What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Your Mindset is Your Reality?
Well, this book is about me, John Borden. And you may ask yourself, “Who TF is that, and why should I care?” And the answer to that is simple – I was just an average dude, caught up in a number of the soul-sucking endeavors of young adult culture. Alcohol, cocaine, sex, and immediate pleasure-seeking in any form controlled my life. But an experience with magic mushrooms showed me that I have a great deal more to offer the world, and I started to reform my life around the new vision for myself that I had created. Over the span of a month, I was able to address every aspect of my being and choose what should stay and what needed to go. By the end of my journey, I had become a completely different person.
I want to share my story because psilocybin carries an immense capacity to help mankind, but due to archaic laws and social stigma, society has not quite caught on yet. I want to help bring awareness to the positive potential contained within these little brown mushrooms, because I know there are a bunch of others out there who are just like I was – dealing with mental health struggles like anxiety, depression, PTSD or just struggling to find purpose in our immediate-gratification-obsessed world. Reading my story may provide the spark to develop some internal strength to address their shortcomings and grow stronger through a bit of hard work and maybe some help from mother nature.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I had not been a reader before my psilocybin experience, going over a decade between the last book I had read. But my new lease on life allowed me to decide how to dedicate my time and a large portion of that has gone to personal development readings. Books like “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck,” “You Are a Badass,” and “How to Win Friends and Influence People” are a few of my favorites.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
The next titles on my list are “Read People Like a Book” by Patrick King and “The Myth of Normal” by Gabor Mate.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
My favorite scene to write was the one detailing how I found a connection with the Creator for the first time. It is heartfelt, includes a fun story from my childhood that I had not considered for years, and ultimately was a major turning point in my life. I mean I found God! What can be more impactful than that?!
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
Well, not really a quirky habit, but I wrote a good amount of my book while hammocking by the water in downtown St Petersburg. Nothing like having some birds, squirrels, dolphins and manatees to keep you company and get those creative juices flowing!
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
The easy answer would be the title of the book – Your Mindset is Your Reality – but I’ll skip that and use one that has stuck with me for over a decade: Be where your feet are. It simply means to be present and attentive to the current moment. Focus on the now, and give your absolute best to whatever it is that you are currently striving towards!
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
You, and you alone, are responsible for your life. You can choose to be who you want to be, strive towards any goal that fires you up, and see the world exactly as you want to see it. It all starts with taking responsibility for everything that happens in your life. The good, the bad, the ugly. Develop the mindset required to own responsibility and you will control your reality through intentional thought and action.
John Borden is the author of the new book Your Mindset is Your Reality
Connect with John Borden
Author Site
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