For 30 years, Drew Gerber has been inspiring those who want to change the world. As the CEO and co-owner of Wasabi Publicity Inc., lauded by the likes of PR Week and Good Morning America, Gerber sparks “aha” conversations that lead to personal and business success. His PR firm is known for landing clients on Dr. Phil, Oprah, Anderson Cooper, The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Entrepreneur, and other top media outlets.
Wasabi Publicity works with companies that strive to make a difference in the world, providing the best industry leaders and change agents for the media. Drew Gerber is the author of Destination Ah-hah and CEO of the parent blog destinationaha.com
“Breath is the thread to remember everything you’ve forgotten”
1. Get present
If you want to live a fulfilling and successful life, then you need to stay in the present. It is often all to easy to get caught up in past regrets, future desires or present worries without living in the moment.
Take a few seconds before every interaction, presentation or important event and focus on your breath. Be mindful of your surroundings, appreciate the beauty around you. This will not only allow you to focus and achieve on a higher level in the present moment, but it will also make you a more happy and grounded man.
2. Travel
One of the best ways to expand yourself as a man is to travel. Experience new cultures, explore new ways of life, be open to new world views. Travel will enrich your life in more ways than you can count.
From lifelong relationships, to unforgettable experiences, to simple serenity while you stand in awe at a natural wonder, travel will change your life for the better and will help equip you to live life on a more holistic level.
3. Find Out What You Really Value
It is easy to use cop-out answers to describe our values. Beyond the “I want to change the world” and “I want to leave a legacy” there is a deeper and richer reason to everything that we want and do.
Take time and go deeper into your why. Ask yourself why 5 times, write down your answer, get clear on who you are and what you value and figure out your purpose in life. If you want to live a rich fulfilling life, full of abundance and happiness, you must go beyond the canned cliche values that you have heard and truly determine what it is that gets you out of bed in the morning.
4. Stop Listening to Gurus
Follow your gut and do what will make you happiest, don’t waste time paying attention to well paid speakers telling you how to live your life.
5. Don’t Take Things Seriously
Life is too damn short to go through it with a constant frown. Bad things happen, failures occur, and things don’t go your way, buy all in all none of it matters.
The end result for every human is death, it always has been, and (unless scifi becomes reality) it always will. Don’t waste one more moment of your life than necessary worrying about crap that will be gone tomorrow. Don’t stress over the petty things in life.
Seek to be of service, seek to make an impact, and seek to enjoy what little time you have on this planet. Realize that life is a game, don’t take anything seriously. Laugh off the small stuff and work through the big stuff. Always ask yourself “If I knew I would die tomorrow, would this bother me?”:
Former Air force Captain Bryan Reeves is the Co-founder/Director for The Center for Mindful Education, where he’s taught mindfulness to people with autism. He co-founded “Operation Mindful Warrior” to help bring mindfulness to military veterans (who are currently committing suicide at a shocking rate)
Bryan serves on the Executive Board of the Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment (G.A.T.E.). Founded by John Raatz, author Eckhart Tolle and actor Jim Carrey, GATE is an organization of entertainment and media companies and professionals – actors, producers, filmmakers, musicians and more – working to influence the entertainment and media industry to produce and distribute transformational content that inspires global audiences for the benefit of all.
Bryan currently resides in L.A. working as a transformational life and relationships coach.
“Follow your highest excitement”~Bryan Reeves
1. It Is Essential That You Learn to Collaborate
We live in a world full of people determined to go it alone. We look at others with differing ideologies, religions, or political standing as lost causes that will never be reached instead of seeking to use our uniqueness together to create something incredible.
Learn to see and bring out the best in people regardless of your differences, learn to work with others and use your differences to create a future that could never have been built alone. Work together with others and create a future that you would be proud to raise a family in.
2. Surround Yourself With People Who Won’t Take Your Crap
As much as we love to surround ourselves with yes men (or women) it is imperative to our personal growth that we are around people who push us and call us out on our bullshit. Build a social circle full of people who aren’t afraid to challenge you and make you uncomfortable.
As Jim Rohn said “You are the average of the five people whom you associate with most.” If you want to live a world class life, then associate with people who will push you in every area.
3. Acknowledge That You Could be Wrong
As you work to build the life and relationships of your dreams, approach every issue with the thought that you might be wrong. Nietzsche, the famous philosopher once said that “Conviction is the enemy of truth.” Never allow your need to be right to blind you to the truth.
Realize that you may be wrong, accept it and look to collaborate with others who can help guide you to the truth.
4. Be a Leader in Your Relationships
As a man, embrace the masculine energy in your relationships and take charge (most of the time). Decide where to go out on a date, set the time, lay down the ground rules of the relationship. Women cannot be fully in their feminine unless you are in your masculine and for this to happen you must be present and taking charge, leading the encounter to new and exciting heights.
5. Success Doesn’t Make the Man
Money, cars, girls, none of it makes you a man. To be a true man, an authentic man, you must be totally fulfilled and in love with yourself. Be who you are, pursue a life of purpose that excites you every morning. Do things because you damn well want to!
Never forsake dreams or aspirations for a paycheck or relationship. Follow your highest excitement, do what makes you happy and impact others while doing it.
6. If You Aren’t Thriving Today It’s Pointless
Goals are amazing. Plans are great. But nothing is certain. Life is a precious gift that can be taken at any moment. Live life in the moment and be passionate about the life you are living today. Because the life you are stressing about creating may not be there tomorrow.
Jonathan Levi is an experienced entrepreneur, angel investor, and lifehacker from Silicon Valley. After successfully selling his Inc 5,000 rated startup in April of 2011, Levi packed up for Israel to gain experience in the Venture Capital industry.
Levi has been featured in such publications and programs as the Wall Street Journal, Nana10 Television, The Silicon Valley Business Journal, Bimmer Magazine, BMW Blog, and Donna Fenn’s latest book, Upstarts! How GenY Entrepreneurs are Rocking the World of Business and 8 Ways You Can Profit from Their Success, among others.
“The greatest happiness in life is that we are loved. Loved for ourselves or loved in spite of ourselves.”~Victor Hugo
1. Learn to Properly Delegate
Chances are, living the life of your dreams involves you doing a lot more of what you enjoy and a helluva lot less of the things that you don’t. Determine activities in your life that are neither enjoyable nor particularly profitable and delegate them to others.
For example, you can hire a maid to come and clean your house, do your laundry, and even cook your meals for between $20-$50/hour. If you are earning even $5 more per hour by doing this, than you are enhancing your productivity and your dollar per output. It’s a win win for everyone.
2. Do an 80/20 Analysis
Around 20% of what you do in every area of your life will account for 80% of the results that you see. To live a fulfilling and meaningful life, you must determine the things that you are content being in the 80th percentile for, and those that you are willing to invest the extra time into.
Do you want to be a top level bodybuilder, or just be lean and healthy? Do you want to be a Forbes list entrepreneur making millions a year, or just have the income to live life on your terms?
There’s no right or wrong, you simply have to decide what it is you want and allocate your resources properly.
3. Apply the Productivity Mindset to Your Personal Life
Seek to use the productivity mindset in all areas of your life, especially social. For example if you have the choice between going to an entrepreneurs mastermind or going to a club and getting hammered, it’s pretty clear which option will lead to greater results.
Enjoy yourself, party, live life, but make sure that you are filling your life with high caliber social activities as well.
5. Speed Reading Tips
5. Sleep The Every Man Schedule
Sleep 6 hours at night and then take a half hour nap in the middle of the day. This will save you a few hours each day, leave you feeling refreshed and is more congruent with your evolutionary programming.
6. Passive Income is About Freedom
The holy grail of finances is passive income. To be making money while you sleep. What you must realize is that this goal is about freedom and having the options to do what you want. Never forsake options for a paycheck, you can always make more money, but once time leaves, it never comes back.
Danny Flood is an entrepreneur, world traveler, adventure seeker, and author of the new book; Buy Your Own Island. For years Danny has been traveling the world, creating businesses to fund his lifestyle and seeking out ridiculous adventures. Danny is a life long student speaking 5 languages and reading hundreds of books each year and teaching others how to live the lives of their dreams.
Danny is currently traveling around the world enjoying a well earned break after the publication of his new book.
“There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still have to prove our worth anew each day; we have to prove that we are as good today as we were yesterday. But when we have a valid alibi for not achieving anything we are fixed, so to speak, for life.” ~Eric Hoffer
1. Be Real About Your Goals
All to often we find ourselves pursuing goals because it is what other people what for our lives. We go to medical school because our parents said we should, we take that promotion because all of our friends told us to, but we rarely stop and ask what we want.
If you want to live a fulfilling life, an inspiring life, a life worth writing about, you must break out of the standards and the mold that society has set for you and you must do your own thing.
Pursue your own goals and dreams because it is what makes you happy. Don’t live your life for someone else
2. You Need to Get Out of Your Normal Environment
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”~Neale
One of the best ways to grow as a man is to experience new and exciting things outside of your comfort zone. Travel, try new foods, learn new instruments; expand your horizons and don’t be afraid of the unknown.
When you get out of your normal environment, you are forced to pause and reflect on the life that you are leading, danger and adventure cause you to pause and ponder questions to life you may have been too afraid to ask.
Don’t fight this, accept it and use what you learn. Get out there, get uncomfortable, and be better because of it.
3. Discover What Works For You
Don’t do anything because it is what you “should” do. If something doesn’t work for you then scrap it and find a new way. Our society has tried to put everyone into a cookie cutter mold of how people should learn, what they should pursue and what they can and can’t do.
Break out of this and do what works for you.
Do you learn best by total immersion or by osmosis(watching others)? Then do that. Are you most productive in the morning or at night? Do the brunt of your work then. Life is not a one size fits all adventure, so get out there and find the things that work for you and discard the rest.
4. Look At Your Problems as Ways to Improve Your Life
Some of the greatest innovations of our time have come from people asking the question “how can I fix this problem?” In your life, there is nothing more powerful than asking questions that force you to innovate and try new things.
If you are broke, overweight, or terrible with women, see this as a challenge to be innovated out of. Find an approach that you can stick with and work it until you have the desired outcome.
5. You Have Nothing to Lose
Really, you have NOTHING to lose. You only get one shot at this life, don’t waste it fearing what might happen. What is scarier than a plane crash or financial ruin is a life that was never truly lived. Get out of your comfort zone, feel the fear and take action because of it.
6. Manage Energy Not Time
Many of the productivity gurus say to manage your time to get the most accomplished. However, 4 hours of half assed work is less valuable than 30 minutes of laser focused action. Learn to manage your energy and your focus before worrying about time.
7. Vietnamese Coffee is the Best
At least according to Danny hehe.
8. Step Back
Whenever life seems overwhelming, take a step back and reflect. Meditate, go to the mountains, get away from it all. Chances are after you remove yourself from your normal environment you will realize that what you have been stressed about is no where near as bad as it seemed.
9. Live a Life That is True to You
We live in a day and age of a much more sinister and insidious form of control than any dictatorship or monarchy in the past 100 years. We live in an age of media mind control.
Although likely not intentional (ie not a conspiracy theory) the media has sold you a certain story about what your life should be, about how things should workout and how you should live.
And we buy into it with out ever asking whether we want this story or not. Take time to ask yourself who you want to be, not who you are told to be, live life on your terms and in a way that is true to your authentic self.
Ash Avildsen is the Founder/CEO of Sumerian Records and was the Founder/CEO of The Pantheon Agency. For the past eight years, Ash has been a key player in the new wave of hard rock music as both an agent and a label owner. Discovering and developing acts like Asking Alexandria, Black Veil Brides, Animals As Leaders and many others from before the bands had ever toured or put out albums. Ash is also the director of his debut film “What Now.”
“Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be happy” ~ The Buddha
1. Success Does Not Equal Happiness
One of the common misconceptions of the modern world is that success automatically equals happiness. While it is true that many successful people experience tremendous levels of happiness, this is not due to their success, it is a product of their character and mindset.
Do what makes you happy, do what makes you fulfilled, do things that no one would have to pay you for because you are so passionate about it.
At the end of the day, you can’t take a single dollar you earn with you, all the material accomplishments and “things” will fade away and all you will be left with is your experiences and the impact you had on the world. So do what you love and don’t worry about the money; your happiness is contingent on your experiences and your attitude, not your bank account.
2. Don’t Let Haters Get to You
“You have made enemies? Good, that means you’ve stood up for something at some time in your life.” ~Winston Churchill.
If you set out to accomplish anything big in your life, regardless of what it is, there will be haters. There will be people who tell you that you can’t do it, that you aren’t good enough, that you’ll never succeed. Ignore every single one of them.
No one great every accomplished anything by listening to the doubters, people who feel the need to try and bring you down are often suffering from their own insecurities and fear that you will succeed and they will not. Learn to accept criticism and ignore “trolling” your life, business, and relationships will all be better for it.
3. You Have to Have Faith That You Can Do It
“Whether you believe you can or can’t, you’re certainly right” ~Henry Ford
Everything starts with faith. The faith in yourself, your abilities, and your perseverance. You must have faith that if you put in the time, money and effort, you will inevitably succeed. How could you not? When you are educating yourself, learning from the best, taking massive action and learning from that action; success is inevitable.
Have faith in yourself and faith in the process, and at the end of the day, you will achieve the things that you desire.
4. Try to Improve Your Batting Average
No one is perfect, no one “bats 1,000,” but most of us have significant room for improvement in our lives. Take time to examine each area of your life, examine the results that you have achieved. What are you batting in health? In wealth? In love? In personal growth?
Be honest and brutal with yourself. Figure out what you need to improve on and then take action. Life is nothing except for a never ending cycle of challenges and growth, if you aren’t growing you are dying. Stay in the land of the living; improve everything.
6. Do it Yourself
We live in an age of men who lack self reliance. Society and technology have made us soft. Small occurrences that used to be minor bumps in the road are now considered catastrophic set backs.
One flat tire, one broken bulb, one business project where you don’t know exactly what to do, one fitness program that doesn’t map out every second of your workout, and we are screwed. Learn to be independent, do things yourself.
Do not rely on others for help or affirmation, just do it! If you don’t know, than follow Tai Lopez’s advice and “Just damn google it.” Do not allow yourself to become dependent on anything or anyone, do it yourself and make your own destiny.
Dr. Andrew Hill received his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCLA in 2012, studying how attention operates in the brain. He is currently lecturing for the Undergraduate Education Initiatives program at UCLA, teaching a course sequence gerontology, and the neuroscience of healthy brain aging.
Dr. Hill has published chapters on measuring and modulating human attention, and continues to research self regulation.
“Do what you love and the money will follow” ~Marsha Sinetar
1. If you do not do what you love, you may achieve success but it will not be your success
Many men exemplify the qualities of successful individuals. They have drive, they have ambition and they have an innovative mind. But if you are not actively putting your skills and traits into building the life and business of your dreams, the successes you achieve will not fulfill you.
As the old saying goes “You may climb all the way to the top of the ladder only to find it is leaning on the wrong wall.” Don’t lean your ladder on the wrong wall. Life is short, make the most of it. Do what you love, do it with a passion, do it will more heart and soul than anyone else, and all the fame, recognition, and money that you have sought after will come.
2. Practice Meditation
One of the only free methods of cognitive training, mindful meditation has been proven to aid in several neurological functions. From improving your attention control, to memory to, to reducing stress and inflammation, meditation is one of the most beneficial and accessible forms neuro training available.
Studies have also shown that the amount of time you spend meditating actually matters less than the consistency with which you practice, so 3 minutes a day immediately after waking up is more beneficial than an hour once a week.
3. Basic Healthy Habits Increase Brain Health
The best way to increase overall brain health is to improve the quality of your overall health. Eat a diet that is low in starch and sugar and high in fats, exercise in some way every day, and ensure that you are getting at least 6 hours of quality sleep every night.
Without a basic foundation, no amount of nootropics or electrode stimulation will turn you into the high achieving machine you want to be.
4. Exercise Caution when Using Nootropics
A relatively new form of supplement, nootropics are cognitive enhancers that aid in: memory, mental agility, alertness, and overall brain function. However, because of how new the industry is, and the lack of FDA regulation, a large number of supplements on the market are complete bs. Before you purchase or more importantly ingest any nootropic, make sure that it is backed by research, testing, and lots of scientific evidence.
For a simple starter with nootropics, purchase L-Theanine oil and add it to your morning coffee. L-Theanine is a naturally occurring cognitive enhancer found in many teas and other similar drinks. It is inexpensive, completely safe to use, and overall, one of the best introductions to the world of neuro supplements.
5. Figure Out What You Would Do if You Knew You Couldn’t Fail
Many of us waste time in careers that don’t inspire us, relationships that don’t excite us, and lifestyles that don’t fulfill us. Of the many excuses and issues surrounding our complacency, one problem surfaces most of all: Fear of failure. What we must understand about failure is that it is rarely final, and almost never as devastating as we make it out to be in our minds.
Whatever you want to do, go after it like you knew you couldn’t fail. Put in the hours, grind it out, do the work, and what you will discover is that the failure you so dreaded likely never come to fruition. Instead you will be left with a fulfilling and exciting life like nothing you could have ever imagined.
6. Don’t Dick Around
You only have a limited amount of time on this planet. Despite the societal idea that “30s are the new 20s” you will not live forever. You need to get your ass into gear now and start hustling to create the life that you want to live. Don’t wait for some day, don’t put off what you love for something you “have” to do, and don’t waste time on partying and intoxicants.
Start building the life you want now, so that you can have the future others will only dream of
Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, an online, graphics-design service, and an executive fellow at the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley. Formerly, he was an advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google and chief evangelist of Apple. He is the author of The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and ten other books. Guy has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College.
“If you believe it, you will see it” ~ Jesus Christ
1. Things Are Seldom as Good or Bad as You Think
In life, you will be presented with numerous challenges and triumphs. Accompanying these experiences will be a roller coaster of emotions from tear drenched depression and frustration to euphoric highs of achievement. However, despite what you may feel in the present moment, things are rarely as good or bad as they appear.
The failure in your business or relationship is not the end of the world, and generating your first 7 figure company is not as life-alteringly incredible as it once seemed. As the Latin proverb states “En medio stat veritas,” the truth lays in the middle.
Learn to see life’s struggles and accomplishments for what they truly are and always keep perspective on the good and the bad.
2. Life is Short
Don’t waste time waiting for tomorrow. If you want to build the business, build it, if you want to talk to the girl, do it, if you want to pack up and travel the world, now is as good a time as any. Do not wait for all the lights to turn green or for the stars to align, if you want something, make it happen. The only certainty in life is death, act in accordance.
3. Your Customer Cannot Tell You What They Want
Your customers are an excellent source for improving existing products, but they lack the innovation and vision to tell you what they really want. They did not know that they wanted an iPhone or Amazon.com or any of the other industry shattering creations of the past. It is up to you as a producer and entrepreneur to innovate and create something that alters the way the industry works
4. The Goal is To Ship
Your goal as a businessman is not to secure funding or build capital, but to ship. Ship your product or service as soon as humanly possible. Then, after you have shipped; learn, improve and ship again.
5. Tell a Story
If you want to connect with a customer or client, tell a story. Don’t hash out the same, dried up marketing hype surrounding every new product. Tell them a story that they can relate to, tell them a story about what your product can do for their lives, tell them a story about who you are and why you are doing what you are doing.
If you can engage your audience into your story, into your journey, you have a much greater chance of closing the sale and building customer loyalty in the long term.
6. Man Up
Quit whining, grow a pair, and put in the work. Quit bitching about how unfair life is and make something of it. If you want something, than go after it, pursue your goals tirelessly, never quit, and at the end of the day, you will achieve what you want.
7. Take Advantage of Opportunity
The biggest key to being a successful entrepreneur is to have the ability to seek out and take advantage of opportunity. When you see a viable opportunity, don’t be like most people who simply say “That’s a great idea,” or “Someone will make millions off that one day.” See the opportunity and take it. You never know when you may pass up on the next billion dollar enterprise
8. Work Your Ass Off
“Good things come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle.” ~Abraham Lincoln
You cannot sit on the sidelines and expect the world to hand you the life of your dreams. You have to be willing to put in the work to make it happen. Wake up before everyone else, stay longer, train harder, invest more, educate yourself more. Do not settle for mediocre work. Strive to be above average, to be extraordinary.
Be willing to put in more work than anybody could reasonably expect of you, and you will achieve the results you want in less time than anyone could reasonably expect of you.
Dean Graziosi is well known as America’s #1 real estate expert, author, speaker and entrepreneur. Based in Scottsdale, AZ, Dean has written Multiple New York Times best-selling books and has touched the lives of Millions of people around the world with his powerful investing education.
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm” ~ Winston Churchill
1. Failure is an Essential Piece of Success
Many entrepreneurs and other businessmen believe that success is a straight road, you simply get on the path and once you get enough momentum you will succeed.
What they don’t understand is that there is no success without failure, as Ryan Holiday says, “The obstacle is the way.” Even the most illustrious of companies and entrepreneurs have faced tremendous adversity and “unconquerable”situations before they achieved the renown they know today.
When going into any new endeavor, expect failure, expect to be tested beyond your perceived limits, and expect things to which you devoted your whole life to fail.
Do what you can to prevent failures by reading books by those who have gone before and gathering an army of mentors, but realize that even with all the preparation in the world, you will fail. And when you do, have the courage to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go again.
2. Use Your Pain as a Motivator
The natural state of human-kind is to move towards pleasure and away from pain. This is the driving force behind every action we take. Therefor, learn to use the pain in your life to motivate you towards success.
Make the pain of inaction or ultimate failure (not temporary setbacks) far greater than the pain of getting off your ass and doing what needs to be done. Overweight? Learn to make the pain of dying young, and being unable to live a full life greater than the pain of going to the gym. Broke? Then make the pain of not having the money to live the life of your dreams greater than the pain of forgoing temporary pleasure.
Pain is one of the most powerful tools in your belt if you learn to harness it properly. Leverage pain to create the life you want.
3. Don’t Work on Your Weaknesses
One of the biggest lies of our society is to work on our weaknesses. From grade school we are taught to focus on things we suck at instead of improving things for which we have a natural propensity. If you made an A in math and a C in English, you were told to work harder in English instead of doubling down in the areas which you already excel.
Root out this mentality like a cancer, embrace your strengths and delegate your weaknesses, the only way to build a vibrant business or life is to fill it with people working from areas of excellence and passion. Forget your weaknesses and work on your strengths. You will be healthier, wealthier and wiser for it.
4. Most People Will Not Understand
If you are on this site, you are unique. Most people are not filling their heads with the knowledge and wisdom of the wise and successful and as such, they will try and bring you and your dreams down.They do not understand the world the way you do, they are victims and pessimists.
Do not let small minded underachievers prevent you from achieving the life of your dreams. Go for what you want, go big, build the life of your dreams the business of your dreams, do what you damn well please and don’t let broke unhappy people stop you.
5. Protect Your Confidence
Ensure that you guard your confidence in yourself above all else. If you do not believe in yourself and your abilities, you will never accomplish great things. Realize the importance of confidence in all areas of your life and take daily actions that reaffirm your self belief.
6. Remove Energy Vampires
Plain and simple, if you sigh when someone calls or messages you, they need to be cut out of your life. As harsh as this sounds, you cannot afford to waste time and energy on people who do nothing but drain you.
7. What Your Surround Yourself Shapes Your Destiny
Your environment will, in large part, determine your destiny. Surround yourself with inspiring and high caliber individuals, fill your head with knowledge and ideas from the best minds, listen to audio tapes and CDs. No matter where you are in life, by altering your environment, you will alter who you become, get started today creating an environment conducive to excellence.
8. You Have to Actually Do The Work
No amount of positive thinking or visualization will make the life of your dreams fall into your lap, you have to get up and do the work. Period.
9. Go 7 Levels Deep to Find Your Why
One of the most powerful tools for getting the motivation required to succeed is to go 7 levels deep with your “why.” Ask yourself what you want, then follow up with “why?”, then again and again, 7 times until you are at the very core of what it is that is truly motivating you.
Do this exercise and your eyes will be open to the truth behind every action you take. Do this, and you will be better equipped to crush it in life, love, and business.
10. Trust Your Heart and Not Your Head
Trust your heart above your head. Your heart knows what you truly want and what will truly fulfill you in life, your head only knows what friends, family, and society have told it will fulfill you. Do the hard thing now, condition yourself to trust your heart and you won’t go wrong.
Freddie Achom is a Nigerian born British business man, entrepreneur, and investor who decided to follow an unconventional route by dropping out of medical school and starting his own business. Freddie founded what would be his first million dollar company, the Rosemont Group, in his early 20’s and is currently serving as Chairman of the company.
Freddie is now focused on giving back to the next generation of entrepreneurs helping young inventors, businessmen, and CEO’s acquire the capital and develop the relationships necessary for personal and professional success.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage continue that counts.” ~Winston Churchill
1. You Cannot Live Your Life for Others
Each of us have a plethora of voices vying for our attention. Our parents, friends, coworkers, and even society all tell us how we should live our lives. Although none of these voices is necessarily bad, almost none of them are looking out for our best interest.
They all want something different for our lives than we do, they want us to have security, they want us to have safety, they want us to stay on the same playing field they’re on, in short they do not want us to live the lives we were designed to live. As men, we want lives of danger, lives of risk, and above all, lives of purpose, but we cannot accomplish our purpose if we are following a plan laid out for us by someone else. We must march to our own drum and create our ideal lives, not the live’s of others.
2. Relationships Are Key to Business
Many young and aspiring entrepreneurs forget the famous saying “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” We focus on developing our skill sets, on absorbing as much knowledge as possible, we read as many books and listen to as many podcasts as is humanly possible in a single day. But we forget that first and foremost, all business is relationships.
No matter what you are building or creating, you cannot do it without creating and sustaining relationships with your customers, employees and mentors. As you begin building your knowledge and skills, remember to focus on growing your network as much as yourself.
3. Do Not Try and Scale too Quickly
Many otherwise promising businesses have failed because of hasty growth. Do not try and force your business into its next chapter prematurely. Build your companies core values, build your brand and client base, and allow the growth to happen naturally over time.
4. Focus on the Core Values of Your Company
Instead of getting caught up in the valuation of your company or your projected growth over the next quarter, focus on the core values of your company. What are you and your business here on this earth to do? How well are you achieving this mission? Every couple of months, take time to analyze your business and the direction it is headed in, make sure that every action is in alignment with your ultimate vision for your company and your life.
5. Make Sure You Have a Large Market Disruption
Too many companies aim for small or mediocre impact within the marketplace. Set audacious goals, make it your mission to have such a huge effect on the marketplace that your niche will never be the same again after you enter. Think of companies life Google and Microsoft who have revolutionized entire industries, you must strive to have an effect on the same scale.
Regardless of whether you believe you can have an impact on the same level as these companies, companies that have defined a generation, remember the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, “I would rather aim for the stars and hit a stump than aim for a stump and miss.” Don’t aim for a stump in your life, dare mighty things, and at worse, when you fail, you will fail heroically.
6. Failure is Never Final
In the modern world, almost no failure is final. There is always a way to pick your self up by your bootstraps and get back on your feet. Think of people like Donald Trump who went $9 billion dollars in debt when the recession hit…and then paid it all back and became, once again, one of the wealthiest people in the world.
No matter how catastrophic you may feel your failure is, there is always a way to get back to the top if you are committed.
7. The Journey is More Important Than The Destination
As men who are not content with average lives, it is often very difficult to live in the now whenever our whole existences are so far below what we imagine. However, we cannot lose sight of the joy of the journey, we can’t stop enjoying the grind.
In reality the only end destination is death, enjoy the journey, because the journey is life, enjoy improving, enjoy failing, enjoy succeeding. Whatever you do, enjoy it, and enjoy it to the full, don’t wish for tomorrow, because tomorrow will bring its own challenges, live for today.
8. Understanding People is Key to Success in Business
One of the most crucial skills you can develop in your life is the ability to read and understand people. This will put you heads and shoulders above your competition in business, love, and life. Take time to study human psychology, understand what drives people to action, what holds people back.
Learn to understand what people want and to read how they react to situations and you will have yet another force multiplier in your quest for the good life.
9. You Must Balance All Pillars of Your Life
Life is short, you must never allow your desire for material success and fame to outweigh the important things in your life like family and friends. Learn to balance your life. Build your business, hustle like hell, but spend time with people in your life that are important to you, reignite old hobbies, call a friend you haven’t seen in years, in short, live life like you knew you would die tomorrow.
All the material gains in the world aren’t worth a damn when it’s all said and done, all that you will have to take with you into the great beyond are the people you loved and the lives you impacted.
10. Break The Rules
As Mark Twain so famously said “When you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” No one on this site wants to be average, no one here wants to work an average dead end job for 50 years only to find they can’t retire and then continue that job until they die.
Everyone here wants to be extraordinary. But to be extraordinary sometimes means bending the rules, it means taking the path less traveled or doing the unconventional thing. Do not be a slave to tradition and “supposed to’s” create the life you want, whether it fits society’s mold or not.
RJ Mitte is an American actor and producer most widely known for his role as Walter Jr. on the AMC series Breaking Bad. RJ started his acting career at 13 despite suffering from Cerebral Palsy, and has actually learned to use his disability as an advantage in securing movie and TV parts. RJ is currently in the process of auditioning around the country for his next role.
“Find your niche” – Mother
1. Look at your disabilities as a strength
At a very young age, RJ has created a successful career in one of the toughest industries in the world by using his disadvantages as a strength. Despite suffering from CP, Rj has been able to seek out niche roles playing characters with similar disabilities.
We often find ourselves using our past, current circumstances or upbringing as an excuse for why we cannot achieve greatly, however, no excuse is valid, and the career that RJ has been able to create for himself is a testament to what can happen in your life when you forgo excuses in favor of action.
2. You must stand up for yourself
The world is full of people who are complacent and subservient to others. They allow life, society, a spouse, a friend or any number of external influences to walk all over them and their dreams. You must take control of your own life, and stand up for yourself, stop taking shit from other people and make sure that your voice is heard.
3. Make the most of the time you have
Despite its negative connotation, there is great truth in the phrase “YOLO,” you only live once. Do not see this as a green light to live lives of debauchery and frivolity, rather see this as a challenge, a challenge to make the most of the limited time that you have on this earth.
You only get one chance to make a difference, you only get one chance to touch lives, you only get one chance to leave a legacy that will ring through the ages, and you only get one chance to make sure that your life is worth a damn. You only live once, don’t waste it.
As a young man, Dan Peña turned less than $1,000 investment into nearly half a billion. This lead him to create what is now the Quantum Leap Advantage. Dan Peña is the world’s leading high performance coach, having created over $50 billion in equity through his coaching. He is also the author of the book “Your First $100 Million.” Dan now runs high performance seminars at his castle in Scotland.
“Just fucking do it.” – Dan Peña
1. Stop thinking and pull the trigger.
We live in an age of abundant information. With the click of a button, one can download the ideas and thoughts of millions of individuals straight to their computer. Any issue you face can be solved by a quick Google search, and any history test can be aced with a glance at wikipedia.
However, this information has come at a cost. Now more than ever, individuals are in states of permanent planning, the gung-ho, ready, fire, aim mentality of past generations has vanished, replaced instead by an attitude of sparse action taken only after extensive research.
To achieve success, we must realize that experience is the best teacher of all, we must feel the fear of failure and take action anyways. No more sitting and waiting to have all the information, to have the perfect plan laid out. You must take action now!
2. You are the average of the 5 people with whom you spend the most time.
“Show me your friends and I will show you your future.” The words of John Kubleur ring true now more than ever, you cannot be a high achiever while associating with low performers. It is key that you seek out high quality relationships to fill your life with people who will push you, convict you, and challenge you to rise above mediocrity.
If you cannot find people in your area, then, as Charlie Munger put it, “make friends with the eminent dead.” Read classic works, fill your brain with the words of the wisest individuals past and present, because who you associate with will be the key to your future.
3. Schooling and money is not necessary for success.
The lack of a college degree is no excuse for poor performance. Some of the greatest businessmen and talents of our time deferred college in favor of pursuing their goals. You must realize that the keys to success are never external, but internal.
You can have every damn degree and accolade in the world, but without passion, without fire for what you are doing, you will never be a success. It is far better to be a high-school dropout willing to work 20 hour days to accomplish his dreams, than a Harvard graduate dreading every task before him.
4. Mentors Are Essential.
Mentors are the force multiplier on your path to success, they can direct you to where you want to go, and help you avoid the missteps that are so commonly made. When searching for a mentor, you must realize that it is there time, not their money that is the most valuable asset they have to offer.
You must also realize that you bring very little to the table for high caliber mentors that they do not already have, so you must make up for this lack of financial and business resources with a burning passion to succeed.
5. Focus on your passions.
All the money in the world isn’t worth a damn if you are forced to do things you hate to earn it. If you truly want to be a success in life, you must heed the old cliche and follow your passions. Find something that excites you so that you tap dance to work in the morning.
Find something you are so pumped for that you don’t need an alarm to get up, because you couldn’t even sleep knowing that there were missing out on time that you could have been pouring into your life’s dreams.
6. If an idea doesn’t work, pivot, don’t quit.
Many times over the course of your journey, you will fail. That is a simple fact of the game.
However, when something you have invested heavily in fails, don’t waste precious resources trying to salvage a lost cause, and don’t quit unnecessarily. Simply pivot. Tweak your business plan, your product, or your approach until you are able to achieve the success you’ve been working towards
7. Focus on the Few Not the Many.
With the excess of information and opportunities nowadays, it is quite easy to get sucked into the trap of multi-focus. You must learn to have single focus on your one important goal, business, task etx. if you hope to succeed. You only have 100% to give each day, so why not give all of it to the one thing that will change your life the most?
Focus on the 20% of tasks, that will get you the 80% of results and leave the rest to the dogs.
Dave Asprey is the host and CEO of the Bulletproof Executive podcast and brand. Dave has spent nearly decades as a Silicon Valley investor and entrepreneur and has invested over $300,000 testing various bio hacks performance drugs.
Through his testing, Dave lost over 100 lbs. and raised his IQ 20 points. From his experiences Dave wrote the Bulletproof diet, which is focused on teaching normal people how to optimize their lives for top performance in all areas.
“The goal of life is not to accumulate power but to radiate it.”- Henry Miller
1. Success is about what you give, not what you get.
Society has taught us to believe that success comes when we “get” something. We have been told that we have achieved success when we have that new Ferrari, the house on the beach, the beautiful women, or the multi-million dollar business. In reality, success is about what you give. Success is about what you can contribute to society and how many lives you can change with your talents and passions. True success is selfless.
2. Challenge long held beliefs and experiment for yourself.
In his early 20’s, Dave was almost 100 lbs. overweight. Dave hired a personal trainer and began following all the conventional wisdom of eating fewer calories, and training for hours a day. After months of no results, Dave decided to take his health into his own hands and figure out how to hack his biology for optimal weight loss. After he finished his experimenting he was able to lose and keep off over 100 lbs. of fat. This taught Dave that conventional wisdom is often wrong and success often requires challenging long held beliefs and experimenting for yourself.
3. Eliminate as many unnecessary decisions as possible.
Willpower is a finite resource. Filling your day with unnecessary decisions like what to wear, when to eat, or other superfluous activity leads to poorer decision making later in the day. A key to success is to automate your life as much as possible, making unimportant decisions automatic and saving your willpower for more important issues. (as a side note, one way to increase cognitive function and improve decision making is to get more fat in your diet from sources like meat and coconut oil)
4. Eliminate as many “kryptonite” foods as possible.
There are a number of mainstream foods today that do absolutely nothing to enhance performance and are extremely detrimental to your physical and mental health. Examples of these “kryptonite” foods would be gluten, soy, processed sugars, and msg. Eliminating as many of these as possible will increase health, performance and longevity.
5. Try bulletproof intermittent fasting.
One of the most effective ways to shred fat and build lean muscle is intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is the principle of having a 6-8 hour feeding window followed by a 16-18 hour period of fasting. Do this in conjunction with bulletproof coffee to eliminate crankiness and food cravings and you’ll be burning off those last 15 lbs. in no time.
6. Focus on making your body do what you want it to do, not what it was designed to do.
With all the modern chemicals and toxins that infect our food and water sources there is large focus put on staying “natural.” However this approach is often unbeneficial as it leads to us forgoing supplements and activities that can enhance performance, prevent aging, and optimize our natural functions. When deciding whether or not to utilize a certain supplement, nootropic etx. focus on how it effects your body and not whether it is “natural”
7. Meditate.
A key stone habit of hundreds of successful people throughout history, mediation allows you to get in touch with and gain greater control over both your mind and body. Implementing this habit for as little as 5-10 minutes a day can bring exponential returns in the long run.
Jake Ducey is a motivational speaker, author and youth role model. At 19 Jake dropped out of college and traveled the world writing the book “Into the Wind” shortly thereafter. Jake is the youngest published personal development author with Penguin Random House.
“Most of us are gambling on the biggest risk of all and that is to bet that one day we will be able to buy the freedom to do what we want later in life.” – Jake Ducey
“Write it down, make it happen”- Jack Canfield
1. It’s All Within Yourself
Jake traveled the world for six months, experiencing life in third world countries and during his travels he saw people who had absolutely nothing, yet they woke up every day with a smile on their face. It was through this experience that Jake came to the realization that everything you need is within yourself, you are enough.
You don’t need the house, the car, or the girl to make you complete as a man. Everything you need to live a full life is within you.
2. There is a difference between learning it and living it
We all know what we need to do to have success. To be financially independent, we need to save more than we spend. To be healthy, we need to eat clean and exercise more. And to have success in our dating and relationships, we need to be confident in ourselves and listen more.
Most every key to success is simple. So why are so many people broke, fat, and lonely? Because we aren’t living it! You must be willing to live out the lessons you have learned not merely read about others doing them. If you truly wish to be a success, what you need is not more information and more plans.
What you need is to start living out what you believe and become a man of action.
3. Most of our fears and anxieties aren’t real
As a society, we suffer from high rates of chronic anxiety and depression, allowing the mundane worries of our day to day grind to dictate how we live. However, the majority of our fears don’t even exist.
Our anxiety is simply a projection of what may happen at some unspecific time in the future if we fail at x, y, or z. In other words, most of our worries are bullcrap.
Even the worst thing that can happen to us is likely not half as life altering and world shattering as we may imagine. As soon as we embrace this mentality, we can begin to feel the fear and do it anyways. And that is when we begin to truly grow into the man we were meant to be.
4. The Point of a goal is who you become in the process
The purpose of any goal, be it physical, experiential, or financial is not the achievement of the goal itself, its about the man you become in the process.
When you set out to transform your body, bank account or social life, you will find that the real reward you gain is the character and integrity from doing the difficult things.
You will find that the grit and tenacity that you have developed from challenging yourself is better than any car, house, or number in a bank account. And you will find that being a man of integrity, a man who says he will achieve something and damn well does it, is the greatest reward of all.
Bo Eason is a former safety of the Houston Oilers, now, a playwright, actor, and personal development coach. In 2009 Bo produced a daily talk show called the Bo Eason Show and his stage production “Runt of the Litter” is currently being played on several stages across the nation. Bo also runs a personal development company focused on teaching individuals and companies to share their stories in a more compelling way.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
1. Talent is a myth
In the modern age, we rarely get a glimpse into the trials and obstacles that many of the “overnight successes” face. We are lead to assume that they achieved success purely from talent. We are not shown the years of hard work and effort poured into their so called “instant success.” Talent is a myth, the only way to achieve greatly is to dare greatly and work harder than every single one of your competitors.
2. Mastery is a learned skill
The very act of learning is an aquirable skill. At an early age, Bo decided that he wanted to become the best safety in pro football. Despite several obstacles, he achieved his goal and was able to apply what he learned while mastering football to his new career as an actor and playwright. Mastery is a learned skill , if you can master one thing, you can master all things, and if you can master all things then the world is yours for the taking.
3. Obstacles are inevitable if you want success
When Bo decided to become a pro football player. Every odd was against him. He was shorter and slower than the typical safety, and did not get picked for the college he hoped to play at. However, despite being a walk on at a small university, he was still drafted into the NFL, going on to become one of the best in the league.
4. Learn to love obstacles
If obstacles are inevitable to success, then we must learn to love them. Accept challenges for what they are and take pride and pleasure in the process of becoming better. Don’t see obstacles as a negative but rather view them as a way for you to sharpen yourself as a performer in whatever field you choose.
5. To gain follows you must learn to tell a good story
Bo now runs seminars and key notes teaching people how to tell a convey their story in a memorable way. He has learned that all great leaders throughout history achieved their success because they were able to tell a story, they were able to cast a vision and create a reality for people to follow. If you wish to be successful in any endeavor you must learn how to tell your story.
6. Be a warrior and not a critic
This world doesn’t need another damn critic. This world needs warriors. This world needs people who are willing to face challenges, who are willing to do the impossible, who are willing to be uncomfortable and rejected to achieve great things. You must become a warrior. Become the kind of person who laughs at adversity, who welcomes obstacles and who makes the world in your own image. Be a warrior.
Phillip and Ishmael are the duo behind the band “William Pilgrim and the all Grows up.” They are social activists focused on bringing about societal change by spreading their message through music.. Phillip and Ish are also heavily involved in programs to help at risk teens by teaching them to express their struggles through music.
“Don’t give up before the miracle happens”
~Flannie Flagg
“If I stay ready I won’t have to get ready”
~Will Smith
For several years, Ish was living on the streets, spending time with druggies and headed no where fast. After hearing “Not Afraid” on the radio Ish realized that he needed to get his life together and put an ad on Craig’s List for a day singing in the studio. Phillip responded to the ad and ”William Pilgrim and the All Grows Up” was born.
1. “Don’t quit ten feet from gold” – Napoleon Hill
Life will always throw challenges and adversity our way right before we accomplish our goals. Things often look worst right before a breakthrough, and the temptation to quit will become almost unbearable. The key is to persevere and not give up when the struggle gets hard but to face the trials until you succeed.
2. Approach all of your goals with intensity and determination.
If you want to have high levels of success in your life, you must be willing to put forth the same effort and resolve that our forbears did during movements like the American Revolution and Civil Rights Movement. Nothing worth having ever came easy, and the only way to ensure success is to pursue your goals with a fiery drive.
3. Accept the uncertainty of life and adapt to meet it.
Fate doesn’t care about plans. Life will always present unexpected circumstances and trials and the only way we can succeed in a world of constant uncertainty is to learn how to accept whatever happens and adapt your tactics.
A mentor and advocate to business leaders and entrepreneurs, Brian Smith shows how you can find your passion and follow it to a rewarding, happy, fulfilling life. Brian Smith’s amazing story proves that you can stick to your guns, authenticity, and spiritually and still grow a wildly successful career and company.
He is a passionate innovator and entrepreneur, Brian is one of the most sought after business leaders in the country today. As a media guest and inspiring speaker, he is committed to teaching his breakthrough business strategies to entrepreneurs and translating personal vision and spirituality into the company culture.
“You can’t give birth to adults.” – Brian Smith
1. You Need a Team of Believers
If you want to create a truly successful business, then you must build a team of people who believe in you and your product.
You cannot win the game of business if you have a team of skeptics and naysayers.
And this principle is axiomatic across all areas of life.
There is no way that you will achieve any great amount of success unless you are surrounding yourself with people who believe in you, people who support you, and people who encourage you.
So take stock of your current social circle.
Are they believers?
Do they encourage your dreams and aspirations and push you to achieve more?
Or are they disbelievers?
If they fall into the latter category, then it is crucial to your success that you immediately begin pruning your circle until only the very best are left.
It is not a pleasant task, but it is necessary to achieve your goals.
2. Just Get Out there and Get Started
No matter what goal you have, what business you want to start, or what dream you want to pursue, you need to just get out there and get started.
Just take the leap, plug your nose, and land in the cold water.
Success comes to those who hustle.
Not to those who wait.
So get off your butt, and get into the game.
Stop waiting, and start doing.
3. Do Your Research Before You Start
While this might sound almost contradictory to the last point, you need to understand the importance of a plan.
Yes, you need to start and get yourself out there.
But you also need to have some idea of what you are getting yourself into.
Understand the market, pervasive trends, and common mishaps before you start and you will save yourself a world of trouble.
You don’t need to have everything figured out, but at least having a basic business plan mapped out is a critical first step.
4. Stick Through It
Success is simple.
Find an idea that you love that the market needs and don’t quit.
Period.
If you don’t have the “Sticktoitness” that is required to achieve real results, then you will constantly be moving from one venture to another, getting discouraged and giving up before you have truly started.
You need to realize that success only comes to those who are willing to hustle and push themselves through the hard times.
Stick to it and make it through it.
The rewards on the other side will be worth it.
5. Your Biggest Disappointments Often Become Your Greatest Blessings
One of life’s greatest ironies is that, looking back, our biggest failures and disappointments are often our greatest blessings.
You never know when the breakup, bankrupcy, lay off, or divorce will be the catalyst that you needed to achieve your goals.
You never know when that bad thing that happened to you will give you the time, perspective, and energy to go from good to great.
You never know what doors will be opened by tragedy and loss.
Learn to accept disappointment with a smile.
It often precedes your greatest victories.
Israeli born journalist, author and designer, Eran Dror has worked at various startups in NYC for nearly 10 years. Eran is the author of “The Book of Hard Truths” a book that brings into the light several hard, uncomfortable and unavoidable facts about life that we must all learn to accept.
Eran has recently taken an interest in Buddhist psychology and the ways we can apply it to our own lives to live with more presence.
“To create anything great you have to fail early, fail fast and fail often”. – Unknown
In 2011, Eran found himself single, working for a company headed towards bankruptcy and facing eviction from the US. These challenges caused Eran to develop severe stress and anxiety over his future.
While living over seas, facing uncertainty about his financial future, Eran came to the realization that all of his suffering had never really existed. He had food, shelter, and friends and no matter what, he would be ok. It was through this hardship that he learned that life is full of uncertainty and unavoidable obstacles, but by accepting these challenges and understanding that we cannot escape them, we can free ourselves from the majority of the worry and fear we face in our lives
1. Memento Mori (Latin phrase meaning remember your mortality) As much as we may try and escape it, the one in changeable fact of life is that death will come for us all. However, by accepting this we are able to take full control of our lives and live our lives fully, accepting that one- day we will die.
2. “This too shall pass” ~Acredited to Abraham Lincoln. Everything in our lives will end, the good along with the bad. Nothing we face, no struggle, no challenge, no adversity, will last forever. Accepting this allows us to embrace the suck and face difficulty with courage knowing that it will eventually end.
3. All we have is now. The past no longer exists, the future is uncertain; all we have is the present. We must learn to live in the moment because right now is all that we have, if we dwell too deeply in the past or ruminate too long over the future we will miss the beauty of our lives that is the present.
Joey Klein teaches people to consciously transform their lives using the practices he developed and has used during years of study with gifted teachers from around the world. His practical approach marries the wisdom traditions of East and West with the latest scientific studies in genetics and psychology, grounding them for the modern world.
“I am the center of my world.” – David Rudden
1. If You Do What Others Do You Will Get What They Have Got
If you are living like everyone else, you are going to get the same results as everyone else.
You cannot live the 95% and expect to get results like the top 5%.
If you are serious about changing your life, then you must commit to taking radically different action from everyone else.
Don’t do what they do.
Don’t use their vocabulary.
Don’t think how they think.
Commit yourself to playing the game at a higher level and embracing the habits, mindsets, and attitudes of the best.
This is the only path to greatness in any area of your life.
2. The First Step to Success is Awareness
The first step to becoming successful in any endeavor is becoming aware of the habits, routines, and mindsets you have that are not serving you.
Once you have awareness of where you are, where you want to be, and what it will take to get there, then and only then do you have the power to make a shift happen.
If you are serious about success, then you need to take a step back.
Figure out where you are right now.
Figure out where you want to go and what you are willing to sacrifice in order to get there.
3. Shift Out of Fear-Based States
Your state determines your reality.
If you are living in a fear based state you will never be able to enjoy life and achieve success.
Anytime you catch yourself falling into a state of doubt, fear, discomfort, or frustration, pause.
Become aware that you are in this state, take a deep breath, relax your muscles, and let it go.
Find 5 things around you that you are grateful for.
Anything that you are grateful for, whether it is your partner, your children, or just the chair that you are sitting on.
Fear cannot exist when gratitude is present.
They are the antitheses of each other.
If you want to escape your fear based states, then get present and get grateful.
4. What Vision do You Want to Fulfill?
Whether you are religious or not, all of you should be able to appreciate wisdom, wherever it is found.
And one passage in the Bible from the book of Proverbs stands out.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish”.
Not “Where there is no vision, people don’t do great things”
No, the people perish when there is no vision.
If you want to live a life of success, happiness, and fulfillment, then you must develop a more compelling vision for yourself and your life.
What are you working towards? What is it that you want to achieve? Who do you want to become? What legacy do you want to leave?
If you don’t have a massively compelling vision driving you forward, then you will wither away and die.
You will slowly decay as you relegate all of your dreams and ambitions to the realm of “Should have” instead of living with purpose and bringing your dreams and ambitions to life.
If you don’t have a vision, you are dying.
So stop waiting for permission to create a better life for yourself and decide right now what you want.
5. You Are Where You are Supposed to Be
In this very moment, you are where you are supposed to be.
Every action, every misstep and every mistake that you have made up until this point has brought you to this moment and you are exactly where you need to be.
Don’t wish that things were different.
Don’t wish that you could change the past.
Everything that has happened to you has also happened for you and you must realize that everything in your life, whether positive or negative, has a purpose.
R. Scott Gornto, MDIV, LMFT, CST is a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified sex therapist and expert on relationships and personal development. Scott works with individuals, couples, families, groups and businesses. He wrote the book “The Stories We Tell Ourselves” which deals with the debilitating effects of anxiety and the best ways to prevent it.
“A belief is an opinion we develop loyalty to over time” – Rick Carson
1. Never Assume the Worst
Mark Twain once said, “I have lived through many terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”
And most of us live our lives the same way.
We worry, stress, and freak out about things that are only assumptions not actually a reality for us.
We immediately assume that the cryptic text from our boss or lover means that the world is ending.
We immediately assume that the little ache or pain we are experiencing is a severe disease.
We immediately assume that if our kids don’t call us at 5:30 on the dot that something terrible has happened.
And sometimes, we are right.
But 99% of the time, these assumptions only damage our emotional states and cause us unnecessary worry and stress.
Learn to curb your assumption habit.
Do not try and predict the future.
Wait until you have all of the facts and evidence, and then make your decision.
2. Get Present in Your Relationships
If you want to experience an immediate acceleration within your romantic relationships (or any relationship for that matter) then you must learn to practice the art of presence.
Turn off the TV, silence your phone, quit thinking about work and get present with your partner.
What are they feeling? What are they really saying? Take time to notice them, to appreciate them, and to experience them in the moment.
When you make this a regular practice you will find that the quality of your interactions with your significant other will skyrocket and you will achieve levels of intimacy that you never thought were possible.
3. Relationships are the Great Accelerator of Experience
As men, we sometimes forget that relationships are what life is all about.
What is the point in having money, being successful, and building a great lifestyle if you have no one to share it with?
Refocus and recalibrate your life to focus on relationships.
When your relationships flourish, every area of your life will be accelerated.
Your work will flow smoother, you will be more motivated to take care of your body, and your sense of connection and purpose will rise.
4. The First Step is Always a conversation
If you have broken your assumption habit and genuinely have reason to believe that someone in your life is in the wrong.
If you have real evidence that backs up your belief that your wife is cheating on you, that your business partner is stealing money, or that your child is heavily involved with drugs, start the interaction with a conversation.
Do not come out of the gates guns ‘a blazing.
Instead, sit down with the party in question, tell them what you have found, what you are worried about, and most of all express your love for them and tell them that you are not trying to make them the bad guy.
Ask them to explain what you have found.
If their explanation is found wanting, then you can move on to taking the appropriate next steps.
But a simple conversation is often all that you need to avert a disaster.
5. Your Narrative Determines Your Reality
The lens through which you view the world will determine the world you see.
If you believe that everyone is out to get you, that the world is trying to screw you over, then even the most benign circumstances can seem like a catastrophe.
Conversely, if you believe that life is happening for you not too you and that every misstep and failure is simply another brick being laid down on your road to success, then even the worst circumstances have a silver lining.
If you really want to elevate your life, then you need to take a moment and really analyze the way that you are viewing the world.
What beliefs do you have? What operating system is your life running on?
As soon as you determine how you view the world, you can find the fallacies and negative assumptions that are not serving you and eradicate them.
This powerful step will change your life forever.
Because as soon as you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Elliot Katz is the author of 7 nonfiction books including Being the Strong Man a Woman Wants: Timeless Wisdom on Being a Man. Seeking to understand the challenges he faced, Elliott Katz explored the wisdom of the ages. He discovered powerful, often-forgotten insights that gave him the answers he needed to change. He also discovered that many people face similar challenges. People started seeking his advice and he was repeatedly told, “Why didn’t someone tell me this before?”
“If a man is worthy, the woman will be his partner, if he is not then she will be against him.” – Elliot Katz
1. Manliness Requires Leadership
To be a “manly” masculine man means, first and foremost, that you are a man with a plan.
You are a leader.
If you want to be the strong man that a woman truly wants, then the first step is to start leading the women in your life.
Don’t shirk all decision making and responsibility onto your woman with the mistaken belief that you are “empowering” them.
Women don’t want that responsibility.
They want a man who can take charge, step up, and lead them to a better life.
And it starts with the simple decisions each and every day.
If you ask a woman out on a date, then show up with a plan.
If you decide to take your wife or girlfriend out, do so with a plan of action.
Just step up and take charge of the relationship.
Women can only fell truly feminine, safe, and secure when they are with a man who is willing to take charge and lead them forward.
2. Women Want Men with Strength
A big mistake that many men make is to follow the false belief that women want men who are “nice” and tender.
Sure, women want a man who can be soft and loving.
But more than these feminine qualities, they want a man who is strong.
Strong in his morals, strong in his convictions, and strong in his character.
How can a woman feel safe with you if you are not willing to stand up for what you believe in?
If you allow women to step on your values and your beliefs because you don’t want to be overbearing, you are slowly and quietly undermining your strength and eroding your woman’s ability to trust you .
You must eradicate this nice guy behavior from your life.
Stand up and be strong.
Speak your mind and don’t hold back.
3. Find Successful Men and Emulate what they Do
If you want to be a better man, then surround yourself with men who are better than you.
It’s that simple.
If you want to figure out how to be the “manly” man who is respected by his peers, society, and his wife, then find men who possess those qualities and emulate them.
Join a men’s group, find a sport’s team, join a local mastermind.
Find places where strong men congregate and then show up humble and eager to learn.
The more you can surround yourself with strong manly men, the stronger you will become.
4. You Must be More than a Provider
As a man, your primary role is that of the provider.
Your job is to protect and provide for those that you love and to make sure that they are taken care of.
However, your job goes much deeper than that.
If you are just providing your wife and children with financial wealth and stability, you are not doing your job as a man.
Your family needs more from you.
They need you to be present.
They need you to be available to help them through their struggles, support them through their hard times, and love them unconditionally.
Yes, you need to provide for the people in your life.
But you also need to realize that provision is not your sole job as a man.
5. Take Ownership of Your Problems
If you are facing problems in your personal, professional, or romantic life, then you need to take responsibility and own the problem.
Stop blaming your wife, your boss, or your peers.
If you have a problem, it is your fault and no one else’s.
Period.
You are the one who decided to get into the relationship, to take the job, or to get involved with that group.
You hold ultimate responsbiilty for every situation in your life, and as such, you also hold every solution to solve the problems that you are facing.
So take extreme ownership for your life, cut the excuses, and achieve greatness.
R. Michael Anderson, M.B.A., M.A., is an international speaker, radio show host, and author who specializes in leading competitive, driven people through the same transformation that he’s been through to bring joy and happiness into their lives.
“Nothing great is ever created when we’re in our comfort zone.” – Michael Anderson
1. You Are Totally Worthy As You Are
No matter where you are in life, no matter how far you might be from your goals, you are totally worthy just as you are.
You are not worth any less because you don’t have the 7-figure job, the big house, or the beautiful wife.
You are totally worthy just as you are.
You are enough.
You have everything that you need inside of you right now in this very moment.
So embrace this fact.
Embrace that you are enough and stop acting like you have to prove yourself to feel worthy.
2. Internal Peace Brings About Success
One of the great ironies of life and business is that people tend to focus on drive, hustle, and grinding it out in order to achieve success.
But success almost always comes from a place of internal peace and alignment.
Success comes whenever you are on your path and purpose, when you eliminate fear and anxiety, and whenever you have the peace and harmony inside of yourself knowing that you are enough whether you “succeed” or not.
So before you focus on earning money, building a business, or achieving greatness, focus on becoming at peace with yourself and the world.
Take up a practice of meditation, learn to be grateful for the smallest things in life, figure out what you love and find ways that you can pursue it.
When you have the internal peace and confidence, the external accolades and achievements will come naturally.
3. Compete to Elevate
Life is competition.
And while you cannot change the inevitability of competition, you can change the reason that you compete.
Some people compete to crush their opponents, to be the best, or to feel like they are worthy.
Other people compete so that they can have the resources and credibility to bring joy and life to others.
If you want to live a life of real success and fulfillment, compete to elevate others, not yourself.
When you are competing so that you can bring others up, so that you can provide a better life for the people that you love, and make a difference in the world, you will have more drive and willpower than all of the other self-centered competitors combined!
By seeking to elevate others, you are competing for something bigger than yourself and will have the internal fortitude and drive to overcome any obstacle.
4. Own the Emotions You Are Experiencing
We all experience a vast array of emotions in any given day.
But most of us do not own these emotions and take control of our state.
Whenever you feel an emotion like fear, anger, frustration or anxiety arising, ask yourself one simple question…
Is this serving me?
If the answer is no, then figure out how you can show up differently and live in a more empowered state.
If you are angry with your spouse, how can you curb your anger and show up differently?
If you are frustrated at work, how can you calm yourself and show up in a more empowered state?
The more you learn to own and control your emotions, the more empowering life you will be able to live.
5. Block the Things that Steal Your Time
Succeeding at a high level will require you to become an absolute scrooge with your time and energy.
You can no longer permit activities and habits into your life that steal your time and drain your energy.
Whether it’s social media, TV, video games, porn, or even self-development without action.
Find your time vampires and drive a stake through their heart.
There is no other way to succeed.
Russ Whitney overcame a difficult childhood and went on to build a solid, successful life as a family man, civic leader, self-made millionaire, philanthropist, best-selling author, mentor and businessperson.
An entertaining and inspirational speaker, Russ Whitney has shared the stage with some of the world’s most respected motivational and entrepreneurial thought leaders, including the late Lady Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister; former U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton; as well as well-known figures such as the late Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins and others. The message Whitney now shares goes beyond motivation – he delivers a life-changing action plan that has positively impacted millions of people.
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”- Proverbs 23 7
1. It’s About Impact. Not Income
Most of us get into our chosen fields and professions for the money.
Sure, there are some of you reading this who are exceptions, who genuinely want to serve.
But most of us? We are, first and foremost, focused on the money.
However, as you continue through life you will realize that making an impact always trumps the income.
If you can change someone’s life, if you can transform someone’s reality, if you can make a dent in their universe, then the money becomes secondary.
Don’t get me wrong.
Money is great, and the more of it that we have, the more we can use it to serve others.
But as you look to expand yourself and your business, pause and realize that true wealth comes from the impact that we have on others, not the income that we create for ourselves.
2. You Cannot Run on Self Will Alone
Our willpower is finite.
If you have big, audacious goals and you are trying to achieve them based entirely on your willpower alone, you are going to fail.
Because you do not have a big enough “why.”
You don’t have something bigger than yourself that is driving you.
Success at the highest level requires a commitment to something greater than just your own desires and selfless wants.
Success at the highest levels requires a deep source of motivation that goes beyond the finite reserve of willpower that each of us possess.
If fast cars, big houses, and hot models are your only motivators, you will eventually burn out and fail.
Because quite simply, those things are not worth the effort that you will be required to put forth.
But if your motivation is deeper, if your “why” is derived from a desire to serve, a desire to make an impact, and a desire to leave a legacy, you will be able to push through the tiring times, the rejections, and the pain.
So go deeper and find what really motivates you to get to the next level.
3. Understand the Power or Humility
Humility is at the root of all greatness.
Yes, you need to have borderline insane levels of self-confidence.
Yes, you must love yourself at a level 10.
Yes, you must have a delusional level of self-belief to achieve your goals.
But…
You must also be humble.
You must be willing to learn, grow, and take advice.
Because the simple truth of the matter is this, you don’t know everything.
You need other people who can help you succeed on your journey.
You need to be willing to put your own ego aside and serve others first.
You need to be willing to occasionally shut up, quit talking, and just listen.
And always remember, no matter how successful you are, there is always another level.
Stay humble, stay foolish ~Steve Jobs
4. If You Don’t Control Your Emotions You Will Fail
One of the biggest keys to success is the optimization and mastery of your emotional control.
You must be able to control your thoughts, feelings, and actions regardless of the circumstance if you want to succeed at any high levels.
When you lose your temper, lash out in anger, take action without contemplation, or start to envy the possessions and success of others, you lose your power.
If you cannot control your emotions, you cannot control anything.
The only thing over which we have absolute power is our mind.
That’s it.
And the second that you forfeit that power and allow external circumstances and other people to take control, your life will nose dive into a downward spiral until you crash and burn.
5. Struggles Are a Gift in Disguise
Every struggle, every bad circumstance, and every challenge is a gift in disguise.
Life is a constant struggle.
That’s just the way that it is.
You must understand that these struggles are always meant to teach us something.
They are meant to help us grow, to help us break through, and to elevate our lives to new heights.
Joy and passion come from overcoming and breaking through obstacles that you once thought impassable.
So stop fretting about struggles and challenges in your life and start getting excited.
The more struggles you face, the more opportunities you will have to truly prove what you are made of and take your life to a whole new level.
Jim White PhD is Founder & President of JL White International, Inc., the best selling author of What’s My Purpose?, A Journey of Personal and Professional Growth, and the creator of the What’s My Purpose Life Mastery Course. He is also the creator of The Circle of Success®, a customized, yearlong, leadership and management transformation process, Jim White’s Classic Movie Series®, and The “Red Carpet” Tour™. These innovative events have attracted more than 100,000 participants worldwide, including Fortune 500 CEOs, management teams, entrepreneurs, governments, and trade associations.
Whether working with multi-billion dollar corporations or the individual, Jim’s approach is the same: to help you clearly identify how you lead and how you live—professionally and personally—so that you can discover your life’s purpose. This is how leaders launch their real success
“Living life on purpose if it’s not then it’s not worth living.” – Jim White
1. A Life Without Purpose isn’t Worth Living
A life that is lived for the pleasure of others, a life that is lived without a purpose and a meaning, a life that is lived without passion and zest is not a life worth living.
So many of us today are just going through the motions.
We wake up each day, do what we’re told, and live our lives on someone else’s terms instead of our own.
Gentlemen, you only get one shot at this life.
You only have one chance to make it count.
You only have one opportunity to truly live.
So quit living for the wishes and whims of others, and live your life for a purpose that is meaningful to you.
How do you want to be remembered, what do you want to do with your life, what legacy do you want to leave?
Find the answers to these questions and then go live it.
Life is too short not to.
2. You Must be a Life Long Student
No matter how successful you become, no matter how much money you make, no matter how many lives you impact, there is always more to learn and do.
To live a life of joy and fulfillment requires that you commit yourself to lifelong education and improvement.
Until the day you die, you must commit to never stop learning, never stop being curious, never stop searching for more.
The world we live in is full of mystery and splendor.
Just as soon as you think you have it all figured out, a new layer is peeled back and you are brought to terms with how truly ignorant you are.
Learn to view this as a positive thing.
As long as you are alive, you have lessons to be learned and skills to acquire.
So never settle, never stop learning, and always be curious.
3. “Stay Fresh”
One of the biggest problems in our modern society is that once people reach a certain level of success, they stagnate.
They forget the infamous Subway slogan “Stay fresh.”
They forget that the joy and the juice of life is found by constantly learning new things and reinventing yourself.
This applies to every area of life.
If your workout program has become dull and boring, take up gymnastics and parkour to bring the life and the fun back into your daily routine.
If your relationship has stagnated, be spontaneous, surprise your partner with a trip to a new city.
If your business is stagnating, commit to innovation and figuring out the solution to a new problem within your industry.
Life is only truly lived whenever we are staying fresh and constantly pushing the envelope further and further each and every day.
So, take a bite out of the sandwich of life, follow Subway’s lead, and “Stay Fresh”.
4. Just Do the Work
At the end of the day, if you want to succeed, just do the work.
It might sound overly simplistic or massively generalized, but it’s how the world works.
If you want to succeed, then do the work.
Period.
Quit whining, quit moaning, quit being lazy.
Get off your butt and get to work.
5. Learn to Be Present
Life is lived in the moment.
It is not lived in past mistakes or future victories, it is lived right now, in this very second.
As you take a breath and read this sentence, this is life.
Learn to enjoy it.
Learn to be present.
Notice the world around you.
Be thankful for everything that has collided to bring you into this very moment.
Be grateful no matter what your current lot in life is.
Learn to enjoy this moment.
Because it’s all that we truly have.
Thai Nguyen has been a 5-star chef, international kickboxer, and now writer at theUtopianLife.com & Spiritual Teacher; born in Vietnam, raised in Australia, completed my BA in Humanities/Theology in Texas.
“You have to die a few times before you can really live.” – Charles Bukowski
1. If You Were to Die Today Would you Be Happy
Stop what you are doing right now.
Seriously.
Stop what you are doing and think about this question.
If you had only one hour left to live, if you had just enough time to say your final goodbyes and make amends, would you be happy with how you had lived?
Would you be proud of your accomplishments? Would you be proud of how you showed up for the people in your life? Would you be proud of the man that you have become?
If not, then you need to make a change.
Not tomorrow, not next week, not next year.
Right now.
Life is too damn short to live in an uninspiring and unhappy way.
If you wouldn’t be proud of the life that you have lived, then change something today.
2. Embrace the Journey
Life is a journey.
It is not a destination.
And quite frankly, who you are and what you want will change as you progress through life.
So don’t worry about having it all figured out right now.
Just embrace the journey.
Enjoy the ride.
And most of all, love the life you have while you create the life of your dreams.
3. Distinguish Your Values and Your Vehicle
You need to develop a clear understanding of the difference between your values and your vehicle and realize that your vehicle is not set in stone.
What do I mean by this?
Each of has values.
We have certain beliefs that we live by, activities that we enjoy, and lifestyles that we want to pursue.
And it’s so easy to get caught up in those values that we forget the flexibility we have when choosing the vehicle that will allow us to live out those values.
For example, if you love surfing, this doesn’t mean that your vehicle needs to be surfing.
As long as you have a career that allows you to dedicate the major portion of your day to your passion, you are set.
Learn to be ok with having disparate value and vehicles.
It is the fastest way to live a life of passion and joy.
4. Comfort Sabotages Your Success
If you get too comfortable, you will fail.
Maybe not at your job, in your relationship, or in your health… but in life.
Comfort is the great killer of dreams and ambitions, because as soon as you are comfortable, you stop striving.
You stop searching for that next level.
You stagnate, wither away, and die.
Do not let this become your fate.
Each and every day, do something that makes you uncomfortable.
Do something that scares you, something that puts you out of your comfort zone.
This is the quickest way to accelerate your life and experience more joy, freedom, and happiness.
5. Learn to Fill Your Life with Different Ingredients
Life isn’t like a box of chocolates, it’s like a dish at a gormet restaurant, it needs to have the proper variety of ingredients.
If you want to live a fulfilling life, then you need to embrace variety.
Try new things, have new experiences, learn new skills, meet new people, and travel to new places.
The mundane and familiar are the great stealers of joy and happiness.
The new, the exciting, and the unknown will pressure you to keep growing and become the man that you were born to be.
Jean-Paul is a high profile endurance athlete who is a veteran of over 80 marathons, in addition to numerous ultra marathons. In 2012, he represented Canada in the prestigious Comrades Marathon in South Africa, a grueling 90km race through mountainous terrain.
In 2014, Jean-Paul ran the iconic Boston Marathon twice in the same day to raise funds and awareness for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Jean-Paul is the guiding force behind Menup.ca, a movement to build a community in which men are free to support one another, and to challenge male stereotypes that limit our growth and prevent us from engaging in authentic and supporting relationships.
“It’s not the days in your life but the life in your days.” – Lance Armstrong
1. Be Willing to Open Up about Your Pain
We all have pain.
We all have trauma, whether we acknowledge it or not.
We are all flawed and imperfect beings.
And there is nothing wrong with that.
As a man, you need to be willing to open up to other people about your pain.
Be willing to bear your soul and be truly vulnerable with other people in your life.
You will often find that your fears about inadequacy and judgement are entirely unfounded, and the important people will do whatever they can to support you and love you through your pain.
2. Hurt People Hurt People
As a society, we do not address the problem of hurting people.
What we fail to realize is that it is a vicious cycle and hurt people end up repeating their experience by hurting someone else.
It is your duty to not only heal your own hurt but to also be available to other men in your life who are hurting but will not show it.
It is your responsibility to eliminate and eradicate hurt whenever and wherever possible.
You never know when that one kind word, when that one invitation for coffee, or that one offer for help will change someone’s life and prevent them from destroying someone else’s.
3. Learn to Balance Your Masculine Nature
As men we have both feminine and masculine energies.
And it is essential that we learn how to balance these energies.
We must learn how to be tough, strong, and unflappable, while simultaneously being open, vulnerable, and direct about our feelings and emotions.
One of the greatest challenges that we as men face is learning how to balance our two sides, and understanding how the masculine and feminine polarities affect out future.
The first step is to figure out which energy you lack and do the necessary work to build up more of that energy in your life starting today.
4. Get Deeper with the People in Your Life
Quit the surface layer, b.s. interactions.
A few quick hellos and an “I’m fines” are not enough.
You need to go deeper.
Start diving into more personal and emotional conversations with people in your life.
Figure out what is really going on inside other people’s heads.
Uncover what is really going on.
What pain are they experiencing? What pain are you experiencing? What is going great? What needs work?
You will never know if you don’t ask.
As soon as you finish reading this article, I want you to call up someone and ask them how they are doing… I mean how they are really doing.
You will be surprised at the answer.
5. You Are not Your Past
No matter what was in your past, it does not define you.
If you were an addict, a criminal, a liar, a cheater… It doesn’t matter.
All that matters and the only thing that defines you is who you are right now.
In this very second.
Who are you going to be moving forward?
Let go of your past.
Accept it, own it, and use it to inform yourself in your future endeavors.
But do not define yourself by it.