Knowledge For Men

In this episode, I interview coach Peter Wright on the Knowledge For Men team and we discuss his story and what's going on in the lives of our clients. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Learn about my coaching program for men: https://www.kfmcoach.com Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I share how to deal with confrontation, avoid anxiety, and be a stronger man Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Learn about my coaching program for men: https://www.kfmcoach.com Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I share  Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Learn about my coaching program for men: https://www.kfmcoach.com Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Learn about my coaching program for men: https://www.kfmcoach.com Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I share how relationship coaching can transform your love life, relationships and make you a stronger Grounded Man Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I discuss the 3 core differenet male personality types: alpha, beta and sigma. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I share the ultimate guide to build self love for men. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I share how to be assertive and quit being a pushover. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I share the essential traits of a high value man and how to become one. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode I share a how to survive a midlife crisis for men.  Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/   Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this video I share how to get out of an abusive relationship and how most men are completely unaware they are in one. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get Coaching: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/coaching-application Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode, I share the major benefits of a men's group and some basic structure of them, the pros and cons.  Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this video I share why Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in front of millions of people at the recent Oscars event. And how masculinity played a significant role in this ordeal.   Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode I share how men can build self love, common mistakes and consequences of not having self love for men.   Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this episode I share what to do when you feel lost, stuck and confused in life. by sharing simple strategies to get you back on track, growing and making positive changes. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/y... or go to: kfmfree.com Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future! Until next time, Andrew

In this video I share the major benefits of a confidence coach for men and how it can help you improve your life, career, social life, and romantic relationships. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future!  Until next time, Andrew

In this video I share how to find greater meaning in life for with 3 common paths and share common mistakes to avoid. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/y... Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future! Until next time, Andrew

In this video I share how to get and stay motivated to crush the day with a counterintuitive strategy that only the most successful men know. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future! Until next time, Andrew

In this video I share an honest book review of The Setup by Dan Bilzerian and the biggest lessons learned from the book and how you can apply them into your own life. I also share what I felt the book was missing and my personal recommendation to Dan to connect with his fans at a deeper level. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future! Until next time, Andrew

In this video I share how to be happy and create the life you want by breaking traditional social constructs and sharing a path forward. Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future! Until next time, Andrew

I share how to increase confidence and increase your value as a man and go against all the mainstream advice online. It's crazy how confidence is not clearly understood even by people who claim to be experts lol. This is the way forward! Access bonus training: https://success.knowledgeformen.com/youtube-dojo39986353 Get The Dating Playbook For Men: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0110VWIS4 IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewferebee/ Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you want more content like this in the future! Until next time, Andrew

Want to join my team on a mission to help men become stronger grounded man living their path and purpose and creating the lives they want!?! Listen to the instructions and find me on instagram: @andrewferebee

Jimmy Rex is among the nation's leading realtors having sold over 2000 properties and is also an investor in over a dozen companies. He is the coauthor of You End Up Where You're Heading: The Hidden Dangers of Living a Safe Life available on amazon.  Learn more about the work I do with clients helping them build their confidence, adventurous social lives and high quality romantic relationships. https://www.kfmcoach.com  

Mike Matthews shares how COVID has impacted his fitness and supplement business along with the growth he's had in recent years and key lessons on financial freedom that every man needs to consider. Check out Mike at: https://legionathletics.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B006XF5BTG Learn more about my men's coaching program helping guys reach their full potential in life and relationships: www.kfmlive.com

A great episode here diving into the mind of the cofounder of Pura Vida Bracelets Griffin Thall. He walks us through the birth of the brand and it's impact on his lifestyle, happiness and freedom. I found his insights counter to the common narrative of hustle at all costs over having a life worth living. Enjoy! Learn more about the work I do with men with building their confidence, social lives and relationships here.

Mason Thomas shares his incredible story of building Superior Labs a supplement brand from the trunk of his car to 7 figures on amazon. https://superiorlabs.com/ Learn more about how you can work with Andrew Ferebee and his coaching team to maximize the quality of your life and relationship: www.kfmcoach.com  

Gordon Miller is, without a doubt, one of the “realest” entrepreneurs I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing. Unlike the myriad of “Influencer-preneurs”, Gordon is a relatively unknown mogul who has generated multiple 9-figures across several highly technical industries and landed dozens of 7 and 8-figure government contracts. If you want to learn how to grow a business the right way, his raw, no-nonsense style will put you on the fast track to success and teach you what it really takes to build $100 million in value. Who is Gordon Miller? Gordon Miller has devoted more than 30 years to the pursuit of excellence in design and innovation. An accomplished designer and engineer in his own right, Mr. Miller first focused his attention on K-12 and higher education solutions and then corporate websites, decision support systems and now mobile applications and data aggregation. As CEO of G3 Systems, Inc. since 1993, Mr. Miller has developed a rapidly expanding base of mission-critical government projects including efforts for the US Dept. of Defense, US Navy, US Army, US Dept. of Education, US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, US Dept. of State and US Dept. of Homeland Security. As CEO of G3i Ventures, LLC, Mr. Miller has co-founded, launched or funded a total of 8 companies. Gordon’s Favorite Success Quote “You are the average of the five people that you surround yourself with most” ~Jim Rohn Key Points from my Interview with Gordon Miller 1. Your Network Determines Your Networth  Do you want to know how to really “get rich quick”? Do you want to know the fastest way to achieve massive amounts of wealth and success? It’s actually pretty simple… Level up your network. That’s it. The quickest way to exponentially increase your results in your life, your bank account, and your body is to hang around people who already have what you want and more.  When you are constantly spending time around low caliber individuals who are worried about making rent, have fixed mindsets, and who let you rest on your laurels, you will eventually become complacent and begin to stagnate and die. There’s no way around it. But if you are around people who are playing the game of life at a higher level than you are, if you are around people who are true hustlers and game changers, they will start to rub off on you. You will begin to see the world through the lens of the player instead of the spectator. More importantly, you will have access to deals, opportunities, and investments that the general public doesn’t even know about (let alone know how to take advantage of). You’ll get objective eyes on your business, no-holds-barred accountability and proven systems from men who’ve been “in the trenches” for decades. So I want you to commit right now, that no matter what happens this year, you will find a group of men who are playing the game of life at a higher level than you are and get around them. Your success depends on it. 2. Fall in Love with the Process One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they are outcome-oriented, not process-oriented. In this moment, you might think that you will find satisfaction by purchasing that big house, the yacht, or the car. But what happens after you are done? What happens when the transaction concludes and you have your “dream”? You are left to your own devices once again and asked to find fulfillment and joy in yet another set of goals and outcomes. You are constantly chasing something that you can never catch, because there is always another goal to achieve, another benchmark to hit, and another level to breakthrough. But what if I told you that you could achieve all of the joy, happiness, and fulfillment that you desire right now in this very moment? Well, you can. All you must do is learn to love the process. Learn to love the hustle and the grind as you work towards your dreams. Learn to love the work, not the rewards and your life will change forever. In my own business, I discovered long ago that my passion for writing amazing content, interviewing badasses, and changing lives supersede any financial reward or acclaim that this work offers to me. There is no tomorrow, the only time that you have is right now… So make damn sure that you are enjoying it. 3. Live Below Your Means and Put Money Away  One of the biggest mistakes made by most people in their 20’s is spending money like they will live forever. Statistically speaking, if you are under 30 reading this right now, you will likely live well past 90 years old. Do you really want to be working your ass off and hustling like a college graduate at that age? If the answer is “No” then you need to start saving and investing money, immediately.  Do whatever you need to do to set aside at least $500 a month every single month and invest it into a money market account or low-risk index fund. If you can do this, then you will be a millionaire by the time you are 60. Period. 4. Get Out There and Do It In our age of social media and hyper-connection, everyone loves to talk. They love to talk about entrepreneurship, about how they are going to start a business, about how they are going to quit their job, or how they are going to make it big. Here’s a revolutionary idea… Stop talking about it. Get out there and do it! The world belongs to those who do.  So stop running your mouth and start moving your feet. As Nike says… Just DO IT! 5. Own Your Mistakes and MOVE ON You are going to make mistakes. That is simply part of the human experience. You aren’t perfect and you shouldn’t expect to be. Mistakes are not only normal they are necessary. So learn from your mistakes and move on. Don’t dwell in the past, wishing that you could have done it differently. Decide to do it differently today. You only have the present moment, don’t waste it wishing that things could be different. They aren’t. What is done is done. All that you can do is learn from it and move on.

My buddy Matt Decelles shares how he started William Painter a popular men's sunglass brand that has taken the industry by storm. His philosophies on life, business and investment are eye opening and worth every second. Enjoy the jam! Check out: williampainter.com and @mattdecelles on twitter  Learn how to work with Andrew to improve confidence, social life and relationships: www.kfmlive.com

Bedros Keuilian is the fitness industry’s most trusted consultant. His various fitness businesses are designed to enable trainers to maximize their earning potential with revolutionary industry techniques. Before constructing his fitness empire, Bedros owned five fitness gyms at once. After revamping his business model with direct response marketing and sales techniques, he began earning profit margins totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from these locations alone. He would then go on to found Fit Body Boot Camp. As the CEO and founder of Fit Body, currently the world’s fastest growing fitness chain, Bedros practices what he preaches, implementing the same formula for success that he brings to his fitness clients worldwide. Fit Body was recently listed as one of Inc. 5000’s fastest growing businesses of 2016. Favorite Success Quotes “How you do anything is how you do everything” “Circumstances do not change responsibility” Key Points 1. Your Responsibilities Aren’t Affected by Your Circumstances The vast majority of modern men have been castrated by a societal conditioning that tells them it’s “ok” to shirk their responsibilities. Men who allow the whims of their emotions and their day to day circumstances to dictate their actions and responses. We see men who allow the whims of their emotions and their day to day circumstances to dictate their actions and responses. Fathers who ignore their duties to their children, husbands who shrug off their responsibilities to their wives, and workers who simply aren’t willing to put in the work necessary to keep their clients happy. And as a result, our society has been left scratching its head in confusion wondering “Where have all the real men gone”? The real men are still out there… They are just harder to find. They are the men who do not allow their feelings and problems to interfere with their duties. The men who provide for their families, prioritize their relationships and take care of their bodies. The men who are willing to say no to luxuries and parties now so that they can have an incredible quality of life for their family later.  Are you one of those men? 2. Resourcefulness is the Ultimate Resource Markets crash, businesses crumble, people die, and life happens. So what? The greatest breakthroughs of human history have often come in times where resources were slim and things were looking grim. But a handful of (now) iconic individuals were willing to look at the circumstances and negative situation and see it for what it was… An opportunity. You see, if you are resourceful enough, no circumstance or turmoil will prevent you from success. You can always find a way to make money and create a life of happiness and freedom for yourself. You must simply learn to look for it. Resourcefulness is your greatest resource in the tumultuous and unpredictable world that we live in. If you can learn to cultivate this trait in yourself and others, you will find a way to be successful. No matter what. 3. Despite What You’ve Been Told, Work-Life Balance Is Crucial  With the proliferation of the “Hustlers” mentality and the idea that grinding it out 24/7 365 is the only way to success, many of you are operating under the misguided belief that work-life balance is b.s. Well… It’s not. Bedros found this out first hand when, after several consecutive months of high-stress projects, he snapped and suffered from multiple anxiety attacks (initially mistaking them for heart attacks). These episodes scared Bedros into making a change and, after kicking and clawing his way through the transition, he began to ease himself out of business scenarios that he found stressful. He cut back on his time in the office, started prioritizing his health and family again, and learned to delegate and outsource like crazy. And now… He’s healthier, wealthier, and happier than ever before. Hustling your way to the top is great. Grinding and working hard are great. But they must be tempered by taking a step back and making time for yourself and your family. 4. The Quickest Way to Overcome Adversity is to Reframe It Life can suck. Things happen and circumstances outside of your control can knock you on your ass. But the quickest way to overcome any adversity is to reframe it. Learn to see challenges as opportunities. Learn to see setbacks as an opportunity to grow. Learn to see failure as education. The more that you can reframe the difficult things in life, the easier they will become. This will not make your problems go away… But it will make them easier to deal with. 5. All Success is Preceded by Risk  If you want real success, you are going to have to take real risks. End of story. For the majority of A+ players, every big breakthrough, achievement, and milestone were preceded by even bigger risks. For some people this meant a breakup, for others, taking out a line of credit to fund a business, and for others still, it was dropping out of college and pursuing their dreams of their own volition, without the help of mom and dad. For Bedros, risk has come in many forms, from turning down six-figure job offers to taking out tens of thousands of dollars in credit, to leveraging his house, to purchasing a $4 million office space. But all of these risks ended paid off in the long run. And while you are on your own unique path to success, you must remember that you will be required to take risks and make sacrifices that are uncomfortable. But when you do… You will have no choice but success. And that’s where the real magic happens.

William H. McRaven is a former United States Navy admiral who last served as the ninth commander of the United States Special Operations Command from August 8, 2011, to August 28, 2014. Since January 2015, he has served as the chancellor of The University of Texas System. McRaven previously served from June 13, 2008, to August 2011 as Commander, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and from June 2006 to March 2008 as Commander, Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR).  In addition to his duties as COMSOCEUR, he was designated as the first director of the NATO Special Operations Forces Coordination Centre (NSCC), where he was charged with enhancing the capabilities and inter-operability of all NATO Special Operations Forces. Admiral McRaven retired from the Navy on August 28, 2014, after more than 37 years of service. Favorite Success Quote If by Rudyard Kipling Key Points 1. Focus on Doing Your Duties Now  Success in life doesn’t come from focusing on what you are going to do in the future. It comes from focusing all of your attention on the tasks that are in front of you right now. Yes, you should have goals, dreams, and aspirations. However, do not allow these dreams and aspirations to rule the present moment. Instead, focus on the now, focus on what is right in front of you, focus more on the next 24 hours and less on the next 24 years. The quickest way to achieve success (whatever your definition of success might be) is to have a plan and then execute on that plan, day in and day out. Do your duties now and allow tomorrow to take care of itself. 2. You Can’t Make it Alone  Many men like to think that they are an island, they like to believe that they are the Alpha and Omega of their lives. Until one day, they are struck by the very harsh reality that they are not. No man, regardless of size, intelligence or other capability has ever “made it” on this planet by themselves. We were designed for community and teamwork. One of the fastest ways to achieve your mission, whether that is in business, in your health, or in your relationships is to surround yourself with amazing, like-minded individuals who can help support you and push you along the journey. With a tight-knit circle of influence, you will be able to accelerate your results, find your blind spots, and receive help when you are outside of your comfort zone. And more than that, you will have more fun! Life is a team sport, it’s meant to be played with other people. So eradicate the erroneous notion that real men do it alone. Build your tribe and have a blast doing it. 3. What Are You Really Made of? So often in our modern society, we are quick to judge others (and ourselves) on external factors like height, weight, attractiveness, financial success, and social capital. But we forget that our worth is defined by how much heart we have, not how much money or muscle we have. A person’s worth is defined by what’s inside. Admiral McRaven illustrates this point perfectly in his book when he shares the story of Thomas Norris, a Navy Seal who was awarded the congressional medal of honor. During training, nearly all of his classmates assumed that Tom would fail. He was short, skinny, and out of shape compared to the other men. However, Tom had a level of internal fortitude, mental strength, and heart that few men in the world display. And his bravery was exemplified repeatedly on the battlefield, especially during the infamous rescue mission that lead to his Congressional Medal of Honor. Like Tom, many of you might not be what comes to mind physically when people think of an “Alpha” or a “Real Man”. But that isn’t what matters. What are you made of? Who are you? What is your character like when everything goes wrong and your life is spiraling out of control? That is what determines your worth as a man. 4. You Are Going to Fail Read that again. You are going to fail. I don’t care how good you are, how smart you are, or how strong you are. Life will kick you to the curb and beat you senseless at some point in your existence. This isn’t a speculation. It’s fact. You are going to fail! You might not face the catastrophic failures that come to mind when you hear the word, but at some point in your life, you will be faced with a situation, a business deal, a relationship, or a physical challenge that you simply cannot surmount. So get over it. Stop letting this fear of failure rule you and accept that failure is inevitable. Failure is a sign of life, it is a sign that you are trying to push the envelope forward and a sign that you are growing into the man you need to be. So get used to failing. If you do anything of worth in this life, it is going to become a pretty common occurrence. 5. Your Bank Account Doesn’t Determine Your Success Many men operate under the flawed ideology that the more 0’s they have in their bank accounts, the more successful they are. This simply isn’t true. Yes, money is important, and you should certainly strive to earn enough to enjoy your life, be comfortable, and have enough left over to share. But it is not the end all be all to success. Who are you? How is your character? How do you treat others? How is your marriage? These are the things that determine a man’s success. If you are surrounded by good friends, have a happy, loving relationship with your wife, are in good health, and positively impact the world on a regular basis, then congratulations… You have achieved success.

Mike Sill the founder of Sunday Scaries a popular CBD brand shares his story, trials and tribulations. sundayscaries.com use promo code KFM for 20% off, discount will end soon!  Become a stronger grounded man, build a high status social life and epic dating life/relationships at kfmlive.com and Andrew Ferebee can personally coach you.

Sam Upton is an actor and writer known for his roles in The Lincoln Lawyer, Gone, and Stand Up Guys. He is also the director and main actor in his most recent movie, Gun. Favorite Success Quote “The greatest revenge is success” ~Frank Sinatra Key Points 1. No One’s Going to Give it To You We live in an era of entitlement. The current generation is filled with individuals who have never had to work for anything in their lives, never had to sweat for a goal, and never had to bleed for their dreams. When reality sets in, and they realize that life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, they panic and cry and loudly scream about how “unfair” life is. Well here’s a little newsflash. Life’s not fair… And no one gives a shit. No one cares enough about you to make your dreams happen for you. If you want something bad enough, then go and get it. Don’t ask for permission, get off your ass and go get it. The sweet nectar of success is reserved for those rare individuals just like you who make the definite decision to become the master of their own fate and the captain of their own destiny. Those individuals who are, as Theodore Roosevelt put it, “Actually in the arena with their faces marred by sweat and tears and blood.” Those are the individuals who shape the world, create great art, build massive wealth, and live a life of happiness and prosperity along the way. What about you? Are you going to bitch and moan and whine about how unfair life is, or are you going to accept your challenges and circumstances and make the definite decision to go out and get what’s yours? Only you can decide. 2. Stop Giving a Fuck  One of the greatest truths of life is this… The fewer fucks you give, the better life you will live. It’s that simple. People in the 21st century simply care too much about the wrong things. We allow the denigrating remarks of passersby’s and internet trolls to damage our self-esteem and derail our mission. We allow the opinions of people who have done next to nothing for us to determine what path we will take and what passions we will pursue. We allow the push and pull of society to rope us into lives that we never wanted to live surrounded by people that we’ve never liked working for a cause that we never believed in. And there’s a simple solution to all these problems. Stop giving a fuck. The less time and energy you allow yourself to waste on the petty garbage and insignificant opinions, the happier you will be. If you are on your purpose, on your mission, and on your path, if you are doing the things that are meaningful to you and waking up each day with a smile, then the rest can fade away into the background. 3. Unplug and Spend Time In Life  We live in such a hyper-connected world that the vast majority of people no longer experience life through their own eyes, they experience it through the lens of the latest smartphone. Instead of going out on dates and connecting with the person across from us, we waste our time Tweeting and texting and Instagramming. Instead of spending time with our wives and children, we waste our evenings surfing social media and watching B-grade, uninspiring garbage on the internet. We aren’t living anymore dammit! And it’s starting to show. Depression, loneliness, and suicide are at record highs (especially among men) and yet we continue moving through life like zombies, attached to our screens. So let me challenge you to change that. Put your damn phone down for an evening. Spend real quality time with your wife and kids. Go hang out with a friend and leave your phones at home. Spend time by yourself with your own thoughts and no stimulation (you just might come up with some phenomenal ideas). Learn to let go of the need for constant stimulation and I promise that your life will be better for it. 4. The Act of Doing Makes You a Success  As men, it is easy to tie our self-worth and perception of our own success to external things. We believe that we are only a success if we have the beautiful girl, the 7-figure business, the Lamborghini, the fame, and the body. But the truth of the matter is that the very act of doing and pursuing our goals is what makes us a success. If you are getting up every day, putting your nose to the grindstone and your shoulder to the wheel in pursuit of a higher vision and calling, then you are a success. You will not become a success when you achieve some arbitrary goal or ideal, you are a success right now so long as you are in pursuit. So long as you stay hungry, so long as you put in the work, and so long as you never give up, you can go to bed knowing that you are a success regardless of the external circusmtances in your life. 5. F*ck your Feelings and Do What’s Right  There are only two kinds of people in the world, hedonists and stoics. A hedonist does whatever it takes to feel good, a stoic does what is right whether it feels good or not… And unfortunately, we live in a time that is filled to the brim with hedonists. The vast majority of our society allow their whims, emotions, and feelings to dictate their actions instead of their dreams, visions, and moral code. And the results have been pretty catastrophic. If you want to break away from the herd, away from the men who, as Thoreau put it “Lead lives of quiet desperation” then you must master your emotions, thoughts, and actions and force yourself to do what is right even when you don’t feel like it. No… Especially when you don’t feel like it. Fuck your feelings. No one cares how you feel or what emotions are going through your head. You have a responsibility to do what is right regardless of your emotions. So quit trying to feel good and start doing good.

Robb Wolf is a former biochemist,  a health expert, and author of “The Paleo Solution” and (more recently) “Wired to Eat“. Robb is also a consultant at the Naval Special Warfare Resiliency Program. Favorite Success Quote “Fear is the mind eater” Key Points 1. Understand that We are Hard-Wired for a Different Time  One of the biggest problems facing the human race in 2017 (especially those of us living in developed countries) is not terrorism, global warming, or political turmoil… It’s evolutionary mismatch. As a society, we are becoming fatter, more depressed, more anxious, and less social than we have ever been and it is killing us. Obesity is at an all time high, suicide continues to be a leading cause of death (especially among men), more people than ever before are reliant on anti-anxiety and depression medication, and the general populous feels more disconnected than ever before. The simple reason for this is that we are not designed to live in this world. We were designed to walk dozens of miles each day, catch our own meals, live in a close-knit tribe, have regular sex, raise children and die. And nothing could look more different from how we evolved to live than how we are currently living in 2017. While there are dozens of books written on this topic and plenty of solutions to the problem, my goal here is simply to acknowledge what’s going on so that you properly understand the situation and realize that there is hope. Things can change and you can live a healthier, happier, more vibrant life than ever before… But you first have to address the problem. 2. Understand the Importance of Bio-Individuality Even though we understand the problem (evolutionary mismatch), the solution isn’t as cut and dry as one might assume. While there are certainly axiomatic principles that can help you level up your health in record time (follow your circadian rhythm, eat more real foods, and exercise more) the specifics are actually highly bio-individual. What works for one person will not necessarily work for another, because every body is different. Your body responds to substances, sleep patterns, forms of exercise, and supplementation differently from your best friend’s body which responds differently from his girlfriend’s body. This means that you must adopt a very scientific approach to your health. No, you don’t need to go full Tim Ferriss and test hormone levels every night and sleep with crazy wired machines attached to your head. You just need to realize that achieving perfect health is an individual journey and requires experimentation and testing. Try out different methods and techniques and see what works for you. 3. Take Time Each Month to Serve Others Many of you are feeling lost and off purpose. Many of you feel lonely and disconnected. And one of the primary reasons for this is that you are disconnected from other people. Most of us live our lives in a box where we are constantly focused on ourselves, our problems, and our goals. And few of us are ever willing to take a step back and get outside of that box, causing us to feel like we are on the journey alone. If you want to break out of this box, reconnect with others, and gain some perspective on your problems, then I highly recommend that you take some time each month to go volunteer and serve others. This isn’t just a philanthropic thing. Loneliness has been linked to a number of different diseases and problems. So much so that some studies claim lacking a real social circle is worse for you than smoking a pack a day. When you get out of your bubble and go serve those who are in a worse spot than you are, not only will you connect with like-minded individuals and improve your circle of friends, but you will also reframe your problems and stresses, allowing you to handle the challenges of everyday life in a much more effective manner. I know that this particular piece of advice might seem a little “out there” but I challenge you to give it a go. All it takes is a few hours a month, and not only will you be doing good for others, but you might just find your own life changing in the process. 4. Surround Yourself with People Who are Smarter than You  One of the first steps to becoming a more successful in all areas of your life is to surround yourself with people who are better than you in every area of life. If you want to improve your bank account, get around millionaires. If you want to improve your body, befriend competitive athletes. If you want to improve your love life, go hang out with the town “Casanova”. When you are intentional about surrounding yourself with the right people, you will find every area of your life accelerating. They will be able to point out your blind spots, call you on your bullshit, and elevate your thought processes to an entirely new level. Jim Rohn said it best, “You are the average of the five people you spend your time with most.” So be damn selective about who you are spending your time with. 5. Increase Your Income and Decrease Your Expenses While it might seem strange to include financial advice in an article and interview with one of the world’s leading health experts, this one piece of advice could actually have a bigger impact on your health than anything else we’ve discussed so far. How? Because quite simply, money freaking matters. When you are broke, living paycheck to paycheck, your life is harder, plain and simple. That isn’t to say that you can’t be happy, but rather that your overall quality of life is drastically diminished when you lack financial resources. When you are stressed about money, your cortisol levels will shoot through the roof, you will feel like you have less time to spend with the people that you love, you will not be able to afford the food, supplements, and gadgets that can take your health to new levels, and you will not have sufficient time to rest, recover, and recharge. In other words, you are digging yourself an early grave. So if you want to optimize your health, your relationships, and your sense of well-being, optimize your income and expenses. While the number and lifestyle will look different for everyone, a good baseline goal is $75,000/year ($100,000 for those who live in expensive cities). Even though it might be outside the realm of your imagination right now, it’s a very achievable income regardless of your current skills and abilities. And once you can regularly make this income, while reducing your expenses, and working reasonable hours, you will find that your quality of life elevates to new heights.

Mark Goblowsky is an air force veteran, career martial artist, podcaster, author, and entrepreneur. He is on a mission to help others overcome the obstacles in their life based on his own experiences. Favorite Success Quote “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years” ~Bill Gates Key Points 1. Practice Your “Kung Fu” The martial art kung fu literally translates into two words. Effort and time. And the only things that are standing between you and your goals are these two factors. If you can become a master of Kung Fu, a master at putting in the effort over time, you will succeed. We all want to achieve great things, we all want a great life. We want the business, the relationships, and the body. And you can have it! You can have it all. But you must be willing to approach life through the lens of Kung Fu. Put in the effort, be patient with the time, and you will succeed. Because at the end of the day, time is going to pass whether you are doing what you love and pursuing your goals or not. So stop worrying about the outcome and get busy doing what you need to do to create the life that you want to live. If you are willing to be patient, to stick through it when times are tough, and to trudge forward even in the face of adversity, at the end of the day, you will be successful. No one who was truly committed to their craft, dream, or ambition for more than a decade fails. You will have failures along the way, yes. But at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done if you are willing to keep doing the work year in and year out especially when it’s hard, you will succeed. 2. If You Aren’t Happy on the Journey You Won’t Be Happy at the Destination There is a pervasive myth in society that “One day” we will be happy. We believe that when we finally have the six pack, the 7-figure company, the beautiful girlfriend, the house on the beach or the sports car then we will be happy. But the truth is that happiness can be experienced right here and now. And not only can it be experienced now, it must be experienced now. Because if you are not happy on the journey, you will rarely find happiness at the destination. If you cannot learn to be happy while you are building your business, you will not be happy when you sell it for $10 million. If you cannot learn to be happy while you are training your body and building your physique, you will not be happy when you finally attain the look you’ve been longing for. If you cannot allow yourself to be happy while you work to find the woman of your dreams, no relationship will ultimately satisfy you. Happiness is a choice, and if you aren’t choosing to be happy along the journey, you will arrive at the destination and wonder “Is this it?” 3. Resistance Gives You Strength  Most of you reading this want to become stronger. In all areas of your life. But what most of you don’t realize is that strength doesn’t come from ease. If you go to the gym every single day of your life from now until you die and all you do is push against the air, you will never get stronger, you will never build a strong body, and you will never force your muscles to grow. To become stronger, you must push against resistance, you must struggle, you must sweat, and you must bleed. And this doesn’t just apply to the gym. If you want your relationship to be stronger, you will have to face resistance. You cannot have a thriving marriage and never face adversity together. Because it is in times of struggle when love is truly born. It’s only when your marriage is facing resistance in some form or another that it is strengthened. In your business, you will never achieve success if you stay in your comfort zone and never face resistance. Success in business mandates failures. It mandates struggles and resistance that force you to grow, adapt, and evolve with the times. So embrace resistance, for it gives you strength. 4. Understand What is Truly Important  When Mark’s son was a young boy, he and his mother were in a terrible hit and run car accident with a semi-truck. His son suffered from a traumatic brain injury and now suffers from disabilities that will affect the rest of his life. When he got the call that his son was in a coma, how do you think Mark responded? Did he say “Gee, that really sucks… But I’ve got to finish up this project at work” Or “Wow! I will be there later, but I just really need to close this client… They’re worth a lot of money.” Hell no! He dropped everything in his life and was by his son’s side 24/7 for four months. Nothing, not his business, not his finances, not even his health got in between him and his child. And it is in times of severe duress that we realize what is truly important. Most of us spend our lives chasing external validation that is ultimately pointless instead of spending time on what really matters… The people that we love. Yes, you should want to be successful. Yes, you should want to be healthy, wealthy, and wise. But what’s the point if the people you love aren’t there to share it with you. Understand the importance of family, friends, and love and make that your focus in life. Everything else is dust in the wind. 5. When Hope Disappears, So Does Action You must always keep hope, no matter how grim the circumstance. And by hope, I don’t mean positive thinking. Hope is a powerful acronym that you must remember when life becomes hard. Here and now. Opportunity Perseverance Enthusiasm If you wish to keep moving forward and succeeding in life, you must live in the here and the now, you must always look for opportunities in adversity, you must push through adversity, and maintain a constant enthusiasm for success. When you lose hope, you lose the ability to take action. And when you stop taking action… You wither away and die. Never lose hope.

New style episode here hanging with my friend and former client Dave Anderson.  Interested in working with me to become a stronger grounded man? Watch the presentation: www.kfmlive.com

Update on where I've been and some of the recent events i've been going through. Link mentioned on the show: www.kfmlive.com

Leah Guy is an intuitive transpersonal healer, spiritual teacher, professional speaker, and media personality. She has developed a framework to help people transform trauma and pain into peace and wholeness. Using her personal triumphs in addition to more than two decades of working with clients, she has helped people move from fear and disconnection to heart-centered and peaceful living. She is a sought-after inspirational speaker who has appeared on major media outlets as an expert on topics such as meditation, the mind-body connection, energy medicine and chakra balancing, intuition and addiction as well as emotional and spiritual healing. Her down-to-earth, honest and often humorous approach makes her one of the most accessible leaders in the field. Known as The Modern Sage, she is the owner of two companies, Modern Sage, LLC and A Girl Named Guy Productions, LLC, a lifestyle media company. Favorite Success Quote “Fear is our greatest teacher” “To risk nothing is to risk even more” Key Points 1. You Must Continually Embrace Risk  One of the most underrated characteristics of all great people (men and women) is their willingness and enthusiasm to embrace risk. You see, life doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. Good things don’t come to those who sit on their ass and avoid adversity. Success, happiness, and true fulfillment come from facing and overcoming risks on a daily basis. And by “Risk” I don’t mean jumping out of airplanes, quitting your job with no backup plan, or getting a divorce because you haven’t worked on the relationship and you’re unhappy. I mean the simple, small, and uncomfortable risks that make you a better human being. Even seemingly small things can have a huge impact on your life. For some of you, you need to take the risk of taking up a meditation practice. You’re scared to sit by yourself and be with your thoughts, you are terrified of what will come up when you silence yourself and truly listen to your inner voice. You’re scared of what will happen if you actually take the time for yourself to be objective and listen to your heart. And you must take that risk. For some of you, you need to risk the “humiliation” and discomfort of resuming a regular workout routine. You might be scared of what other people will think, scared of how hard it will be, or scared that others will judge you. And you must embrace that risk. And for many of you, there is a much more painful risk that you need to face, maybe it is the risk of quitting a job, leaving a relationship, or relocating yourself. Whatever that risk might be… Do it. Because when you overcome risks, you grow, you become the person that you were meant to be and you 2. Learn to Successfully Fail We have a societal misconception about what success truly means. Most people assume that one is only “successful” if everything goes right. If they have the 7-figure business, the beautiful woman, the jaw-dropping physique, and the house on the beach. But in actuality, your level of success is in direct proportion to the effort that you are devoting to a specific task. For example, if you are trying to grow a business, your success isn’t determined by the bottom line at the end of the quarter, it’s determined by whether or not you were showing up fully present and willing to give your all each and every day. If you come to work, hustle your ass off, leave nothing on the table, and haven’t generated your desired results yet then you can still rest easy knowing that you are a success because you are taking action. The same thing applies to your relationships, health, and finances. As long as you are putting your best foot forward, as long as you are not holding back, as long as you are exerting maximum effort, you are a success whether you have the results yet or not. And when you shift your paradigm around success, you can also shift your paradigm around failure. Failure is no longer defined as “Something not working out”. That’s called a learning opportunity. In fact, “Failures” in business, relationships, and life are necessary to your success. And if you are working your hardest then you can consider any mishap or pitfall along the journey to be a “Successful Failure” You have only truly failed when you have given up or withheld your true power. And if you can become a master at successfully failing in life, then you will be a master of life. 3. Break the Cycle Many of you reading this are in a rut. You are unmotivated, uninspired, and unsure of your next step. And that’s ok.  But it’s not ok for you to stay in that place. You must commit today to break that cycle. And to break out of this cycle requires you to do things that you may never have done before. One of the best ways to break your current cycle is to commit today to serving something to serve someone else. Seriously, take a step back from your own problems and your own headspace and go serve someone in needs. It’s not to say that your issues are not valid, but when you focus on serving others, the struggles that you are facing in your everyday life are immediately put into perspective and you begin to remember just how truly blessed you are. 4. You’ve Gotta “Let it Out”  Look, gentlemen, you need to let it out. Whatever it is. You see, most men hold so much tension and frustration in their chest and they just keep it there, repressing those feelings and never truly freeing themselves from it. Whether it’s the daily stress of work, an unresolved emotional issue you must deal with, or troubles at home. Just let it out. Get in the car and scream at the steering wheel. Curse, yell, spit, and swear all you need to, but just get that shit off your chest. Then once you’ve released that energy, go and talk to someone. Spend some time really delving into the issues that you are facing and allow someone else to come in and shed their light on your circumstances. This one little tip might just change your life. 5. Time Doesn’t Solve a Damn Thing  Time never has, and never will solve a damn thing. The only problem that time solves is the problem of existence. Time will eventually kill you and solve all of your problems, but until the day that it does, only “you” can solve your problems. It’s time for you to step up and look in the mirror. Face the music and face your problems. Whether you have unresolved trauma, a struggling career, a lousy marriage, or deep internal wounds from childhood…. Time won’t solve it. Only you can solve your problems, and you must start by admitting that you have problems to solve. Talk to a mentor, coach, or friend about the problems you are facing and commit to taking small daily actions towards the solutions.

Steve Taylor is the author of several best-selling books on psychology and spirituality and is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University. For the last five years, he has been included in Mind, Body, Spirit magazine’s list of the ‘100 most spiritually influential living people.’ His books include Waking From Sleep, The Fall, Out of the Darkness, Back to Sanity, The Calm Center and his latest book The Leap: The Psychology of Spiritual Awakening. His books have been published in 19 languages, and Eckhart Tolle has described his work as ‘an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present.’ Steve has a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology and teaches on ITA professional’s on-line MSc in Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology. His articles and essays have been published in over 40 academic journals, magazines, and newspapers. He writes the popular blog ‘Out of the Darkness’ for Psychology Today magazine. Steve lives in Manchester, England with his wife and three young children. Favorite Success Quote “Finally, it’s clear that fulfillment isn’t a place to seek but the place from which you are seeking That wholeness isn’t a distant future goal but your closest present state And no matter how much success you accumulate or how much failure trails behind you, it’s always enough just to be alive.“ Key Points 1. The Present is All You Have We do not live in a society that values presence. Everything, and I do mean everything, that is pushed on us in the modern world is designed to take us out of the present moment and transport us to some imaginary plane that doesn’t truly exist. Each and everyday big companies inundate us with desires for all sorts external garbage that does little to truly fulfill our deepest desires. Instead of living each moment fully and savoring the sweetness of life, we are constantly in a rush to buy the latest gadget, follow some new trend, or keep up with the Joneses. And in this rush to keep up appearances and live for future goals, we forget to enjoy what is happening right now. Because at the end of the day, the present is truly all that you have. If you are chasing a future goal, you are still chasing it in the present. If you are reminiscing about the past, you are still doing so in the present. But we rarely take the time to sit back and embrace the present moment. We rarely notice the trees swaying in the wind, or the soft sounds of our partner sleeping next to us, or the feeling of the cold hardwood underneath our feet. And when we ignore the present moment, we are ignoring our lives. Because the present is all that we have. 2. Get Recentered  No matter how much you focus on being present, the challenges and struggles of modern life will derail you and cause you to lose your center. And when you find this happening, it is imperative that you take a step back and get recentered. Go for a swim, take some time to go on a run, and pay attention to your sensations. If it is feasible, the best way to find your center and bring more presence into your life is travel. Whenever you travel, everything is new and exciting, it’s like being a child all over again. You don’t know what to expect around the next corner, you aren’t sure what each day will bring, and you are constantly living in a state of wonder and awe. It is truly the best way to bring presence back into your life and find the balance that you have been searching for. And it doesn’t have to be a wild trip either. Just a 2-hour drive can take you to a city or a state that you have never visited before and provide you with a plethora of opportunities to explore and rekindle that child-like wonder and amazement. 3. Focus on “Being” Instead of “Doing” In today’s society, men are conditioned from birth to be “Doers”. We are told to get sh*t done, to make things happen, to hustle, and to grind. And all of those things are great. But they are only one part of the puzzle. The other piece that most men miss is to learn the art of “Being”. Learning to simply sit with yourself, your thoughts, and your current circumstances and to be ok with them regardless of how society might view them. When you focus on being, you will begin to realize that simply drawing breath, that simply having a pulse, simply existing is enough. Being alive is the greatest gift there is, the greatest truth that you can seek, and the greatest goal that you can achieve. And guess what? You’ve already achieved it. 4. Spiritual Awakening is Not About Bliss  All too often, mainstream culture assumes that spiritual awakening is about achieving “Nirvana” or “Bliss” where all of your problems disappear and life is just a constant flow of joy and internal peace. But the true nature of spiritual awakening is not the absence of problems, but rather a greater understanding, acceptance, and capacity to deal with those problems. When you open your eyes to the world of spiritual awakening, your problems will not magically disappear. You will still have bills to pay, a family to care for, issues in your relationships, and physical ailments. However, because you have devoted the time and energy necessary to become more awakened, you will be able to approach these problems from a different space. Instead of being controlled by the problems, you will see them for what they really are and be able to handle them more adeptly and with more peace. 5. Spirituality is About Valuing What You Have At the end of the day, the ultimate lesson of spirituality, presence, enlightenment or whatever else you want to call it is simple… Value what you have in this moment. Some of the most spiritual people I know haven’t meditated a day in their lives, they’ve never read any of the sacred texts, and terms like “enlightenment” seem foreign to them. But they have a deep appreciation and gratitude for what they have. Instead of focusing on what they want and what they don’t have, they find peace and comfort in counting the blessings that already fill their lives. And if you take nothing else away from this interview take that one lesson. Valuing what you already have and being grateful for each breath you take is the ultimate form of enlightenment.

Brett McKay is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Art of Manliness, the largest independent men’s lifestyle magazine on the web with over 10 million monthly page views. Brett earned a degree in Letters (with a focus on Classics) from the University of Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Tulsa College of Law. He lives with Kate, his wife and AoM’s Executive Editor, and their two children in Tulsa, OK. When he’s not talking or writing about manliness, Brett enjoys barbell training and spending time outdoors. Favorite Success Quote “Be useful, not important.” Key Points 1. Focus on Being a Man of Value  We live in a society where everybody wants to be “Somebody.” And while there is nothing inherently wrong with ambition or a drive to become successful, in our modern, ego-driven culture, this desire for fame and recognition has begun to supersede our desire to provide real value as men. We are more worried about our status on Facebook and the number of fans we have on Instagram than the quality of the work that we are producing on a daily basis. And it’s gotta stop. Success is the result of doing your work and doing it with excellence. It’s the result of trying to find ways to serve others, instead of constantly serving yourself. And the sooner that we can embrace this axiomatic truth, the sooner we will be able to live richer, healthier, and more abundant lives. It’s not about you. It’s about the impact you have on others and the legacy that you leave. 2. The Worst Rarely Happens  Mark Twain is often quoted as saying I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. And while the quote itself might have been uttered tongue in cheek, it’s relevance to our modern lives cannot be understated. Yes, you are going to face challenges in your life, you will face difficulty, adversity, pain, and suffering. It’s an inevitability. But the vast majority of your internal worries will never come to fruition. As a society, we spend time locked inside of our heads, mentally plugging through the “What if’s” and “Oh no’s” until our blood pressure is through the roof and our anxiety levels critical. To be an effective risk taker and leader, you must learn to discern between genuinely possible worst-case outcomes and unlikely disasters. Yes, if you quit your job to go full time with your side hustle, it is possible that you might lose everything, go bankrupt, become homeless, and eat out of garbage cans until Elon Musk saves humanity. But it’s not very likely. Chances are, even the worst failure would simply require you to find a new corporate job, live at home for a while, and rebuild yourself from the ground up. There is an element of risk in everything worth pursuing. And as a man, you must learn to cull your fear and worries and realize that despite the perceived risk, the big, scary, life-altering disaster of an outcome that you fear is unlikely at the least and downright laughable at most. 3. Toughen Your “Mental Hide”  With the wide reach of the internet, it is all but impossible to do anything of worth without attracting negative criticism and denigration. Keyboard warriors and airsoft commandos abound, each of them offering a different (and graphically detailed) opinion about why you suck and should immediately quit at your current endeavors. It doesn’t matter whether you are creating products, offering information, or detailing your journey through life… If you do anything for long enough, you are going to have to haters. So what is a man to do? While it might be uncomfortable and difficult, there is certainly merit in accepting and responding to constructive criticism that offers genuine value to you and your brand. However, the vast majority of the emails, comments, and posts that you will find littering your inbox and social platforms are not constructive, they are simply the result of disgruntled individuals with an abundance of time and a lack of common sense. In these situations, you must simply learn to toughen your mental hide. Not everyone will like you. In fact, if you do anything well enough, some people will hate you. And that is ok. You must learn to ignore the haters and stay focused on your dreams and mission. When others try and knock you off course, or make wild accusations, you should learn to take it as a sign that you are doing something right. Because it is a rare occurrence for a man offering little value to attract much attention (positive or negative). So build your mental resilience and learn to be ok with the haters. 4. Focus on Adaptability Not Effectiveness One of the greatest struggles for men of a high caliber is learning to embrace adaptability over effectiveness. Yes, you should have routines and rituals built into your daily life that allow you to create and contribute at a high level, but you must remember one simple truth… Life happens. Things don’t always go according to plan. People get sick, cars break down, the weather changes, you get food poisoning, and your kids get into fights at school. When events like this happen, learning to go with the flow and adapt is paramount not only for success but also for mental well-being and stability. You will not always be able to stick to your morning routine, you will occasionally have to sacrifice your hour of uninterrupted work time to tend to a family emergency, you won’t always be able to get to the gym… And that’s ok. Learn to be like water. Flow from one task and “tragedy” to the next without missing a beat and your quality of life will increase ten-fold. 5. Just Do Something  If you are struggling in life right now, if you are on the fence if you have been wanting to get started on a dream for years but you don’t know where to start… start by doing something. Anything! One of the immutable laws of the universe is that a body in motion will tend to stay in motion, and once you get yourself in gear and begin taking action, you will find that the remaining pieces will begin to fall into place. Want to get in shape but you feel lost in the sea of diets, fads, and “scientifically proven” workouts? Go for a run and do 20 pushups and figure the rest out from there. Want to start a business but don’t know how? Buy a website, write a short ebook, and start creating content and figure the rest out from there. When you start walking, the path will be revealed. But you must start by getting up, lacing your shoes, and taking that first step.

MJ DeMarco is the current founder of Viperion Publishing Corp., a media company focused on online and print content distribution. He also is admin/founder for The Fastlane Forum, the webs’ leading destination forum for start-up, finance, and entrepreneurial business discussions. He was the former start-up Founder/CEO of Limos.com (1997-2007), a global ground transportation aggregator and marketplace that he successfully built and grew into a profitable multimillion dollar company, all with no money, no formal training, and with just a few employees. In 2001, he sold the company and later reacquired the company via bankruptcy reorganization. He later sold the company again in 2007 to a Phoenix-based private equity company. He has authored two best-selling books including The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime and UNSCRIPTED: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Entrepreneurship, his most recent work about the current landscape of life, liberty, and entrepreneurship. You can connect with him and learn more at http://www.mjdemarco.com/ Favorite Success Quote “If you accept conventional wisdom from conventional people living conventional lives. Can you expect to be anything other than conventional?” Key Points 1. Wake Up and See Through the Matrix  You have been lied to. By the government, your parents, and all of society. I am not propagating a conspiracy theory, just sharing the facts. From the day that you are born, you are inundated with a bullshit script that tells you to go to school, get all A’s, go to college, get a safe job, sock aside 10% of your income and invest in mutual funds, skip the lattes, blah, blah, blah…. I am here to tell you… It doesn’t freaking work! How many multi-millionaire 65-year-olds do you know? How many wildly wealthy retirees have you met (who worked a dead-end job for the past 40 years)? And more importantly, if you have met any of these people how many were happy and fulfilled? How many were free? The script that you were fed since childhood doesn’t work. So it’s time to wake up and flip the script. If you want freedom, if you want to retire, if you want to live a life that you actually enjoy, a life where you aren’t giving up 5 days of your life in exchange for 2 (a pretty shitty ROI if you ask me) then the first step is simply acknowledging that there is a problem with the script you have been fed. Wake up, see through the matrix, and be ready to take the action required to change it. 2. The Rich Don’t Get Rich from the Script… They get rich from preaching the script! One of the biggest misconceptions about success is that the rich achieved their current success levels by following the script you see laid out for you. They didn’t. They got rich by preaching the script. They got rich by selling you on the idea of mutual funds (which they own) and stock market investments (which they control). They didn’t get rich investing in any of those things themselves, they got rich by selling that garbage to you. While compiling research for his new book, MJ examined some advice being given by Forbes.com on the topic of long-term financial wealth. The article in question was recommending a long-term mutual fund strategy starting as young as possible. Then MJ decided to see how many Forbes cover models had actually followed that advice to get rich. The results? Zero, nada, zilch. None of the world’s rich and powerful had eaten their own dog food or taken the medicine they were prescribing to everyone else. Just because you see Warren Buffet or Charlie Munger providing you with an investing strategy reliant on a long term yield of 8% doesn’t mean that it’s a strategy they actually leveraged to create their own wealth. When you are cognizant of this you will be much more wary about who you take advice from and why. 3. Learn to Provide Relative Value on a Massive Scale and You Will Become Rich  Do you want to know the secret to becoming rich? Even the secret to getting rich quick? Well, listen up… I am about to share it. Provide relative value on a massive scale. If you do this, you will become rich, and chances are, you will become rich a helluva lot quicker than you would have playing the “Get rich slow” game. But how does one go about providing relative value? It’s actually a lot simpler than you might think. The first step is to identify a problem or an inefficiency in the marketplace. If you see a problem and you have the ability to fix it, you have found your “in”. Furthermore, if you look at an already “saturated” market and you notice that there are numerous inefficiencies in the day to day operations (customer service, fulfillment, product quality etc.) you can use this knowledge to break into an otherwise full market. 4. Happiness Comes from Autonomy Not Money  So many people assume that more money will make them happy. That going from $20,000 to $200,000 to $2,000,000 will drastically boost your happiness and levels of fulfillment. And yes, money matters. In fact, it matters a lot. And to a certain extent, money will make you happy. However, if you look at the research compiled by the leading experts in the field of psychology, after about $70,000 a year ($110,000 for those of you living in more expensive cities) increasing your income will not drastically increase happiness. Increasing your autonomy and freedom, however, will. Your levels of happiness are directly correlated to the amount of freedom that you have in your life. Do you have the power to choose when you wake up? Do you have the power to choose when you work and what you work on? Do you have the power to choose who you work with? Your end goal should be to work until the answer to all of the above questions is a resounding yes. Because if it’s not, even $10,000,000 in the bank won’t make you happy. 5. You Only Achieve Balance Through Imbalance  Do you want a balanced life? A life where you have the freedom to devote plenty of time to your body, your family, your wife, your kids, and your hobbies? Great! So does everyone else. But if you want to achieve balance, then you must first commit to several years of imbalance. You can only achieve balance when you are willing to put in the sacrifices up front to generate the money you need to live the life you want. It’s that simple. No one became a millionaire working 35 hours a week, spending their mornings doing hours of meditation, and having lazy afternoons with their spouse. They became a millionaire by working 12 hours a day 7 days a week for 2-3 years and then sitting back and reaping the rewards of those few years for the rest of their lives. So if you want balance, commit to a period of imbalance. The people who truly love you will weather the storm and stick with you through it all.

Ryan Blair is a serial entrepreneur who established his first company at age twenty-one and has since created and actively invested in multiple start-ups. As the CEO of ViSalus, he took the company from start-up to more than $1.6 billion in cumulative sales and was named Ernst & Young’s 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year. His first book, Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain, was a number one New York Times bestseller. He lives in Los Angeles. Key Points 1. The First Step to Transforming Your Life is Transforming your Environment If you are really ready to change your life, accelerate your results, and achieve your dreams, then the first step that you must take is to radically transform your environment. There is an old saying that environment is stronger than willpower, and I believe it to be true. If you are constantly around low ambition individuals who spend their weekends getting hammered, stoned, and watching Netflix, then how can you really expect to rise above your environment and excel at a high level? The first step on your journey to success is to change your environment. If your friends are bringing you down, get new friends. If you’ve never lived outside of your small town where everyone knows one another and success is frowned upon, move the hell out of there. Change your environment as quickly as possible, put in the work, and you will find yourself achieving at levels you previously thought impossible. 2. Go Give Back to Someone Who Has it Worse than You Do  If you are reading this article right now, then you are blessed. If you woke up this morning and didn’t have to wonder where your next meal would come from, then you are blessed. If you even have the eyesight and cognitive function to comprehend this interview, then you are blessed. And yet, despite the abundance in our everyday lives, many of us take our blessings for granted. And as a result, we whine and moan about the most trivial things, never taking responsibility and never stepping up to the plate. It’s time to step up and step out of your own circumstances. Go volunteer with Habitat for Humanity or some other cause that will get you around people who are less fortunate than you are. Save up for a few months and go do a volunteer trip to Haiti, then come back and complain to me about how slow your iPhone 6 is. In our Western society, we don’t suffer from a lack of resources or a lack of opportunity. We suffer from a lack of perspective. And the only way to get a better perspective is to get out of your current environment and go serve other people who are suffering more than you are. So I want to challenge you to find somewhere that you can volunteer this week. Go serve food at a soup kitchen, go build homes for low-income families, go serve the homeless in downtown. Go do something that will remind you just how lucky you are. When you return to your daily life, I would bet my last dollar that you will do so with a better attitude and a sense of gratitude. 3. Base Your Goals on the Value you Want to Offer Something that you will find on your journey to success is that the universe has an odd habit of conspiring to help those who conspire to help others. If you find that you are constantly unable to meet your financial goals, then chances are, your focus is almost entirely on yourself. You think “God, I want to make $100,000 so that I can enjoy a better quality of life, nicer things, and fancier dinners.” And yet for the fourth year in a row, your company is stuck at $60,000. I want to challenge you to think about your goals differently. Instead of saying “How much money can I make?” Ask yourself the question “How much money do I want to give away? And who do I want to help?” I don’t know what it is, but when you change your goal from “I want to earn $100,000 to so I can buy my new Jaguar F-Type” to “I want to earn $200,000 so that I can give away $70,000 to build schools in Guatemala” the universe will come to your aid and present you with opportunities that seem inexplicable. So I want to challenge you to start focusing on others. Begin to look at money as a flow of energy that enables you to help other people and improve their quality of life. Yes, you should have more than enough for yourself and enjoy a great quality of life. But you should also seek to give away 10X the value of what you have earned. Adopt this attitude for 18 months, and I can promise that your life will never be the same. 4. Constantly Level Up Your Social Circle  Jim Rohn, the father of personal development said it best “You are the average of the five people whom you associate with most.” And while this axiom of success has likely been repeated more times than any of us care to recount, so few of you reading this will actually internalize the message. Right now, I want you to pull out a pen and paper and take stock of your current circumstances. Everything, from your health, your finances, your fulfillment, and your relationships. Now, I want you to pull out a separate sheet of paper and write down that same list of circumstances for your five closest friends. If I was a gambling man, I would bet that the lists look pretty similar. Proximity is power, and if you are serious about achieving your dreams and reaching the levels of success that you desire, then you need to constantly level up your social circle and spend time around people who are smarter, better, and more successful than you. 5. Ask for Help As men, it’s easy to let our pride stand in the way of our fulfillment and growth. It’s easy to say “I’m fine” and block out the outside world. What’s difficult is to be real. It’s difficult to be honest with the important people in your life and tell them the truth. The truth that you aren’t alright, that everything isn’t ok, and that you are feeling pretty messed up right now It’s difficult to ask for help. But until you are willing to hang up your ego and talk with someone else, you will never overcome the challenges standing in your way. You must be willing to let go of your pride and speak the truth. Because when you do, the universe will come to your aid and the people who truly care about you will help lift you up and raise you to new levels.

After amassing over 30 million views on YouTube by producing a video every day for a year, Jaret Grossman has quickly become sought after as one of the world’s best life coaches and business consultants. Jaret’s world class advice is drawn from his early childhood woes and muscular transformation. As an 8th grader, Jaret was only 90 pounds, won only one wrestling match, and was constantly picked on and bullied. He progressed to become one of New York’s best wrestlers and eventually became a 3x All-American at Bryant University. After he pursued a career in law or investment banking, Jaret realized his passion lied elsewhere. While finishing up his JD degree, Jaret started up a health and fitness brand with his childhood friend Richie Allen. The two of them built the Muscle Prodigy presence to over 300,000 unique visitors per month, over 1 million social media followers, and topped the charts with several iTunes albums. Favorite Success Quote “He that gives should never remember and he that receives should never forget.” Key Points 1. Absorb What is Useful Discard What is Not  In our modern society, it seems like everyone with a blog or a YouTube channel is trying to peddle the “One weird Secret to Success” or “Top Tips for Financial Freedom”. And while many of these platforms provide valuable sources of information, people often mistake general principles for universal truths. Every person is different. We all have different goals, dreams, aspirations, and definitions of success. So you must learn to pick and choose the advice that you follow. Absorb useful information from a variety of sources, use what works for you and discard what doesn’t. Over the years, as you continually try new things, succeed, fail, and figure out what works for you, you will develop a formula for success and fulfillment that is uniquely your own. Do not waste your time trying to pursue other people’s goals and dreams. Take the advice that is relevant to your life and goals, and ignore the rest. 2. Become a Generalized Specialist  If you want to be a successful entrepreneur  (or successful in any area of life) then you must commit yourself to becoming a generalized specialist. This means that while you should only strive for mastery in a small handful of skills, you should seek to be competent in a wide variety of disciplines. Think of your life like mixed martial arts. You can pick one discipline to master like Brazilian Ju Jitsu, Muay Thai, or Boxing. But you should be competent in all of the disciplines because you are only as strong as your weakest link. Success as an entrepreneur requires competence in sales, marketing, leadership, communication, accounting, time management, and technology among many others. And while you don’t have to master every area, you must have a strong grasp and understanding of the nuances behind each one. 3. Focus On Your Life Not Other People’s Lives  The greatest trap that high achievers fall into is the trap of comparison. Once you make your first $100,000, you begin comparing yourself to people making $1,000,000. Once you make your first $1,000,000, then you begin comparing yourself to people making $10,000,000 and so on and so forth. But when you compare yourself to others, you denigrate your own success and sabotage your potential. There will always be someone who is doing better than you. Someone who is richer, someone who is smarter, someone who is more athletic. It doesn’t matter how great you become, there will always be someone who is better than you at something.  That’s just how the world works. And if you fall prey to the comparison trap, you will never attain fulfillment, you will never be happy, and you will never enjoy your life because you will constantly be comparing yourself to people who are on a different path. So focus on your life. Focus on success as you define it. Don’t worry about other people’s achievements. Focus on doing your own thing, and the rest will fall into place. 4. Get Crystal Clear Clarity on Your Goals The first step to achieving success, whatever that means for you, is gaining crystal clear clarity on exactly what you want, when you want it, and why you want it.    You can achieve anything that you set your mind to, but you must first know exactly what it is that you want to achieve. And when I say “Get clarity” I mean clarity.  Saying that you want to be rich isn’t clarity. Setting the goal of starting an online marketing firm that generates $84,000 a month in net profit while you only work 45 hours a week… That’s clarity. So take some time and get crystal clear on what you want in all areas of your life. What does your ideal day look like? Who do you spend your time with? How much time do you devote to work? What is your health like? Really sit down and ask yourself what you truly want out of life. Then once you know what you want, figure out why you want it. There’s an old saying in the personal growth community that says, “With a strong enough why, you can figure out any how.” And no statement could be more true. When you know what you want and you have a powerful list of reasons why you want it, you will figure out a way to make it happen. 5. Understand that Success is More than Money  It seems like we live in a society that values one thing and one thing only… The almighty dollar. And don’t get me wrong, money is important. It gives you freedom, options, and the ability to live a lifestyle that will help you feel fulfilled and on fire. But it is not the end all be all of life. Money is just a small part of the puzzle. If you want to live a life of true joy and fulfillment, then you must take a holistic approach to success. Jaret recommends that everyone focus on 8 pillars of life and success. Mission: Why you are doing what you are doing Abundance: Your finances and long term wealth Family: Your relationships with the most important people in your life Foundation: Your mental and physical well being Control: The amount of freedom that you have to do the things you want to do Connection: Your relationship with whatever higher power you believe in (even if it’s just mother nature or your connection to society) Wisdom: Your skill sets and ability to learn new things Legacy: How you want to be remembered and the impact that you want to leave behind When you consciously develop each of these 8 pillars, you will begin to find yourself feeling on fire and on purpose. But if even one pillar is crumbling, the other 7 will begin to slowly deteriorate in tandem. So take stock of where you are today and where you want to be. Then start taking the action necessary to develop your life into a living breathing masterpiece of true success.

Julian Kaufmann is an energy expert, entrepreneur, and author. Julian helps people get more out of life by applying science and universal spiritual truths to get more done by using less energy. After his own spiritual awakening led him to discover the 4-flowgates for increasing your personal power, Julian wrote Let Go, Let It Flow – The PATH To Peace and Personal Power. This groundbreaking work teaches us how to apply Julian’s Theory of Conductivity in our life and more fully express and share our true gifts with the world. We are infused with abundant energy but unfortunately, we often waste our precious resources. As a result of our mismanagement of our life energy, our life’s work often suffers. Energy is the ability to do work and our life’s work is a measure of how efficiently and effectively we manage our energy. Favorite Success Quote “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.” Julian’s P.A.T.H. Julian operates his entire life, and wrote his new book around a simple but powerful concept known as “The P.A.T.H.” It is Julian’s belief that in this fast paced hectic world, a world that is constantly trying to distract and derail us from what is truly important this simple, four-step framework is the key to living a truly abundant and fulfilling life. The acronym stands for Presence, Acceptance, Thankfulness, and Helping. 1. Presence Pick up your phone for me. Now scroll through your applications and tell me how many notifications and messages are weighing down your device. It’s a lot, right? This isn’t an accident. In our modern era of iPhones, instant messaging, and unavoidable advertising, the powers at be have made a very conscious effort to keep your focus distracted, your attention captured, and your mind occupied. I’m not talking about the Illuminati or some wild conspiracy theory. I am just talking about the facts. Red Crown Marketing reported that the average adult will be exposed to upwards of 4,000 advertisements per day… and that’s being conservative. And this figure is just talking about paid advertising! It doesn’t even take into account the seemingly endless stream of social media updates, blog posts, and “New Releases” on Netflix. So with all of these different forces vying for your attention, is it any wonder why we live in an ADHD society whose attention span is rapidly decreasing to less than that of a goldfish? Of course not. And this is where we run into problems. Depression and anxiety are at an all-time high, suicide (especially among men) is on the rise, and general dissatisfaction with life continues to soar despite our meteoric advances in technology. And at the end of the day, I believe that the heart of the problem lies in one simple truth. Life is meant to be experienced not observed, and with this constant barrage of attention-stealing garbage, our society has lost the ability to simply sit back and be. So I want to challenge you. I don’t want to challenge you to work harder, approach more women, or exercise more (although you can if you want). No, I want to challenge you to simply be. Take time each and every day for the next ten days to simply enjoy being, to be present and fully alive in the moment. Whether you meditate daily, take part in a “Flow-inducing” activity, or simply walk around in nature, give yourself the gift of being… It might just change your life. 2. Acceptance Life is unpredictable, and as Murphy’s Law states, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” But guess what? It’s ok. Because at the end of the day, whether you believe that life has a purpose or that we are merely ashes and dust, what is done has been done, and all that you can do is to accept it. And when you can learn to accept life, just as it comes, you will experience true freedom. Despite your best efforts, things will happen, tragedy will strike, and pain becomes an inevitable part of existence. But when you accept things as they are, when you can put your best effort forward while resigning responsibility for what you cannot control, you will experience a peace beyond what you thought possible. This peace, however, is only attainable when you are truly willing to accept your circumstances and let go of the outcomes. Yes, there are times where life will challenge you and require you to step up to the plate and swing for all that you are worth. But there are also times where life will ask something even more difficult from you. It will ask you to surrender. It will ask you to accept the flow of life and let go of the outcomes you cannot control. And this is possibly the greatest challenge of all. But if you can master this one simple principle, you will find that, while life may not get easier, you will have the peace to move through any adversity. 3. Thankfulness It is often said that “Laughter is the best medicine”. I must respectfully disagree. In my life, and in the lives of thousands of my clients, I have found that the most powerful “medicine” for any ailment is thankfulness. Because thankfulness is the antidote for fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, and worry. When you are thankful for what you have, you become less stressed about what you need and want. When you are thankful for what you have, no matter how trying the circumstances you are facing, you can face life with a smile knowing that you are blessed. When you are thankful for what you have, you unlock a powerful ability to reframe adversity into opportunity. When you are thankful for what you have and open up to life, life will open up to you and bring more peace and personal power than you ever thought possible. So no matter what you are facing right now, be thankful. It saved my life, and it might just save yours. 4. Helpfulness We live in a funny world. Despite the prevalence of our negative media, which showcases all of the pain and suffering around the world from the slums of Africa to the refugee camps of Syria, our society still manages to focus on itself and complain about “problems” like traffic and slow wifi. And this twisted reality reminds me of an old personal growth adage, “Where focus goes energy flows.” You see, when we are constantly focused on ourselves, our own problems, and our own issues, the problems and struggles are magnified and amplified until they feel overwhelming. But when we take the focus off of ourselves, when we refocus on those around us who are in dire need of help, we gain perspective and power over our problems. While helping others might not cover your car payment, cure your sickness, or reunite you with your lost love, it will help you to remember your blessings and realize just how good your life really is. It will reconnect you with others, help you step back from your own problems, and help you realize that you aren’t doing this journey alone. So I challenge you do help someone else this week. Whether it’s a simple phone conversation to encourage a struggling family member, a few hours spent at a soup kitchen, or simply buying someone’s coffee in line at Starbucks, do something this week to help someone else. You will be amazed at the transformation you will experience in your mindset and life.

Want to learn how to become “ultra spiritual”? How to tap into your inner badass, open up ya chakras, and achieve a level of spiritual enlightenment that would make even Gandhi blush? Then you’re in the right place…sort of. While you won’t learn how to levitate or permanently eliminate all of your desires, my interview with JP Sears will help you achieve more success, fulfillment, and inner peace in every area of your life. And it might make you cry from laughter. JP Sears is one of the funniest and most down to earth guys I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing and I promise that you will leave this podcast feeling more inspired, excited, and “ultra spiritual”. Enjoy. Who is JP Sears? JP Sears is an emotional healing coach, YouTuber, author, international teacher, speaker, world traveler, and curious student of life.  His work empowers people to live more meaningful lives. JP is the author of “How To Be Ultra Spiritual,” (Sounds True Publishing, release date of March 7th, 2017). He is very active with his online videos where he encourages healing and growth through his humorous and entertainingly informative videos, including his hit Ultra Spiritual comedy series, which has accumulated over 100 million views.  You can learn more about JP Sears and his work at AwakenWithJP.com. JP Sears’ Favorite Success Quote “Nothing is as it seems.” Key Points from My Interview with JP Sears 1. If Nothing is as It Seems, Then What Does this Mean? While the above line might sound like something out of an esoteric spiritual text or a children’s poetry book, its implications are profound. As human beings, we are all incredibly delusional whether we want to admit it or not. The very chair (or whatever inanimate object is currently supporting your weight) that you sit on is comprised of 99% empty space! And yet to us, it seems solid. And when you stop to think about it, you will begin to realize that this concept of “Nothing as it seems” is applicable in all areas of life. Take, for example, a common goal among many men… To date a “Perfect 10”. While most people would agree that this is a fine goal and that every man should seek to find a woman who is his own “10”, when you dive deeper into the nuances of your motivation, you might begin to realize that reality is quite different from what you thought. For the man desiring a perfect 10, his motivations might be rooted in an early childhood trauma or feelings of deep inadequacy. He may feel that he is a “1” or a “2” and that a perfect “10” would increase his value and worth. If this is true, then he is faced with one of three options. He can ignore this new information and uncomfortable way of viewing his desires and continue living his life as he was before. He can relinquish his desires and move onto more “noble” pursuits. Or he can do the deep internal work needed to elicit change in his own sense of worth and esteem so that his desire for that perfect woman comes from a place of love, wholeness, and a desire to share a life. But remember, this is not a judgment, this is not a call to abandon all of your self-serving goals, it’s not even a statement of absolute truth (if nothing is as it seems, then perhaps this isn’t as it seems either). Rather it is an invitation. An invitation to go deeper in your life, your health, and your relationships. An invitation to figure out what is really driving you, to see situations for what they really are (or at least what you perceive they really are), and an invitation to go beyond your current level of consciousness. You owe it to yourself to dive into your life and take a more objective look at who you are and what you want. And you might be surprised by what you find. 2. Break Out of the Comparison Trap  One of the greatest single distractions in our modern world is the comparison trap. And how couldn’t it be? Each and every day, we are bombarded with images of private jets, exotic cars, hot Instagram models, and juiced up “Natty’s” who make us feel inadequate and completely overwhelmed. Is it any wonder why most of us look at our own lives and feel incredibly unfulfilled? You see, our society does its absolute best to keep us distracted, to stop us from looking inward, and to keep us contributing to the system by setting goals that aren’t our own, buying things we don’t need, living lifestyles we can’t afford. Because whenever we are focused on keeping up with our neighbors or looking like “That Guy” on Instagram, we will never realize that we don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on clothes, cars, and supplements to be happy. In fact, almost all true fulfillment comes from within. So I want to challenge you to stop wasting your time looking at others and start spending more time looking at yourself. Cut out the social media, stop looking at other people’s lives, and focus on yourself. Spend time alone asking yourself what you really want and what would make you truly fulfilled. Cut yourself off from the herd that mindlessly follows whatever new fad is trending on Facebook. Build a life that is designed by you, with you, and for you. 3. The Mess Strengthens You  Whenever we are in the midst of adversity, it’s easy to become disheartened and lose hope, to feel like there is no end in sight. And once the adversity has passed, it’s even easier to feel shameful about the struggle that we endured. But your messy story is what strengthens you and brings power into your life. Think about it this way. If someone walked down the road and said “Hey, here’s a gold 1st place Medal”, would you really want it? Maybe, but if you’re anything like me, that medal would end up in a trash can by the side of the road. Now I want you to imagine that you are preparing to compete in the Olympics. You’ve been training for the better part of a decade, you’ve lost sleep, injured yourself countless times, given up your social life, and all but devoted your entire life to becoming one of the best. After a brutal and strenuous competition, you cross the finish line first, achieving victory and winning that gold medal. How would you feel about that?  Would you carelessly discard it in one of the city’s waste bins? I doubt it. When you have bled and suffered for something so much, you cherish the journey, you treasure the medal, and you revel in the victory. And this same principle is true in life. If you aren’t struggling to achieve your goals, if you don’t have to bleed a little bit, if you don’t have any scars, then how valuable will it really feel? The mess that you are going through, the proverbial “River of Shit” that you must swim through, that’s what makes it worthwhile, and that’s what makes your story worth telling. So learn to feed off the mess, feel strengthened by the struggle, and revel in the pain… Because these are the things that make success worth it. 4. Feel Your Freaking Feelings As men, we are good at thinking about things. We think about problems, we think about solutions, we think about the future, we think about the past, and, unfortunately, we think about our feelings. But by their very nature, our feelings are meant to be felt not analyzed and thought about. Society has spent so much time trying to drill the dogmas that “Real men don’t cry” and “Tough guys don’t show emotion” into our head, that, as men, we have lost touch with our feelings. We are no longer able to just feel things without assigning judgment or coming up with some sort of action plan to remedy or enhance the feeling. And because of this disconnection, we have also become disconnected with ourselves. We no longer know how to feel fully, we no longer remember how to simply sit in our emotions and allow the feelings of the moment to wash over us. In order to help you reconnect with your feelings, JP recommends that you follow what he calls the “Feel Your Fucking Feelings” meditation. During this meditation, you simply pick one sensation in your body, whether it is positive or negative, and just feel it. Don’t think about it, don’t analyze it, don’t try and fix it… Just feel it. If you sit down and immediately feel a cramp in your back, then just feel that sensation. If you sit down and feel a build up of energy in your stomach, just feel it. If you want to become “Ultra Spiritual” then you must reconnect with yourself and learn how to feel again. 5. Success is About Being Ok with Who You Are Success, true success, doesn’t come from the amount of money in your bank account or single digit body fat or dating a Victoria’s Secret model. True success comes from your ability to be yourself fully, completely, and unapologetically. When you are totally comfortable with who you are, and you don’t feel the need to apologize for being you, then you are a success. But this is easier said than done. Because we are our own worst critics, and oftentimes, the person who want to be gets in the way of the person we were born to be. There’s really no wisdom JP or myself can impart to make this journey easier. Success is simple. It’s about learning to love yourself and be ok with who you are. Getting to that point will be hard, but I promise you that it will be worth it.

Jordan Harbinger, once referred to as “The Larry King of podcasting,” is a Wall Street lawyer turned talk show host, social dynamics expert, and entrepreneur. After hosting a top 50 iTunes podcast for over a decade that enjoyed nearly four million downloads a month at its zenith, Jordan has embarked on a new adventure: The Jordan Harbinger Show, where he deconstructs the playbooks of the most successful people on earth and shares their strategies, perspectives, and insights with the rest of us. Jordan’s business sense, extensive knowledge of the industry, and contemporary approach to teaching make him one of the best and most sought-after coaches in the world. You can learn more about Jordan and follow his new podcast at jordanharbinger.com Or click here to get access to Jordan’s free networking course. Favorite Success Quote “Fortune favors the prepared” Key Points 1. Focus on the Right Things  Ironically, one of the most difficult tasks in any endeavor, whether it’s fitness, relationships, or business is not mastering any given skill, but learning which skills to focus on in the first place. The ability to select the skills most pertinent to your success will often be the difference between hitting your goals and being the guy who’s 10-years into a business getting beaten by 20-year olds who’ve just launched their company. So many people will dive into a new endeavor or new company and they will focus on skills that aren’t completely relevant to their long-term success. For example, I see lots of guys running towards the social media marketing game thinking that all they need to understand is how to run a good Facebook ad. But in reality, their time would be better spent learning the nuances of sales and marketing which are the basis for their entire business model. Take some time to figure out exactly what skills you need in order to succeed, and once you know what you need, go out and master them 2. Pick a Craft and Commit to Mastering It  Most millennials want a quick fix. They want an easy solution. They want instant gratification. And this is why they’re failing. Success is not easy, but it is simple. If you can find the 2-3 skills required to succeed in your niche, and then commit to mastering those skills over the course of 15-20 years, you will create tremendous levels of success for yourself. For example, since 2006, Jordan has been laser focused on mastering the arts of research and interviewing. Before every new interview, he compiles extensive research to fully understand his new guest and unravel potential threads of conversation. On the weekends, he works with a vocal coach to ensure that he has impeccable tonality while conducting his interview. Every single day he does something to help him improve as an interviewer. And his results don’t lie. If you want to succeed in any industry, whether it’s e-commerce, marketing, podcasting, coaching, or sales, then you must commit to mastery. Understand the commitment level required to succeed at a high level and devote the next 10-20 years of your life to totally mastering a small set of skills that will bring you massive amounts of success. 3. Most People Are Delusional  Most people think that they want to be “successful”. They think that they want to run a huge business, make millions of dollars, and live a lifestyle that will make them Instagram famous. But in actuality, most of these people only like the idea of succeeding at such a high level. When the rubber meets the road and they are required to wake up early, cold call hundreds of businesses, and sacrifice time with their family and children to make the business work, they collapse under the pressure and quit. The problem is that most people don’t realize what it really takes to achieve the goals that they have set. And while they will tell you that they are willing to sacrifice anything to succeed and achieve, when the time comes to actually do it, they are nowhere to be found. Most people are running around believing the garbage that they see on Instagram and thinking that with some careful outsourcing they can magically make millions from their phone. It’s a load of bullshit and the people trying to sell it to you typically work harder than you’d ever want to do! I don’t say any of this to discourage you. If you have a dream, know the costs, and have decided that it’s worth it to you, then go and do it! But be careful who you believe and what dream you pursue, because if you don’t, failure is all but inevitable. 4. Don’t Force Yourself to Make Short-Term Plays Conventional wisdom tells you to “Burn your boats so that you can take the island”, and while this philosophy does have its merits, its also has a number of holes. Whenever you “Burn your boats” you force yourself to make short term plays because you are building your business from a point of desperation instead of inspiration. For example, if you are currently working as a server and trying to build an online clothing store on the side, don’t quit your job to pursue your business full time. If you do, then you will be forced to compromise your long-term vision in order to make short-term plays like paying the bills and keeping your inventory stocked. If you keep your current job, no matter how much you dislike it, you have a level of security that will allow you to design your business around your ultimate vision. When you aren’t stressed about putting food on the table, you will be able to approach your business with a level head and think about the long game. 5. Balance is Bullshit  Most people who tell you that you can “Have it all” are trying to sell you something. While plenty of gurus and thought leaders like to peddle this idea of a balanced life, in my experience, there’s almost always a compromise. Certainly, there are many people who reach a comfortable level of success financially and then refocus on their family, their health, and their community, and this is great! There are also a number of people like Grant Cardone who have learned how to incorporate their spouse, their family, and their social life into their businesses, allowing them to create a (seemingly) balanced life. But anyone who tells you that you can build a 7, 8, 9, or even 10-figure empire while living a “Balanced life” is trying to sell you some bullshit. Achieving true excellence in anything requires sacrifice in many things. If you want to build a wildly successful company, you will have to sacrifice time with your family. If you want to build a wildly successful marriage, you will have to let go of your desire to drive the business forward the same way you did when you were single. If you want high levels of success in anything, it will inevitably require high levels of sacrifice in something else. Despite what the gurus told you… balance is bullshit.

Ryan Nicodemus (and his partner Joshua Fields Milburn) help over 20 million people live meaningful lives with less through their website, books, podcast, and documentary. The Minimalists have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Forbes, TIME, ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, CBC, and NPR. You can connect with him and learn more at www.theminimalists.com/start/ Favorite Success Quote “It’s not a matter of being busy, so are the ants. The question is: What are you busy about?” ~Henry David Thoreau “Love people and use things because the opposite never works.” Key Points 1. Embrace the Drudgery  Conventional wisdom states that “If you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life”. Unfortunately, as nice as the sentiment sounds, the reality is quite different. If you want to succeed at anything in life, you are going to have to work and let me tell you, there will be times that, no matter how much you love what you do, the work will feel like endless drudgery. I believe that a more accurate statement is, “If you love what you do, you will be able to stomach the hard work.” Ryan loves sharing his message with millions of people across the world, but he doesn’t always love the daily grind of writing, marketing, and speaking. I love empowering men all over the world to achieve their full potential, but I don’t always love managing employees, testing marketing campaigns, or putting out fires. Because we love what we do, we are able to handle the drudgery. That doesn’t make the work any more pleasant or any easier, but it does give those difficult tasks a greater sense of meaning and purpose. This extends beyond the realm of business too. Think about dating and relationships. Just because you are madly in love with someone doesn’t mean that the relationship will not take hard work. There will be fights, there will be disagreements, there will be times when your partner is struggling and you need to stand by and support them. And guess what? It’s hard. But if you truly love that person, it’s also worth it. So embrace the drudgery, realize that you will have to work and you will have to work hard. But remember that if you are working on something you love, the drudgery will be worth every second of pain. 2. Get Clear on the Massive Action You Need to Take  The first step to success in any endeavor is gaining clarity on what you want to achieve. The second step is gaining clarity on the actions you must take in order to manifest that dream and bring it into reality. Knowing what you want is not enough, you must have a very clear blueprint for the specific actions you are going to take in order to achieve your end game. Do you want to be financially independent? Great! Now, what specific actions are you willing to take in order to achieve that goal? Will you work 10-12 hours a day for the next five years? Will you devote all of your free time to your side hustle? Will you break off friendships that are dragging you down and keeping you mediocre? What are you going to do to make it happen? Do you want to be the healthiest man possible? Great! Now, what are you going to do to bring that goal to fruition? Will you give up drinking, smoking, and drugs? Will you commit to training 5 times a week? Will you cut out sugar, gluten, and processed foods? What are you going to do to make it happen? You see, it’s great to set goals, but most people forget that every worthwhile goal requires massive action. And before you set out to achieve a goal, you need to have a very clear picture of what it is that you are willing to sacrifice and what actions you are willing to take in order to achieve your dreams. 3. Giving is Living  While this might sound cliche and overplayed, the secret to living truly is giving. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to live for yourself. It’s fun to focus on your own happiness. It’s fun to do your own thing and give a single finger salute to the world. But how long will it fulfill you? When you stumble home drunk for the fourth night this week, a random girl from the bar on your arm, and unlock the door to your penthouse apartment, you’re having fun. But after a while, you will find that the endless cycle of living for yourself and your needs becomes tiring, and the very things that once brought you immense joy and happiness now leave you with a profound emptiness and a voice in your head asking “Is this it?” Life isn’t meant to be lived for yourself. It’s meant to be a shared journey. And if you are struggling to find fulfillment in your current life, then I want to challenge you to refocus your intentions and desires on giving back. It doesn’t have to be a huge gesture either. Commit to giving away $5 a day in a creative way. Do one random act of kindness a week. Volunteer at a soup kitchen a few hours each month. Do something that gets you out of your bubble and allows you to give back. Because not only will you be contributing to the greater good, but you will also be reminding yourself of just how good your life really is. It will help you remember what is truly important and it will reframe your current struggles and put your problems into perspective. And what’s more? It will give you a profound sense of inner peace and fulfillment. The secret to living truly is giving. So the only question I want to ask you is this… What are you going to give? 4. You Must Know Your Values and Beliefs  In life, you will often be presented with difficult decisions. You will find yourself at a crossroads where both paths seem appealing and you are unable to determine exactly which route to take. During these times of decision, it is imperative that you have a deep understanding of what it is you truly value and what brings you the most fulfillment and joy. To use a classic example, imagine that you are offered a promotion at work. The promotion will more than double your salary but it will also take you away from your family and children and will require you to travel 3 weeks out of the month. What should you do? The answer depends on your values. Do you value financial independence and leaving a legacy? If so, then the best course of action might be to take the promotion, be more intentional about the time that you get to spend with your family, and use the influx of cash to create a better quality of life (and guarantee a better future) for the people you love. Do you value your relationships and your influence over your children’s development? If so, then forget the promotion and spend your time pouring into your children and shaping their future. There are no right or wrong answers with these types of decisions. But every big decision is predicated on your unique value system and beliefs. So you’d better be damn sure that you take some time to define exactly what those are before you go making life altering moves. 5. Happiness Isn’t the Purpose of Life  Many people believe that happiness is the purpose of life. But, as we alluded to in a previous point, this is far from the truth. If happiness is all that we are here for, then 99% of the population should say “Fuck it!” and become a heroin addict. Afterall, it’ll make you happy right? I mean it will make you really happy for every waking hour of your day. But I think you and I both know that there is more to life than just feeling good. While I don’t pretend to know what the meaning of life is, I can tell you with 100% certainty that it is not manic levels of happiness. Life is about the journey, it’s about contribution, and it’s about living in accordance with your own unique values and beliefs. And even though I cannot tell you what you should do in your own specific situation, I can tell you that you must have a much higher purpose and calling than happiness. Because if happiness is your end game, then you should expect to live the majority of your life in an unfulfilling and unproductive way.

Tom Bilyeu is the co-founder and President of Quest Nutrition, the second fastest growing privately owned company in the United States (currently valued at over $1 billion). He is also the founder of Impact Theory, a show dedicated to helping you achieve your limitless potential. Favorite Success Quote “Do and believe that which moves you towards your goals” Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Key Points 1. Find That Thing That Makes You Feel Alive  We live in an age of unprecedented freedom. Never before in the history of the human race have there been so many options available to so many members of the general populace. In the 21st century, our options and opportunities, like our potential, are nearly limitless. Traveling across the globe is easier than it’s ever been, growing your brand and authority has never been so scalable, and the ability to build a wildly successful business is now open to anybody with access to the internet. And yet… Despite the tremendous number of resources and the almost limitless amount of opportunity circulating the modern economy, recent polls still indicate that nearly 70% of the American workforce is disengaged with their career! How can this be? In an era of unparalleled choices and opportunity more than two-thirds of the entire nation spends 40+ hours of their week doing something they hate! While every individual is different and each circumstance is unique, I personally believe that the primary reason for this disconnect is simple. People are scared. They are scared that pursuing their dreams will be hard, they are scared that following their passions will be too difficult, and they are scared that they will fail. But guess what? Regardless of the path you choose to pursue, there will be challenges, there will obstacles, and there will be hardships. The struggle is an inevitable part of the human condition. No matter what path you choose to pursue, you will face challenges and trials, you will fail, and you will probably want to quit more than just once. But, if you decide to pursue that thing that makes you come alive, the thing that lights a fire inside of you, the thing that you are willing to devote the rest of your life to… Nothing will stop you. 2.  Tailor Your Activities to Achieve Cognitive Optimization  Since Tom founded one of the fastest growing health and nutrition companies in the world, it should come as little surprise that one of his “Secrets to success” is methodically optimizing his cognitive performance. No matter what goal you are pursuing, you will need to be operating at full blast in order to effectively make decisions, execute on ideas, and move the needle forward. And the quickest way to improve your own performance is to optimize the performance of the gray matter in between your ears. But how does one actually do this? How do you totally optimize your mind without spending thousands of dollars on supplementation, smart drugs, and crazy bio-hacking equipment? The truth is surprisingly unsexy. For Tom, it all starts with sleep. He is in bed every night by 9 p.m. and only wakes up whenever he feels rested and ready to attack the day. This is crucial to ensuring optimal brain performance since the majority of memory, association, and cellular repair happens while we are asleep. After optimizing his sleep, Tom will then head to the gym every single morning, flooding his brain and body with dopamine, endorphins, and endocannabinoids and getting his mind and body into a peak state. With his workout concluded, Tom will sit in silence to spend time “Thinkitating” which is, as Tom puts it, “Applying the afterglow of meditation to solve the greatest challenges in your life.” Basically, after concluding a short meditation session using Mark Divine’s box breathing technique, he will sit back and consciously contemplate the greatest challenges he’s facing in his life allowing his mind and subconscious to search for an answer to the problem. Then, with his exercise and thinkitation done, Tom hits the books and will consciously spend an hour or more each morning filling his mind with ideas from the best and brightest individuals on the planet. Tom attributes much of his success to this “Cognitive optimization morning routine”. It’s not complicated, it doesn’t require much equipment, and it can be done from anywhere in the world. If you want a more detailed description of the Impact Theory Morning Routine, you can check out this article for more info. 3. Always Focus on Delivering More Value than Expected  Imagine for a moment that you are purchasing a product and deciding between two different companies. For the sake of the argument (and since Tom is the founder of a fitness nutrition company) let’s assume that the companies in question are selling a muscle gain supplement. After years of research company A found a formula that helps their clients get results and they decided to follow the age-old advice “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. Company B, however, is never satisfied and they continue dumping thousands of dollars a month into sourcing higher quality ingredients, finding new ways to improve their formula, and delivering more value to the end customer. Who do you think will win? Even though Company A has a “good” product that provides real value to their customers, Company B is unwilling to settle for “good enough”. And let me tell you, one of the biggest traps that entrepreneurs fall into is the trap of “Good enough”. Because the second that you stop improving your product, service, or experience somebody else who is hungrier, more motivated, and more driven than you are will steal your customers and leave you in the dust. You must constantly improve the value that you bring to the marketplace and look for new and unique ways to expand your services to help more people. Because at the end of the day, you will be paid in direct proportion to the amount of value that you give. And if you do more than you are paid for now, you will be paid for more than you do later. 4. Email is the Greatest Thief of Productivity While it might seem a little bit superfluous to devote an entire key point of this interview to the topic of email, I want you to consider for a moment that the average American is estimated to spend a total of 3.2 hours per day just checking work related emails (this doesn’t include personal correspondence). That’s almost half of their work day devoted entirely to the largely pointless act of reaching inbox zero. During our interview, Tom admitted to having over 6,000 unopened emails sitting in his inbox and told us that he will typically look at his emails only twice a week for a few minutes. According to conventional wisdom, there’s no way that he could effectively run a successful company spending so little time devoted to email, and yet he’s the Co-founder of one of the nation’s fastest growing companies. If you want to become truly successful at the game of business, then you must learn to focus only on profit-producing activities. Email is not one of those. 5. You Will Never Eliminate Pride, So Use It  While many philosophers and teachers preach the importance of eliminating pride, anyone with a basic understanding of the human condition knows that pride is an inherent part of our existence and will never be removed. So if we cannot eliminate our pride, then what are we supposed to do? The simple answer? Use it. Pride and ego can actually be a phenomenal tool if they are focused on the right things. Specifically, learning to develop immense pride around your focus on the processes, not your outcomes.  What do I mean by this? Well, instead of priding yourself on how smart you are (which will likely lead to careless mistakes) develop immense pride in your commitment to your education. Instead of priding yourself on your physique, strength, or endurance (all of which can be taken away with one injury) develop immense pride in your physical work ethic and desire to improve your body. Learn to take pride in who you are instead of what you are and you will find that pride becomes an asset instead of a liability.

Mark Divine served 9 years on active duty and 11 years on reserve as a US Navy SEAL before retiring as a commander in 2011. After his decorated career in the special forces, Mark went on the found Navyseals.com, launch US Tactical, and develop a revolutionary workout program known as SEAL Fit. He has also written multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon best-selling books. Favorite Success Quote “Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.” ~Patanjali Key Points 1. Focus On People’s Character Not their Acumen  If you ever have the opportunity to sit down with any older businessmen or entrepreneurs and ask them the question “What was your biggest mistake”, nine times out of ten they will tell you that their biggest regret in business was trusting someone who they shouldn’t have trusted. You see, even outside of the realm of business, it’s easy to overlook people’s character flaws because of their other resources. I see many men fall into this trap in business, dating, and friendship. It’s easy to ignore the obvious red flags with your new employee because they are a monster salesman and you know that they will make you a lot of money (until they end up stealing it back). It’s easy to ignore a woman’s blatant character flaws because she’s wildly attractive and great in bed. It’s easy to ignore your friend’s unscrupulous behavior because he’s funny, rich, and always makes sure you have a good time. But if you want to mitigate risk and succeed at life, you must adopt a more cautious approach. Learn to focus on people’s character and their virtues, not just their raw talent. Because at the end of the day, it’s easier to train a virtuous man to become a good salesperson than it is to train a great salesperson to become a virtuous man. 2. Win the Morning Win the Day  Mark attributes much of his success to the powerful morning rituals that he follows in order to get himself grounded and ready for the day. Something that surprised me is that Mark’s routine doesn’t take several hours, one hour, or even 30-minutes. He told me that he can complete his routine in 15-minutes on average and 5 if he’s really pressed for time. Each morning he spends a few minutes in silent meditation, then he will focus his intentions on his life vision and the daily tasks he needs to achieve to move closer to that vision, and finally, he will review the elements of his “ethos” or the guiding principles upon which he operates his life. And that’s it. Whatever your goals in life, you need to start your day in a powerful state to set yourself up to win the day and achieve your dreams. Personally, I try and start most mornings by watching something inspirational, reading a few pages of a classic book, journaling, focusing on gratitude, and incorporating some sort of physical exercise. How you develop your own morning routine will be unique to your dreams and vision, but what is important is that you have a morning routine and that it helps you get grounded and ready to go out and achieve your dreams. 3. Turn Failure Into Your Greatest Asset  Many people believe that failure is a problem, that it’s a liability. But it’s not. Failure is actually one of your greatest assets and closest friends… When you use it properly and learn from it. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that failure is fun or that you should try and fail. Failure sucks, there’s nothing fun about it, and nobody wants to see their dreams and ambitions fail. But when you fail and trust me, you will fail, you have one of two options. You can whine and bitch and complain. Or you can dust yourself off, look at your failure objectively, and ask yourself “Ok, how can I do better next time?” Failure is only failure if you don’t learn from it, if you don’t grow from it, and if you don’t reframe it so that you see each failure as a valuable teacher, educating you about how to achieve your dreams. 4. Realize that Your Growth is Limited by Your Shadow  There is an old saying that “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link”. And in the realm of personal growth, you are only as strong as your darkest parts. I see so many men today who walk through their lives trying to elicit personal growth by constantly pushing forward, suppressing the pain of the past, and ignoring the emotional trauma that has held them back. But the harsh reality of life is that you can only grow to the extent that you are willing to address your darkness or your shadow self. We all have a dark side, we’ve all been hurt, we all have deep wounds and pain whether we want to address them or not. And most men choose to ignore this dark side. They try and move on with their lives and pretend that everything is ok when, subconsciously, the pain and hurt of the past is holding them back from living the lives of their dreams. If you want to move forward in your life, if you want to truly succeed, if you want to open up to true intimacy and love and connection, then you must face your shadow. You must address the pain, you must conquer your darkness and learn to use it for good. Because if you don’t, you will constantly be haunted (consciously or subconsciously) by the parts of you that you dare not bring into the light. 5. Detach from the Details of the Outcome & Focus on the Vision  One of the biggest mistakes that many men make is that they are more concerned with the details of the outcome than the outcome itself. For example, in the interview, Mark discussed his goal of impacting 100,000,000 lives. He told me that, while he is rigid in his vision, he has learned to be flexible in the details of achieving this outcome. For Mark, it doesn’t matter whether he impacts 10 people who go and change a million lives or whether he impacts a million people who go on to change 10 lives. He is adamant in his vision, but he is flexible in the approach. In your life and with your goals, you must adopt the same mentality. Yes, you should have a strong, crystal clear vision and end game, but you must be flexible about how you achieve that vision.

Michael is the Senior Partner at Box of Crayons, a company that helps organizations do less Good Work and more Great Work. He’s also the author of several books, including The Coaching Habit and Do More Great Work. Michael has written for or been featured in numerous publications including Business Insider, Fast Company, Forbes, The Globe & Mail and The Huffington Post. Favorite Success Quote “If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start.” ~Charles Bukowski Key Points 1. Forget All About Doing Good Work and Focus on Great Work  There are only three kinds of work. Bad work, good work, and great work. Ironically, the type of work that is most deadly to your dreams and ambitions is not bad work. Because bad work is obvious. It’s the kind of work that creates a visceral reaction each time you are forced to engage in it. You know what I am talking about. That work you try and outsource as soon as you receive it. That work that leaves you anxious and exhausted each time it pops up in your inbox. That work that requires no talent, skill, or ability, simply an ability to switch off your brain and put your nose to the grindstone. And most importantly, that work that does nothing to push you closer to your ultimate vision. You know bad work when you see it, which is why it’s not truly a danger to your dreams. Good work, on the other hand, is an innocuous killer of greatness. Because good work (again, as the name implies) is good.  You enjoy good work, you can profit from good work, and good work leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. But there’s a disconnect. Good work is often what we use to fill our time and distract ourselves from great work we know we should be doing. Good work is that high-paying freelance project that distracts your focus from your new startup. Or that client you keep on retainer who doesn’t push your abilities or stretch you. Good work can even be a relationship, a friendship, or a career that is blowing you off course from your life’s mission. Good work will not steal your soul and crush you underfoot like bad work will. Instead, it will ensnare you and keep you playing the game of life at a small level. So it’s time for you to decide. Do you want to do good work that will make you a living? Or do you want to do great work that will make you a legend? 2. Learn to Understand the True Problem  Men are problem solvers. This isn’t some sort of gender-based stereotype, it’s simply how we are biologically hard-wired. But the unique problem with being a problem solver is that it can often lead to impatience and unnecessary haste. Which, especially when it pertains to leadership and management, can be fatal to your efficiency. After all, how can you effectively solve a problem if you haven’t fully defined the problem you are trying to solve? For example, let’s say that you receive a call from a long-time client who is responsible for more than 25% of your bottom line. As soon as you pick up the phone, the client regretfully informs you that your contract is being terminated and when you inquire as to why he simply responds by saying “We no longer need your services.” At this point, you could make assumptions about the problem, politely hang up, and face the consequences of losing such a big contract. Or, you could ask a simple question, “What’s the real challenge here?” By diving deeper instead of simply assuming that the client is lost, you might find out that they recently underwent significant budget cuts and don’t feel that they can afford your retainer. And while you may or may not be able to renegotiate an agreement, you have stepped further into understanding what the real challenge is. The next time that you are presented with a challenging situation, even an internal one, I challenge you to pause, take a step back, and ask “What’s the real challenge here?” If you are feeling unfulfilled in your work and you’re thinking about quitting your job, stop and ask “What’s the real challenge”? Are you bored and unchallenged? Do you feel stuck? Do you feel underpaid? Talk to your manager and see if you can take on more challenging projects, move into a different division, or negotiate a raise. However, if you feel like your talents and abilities genuinely need to be applied to a different endeavor, then follow through and quit with a full understanding of the challenge you need to surmount. If your marriage is on the verge of collapse, pause and ask yourself, “What’s the real challenge here?”. Are you and your partner simply struggling to connect? Do you feel the need for more time alone and with friends? Do you feel that you have lost touch with what made you fall in love with one another? These issues (although difficult) are all fixable. But maybe the real struggle is that you were married too young and your goals are no longer in alignment. Maybe the solution is to part amicably and move towards your own individual purposes. Whatever problems you are facing in your life, take a step back and figure out what the real challenge is. Sometimes, your assumptions will be correct. But more often than not, you will find that the real challenge is much deeper and much more nuanced than you originally thought. 3. Knowledge is Never the Issue  I want you to imagine that you are walking through a dark alleyway late at night in your hometown. You feel a tingle at the base of your spine, and when you turn around, there is a man with a gun pointed at your head. He doesn’t want your money, he doesn’t want your watch, in fact… He doesn’t give a damn about any of your valuables. All he wants is the answer to four questions. “What can I do to become healthier? What can I do to make and save more money? What can I do to attract more women and love into my life? And what can I do to become a stronger grounded man?” Would you be able to respond? If you have been listening to this show for any appreciable amount of time, then I can guarantee that you could. “Lift heavy weights for 5 hours a week and only eat real food. Start a side hustle, save away every extra penny, and then invest in some sort of asset like a real estate deal. Talk to five new women every day, be genuinely interested, and be authentic with them. Start journaling, meditating, and pushing yourself to embrace adversity.” Boom! He puts the gun down and you are free to go. Now, I know that the above scenario is implausible, to say the least, but my point in sharing this is that you know what you need to do. I doubt that the above responses were new to most of you. You already knew how to become healthier, wealthier, attract better relationships, and become more grounded. And if you don’t, then a short glance through the Knowledge for Men archives will solve that problem once and for all. For 99% of you reading this, however, knowledge is not your problem. You know everything that you need to do. So why aren’t you doing it? Why aren’t you taking action? Why aren’t you moving forward? Before you get upset and start casting blame and recoiling in defense, pause… And ask yourself, “What’s the real challenge here?” What is it in your life that is stopping you from moving forwards? Why aren’t you taking action? Why aren’t you doing what you need to do? Instead of judging yourself and trapping yourself in a vicious cycle of frustration, shame, and inaction, take a step back and analyze your inaction. If lack of knowledge isn’t your problem… What is? 4. What Do You Want? Seriously… What do you want? What do you want? Not “What do mommy and daddy want?” Not “What does society want?” Not “What people tell you that you should want?” What do you want? It’s funny to me how few men will actually take the time to uncover the answer to this question. To our knowledge, we only get one shot at this thing called life. We only have one chance to live the lives that we want. So why the hell do we go about living our lives based on other people’s values and desires? If you only have one chance to live your life and achieve your dreams, then why would you pursue a career that makes you miserable? Why would you marry someone you don’t truly love? Why would you live one second of your life out of alignment with your deeper calling and purpose? Ask yourself every single week, month, and year, “What do I want?” Don’t filter what comes up, don’t judge it, just embrace it. Once you know what you truly want… Go out and get it.

Bill Lyons is a successful entrepreneur and contributor. He is currently the Founder & CEO of a technology startup inside the real estate industry called Revestor. Revestor is a real estate search engine and marketplace for residential investment properties that provides custom investment filters, notifications on new investment properties for sale, and comprehensive analysis. Revestor’s patent-pending software creates the only residential real estate search engine that can run investment calculations over live listings. Revestor’s investment tools and data help real estate investors and real estate professionals be more effective in their local market. Lyons is focused on carving out a large segment of the $11 Billion online real estate advertising market and the residential investors that make of 25% of the real estate market. Lyons built his former company, from zero to $20 Million per year in revenue with $3+Billion in transactions inside of 36 months. As President & CEO of one of the fastest growing companies in San Diego, Mr. Lyons managed a $6million per year online marketing budget offering opportunity to well over 250 employee Favorite Success Quote “I know what you’re thinking and you’re right” ~Magnum P.I. Key Points 1. You’re Not Done Yet  Winston Churchill once said that “Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Ironically, most people assume that success is final and failure is fatal, but nothing could be further from the truth. For the entrepreneur (and even the corporate 9-5er) life and business are tumultuous. Your best month ever will be followed by your absolute worst, your greatest successes often precede your biggest failures, and just when you feel like giving up, your greatest breakthroughs will occur. Life is about the ups and downs. You will have failures, you will have successes, and you will experience highs and lows you could never have predicted. And during times of great success and great failure, you must take a step back and reflect. Remember that nothing is final until you draw your last breath. One success does not make you invincible. One failure does not make you worthless. It is the courage to continue, each and every day, that will determine the impact your life has. 2. Certainty is King  I want you to imagine that you recently started a new company and you are looking to hire your first employee to manage your marketing. You have two prospects lined up with back to back interviews and on paper, you are all but certain that the first candidate will get the job. But when he walks into the room, your certainty vanishes. Despite his impressive resume and a long list of people with whom he’s worked, something is just off. He’s shy, timid, and seems unsure of himself and his potential within your company. When he leaves the room, you are left perplexed, hoping the next candidate shows more promise. And he does… The second candidate you have lined up is a man fresh out of college with only a handful of low-level contracts under his belt. But he has an enthusiasm, a vigor, and a certainty about him that is contagious. He responds to ever single question with a well thought out response displaying his confidence and certainty in his abilities and future, and by the time the interview concludes, you are excited about getting to work with him on a regular basis. Who would you hire? You see, in our modern world, certainty is king and doubt is the killer of dreams. If you are certain of your potential, abilities, and destiny, you will overcome any obstacle, any adversity, and any challenge. But if you are uncertain, in yourself, your chosen career path, your relationship or anything else, it will inevitably crumble and fall. Certainty is king. Everything else depends on it. 3. Your Health = Your Wealth  So many entrepreneurs and high performers assume that they don’t have time to take care of their health. After all, when you are running an 8-figure company, how in the world can you expect to have time to go to the gym, cook healthy meals, and sleep 8 hours a night? Well, according to Bill and many previous podcast guests, you will never have the time to effectively run your company until you are willing to take care of your health. Your health is the spring from which all productivity, happiness, and success flows. If you are overweight, suffering from low energy levels, or operating suboptimally in any area of your physical or mental health, your business will suffer. Period. And yet, if you are anything like the majority of the population, you are probably skipping the gym, eating fast food several times a week, and sleeping only 6 hours a night. Why? Because that’s what society has taught you to do! We’ve been misinformed and taught to believe that success requires massive sacrifices in the realm of health and fitness. Yet, the most successful entrepreneurs I know of claim that the opposite is true. Richard Branson has been quoted as saying that “Taking care of your health is the quickest way to ensure success”. Neil Patel, founder of 3 multi-million dollar companies sleeps more than 9 hours a night. And Dave Asprey, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and biohacker claims that taking care of his health has more than 10x’d his productivity and happiness. If you want to succeed at a high level, you must take care of your body. So I want to challenge you to take better care of your health for just one week. For just one week, I want you to eat real food, exercise at least 20 minutes a day, and sleep 7.5 hours a night. If you cannot tell an appreciable difference by the end of the week, then you have my permission to go back to the way you were living before you read this article. But I can almost guarantee you that if you take this challenge seriously, you will never neglect your health again. 4. Figure Out Your Non-Negotiables During our interview, Bill shared a number of his daily and weekly non-negotiables, or actions that he is committed to taking, no matter what. And while his own nonnegotiables consisted of weekly massages, acupuncture, and cryotherapy, your own list of nonnegotiables will differ based on your goals, income, and vision. Ask yourself, “What are the things that you must do each day/week/month” to ensure that you are able to live the life of your dreams? For some of you, this will be getting to the gym every morning, doing yoga every week, or taking a few hours to hike through the mountains. For others, it’s spending time with your kids, indulging in an hour of creative time each night, or going on a weekly date with your wife. Whatever your nonnegotiables are, define them, write them down, and commit to them. I promise your life will never be the same. (If you want to hear more about nonnegotiables and how they can improve your life, check out one of the early episodes I did with Wayne Levine) 5. Decide  Modern men are undergoing a societal emasculation where the very essence of masculinity is being stripped away piece by piece. Due to confusing gender politics, contradictory evidence, and a slew of b.s. pervading the modern media, men are more confused than ever before about what it means to be a man. Do you need to smoke Marlboro Reds, ride a Harley, and be an international playboy? Should you be soft, sensitive, and effeminate? Do you need to blow shit up, drive a fast car, and make lots of money (Dan Bilzerian anybody?)? What the hell does it mean to be a man? While the answer to that question is dependent on the individual and extremely multi-faceted, there is one trait that is axiomatic among all “real” men. Decisiveness. No one and I repeat no one is attracted to a man who is indecisive, a man who cannot make up his mind and move forward, a man who cannot stand firm in his decisions and take action. If you want to become more of a man, then learn how to make a decision and stick to it. It’s that simple. Do you want to be in better shape? Decide that you are going to go to the gym and eat healthy, then go do it. Want to be better with women? Decide that you will make it happen and then go take some action. Want to make more money? Decide that you will become a millionaire no matter what and then backup that decision with massive amounts of action. Decide. Act. Repeat. This is the pathway to true masculinity.

Chris Winfield is an entrepreneur and productivity expert in New York City. With the use of simple systems, techniques and the power of true focus, Winfield teaches business owners how to get 40 hours of work done in 16.7 and much more. Favorite Success Quote “You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backward” ~Steve Jobs Key Points 1. Stop Postponing Your Happiness  One of the greatest diseases afflicting modern men is something I like to call “postponitis”. This sickness has ravaged mankind, depriving hard-working men of their happiness, fulfillment, and liveliness for decades. And it all starts with the seemingly innocuous word, “then”. It goes something like this… “I am going to work my ass off, make lots of money, then I will be happy.” “I’ve just got to get this promotion at work, then I will have time to prioritize my health, family, and personal growth.” “Once my startup hits $100,000/month in recurring revenue, then I can relax and enjoy my life.” It’s always “then” and never “now“. Men are living their whole lives in pursuit of some arbitrary goal that somehow gives them permission to live their lives, love themselves, and enjoy their time on this planet. And frankly, it’s complete bullshit! Life happens in the now. It doesn’t happen later. It doesn’t happen when you make your first million. It doesn’t happen when you finally get that promotion. It doesn’t even happen at IPO. Life happens now. And if you are constantly living your life in pursuit of something in the future (something that may or may not happen), then you will miss out on life’s most precious moments and end up on your deathbed, wishing that you had a chance to do it all over again. But you don’t. You have one life, one shot, one opportunity. Don’t waste it living for someday. 2. Money is a Magnifying Glass  Tell me if you have ever heard this phrases before? “Money is the root of all evil.” “Rich people are greedy.” “Money can’t buy happiness.” If you have been on this planet for any appreciable amount of time, then I’m going to assume that these sayings have been drilled into your head since the womb. Can I let you in on a little secret? They’re all a load of crap! Money is nothing more than a magnifying glass. If you are a miserable, unhappy, and stingy person, then becoming rich will do nothing except make you a miserable, unhappy, and stingy person with a big bank account. Conversely, if you are a happy, generous, and loving person, then becoming rich will do little to change your life other than giving you assets that allow you to be more generous, happy, and loving. Money simply makes you more of what you already are. So instead of focusing on earning money to attain happiness or believing that money will make you immoral or “greedy”, accept the fact that money is nothing more than a tool that will amplify who you are. 3. Build Your Foundation and the Tower Will Follow  Most men set out to achieve success in a way that is completely backward. They start by focusing on their goals instead of themselves. They are more than willing to hustle and grind on their business for hours on end, but spending an hour in the gym? Not a chance! They will drop $10,000 on a business consulting package, but spending $2,000 on a new mattress to improve their sleep and energy? Not going to happen! But here’s the problem… All of your success, whether it’s in your business, relationships, or social life, stems from one thing. You.  And if you are not operating at the highest levels, if you are not taking care of yourself, if you are not cultivating habits of excellence, then you are not going to succeed in the other areas of your life (and if you do, then it will not be sustainable). Therefore, creating a strong foundation of health and high-quality habits is the first step to achieving lasting success. Start with your body. Hit the gym at least three times a week, follow a diet that consists of 80% real food (organic if you can afford it), and sleep at least 7 hours a week. Then, with your body in prime condition start building routines and habits into your life that will expedite your success. Feed your mind daily, journal, practice gratitude, and recite affirmations. With these habits in place and your body in an optimized condition, you will be able to achieve your goals at a much faster pace while enjoying your life and feeling fulfilled. 4. The Fastest Way to Recieve is to Give The best kept “secret” for success that almost every millionaire, billionaire, and wildly successful entrepreneur knows is this: If you want to receive tremendous value from the marketplace, your relationships, your network, or your career, the first step is to give tremendous value without expecting anything in return. Let me give you an example from the interview. Since Chris lives in New York, he has a phenomenal proximity to incredibly powerful and affluent individuals. And while this might seem like an advantageous situation, you must remember that most successful people get asked for a lot of shit. They are constantly getting pitched by individuals who are looking for a handout or a handshake and at the end of the day, it can feel exhausting. Luckily, Chris understood this and decided that he was going to take a different approach. Instead of hunting these people down and asking for something, he hosts regular dinners and meet-ups where he asks one simple question “How can I serve you?” He doesn’t ask “What can you do for me?” instead, he flips conventional wisdom on its head and offers value for free. And guess what? It has driven more deals, knowledge, and value to him than any marketing tactic of sales pitch ever has. Why? Because people love and trust people who are willing to give value. Just think about this from your perspective. Imagine you have two friends, one who is constantly asking you for loans, pitching you on his new network marketing products, and pressuring you to join him in business, and one who gives you value in the form of advice, connections, and services… All without expecting anything in return. Both of your friends are excellent copywriters and you have a client who needs a referral for a six-figure copy contract. Who would you recommend? The giver or the taker? Now ask yourself another question. How can you give value without expecting anything in return this week? Who can you help? How can you serve others? As weird as it might sound, the universe has an uncanny way of providing for those who provide for others, so I want to encourage you to be on the lookout for ways that you can bring more value this week. The results might surprise you. 5. The Enemies of Fulfillment are Ego and Expectation Since personal fulfillment is a subject that is unique to every individual, I cannot tell you how to achieve fulfillment in your own life. But I can tell you how to eradicate fulfillment from your life. Allow your ego to control your actions and your expectations to control your relationships. Ego and expectation both have their uses, and in moderation, they can be used as effective motivators and filters to ensure success. However, they become problematic whenever you are the slave, not the master in the relationship. When you allow ego to rule your life and become your sole motivator, you will find yourself pursuing goals that aren’t aligned with your purpose and acting in a manner that is disingenuous and inauthentic. When you allow your expectations to control your interactions, you will find yourself loathing people that you should love for indiscretions that you shouldn’t have noted. The more that ego and expectation run your life, the more you will find yourself at the whims of others instead of captaining your own ship. Learn to curb your ego, swallow your pride and develop some humility. Give others some breathing room, only set expectations that you yourself can live up to, and be forgiving in the face of failure. If you do this, I can promise you that you will live a life that is richer, more productive, and ultimately, more fulfilling.