The Adult Rhyme Series Begins

Jack And Your Candlestick

Brain Science Behind The Jump

Train Nimbleness Through Small Moves

Wu Wei And Mindful Flow

Ancient Wisdom Against Perfect Timing

Commit Trust Move Practical Examples

Control The Jump Closing

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Wow, it's Monday. It's Monday again. And you made it. Congratulations, you're in a brand new week. Good things, only good things are ahead, and it is well with you. It is well with your family. It is well with your soul. Even if it doesn't feel well, you and I get to declare it well here on Monday. And it's not just any Monday. Today is Making Moves Monday here on the Sweet Spot. Good morning. Good morning. Or good afternoon or good evening. I'm not sure what time it is where you are, but welcome. Welcome to the Sweet Spot. I am your host. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Dr. Derek Sweet. I work in high performance. I work as a board certified sports and performance psychiatrist. And uh look, if you're joining us for the first time, welcome home. For those of you who've been here with me in the sweet spot, you know, you already know that we don't do ordinary here. Now, this week we're gonna have a little fun. That's right, a little fun. Because sometimes the deepest wisdom comes wrapped in the simplest packages. We tend to go fairly deep here on the sweet spot. We cover all kinds of metaphysical and psychological and neuroscientific information. We blend science, soul, and success here on the sweet spot every single day. But every now and then it's good to take a little break. I've been told, Doc, sometimes it's okay to just relax and maybe don't cover heavy topics. But look, I am gonna be responsive. You know what I did? We're gonna launch something brand new right now. Yeah, brand new. I'm calling it the Adult Rhyme series. That's right, the adult rhyme series. And before you change the channel, before you turn me off, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. It's gonna be cool. You remember those nursery rhymes, right, that we used to have, those little poems? You know, the ones that your mom or your grandma or your dad uh would recite to you? You thought they were just for kids, didn't you? I know I did. You thought they were just like little fun songs. I know I did. But I want to suggest to you today that those nursery rhymes, those little rhymes that we said as kids, were carrying wisdom that we as grown folks still need. Yeah, there might be some ancient wisdom, some practical wisdom that may be locked in these things that it might be worth us revisiting. Yeah, the idea that in a nursery rhyme, in some rhyme, you might get a benefit as an adult today. So this week we're going in. This week we're gonna take those simple rhymes and we're gonna unpack them for real life, for your life. Whether you're a student, an athlete, maybe you're a first responder, a doctor, a nurse, I don't know, maybe you're a business executive, or it could be not about your title, it could be about what you're dealing with. Maybe you're in the middle of a really big project and it's taking so much of your time and energy, and you're worried if you're gonna be able to get it done. Maybe you're dealing with an illness or an injury, you're trying to overcome it, or you maybe you're somebody carrying grief, someone who's just trying to get through the week. It doesn't matter. This is Making Moves Monday, and I tell you, I am telling you, this series, this adult rhyme series, is just what you need. Can't always be super serious and always grinding and always taking it so hard, right? So, starting today, this Monday, we're gonna look at one of the most famous nursery rhymes and we're gonna see how it's gonna help us. Are you ready? Are you ready to get into a nursery rhyme? When was the last time you heard a nursery rhyme? I know it's been a minute. It's been a minute. So here's what I have for you this Monday. You ready? Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack, jump over the candlestick. That's it. Simple, right? Three lines. But hold on, because inside these three lines is everything we're gonna need to make our move this Monday. Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick. Who is Jack? Let's start right there. Who's Jack? I was thinking about this. Who's Jack? Well, I guess when you think about it, the rhyme doesn't say who Jack is. It doesn't say Jack the Doctor. It doesn't say Jack the performance director, Jack the baker, Jack the athlete. It doesn't say Jack the student, Jack the CEO, it doesn't say. It just says Jack. And you know what? After I wrestled with that, I realized something. That's intentional. Jack is universal. Yeah. Jack is anybody. Jack is any one of us. Absolutely. Jack could be the person sitting next to you on the subway. Jack could be the colleague across the hall, the teammate in the locker room, the person down the hall in the bedroom. That could be your mom, your dad, it could be your brother, your sister. Jack has no title. Jack has no age. Jack has no profession. Jack is just Jack. All Jack has to do today, this Monday, is to make a move. Jack has a move to make and a candlestick in front of him. That's all this nursery rhyme gives us. Three lines. Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. Jack, jump over the candlestick. Hmm. And that's exactly where we are every single Monday morning, aren't we? Aren't we? We wake up and there's a candlestick in front of us. And the candlestick can look different for each one of us, right? It could be a deadline. It could be the job we have to get through. It could be a difficult conversation we have to have today. Maybe it's a health challenge. Maybe the candlestick is a business decision. Maybe it's grief. Maybe it's a fear that you're feeling. But the candlestick, whatever it is, this Monday, it's there. And the question is always the same. Are you going to jump? What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? And when you're standing in front of your candlestick, look, this is the sweet spot. We always look at the neuroscience. Our tagline here on the sweet spot is science, soul, and success. And look, Jack is in front of his candlestick, and he's got things to he's gonna figure this out. When you face a challenge and you look at the neuroscience of anything, brain regions are always involved in making a move. Jack's prefrontal cortex, the CEO of Jack's brain, has to begin the planning and the weighing and the figuring out about this jump he has to make. His motor cortex has to prepare his body for movement and action. His basal ganglia, remember that? We talked about the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia kicks in and it helps Jack with his decision making and his motivation, his reward processing, all of that. And then there's, of course, we always talk about it here on the sweet spot. The amygdala, Jack's amygdala, the one, the brain's alarm system, right? The threat detector in the brain that we've talked about here on the sweet spot, the amygdala. Jack's amygdala is probably triggering a little fear, a little hesitation. What if you don't make this jump? What if it's not gonna happen? What happened, what's going on? And this is us. Jack is you, and Jack is me. Here's what happens to a lot of us. We're standing in front of the candlestick, whatever it is. The prefrontal cortex, the brain CEO, is ready to go. The motor cortex, it's primed. But our amygdala, our amygdala, fires up and says, wait a second, how high is that candlestick? Is it lit on both ends? Can you burn your ankles if you jump over this thing? What if you don't make it? What if you fall and break your leg doing it? What if people are looking? What if you look like a complete fool in front of everyone? No, no, no, don't do it. That's the amygdala. I remember Trevor trying to jump over a candle, and oh boy, that didn't work out well. Remember him? That's the amygdala. That's that's the amygdala. And we end up freezing. We end up frozen, and we don't make the move. And this is making move Monday. You've got a candlestick and you've got a jump. And maybe you're a little hesitant about whatever this is that you have to do or get done. But here's what the neuroscience tells us: the more you practice making moves, even small ones, the more you train those brain cells to override the fear, those neural circuits in your mind to not be so afraid. You literally can rewire your brain to be nimble like Jack. You see, Jack be nimble doesn't mean that you have to do anything. Nimble means you have to be agile, you have to be able to think things through, you have to be able to make your move with agility. And that's a thinking thing, that's an attitude, that's a way of being. So you literally can practice being nimble for your quickness before you take the jump. In some ways, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick sort of sets you up before you jump because it's Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack. Then Jack jumps over the candlestick. So there's this idea of preparedness, right? Every move you make in preparation, um, trying to be more nimble, trying to work on your your quickness, how you're gonna handle this. Every move you make, no matter how small, in the direction of your candlestick, strengthens the pathways that make the next move easier. One foot in front of the other. So being nimble isn't just a physical skill, it's a mental skill, and it can be developed. And it's so amazing when you think about this, right? Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. Who knew we could get all of this out of this little ditty? Absolutely, and there's a way you have to jump. There's a way that you have to get over your candlestick, right? In the Eastern philosophy, in eastern philosophy in Taoism, there's a concept called Wu Wei, which loosely translates to effortless action. Wu Wei, W-U W-E-I. It's the idea of moving with the natural flow of things, the natural flow of life, rather than forcing or fighting against it. Wu Wei. Eastern philosophy. You see, Jack's jump in the nursery rhyme is a perfect illustration of Wu Wei. Jack is not overthinking anything, he doesn't hold a committee meeting about the height of the candlestick, he's not conferencing with several people, he's not asking people for reassurance, he doesn't wait for perfect conditions either. He just gets into the flow, he just moves. Jack just moves very fluidly, very naturally, and he's in alignment with the movement, with the moment. Yeah, this Eastern idea of Wu Wei and going with the flow and being present is really kind of where you have to be before you start thinking about jumping over whatever the candlestick is that you have to deal with today. In Buddhism, there's a similar teaching rooted in mindfulness. The idea of being fully present in the moment, being right here right now, something we talk about in the sweet spot all the time. You can't be too far in the past and too far in the present. You've got to be right here right now, in this moment. Being mindful. Take a deep breath with me right now. In through your nose, and then slowly out through your mouth. When you exhale slower than you inhale, you reset your nervous system. And the reason I asked you to take that deep breath is so that you can practice mindfulness right now. Mindfulness is nothing more than being in the present moment without judgment. That is a very eastern way of thinking of things. And to believe me, for Jack to jump over this candlestick, he better be in the present. You've got to be in the moment. Being fully present in the moment so that when the opportunity to act arises, you're not distracted by yesterday's failures, you're not distracted by tomorrow's fears. You can see clearly, you think clearly, and you move clearly. Why? Because you're in this moment, and that's mindfulness, that's the Buddhist way. And the lesson for us, this Makey Moves Monday, sweet spotter, is this nimbleness. I don't know if that's a word, but nimbleness, being nimble, requires presence. You've got to be present. You can't be quick and jump over the candlestick if your mind is somewhere else. Whether you're an athlete on the field, a nurse in the ER, a student in an exam situation, maybe you're an executive in a boardroom, being fully present gives you the mental agility that you need. Or the nimbleness, because mental agility and nimbleness to me are like the same thing. Gives you the mental agility, the nimbleness to make your move. And remember, Jack had to be nimble and he had to be quick in order to jump over the candlestick. So being fully present gives you and I the mental agility, the nimbleness to make our move when it matters most. Unless you think I am not gonna share the ancient wisdom. Oh, you know I'm definitely going there. Oh, I always get in a little ancient wisdom in the sweet spot because yes, we're about soul, we're about science and about success. You already heard the science. I already talked to you about the PFC and the ACC and the amygdala and the motor cortex and how Jack had to have all those things going to jump his candlestick. But at the same time, I want, and I did talk to you a little bit about the Eastern sort of perspective on being mindfully present and all of that. But the ancient wisdom is never left out because, in my experience, my humble experience walking this planet, being your teammate in the game of life, ancient wisdom has got it going on. It just has so much to offer us. And you know, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. There's something in the ancient wisdom for Jack. Oh, yes, indeed. You know, in the ancient wisdom in Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 11, verse 4, whoever watches the wind will not plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. Let's let that land. Okay, let's let that land. Whoever watches the wind will not plant, and whoever is looking at the clouds will not reap. Wow. In other words, if you keep waiting for perfect conditions, you'll never move. You'll never have a good making moves Monday. Right? If you keep waiting for perfect conditions, if you're waiting for the um uh the if you're watching the wind to see which way it's blowing before you plant your seeds, if you're only looking at the clouds or whatever to see when it's a good time to go out to reap, right? Those are the distractions. You're waiting. You're just you're procrastinating. You'll never plant, you'll never reap, you'll never jump. So you'll just end up standing there watching that wind or watching the clouds while your opportunity passes you by. This is the trap, my good sweet builder. So many of us fall into. We say, we say, I'll make my move when the timing is right. You ever been there? I know I have. Oh, I'll I'll start when I when I have more money. I'll jump when I feel like I'm more ready. I'll I'll get it. I'll act when when the conditions are perfect. I'm a Leo. I I have to wait for like, I don't know, uh the sun and the moon and the stars to like line up. I I can't do it. Or, you know, whatever you are. There's always something that might get you not to jump on over the candlestick, and I'm not picking on Leos or anybody, like I just came to my mind. But Solomon, here's the thing about the ancient wisdom: Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, is telling us that perfect conditions may never come. And while you're waiting, your harvest is passing you by. That's the beauty of really spending time in the ancient wisdom because there's so much teaching and wise counsel there that you can just extract out. So don't keep your head in the clouds and don't and don't be always watching the wind, I guess is the message. Because you don't want the good stuff to pass you by and you don't you don't jump the candle. Stay, right? You don't jump it. And in Proverbs, it also says, commit your commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He'll establish your plans. Why did I include that? Because you gotta have a foundation. Sometimes you don't, sometimes what the candlestick is so huge that you're facing. It could be an illness, an injury, it could be a huge decision, it could be a setback. The candlestick could be so big this morning or this afternoon that you don't feel like you have everything figured out. You don't think that you can make the jump. It doesn't, there's nothing that you humanly feel that you can do to be the one jumping over the candlestick. And that's why I added ancient wisdom to as a potential backup. Commit your way to God, whatever you do, right? And and your paths will be established. He will establish your plans. Why is that important? Because that can become your foundation. When you're not strong enough, you have something deeper inside of you that's strong enough to get you through. Greater is the thing that's in me that is in the world. That's just ancient wisdom perspective. Maybe that's not for you. Maybe it's about your higher purpose, maybe it's about your mindful beliefs. That's fine. But we should have a plan. You don't have to have everything figured out before you jump. That's the message, really. You commit, you trust, and you move. Commit your way. To the Lord, whatever you do, and He'll establish your plans. You commit, step one, you trust, step two, and you move. Making moves Monday in a nutshell. That's what Jack had to do. Oh yeah. So what does it look like for you this Monday morning? If you're a student, making your move might mean starting the paper that you've been putting off or beginning to get that study group going that you need to organize. Stop watching the wind, open the laptop, and begin. So you're an athlete. Your move might mean committing more fully to your training process, not holding back for any reason. There's another gear in you, there's another level in you. Jump over that candlestick. Don't keep looking up to the sky. If you're a first responder, medical professional, you already know what it means to make quick decisions under pressure. That's what medical people do. But making your move today might mean addressing something in your own life as opposed to always fixing somebody else's health. You're a business person, you're professional, you're making your move. But listen, that might mean you pull back on making a move that you pull the trigger on something that you know isn't going to work out, and having the courage to do it. I don't know what it is for you, right? It but whatever it is, be nimble in your mind. And nimble in your mind. Not nimble physically only. Be nimble in your mind. Be agile. Have thoughts. Move around a bit. Figure it out. You could be retired. This is a new phase of life if you're retired. Making a move might mean embracing this season with a certain intentionality if you're retired. Starting a new project, starting a new group, reconnecting with people that you've lost touch with. Or simply deciding that today is a great day to begin something new and do it. Whatever your candlestick looks like, that's the message here on Making Moves Monday, and then we're gonna wrap up. I want you to be like Jack. I want you to be nimble today. I want you to be quick and jump. Don't ask 50 people for their opinions. Trust yourself. We're gonna get to trust yourself Thursday, but you gotta trust yourself. I want you to look, I wanna leave you with this beautiful thought. Sweet builder, you don't always get to choose the height of the candlestick. Life, life is gonna do that. Life will set that for you. Trust me. But what this is telling us, Jack, be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump, is you control the jump. Yeah, you don't always get to choose the height of the candlestick. Life will do that, but you can control the jump. Jack didn't measure the candlestick, notice that. He didn't calculate the aerodynamics. He didn't scroll around trying to figure out, you know, what type of candlestick, all that. Jack just jumped. And that's the move, sweet spotter. That's the move we're calling you to make today. Not recklessly, I might add. Not recklessly. Jack calculated his nim whether he can do this nimbly. Jack knew about his quickness. Those things were set. But then he had to have the courage to jump. And he didn't weigh it out, he didn't overweigh it, he didn't overthink it, he didn't um you know uh paralyze himself with analysis and then talk himself out of jumping over the candlestick. With your mind prepared, your spirit anchored, and your feet ready to move, you can train this brain of yours to quiet its fears, to stay present, to trust your foundation, commit your way to your higher power, and make your move. This is Making Moves Monday on the Sweet Spot. I'm Dr. Derek Sweet. Have a very powerful week. I'll see you tomorrow for Take Action Tuesday, where we shift from getting ready to make the move to actually making the move. So you don't want to miss Take Action Tuesday tomorrow. And if this Jack be nimble, Jack Be Quick moved your candlestick a little bit today, please subscribe to the sweet spot. We're building a community. We're building a community here. We're together. And if you know someone who has a candlestick that they've got to jump over and can use a very simple message, maybe this adult rhyme is the move. For science, for soul, and for success. You've been listening to the sweet spot.