Story & Lesson Highlights with Brett Russell

We recently had the chance to connect with Brett Russell and have shared our conversation below.

Brett, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My day always with stretching, chi kung breathing sets and breakfast. Then, I start my training.

My training set consists of kung fu form, bag work, weapons sets and strength training and conditioning. I change this each day to keep the body and mind agile, finishing off with some meditation to help set the tone for the rest of the day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’ve been mentoring, training and helping people and businesses to reach their highest potential for nearly 30 years.

I’m a 32nd generation Shaolin Temple disciple, Grandmaster Shifu, and the Founder/Director of Shaolin Monk Martial Arts since 1996.

My teaching and coaching experience includes corporate stress management and motivational speaking for large groups, to training military and law enforcement professionals, and working with stunt actors on movie sets.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was 16 I started flying lessons and had my first solo flight in a plane.

That first time flying a plane on my own shaped how I saw the world. I was completely in the moment, and I was the only person responsible for what would happen next.

That moment changed my life. It gave me confidence that changed my whole outlook on life, and led me to where I am today – from being a pilot, to a business owner, to a mentor and teacher.

That first time flying a plane solo also helped to show me that the mindset from my years of martial arts training could get me through – it gave me the focus and ability to make the right decision and act fast.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Some people might think that all the physical training I do is suffering! It’s definitely not easy. But what I’ve found is, all of that training has equipped me for challenging times in life.

Training can give you a stronger mindset which can help you every day but especially in the low times – in work, relationships, or life. It gives to an ability to apply the same mindset to the problem at hand and use that mindset, resilience and resolve, to overcome the struggle, to learn from it, and be better for it, and ultimately to succeed.

People always comment that I’m smiling all the time. It’s because that suffering gives you perspective in life, and every day that you wake up with your health is a blessing. Health is wealth. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to mentor people for nearly 30 years – sharing this perspective and helping people to build their own resilience gives me great joy.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
You can be the smartest person in a room but if you’re not controlling your stress levels, then your emotions can cloud your judgement, leading to poor decision making in the workplace or in other aspects of life.

So, managing your stress effectively is vital for clear, level-headed thinking. This is where techniques like breath work (Chi Kung) can help focus your mind and increase performance.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
It has been so rewarding over the past 3 decades to be able to see or hear the impact of training in the lives of my students and clients. It is exciting that I have been able to pass this on to other mentors who can now teach the skills to new generations worldwide. I hope our legacy of having a positive impact on people continues.

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