The Positive Persistence Podcast with Ian Bowen

After more than two and a half years of incredible conversations, Ian is putting the Positive Persistence Podcast on hiatus for now. In this special solo episode, he reflects on the stories, lessons, and inspiring people who have made the journey so meaningful.From overcoming adversity to discovering inner strength, the podcast has always been about reminding people that setbacks don't define them. And that they have the power to move forward and become the best version of themselves.As Ian steps into his next chapter, he'll be focusing on sharing his Watch Me mindset and RINSE methodology through speaking engagements, podcast guest appearances, and coaching.Thank you for being part of the Positive Persistence family. This may be goodbye for now, but the mission to stay positive, stay persistent, and remember that mindset is everything continues.If you're looking for a speaker, podcast guest, mindset coach, resilience coach, or simply need some encouragement getting back on track, reach out to Ian directly. He'd love to hear from you and help you or someone you know overcome a setback.Until next time, stay positive, stay persistent, and remember: mindset is everything.Connect with Ian Bowen:Website: https://watchmemindset.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowenYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IanBowenPositivePersistence CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:Website: https://watchmemindset.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowenYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't your circumstances, your past, or your abilities, but the way you think about yourself?In this episode, Ian Bowen sits down with Daniel Fielding, Special Forces veteran, author, and founder of The Asset Mindset, to explore how changing your thoughts can change the direction of your life. Drawing from his military experience and years of helping others overcome adversity, Daniel shares why the most powerful asset you have isn't your skills, resources, or connections. It's you.Daniel explains how the principles he learned in Special Forces can apply to everyday challenges, from overcoming fear and breaking free from negative thought patterns to rebuilding confidence and taking responsibility for your future. He challenges the idea that people need extraordinary experiences to develop resilience, reminding listeners that everyone has already overcome something difficult in their lives.One of the episode's most memorable moments comes when Daniel shares the story of a 92-year-old woman who read his book, decided to return to work, and rediscovered her sense of purpose. Her experience reinforces a powerful message: it's never too late to change your life.In this episode, you’ll discover:1. Why The Asset Mindset applies to everyone, not just Special Forces veterans.2. How to move beyond a victim mentality without ignoring past pain.3. Why giving yourself grace and practicing gratitude can help you move forward.4. How to turn fear into an opportunity for courage and growth.5. Why your environment and the people around you influence your mindset.6. How small wins and backwards planning help you achieve bigger goals.7. Why it's never too late to change your life and rediscover your purpose.Key Takeaways:1. You Are Your Greatest Asset: Your mindset and decisions can influence how you respond to life's challenges.2. Keep Moving Forward: Even a wrong decision can teach you something; staying stuck prevents growth.3. Give Yourself Grace: Healing takes time. Acknowledge your struggles without letting them define your future.4. Reframe Fear: Fear can be an opportunity to practice courage, learn, and grow.5. Choose Your Environment: Surround yourself with people and experiences that support positive change.6. Build Momentum Through Small Wins: Consistent actions and clear planning make bigger goals more achievable.7. It's Never Too Late: You can rediscover purpose and make meaningful changes at any stage of life.Timestamps:00:00 – Meet Daniel Fielding and The Asset Mindset02:27 – Why mindset is the key to overcoming adversity04:24 – Moving beyond a victim mentality05:14 – Why making no decision keeps you stuck08:19 – Giving yourself grace and practicing gratitude12:13 – Turning fear into an opportunity for growth15:37 – Stop comparing yourself to others16:52 – How your environment shapes your mindset21:17 – Changing your thoughts, beliefs, and identity27:57 – Using backwards planning to achieve your goals31:37 – The 92-year-old woman who found a new purpose38:30 – Daniel's message about owning your thoughts and powerConnect with Daniel Fielding:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-fielding-the-asset-mindset/Website: https://www.theassetmindset.comAsset Mindset Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Asset-Mindset/Daniel-Fielding/9781668035979 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theassetmindsetpodcast CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:Website: https://watchmemindset.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowenYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when the way your brain works doesn't fit the way the world expects you to learn, work, or live?Mike Merkur spent years being told, directly and indirectly, that he didn't fit. He was thrown out of class, quit chemical engineering in tears at 17, struggled to find his place, and eventually spent years couch surfing.In this episode, Mike opens up about discovering his ADHD and autism, why traditional learning never worked for him, and how learning with his hands and visually changed the way he understood the world.He also shares the moment he realized he couldn't keep looking backward. From being pushed down by society to finding his own path as a toy inventor and puzzle maker, Mike's story is about finding your unique gifts, accepting that your path may look different, and continuing forward when the conventional path doesn't work for you.In this episode, you’ll discover:1. Why Mike struggled to fit into traditional classrooms and workplaces.2. How ADHD and autism affected the way he learned and interacted with the world.3. Why traditional, text-based learning doesn't work for everyone.4. How kinesthetic and hands-on learning can help people with different learning styles.5. What five years of couch surfing taught Mike about himself and other people.6. Why some people with big ideas never take the first step.7. How overcoming obstacles can create the courage to move forward.8. Why you shouldn't look back when you're trying to build a different future. Key Takeaways:1. Not Everyone Fits the Traditional Mold. Mike's experiences in school and work showed him that conventional systems don't work equally well for everyone.2. Different Brains Can Need Different Ways to Learn. Mike describes himself as someone who needs to learn visually and with his hands.3. Your Path Doesn't Have to Look Normal. Mike spent years couch surfing and exploring instead of following a conventional career path.4. Obstacles Can Change How You Move Forward. Mike talks about people becoming fearless enough to act after being pushed down or overcoming major obstacles.5. Stop Looking Back. Mike uses the story of Lot and his wife to explain why constantly looking backward can keep you frozen in place.6. Find Your Unique Gifts. Mike encourages people to identify the abilities that make their way of thinking different.7. Keep Going After the Knock. As Mike puts it, “Every knock's a boost.”8. Go, Be, Do. Sometimes the first step is simply deciding to move forward rather than waiting for everything to be perfect. Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction 00:12 – Mike's unconventional path: school, engineering, and couch surfing01:32 – Why Mike struggled in school03:40 – ADHD, autism, and learning differently04:27 – The experience of not fitting in15:13 – Losing his father and close friend16:19 – Being labeled “unemployable”17:34 – Seeing the abilities behind different ways of thinking18:57 – “How do you fit into society?”22:14 – The Mike of today vs. 10 years ago22:48 – Five years of couch surfing26:19 – Mike's advice for people who don't fit the mold36:10 – Why people with ideas don't always start37:24 – “Let's just do it and never look back”38:28 – How far you can go when you stop looking back38:44 – “Every knock's a boost” Connect with Mike Merkur:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemerkur/Website: https://mikemerkur.com/World Mini Music: https://www.worldminimusic.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Mikemerkur CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:Website: https://watchmemindset.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowenYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the proof that you can handle what's coming next is already written in your past?In this solo cast, Ian Bowen shares a powerful conversation he had with a client facing a life-changing challenge. He breaks down why fear is really just "False Evidence Appearing Real," and why the actual evidence of your life; every struggle you've survived, every obstacle you've overcome, is the blueprint for your next breakthrough.He also explains why most people do affirmations wrong, why you can't manifest something your body doesn't believe, and how to use your real track record to build unshakeable resilience before you need it. Essential listening for anyone in the middle of a hard season.In this episode, you’ll discover:1. Why fear is "False Evidence Appearing Real" and how it hijacks your decision-making.2. How to look at the actual evidence of your life instead of the false evidence in your head.3. Why every challenge you've overcome is preparing you for the next one.4. The difference between false evidence and real evidence, and why it matters.5. Why you can't affirm or manifest something that isn't true for you yet.6. How to affirm strength using real evidence from your past.7. Why you must build a resilient mindset before you need it.8. How to dust off your "blueprint for success" that you've already created.Key Takeaways:1. Fear Is False Evidence. Fear screams loudest when you're facing the unknown. It feels real, but it isn't proof of anything.2. Look at the Real Evidence. Your track record of surviving hard things is the most reliable proof that you can survive this one.3. Every Struggle Prepares You. All the adversity you've already handled has been building the resilience you need right now.4. You Can't Affirm a Lie. Saying "I am a millionaire" when you're not doesn't work. Your body won't resonate with something untrue.5. Affirm What You've Proven. "I am strong" works when you can point to the times you were. That's evidence your body believes.6. Build Resilience Before You Need It. Don't wait for the crisis. Start stacking evidence now so you're ready when the storm hits.7. You Already Have the Blueprint. You've overcome before. The steps you took then are the steps you need now, just dust them off.8. Make Life Happen for You. Don't let life happen to you. Remember the steps you took to become a victor, and use them again.Timestamps:00:11 – A conversation with a client facing a life-changing challenge01:02 – The questions we all ask: "How am I going to deal with this?"01:56 – Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real03:02 – Look at the actual evidence, not the false evidence03:29 – Every struggle you've overcome is preparing you for this04:37 – It's easier to read the label from outside the jar05:00 – Why most people do affirmations wrong06:52 – Affirm what you've already proven: "I am strong because I've overcome"07:41 – Using your past as evidence for your future07:57 – Build a resilient mindset before you need it08:19 – Remember the steps you took to become a victor08:52 – You already have the blueprint for your success09:16 – Closing: stay positive, stay persistent CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:Website: https://watchmemindset.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowenYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the story you've told yourself your whole life about why you weren't wanted was never the truth?Ian Bowen sits down with Mark Steiner, CEO of GigSalad, who was adopted at birth and spent decades believing he was rejected, abandoned, and not enough. He opens up about the imaginative story he built as a child, the insecurity that bled into every relationship, and the moment a single word from an AI chatbot reframed his entire identity: he wasn't rejected—he was redirected.Diagnosed with ADHD at 57, Mark also speaks candidly about his lifelong struggle with bulimia, body dysmorphia, and the "program" of perfectionism he ran for decades—and how he finally un-programmed it. Essential for anyone carrying a story about themselves that was never theirs to begin with. In this episode, you’ll discover:1. How being adopted at birth shaped Mark's identity and self-worth for decades.2. The moment he found his biological mother at 25 and heard a completely different story.3. Why he was diagnosed with ADHD at 57 and how it explained his entire life.4. The "switch" he flipped in 2004 and why he never looked back.5. His candid story of living with bulimia and body dysmorphia as a man.6. Why secrets and "stuffing things down" kept him stuck for years.7. The moment he publicly shared his eating disorder and what happened next.8. How he built GigSalad and what "finding your gig" really means. Key Takeaways:1. You Were Redirected, Not Rejected. The story you tell yourself about why something happened is often not the truth. Reframing it can change everything.2. Secrets Aren't Good. Stuffing things down is like an iceberg—you only see the tip until you finally look beneath the surface.3. Love Yourself First. You cannot truly love others until you love yourself. That overflow is what makes real connection possible.4. Accept Your Humanity. You don't have to be perfect, immortal, or angelic. Accepting you're human is the most freeing thing you can do.5. Comparison Is the Thief. On the best days, Mark doesn't compare himself to others. Removing comparison and criticalness is crucial.6. Learn Something Every Day. At 60, Mark still wakes up excited about what he'll learn. That white-belt mentality keeps life thrilling.7. There's Always a Way. Spiritual, physical, emotional, mental—whatever holds you back, there is a way out, through, over, or around.8. Choose the Highs. If you know both the highs and lows, choose to stick with the highs. Even if it looks manic, it beats the alternative. Timestamps:00:11 – Introducing Mark Steiner, CEO of GigSalad01:25 – Adopted at birth and the story he built about being "given up"06:13 – The destructive "program" he ran on himself for decades07:43 – Feeling invincible: "I'm gonna do something exceptional"08:26 – The AI prompt that changed everything: "You weren't rejected, you were redirected"12:38 – Diagnosed with ADHD at 57 and how it explained his life18:25 – Un-programming the perfectionism at 4022:48 – Finding contentment and confidence at 6030:30 – Sharing his bulimia publicly for the first time36:29 – His message: there's a way out, through, over, or around38:10 – What GigSalad is and how it works42:48 – Where to find Mark and GigSaladConnect with Mark Steiner:Website: https://thinkupon.com/GigSalad: https://www.gigsalad.com/ CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:Website: https://watchmemindset.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowenYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.