454. Attitude Change: From Underdog to Top Dog
Dr. Don McDonald
Don had grown so accustomed to being an underdog on his basketball team that he didn’t know how to cope when a transfer to a new team made him a top dog. The idea that people expected him to always succeed was more stress than he could handle. He began to sabotage his own sports career.
Dr. Don McDonald has spent 17 years in the health and wellness industry as a chiropractor. It was from his position at the adjusting table that he noticed a common frustration developing into a major stressor in the lives of many patients. He identified it as “the underdog,” a condition his patients could not seem to break out of it. It stopped people from living their best lives and often stripped them of true happiness. Dr. Don is now a life coach and motivational speaker who dedicates his time to empowering people with the new, inspiring information regarding success, health, and his first love, neurology. He is also the author of “The Underdog Curse.”
How Did You Start Using Your Talents?
A sports-related injury led Don to his career path as “Dr. Don” McDonald. Growing up in a small town in Canada in the Rocky Mountains, he played hockey. But he switched to basketball at his mother’s insistence after several injuries. In 8th grade, his coach saw potential in him and urged him to sign up for basketball camp in the summer. “The things I learned during that week at camp to develop my skills changed the trajectory of the rest of my life. Playing basketball became the number one thing I loved to do. That was my first experience of thinking, “Hey, I can learn from other people how to be better!”
The Most Impactful Turning Point?
Don loved basketball and envisioned himself playing through college, but he also developed a condition called patellar tendonitis. “The tendons below my patella would be so sore that in the morning, when I got up and flexed my quads, it felt like knives were being shoved into my knees. At that point, I got really interested in how the human body works, because of my own frustrations.”
The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?
One of the things Don had to learn was how to be by himself. Even when he first got married, if his wife was out of town, he had to book time with friends and have every single moment planned so he didn’t just hang around by himself. “Once I learned how to spend more time with myself, and being cool with that, I got a lot clearer on my purpose and my talents. People need to commit to solitude.”
Steps to Success from Dr. Don McDonald
1. Learn to be comfortable with solitude. It’s how you can get in touch with your true talents and desires.
2. Work with a coach or mentor.
3. Take advantage of the wealth of resources for self-education, especially online at sites like YouTube.com .
4. Adopt a holistic approach to health and wellness.
On Her Bookshelf
The Underdog Curse, by Don McDonald
Don’t Eat the Marshmallow Yet! The Secret to Sweet Success in Work and Life, by Joachim de Posada and Ellen Singer
Top Tools on His Browser
Self-education courses online, especially on YouTube.com
Connecting With Dr. Don McDonald
Website: http://www.drdonmacdonald.com and http://www.theunderdogcurse.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/southsidechiro/photos/
