My Spine Said “No Running” And My Brain Said “Watch Me”

What do you do when the experts say your best days are over? Our guest, Ian, heard that he would walk with devices and never run again after a rare neurosarcoidosis diagnosis led to a risky spinal biopsy and paralysis from the chest down. He chose a different path. That quiet inner line—watch me—sparked a long, unglamorous climb through therapy, setbacks, and stubborn persistence that ended at two marathon finish lines.We unpack the turning points that made the difference. Ian walks us through RINSE—Remember, Imagine, Notice, Shift, Expect—a practical framework forged in recovery and refined with coaching clients. You’ll hear how remembering real wins creates proof, how vivid imagination plus emotion primes your brain and reticular activating system, and why noticing small wins builds compounding confidence. We dig into shifting attention from what’s missing to what’s possible, and we explore expectation as a two-sided mindset: plan for difficulty so you’re ready, and expect to win so you commit without a Plan B.Beyond the comeback story, Ian opens up about fatherhood, a marriage that didn’t survive the storm, and the growth that helped him show up now as a present partner and stepdad. We talk about teaching resilience to kids, choosing your hard in fitness and life, and the “metaphysical backpack” of tools you carry from one challenge to the next. If you’re stuck, you’ll get clear first steps: define the outcome, map point A to point B, pull a tool from your past, and take one small action today. The takeaway isn’t hype—it’s a method you can run tomorrow.If this conversation moved you, tap follow, share it with someone who needs a comeback, and leave a quick review telling us the small win you’ll stack next.Contact Ian HEREBook a call with me: HERECheck out how you can be a part of the ARMOR UP vision HEREWhere you can find me:Instagram YouTubeEmail Me: [email protected]