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Text five one five five one Brendan O'Connor on RTG Radio one parkop for a minute now and talk to magician and mentalist Keith Barry.

Good morning, Keith.

Good morning, Brendan. How are you? I'm good. No, Keith. Some at some stage in the charge. You are going to do a trick, I believe. And you want people to get some props to have read.

Yeah, I thought it'd be a fun little experiment to try this morning. So if everybody has to find a phone, a piece of paper and a pen, we can try an interactive experiment over the radio waves.

OK, so will we have a bit of a chat first and then come to maybe OK. I don't know what I mean. OK, ok.

So listen, Keith, obviously live, work on for you.

I know you've moved a lot of your entertainment on your corporate work online, but I know that despite that, you're a master of mind control and positivity and all that. You say you have struggled a bit in the last year, haven't you, with staying positive?

Yeah, I think it was more in the early stages. And I suppose, you know, I was on stage in the Olympia Theatre March 10th last year, playing to a packed house like so twelve hundred people. And then of course, the rest of my tour got cancelled. And, you know, I suppose for the first week or so, like anybody else, I sort of just break a bit of a holiday. But then I kind of found myself a little bit lost because I've been on the road for 20 years.

I've been entertaining people for 20 years. And I felt like I just kind of lost my way and lost my sense of purpose for a moment. So, yeah, it was kind of down, I would say, for a good six weeks. And it wasn't a nice place for me to be.

I think a lot of people will identify with that idea of losing your sense, your sense of who you are, because a lot of us, our role in life or our job or whatever is how we define ourselves. And when that's gone and you kind of you do lose your identity a little bit, don't you?

Yeah. And it was kind of interesting to me. I was seeing a lot of different personalities, celebrities, well known faces, if you like, saying that they were enjoying the time with their family. And for me, I've been very conscious, especially since the kids being born. I made a rule to myself to make sure that I always spent enough time with my family. So I didn't feel that gratitude towards being stuck at home, if you like.

Yeah, so so I didn't really know what I was going to do or where I was going to go. But then look, after six weeks, I kind of practise what I preach to people. You know, I am an executive coach and a mind coach also, as well as an entertainer. So I had to put all of the tools and techniques that I share with other people to use on myself and then just kind of get up and get on with it.

I had to create a new business online, which fortunately I've managed to do, you know, and tell us tell us I'm interested in some of these tools.

Right. For example, you talk about something called massive action, which is something you did. Yeah. What's a massive action?

OK, so massive action for me. But first of all, I have kind of just kept my mindset right, and that was just putting self-discipline back in place. So, you know, simple things like just not drinking midweek, not overeating back to exercise. So once you put all of those things in place, then for me, massive action is basically, you know, working kind of 14 to 16 hours a day on a new business, if you like, last year.

And so I started with in my head, OK, I need to keep my brand relevant in the States because I kind of travel there. So what do I do? I want to get back on Ellen DeGeneres. So I've been on Ellen like six times, but I haven't been on her in 13 years, so I didn't know anybody in the organisation. So I rang my agent over in the States and I said, look, I want to get back on Ellen DeGeneres.

And he said, look, thousands people trying to get Ellen Keith, you're not going to get on. So that was his. His mindset was so massive. Action to me was every day for three weeks, I emailed as many people as I could find names of and the Ellen organisation. So to keep it short for your listeners, it took me ninety six emails and forty four phone calls. And then I got on the generous virtually OK on Ellen DeGeneres in October, just gone.

And obviously most people aren't going to be emailing, trying to get on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. But I suppose the trick is that rather than like wallowing in your thoughts, trying to act your way out of the thing, try and do do stuff that might change the situation.

Yeah, I think that I called it the target formula and we won't have time to get into detail today. But if people focus on an end result, so first of all, you have to magnify the positive and shrink down the negative in the moment. So the negative obviously is the restrictions, covid and all the rest of it. And look, we have to live with that. And it is affecting people's mindset. And I think that's going to be an avalanche actually of mental health difficulties as a result of this.

But you have to start to shrink down the negatives and magnify the positives. And once you do that, then set your targets in place and know what your end goal is and you have to start setting those goals. So even like I don't see the government doing it for us collectively. So you have to do for yourself. And if that means trying to just create a small new business online. Ah, just you know, even if it's just for.

Your your health, that it's just setting those goals of, you know, walking everyday or whatever it is, you have to take aim first, almost like a senator of old and know what the end result is and then put the discipline in place every day, as you said, to do something towards that goal every day. OK, so during the summer, we sent out 5000 emails to corporations all over the world letting them know that I fit online.

So that was massive action for me. But it's got to be different for every person I know.

Another technique then that I suppose feeds into all this and this is the thing I know a lot of sports guys use, and I think you've had some sports people with it is the notion of visualisation, which a lot of people are going to go back on. This is Dhaif now. It does seem to work.

Well, you know, I think people do scoff at creative visualisation, but if you look at the Richard Branson's of this world, the Elon Musk's, they all do it in their own way and the top athletes in the world. So like Michael Phelps is the perfect example. Twenty eight gold medals and the Olympics greatest Olympic athlete of all time. He visualised every single day for five years in the run up to the Olympics. So the evidence is there and then there's scientific evidence to it as well.

But quite simply, for listeners, wanted may want to just start doing this. And it's very simple. You just need to find 15 minutes every day in a quiet space. So when the kids are in bed or whatever, that is for you and then ultimately five minutes on relaxing your physical body, solidity with your eyes closed, just making sure that you're nice and relaxed and focussing on different parts of your body and actively allowing those parts to relax, then five minutes, focussing on your breath and just allowing your conscious mind to settle down.

And if you focus on breathing in for six seconds, holding for three seconds and exhaling for six seconds, six seconds, that will, if you like, relax your conscious mind and then you could begin to creatively visualise because you'll be an alpha state of mind, which is kind of a daydreamers state of mind, if you like. And look, we've got 100 billion neurones in our brain, Brendan, and we're creating new neural pathways every single moment of every day.

So what you focus on, you can actually be called, but only if you take that massive action and then to creatively visualise you just see yourself sitting in the cinema or a movie theatre and visualise the end goal, whatever it is that you're trying to achieve. And then you must take action, you know, and that's what all of these athletes I'm speaking with Rory best just about this the other day about our work together. I've got a new YouTube series coming up actually in about two weeks time.

And Rory is one of the guests on and we talk about creative visualisation. And that's OK.

Now, one one other really simple thing that people might do if they do. None of that is you've become a devotee of the very cold shower.

Yeah, absolutely. I've been following Imhoff, who known as the Ice Man for years, since he had basically hardly any followers. I know he's kind of become a bit of a guru, if you like, around the world. So there's a lot to be said for breastwork coupled with cold showers and people I know, people out there, they listen, go all right. There's no way I'll do a cold shower. But you know, why not?

You have to try these things. I know you swim all year round and see them, and it's fantastic because it dumps dopamine, serotonin and adrenaline into your system first thing in the morning. So think of it like this. You can be the type of person who gets up in a bed and, you know, maybe you hit the snooze button a couple of times before you get out of the bed. That's a lot of people. And then some people, you know, they have to have their cup of coffee before they talk to anybody and they have to have their news feed.

So that's one way to start your day. But another way to start your day is to get up a half an hour before the rest of the household.

So the house is quiet, spend 15 minutes creatively visualising, and then get in a freezing cold shower for ten minutes because only ten minutes I know I'm off to about a minute now at this stage and my head is frozen then at that stage, like, so you're going you're here in ten minutes, you know.

I mean, in the shower I do a minute at the end is of a cold shot like thirty minutes.

Having a cold and a cold shot isn't a cold shower. So what I would say to people is like for me, I'm up to ten minutes. But to start the process of the cold shower, the best way to do it is actually start with a warm shower and slowly turn it down until it's freezing cold and then go minutes, two minutes, three minutes, whatever it is that that floats your boat. But Ultimate, you're dumping those chemicals into your system and you're primed for the day ahead.

And don't go on your news feed first thing in the morning like we know what we need to know what's going on in the world. Wait until we even get your day out of the way first so you're not affecting your mindset. Start the day.

OK, all right. Let's do the trick. OK, I've got a phone, a pen and a piece of paper here. Yeah, so just real quick, just not to forget kind of Paddy's Day. We'll come to that. We've come to that in a minute. Let's do the trick at this point because I don't have time for it.

But OK, so Left-to-right line up the phone, the pen, the piece of paper everybody do it in. And he already won by the way. So whichever already one, we're going to do a lot of mixing. We're going to do it quite quickly. But here we go. So I want you to swap any two objects. Everybody out there, whatever two objects swap, just change their position. So just make sure they're in line from left to right.

Now, I want you to swap the piece of paper with the pen. OK, now swapped the phone with whatever is on its left, if the phone is already the far left. Leave it there. OK, swap the pen with whatever is on its right. If it's already at the far right. Just leave it there. OK, now swap the phone with whatever is on its left. If it's already the far left. Just leave it there and then finally swap the piece of paper with whatever's on its right.

If it's already the far right, just leave it there. OK, now that was a lot of mixing, but Brendan and everybody listening, whatever is at the far right, push it away. It's eliminated out of the game, OK? We have two objects in front of you now. Swap those objects once and then whatever the left eliminated, pushed away is eliminated out of the game. So that should be one object in front of you. Put your hand on that object now.

So, look, that was a lot of mixing that. And everybody started in different ways and technically all landed on different objects. But I get a sense are a feeling right now that everybody has landed on their mobile phone. If you got your mobile phone in your hand, let us know, OK?

All right. Yeah, I have my phone in my hand. Yeah, yeah. I think I know what happened there. But anyway, let's let's forge ahead. So, look, obviously you're trying to get back on stage in everything, but in the meantime, you're you're doing gigs and so you can take an audience of a thousand people and zoom. Is that right?

Yeah, which is weird because it's actually more than a thousand people, so a thousand devices. So if there's a family of four, that could be up to three or four thousand people. So you have been performing virtual gigs one for Valentine's night, which we actually sold out. I did one just before Christmas. So I've got another one coming up for Paddy's Day because, look, we're all gonna be at home for Patty's Day. It's a family friendly experience, fully immersive and interactive.

So if you come along, you will become part of the show. So I've managed to develop material that breaks that boundary, breaks the wall through Zoome and reaches into you in your home. And there's lots of fun magic, lots of mentalism in there as well as family friendly experience. So yeah, you can get tickets up on Eventbrite already are through my website which is Keith Barry dot com. I just for your listeners Branden's for the next 24 hours I put a discount code in.

So if you put in to enter promo code for discount cards there I can. So Aatif that's put in to either get eight years off of a show.

OK, ok. All right. That never happened.

Listen, are you hearing anything about any feel for when you get back on stage do you think.

No, I'm talking to the whole time and, you know, unfortunately, we're not getting any guidance anywhere. I just want to get back on stage and performing online is amazing. But my passion, my purpose in life is to be on the stage. That's where I've lived. And it's very sad for me to say I don't see these events in our live outdoor or indoor coming back, certainly not this year on any scale. So I don't know when I'll be back on stage.

And it saddens me to say that to you. But that's the truth.

Yeah. And look, you're one of the lucky ones who's able to work because there are so many people in that industry, people maybe who aren't necessarily on stage, but doing everything else around us, who are having a shocking time of it.

And especially, I'll tell you this, a lot of the comedians are struggling at both well-known comedians. And look, there's a lot of just gobbing comedians and singers and musicians out there and obviously the people behind the scenes and they haven't managed to figure it out, unfortunately. And I really feel for them. And I do feel very grateful. By the way, I'm privileged that they did manage to make it work online for myself. And because I know there's people and far more harsh positions than myself.

So, you know, I'm trying to give some of those people work as well. You know, I've hired a technician to run my virtual shows. He runs virtually from Karlo. And then, you know, I'm trying to give some of the comedians some support since the gigs that I do online. And so I'm trying to do my bit. But look at the government to pull up the socks and just try and give guidance is all I want.

At the same time, you can understand it's it's very, very difficult for them to know exactly what's going to happen either.

But listen, you have made some predictions, haven't you, in terms of getting under lockdown?

Yeah, yeah. I'm struggling to remember what the predictions were, but I'm sure you have them written down there. So if you remind me what they were, I'll commit them again.

OK, so you say pubs are reopening outdoors on June the 1st. Yes, I think I think the polls will be open outdoors, limited to eating June 1st is this is did somebody tell you this from beyond the grave kind of thing?

Or is this based on are you following the signs here?

So people don't know this about me? I'm actually a scientist behind the scenes. I actually graduated from UCG with a science degree. So, you know, I kind of know quite a bit of it, but coronavirus due to the research that I've done. But look, I'm just thinking that by June 1st, the public definitely should be open and have done that based on kind of stats, maths, and then my mentalist abilities, if you like. But look, I've been wrong in the past, so I won't be betting on it myself.

But look, that's my good pastor here says you should be unselfish and you say we'll be able to lock down and completely all the various levels by February 1st next year. What's your rationale there? I mean, we might as well ask each party, give us the predictions on this to anyone else. Well, don't listen to me. That's the first thing I'd say. But my gut instinct is, look, going from the information that I have to hand, which is no more than the information that you have, probably.

But ultimately, I think, look, I think we can all see that hopefully by the winter time that most people, the majority people will be vaccinated. But I think, again, there's going to be another wave probably in the winter when the winter months come back. I think we'll get through that wave. And then finally, I think the other side this February 1st, that's OK. And I am just going to say that they are keyed by his own views.

R.T. does not stand over it. I don't stand over it. But sure, he is entitled to an opinion as anyone else and maybe slightly more, because he is he is a mentalist. By the way, this is a thing that is afflicting a lot of people at the moment due to the covid and everything. Do you have no census Manono?

Oh, I've never had a sense of smell. I don't know where you've read that, but that's actually true. So since I can remember, I've never, ever been able to smell. So the smell test for me and it doesn't work because I've never had it said I went to a top doctor in Ireland who's based in, I think, its slogan of all places. I went over to him a couple of years back and he was bewildered by it all because he gave me the the medication that he would give normal people to this kind of thing and whatever.

And it didn't work. And my kids last because they gave me a smell test where I was trying to smell vinegar and I was saying it was sugar and then get me to smell all kinds of other things. But look, I cannot smell at all.

Do you taste things because smell is a big part of your taste, isn't it? Yes.

So to me, I taste everything. But that's because I suppose I've never I've never been able to see know what it's like to taste anything yet you get the feeling, texture or whatever.

Yeah, but I love like I love curries and I feel like I can taste a good curry and you know, I love barbecue and I barbecue all year round so I feel like I can taste. But yeah, it's a weird thing. I've no sense of smell. Never had.

OK, look that's a that's another bit of hope for people today. Anyone who's lost the sense of smell temporarily true to covid Keith Barry getting on fine without a sense of smell. Listen, I think would you agree that if people took one thing away from today, as much as they can bear Nicole shower is a great way to reset yourself in the morning, Keith, isn't it?

Absolutely. You know, if you if you don't knock it until you try. That's what I would say. And as we said and as we said, start slowly so, you know, start the temperature lukewarm and then work up to get a cold. But look at the one thing I'm missing right now. And again, I can hack it because, you know, I've got a good mindset. I'm missing just simple things like fishing and swimming in the sea because I swim all year round in the sea and I can't get to the sea right now.

So that's the one thing that's bothered me. So hopefully down the line I'll get for a swim in the sea and a bit of fish and, you know, yeah. Listen, there there are worse problems to have.

By the way, your weeks is coming up after 12, I believe, four weeks to Israel out of your kindness from that time. Yeah, yeah.

You can tell jokes. I did a Joe Hicks workout again two days ago. My son, Brayden, we look him up every couple of days and I'm still doing the Joe Wick's when we saw him. You know, I think it's part to keep the kids active as well. And it's actually quite a nice thing to do because it's a bit of fun. Joe doesn't take himself too seriously, so. Absolutely. Yeah, especially when I was down after those six weeks I started the Joe Weeks and I haven't stopped.

So we still do it.

You go he draw motivator to the mentalists and he'd be coming out to try to listen. Keith Barry, thank you very much. And tickets for Keith, virtually Paddy's Day party are available on Eventbrite today. Let's take a break.

Text five one five five one. Brendan O'Connor on TV. Radio one.