We are privileged to be sharing Kevin’s story with you today. While his background is vastly different from the members who usually enter our mastermind, his breakthrough transformation in the mastermind was a true spectacle to witness. Enjoy hearing about Kevin’s journey!
Meet Ignite Mastermind Member Kevin Walt:
- Born in Los Angeles, currently lives in Rancho Santa Margarita;
- Highly skilled and determined professional in the field of mechanical engineering;
- Passions: skiing and body surfing; enjoys peace and quiet of a home atmosphere.
Q: Kevin, tell us a little bit about yourself. What was life like before you first heard of Matthew Ferry?
A: I worked in the electronics industry for almost 30 years as an electrical engineer. 4 years ago, the company I worked for ended up getting bought and they moved over to Malaysia. They laid off a bunch of people, myself included. I went to a different company shortly after. But in 2018, 90% of the workforce was laid off when the company was bought. This forced me into early retirement, where I was effectively working zero hours. Sadly, the next 3-4 months of searching for a new job were not fruitful.
The few responses I got were split into two categories. The first group of people wanted me to relocate to a faraway state, or an area where I did not feel comfortable moving to. The second group went one step further and took advantage of me. They would ask me questions to pick my brain, looking for innovative solutions to the problems they were working on. They never got back to me or hired me, and I felt like my time wasn’t being valued. I did the “right” thing. I gave my years of hard-earned knowledge away, thinking they would make an offer. Knowing what I know now, The Drunk Monkey was in full control of the situation. Out of the desire to survive I wanted to impress someone so I could get a job that keeps a roof over my head.
Q: I know you dabbled in some self-improvement during this time. Could you tell us what it was like, and how it benefited you?
I probably spent about 1 day a month on self-improvement, for around 8 hours a month. I did some meditation classes and attempted to seek out spiritual guidance. Matthew already knows what I’m going to say next, but none of that ended up working for me. The meditations never gave me any real peace of mind. I would feel good for a little while when I meditated, but I quickly moved back into depression. I felt like I was stuck on a treadmill, going in circles and ending up where I began. My mind would constantly berate me. “If you KNEW you were going to end up back here, then why do you keep trying to make any progress? Stupid!” There were several points along the journey where I would continually talk myself out of achieving my goals. It was cycle after cycle after cycle.
As you can tell, my survival mind mastered the art of replaying the worst case scenario over and over again in my head.
“The Drunk Monkey in your head leads to endless frustration and negativity when you believe that you are the thinker of your thoughts” – Matthew Ferry
Q: You said you heard about Matthew through a friend of yours. How did you go from hearing about us to eventually considering the mastermind?
A: Yeah, a friend of mine was involved with Matthew several years ago when he was still dominating the real estate game. He highly recommended I attend his 3-day Epic Life Live event, and I went a long. Before I went to the event, I read the articles on his website and watched his YouTube videos. Just from the free information he put out, I noticed significant leaps in my ability to harness my own mind.
When I finally interfaced with Matthew and Kristen for the first time, I walked away with a very good first impression. They are authentic to the core and I felt very comfortable being around them. Even when I spoke with them 1-on-1, I could immediately tell they were genuine people. I felt like I could trust them.
Q: So what made you take the leap of faith towards joining our mastermind?
A: Because I made more progress towards my mental and spiritual development than ever before, it was like the natural next step. I knew my investment into the program would be good for an entire year. If I liked the experience, I would renew my membership. And if I didn’t achieve the quantum leaps they promised, I always had the option to step out. I really think that was it. Unlike other personal development seminars and masterminds, I never felt pressured or “sold” into joining.
Q: How did you feel when you met the other members in person for the first time during our mastermind weekend? I know your working background is far different from many of the people who usually join.
A: As you can imagine, most of your members are heavily involved in finance or real estate. On paper you would think I had very little connection with them. Yet none of that mattered once I got to meet them and know them. In my regular life, I’m a very outspoken guy. I make my positions clear and I’m not afraid to hold on to an opinion if I know I’m right. I did exactly that at the mastermind and was worried I would be judged. To my surprise, everyone accepted me exactly as I was. I felt at ease, as if I was completely comfortable with sharing my deepest fears and worries. I felt safe in the mastermind. I knew I could share anything with the group and never feel ashamed for doing so.
Over time, I developed a deep level of trust for the mastermind as a whole. I actively helped others share their own stories, and gradually helped other members – both old and new – feel more comfortable. Every single person I met was a positive influence in my life and contributed towards my growth in some way.
Q: Kevin, that’s amazing! I’m so happy you were able to develop a strong bond with the group. How did you feel after the mastermind weekend was over? Did the changes stick with you?
A: I’ll be frank: The immediate high wears off, but the overarching philosophy was to change the conditions in your environment. I learned that when you change things, you start to realize the consequences of everything you say, do and think (or don’t). The way you interact with the world, the point of view you enter every situation with, the way you talk to yourself…all of these things are incredibly important. If you focus on internalizing the “Quiet Mind Epic Life” principles instead of hoping for another self-help high, you can actually apply the lessons you learn and see rapid changes in your life
Q: Let’s dig into that a bit deeper. What kind of changes did you see unfold when you used what you learned in the mastermind?
A: Wow, where do I begin? The first thing I noticed was the ability to step back and look at the bigger picture of things. I can evaluate situations exactly as they are, rather than let The Drunk Monkey interject with predetermined conclusions. I’m now at the point where I can step back and look at goals in a more objective manner. Instead of quickly reacting to situations in an emotional manner, I get to change the context of what’s happening. Like the master umpire says, “It ain’t nothing until you call it.” We can’t control reality, but we can definitely control our experience of reality.
I can give myself permission to take the first step forward towards achieving a goal, rather than rejecting myself BEFORE I take the first step. And when it comes to the chatter in my mind, I’ve begun to notice how clear my head is. I have a greater appreciation for what’s going on around me, which allows me to pay better attention to the present moment. I’ve personally found that going out in nature has worked wonders for slowing down my racing mind.
“Practicing total and complete acceptance of all people in all situations at all times including yourself is critical for developing a quiet mind.” – – Matthew Ferry
Q: Incredible — were these new mindset shifts applicable towards other areas of your life?
A: Oh absolutely. When it comes to my financial situation, I was stuck with some very limiting beliefs about money because of my situation. It’s not easy for someone to go from working a full-time job of 40-50 hours per week to retirement in the blink of an eye. Being open about my financial situation with the mastermind opened my eyes to strategies and sources of income I never even knew about (some I even already had but never utilized)! This made me so much more aware of what I had, and really got me away from the “all is lost” mentality many people fall into at my age.
I can’t say everything is perfect, but I’m far better equipped to figure out how the inflow of money will work. As one person told me, “Getting all anxious about the market crashing isn’t gonna help you. It will happen if it’s gonna happen, regardless of how you feel”.
Finally, the mastermind was a great deal of help in dealing with my family. My mother is 94 and is nearing the end of her life. Matthew and the other members helped me realize that she will pass at some point. So rather than resist her death, I fully embrace and accept it. I’m putting the plans in place to take care of everything – the trust, the finances, and all the small details. But more than that, I’m doing everything I can to have a good relationship with her. She lives 3000 miles away from me, and things are not perfect, but I’m doing everything I can to cherish the few moments I have left with my mother.
Q: I probably know the answer to this final question…would you recommend the mastermind to anybody who’s on the fence?
A: 100%. Matthew Ferry’s mastermind gets my highest recommendation. I’ll go one step further and give some advice to help you make the best of your time there…
You are going to get a very hard look at how you interact with society and other people close to you, from your family members to your co-workers. It is going to be uncomfortable. Embrace the discomfort, because I can promise you there is something much greater on the other side. You can’t get to the breakthrough without going through the breakdown first. Once you figure out what truly makes you uncomfortable and what your misperceptions are, it will help you defeat your inner fears and move forward in your life.