Uncontrollably bad situations are challenging to navigate, especially during childhood. Even as adults, there are things we wish had never happened. Life is full of uncertainties, but within them, we discover our greatest strength and life’s wisdom.
Our guest, Michael Godard, who recently joined the podcast, opened up about his life’s struggles and trauma, detailing the journey that led him to become the person he is today. Known as the explosive ‘Rockstar of the Art World’ and a global top-selling artist, it’s remarkable to think that he once hit rock bottom due to alcohol, drugs and depression and believed he would stay there for the rest of his life, as his therapist had suggested.
What lingered in his mind was what his therapist told him during his teenage years — that he had all the excuses and reasons to feel sorry for himself, but if he continued in that mindset, he would never achieve anything in his life. The therapist encouraged him to stop feeling sorry for himself and to move forward.
It wasn’t until his 30s that he realized this, but changing the brain takes a lot of work. His mindset didn’t transform overnight; it was a gradual process that demanded a significant amount of effort to move on from his childhood trauma and the habits and vices he had developed. He even feared being alone because he couldn’t control his mind. Although not someone who easily sheds tears, he has now given himself permission to cry every now and then, recognizing that it’s okay not to be superman all the time.
Michael emphasizes the importance of being in the moment, understanding what’s happening, and appreciating the good things. He advocates for taking time for oneself, not constantly focusing on others or external things to avoid burnout. Lastly, he emphasizes the significance of evaluating your environment—being with people or in places where you can grow healthily and happily. As he wisely puts it, ‘You can’t lose money in the casino unless you’re in the casino.
The following important points were discussed:
1.Recognize your triggers.
2.To make a change, find motivation.
3.You can’t control everything in life.
4.It’s okay not to have all the answers.
5.Focus on things that make you happy, and avoid things that make you sad.
6.Don’t set unrealistic expectations.
Timestamps of key moments in the podcast:
2:10 – 10:27 : Michael’s backstory of his childhood and how he was maltreated by his stepfather.
11:29 – 14:22 : How Michael gradually changed his mindset and effort in doing it.
22:25 – 28:14 : Michael shared some of his traumatic experiences with his daughter who he lost from cancer.
29:10 – 30:46 : How to handle losses in life.
32:18 – 41:01 : Michael shared how he got to get more clients in his first business – printing shirts.
51:47 – 52:50 :Piece of advice from Michael Godard.