What if the contract you didn't get was actually the answer to your prayer?
In this episode, Eric Collett shares how he helps entrepreneurs and executives optimize their brain health to function at an elite level. His work goes upstream, identifying the trajectory decades before diseases like Alzheimer's show symptoms, because most people don't realize that Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases generally start decades before the first symptoms appear. Eric's team has developed the Enhance Protocol, helping clients improve brain function by 20-30% so they can learn faster, understand new technologies more rapidly, find words faster, have more stable mental health, and prevent cognitive decline to stay in the game longer.
He reveals losing what would've been his biggest contract in Arizona. After two weeks of silence following a handshake agreement, he prayed: "If it's not the right thing, please don't let it happen." The CEO called to say they'd met nurse practitioner Randy Vawdrey who could actually reverse cognitive decline. Eric told them "You should work with Randy, that's a huge opportunity." Months later, Randy called to collaborate. They met at 6pm and talked until after midnight going through a Bible-sized stack of research. Within six months, Eric asked Randy to become his business partner, a relationship that put him through an intentional crash course in med school for years.
[00:05:20] Optimal Brain Health is Required
Believes optimal brain health required for optimal results in business and life
Brain is like hardware, everything we're learning and striving to do is like software
Loading new software on crummy old dysfunctional hardware never gets great results
Good brain health needed for better relationships, better business
[00:06:00] Improving Brain Function by 20-30%
Team developed organized system to identify root cause issues affecting brain performance
Make specific recommendations, track objectively
Help people improve brain function by 20-30%
Can learn faster, understand new technologies more rapidly, find words faster, have more stable mental health
[00:07:20] Who They Serve
All ages: younger people with traumatic brain injuries, people in 30s with brain fog
People 50-80 noticing things aren't what they used to be
Especially focus on entrepreneurs and executives who want to function at elite level
Most people miss opportunity to quantify it objectively instead of just guessing
[00:10:00] Gary Plummer: From Doorknob to Stage
Gary Plummer played linebacker for San Francisco 49ers, won Super Bowl ring
Shortly after retiring, couldn't remember how to install doorknob (had done many times)
Could go from zero to fighting mad at drop of hat, had to isolate from people
Wouldn't drive on freeways, wouldn't travel without handler to meet at airport
[00:11:20] The Transformation
Eric's team helped take Gary's cognitive scores from 58th percentile to 86th percentile
Several years later, now above average overall on tests
Got to watch Gary step on stage at Forever Young Foundation event in Arizona
Had quit speaking because he would lose train of thought, now presenting confidently
[00:13:40] Alzheimer's Starts Decades Before Symptoms
Nationally recognized expert, spoken in 39 of 50 states to healthcare professionals
Alzheimer's and diseases like Parkinson's generally start decades before first symptoms
We've grown up in "sick care system" that waits till you have serious problem
40-95% of Alzheimer's cases believed to be preventable
[00:18:00] Think of Your Brain as a Boat
When things are good, riding high in water, moving at top speed
When not good, starting to take on water
Common for people to get forgetful as they get older, but that's not normal, that's evidence of disease
Brain health is never about one thing, it's multifactorial (80-100 things)
[00:19:20] One Client: 68th to 99th Percentile
Client is 42 years old, wrote LinkedIn article about experience
Went from 68th percentile in cognitive functioning to 99th percentile
Getting better results in life and business today
Has lot more assurance he's changed trajectory for tomorrow
[00:20:40] The Contract I Didn't Get
Early 2017, started A Mind For All Seasons as solopreneur
Opportunity to work with Arizona company designing memory care program for entire portfolio
Met with owners, left with handshake agreement, supposed to get contract in couple days
Couple days turned into more than two weeks
[00:22:00] The Prayer
Prayed: "I want this to happen, this would make my year"
"If it's not the right thing, please don't let it happen"
"I promise I will be grateful, I may not understand it, but I can be grateful in all things"
Within day or two, CEO called
[00:22:20] Meeting Randy Vawdrey
CEO said they met nurse practitioner with advanced training in neurodegenerative diseases
Randy had done fellowship with Dr. Bredesen at UCLA, Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Dr. Bredesen's 2014 paper "Reversal of Cognitive Decline" showed 9 out of 10 patients with remarkable improvement
Company said "We can't afford both Randy and you, we're going to work with Randy"
[00:23:40] "You Should Work With Randy"
Eric told them "You should, that's a huge opportunity, no one's doing that"
They suggested "You should call Randy, he lives in Idaho like you do"
Eric thought "I'm not gonna call Randy, I don't have time, I just lost biggest contract"
Hustled for couple months
[00:24:20] Randy Called
Randy called out of the blue, said company wanted him to train staff
"I'm a clinician, I don't do that, I want to explore collaborating"
Eric was driving through Randy's part of state next week, said "Why don't we get together?"
Went to Randy's house at 6pm, was there till after midnight
[00:25:00] The Bible-Sized Stack of Research
Randy brought out huge Bible-sized stack of research, slammed it on coffee table
Started going through footnotes of the footnotes, what he'd learned with real patients
Eric left 100% recognizing they could make far bigger difference
Had agreement to split the contract, neither would make much money
[00:25:40] "Will You Be My Business Partner?"
Within six months Eric said "Randy, what are we doing dating? We need to work together"
"Will you be my business partner? Let's go all in on this"
All these years later still working together, still innovating
Randy put Eric through intentional crash course in med school
[00:26:00] The Education
Every Friday and Monday morning at 7am for a few years, met for hour or two
Randy taught Eric how to read labs, physiology and science behind everything
Continued teaching ever since
"Short of my own family, he has done more to affect my life than any human on the planet"
[00:27:40] The Vision: Impact a Million Lives
Current goal: impact another million lives in next two to three years
Eight billion people on planet, everybody has brain, everybody needs optimal brain health
Majority of Americans not metabolically healthy
Alzheimer's nicknamed "diabetes of the brain"
[00:32:40] Social Engagement Reduces Cognitive Decline
From research standpoint, being more socially engaged reduces risk of cognitive decline
Not only better in business and more joy in life, it's better for your brain
Prioritizing relationships and being connected matters deeply for cognitive and mental health
KEY QUOTES
"Diseases like Alzheimer's disease, which I'm a nationally recognized expert in. I've literally talked in 39 of the 50 states to healthcare professionals. Most people don't realize that Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's generally start decades before the first symptoms ever show up." - Eric Collett
"I prayed and I literally said, I want this to happen. This would just make my year. If it's not the right thing, please don't let it happen, and I promise that I will be grateful. I may not understand it, but I can be grateful in all things." - Eric Collett
"Being more socially engaged actually reduces the risk of cognitive decline. So not only are things better in business, and not only do you have more joy in life, it's actually better for your brain." - Eric Collett
CONNECT WITH ERIC COLLETT
🌐 Website: https://www.amindforallseasons.com
🎁 Special Offer: https://www.amindforallseasons.com/join (Use code MDR for 30 days free)
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricDCollett
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdcollett
🧠 Includes: CNS Vital Signs cognitive test ($50), weekly office hours, masterclasses, thousands of hours of searchable content
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