Meet Dallas McClain

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dallas McClain. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dallas, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.

Growing up in the North Carolina foothills, I was always taught manners and respect at an early age. My grandparents thought it was essential to pass on their expressions of courtesy and politeness to the newest generation. They wanted to keep the idiom of the Southern gentleman alive through my upbringing. Holding the door open for others, standing up when a women enters or leaves the room/table – they believed these acts really showed deep respect for others, and treated them as our neighbors, instead of just an object or nobody. Now matter how far I strayed from the path of righteousness in my early 20s, these polite habits always stuck with me and because of this, allowed me to still have a chance in the world when things weren’t going my way due to my immaturity in other aspects. These acts showed others that there was something good still living beneath my rough and rash exterior and I am forever indebted to my elders for instilling these mannerisms in me.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Before I mention my career or current state of my life, I feel I must give a brief backstory.
In my late twenties, I was lucky enough to have someone mentor me and show me the superficial and immature ways I was living. Partying, doing the bare minimum at work, and worrying about things out of my control were all parts of daily life for me. My mentor Chris helped to change all that, not overnight but gradually, with personal development book suggestions, audio tapes, and insightful talks, I soon learned that the act of learning and reading in particular was more of a soul-serving reality than my short-sighted previous philosophy.

As I began to read more books, I slowly began to gravitate towards books centered around Christianity and Theology. The profound revelations in these books drew me closer to God and also my wife, who was a very devout Roman Catholic at the time of our marriage. I didn’t understand much of the teachings of the church, but after reading and researching more about the philosophy and rationality behind it, I too have become a Catholic Christian, someone that lives not by faith alone, but also by reason, by rationalizing it all through a means of philosophy. This continual study of Theology and philosophy speaks more to my soul than any other outlet and helps give me peace through the daily trials and tribulations of life.

Now with renewed philosophy centered around God, acts of service and continual learning, I began to bring this belief into all faucets of my life. As the founder and editor of Biohackers Magazine, I wanted to build a strong community centered around authentic content and selfless sharing of knowledge. I anted people to know that they had more health options to consider that could be less invasive than the traditional route. Most of all, I wanted to serve those seeking true ways to change their health and lifestyle and welcome them into the inspiring community of Biohackers. While not easy at any means, it is a true pleasure and my mission to continue publishing this magazine for the benefit of all those seeking answers and community. We have published over 30 issues and I am humbled by the support and words of kindness we have received from those all over.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Honesty:
It’s important to really be honest with ourselves and those around us. Be truthful to God, others, and self and everything will fall into place. There may be more awkward or uneasy moments, but those moments are what builds our integrity. Being honest while also being respectful when communicating our honest thoughts will help us gain respect by others and increase the willingness of them to trust us. Trust is what holds our society together.

Presence:
The joy of life is in the present moment. When we’re thinking about the future or the past, we’re missing the reality of what’s right in front of us, waiting to be experienced. Yes it important to reflect on lessons and memories, and its also essential to prepare for the future, but we cannot lose sight of the present dance the world is calling us to participate in. When we are fully involved, we show the world and others that we are fully committed to making the best of each and every moment. Isn’t that what life is about?

Reverence:
When we respect something or someone, what we’re really expressing is a gratitude for their acts and contributions to us and the world. Even when we don’t understand everything they’ve done, its important to still show others respect and dignity. This is what unites all of us as humans. We all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, even at our darkest moments. Everyone matters, even if we don’t agree or understand, there is some level of respect to be given. That’s how we find common ground and communicate effectively for the greater good.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

The book, “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson, completely changed my life by helping my understand the importance of self-discipline in a life geared towards growth. Without discipline, I never would be able to start and finish any difficult task or take on any new beneficial habit. The slight edge that successful people have is the way they are able to discipline themselves. Building up discipline takes time of course. This book talks about the importance of starting small and then working our way up. For example, if you can’t ready 20 or 30 pages of a thought-provoking book a day, start with 10 and try your best to hold yourself accountable. When doing this, you aren’t only effecting your level of learning at the literature level, but in all areas of your life. Because the growth in one area (if done responsibly) influences us to strive for improvement in other areas of our life too. Its a magical concept and a law of this world that I wish I had known sooner. If there’s one thing I’d tell people to practice, it would be discipline. The discipline to do it even when you don’t feel like it. The discipline to say ‘No’, when you’d really like to say yes. The small choices we make today, in every moment, are what ultimately makes us or breaks us. With the right discipline , those choices are more apt to be decided for the greater good of your life.

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