (remember those ones where you had to get up to turn the channel?)

I remember my jaw dropping to the floor as I watched a young American gymnast named Kerri Strugg do what most of us couldn’t imagine. She competed on a busted up leg… the pressure of her country on her shoulders… and managed to win gold for her team. 

It was incredible to watch, and I still smile thinking about it. You can hear me tell the whole story of her miraculous performance here (https://drnicolebyers.com/blog/episode4)

I remember watching this woman compete and being amazed.

How could she walk on that leg let alone flip, twist, and jump… things most of us couldn't do with two good legs.

How could this young woman succeed, all the pressure of her team and her country on her shoulders? How could she push past the fear, the doubt, the uncertainty to achieve success?

Watching this live not only fueled my passion for gymnastics (I did competitive gymnastics into university, not Olympic level or anything but I loved it), but also my interest in understanding the power of our brains, and how we can train our brains with the right habits for success. 

The long road through university and the most terrifying test of my life

Fast forward a few years and I’m in university trying to figure out what I want to do with my life when by chance I took a class by a fantastic professor that was called Introduction to Neuropsychology. 

I don’t think I knew what neuropsychology was when I signed up for the course, only that it sounded interesting.

This wonderful professor shared stories each week of the incredible things your brain can do.

Like the story of patient HM who had brain surgery and was left without the ability to make new memories. He was like 10-second Tom from the movie 50 First Dates - well actually he wasn’t entirely without memory, and his case taught us how our memories really work and how we have different types of memory (you can hear the whole story here in this episode of The Bold Life)

And I was hooked! Oh my gosh, our brains are amazing! I must learn more…

So I went to graduate school and spent about a billion years in university. Well maybe not a billion, but definitely a lot. I spent all that time in university learning about learning! For real my research focus was on learning, memory, and how our brains make decisions. 

As I pushed through each of those years of university (and many late nights) I developed a system to help my brain stay on track, to stop procrastinating, and to change my mental habits that were getting in my way (like my inner perfectionist, my inner people pleaser, and my tendency to doubt myself).

The more I learned about how our brains work, the more I was able to apply those strategies both to my own success, and to help my clients succeed.

Those skills of challenging my negative thinking, building my confidence, and overplanning (I gave my family typed instructions on my wedding day) definitely served me well when I walked into the biggest exam of my life (the one that would determine if I would become Dr. Byers) and I had to staple my pants together and my most hated professor in the university was on my exam committee! You can hear all about my embarrassing exam here. 

Taking the leap, starting my own business, and finding my passion. 

But I did it. I graduated. Got my Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a specialty in neuropsychology (meaning I’m a psychologist who specializes in brain health) and I got my dream job at a hospital here in Calgary working on a neuroscience team, and as an adjunct professor at the university where I could continue to be involved in research and learning. 

And that was great for a few years…

...until I found myself bored, losing motivation to go into work, and not sure what I wanted to do with my life (so frustrating after I worked so hard to get that “dream job”)

So I took the leap, started my own business, and found my passion.

Now I teach busy professionals the mental habits they need to feel less overwhelmed, more productive, and more confident in their careers…

… so they can spend less time procrastinating, second guessing themselves, and worrying about messing up …

... and more time taking action towards their goals!

I take all the knowledge I learned about:

• how your brain works (including why your brain makes you procrastinate), 

• how your brain LEARNS negative mental habits like perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-doubt, 

• How to set goals and actually follow through (no more falling off the wagon)

• And how to train your brain for success

And I put all those strategies and tips into the resources I share with my community so I can help you...

• Stop wasting time second-guessing yourself, hesitating, and procrastinating - and FINALLY move forward in your career

• Wake up energized - no more laying in bed all night while your brain reminds you of all your mistakes (even the ones you haven't made yet!)

• Spend less time worrying what other people think - and more time being yourself

• Have the confidence to try new things - without worrying you’ll mess up or you might not be“perfect”

• Be able to speak up and say what you think - without turning into a ball of anxiety, and sweating through your shirt

If you like what you’re reading and want to get started right away, check out some of my free workbooks and trainings below.

Actionable Strategies Perfectly Paired to Your Goals