From Adversity to Abundance: Lessons in Mindset with Nicole Kernohan

From Adversity to Abundance: Lessons in Mindset with Nicole Kernohan

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Welcome back to The Daily Mastermind. George Wright III here with your daily dose of inspiration, motivation, and education. If this is your first time listening, you’re in for a treat. We’ve got an amazing guest here today. I don’t do a ton of interviews, but we’re going to roll out some more, and this one is really special.

I’ve handpicked someone who I feel will bring incredible value to you today. Our podcast is all about masterminding—bringing together people who think alike, people who want to evolve and take their lives to the next level. Nicole, who I’m about to introduce, is the perfect example of that. Let me give her a quick introduction before we dive in.

Nicole Kernohan is a high-performance coach and the Chief Operating Officer of a rather large coaching company. I chose her to come on the podcast today because she trains and empowers entrepreneurs to scale their lives, create breakthroughs, and drive transformation. Not only that, but she also understands the systems and processes needed to make it happen.

We’re going to dig into a lot of her background and strategies today. Nicole Kernohan, how are you? Welcome to the show.

Thank you so much for having me. I’m great.

Yeah, it took a little coordination to get this done, but here we are—two planets aligning! Let’s dig in. I just gave listeners a quick snapshot of what you do, but I’d love for you to share your story. Not just what you do, but how you got here. It’s an important and inspiring story. I think people will appreciate understanding the foundation for why you entered the space of personal development, transformation, and business growth.

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Nicole's Personal Journey with MS

Absolutely. I actually started with a degree in business and entered the corporate world in strategy and operations. However, my health experience 21 years ago really shifted my trajectory.

I had an episode where I became paralyzed on the right side of my body—my right arm and leg. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). It completely knocked me off track. I was young, and it came out of nowhere.

The interesting thing about that moment, which ties into why I do what I do today, is that I heard the doctor say, “You may or may not regain functionality. You may remain paralyzed; we hope you won’t, but we can’t guarantee it.” They explained that MS is typically degenerative.

But here’s the thing: I heard the diagnosis, but I did not accept the prognosis. The prognosis was their expectation of my potential outcome with this disease. My family thought I was naive. They assumed I didn’t understand the doctor or that I was in denial.

But I asked myself, “What even is false hope?” Anyone who has experienced miracles or achieved significant accomplishments had hope. It wasn’t false. My family cared about me, of course, and they didn’t want me to get my hopes up just to be disappointed.

But because I refused to accept their prognosis, I did whatever it took. I sought advice from nutritionists, naturopaths, and medical practitioners. I never hit a point where I thought, “I’ve done everything; nothing is going to work.”

Long story short, I healed. MS doesn’t have a cure, so I still have lesions on my brain scans, but I’ve been symptom-free for 20 years. That experience deeply shaped me. It made me want to help people on a deeper level—not just with their health, but in other areas like business and life transformation.

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Mindset and Overcoming Obstacles

That’s a huge story. I want to highlight something for our listeners. Everyone faces major obstacles—maybe not as significant as an MS diagnosis, but obstacles nonetheless. What really stands out to me is that it’s not about the obstacle itself; it’s about how you respond to it.

Stephen Covey talks about the space between stimulus and response, where we can choose how to act. You chose to be proactive. You didn’t listen to the naysayers. You chose to find solutions—through fitness, nutrition, and whatever else it took. But I’m curious, were you always a naturally positive person, or was there something in your upbringing or environment that shaped that mindset?

A little bit of both, I’d say. I’ve always been generally optimistic and positive, but I also credit my upbringing. My parents were optimistic, and that definitely influenced me.

But, you know what else? I realized something just now. I also did martial arts for ten years before my MS diagnosis. That training created a mental toughness and a “mind-over-body” mindset. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but those years of programming prepared me for challenges like this.

Wow, that’s an incredible insight. Martial arts gave you that mental toughness early on. A lot of people don’t realize the foundational things they’ve done in their lives that prepare them for the bigger obstacles ahead.

Exactly. It’s funny because we’re all creating our foundation, whether we realize it or not. Rituals, training, surrounding yourself with the right people—those things build resilience. And the best part? They’re all within your control.

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Transition to Business and Entrepreneurship

You mentioned martial arts, your positive mindset, and finding solutions. Those elements clearly shaped your response to MS. But your health journey eventually transitioned into entrepreneurship. Take us through that pivot—how did you go from focusing on health and nutrition to running a business?

Yes, absolutely. After my health journey, I believed my purpose was to help others with health and nutrition. I had a business background, and my parents owned retail franchises, so entrepreneurship wasn’t foreign to me. My first step into entrepreneurship was opening a health-focused retail business.

I wanted to transform people’s health, just like I had transformed mine. At the time, I thought it was my life’s purpose. But what I realized fairly quickly—and ignored for a while, maybe out of persistence or stubbornness—was that I could give people all the tools they needed, but many wouldn’t follow through.

You mentioned that to me before, and it stuck with me. People know what to do, but there’s a gap between knowing and doing. Why do you think that is?

It’s the “knowing-doing gap,” and it’s very real. People know what to do, but they don’t do it. That’s because their deeper, subconscious programming holds them back. At the time, I didn’t know how to address that gap, but it became clear that nutrition and fitness weren’t enough.

That’s fascinating because I think so many people can relate to that struggle—knowing what to do but not doing it. So, what helped you bridge that gap for yourself and others?

It happened by chance. I stumbled into positive psychology through a three-day seminar with Bob Proctor. That seminar was life-changing.

It felt like I had been living in the dark, and someone turned on the lights. I thought, “How did I not know this? Why didn’t I learn this in school?” I realized most people don’t know it either. Positive psychology helped me connect the dots. I could finally understand how my subconscious beliefs, self-image, and habits had contributed to my healing.

It also gave me tools to help others address the deeper issues—the limiting beliefs, fears, and hesitations that were holding them back. Positive psychology became the missing link between knowing and doing.

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Mindset: The Root of Success

That’s such a critical point. You’ve hit on something that I believe is the foundation for all success: mindset. Like T. Harv Eker says, “People want the fruits, but they don’t realize it’s the roots that create the fruits.” Your inner world creates your outer world. Your thoughts create your life. Most people don’t realize that, or they don’t know how to tap into it.

So, what do you think holds people back the most? Why don’t they create the change they say they want?

It all comes down to subconscious programming. Studies show that 93–97% of our actions are driven by the subconscious mind, not the conscious mind.

People might consciously say, “I want to grow my business” or “I want to break this habit.” But if their subconscious programming tells them, “You’re not good enough,” “You’ll never succeed,” or “This isn’t who you are,” then they’ll sabotage themselves.

Their autopilot is set to keep them stuck. And most of that programming happens early in life, through childhood experiences and societal conditioning. That’s why so many people struggle—they’re trying to consciously change something, but their subconscious mind is working against them.

That’s such an important insight. And I think a lot of people listening might feel overwhelmed by the idea of reprogramming their subconscious mind. But I know you have practical strategies and tips for getting started. Can you share a few?

Absolutely. Here are a couple of powerful strategies:

1. Morning Routine:
   The first 10–15 minutes of your day are critical. When you wake up, your mind is highly impressionable. If you don’t consciously choose how to start your day, you’ll likely default to the thoughts and feelings of yesterday.
   Use this time to practice gratitude, meditate, or visualize your goals. Avoid checking your email or social media first thing in the morning—it pulls you into autopilot mode. Instead, set a positive tone for the day with intentional habits.
2. Repetition:
   Repetition is key to reprogramming the subconscious mind. If you hear an inspiring message or read something impactful, don’t just consume it once. Listen to it repeatedly. Read it every day. Repetition helps embed new beliefs and ideas into your subconscious.
   For example, if you find a podcast or an audio message that empowers you, listen to it daily. Over time, it will become part of your mental framework, and you’ll start to internalize those empowering thoughts.

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Conclusion and Resources

I love those tips. Morning routines and repetition are powerful tools. They’re simple but incredibly effective for creating lasting change. Nicole, thank you so much for sharing your story and your wisdom. I know our listeners will benefit from this. Where can they connect with you and learn more?

Thank you, George. Listeners can find me at nicolekernohan.com. I also have a free resource for your audience—a 30-day Abundance Journal.

The journal is designed to help people shift their mindset around financial abundance, but it applies to all areas of life—time, health, relationships. It’s available for free on my website.

Perfect. I’ll include the link in the show notes so everyone can access the journal and connect with you. Nicole, it’s been a pleasure having you on the show. Thank you for sharing your insights and inspiration. I’m sure we’ll talk again soon.

Thank you, George. It’s been an honor to be here.

Alright, listeners, if you found value in this episode, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Remember, life is about growth and transformation. It’s never too late to start living the life you were meant to live. Until next time, this is George Wright III on The Daily Mastermind. Have a great day!

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About Nicole Kernohan:

Nicole is a High-Performance Coach and Chief Operating Officer of the international coaching company, Elevated Worldwide. She trains and empowers entrepreneurs and business leaders to use the power of the mind to achieve real improvement and permanent results. After a personal episode of Multiple Sclerosis in 2003 paralyzed one side of her body, she made the decision to transform her results and live a healthy, vibrant life! She began an in-depth study of lifestyle and mindset to manage her personal symptoms. She fully recovered within 2 months and has effectively managed her MS naturally since 2003. Nicole has always had a passion to coach others to improve their results. She graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada with an Honours Bachelor of Business degree. Nicole worked for 10 years at a large Canadian corporation in strategy, merchandising and business consulting, demonstrating an ability to deliver exceptional results and lead effective teams.

With a desire to help others improve their lives and a strong business background, Nicole opened a health food franchise, which she operated for 3 years. Her experiences led her to study under one of the best teachers in the world on personal development and success, Bob Proctor. Nicole is now a Certified Life and Business Strategist, Coach, and Speaker, coaching individuals and businesses on how to use the power of the mind to achieve real change and permanent results.

She has partnered with and trains alongside Tony Child, founder, and CEO of Elevated Worldwide. Tony has been studying Positive Psychology for a decade with John Maxwell, Bob Proctor, Paul Scheele and a number of other experts in the field of personal growth and development. He has leveraged in-depth science and research to create world-class programs designed to transform all areas of life and business!

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Guest Resources:

Website: https://www.nicolekernohan.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicole_kernohan/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicole.kernohan10/

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About George Wright III:

George Wright is a Proven, Successful Entrepreneur- and he knows how to inspire entrepreneurs, companies, and individuals to achieve Massive Results. With more than 20 years of Executive Management experience and 25 years of Direct Marketing and Sales experience, George is responsible for starting and building several successful multimillion-dollar companies. He started at a very young age to network and build his experience and knowledge of what it takes to become a driven and well-known entrepreneur. George built a multi-million-dollar seminar business, promoting some of the biggest stars and brands in the world. He has accelerated the success and cash flow in each of his ventures through his network of resources and results driven strategies. George is now dedicated to teaching and sharing his Prosperity Principles and Strategies to every Driven and Passionate Entrepreneur he meets. His mission is to Empower Entrepreneurs Globally to create Massive Change and LIVE their Ultimate Destiny.

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