Selected Links and People Mentioned from this episode:

• Connect with Don MacDonald:

  LinkedIn
  DrDonMacDonald.com
  DrDonMacDonald.com Podcast
  YouTube

• The Underdog Curse – by Dr. Don MacDonald
• Southside Chiropractic
• Dr. John Demartini
• Hoffman Institute
• The Vitality Shift

Show Notes

• [02:15] Patrick introduces us to his long-time friend and today’s guest: Dr. Don McDonald.
• [05:17] Listen in while Patrick and Dr. Don catch up and have a great conversation.
• [05:55] First, what is Dr. Don’s elevator pitch?
• [06:45] A bit about Don and his business as a chiropractor for over 20 years.
• [09:00] Don shares his experience of growing up in the small town of Grande Cache, Alberta, his dreams of moving to the city and how he got there.
• [11:20] Mentorship provides the propulsion Don needs to take off and make his move to Edmonton.
• [12:47] What was the compelling reason that pushed Don to make those choices at a young age?
• [14:36] Don talks about how his physical challenges through basketball inspired him to pursue the chiropractic field.
• [16:21] But the pursuit wasn’t purely driven by “being a chiropractor”. Growing up working in the family business also drove Don’s interest in business.
• [17:27] Discovering not only what to do, but who to be and who he wants to surround himself in the space of his business.
• [19:47] The power Don and Patrick found in their mastermind group to continually challenge each other and up their game.
• [20:25] The work doesn’t stop for Don, only now the focus has shifted to self-improvement and elevating his personal game.
• [21:11] Don shares the influence and his experience of working with Dr. John Demartini and the 50 shades of grey he was introduced to (no, not that 50 Shades…]
• [23:15] The unfolding of how Don approaches his chiropractic work in both body and mindset.
• [24:45] “How people think can affect their spine”. Dr. Don takes a fascinating look into this statement from the top down to explain our body-mind connection (chicken and the egg).
• [28:16] Don gives us a further look at why exercise is so important to a healthy brain.
• [29:48] Don talks about the chronic stress response that builds in some of his clients who are working hard as business owners and how essential it is to transition into self-care to prevent disease.
• [32:15] Chronic stress affects men and women a little differently and how we release it is also different.
• [34:53] “It’s not the weight we carry that harms us, it’s the way we carry the weight”. Don expands on Patrick’s quote to talk about stress, our adaptability and the physical manifestation.
• [37:20] Don gives us some insights into what inspired him to write his book and what the heck the underdog curse even is!
• [40:31] How did Don see a way to break down the underdog curse and find some malleability in the black and white spectrum?
• [41:43] Digging a little deeper, Don shares the factors that shifted his need to rely on his underdog mindset.
• [43:40] The powerful defining moment of how that shift occurred for Don.
• [46:25] Don describes the lessons he learned from a close friend with ALS which showed him where his ego was rooted in his practice and how he could change his approach and better care for his patients.
• [49:30] Don goes back to connecting the links of our physical challenges and our brain.
• [51:35] Tuning in to the messages our bodies are sending as an opportunity for self-reflection and changes that may need to be made to keep us healthy.
• [54:57] Did Don’s journey and evolution of personal development produce a fall-out with those close to him?
• [57:55] What has Don learned about himself in how he needs to show up in his relationships which he didn’t realize before?
• [61:20] Don talks about his business and the environment they create as a team within his practice.
• [62:43] Don shares the fundamental message he wanted to deliver through writing his book.
• [64:28] Don and Patrick explore the truth that empty goals and comparison will rob you of enjoying the process and living a life that is meaningful for you.
• [67:20] Don and his wife Brandi travel the world to talk to business owners and chiropractors about these health impacts and provide a framework for creating a better-quality environment.
• [68:46] The kitchen-sink theory of stress reduction.
• [69:37] Don shares Brandi’s context for her lectures – educating chiropractors on how to empower their patients and help them feel inspired about improving their own health.
• [71:10] Don’s biggest failure and impactful forks in the road, which turned out to be blessings in disguise.
• [73:50] How does Don define success?
• [74:52] What would today’s Don tell his 16-year old self?
• [75:30] Don describes his morning routine and the benefits it has given him to maintain it.
• [76:54] In sharing his workout routine, on Patrick’s prompting, Don dives a little deeper into adrenal fatigue, how and why it shows up and how you can determine if you are at the effect of your stress.
• [80:17] The importance of our self-awareness around our health and the positive steps we can take to feel and function at a better level.
• [81:34] Let’s hear about Dr. Don’s dietary regimen.
• [83:03] Patrick synthesizes the conversation today and the valuable insights shared.
• [84:26] Patrick throws out the rapid-fire questions: favourite swear word, Don’s alternate profession, what he hopes to hear at the pearly gates, weirdness scale, what he’s not very good at (and he wrote a book!), the motivation behind his cleaning habits, favourite tune and favourite movie.
• [87:15] Don’s great gratitude.
• [88:21] Don sneaks in a final piece of gratitude for Patrick.