Mindset

Total Reading Time: 6 minutes.
Do you ever find yourself stuck in the weeds of inertia?
It might be the fear of failure, the desire for perfection, or something else entirely…but none of us seem to be able to fully avoid that feeling of being locked down by an invisible force at times. 
The amazing thing about human beings is the software we come into this world with. What most people don’t realize is that their mind is programmable.
It cannot be taken beyond its limits (for now), but it can be optimized.
Unfortunately, we don’t come with instruction manuals and have to figure things out for ourselves. We haven’t quite learned how to tap into the power of our full potential.

How Do We Reach Our Full Potential?

You may or you may not know that I’ve been underground working on a new secret venture, called Project Evo, that’s set to revolutionize the way we learn and grow.
Analyzing details and seeing all the steps necessary to create something is one of my innate abilities, it comes naturally to me.
This superpower is the reason I’m able to think strategically and execute with speed, and it has certainly earned me some credibility working alongside some of the biggest names in online business — Tim Sykes, Lewis Howes, Neil Patel, Gerard Adams, not to mention bigger companies like Whitepages.com.
Now you would think that it takes the same amount of effort to work on your strengths as it does your weaknesses, except it doesn’t…
One of the strange phenomena’s of your brain is that it rewards you with dopamine whenever you enjoy what you’re doing and are slightly challenged (FLOW, one of my all-time favorite books, discusses this in detail). This is why athletes like Lionel Messi can spend hours doing football drills that seem insane to you and I, or why world-champion swimmers can spend half a day in the pool.

It feels really good…there’s a sense of deep enjoyment.
Think of it like creating a character in a video game, will you choose to have balanced stats or will you choose insanely high strength?

Lesson Learned

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned ever since starting the Project Evo journey has been that we are so much more powerful together than we are alone — we all need teammates and partners, and I avoided this for so long. 
So for example, if numbers and details aren’t your strength, then leave that to the accountants. This is just a simple example, but what you need to understand is that it isn’t just the time wasted that hurts, but the cumulative effects of the energy you’re losing.
The key is to focus on the “big domino” — the task/project that will make everything else easier to accomplish. If you’re like me and spend a lot of your time on details, pick your head up throughout the day and do a quick check.  
It’s really just a matter of developing and valuing presence over productivity. If you meditate, you know the feeling. The thoughts flow and your mind chases them. Meditation teaches you to stop and observe the thoughts, rather than identify with the storylines.
The key for me has been to work on delegating these smaller things to the right people, so I’m not working in the business but instead working on it. A small change, but a massive difference.
Here is a sneak peek at my process for creating a vision and plan for making massive goals happen, and how you can use it in your own life:

Step 1: Time Management

The first step is to carve out a few hours to sit down and let your ideas loose, figure out why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Step 2: Brainstorm

Get clear on what you want to accomplish and paint a picture of what you want your future to look and feel like. Make it come alive with a healthy dose of excitement.
If you’re not yelling with excitement by the time you’re done describing your vision, then go back to the drawing board because it’s either:

a) not big enough or

b) not exciting enough.

You need to be so excited that you’re at the edge of your seat. You’re screaming, you’re yelling, you’re laughing, and going through a flurry of emotions.

Step 3: Planning

Now, the key is to use this energy to lay out a plan for execution and defining the easiest ways to make your vision happen.
This stuff — as simple as it looks and sounds — works… so please take it seriously.

So what’s my vision?
Well, here’s a little insight into the inner workings of my mind…

One of Project Evo’s future goals is to have its own secret headquarters, I’m talking like a next level X-Men style compound — something spectacular. 

It’s going to be nestled somewhere in the mountains and open by invite only to our team, partners, clients, families, and people who work with us.
It’s going to be a creative laboratory and think tank for our tribe to bounce ideas, share insights, and get around other elite performers. You’ll be able to ski in the winter, mountain bike in the summer, or just lay on a hammock and talk life and business with other high-level thinkers and entrepreneurs.

We want to hold retreats and gather the greatest minds of the world, so it will be kind of like a TED global event with a little James Bond vibe thrown in the mix. Maybe we’ll even have Deepak Chopra stop in to teach meditation.

Step 4: Think Big

Words are generative. This can either be wishful thinking or it can become a reality. The rest is up to me setting a plan in motion and executing while giving into the flow of life. It’s not a matter of how but a matter of when.

Some people will struggle with this exercise because they prefer to be grounded in the present and work with things that make sense to their logical mind, myself included, so it’s important to get around other creative and visionary thinkers.

My business partner and friend Chad Mureta is this person in my life, and when we brainstorm anything we like to get really wild and push the limits of what’s possible.
Our conversations tend to go something like this:
“What do you think we should reward ourselves with in the future once we’re successful with this company and launch?” Then we go on a rapid-fire brainstorming session of 10 crazy ideas, pick one that we both like, and the rest is history.

I get really excited when I can take an idea and lead a team to bring it to life. That’s one of my crafts in life. That’s what I do best.
What’s yours?

Step 5: Exercise Your Craft

If you’re not exercising your craft in your work, there’s a good chance you feel unfulfilled, disconnected, or apathetic. And if that continues too long it can definitely lead to sadness, anxiety, or even depression (I know this from experience).
If you feel unfulfilled then ask yourself if you’d be okay with sticking to the same pattern and going to your deathbed with this life. Is that okay with you? Great, keep doing your thing. 
Does it make you sick to think of that regret? Great, make a f*cking change today. Even a small change is enough to get momentum in the right direction and ultimately that’s all that matters.
Do not go to the end of your life with your unique genius and talents wasted away, or worse, never even identifying what they are. There’s a reason that you were chosen to be a carrier of your gift, and guess what? When you do bring it out, it’s going to feel magnificent.

You are designed to feel pure enjoyment and bliss when you’re doing the work you’re meant to be doing….
I challenge you to uncover what makes you come alive and relentlessly chase it.
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Photo credit: Deepthi Divakaran — CC license