Mastery starts with the mind.
Everyone has a brain.
But only a few learn how to create the mindset needed to unlock its potential.Â
Just as your body is what you eat, your mind is what you consume. Train your brain to see negativity and you will soon believe the world is falling apart. Watch excessive short-form video content and you will soon find your mind can’t concentrate for longer than 6 seconds.
Mastering the mind is an infinite game. There is no ‘end state’ to achieve. Instead, it requires consistent work over a lifetime. It requires treating your mind like your body. Training it with mental models, like you would train with regular exercise.Â
An infinite game requires a finite starting point.Â
So, let’s simply get started.
To train our mental models requires changing our belief system, the foundation upon which our whole reality is built on. But, where to begin? Let’s delve into it…
#1: Developing your Growth Mindset
Natural talent does not exist. Yes, 6 feet and 10 inches of height will help your basketball career. Yes, a higher IQ will make studying a lot easier. But, neither guarantees success in either field. They simply increase your chances of it.Â
Believing your abilities are defined by birth and cannot change is better known as a fixed mindset. This creates a double-edged sword: the belief that your innate talents are enough to accomplish your dreams OR that your innate talents cannot be improved.Â
Either way, you cut it, you are letting circumstances limit your development. The truth is very different. Your genes define your potential, but your consistent effort defines whether you achieve what is possible. And the best part?Â
Even when you think you’re nearly there, you’re not even close.Â
Just check out 21 y/o Chris Nikic; he completed an IRONMAN with Down’s Syndrome.
So how do you actually develop a growth mindset?Â
Reframe challenges as learning opportunities.
Believe you can improve your abilities.
See negative feedback as a chance to learn.
Embrace your imperfections.
Love the process over the end result.Â
#2: Attracting your Luck
Luck is the belief that life’s outcomes, both positive and negative, are primarily dependent on fluke randomness or on some almighty being determining every individual’s fate. This belief neglects the role of you and your decisions in your life and disempowers your actions.Â
Instead, view luck as chance. See your actions as a way to maximise your chances at achieving a certain outcome. To do this, build the following…
Momentum. Hustle until you stumble into an opportunity. Create enough energy, motion or force so that opportunities find you. Run around and create opportunities through consistent hard work by testing and combining new ideas until something works.Â
Sensitivity. Become attuned to spotting opportunities. Build up a unique skill set and notice paradigm shifts in your industry that others can’t see. Then use this sensitivity to seize opportunities before others even realise they exist.Â
Uniqueness. Become the best at what you do. Refine what you do until this is true and opportunity will seek you out. Develop your character and reputation so that others need you to access their own opportunities.Â
While momentum is taking endless networking calls with acquaintances from Linkedin, sensitivity is researching the latest scientific studies, and uniqueness is being the go-to person for all things B2B email copywriting.Â
Luck Chance = Momentum x Sensitivity x Uniqueness
#3: Embracing your Uniqueness
We are taught throughout our lives to conform. To listen to the advice of others and follow the trends, fashions and culture of what is popular right now in pursuit of elevating our social status to achieve the ‘success’ we so desire.Â
There’s just one problem. You are a unique human being with your own interests, hobbies and perspectives. Only you have lived through your exact combination of decisions, outcomes and experiences that have led you to where you are today.Â
That niche interest you have in collecting gemstones, that love you have for pet ferrets and your disgust of the modern smartphone are what makes you you. They combine (with many others) to be your source of uniqueness in the world around you.Â
Reject ‘fitting in’. Embrace standing out.Â
But, how do you reject the voices of conformists? Of those telling you weekends spent watching the footie and getting drunk are the best uses of your time when you would rather be having meaningful conversations or working on your new business idea.
Understand that their voice of conformity is an expression of how uncomfortable they are with being themselves. They are projecting their fear of social judgement onto you. Once you realise their attack is not personal, but instead a tragic expression of their own fear it will be a lot easier to manage.
#4: Creating your Interests
We are sold happiness.
It’s manufactured, streamed and delivered to us with the promise of making our lives easier, faster or simpler for a quick swipe of the credit card. For a time it works. The dopamine floods the brain as we play with our new devices for the first time.Â
*Whizz, click*
Then a moment later it’s all over. The wave of dopamine passes and we return to the depths of sadness once more. So, we go looking for that next big hit. We find that next thing to buy, experience or do to give ourselves that next high.Â
Beneath this hedonic treadmill of endlessly pursuing happiness is the undeniable feeling that none of it truly makes us happy. The gaping hole in our stomachs that follow a doom-scroll on our favourite social media platform.Â
Rather than mindlessly consuming more, look to create something meaningful and deliver it into the world. Anything that expresses your interests to others that allows you to create will do - posting online, starting a blog, recording videos.Â
Just like I am with this newsletter right now.
By sharing it with the world, you will be able to explore your interests, share your thoughts and attract other people interested in the same area. This will create a positive feedback loop for you to do more exploration, sharing and attracting, thereby learning at an exceptional rate.Â
You can’t lose.
The Summary
Let’s recap; To master your mind, you need to develop your growth mindset, attract your luck, embrace your uniqueness and create your interests.Â
Reading is your first step on this journey. Now take ACTION.Â
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Really inspiring and well researched! Very practical and efficient!