Penzberg - Last Monday, the psychologist Max Weigand gave a lecture on the subject of “The pursuit of happiness and success” in the Penzberg secondary school.
What is happiness actually?
How can I get happier?
Max Weigand, who was born in Penzberg, found answers to these questions for himself in his psychology studies and work as a life coach.
Weigand shared his knowledge of the origin of happiness, mental workouts, and the so-called “winning hour” as part of a project seminar with the Q11 students at the Penzberg grammar school.
On, on and on.
Oliver Kahn (Former Bayern goalkeeper)
Weigand has been active in competitive sports for over ten years.
His strength and motivation lie in running.
His running philosophy has its origins in goalkeeping titan Oliver Kahn: “Next, always further.” After Weigand's appointment to the national team in 2013 and participation in the German championship, the Penzberger felt an unprecedented feeling of happiness.
But the euphoria did not last long - similar to a lottery win.
Can you influence feelings of happiness?
The abrupt absence of happiness woke the fire in Weigand and brought him to study psychology.
After graduation, he wanted to educate people about psychological phenomena such as happiness, including the Penzberg high school students last Monday.
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Oliver Kahn and Abraham Lincoln: Many well-known names were mentioned in Weigand's lecture.
© Max Müller
There are many definitions of happiness.
For Weigand it is clear: “True happiness is how you feel when you are alone with yourself.” According to the psychologist, how you feel alone is influenced by three decisive factors.
50 percent are determined by your own genes, 40 percent by your own behavior and only ten percent by external circumstances.
As a result, most people have at least 40 percent active influence on their own happiness.
Mental workout
According to Weigand, happiness and success can be positively influenced by a mental workout, for example.
The exercise is carried out without further ado in the Realschulaula: A deep breath is followed by an identity statement (How do you want to perform today?).
Then the pupils should recall their greatest successes with closed eyes and imagine what their life should look like in the future.
And make it clear what steps you have to take to become this future “me”.
This is followed by another statement about your own identity and a long, deep breath.
Give me six hours to cut a tree and I'll use the first four to sharpen the ax.
Abraham Lincoln (Former US President)
Mental workouts are just one adjustment screw to become happier in life and to visualize your own goals.
A term that Weigand is confronted with over and over again in his professional career is the “winning hour”.
In interviews and podcasts with top athletes, doctors and psychologists, one fact caught the eye of the Penzberger: Many happy and successful people attach great importance to the first hour after waking up.
"Give me six hours to cut a tree and I'll use the first four to sharpen the ax," said Abraham Lincoln.
Climb on cliffs in Portugal
The principle of the winning hour is based on various techniques that can find their place in the daily morning routine in the first 60 minutes after getting up: a cold shower, morning exercise, meditation, writing down daily or weekly goals.
The possibilities here are wide-ranging, but according to Weigand it is not important to die to perfection or to let your fears hold you back: "Because every good step is better than a perfect step that you never take."
Every good step is better than a perfect step that you never take.
Max Weigand (psychologist)
Weigand tells the students about his last stay in Portugal as an example of overcoming fears.
When the sports man saw a high cliff on the beach, there was only one option: take off your T-shirt and speed up to the top.
When we reached the top, we looked down: people had gathered on the beach, watching and filming the Penzberger.
The descent became strenuous and steep.
The knees began to tremble and Weigand was overcome by fear.
How could he ever get off this cliff again?
Then the psychologist remembered: "Every good step is better than a perfect step that you never take".
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Overcoming Fear: It was on this cliff in Portugal that Weigand was put to the test.
© Private
Record run in the snow refused
Max Weigand recently started a record attempt of a different kind: the runner set off to the former stadium of FC Basel to run a half marathon on snow with no upper body and no shoes.
Weigand did his laps at 4 degrees on a snow-covered plain and beat the previous best time from the Norwegian Jonas Felde Sevaldrud (1:44:58 hours).
The Penzberger's new best time of 1:12:38 hours was not recognized by the Guinness World Records.
According to Weigand, the officials wanted more evidence than just the video footage.
The cost of flying in an official judge is 3000 euros.
Weigand plans to repeat the record attempt - possibly in Penzberg.
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Max Weigand ran the world record attempt in Basel at temperatures of 4 degrees upper body.
© Private
Weigand on YouTube
If you want to find out more about Max Weigand, his athletic approach, mental training and also his podcasts: You can see all of this on his YouTube channel “Max Weigand”.
Those interested can also marvel at his complete attempt to set a world record there.
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