Short one:

When I started this brand, what appealed to me was the ability to leverage social media without showing my face.

No personal brand. No filming. None of that.

The introvert’s dream.

This made me avoid the fear of embarrassment.

If a post flopped or was seen as cringe, it wasn’t directly tied to me. So I didn’t care as much. And as the brand grew to millions of people and I started getting used to it, I got more comfortable putting personal stuff out there.

But now with this newsletter, I’m feeling a slight fear of embarrassment.

You still don’t see my face.

But...

Writing feels naked. My thoughts and ideas are out there for everyone to read and judge. And apparently, my ego doesn’t really like that.

Especially since English isn’t my first language.

I’m a sucker for good writing and read a lot of it. So when I try to articulate my own ideas, the writing never lives up to what I imagine. Or what I want it to be.

But that’s only a matter of time.

I write this as a reminder to myself.

And maybe it resonates with you as well?

Ship. Get feedback. Improve the craft.

That’s the process.

And even though I know this (most of us do), it sucks when you’re actually going through it.

But there’s no way around it.

As I talked about in The Art of Failure, we learn through a servo-mechanism. Meaning, we NEED failure in order to succeed. Failure is not an obstacle to success; it’s the path to it.

Without friction, there’s no growth.

According to Nassim Taleb, there are three forms of systems:

1. Fragile: A system that breaks under stress.
2. Robust: A system that can withstand stress.
3. Anti-Fragile: A system that thrives under stress.

Humans are Anti-Fragile.

We thrive under friction the same way diamonds are formed under pressure.

Literally.

In order to grow muscle, you need to tear it.
In order to be patient, you must endure delay.
In order to be courageous, you must face fear.

So, what about you?

You’ve read the quotes. You understand what it takes.

Are you putting it into practice? Are you living up to the potential you know you have inside of you? Or are you holding back?

What are you afraid to ship? Where are you holding back because you’re scared that you might look a like fool?

Actually think about it for a moment. Be honest with yourself. Take some time to write it down if you have to.

And then decide to:

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Because fear comes from unfamiliarity.

And more than anything, we fear the emotions. Not the rejection itself, but how it will FEEL to be rejected and humiliated. So the more you expose yourself to the emotions that come with it, the less they hold a grip on you. The more you fail and embarrass yourself, the more familiar those emotions will become.

The only requirement is that you feel the emotions fully. Don’t block them out, numb them, or push through them.

Feel the emotions fully → do it anyway.

That’s how you build resilience.

I’ll write an in-depth letter about emotions and the neuroscience behind them soon. So stay tuned.

Anyway, back to the point.

Ship more. It’s the only way.

Again:

In order to be great, you first have to be good → In order to be good, you first have to be bad → And in order to be bad, you first have to try.

Tattoo that quote on the inside of your skull.

And as Brian Tracy once said:

“If you want to be successful faster, you must double your rate of failure.”

Fail more.
Fail publicly.
Fail while feeling the fear.

Just ship.

This is my public commitment. Let me know in the comments or send me an email with your public commitment. I look forward to reading it.

Much love,

/tony

Your subconscious mind is a double-edged sword.

The same power that can carry you to the top of the mountain is the power that can drill you into the deepest valleys.

Unfortunately for most people, it’s a force that drills them down.

I see it more and more these days.

Especially in hustle culture.

No matter how much they try to “lock in”, they keep falling off.

No matter the willpower, the discipline, the habits, the environmental changes, the goggins clips. They stay stuck in this perpetual loop of being held back from their true potential.

I was in the same position not too long ago.

I thought it was a discipline problem since that’s what everyone online was screaming.

So I threw everything I had at it.

All the generic “self-help” advice:

• “Get 1% better every day”

• “Set SMART goals”

• “Build more habits”

• “Want it more”.

• The usual

But I stayed exactly where I was.

Periods of progress followed by ruts that only seemed to get worse.

And every time I fell back into my bad patterns, my self-esteem got another hit.

It got to the point where my word meant nothing.

I could tell myself I was really going to “lock in this time”. But deep inside, I knew I was just lying to myself and it would only be a matter of time before I would fall back.

Filled with shame, frustration and anger.

If you can relate, you know the feeling:

You KNOW you’re capable. You know you’re smart enough, disciplined enough, talented enough. You know there are people way dumber than you that are crushing it while you’re stagnating in your little corner.

And it feels like “something” is holding you back.

“Something” weird you can’t quite put your finger on…

And that is because there IS something holding you back:

Subconscious blocks

And unless you remove them, you are condemned to stay stuck in the same place forever. Stuck in the loop of making some progress, falling off, and resenting yourself for it which then only deepens the loop.

And I don’t say that to scare you.

It’s a fact.

If your subconscious mind is working against you, you stand no chance.

Your subconscious mind is responsible for 95% of your behavior.

Which means that if you have to fight against it, you’ll lose 95% of the time.

Pointless fight.

Instead, if you can look under the hood, get clear on what’s blocking you and reverse the block, you’ll f*cking soar like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.

That’s exactly what I did which finally got me out of that hellish loop.

And that’s what we’re going to be talking about.

I’ll show you exactly how these blocks are formed and why they’re there. I’ll show you how you can pinpoint YOUR exact blocks, and surgically remove them through a simple, 4-step protocol that costs you no more than 20 minutes a day.

So make sure you take notes and leave them in the comments.

Sounds good?

Let’s get into it.

I. SUBCONSCIOUS DEFINITIONS

First, you have to understand that your subconscious mind is literally a separate mind.

It’s not simply a deeper part of you that has the same thoughts and ideas.

It is a separate mind.

The thoughts and ideas that you consciously think about are not the thoughts and ideas that your subconscious mind thinks about. The ideas that you consciously understand are not the ideas that your subconscious mind understands in the same manner. It operates on a different store of knowledge.

The clearest form of this distinction are subconscious definitions.

In your life, you have a split definition for most things:

You have conscious definitions and you have subconscious definitions.

Take “success” for example.

On a conscious level, you appreciate the idea of success. It might mean freedom, joy, love, experience, peace, you name it. Of course you want to be successful, who doesn’t?

But on a subconscious level, success might mean something else entirely.

Personally, I grew up in “the hood”.

Where I grew up, people with money and success where targets. They got robbed, mugged, extorted, betrayed and ostracised.

My subconscious mind concluded that with success comes a whole bunch of pain and danger.

Success = threat.

That was my subconscious definition.

So on a conscious level, of course I wanted to succeed. But on a subconscious level, my mind was doing everything in it’s power to protect me from the “threat” of succeeding.

Starting to see the problem?

You can extrapolate this to any aspect of your life.

If money seems to run away from you, your subconscious definition for money is probably negative.

Maybe your parents used to fight over money? Maybe you’ve continuously heard since young: “Money is the root of all evil.” “Rich people are bad”?

If every time money came up it meant discord, chaos, or evil, then it follows that your subconscious mind doesn’t really like money.

Matter of fact, it despises it.

And to protect you from those negative associations, it will avoid money like the plague.

Money = bad.

“Why would we make money? It’s bad. It makes us evil. Steer clear. Get it away from us.”

That’s what your subconscious mind is shouting at you.

The same goes for relationships and love.

If what you witnessed between your parents were fights and chaos. And on top of that you read on social media that “all women are ho’s” and “all men are trash”.

Then doesn’t it make sense for your subconscious mind to try to avoid love or relationships altogether?

Exactly.

So that’s what it does.

You’ll find flaws in everyone. You’ll sabotage. Become too needy. Pull back. Fail to open up. You name it.

Of course you’re not consciously sabotaging.

Your subconscious mind is doing it for you.

So, are you starting to see the pattern?

If you find yourself “being stuck” in a certain aspect of your life—wether that’s discipline, love, career advancement, business, relationships, or creative endeavours—chances are, you have a major subconscious block which is keeping you from getting everything you’ve ever wanted.

And all it requires for you to get what you want, is to remove that block.

II. LANGUAGE OF THE SUBCONSCIOUS.

Much has been said about the subconscious mind.

Affirmations, scripting, repetition, vision boards, walking barefoot, drinking matcha.

None of it really matters.

What matters are ONLY these two aspects:

Read more

6:44 am.

desk stacked with books while i cook up this piece.

ambient music playing in the background. something that sounds like early morning consistency. palo santo wood burning. woody scent spreading through the room.

perfect recipe for transferring real knowledge from my brain into yours...

and that’s the point of this protocol.

sound, smell, visuals.

my focus is on writing these words. but at the same time, all stimuli around me are equally in my awareness.

that’s diffuse-objective focus.

other times, the words are the only thing i notice.

that’s flow. or narrow-immersed focus.

being able to switch between different modes of focus is the real sauce.

what we’re about to dissect is powerful. and that might be an understatement.

modes of focus.
effortless flow states.
nervous system regulation.

if you’re a serious operator, this will enhance your output 10x.

THE PRICE OF PAYING ATTENTION

one scroll online and you’ll read dozens of articles about “focus”.

but you never read about the different modes of focus (and why those are even more important).

see, since young we’ve been told to “pay attention.”

“stop daydreaming.” “be careful.” “keep your eyes on the road.” “watch where you’re going.”

we were told to focus on whatever the adults, teachers or “superiors” told us to focus on, to the exclusion of everything else.

this is the lie they sold you.

it’s what caused our addiction to what is called: narrow-objective focus.

and once you understand what we’re about to dissect, you’ll never look at focus the same way. not only that, but if you act on the protocol, you’ll experience benefits that make it seem like a genuine cheat-code.

diving into this stuff is the best decision i’ve made in a long time.

• more calm

• natural confidence

• no more rumination.

• consistent flow states.

• even my body seems to be adapting to my workouts more efficiently.

it’s insane.

so, let’s lay the foundation and talk about why we’re so f*cked in the first place...

NARROW FOCUS SOCIETY

all modern inventions are furthering our addiction to narrow focus.

• high pressure careers

• scrolling social media

• social isolation

• video games

• junk food

• porn

all these activities are highly stimulating.

they demand your full attention to the exclusion of everything else.

think about it.

they are so stimulating that they hijack your complete focus. you don’t feel your feet, notice the room around you, hear sounds, or smell scents while indulging in them.

your attention is totally hijacked.

that’s narrow focus.

focusing on one stimuli to the exclusion of everything else.

now, don’t get me wrong, narrow focus is good. it’s what allows us to achieve goals, complete tasks, and succeed in the world. but when it’s your main way of operating, it destroys your core as a human being.

blocking creativity, preventing flow states, causing anxiety, depression, and it can even create physiological problems.

VARIETY OF FOCUS

humans have 4 styles of attention.

a healthy individual is able to freely cycle between these styles and alternate based on what the situation requires.

but because of the way we were raised and how the world is set up these days, we’re all addicted to chronically using narrow focus.

glued to our screens, blasted with stimulation, and hyper-focused on our thoughts.

once you get back to cycling between the different modes of focus, you go back to being a high-performing human. increasing focus, regulating your nervous system, lowering rumination, and naturally accessing flow states and peak performance effortlessly.

it’s shown through extensive studies using EEG’s that the way we pay attention has an impact on our brainwaves. and since our brain is the operating system for our mind & body, by altering our brainwaves, we create system-wide effects.

for example, muscle tension, respiratory rate (breathing), the flow of neurotransmitters, hormones, your perception, memory, performance, physiology, and emotional wellbeing are all influenced by how we pay attention. aka your mode of focus.

so, when we chronically use narrow focus, our brainwaves speed up. we stay stuck in mid to high-beta. this is incoherent brainwave activity. it’s stress and disharmony for the mind and body.

but when we alter between the different modes of focus (with the emphasis on a specific mode we’ll talk about in a bit), we can generate coherent alpha brainwaves consistently which has a ridiculous effect on our entire system.

not only that, but coherent alpha brainwaves is where the door to the subconscious mind opens. meaning it will be easier to reprogram your self-image, alter beliefs, and dissolve subconscious blocks.

so, let’s dissect his...

Read more

FOCUS = LIFE

“where you place your attention is where you place your energy.”

“energy flows where attention goes.”

you’ve probably heard a bunch of these statements.

and you also understand that there is currently a war on our attention.

• social media

• videogames

• tv shows

they are all designed to capture and monetize attention.

the idea of being milked already sucks. but the issue is much graver than that...

you see, the mind can only process around 10 bits per second. it has a limit on how much it can perceive. 126 bits per seconds is that limit. but every single moment, you’re faced with up to 1 billion bits of information per second.

sight, sound, smell, color, thoughts, open loops, body sensations, feelings, etc.

so, your mind filters out 99.9999% of reality.

think about that number for a bit. you’re not even aware of more than 99.99% of reality at any given moment. nuts, right?

so, once you understand this, it’s time to extrapolate...

whatever you experience is your life.

and what you experience is determined by those small 10 bits of information.

think of it like this:

take a paranoid person, a businessman, and an extrovert. let’s say these three people are at a party. now, because of the focus of their attention, they will experience a completely different party.

the paranoid person is constantly stressed, on the lookout for danger or people who might judge him. the businessman is having a good time, networking to add to his business connections. the extravert is having an amazing time, making friends and laughing with everyone.

same party. completely different experiences.

and there is only one reason:

focus. or attention.

this is why the quote: “you become what you think about.” is so popular and timeless. because it’s true. not because of some bullshit manifestation reason, but for the very fact that our focus determines our life.

SPIRITUAL AMNESIA

this is one of the biggest issues plaguing most people. you catch a disease that prevents you from getting the results you want and becoming the person you know you could be:

spiritual amnesia.

see, when you set a goal or commit to changing, your goals, aspirations, motives, pain, and drive are all top of mind. they dominate your focus. most of the time, your attention is focused on this goal or different aspects of it. it takes up a large chunk of those 10 bits.

but after a while, this goal or commitment loses dominance.

other things take up your focus.

you get distracted.

but not distracted in a sense of trying to work and getting distracted by your phone. but the type of distracted where other things(problems, drama, ideas, chores, and just life) pull your attention away from your goals into chaos.

there is disorder in your mind. no clear point of focus.

and this is when you start drifting. like a ship without a rudder. being brought to wherever your whims, desires, and distractions. whatever happens externally influences what happens internally.

“nature abhors a vacuum.”

if you don’t fill your mind with constructive goals and ideas and points of reference, then you’ll naturally start thinking about non-sense. overthinking, negativity, anxiety, problems, etc.

an empty house is a heavenly refuge for cockroaches, cobwebs, squatters, you name it.

in the same way, a mind without a clear goal and intentionally directed focus will be a perfect place for all types of bad shyte to gather.

you need to fill your mind with things that are important to you, keep your focus on them, and don’t waver. otherwise, you’re fucked.

THE REVOLT

“okay tony, i kind of get it. so, what’s the play here?”

it’s simple, really.

so simple you probably won’t take it serious. so be warned. this works. don’t put it off because it’s simple or “cringe.”

“Simplicity is the highest form of sophistication.” - Leonardo Da Vinci

here it is:

keep your goal top of mind.

take your goal, your motives, and the most important ideas, paradigms or virtues, and write them down somewhere. in a notebook, in your phone’s notes, on your laptop’s notes. wherever.

and then, commit to reading it at least 3x a day.

when you wake up, in the afternoon, and before bed.

nothing more. nothing less.

focus on what you want. stop focusing on what you don’t want.

you’ve probably heard that stuff before. maybe you considered it just some cliche shit or “positive thinking” non-sense. but it’s neuroscience.

try it out. i dare you.

makes me think of something that changed my life when I started my whole self-improvement journey: earl nightingale’s “the strangest secret.”

he challenges you to write your goal down on a card, read it often, and keep all negative and unrelated thoughts out of your mind for just 30 days.

a challenge. that’s what I want you to do as well.

try this out for 30 days.

and come back to tell me that this doesn’t work.

DON’T LOSE.

the war on attention is very real. and the stakes are higher then you can imagine.

don’t fucking lose it, man. i know you want more out of life so do yourself a favor and control your attention.

“we need to be reminded more than we need to be taught.”

don’t forget your goals.
don’t forget who you want to be.
don’t forget the impact you want to have.

stay focused.

this is why identity architecture is so powerful. every single day, you’re forced to install your goals and future identity into your mind and body. if that sounds interesting,i urge you to read identity architecture

End letter.

it’s a scientific fact that 95% of your behavior stems from your subconscious mind.

let me repeat that once more.

95% of your behavior comes from your subconscious mind.

really think about that for a second.

you probably believe that you’re in control of how you act and how you feel. but the truth is, you’re being controlled by subconscious drives.

the main mechanism behind this is your self-image.

your self-image is who you deep down believe yourself to be.

not who you wish you are.
not who you think you are.
but who you deep down feel yourself to be.

it runs your life...

your self-image acts like a thermostat. It always brings you back to a set point.

whatever the thermostat is set to, it will work to bring the temperature of the room back to that point. if it’s too cold, it will heat up. if it’s too hot, it will cool down. it regulates the temperature based on its set point.

and the same is true for your self-image.

no matter how hard you try to change, your self-image will–with absolute certainty–always snap you back to your set point.

for example, when you overachieve and experience periods of progress that are not in line with your self-image, you’ll naturally get complacent, self-sabotage, and fall off.

back to your set point.

the same is true in the opposite direction:

if you keep slacking off, procrastinating, and giving in to comfort and distractions, there comes a point where your self-image will kick in. it will make you disgusted with where you are, and it will motivate you to take action and gain back control.

back to your set point.

this concept of the self-image is the real deal. it’s the actual sauce.

it’s known as “self-consistency theory”.

it basically says that:

people have a psychological drive to be consistent with their self-image. even if that self-image is negative or limiting.

and what’s more, studies in behavioral psychology show that without addressing the self-image, 88% of people revert back to their “set point” within 90 days.

this goes to show why so many people fail to create lasting change.

and why what you’re about to learn is different…

I. CHAIN OF EVENTS

Let me show you the fourfold sequence of events that determine your life.

Read more

The greatest obstacle to success is the fear of failure.

And before you click off thinking “I already know this” or “I’m not afraid of failure,” withhold your judgement and keep reading...

You see, wether it’s your business, that skill, that project, or your life. Without the proper relationship to failure, you’re never going to make it.

There’s an art to failure.

“If you don’t know how to fail... there is no victory.” - David Goggins

So let’s dive in.

Ego Involvment.

We will forever deny that we’re afraid of failure.

Since young, we’ve been told that fear is for the weak.

“Stop being such a pussy.” “Ahh, are you scared?” “Scaredy cat.” Etc.

But this fear isn’t surface level.

It’s subconscious.

On a subconscious level, we’re afraid of failure for one main reason:

Identification.

When we fail, we identify with that failure.

The task fails → I am a failure.

And we are social creatures. It’s in our nature to want to fit in. To be liked. Loved. And accepted.

Becoming a failure prevents us from getting that.

If I fail → I am a failure → and no one likes, loves, or accepts a failure.

It starts from early on in childhood.

Schools programmed us to perceive failure as bad.

“You failed the exam.” “You failed the test.” “You’re failing class.”

You get scolded and mocked for failing.

What’s worse, they play out the exact scenario we fear most:

If you fail class, you literally get left behind. You get separated from your friends and peers and will be seen as inferior.

It’s things like this that install a subconscious fear of failure in us.

But in the real world, failure is not only normal, but actually necessary for success(more on that later).

To get back to the fear of failure, I want you to understand the impact this has on your life.

Fear & Self-Sabotage

First off, fear of failure is the foundation of our procrastination/laziness issues.

Remember:

We don’t want to fail. We fear failure.

So if we don’t do “that thing” yet, it means that we won’t have to fail. We get to avoid it. And thus get to avoid “becoming” a failure.

Take starting a business, writing a blog, or creating content.

If you don’t start, you can fantasize about it working out. About your skill. About the possibilities.

But if you actually have to do it... it might expose that you’re not so good after all. That you’ll fail. That it turns out worse then you had in mind.

So, avoidance protects us.

Think about that for a second.

But this is not the only problem.

Because of this fear of failure, you can develop the habit of not giving things your all.

You never fully commit.

This is a protection mechanism.

If you don’t fully commit and then fail...

...you can(subconsciously) tell yourself “But I wasn’t really trying anyway.”

It’s a psychological shield. It protects you from “becoming a failure.”

”You never gave your all in something because you were afraid that failing after trying your best would prove that you never really had that ‘potential’ to begin with.”

Think about that for a sec.

This takes guts to admit to yourself, but if you can do it, you’ll experience massive growth.

The Art of Failure

“I don’t see failure as failure. I see it as my first, second, third, fourth, fifth attempt. I see them as attempts.” - David Goggins

As you understand now, we’re afraid of failure.

Most of the time, we identify with failure. We take it to heart. The task failed → I’m a failure. We start wondering wether it’s worth it. Wether we even have it in us. Etc.

But this dwelling only leads to us giving up.

People talk about “analyze your mistakes.” And this is true to some extent.

But the reality is:

“You can’t spend much time in that fail zone. You have to be able to get up, and get after it the next day, just as fast.” - David Goggins.”

You can’t stay down too long.

You have to move on.

This reminds me of an interesting protocol in certain military divisions.

You see, when soldiers learn to base jump, there are instances where the main parachute doesn’t open.

The soldiers end up opening their emergency parachute.

As soon as they hit the ground, they get picked up, put on another plane and are forced to jump again immediately.

Why?

Because it overrides the failure.

It prevents them from spending time worrying, overthinking, doubting, etc.

They just go through it again and succeed.

And this brings me to the truth about failure and how we operate as human beings.

Humans learn to succeed by forgetting failures and remembering successes.

Humans operate using a built-in servo-mechanism(our brain and nervous system).

This mechanism guides us towards various goals.

This concept comes from Cybernetics. Cybernetics comes from a greek word meaning literally: “The steersman”.

And just like a steersman guiding a ship. Our servo-mechanism guides us by acting, making mistakes, and correcting course.

Think about a guided torpedo.

It doesn’t magically follow the target. It has two components that help guide it.

1. It moves forward.

2. It receives feedback.

For example, it moves towards the target and receives feedback that it’s going too far to the left. It will then adjust it’s course more towards the right. Then, after moving forward for a bit, it receives new feedback that it’s too far to the right. So it adjusts and moves more towards the left. It repeats this process in a zig-zag manner until it gets to the target.

And humans function the same.

Think about grabbing something in the dark.

You’re groping for it. You stretch your arm forward and grab nothing. You miss. So you keep grabbing and feeling different spots until you find it.

And this brings us to the obvious conclusion:

Without failure, there is no victory.

You NEED failure in order to succeed.

Imagine giving yourself one shot to grab that item in the dark. Or giving the torpedo just one lucky guess to hit a moving target.

It doesn’t work like that.

But because of our fear of failure, that’s what we want to happen. We’re so caught up in our identity and our fear of looking stupid, that we try to bypass nature.

It will never work.

You have to embrace the fact that failure is NECESSARY to succeed.

It’s not just a part of success. It’s literally the path to it.

If you study the greats, you’ll notice that great success is always accompanied by great failure.

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Can it be any more clear than this?

“The great Babe Ruth, who holds the record for the most home runs, also holds the record for the most strike-outs. It is in the nature of things that we progress by acting, making mistakes, and correcting course.” - Maxwell Maltz

You see, you have to get over your fear of failure.

Realize that you have this fear on a subconscious level. Be aware what it’s trying to do(protect you from becoming a failure). And then go anyway.

Don’t be afraid of looking stupid.

We all hate looking stupid. We hate making a fool of ourselves and failing publicly.

But this isn’t school. This is the real world.

And in the real world, failure is necessary.

Show me a man who has never failed, and I’ll show you a man who has never attempted anything.

“Failure means you’re trying. Whole bunch of people out there never fail. Which means they never try.” - David Goggins

Practicing the art.

Failure is necessary. Accept it.

Don’t just think about it. Don’t just “get it over with.”

Embrace it. Love it. Seek it out.

The easiest way to master The Art of Failure is to start a project.

Wether that’s starting a business, learning a skill, getting in shape. It doesn’t matter.

Start the project and ship relentlessly.

Intentionally TRY to fail fast.

When I started this brand, I decided to post content every day for 90 days. I didn’t care about failure. I created and iterated. And because of that, I now master social media. (By the way, If you want to learn how build your own social media brand, check out The Faceless Brand Playbook)

Remember:

You won’t learn how to swim by reading a book about swimming and you can’t learn to drive in a parked car.

Fucking execute!

You have everything you need.

You possess what it takes.

The only thing you need to do, is embrace failure. Be willing to look stupid. Understand that the only thing stopping you from becoming successful is your willingness to look stupid.

The biggest success habit is being willing to look stupid. - Alex Hormozi

Obviously, analyze and implement. Figure out what went wrong and why. What can you do better next time? But then move again ASAP!

Don’t allow the fear of failure to hold you back. And don’t let actual failures hold you down.

Learn to embrace The Art of Failure and I’m certain that you’ll make it work.

With that being said, I conclude this letter.

I believe in you.

Cheers,

ELEVATE

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are some tools and resources if you’re interested:

Build Relentless Discipline - Destroy the enemy in your mind and do what needs to be done regardless of how you feel.

Faceless Brand Playbook - Learn how to build a passion-based faceless brand from someone still doing it.

Most people are not really living, they are just reacting to life.

Autopilot.

Mindless zombies going through their day.

No real sense of control or direction.

Being brought to wherever their desires, thoughts, impulses, or external situations bring them.

• Eating without hunger.

• Scrolling without awareness.

• Reacting without understanding.

It happens on autopilot.

So much of what we do is happening unconsciously.

We're not aware of it.

It’s because we are creatures of habit.

Our brains form habits to save energy.

This is wired into our nature.

It ensured we survived in the times of hunter-gatherers.

Preserve energy = the ability to hunt, flee, or fight when necessary.

But now?

In this day and age?

In a world of infinite distractions, comfort, and artificial goods?

It's killing us slowly.

There is no real threat.

We don't have to hunt for food.

We don't have to run from saber-tooth tigers.

We're soft, secure, and overfed.

What once kept us alive is now destroying us.

This is why you have to shift from living by default to living by design.

When you're living by default, you're reacting.
When you live by design, you're responding.

Seems similar, but it is not.

Reacting is performing automatic behavior according to what happens.

Responding is acting through the lens of your higher self.

Responding is the art of pausing before you act and thinking: "What would the highest version of myself do in this situation?"

Such a simple split-second decision to pause can change your entire life.

The way you look at the world is the way the world looks at you.

The more you frame your life through the lens of your higher self, the more you train yourself to look through the perception of him.

And if you start looking at the world through the lens of your higher self, you inevitably become that version.

But it only happens when you move from reacting to responding.

When you stop blindly following every impulse and desire.

When you move from default to design.

It all starts with awareness.

Often, we don't even notice that we pick up our phone and start scrolling.

After 2 hours of scrolling, we "wake up" as if we were in a dream.

And only then do we realize the damage we have done.

Extrapolate that to all automatic behaviors. Not just scrolling.

It's mindless activity.

We're not really "there."

This is living on autopilot.

It’s dangerous.

You have to break the cycle.

Start paying attention to your behavior.

Notice the enemy in your mind.

Observe yourself more often.

Start meditating.

Don't think of meditation as a woo-woo, enlightening, living in the mountains stuff.

Meditation is a tool to train your focus, build more awareness, and start living by design.

When you meditate, you create a tiny gap between your thoughts.

That tiny gap is often just enough to make a conscious decision and start living by design.

Instead of being sucked into random thoughts that put you in a sort of dream state, you become aware of it and have the ability to gain control.

There is a disgusting amount of scientifically backed benefits to meditation. But let's not get into that.

Think of meditation like this:

You train your mind to be in control(You have to sit still even though you want to move, talk, and look), which trains willpower. And you create a gap between thoughts, which will make you more intentional instead of mindlessly following impulses and desires.

Just a simple 10-minute meditation in which you follow your breath is enough.

Your mind will go crazy, and that's normal.

All you have to do is notice when that happens, and then bring your focus back to your breath.

That's it.

That will create the gap between your thoughts and train your willpower.

It's crazy when you start gaining this level of awareness and control.

You start to notice how much time we spend doing mindless activities.

How much time we waste because we are not really "there."

And then you can start taking it all back and live by design.

I'm not saying it's easy.

But it's worth it.

Cheers,

ELEVATE

P.S. If you want to create even more awareness and control the internal battle, check out The FORCE Protocol. It’s pure psychological warfare designed to destroy the enemy in your mind and give you back control.

No pressure.

If it resonates, check it out. If not, all good.

Either way, have a great day, my friend.

Talk soon!

"A mouse will walk towards the cheese, but it will run from the cat."

This is why you struggle with discipline…

You chase the cheese.

You don’t run from the cat.

As humans, we behave based on 2 factors:

Reward & Punishment.

If you do something that rewards you, you will keep doing it. If you do something and get punished, you will stop doing it.

This applies to everything.

But don’t be fooled.

A reward is not a trophy or something that someone gives you.

A reward can be pleasure, validation, praise, joy, etc.

For example,

If you play video games and experience joy, that's a reward, and you'll play more video games. If you watch p*rn and it brings you pleasure, that's a reward, and you'll watch more p*rn.

Same with punishment.

If you do something and people mock you for it, that's a punishment, and you'll stop doing it. If you do something and it sucks, that's punishment, and you'll stop doing it.

You get the point.

But the thing is,

Sure, we want to get the rewards…

But we f*cking hate being punished.

Pain sucks.

It really does.

We are wired to avoid pain. It's in our nature as human beings.

And we can use it to our advantage.

Subscribe now

Think of it like this:

The carrot and the stick.

A donkey may be motivated to go get the carrot.

But the stick?

Sh*t...

It hates being hit with the stick.

“A mouse will walk towards the cheese, but it will run from the cat”.

Walking towards a nice meal vs. running from potential death.

See the difference?

The same is true for us.

We hate pain.

We hate punishment.

And you can leverage this.

Subscribe now

Sure, you want to hit your goals. Sure, you want to be healthy, wealthy, and loved.

But you still struggle with discipline, right?

That’s the reward.

But how about pain?

How about punishment?

How about the fact that if you don't go to your job, you will be fired and become homeless? How about the fact that if you don't brush your teeth and shower, you will become a literal rotting human being?

• Do you brush your teeth?

• Do you go to work?

• Do you shower?

Yes?

Discipline?

Not needed.

Those are the things you act upon. Effortlessly.

To avoid pain.

To avoid punishment.

You don't want to be homeless and unsure where your next meal is gonna come from. You don't want to smell like sh*t, have your teeth fall out, and have people be disgusted with your presence.

That’s punishment.

That’s pain.

And that is powerful.

More powerful than a reward.

Subscribe now

So why don’t you use this?

Start exploiting human nature to get your life together.

How?

It's simple...

Two steps:

1. Get clear on your Anti-vision.

What is a life you would absolutely despise? A life so bad, you would rather die than end up living it.

Is it working at McDonald's, putting fries in the bag for the rest of your life? Is it being fat and weak? Being alone and depressed? What is it? Make it clear. Write it down. Create a list.

2. Get clear on your Nightmare.

If you keep living the way you're currently living...

...where will you end up in 5 years? 10 years?

Get vivid with this. Really think about it.

Will it be close to your Anti-vision?

Will it be ugly?

Will it suck?

Does it hurt even thinking about it?

Good. That's what you need.

Let it hurt. Let it be ugly.

WAKE UP TO REALITY.

This is the life that’s waiting for you if you don't get your sh*t together.

Combine this with a clear vision or goal, and you’re unstoppable.

If that doesn't compel you to move...

Then not much will.

Keep thinking about your Anti-vision and Nightmare often.

Keep it top of mind.

Let it slowly burn into your brain.

It will be uncomfortable. You will feel sad and maybe even get depressed.

And that's the point. That should be used as fuel to take action.

"People change when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change." - Tony Robbins

This is what makes people change.

Pain.

When you're sick and tired of where you are and how you're living.

THEN you'll change.

It won't be fun.

It won't be easy.

But it will be worth it. If you’re strong enough to get through it.

Fair warning: This is not for the weak. If you truly want to change and are prepared to suffer, then you should do this. But if you're unsure or are quick to adopt a victim mentality and give up, then this isn't for you.

And also, running from pain shouldn’t drive your entire life.

You should use it to get started.

It should be an extra force pushing you:

Your goal/vision pulls you. And your Anti-vision/nightmare pushes you.

Once you're progressing, you should adjust to find more joy and meaning.

But to get yourself out of a rut?

To go from nothing to something?

That takes pain.

And not a little bit.

So embrace the suck.

And suffer well.

Cheers,

- T

There is nothing better than chopping wood and carrying water.

Nothing.

If you don’t understand that yet, then you still have work to do.

“How you do anything is how you do everything.”

You've heard it before.

But have you ever tried to understand it?

It seems cliché, but it is a truth you must face.

Do. Not. Ignore.

If you cannot do the little things right, you will never be able to do the big things right.

Only a fool wishes to accomplish great things while ignoring the small. The wise man does vigorously what is right in front of him.

All the big things in life are just an accumulation of a bunch of smaller things.

• Screens are made of pixels.

• Houses are built with bricks.

• Bodies are formed from cells.

• And books are written with words.

The same is true with your character.

Every man's character is just an accumulation of his frequent thoughts and deeds.

All of them.

Even the small and seemingly insignificant ones.

Especially those ones…

You don’t become great by performing a great act once. You become great by performing every act in front of you, in a great manner.

If you focus on perfecting the small, the great will be without blemish.

"Everything in the universe is made up of little things, and the perfection of the great is based upon the perfection of the small. If any detail of the universe were imperfect the Whole would be imperfect. If any particle were omitted the aggregate would cease to be. Without a grain of dust there could be no world, and the world is perfect because the grain of dust is perfect. Neglect of the small is confusion of the great."

- James Allen

It's simple, really...

Give your full attention and energy to whatever duty is in front of you.

No matter how small or insignificant it might seem.

That’s how you build a strong character.

“Eat at your own table as you would at the table of a king,” — Confucius

“If anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him attack it vigorously.” — Buddha

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might." — Ecclesiastes 9:10

A lot of quotes in this letter.

Quite the line-up of sources, no?

Names that shaped the world.

All saying the same thing.

I’ll say it again:

Do. Not. Ignore.

Your life is made up of small moments.

You can't just change your "life."

You can only change what you do in each small moment.

You can't think that those small moments are insignificant, and that when it comes to the bigger things, you’ll be diligent.

That's a lie.

A lie that is keeping you stuck.

If you neglect the small things, you build a weak character.

A character built on neglect, laziness, and sloth.

Such a character will never be able to accomplish the bigger things.

Matter of fact, such a character won’t even be allowed to do them.

“Whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with big things. Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too.” — Luke 16:10-14 (KJV)

Another one. Saying the same thing.

The Big Mistake:

You think that you will be fine if you don't commit any major errors.

You think that the small duties or small vices don't really matter.

That you can get away with it.

But they penetrate your whole character.

How you do anything is truly how you do everything.

What you do repeatedly becomes your frequency.

"Neglect of the small is confusion of the great."

Duties, no matter how small, are still duties. And they need to get done. Vices, no matter how small, are still vices. And they need to be avoided.

The small things are the ONLY things that matter.

For life in its totality is just made up of small things.

Don't fool yourself.

Don't think you're "too good" for a task.

Don't think it is "below you."

That’s bullshit.

“Whoso neglects a thing which he suspects he ought to do because it seems too small a thing is deceiving himself; it is not too little but too great for him that he doeth it not.” - Edward Bouverie Pusey

Act with diligence.

Do what is in front of you and do it well.

“Do what you can, and do the best you can.” — Jim Rohn

You say that the small things are not worthy of your energy and attention.

You say that you are meant for more. Meant for the bigger things.

But I say that you are deceiving yourself.

You're not even capable of handling the small.

Prove me wrong.

Chop wood. Carry water.

Every. Day.

And then you’ll understand.

Cheers,

Tony Elevate

It's damn near impossible to be disciplined when your desire for discipline is impure.

What do I mean by that?

An impure desire for discipline?

Well, look…

We are taught that we need discipline in order to achieve greatness.

It makes sense…

and we start to believe it.

But the way it’s portrayed is a trap.

We hear it all the time:

"Just wake up at 5AM."
"Just go run every day."
"Just be disciplined bro."

We are taught that if we get ourselves to perform certain “disciplined” actions, we will grow and reach great heights.

But the truth is, discipline is personal.

Nothing is more personal than a pure desire for discipline.

It's not about performing random acts of "discipline”. It's about your personal state of mind.

True discipline is about YOU.

Not about what other people tell you that discipline is supposed to be…

You don't need to do any of the weird sh*t people on social media do.

You don't need to wake up early.
You don't need to take an ice bath.
You don’t need to run a ultra-marathon.
You don't need to rub a banana peel on your face.

You need to do what you know you should do. And stop doing what you know you shouldn’t be doing.

Some people can play video games and still make progress in life. Others can't.

Some people don't need to take cold showers. Others benefit from it.

It's ALL personal.

You will not be disciplined by simply forcing yourself to do things that seem valid.

That’s relying on willpower.

Willpower is limited.

You will only build true discipline once you WANT to be disciplined and turn it into a personal quest of conquering yourself.

"The beginning of wisdom is not imposed by discipline, but the beginning of wisdom is first the desire for discipline, the love of it, the voluntary choice of it."

- Raymond Holliwell

Everyone is at a different stage in their journey and everyone requires a different map.

For me, a cold shower energizes me and gives me a feeling of being in control of my mind first thing in the morning. But for some people it's a brainless activity they force themselves to do only because someone on the internet told them to do it.

Not the same.

I've been taking cold showers every single day for almost 2 years now and don't plan on quitting anytime soon.

Others fall off after a week or two.

One is personal, the other is based on sheep mentality and blind action.

If you don't feel and understand why you're doing something, then there is no point in forcing yourself to do it.

There are things YOU know you SHOULD do, that you are not doing. And there are things YOU know you SHOULDN'T do, that you are doing.

You know what these things are…

This is not a list you find online.

No one can give you this list.

This list only comes from personal reflection.

Is your room a mess?
Do you ignore texts messages?
Is your body growing soft and weak?
Do you tend to escape reality by playing video games?

There are some aspects in your life that you KNOW are hurting YOU.

Those are the aspects you should worry about.

Don't run because people tell you to run. Run IF you feel like sh*t and believe that it will make you feel better.

If health is not that deep to you, don't force it. (Eventually, it will)

True discipline starts with a personal quest of wanting more out of life.

We all have different aspects in which we fall short and don't live righteously.

This is what causes most of our suffering.

Start fixing those, and your life will improve drastically.

If you’re in a bad place right now, you'll be surprised at how much better life gets when you start living right.

Once you understand this on a deep level, only then will you build true discipline.

Sometimes, it takes long periods of suffering and sorrow to finally flip the switch and change your life. You first have to understand the true cost of living in laziness and sloth before you gain a true desire for living disciplined and righteous.

Don't run away from that pain.

Don't distract yourself with social media, porn, or video games.

Don't numb yourself with alcohol and drugs.

Face the reality of your situation.

Let that pain fuel you.

Learn from it.

Understand why it’s there.

Note down what needs to happen.

And let it create a pure desire for change.

(Don't let it crush you and make you a victim. You are always in control and can change your life any day you wish.)

When you're truly sick and tired of where you are and of how you're living, make the decision to start the quest of conquering yourself.

Not a half-baked resolution.

But resolve to change permanently.

Don't "try" to change. Either commit 100%, or don't bother at all.

"Do or do not. There is no try."

- Yoda

Commit to doing what is right.

Commit to doing what you know you should be doing. Commit to stop doing what you know you shouldn’t be doing.

Make it personal.

When you do that, you'll find the strength to endure. And the mental peace you're looking for.

Do you know that feeling after you pushed yourself in the gym? Or when you promised yourself you would do something hard--and then did it?

That feeling of bliss and peace after a mission completed?

That confidence in yourself and a sense of (earned)pride?

You can make that the dominant feeling in your life.

IF you start living right.

When that is what fuels you…

…you won't struggle with getting yourself to take action.

You'll struggle with getting yourself to rest and celebrate progress.

Don't go about your day and act like you didn't read this.

Think about it. Reflect on it.

Meditate on what this means for YOU and how it applies to YOUR life.

And I promise you, your life will never be the same when it clicks.

Cheers,

Tony Elevate

If you had an unlimited amount of lottery tickets, would it still be "luck" if you won?

…

The answer is no.

Volume negates luck.

It’s not “luck” when a farmer harvests more crops than someone who never planted any seeds.

Cause and effect.

It’s simple really.

Start creating your own “luck” instead of living in this world of mental masturbation.

Thinking about business doesn't make you money.

Being in business does.

Thinking about taking action doesn’t get you results.

Taking action does.

You can't learn to drive in a parked car. And you won’t learn how to swim by reading a book about swimming.

You get the point, right?

It’s common sense.

You have to go out there and get dirty.

But you already know this. Yet you don’t really want to accept it, do you?

"In order to become a master you have to be a fool at first."

- Mike Tyson

No one starts off being great at something.

But everyone CAN BECOME great at something.

You just have to accept the fact that the beginning will suck. YOU will suck. And that's normal. That's how it's supposed to be.

This is one of those things that holds people back.

• They don't write because they are not a “good” writer.

• They don't post because their content isn't “perfect”.

• They don't learn a new skill because they suck at it.

This is EXACTLY how it's supposed to be.

We have to push through this initial phase to get to the other side.

“This is what hard feels like. And this is why most people can’t do it. But you can.”

- Alex Hormozi

When I started the Elevate brand, I had no experience with social media or creating content.

My buddy used to create music videos for rappers.

Whenever I saw him editing, it looked like wizardry to me. Never in a million years did I think I would be able to do something like that.

But a couple years later, I started this brand.

I didn't give it much thought.

I just downloaded my editing software and started creating content.

No tutorials. No structure. Nothing

The content sucked.

But I didn't let that stop me from posting.

Slowly but surely, I got better.

I started to understand social media and got familiar with the editing software.

When I encountered a specific problem or wanted to learn a specific technique, only then would I look for tutorials.

I tried. I failed. I learned. I improved.

And the results speak for themselves.

In no way do I consider myself a great editor, but I obviously know how to create "good" content that goes viral and builds an audience. Now I own one of the biggest motivational brands on social media and it is effortless to me.

All of this, just because I just started creating content.

Ugly.
Messy.
Unready.

This reminds me of an interesting study...

There was a pottery class.

At the beginning of the semester, the teacher divided the class into two groups:

One group was told to make as many pots as possible.

The other group was asked to create one "perfect" pot.

In the end, ALL the highest quality pots came from the group that had to create as many pots as possible. Not from the group that focused on creating the highest quality pots.

You get good by doing, not by planning to do.

You'll make more progress by just doing the thing, than you will by watching a bunch of tutorials on how to do the thing.

Your brain only retains information that's useful to you.

If you watch tutorials but don't apply what you learn, your brain will not store the information.

In other words: It's literally a waste of time.

Just go do the thing.

As you encounter problems, THEN should you look for a tutorial around that specific problem.

This way, you take action AND you retain the information and grow.

The obstacle is the way.

The only way to learn is by making mistakes and overcoming them. Not by mental masturbation and watching hundreds of tutorials.

And look, I know that it sucks to appear like a fool in front of others.

But that's the ONLY way you'll get good at something.

An athlete won't judge you for working out. A millionaire won't judge you for starting a business. A musician won't judge you for trying to sing a song.

It's always the people doing nothing that will have something to say.

And you know what I say to that?

F*ck em.

They don't pay your bills, they don't care about you, and they will never build something real.

Anything worth doing requires sacrifice.

It requires effort.

It requires trial and error.

And that means that you will look stupid.

So be it.

The biggest success habit is being willing to look stupid.

- Alex Hormozi

Stop being afraid of being "cringe".

• Go do the thing.

• Look like a fool.

• Fail at it.

You'll build something great. And you might end up changing your life too.

Apply. Apply. Apply.

Fall down and get back up.

Analyze and refine.

Act and iterate.

You already know most of this stuff. It’s time to ACT on it.

That’s it for today.

Cheers,

Tony Elevate.

Let’s get straight to the point:

What have you done today besides making excuses?

…

That's the ONLY thing that matters.

Not your goals.
Not your plans.
Not your ideas.
Not your dreams.

But concrete action.

The most important thing is what you do TODAY. What you are doing RIGHT NOW.

So, what are you doing right now?

Are you scrolling on Instagram?

Are you checking your email to avoid doing the work?

"The same person that could be building empires is losing to a 6.5 inch screen."

Are there not some important things you should be doing right now?

Don't waste your life bro.

You see, the people who make things happen don't wait.

They don't overplan.
They don't overthink.
They don't mindlessly scroll.
They don't discuss or debate.

They get sh*t done.

Let me tell you a short story:

Napoleon Bonaparte was on his way to Egypt when he stopped at Malta for a quick "Lay off."

Six days. That's how long he was in Malta.

In that time, he:

Introduced street lighting and paving.

Replaced the island's government.

Reformed the postal service.

Freed all political prisoners.

Dissolved the monasteries.

Reformed the university.

Reformed the hospitals.

Installed fountains.

In 6 days!

This is what he did for fun while on a 6-day lay off.

He casually accomplished the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS of most people—in his spare time.

That's why he is remembered as one of the greatest military commanders of all time.

So let me ask you again:

What have you done today besides making excuses?

What have you done today besides THINKING about taking action?

What have you done today besides PLANNING on how to take action?

What have you done today besides FANTAZISING about taking action?

WHAT HAVE YOU EXECUTED IN REAL LIFE?

Think about that for a second.

You see, life is really simple...

There are Universal Laws.

And if you work WITH those laws, you can get what you want out of life.

One of the most important laws is The Law of Cause and Effect.

Sir Isaac Newton said: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

"For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

- Galatians 6:7

If you do X, then Y will happen.

Simple as that.

You can't expect results you know you didn't work for.

If you DO nothing you will GET nothing.

The truth is, action sets things in motion in the real world. Not your thoughts, your ideas, or your goals.

These are important, but they are the ammunition, the guns and the targets.

And they are useless if you're not shooting.

"God will sell you anything at the price of labor."

- Leonardo Da Vinci

You don't get what you wish for, you get what you work for.

This concept is so simple and cliché, yet it's a big reason why most people don't make progress.

They think about it. They talk about it. They fantazise about it. But they never ACT on it.

You have to understand that those are traps. Thinking and talking about your plans and goals releases dopamine, similar to actually achieving them.

And thus you will lose your drive to take action because your brain thinks you're making progress.

But in reality, you're doing nothing.

So get off your phone and do SOMETHING.

Take some form of action.

You don't have to reform countries like Napoleon. All you have to do is take some daily action on high-leverage tasks.

Wake up, and commit to doing 3 tasks that actually move the needle.

That's it.

You don’t need hours of grinding and a crazy morning routine…

…just take 3 high-leverage actions every day.

If you can do that, I promise you, you will make more progress in a month then you did last year.

Not only that, but:

Momentum will take over.

The compound effect will start working.

And you will snowball into progress like never before.

But you have to execute TODAY.

RIGHT NOW.

That’s it for today.

Don’t waste your life.

Your #1 fan,

-Elevate Start

P.S. Ready to win the internal war and build real, lasting mental strength? I highly recommend you check out The F.O.R.C.E Protocol.

No pressure. Just check it out if it sounds interesting.

You know who the fastest man in the world is. But do you know who came in second?

No?

You don’t?

He was slower by just 0.11 seconds. One tenth of a second.

Such a tiny difference that if you blinked—you would miss it.

Yet, because of that tiny difference, you don't know who he is. Most people don't know who he is.

• He doesn't get the same recognition.

• Not the same commercial spots.

• Not the same pay-check.

• You name it.

Why?

Because he was 0.11 seconds slower.

0.11 seconds!

It is this simple observation that explains why you’re not seeing the results you want.

Because let’s be real:

You’re not doing nothing. You might struggle with discipline, but you are trying. You are taking action towards your goals. You ARE moving forward.

Yet, it doesn’t really seem like you’re getting the results you expect, right?

That's what I want to talk about:

❝

Water boils at 100 degrees.

Not 98.

Not 99.

But 100.

The last push is EVERYTHING.

It's the difference between worldwide recognition, opportunities, and money(Usain Bolt). Or barely being known. (Tyson Gay).

It's the difference between dominating life, or not seeing results at all.

So let's dive in...

Linear Result Thinking.

Most people think that results are linear. This is the normal way of thinking.

"If I put in 20% in, I get 20% out".
"If I put in 60% in, I get 60% out".
"If I put 90% in, I get 90% of out." 

Etc.

This is how that looks:

They also believe that if they do a bit more than the average person, they will get amazing results. Because, by definition, if you do more than the average person, you are "above average".

And being above average means you get the results that most people don't get, right?

Wrong.

It doesn't work like that.

Results Are Exponential.

Most results only come when you get up in the 90%+ of effort/input.

It looks more like this:

It's the obsessed ones that get all the rewards. The ones that dedicate their life to it. The ones that go all in.

The winners(Like Usain Bolt) reap all the benefits.

He gave it EVERYTHING.

While runners who gave it 50%, 70%, even 80% - 90% got very little, if anything.

Again, water boils at 100 degrees.

Not 98.

Not 99.

100.

The higher up you go on the chart, the bigger the difference in results.

For example, If you put in 10% effort, you might get 2% of the output. But let's say you put in 50% effort, you might get 15% of the output. 5x more effort(40% more) for 13% more output.

But now let’s go to the higher levels.

When you put in 90% effort, you get back 50%. But when you put in 91% effort, you get back 60%. And then you put in 92% effort and you get back 70%. Etc.

The higher up you go, the more any amount of extra effort counts. 

Just tiny jumps of 1% extra effort bring in 10% extra output.

It's exponential. It compounds.

Look at the chart once more:

That's why most people don't see results:

They don't understand how this works and expect results to be linear.

They put in some effort—even more than most people—but don’t see results and give up.

They don't understand that most output comes at the end of the chart. At the higher percentages of input. At an amount of input that is unreasonable to most people.

Because everyone can do a little more than average…

But not everyone is willing to make the sacrifices and give the amount of effort required to see results.

Pain is the filter.

The struggle filters out those who aren't committed.

Most results don't come from luck or talent or a bit of extra effort.

• It's about who is willing to suffer for the longest.

• Who is willing to make the sacrifices.

• Who is willing to give it the most.

You don't win championships by giving it 80%. You have to get as close to 100% as possible. That's when you can get what you want.

And this applies to your job, your business, your relationships, the gym, you name it.

"The more you put in, the more you get out.”

- Rich Piana

You can't expect to give it anything less than your very best and get the results you want.

You can't:

• Go to the gym only when you feel like it.

• Do some random exercises.

• Have poor sleeping habits.

• Drink alcohol daily.

• Eat like shit.

And then expect to get the body and vitality you want.

Just because most people DON’T exercise doesn't mean you're guaranteed results if you DO exercise.

You have to give it more. Much more.

You have to:

• Fix your sleep schedule.

• Create an exercise plan.

• Quit drinking.

• Fix your diet.

• Etc.

It's only when you do that...

...When you give it so much more than the average person, that you start getting the results you are looking for.

Now, some might say: "But I want to live my life. I should be able to enjoy eating junk food, drinking alcohol, and partying until morning."

Of course.

You can do whatever you want.

But you can't have both at the same time.

This is why "balance" is B.S. advice for ambitious people. Because if you try to be “balanced”, you are not able to give it enough effort to start reaping the rewards.

So whatever you're trying to do, understand that you have to give it as much as you can.

"Do what you can, and do the best you can.”

- Jim Rohn

If you want abnormal results, you have to be an abnormal person and do abnormal things.

You literally can not do what everybody else is doing(or just a little more) and expect a different outcome.

"Normal training gives you fucking normal results."

- David Goggins

You have to adopt the mindset of:

IT'S ALL OR NOTHING(LITERALLY).

There is no point in half-baked attempts.

Because remember, it won’t be enough to reach the point of exponential results.

Always remember:

"Water doesn't boil at 99 degrees."

• Remind yourself that you have to give it EVERYTHING.

• Remind yourself that you have to go hard or go home.

• Remind yourself that results are exponential.

If you can imprint this idea into your mind, you will start to understand why you're not seeing results(yet). You will start being more patient. You won’t get discouraged as easily. And you'll gladly work hard because you know that the harder you work, the more you'll get in the end(IF you don’t quit).

So decide now:

Give it 100%, or don’t bother.

That's it for today.

Thanks for reading, and I wish you nothing but the best.

Cheers,

-Elevate Start.

Join 18,000+ in getting brainwashed for success, discipline, and fulfillment.

Read about the Principles of Success, Psychology, Philosophy, and Unique Ideas aimed to help you grow.

Subscribe now

What’s up friend and subscriber,

Be honest.

You know exactly what you need to do, right?

• You know you should work on your business.

• You know you should go to the gym.

• You know you should read books.

You know all this, yet you don't do it...

Why is that?

Well, it's because you have a lot in common with a heroin addict.

Let me explain…

I'm not talking about the homeless heroin addict who’s on the street.

I'm talking about the addict BEFORE his addiction causes him to be homeless.

The addict who still has a good 9-5 job, good relationships, a nice apartment, etc.

Slowly but surely, his heroin addiction is destroying his life.

• His relationships are breaking down.

• His financial situation is declining.

• He is having problems at work.

• His house is a mess.

• You name it.

He is aware of these problems. He knows that his addiction is ruining his life. He knows he HAS to quit. But yet he doesn't.

Why is that?

You would think that his life falling apart would be enough motivation to make him quit, right?

He is literally destroying his life.

This should get him to take action, no?

But that's exactly the problem:

The worse his life gets, the more he will use heroin to escape.

Not only that, but the more heroin he uses, the worse his life gets. And this makes him take more heroin again.

It's a negative feedback loop of hell.

This brings me back to you.

Yes, you.

Do you recognize aspects of this problem in your life?

I'm not saying you're a drug addict, but...

• You know your laziness is killing your potential.

• You know your bad habits are holding you back.

• You know you HAVE to make a change or live a life of regret.

You know these things. Yet you don't change.

Instead of heroin, your drug of choice is distractions.

• Playing video games.

• Mindless scrolling.

• Watching Netflix.

• Eating junk food.

• Watching corn.

You're escaping from the pain of your situation. Just like the heroin addict.

The worse your life gets, the more you escape.

Now stay with me.

People often say: "I'm not motivated enough." But the truth is, you are TOO motivated.

Like the heroin addict, you're so intensely motivated to solve your problems, that you want to "solve" them right now by escaping.

When you escape, you effectively "solve" your problems.

When the heroin addict takes heroin, his problems are gone for a couple of hours.

He doesn't think about them. He doesn't feel the weight of his situation anymore.

Problem solved. (for a couple of hours)

The same is true for you.

When you mindlessly scroll, watch Netflix, play video games, or distract yourself in any other way, you are effectively “solving” your problems.

Your problems are gone for a little bit. You don't think about them. They don't feel that painful or urgent anymore.

And this is the greatest mistake we make.

Humans Are Wired For Pain Avoidance.

We do anything to avoid pain, preserve energy, and seek pleasure.

This is how we're wired.

This is why negative emotions or "pain" are the greatest catalysts for change.

You've heard of people hitting rock bottom, right?

Their situation got so bad, there comes a moment where they think:

"F*ck this sh*t."

“No more."

"I NEED to change NOW!"

And then they completely turn their life around.

That's the power of negative energy.

Think of the carrot and stick.

A horse may want a carrot and will be a little motivated to go and get it. But it will run as fast as it can to avoid getting hit with the stick.

"A mouse will walk towards the cheese, but it will run from the cat."

Pain is the greatest catalyst for change.

And you and I are in pain.

We are not satisfied with our situation.

We want to DO more, BE more, and HAVE more.

And because we’re not there yet, it brings up "negative" emotions.

• Sadness

• Shame

• Anger

• Guilt

• Fear

• etc.

We want to avoid these emotions. That’s how we’re wired, remember?

So normally, these emotions inspire us to take action and make changes in our lives.

"We change when the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change."

But because of the way our modern society is set up, we can "change" and "solve" our problems by escaping from our emotions.

We numb these emotions by indulging in cheap pleasures/distractions.

You don't lack motivation. You're TOO motivated.

You are so motivated to solve your problems that you want to solve them right now.

And how do you solve your problems right now? By escaping.

But obviously, escaping doesn't solve your problems.

If you want to solve your problems, you have to solve them in the real world.

But that is "painful." It is difficult. It takes time.

So your brain will calculate its options:

1. Go through pain and effort for a long time to actually solve the problem.

2. Escape with cheap pleasures and "solve" the problem right now.

And remember:

We are wired for pain avoidance, energy preservation, and pleasure seeking.

So your brain will naturally choose option #2.

This is why when you sit down to work on your business or decide to monitor your diet, your brain tempts you with distractions.

Because It sucks. It will take a long time. It will take hard work.

Negative emotions will start bubbling up.

And when these negative emotions come up, your brain is like "f*ck that, we need a distraction, now!"

Because think about it:

When you're procrastinating, you're not just doing nothing.

You don't procrastinate and sit still and think about it…

…no, you distract yourself.

You distract yourself from the "negative" emotions.

But you need those negative emotions to make a change.

So how do we solve this?

Well, it's simple but not easy.

Increase Awareness And Suffer.

Your awareness might already be increased because you now understand what's going on. If this is important to you, your brain will store this information.

Whenever you notice yourself trying to escape, you will remember this letter, and you can choose to face the problem instead of escaping.

You can choose to feel the negative emotions and let them fuel you.

But most of the time, you will escape on autopilot.

Most of us live on autopilot.

We're driven by our subconscious mind.

The programming of our parents, our education, our peers, and society.

To break free from this, you have to increase your awareness even more.

If you're aware of what you're doing, you have the power to change it.

If you're unaware and mindlessly go along with your programming, you're absolutely powerless.

In a future letter, we will be talking about awareness some more, but for now, just know that awareness is key. And that is no exaggeration.

Mental Bodybuilding.

Hands down, the best way to increase your awareness is meditation.

Now, before you click off...

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE MEDITATION.

Don't think it's just some woo-woo stuff that only hippies and monks do.

Mediation is a workout for your mind.

• It increases your awareness.

• It increases your discipline.

• It lowers your stress.

• It trains your focus.

• It reduces anxiety.

• It improves sleep.

Meditation has a lot more benefits--that are proven by science--but let's keep going for now.

There are a ton of different mediation techniques.

But I recommend the most simple and powerful meditation:

Breath Awareness.

Start with 5 minutes per day and slowly work your way up to 20 minutes.

How To Meditate

Do I need an app? How do I do it? What do I do? Do I need to sit like those monks?

Meditation is simple. Don’t overcomplicate it.

Sit in a chair, on your bed, on the couch, or on the ground; it doesn’t really matter.

Keep your back straight(no back support).

Close your eyes, and focus on your breath.

Don't try to control your breath, just focus on it.

You will notice that your monkey mind will go crazy. It will go absolutely bananas.

All kinds of thoughts, ideas, conversations, and stories will pop up.

That is normal.

The goal is to notice these things and refocus on the breath again.

That's it.

It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

Don't get discouraged if it's difficult. The more difficult it is, the more benefit you will gain from meditation.

Once you meditate consistently, your awareness will increase.

Your mind WILL change.

You will start noticing patterns you never noticed before.

Now, besides meditation, you need to:

Feel The Pain And Suffer.

Are you brutally aware of how shitty your current situation is?

Are you brutally aware of what your life will look like 10 years from now if you keep doing what you’re doing?

Think about these things.

Let it be ugly. Because that is the reality.

You have to keep it real with yourself.

If you’re not where you want to be and you’re lazy, be honest with yourself.

Think about where you will end up if you stay lazy.

You won’t end up somewhere nice, will you?

Take some time to really think about it.

Allow it to evoke “negative” emotions.

You know that they're coming. You know that they're part of the process. So just allow them. Feel them.

Whether it's anger, sadness, fear, shame, guilt, you name it.

Let it burn. Let it fuel you.

Don't try to escape them with cheap pleasures or by thinking about something else.

Feel it fully.

Those emotions are the fuel to change your life.

NOTE: Don't get consumed.

Emotions are powerful.

They hold the power to knock you down. If you let them.

Always remember that you are in control.

You have the power to change these emotions, and you have the power to change your life.

Never let these emotions get you down.

USE them. Don't let them use you.

You are in control.

❝

"It's nice to know any day you wish you can change your whole life."

- Jim Rohn

You have the power to change your life.

It's up to you.

Stop numbing yourself and distracting yourself from negative emotions.

Feel them and let them fuel you.

You'll be surprised how powerful this is.

So with that said, that's it for today's letter.

I hope you enjoyed it and I hope that you act on the advice.

Remember:

Learning without action is useless.

Cheers,

- Elevate Start

P.S. Meditation changed my life for the better. I promise it will do the same for you.

It’s simple. It doesn’t take long. But the only premise is that you do it every single day.

Join 18,000+ legends getting brainwashed for success, discipline, and fulfillment.

Read about the Principles of Success, Psychology, Philosophy, and Unique Ideas that will help you grow.

Subscribe now

Dear friend and subscriber,

Let me ask you something:

Can you tell the time?

You might be thinking, "What kind of question is that?"

Well, consider this:

This principle, known as Segal’s Law, offers a valuable lesson in achieving the life we want.

Think about that quote for a moment, then let me ask again...

Can you truly tell the time?

We Live In An Age Of Information Overload.

Nearly all the information we could ever want is at our fingertips—much of it for free.

Technology and the Creator Economy help us get access to endless knowledge.

• Google.

• YouTube.

• ChatGPT.

• You name it.

But this is a double-edged sword.

On one side, it allows us to learn, create, and solve problems like never before.

• Want to start a business? You can find almost every resource you need online.

• Want to develop a new skill? A quick search will lead you to tutorials, courses, and more.

• Want to solve a problem? You can most likely find a solution to your problem online…

• You get the point.

It’s helpful, it’s easy, it’s cheap, whatever…

But on the flip side…

There is so much f*cking information.

Too much at times.

So much that it can paralyze us.

We get stuck thinking, “I just need to learn a little bit more before I start,” or “I need to be fully prepared before taking action.”

Sometimes, we keep consuming instead of taking action because consuming somehow “feels productive”.

You might think: “But I want to execute properly, and to do that, I need more information.”

And you’re right.

It’s true that knowledge is important, but constantly seeking more information can actually hold us back.

Ignorance Creates Progress.

Let me ask you this:

Who do you think makes more progress?

The “smart” person who overanalyzes everything and rarely acts…

Or the “stupid” person who takes action relentlessly, learning from mistakes along the way?

Nine times out of ten, the person who acts, even with limited knowledge, will make more progress.

This brings us back to Segal’s Law:

Ironically, Segal’s Law is about not relying on just one source.

It says that the man with one watch is ignorant. That man doesn’t really know the time because he has no ability to double-check it with another source.

However,

Segal’s Law is often used to illustrate that too much information can lead to problems.

That’s how I want you to look at it for now.

“You can’t learn to drive in a parked car”

The best way to learn is through experience.

Let’s say you want to start a business…

There are a million different YouTube videos out there with “the best business models” and “the best strategies”. But if you don’t act on the information and use it…

…the information worthless.

You can watch all the tutorials and do a bunch of research…

But it will leave you even more confused. More unsure of what the best next step is.

You’ll have too much to choose from. What advice should you follow?

“What if this strategy is better than that strategy?”

“But what if this thing doesn’t work out? I just read something that suggests I do it like that?”

“Oh man, what if this business model isn’t the best after all?”

“Maybe I should completely change my strategy and do this business model instead.”

One thought leads to the next, and pretty soon, you’re overwhelmed and stuck in a cycle of overthinking without taking action.

In the end, you’ll only know what works by trying.

You learn business by being in business.

We Learn Best By Experience.

Not only does consuming too much information paralyze you, but you’re also unlikely to remember most of it.

You won’t truly “learn” it.

Why?

Because you have no use for that information.

And if the brain thinks that there is no use for the information, it doesn’t get properly stored.

Picture this:

You want to learn how to use Photoshop. (a popular Photo editing software)

You can go on YouTube and watch tutorials on the software…

…all the different buttons, features, tools, and plug-ins.

But after you “learn” all of that and you finally start your own project…

…you’re going to watch tutorials again.

Why?

Well…

First off, you won’t remember everything from the tutorials.

And second, you will encounter specific problems. And specific problems require specific knowledge.

The best thing you can do is just start a project, play around with the software, and as you encounter problems…

…only then do you look for the information to solve it.

This does 2 things:

1. It makes you take action. (Instead of mental masturbation)

2. You will remember what you learn because the information is useful to you.

This goes for everything in life. Not just learning software.

Action is what creates progress.
Action is what builds experience.

And from experience, you learn and make better judgments.

Action Cures All.

Let’s circle back.

While living in the information age is incredibly useful, it can often prevent us from taking action.

And it is through action that we truly learn and make progress.

So, when you're feeling unsure about your next step or overwhelmed by too much information, just ask yourself:

Can you tell the time?

And if you feel like a man with a thousand watches…

…just follow your intuition and make a decision.

Take action.

You can always adjust your approach as you go. But gathering more information often just delays the inevitable.

That’s it for today’s letter.

As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you found this helpful.

Your #1 fan,

-Elevate Start

There is only one shortcut to success:

And that is to steal it.

Now, before you do anything crazy, hear me out…

• We all want to be great.

• We want to be successful.

• We want to have complete freedom.

But getting there is though…

We don’t know the best route, we struggle a lot, we fail often, and we make a million mistakes along the way.

And this can be discouraging…

But success requires sacrifice.

And the fact that it is difficult, means that you’re going in the right direction.

So keep going.

But it doesn’t have to be this way forever...

Humans Are Wired For Survival.

We’re designed to conserve energy.

We naturally seek ways to achieve maximum results with minimal effort.

This is in our nature.

Which brings me to the idea of stealing.

Even though we know it’s morally wrong, deep down, it still sparks some excitement in us.

Think of bank heists, hackers, and scammers.

This is why shows like Lupin and La Casa De Papel(Money Heist) are so popular.

As I mentioned, we are wired to look for maximum results with minimum effort.

Stealing is the ultimate example of this.

A thief puts in a little work--one time…

…but he gets the results of someone else’s of hard work, pain, and suffering.

That’s the underlying principle of stealing.

Now, I know it sounds appealing...

…but don’t rush off to rob a bank just yet.

Because we can use this principle of “stealing” legally—to reach success.

Finding The META.

In Video Games, there is this thing called a META.

M.E.T.A. stands for Most Effective Tactics Available.

• In some games, it means that a certain weapon is the most effective.

• In others, it means that a certain character is the most effective.

• And yet, in other games, it’s the best weapons, characters, and strategies combined.

If you want to win in said game, you’d better research the META and use it. Because it will give you an advantage over your opponents.

It will give you a real “edge” that allows you to play most effectively.

And if you don’t use it…

…it will be used against you.

But the same is true in life.

• There is a META in business.

• There is a META in fitness.

• There is a META in health.

You name it.

In every area of life, certain strategies work better than others.

And if you want an advantage in life, you should study the META of whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish, and apply it.

For example, Content Creators often “borrow” high-performing content ideas from each other.

This is why you tend to see a lot of similar content online.

Just look on YouTube.

• People use similar thumbnails because they work.

• People use the same editing styles because they work.

• People create videos around similar topics because they work.

“Don’t reinvent the wheel.”

Why spend time learning something from scratch when there’s already a tested, proven method?

In the Video Game example:

You could spend hours experimenting with different strategies…

…or you could simply watch a YouTube tutorial from someone who has already done the hard work.

This brings me back to stealing.

Sometimes, people will tell you the META.

(Like with video games--You can find it on YouTube.)

But in life, you often have to figure it out yourself.

So How Do You Find The META?

You steal it from successful people.

You take their years of failure, struggle, and experience—and use it to your advantage.

This is why books are so powerful:

Someone may spend decades mastering a subject and then distill all that knowledge into a book you can read in a week.

So, instead of trying to figure it out yourself…

…why not read a book?

In the world of art, there is a famous quote:

“Good artists copy, great artists steal.”

- Pablo Picasso

The same is true in life.

From the moment we are born, we are copying others.

It’s how we survive.

We have to “fit in,” and thus, we copy different aspects of different people.

• First, we copy our parents.

• Then we copy our friends.

• Later, we copy society.

But do they have the results you are looking for?

Do they live the life you want to live?

The answer is most likely “no”.

So if you want to be a successful athlete or entrepreneur…

...copying and behaving like your lazy friends isn’t going to get you results.

And even though their intentions are pure…

…their advice isn’t something you should rely on.

“Don’t take advice from someone who is not where you want to be”

Instead, you have to find the META of your goal.

And here’s how:

1. Get Clear On What You Want.

How are you going to get somewhere if you don’t know where it is?

You won’t…

Most people have no idea what they want and thus they mindlessly follow society’s goals.

Go to school.
Get a job.
Retire at 70.

If that’s what you want, great! You have nothing to worry about.

But if you want different results, you have to take different actions.

Because if you keep doing what everyone else does…

…you’ll get the same results everyone else has.

So get clear on what you want.

Whatever it is, figure it out.

2. Find The Winners.

Find the top 1% of people who have achieved what you want to achieve.

NOTE: You have to find people who are actually doing it themselves, not people who just talk about it.

For example,

In college, you can study business…

…from a teacher—who has never run a business...

The teacher might give you some good principles, but he/she doesn’t truly understand how business works in real life. (It’s different than just reading about it.)

Another example is course sellers.

Are they actually running the business model themselves? Or are they just selling courses?

A lot of gurus nowadays just talk about different business models…

But what are they actually doing?

They are growing an audience on social media.

So, find people who are currently doing what you want to do, or have a proven track record of doing it in the past.

(Side note: If you want to learn how to grow an audience on social media from someone who is currently doing it, click here and steal from me.)

3. Study Them Like A Stalker.

Study them inside out.

• What do they do?

• How do they think?

• Why do they take certain actions?

Try to get into their mind as much as possible…

If they have a course, buy it.
If they have books, read them.
If they have a podcast, listen to it.

Self-education is critical for making progress in any domain of life.

4. Synthesize.

Remember Picasso’s quote?

“Good artists copy, great artists steal.”

- Pablo Picasso

We don’t just want to copy—we want to steal. 

And the difference between copying and stealing is simple.

Copying is exactly as it sounds...

You copy someone else’s moves/ideas/product/style/etc, word for word. You don’t make it your own. You just do the exact same as someone else.

Now as the quote says: “Good artist copy.”

Copying someone is an improvement from trying to figure it out yourself.

Copying is good. But it is not great…

Stealing is great.

Stealing is studying what works--from multiple sources—and then making it your own.

When you do this, you can experiment and see what works for you.

Not only that, but when you study multiple sources, you’ll notice patterns. Those are often the most effective ideas to steal.

Create Your Own Lane.

Again, you don’t want to copy, you want to steal.

Everyone is unique, and what worked for one person might not work for the next.

Take what works for you and apply it to your own life.

As you test ideas you will see what works and what doesn’t work. You will find the things you like and the things you don’t like. You will start to gain a deeper understanding of the game you’re playing and you will create your own path.

Your own “sauce.”

Your own way of doing things—backed by proven principles.

That’s where success lies.

“Success leaves clues.”

- Tony Robbins

And if you follow those clues…

…you can steal them and make them your own.

That’s it for today.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this letter!

Your #1 fan,

-Elevate Start.

P.S. In case you missed it, here’s the link to “steal” social media secrets from someone who is currently doing it.

Join 18,000+ in getting brainwashed for success, discipline, and fulfillment.

Read about the Principles of Success, Psychology, Philosophy, and Unique Ideas aimed to help you grow.

Subscribe now

Discipline Is Easy. Just Stop Trying…

What’s up friend,

Discipline = Freedom.

The only thing standing between you and your goals is discipline…

But everybody knows this, right?

So why is it so difficult to be disciplined? And why has no one figured it out yet?

Well, I have figured it out….
(At least, a big part of it)

And it’s as simple as these three words:

No. More. Trying.

Either commit and do it, or don’t do it.

Yoda said it best:

“Do or do not, there is no try”

- Yoda

That’s the secret to discipline…

Now you’re probably thinking:

“What are you talking about, man? I know I need to do it. That’s the f*cking problem!”

But don’t worry, it will all make sense in a little bit…

Let’s dive in!

The Discipline Trap.

Look, we get reminded that we need discipline almost every day. (My videos do this as well. Sorry, not sorry)

But there is an issue with this…

You see, it programs us to “self-improve” as much as possible.

And while this seems like a good thing on the surface…

It can do more harm than good.

Why?

Because once you realize that you should be “improving,” it puts a lot of pressure on you.

• You know you should be meditating.

• You know you should go to the gym.

• You know you should go to bed on time.

• You know you should be working on your business.

• You name it.

But if you’re not a highly disciplined warrior like Goggins(most of us aren’t), then you won’t be able to do everything you “should.”

And there is no shame in that. It’s natural.

But when this happens, you start to lose trust in yourself and your word…

You will start thinking in terms of “trying” and “giving it a go.”

You will “try” to go to the gym every day.

You will “try” to meditate every day.

You will “try” to quit smoking.

Instead of trusting yourself and actually doing it.

You Can Think Of It Like Body vs. Mind.

Your Mind wants to change. Your Mind sets goals. It creates to-do lists. And wants to do all these great things…

But your body has to execute.

And your body is wired for survival. It’s wired for pain avoidance. It’s wired for energy preservation.

So naturally, there will be issues.

Especially, when you’re early on in your journey.

Your “body” is still weak and your willpower is low.

You start at level 1.

And this is backed by science.

The area of your brain responsible for focus and willpower is like a muscle.

It’s called "The Prefrontal Cortex”.

This part of the brain is bigger in people with more discipline and smaller in people with little discipline.

But here’s the interesting thing:

This part of your brain can “grow” and “become stronger” by doing things you don’t want to do.

This means, that performing disciplined acts - will build more discipline.

It’s like being fresh out of college:

You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to gain experience.

In the same way,

You need to do things, to build discipline - but you need discipline, to do things.

Crazy right?

But understanding this will allow you to take advantage of it…

Which is what we will do now.

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.

To get your “body” to listen to whatever you decide, you have to train your Prefrontal Cortex to handle bigger and bigger tasks.

You achieve this by doing uncomfortable things.

The Stoics understood this, and this is why they practiced something called Voluntary Discomfort.

They would occasionally sleep on the floor, take cold baths, eat bland foods, etc.

Just to strengthen their minds.

The same goes for David Goggins:

“Do something that sucks every day of your life. That’s how you grow”

David Goggins

This is truly how you build discipline.

But here’s the issue:

You have to actually do it.

This brings us back to “No More Trying”.

You have to build trust in yourself and your word and start doing things.

But you need to start small.

Begin with a level 1 task and start building trust in yourself and your word.

When you say you’re going to do something…

…do it!

“Don’t tell yourself you need to do something and then don’t do it. Those are little defeats for the mind.”

- Conor McGregor

I cannot stress this enough:

Your word is extremely important.

It has to be rock solid.

It’s even better to lower your standards and expect less of yourself - just to keep your word solid.

Find as many small tasks as possible and start stacking those wins.

This way you build trust with yourself and your word.

Don’t tell yourself you need to change the world.

Because if you keep setting humongous goals way above your league…

…you will end up not doing them. (And that’s normal)

But you will lose trust in yourself and your word.

That’s when you start saying things like:

I will “try” to go to the gym.

I will “try” to start meditating.

I will “try” to work on my business.

“I will give it a go”

This shows a broken mindset and a lack of self-trust.

Don’t Try. Either Do It Or Don’t Do It.

Stop telling yourself you need to do all these things.

Just pick a couple of simple tasks, and do them.

Slowly start building your discipline muscle.

And before you know it…

…when you tell yourself you need to do something, you will do it.

Just because of your word.

That’s the power of “No More Trying”

But don’t just take my word for it. Test it out yourself. Try to prove me wrong.

And then send me an email with your results, because you will get them…

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this letter!

Your #1 fan,

- T

P.S. If you’re serious and you want to turn your scrolling addiction into a realistic online income, click here and read this.

I’m thinking about opening a small test group.

But I don’t believe in “get rich quick”.

I believe in hard work and exploiting opportunities.

That’s what this is.

So read the letter and decide for yourself if it makes sense.

Well, it makes sense…

In real life - just like in video games - you get to upgrade your character, earn rewards, and overcome challenges.

But in video games, your challenges are scientifically designed for you.

Designed to get you into the flow state:

• The state where time doesn’t seem to exist.

• Where you perform at your absolute best.

• And where you’re having a great time.

You see, games are fun and addictive for many reasons. But one reason - is because they are masters—of what I like to call:

“Challenge Optimization.”

In most games, you start as a complete beginner(a noob).

The game will walk you through the basics and give you dummies to practice on.

Once you understand the fundamentals, you will face the first low-level obstacles or enemies.

You slowly start to understand the game and make progress…

As you make progress, the difficulty will increase. But so does your skill level.

This way, your skill level and the difficulty will(if done correctly) be a perfect match:

Not too easy, not too difficult.

A perfect balance between skill and challenge.

And because of this balance, time seems to melt away, and you're having a great time.

This is what we call:

The Flow State.

If it were too easy, you would get bored. If it were too difficult, you would get frustrated.

But somewhere in the middle? Bingo!

This is where you experience:

• Peak Performance

• Deep Focus

• Enjoyment

Well, the same is true in our lives.

But in the real world, our challenges aren’t pre-programmed like in video games.

Thus, they often fall outside of “the flow zone” and cause some serious issues…

“What Issues?” You Ask.

Well, If you don't take on meaningful challenges…

If you don’t live up to the potential you know you can…

You will get “bored”.

This can create feelings of:

• Depression

• Low Ambition.

• Worthlessness.

• Disappointment.

• And more.

But if you take on too many challenges…

…or challenges that are not yet within your capabilities - you will get frustrated.

Overwhelmed.

Or even experience anxiety.

So, if you're currently not "flowing through life”, you are either:

• Not taking on enough meaningful challenges.

  or

• Challenges that are too difficult for you at the moment. 

Now, don't get me wrong. Life is tough and we can't always decide the challenges we face.

But...

We can try to optimize them and find this "balance" I've been talking about.

So How Do We Optimize For Flow? 🕹️

1. Identify Your Zone.

• Are you bored? You might feel purposeless or have low ambition.

  or

• Are you overwhelmed? Watch out for anxiety, burnout, and stress.

2. Level Up or Down?

• Are things too easy for you? Time to level up!

  • Learn a new skill.

  • Set bigger goals.

  • Start a challenging project.

  • Work on that business idea.

• Are things too difficult? Eliminate, bridge, or break it down.

  • Can you eliminate the challenge for now?

  • Can you break it down into smaller, achievable steps?

  • Can you lower your expectations?

    It’s ok to start small.

3. Keep Playing The Game!

You grow. Challenges unfold. And sh*t happens.

Regularly assess how you stand on the Challenge Matrix. Make adjustments where needed - so you can get back to the “flow zone”!

Ready To Level Up? 🎮

Trust me, by applying the principles of “Challenge Optimization”…

...You can unlock your true potential and experience life in a brand-new way. Like a great game!

Try it out and you’ll see what I mean ;)

As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed today’s letter.

Your #1 fan,

- T

Join 18,000+ in getting brainwashed for success, discipline, and fulfillment.

Read about the Principles of Success, Psychology, Philosophy, and Unique Ideas aimed to help you grow.

Subscribe now

Dear friend and subscriber,

Here's an unpopular opinion:

You should do less.

Now, before you start throwing virtual tomatoes at me…

Let me explain.

We all have the same 24 hours, right?

So why do some people make immense progress in those 24 hours, while most people don’t? (Hint: we are most people.)

Well…

You’ll see why in a moment.

If you are reading this letter - chances are, you are ambitious. You want to build wealth, have meaningful relationships, be healthy, and gain freedom. But the truth is, tackling everything at once, can do more harm than good.

You see, like the limited 24 hours, we also have a limited amount of energy, resources, and willpower.

So we should use it wisely. Because not every task we spend our time and energy on, is time and energy well spent.

We should focus on:

High Impact Activities.

Think of the 80/20 Rule (or Pareto Principle).

This rule says that roughly 80% of consequences, come from 20% of causes.

What does this mean?

For example:

• 20% of criminals commit 80% of crimes.

• 20% of drivers cause 80% of traffic accidents.

• 20% of our efforts produce 80% of the results.

Why does this matter?

Because most of us, spend our time, energy, and resources on stuff that doesn't produce the most results. (A.K.A the 80%)

Imagine running a business.

Logo design, social media posts, website design - all important. But getting customers? That’s where the $$$ is.

Control the Center.

In chess, the person who controls the center of the board - has a significant advantage.

I will spare you the full nerdy explanation, but look at this example:

A knight in the center of the board controls 8 squares. While a knight placed in the corner - controls only 2 squares.

Just like the chessboard, your life has a "center" – the 20% that drives 80% of your progress. For example, exercising will not only help you build muscle or lose weight - It will also:

• Boost your energy.

• Reduce your stress.

• Increase your self-esteem.

• Improve your sleep quality.

• The list goes on and on…

The benefits of exercising have an impact on your business, your relationships, your overall well-being, and more. (Like the knight in the center of the board)

It’s safe to say - exercising is part of the 20%.

So exercise ;)

The key to making real progress - lies in finding the center. The 20% of tasks, habits, and skills that produce the most results. And then, relentlessly prioritize them.

Now, I’m not suggesting you abandon everything else.

Rather, you only need to prioritize the 20%. Try and work on it daily, above all else.

If life throws a curveball, It’s better to try and still do your workout - instead of tweaking your website. (Source: trust me bro)

“To be successful you don’t need to do extraordinary things, you just need to do ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

Jim Rohn

Putting it into Practice

Right now, you probably understand the importance. So let’s talk about actionable steps:

1. Identify what matters most.

For example:

Do you need to pay the bills with your business? Do you lack the mental clarity to make good decisions? Which one matters most?

2. Find the center.

Take some time to identify the tasks, habits, or skills that have the biggest impact on making progress toward this goal.

3. Break it down.

If you need to improve your sleep, this can mean:

• Go to bed at 11 pm every day.

• No screens after 9 pm.

• No caffeine after 3 pm.

Turn your big tasks into clear, daily actions.

4. Commit.

Make these tasks the focus of the day. If you've completed them, your day counts as a win - no matter what else happens. Anything extra is just the cherry on top.

Commit until it becomes a habit, or until the tasks are completed - then repeat the steps.

Take your time. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Success is often just the correct execution of simple principles.

Tony Elevate

Do less. Just more important things.

Hope you enjoyed the letter, see you next time!

Your #1 fan,

- T.

Estimated read time: 1 minute, 33 seconds

What’s up friend,

Have you ever experienced this?

You’re on a hot streak,

You haven’t missed a single workout,

You complete all your projects on time,

You almost feel like Tony Montana, ready to conquer the world…

But then, the inevitable happens…

You get sick :(

You’re too sick to go to the gym, so you stay at home.

You can’t even think straight, so you don’t work on your projects.

One day passes…

One week passes…

And just like that…

YOU’VE LOST ALL MOMENTUM.

Now imagine a rocket going out to space…

(Like this bad boy for example)

To get the rocket off the ground takes enormous effort & resources.

But once it has gained momentum, it doesn’t require even 1/10th of the initial effort to keep it going.

The same applies to your life!

And that’s why:

YOU SHOULD WORKOUT EVEN WHEN YOU’RE SICK!

Now hear me out…

If you’re almost dying, don’t go! (Obviously)

But if you’re not dying…

Go workout!

Just go through the motions.

Do the bare minimum…

As The Rock once said:

“Effort Creates Action, Action Creates Momentum, Momentum Creates Success.”

- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

And if the bare minimum feels like too much?

Pack your bag, put on your shoes, go to the gym and go home again.

(No joke!)

This will make sure you don’t lose your momentum,

As you are still performing the act of GOING to the gym!

Cheers to your momentum

Your #1 fan,

Elevate “Momentum” Start

Enjoyed this post? Subscribe to receive posts like this in your inbox for free!
👇

Subscribe