Knowledge For Men

Lee Ellis is President and Founder of Leadership Freedom® and FreedomStar Media™. For more than fifteen years he has served as an executive coach and a corporate consultant in the areas of hiring, teambuilding, leadership development, and succession planning.

His clients include Fortune 500 senior executives and C-Level leaders in a variety of industries. Since 1990, Lee has managed the development, validation, and internet deployment of several personality and leadership assessments that have been used by more than 200,000 individuals.

Early in his career, Lee served as an Air Force fighter pilot flying fifty-three combat missions over North Vietnam. In 1967, he was shot down and held as a POW for more than five years in Hanoi and surrounding camps.   After the war, he served as an instructor pilot, chief of flight standardization/evaluation, and flying squadron commander. Additionally, he commanded two leadership development organizations before retiring as a colonel. Lee’s combat decorations include two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with Valor device, the Purple Heart, and the POW medal. Favorite Success Quote

“Be courageous. Lean into the pain of your doubts and fears to do what you know is right, even when it feels unnatural or uncomfortable.” ~Lee Ellis

Key Points

1. Living a Life of Honor is the Ultimate Success

There was once a story that one of my employees shared with me about a life lesson his grandfather had shared with him during his summer stint working as a landscaper.

His grandad had spent nearly a decade of his life operating a construction contracting business, designing and building custom homes for the upper class members of his hometown.

One of his clients who had been a long time acquantaince hired his grandfather to build a home costing several hundred thousand dollars (back in the 80’s).

Happy to oblige his friend, the grandfather took the contract and completed the home to perfection.

When the work was done and the house was built, he went to his friend to collect the payment for his services.

His friend however, had no intention of paying for the home and due to the ambiguous terms of their contract, he knew that pursuing a law suit would be a costly endeavor.

My employee’s grandfather simply shrugged and shook the man’s hand saying “If you can live with it, then I can live without it.”

He continued on grinding and working hard, developing a number of successful businesses throughout the years and achieving great successes in his personal and professional life, always conducting business with integrity and honor.

The other man however, despite his massive financial success, died of a massive heart attack at his office, alone and unloved.

While the contrast between the two men may seem obvious, the true moral of this story is that success is not about material wealth or finanical gain.

It’s about doing the right thing no matter what the cost.

That is no small order, but if you can carry out your life with honor each and every day, you will be able to die fulfilled and live a life of joy and companionship.

2. You Cannot Manage Yourself Unless You Know Yourself

How many of you have taken the Myers Brigg’s Personality Test?

If you have, then odds are good that some of the conclusions the test made about you and your personality may have surprised you.

And herein lies one of the greatest problems with our society.

We do not value introspection and self knowledge like Eastern societies and ancient people’s did.

We value work and results.

And while these two things are important, you will never be able to achieve at your fullest potential if you do not know yourself as deeply and intimately as possible.

Just think about it.

How can you ever expect to perform at a high level if you do not first know who you are and how you perform?

How can you succeed when everything you are doing is in stark opposition to your deeply held values and personality?

You must discover who you really are, how you work best, what personality traits you have, what motivates you, what discourages you, what strikes fear into your heart, and what you truly want.

Because unless you can answer those questions, you will never truly tap into your potential.

3. Guard Your Character and Make Decision Based Upon Values

The greatest travesty of every generation is the young men and women with boundless potential who waste everything because they did not guard their character.

Everyone knows that kid, maybe you met them in high school or grew up with them in your hometown, who showed tremendous potential growing up.

They were the captain of the football team, the straight A student and the leader of all of the clubs at their school.

They had it all.

But somewhere along the lines, they screwed up.

They made that one compromise of character that opened up Pandora’s box and destroyed their lives.

Maybe they cheated on one test and lost a scholarship, maybe they started abusing drugs and were arrested in their first semester, maybe they slept around and ended up getting someone pregnant.

Whatever they did, it shocked you because you knew that wasn’t like them.

And that’s the point.

It takes a lifetime to develop a reputation and build your character, but only one dumb decision to compromise it.

If you want to live a fulfilling and joyful life, then you have to make decision based upon your values and not your impulses.

While everyone operates under different moral codes, you all know what you consider wrong and right and when you should or should not do something.

Listen to that voice in your head and do not compromise your character for anyone or anything.

4. You Have to Balance Results and Relationships

There are two basic styles of leadership, results focused and relationship focused.

And odds are, if you have spent any appreciable amount of time in the world of high performance leadership, you have come into contact with both styles of leaders.

The results focused leader is the stereotypical drill sergeant style of leadership. These are the men who want things to get done, they don’t care who does it or what excuses come up, they simply want things and want them now.

Relationship-oriented leaders on the other hand are the types of leaders who care more about their people then the mission, they are the ones who, while admittedly kinder are more likely to get pushed around and taken advantage of.

Both styles have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and all truly excellent leaders know how to balance these two styles of command to achieve their desired outcome.

The leader who knows how to balance relationships and results will be able to discern between employees who have been misplaced and assigned to positions that are incongruent with their personalities and employees who are just darn lazy.

The leader who knows how to balance relationships and results will be able to know when he is pushing his people too hard and when they have potential to go further.

The leader who can balance relationships and results will be able to achieve anything he sets his mind to because he will have his followers love as well as their respect.

5. Face Your Fears and Doubts 

Every man has fears and doubts about his worth, ability, and potential.

They are bred into us from an early age by society, friends, and even family.

But you must realize something.

As a man, outside of your integrity, no characteristic will determine your success and fulfillment more than your ability to feel the fear and do it anyways.

When Lee and his friends were being tortured and imprisoned by the Viet Cong, do you think that they were not afraid? Do you think that none of them ever thought about betraying their country or ending their own lives to escape the torment?

Of course they did!

And some of them did.

Now, years after the fact, it is the men who were able to embrace their fears and doubts and stand strong who are seen as heroes, who are loved by their brothers in arms, and who can live with a clean conscience and a full heart.

Your ability to face and overcome your fears is part of what defines you as a man.

Never your fears hold you back from greateness, because at the end of the day, even if you die facing your fears, we are all dead men, and there is nothing more noble and honorable than to give your life pursuing what God put you on this earth to do.the worst thing.

Ryan Stewman is a high-performance sales coach and trainer who went from spending two stints in federal prison to building a multiple seven figure income.

He is the author of several best-selling books including Kick-Ass, Bulletproof Business, Elevator to the Top, and Hardcore Closer.

Favorite Success Quote

"You gotta take action before you can take over"

Key Points

1. Action not Knowledge Leads to Success

If you have been involved in the personal development world for any appreciable amount of time, then you have inevitably come across the people, shall we call them "Pathological learners" who are voracious consumers of knowledge.

They know all of the latest market trends, are well-versed in the high-performance practices of characters like Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield, and can tell you how to start and grow a business from inception to 7-figures.

And yet, when you look at the results in their lives, what do you find?

Nothing, nada, zilch.

They live in a 400 square foot apartment, are overweight, and in a relationship that looks like something out of a bad soap opera.

Yet they know all this information!

The problem is that they do not apply it. You have to realize that knowledge without action is useless.

Only applied knowledge is power, and if you have spent years devoting your time and energy to learning without taking the proper proportion of action, then it is time to get off your ass, leave the theory on your nightstand, and get in the game.

2.Suffering is a Temporary But Essential Part of Life

When was the last time you experienced suffering? I mean true suffering.

Not the "My dog is sick" or "The 49ers lost their last game", but real, visceral suffering, the kind that keeps you up at night, deprives you of joy, and makes you question your purpose on this planet.

Perhaps you lost a family member or a friend, underwent a nasty divorce, lost your home, job, and family in bankruptcy, or even suffered from a life-changing disease or injury.

Whatever that suffering was (or is) you need to internalize one of life's great truths, spoken over a century ago by Abraham Lincoln.

"This too shall pass"

No suffer, no matter how devastating and debilitating it may feel, is permanent. And what is more? It is necessary to build you into the man that you need to become.

I am not telling you that your pain will be easy to bear, but I am telling you that it will be worth it.

3. Ignore the Haters and Embrace the True Players

One of the greatest tragedies of the modern world is that men with unlimited potential and unimaginable abilities allow themselves to be smothered by the advice and criticisms of unambitious, underachieving, and jealous peers.

Every time you go to the office look at the men to your left and to your right.

What do you see?

Do you see men embracing their true potential, taking control of their lives, and creating an incredible future full of freedom and joy?

Or do you see men who have allowed the doubts and misgivings of society, family, and friends to hold them back from their dreams and desires?

On your path to success, you will be faced with many, many, many haters, doubters, and naysayers.

They will tell you it cannot or should not be done only out of their own insecurities and fears.

But if you want to unleash the giant inside of you and reach your full potential, you must ignore these people, whether they are bosses, life-long friends, or even family members.

Only take advice from those who are achieving what you want to achieve, and ignore the rest.

End of discussion.

4. Education not Schooling is What Separates the Winners from the Losers

There is a fallacious belief circulating the modern world that tells all young men the only path to success is through higher education.

And while college can be a great choice for some people, it is not the ultimate road to massive achievement.

I want you to think back to your highschool and college years.

If your experience was anything like mine, then at some point, you inevitably came across two different types of guys: The learner and the hustler.

The learner was someone you would describe as the stereotypical nerd. He was smart, worked hard in classes, and did everything right.

He made good marks, graduated with honors, and probably had several high level job offers waiting for him upon graduation.

The hustler however, is a different breed.

This was the man who spent his days building something that he believed in, working towards his dream, and focusing more on his practical education than his education.

Sure, he still applied himself to his schooling, but, as Mark Twain said he "Never let his schooling get in the way of his education."

Which of these two men do you think ultimately achieved more? Who became more successful? Who was able to create something that would last and create freedom for themselves and their families?

Hint, it's not the guy with all A's.

5. Your Past Does Not Determine Your Future

Imagine, if you will, a man who spent his whole life as a criminal, stealing, lying, and terrorizing his way to "success."

After being arrested for one of his many crimes and spending nearly half a decade of his life behind bars, he is released back into the world and left with a choice.

He can either allow past decisions, events, and circumstances to determine his future, or he can lift a middle finger to mistakes and decide to create a different life for himself, to rebuild himself, and create a new identity as a man of honor, integrity, and love.

Most people don't believe that you can ever overcome your past.

And quite frankly, most people are full of shit.

Every single day, you are faced with the same decision as the man above, you can either bend a knee and supplicate yourself to the flaws and mistakes of your past self, or you can start anew and recreate yourself into the kind of man you would be proud to be.

Which decision will you make?

Ryan Stewman is a high-performance sales coach and trainer who went from spending two stints in federal prison to building a multiple seven figure income.

He is the author of several best-selling books including Kick-Ass, Bulletproof Business, Elevator to the Top, and Hardcore Closer. 

Favorite Success Quote

“You gotta take action before you can take over”

Key Points

1. Action not Knowledge Leads to Success

If you have been involved in the personal development world for any appreciable amount of time, then you have inevitably come across the people, shall we call them “Pathological learners” who are voracious consumers of knowledge.

They know all of the latest market trends, are well-versed in the high-performance practices of characters like Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield, and can tell you how to start and grow a business from inception to 7-figures.

And yet, when you look at the results in their lives, what do you find?

Nothing, nada, zilch.

They live in a 400 square foot apartment, are overweight, and in a relationship that looks like something out of a bad soap opera.

Yet they know all this information!

The problem is that they do not apply it. You have to realize that knowledge without action is useless.

Only applied knowledge is power, and if you have spent years devoting your time and energy to learning without taking the proper proportion of action, then it is time to get off your ass, leave the theory on your nightstand, and get in the game.

2.Suffering is a Temporary But Essential Part of Life

When was the last time you experienced suffering? I mean true suffering.

Not the “My dog is sick” or “The 49ers lost their last game”, but real, visceral suffering, the kind that keeps you up at night, deprives you of joy, and makes you question your purpose on this planet.

Perhaps you lost a family member or a friend, underwent a nasty divorce, lost your home, job, and family in bankruptcy, or even suffered from a life-changing disease or injury.

Whatever that suffering was (or is) you need to internalize one of life’s great truths, spoken over a century ago by Abraham Lincoln.

“This too shall pass”

No suffer, no matter how devastating and debilitating it may feel, is permanent. And what is more? It is necessary to build you into the man that you need to become.

I am not telling you that your pain will be easy to bear, but I am telling you that it will be worth it.

3. Ignore the Haters and Embrace the True Players

One of the greatest tragedies of the modern world is that men with unlimited potential and unimaginable abilities allow themselves to be smothered by the advice and criticisms of unambitious, underachieving, and jealous peers.

Every time you go to the office look at the men to your left and to your right.

What do you see?

Do you see men embracing their true potential, taking control of their lives, and creating an incredible future full of freedom and joy?

Or do you see men who have allowed the doubts and misgivings of society, family, and friends to hold them back from their dreams and desires?

On your path to success, you will be faced with many, many, many haters, doubters, and naysayers.

They will tell you it cannot or should not be done only out of their own insecurities and fears.

But if you want to unleash the giant inside of you and reach your full potential, you must ignore these people, whether they are bosses, life-long friends, or even family members.

Only take advice from those who are achieving what you want to achieve, and ignore the rest.

End of discussion.

4. Education not Schooling is What Separates the Winners from the Losers

There is a fallacious belief circulating the modern world that tells all young men the only path to success is through higher education.

And while college can be a great choice for some people, it is not the ultimate road to massive achievement.

I want you to think back to your highschool and college years.

If your experience was anything like mine, then at some point, you inevitably came across two different types of guys: The learner and the hustler.

The learner was someone you would describe as the stereotypical nerd. He was smart, worked hard in classes, and did everything right.

He made good marks, graduated with honors, and probably had several high level job offers waiting for him upon graduation.

The hustler however, is a different breed.

This was the man who spent his days building something that he believed in, working towards his dream, and focusing more on his practical education than his education.

Sure, he still applied himself to his schooling, but, as Mark Twain said he “Never let his schooling get in the way of his education.”

Which of these two men do you think ultimately achieved more? Who became more successful? Who was able to create something that would last and create freedom for themselves and their families?

Hint, it’s not the guy with all A’s.

5. Your Past Does Not Determine Your Future

Imagine, if you will, a man who spent his whole life as a criminal, stealing, lying, and terrorizing his way to “success.”

After being arrested for one of his many crimes and spending nearly half a decade of his life behind bars, he is released back into the world and left with a choice.

He can either allow past decisions, events, and circumstances to determine his future, or he can lift a middle finger to mistakes and decide to create a different life for himself, to rebuild himself, and create a new identity as a man of honor, integrity, and love.

Most people don’t believe that you can ever overcome your past.

And quite frankly, most people are full of shit.

Every single day, you are faced with the same decision as the man above, you can either bend a knee and supplicate yourself to the flaws and mistakes of your past self, or you can start anew and recreate yourself into the kind of man you would be proud to be.

Which decision will you make?

Ajit is co-founder of Blinkwebinars and Evercoach. He is also CEO of Mindvalley Media, the publishing arm of the Mindvalley Group. He also helps other business as a mentor in a private mastermind, Zentreprenur.

Ajit also sits on the board for companies like Digital Academy India, Omvana, and Mindvalley Italy. In his free time, he likes to work on self-development, reiki, and his cooking skills. He is passionate about marketing and sales.

Favorite Success Quote

"It is better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than to have a long life doing something you hate" ~Alan Watts

Key Points

1. External Succes is Fleeting

So many men try and pursue external success and validation thinking that it will make them happy and fulfilled, but the truth is, success has nothing to do with your external accomplishments.

True happiness, true success, and true fulfillment comes from living a life based around offering value and living the values that you hold dear.

It comes from loving others, filling your days with incredible experiences, and spending time doing the things that you enjoy.

That new house, raise, or car might make you happy, but only for a moment.

2. Success is About Living a Value Based Life

Success, true success, comes from living a life that is congruent with your deeply held values and beliefs.

If you value time with your family but work 80 hours a week to earn 7-figures, you are not a success. If you value your health, but give it up so that you can party with friends to try and look cool, you are not a success.

You are only a success if your thoughts, words, and actions are aligned with your deepest values and the man that you want to be.

3. Focus on Showing Up not Achieving Goals

A life focused on achieving goals is a life of misery, because goals are constantly shifting and as soon as one is accomplished, you are left with a deep void and a sense of "What's next?"

If you want to live a fulfilled and happy life, then focus more on showing up each day as the man that you want to be.

Be fully present in every conversation, treat others with respect and kindness, worry more about the impact you are having on those around you than the potential benefit that they can be to you and your goals.

When you make this mental shift, you will be more loving, kind, and generous, and the funny thing is, the universe will reciprocate this and you will likely achieve those goals that you had set because you are no longer focused on them.

4. Stop Trying to Live Up to The Expectations of the World

The world pushes all of these unrealistic expectations and standards on you, trying to convince you to conform to its standards and desires.

However, to live the life of your dreams, you must shun the expectations of the world and instead create your own expectations for yourself and your future.

You decide who you want to be, what you want to accomplish, and most important how you want to show up, not the world.

Once you truly internalize this, the freedom and joy that you will feel is almost unparalleled.

5. Keep People First

In business, relationships, and pretty much every other area of life, make sure that you are keeping people first.

In your business, focus on your clients, not your revenue.

In your relationships, focus on adding value and not taking value.

In your health, focus on how your improved performance and energy will affect those around you and not on how it will boost your own ego.

Always keep people first and you will never lose.

Ajit is co-founder of Blinkwebinars and Evercoach. He is also CEO of Mindvalley Media, the publishing arm of the Mindvalley Group. He also helps other business as a mentor in a private mastermind, Zentreprenur.

Ajit also sits on the board for companies like Digital Academy India, Omvana, and Mindvalley Italy. In his free time, he likes to work on self-development, reiki, and his cooking skills. He is passionate about marketing and sales.

Favorite Success Quote

“It is better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than to have a long life doing something you hate” ~Alan Watts

Key Points

1. External Succes is Fleeting

So many men try and pursue external success and validation thinking that it will make them happy and fulfilled, but the truth is, success has nothing to do with your external accomplishments.

True happiness, true success, and true fulfillment comes from living a life based around offering value and living the values that you hold dear.

It comes from loving others, filling your days with incredible experiences, and spending time doing the things that you enjoy.

That new house, raise, or car might make you happy, but only for a moment.

2. Success is About Living a Value Based Life

Success, true success, comes from living a life that is congruent with your deeply held values and beliefs.

If you value time with your family but work 80 hours a week to earn 7-figures, you are not a success. If you value your health, but give it up so that you can party with friends to try and look cool, you are not a success.

You are only a success if your thoughts, words, and actions are aligned with your deepest values and the man that you want to be.

3. Focus on Showing Up not Achieving Goals 

A life focused on achieving goals is a life of misery, because goals are constantly shifting and as soon as one is accomplished, you are left with a deep void and a sense of “What’s next?”

If you want to live a fulfilled and happy life, then focus more on showing up each day as the man that you want to be.

Be fully present in every conversation, treat others with respect and kindness, worry more about the impact you are having on those around you than the potential benefit that they can be to you and your goals.

When you make this mental shift, you will be more loving, kind, and generous, and the funny thing is, the universe will reciprocate this and you will likely achieve those goals that you had set because you are no longer focused on them.

4. Stop Trying to Live Up to The Expectations of the World

The world pushes all of these unrealistic expectations and standards on you, trying to convince you to conform to its standards and desires.

However, to live the life of your dreams, you must shun the expectations of the world and instead create your own expectations for yourself and your future.

You decide who you want to be, what you want to accomplish, and most important how you want to show up, not the world.

Once you truly internalize this, the freedom and joy that you will feel is almost unparalleled.

5. Keep People First 

In business, relationships, and pretty much every other area of life, make sure that you are keeping people first.

In your business, focus on your clients, not your revenue.

In your relationships, focus on adding value and not taking value.

In your health, focus on how your improved performance and energy will affect those around you and not on how it will boost your own ego.

Always keep people first and you will never lose.

Geoff Blades is an author of Do What You Want and an advisor to senior Wall Street professionals, CEOs, and other leaders, on all topics related to getting what they want in their businesses, careers, and lives.

In his lifetime, he went from frying chicken at KFC to working at Goldman Sach's to quitting his "dream career" to pursue his real dream of helping others achieve the life that they want.

Favorite Success Quote

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Key Points

1. What Do You Want? Go Get It

One of the most fundamental questions that you can ask yourself is also one of the simplest; "What do I want?"

Until you can answer this question for yourself and not base it on the desires that family, peers, and society try and project upon you, you will be like a ship without a rudder.

No matter how fast you are going, it will never be in the right direction.

Take some time away from all external influences and really decide what you want for yourself in the areas of health, wealth, relationships, and personal growth.

Then, once you have a clear picture of what you want, hustle like crazy until you achieve it.

2. All Success is Based upon Your Desire for an Emotion

Whenever you are trying to determine what you really want in life, it is easy to think that your desires are based on a certain thing or achievement.

In reality, all of your desires for external successes and validation stems from your desire to feel a certain way.

Why do you want a million dollars in the bank?

It's not because you want the million dollars.

It's because you want to feel the safety, significance, and the freedom (and subsequent joy) that you will experience by earning a million dollars.

Once you realize that all of your desires to achieve certain goals are basically desires to feel a certain emotion, you can analyze your goals in a more pragmatic and realistic way.

3. Resistance Comes from Negative Projections

The only reason that you face resistance in your pursuit of your dreams is because of the negative projections that are associated with the work that you need to do to achieve your goals.

Think about it.

No one needs to motivate you to watch TV or eat that piece of cake. It's an easy task that (for most people) has no associated negative projections.

What if you were able to approach your work and your mission with the same attitude?

Instead of projecting pain and struggle in your work, learn to find joy and satisfaction in the struggle.

Learn to appreciate your work and associate a massive amount of pleasure with everything that you do.

4. Focus on the Journey and not the Destination

Success is never about an outcome.

It is about the man you become on your path towards that outcome.

Every man who undergoes radical financial, physical, emotional, or social changes has simultaneously undergone radical personal changes.

The man who goes from flipping burgers to a millionaire, from fat to fit, or from textbook nerd to social powerhouse, have all undergone massive internal changes that brought about their new realities.

They became grittier, more determined, more dedicated, more educated, and more alive.

Realize that the best part of success is the journey that it takes you on and the person that you become along the way, not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

5. Create Two Systems: One for Your Mind and One For Actions

One of the quickest ways to create a success filled life is to create a series of systems for mastering your mind and your actions.

This means that you need to work on developing systems to help train your brain and create mental focus and resilience while simultaneously creating systems to help you take action towards your goals and dreams.

This can be anything from meditation, exercise, journaling, practicing productivity hacks, reading, or waking up earlier in the morning.

Whatever it is for you, build your systems and then execute them ruthlessly.

Geoff Blades is an author of Do What You Want and an advisor to senior Wall Street professionals, CEOs, and other leaders, on all topics related to getting what they want in their businesses, careers, and lives.

In his lifetime, he went from frying chicken at KFC to working at Goldman Sach’s to quitting his “dream career” to pursue his real dream of helping others achieve the life that they want.

Favorite Success Quote

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Key Points

1. What Do You Want? Go Get It

One of the most fundamental questions that you can ask yourself is also one of the simplest; “What do I want?”

Until you can answer this question for yourself and not base it on the desires that family, peers, and society try and project upon you, you will be like a ship without a rudder.

No matter how fast you are going, it will never be in the right direction.

Take some time away from all external influences and really decide what you want for yourself in the areas of health, wealth, relationships, and personal growth.

Then, once you have a clear picture of what you want, hustle like crazy until you achieve it.

2. All Success is Based upon Your Desire for an Emotion

Whenever you are trying to determine what you really want in life, it is easy to think that your desires are based on a certain thing or achievement.

In reality, all of your desires for external successes and validation stems from your desire to feel a certain way.

Why do you want a million dollars in the bank?

It’s not because you want the million dollars.

It’s because you want to feel the safety, significance, and the freedom (and subsequent joy) that you will experience by earning a million dollars.

Once you realize that all of your desires to achieve certain goals are basically desires to feel a certain emotion, you can analyze your goals in a more pragmatic and realistic way.

3. Resistance Comes from Negative Projections

The only reason that you face resistance in your pursuit of your dreams is because of the negative projections that are associated with the work that you need to do to achieve your goals.

Think about it.

No one needs to motivate you to watch TV or eat that piece of cake. It’s an easy task that (for most people) has no associated  negative projections.

What if you were able to approach your work and your mission with the same attitude?

Instead of projecting pain and struggle in your work, learn to find joy and satisfaction in the struggle.

Learn to appreciate your work and associate a massive amount of pleasure with everything that you do.

4. Focus on the Journey and not the Destination 

Success is never about an outcome.

It is about the man you become on your path towards that outcome.

Every man who undergoes radical financial, physical, emotional, or social changes has simultaneously undergone radical personal changes.

The man who goes from flipping burgers to a millionaire, from fat to fit, or from textbook nerd to social powerhouse, have all undergone massive internal changes that brought about their new realities.

They became grittier, more determined, more dedicated, more educated, and more alive.

Realize that the best part of success is the journey that it takes you on and the person that you become along the way, not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

5. Create Two Systems: One for Your Mind and One For Actions

One of the quickest ways to create a success filled life is to create a series of systems for mastering your mind and your actions.

This means that you need to work on developing systems to help train your brain and create mental focus and resilience while simultaneously creating systems to help you take action towards your goals and dreams.

This can be anything from meditation, exercise, journaling, practicing productivity hacks, reading, or waking up earlier in the morning.

Whatever it is for you, build your systems and then execute them ruthlessly.

Dan Kariv is the CEO of multiple companies including Amped Ventures and Math4Sale, Inc. – a startup that is currently generating 7-figures in revenue.

His life journey has been fueled by a passion to uncover and distill the spiritual truths of reality and exploring them along the journey of entrepreneurship and the pursuit of freedom so that he can better serve the world.

Favorite Success Quote

"True freedom is the ability to choose how you spend each day."

Key Points

1. Are You Being the Best Version of Yourself?

Every second of your life, you have a choice. You can either choose to show up as the best, most powerful, most grounded version of yourself, or you can choose to allow fear and external pressures suppress your strength and live a life below your potential.

In every challenging situation, whether it is a meeting at work, an argument with your wife, or some other battle that you face, ask yourself "Am I being the best version of myself right now?"

Are you showing up and leaving everything on the table, are you attacking life with a vigor and energy that makes others stand in awe, or are you playing it safe?

Keep this question in the forefront of your mind each day and you will be amazed at the paradigm shifts you will experience.

2. Freedom Comes with a Price

Freedom of any kind, whether it is freedom of location, financial freedom, physical freedom, or social freedom (e.g. freedom from approach anxiety), comes with with a price tag.

Freedom is not free. It is earned. It is taken. It is wrestled from the jaws of fear and uncertainty and doubt.

If you want a life of your own design, a life of true power where you can be who you want and live life on your terms, then you are going to have to pay for it.

Achieving freedom requires discipline and sacrifice. It requires years, sometimes decades of giving up what you want now for a future of unlimited potential.

As the old saying goes, "Live like no one else will today so that you can live like no one else can tomorrow."

3. Fear is the Pathway to Power

One of the quickest ways to achieve success is to see your fears as the pathway to power. See fear as the guiding force in your life that tells you where you should be going and what you should be doing.

The more fear you feel, the more you will know you are on the right track.

Do not let fear paralyze you.

Realize that on the other side of every fear is a stronger, more powerful, and more grounded man.

Overcoming your fear to start your business or talk to that girl or get off the couch and go to the gym will lead to personal growth and success that you could never have imagined.

Embrace the fear and achieve your dream life.

4. What Do You Want to be Remembered For?

It is easy to live our lives without ever truly considering our legacies.

But the simple fact is, all of us are going to die. We are all headed towards the same fate. And 100 years from now, the only thing that will differentiate your life from everyone else's is the impact that you had and the difference that you made.

Devote time each day to thinking about the person that you want to become.

Think about how you want to be remembered.

Do you want to be remembered as the grinder? The philanthropist? The family man?

No matter what you want your legacy to be, make the definite decision to take the necessary actions to leave behind a life that will be remembered how you want to be remembered.

5. Success Requires You to Hone Your Capacity

If you want to succeed at any endeavor in life, you must first hone your capacity.

You must become a student to your craft and be willing to put your nose to the grindstone, working and learning, all the while approaching your craft with a deep humility.

The more and more capable you become at any skill, the more you will find your ego and insecurities melting away.

You will no longer feel the need to prove yourself to the world because you already have a deep inner confidence in yourself and your capacity for success.

Dan Kariv is the CEO of multiple companies including Amped Ventures and Math4Sale, Inc. – a startup that is currently generating 7-figures in revenue.

His life journey has been fueled by a passion to uncover and distill the spiritual truths of reality and exploring them along the journey of entrepreneurship and the pursuit of freedom so that he can better serve the world.

Favorite Success Quote

“True freedom is the ability to choose how you spend each day.”

Key Points

1. Are You Being the Best Version of Yourself?

Every second of your life, you have a choice. You can either choose to show up as the best, most powerful, most grounded version of yourself, or you can choose to allow fear and external pressures suppress your strength and live a life below your potential.

In every challenging situation, whether it is a meeting at work, an argument with your wife, or some other battle that you face, ask yourself “Am I being the best version of myself right now?”

Are you showing up and leaving everything on the table, are you attacking life with a vigor and energy that makes others stand in awe, or are you playing it safe?

Keep this question in the forefront of your mind each day and you will be amazed at the paradigm shifts you will experience.

2. Freedom Comes with a Price

Freedom of any kind, whether it is freedom of location, financial freedom, physical freedom, or social freedom (e.g. freedom from approach anxiety), comes with with a price tag.

Freedom is not free. It is earned. It is taken. It is wrestled from the jaws of fear and uncertainty and doubt.

If you want a life of your own design, a life of true power where you can be who you want and live life on your terms, then you are going to have to pay for it.

Achieving freedom requires discipline and sacrifice. It requires years, sometimes decades of giving up what you want now for a future of unlimited potential.

As the old saying goes, “Live like no one else will today so that you can live like no one else can tomorrow.”

3. Fear is the Pathway to Power

One of the quickest ways to achieve success is to see your fears as the pathway to power. See fear as the guiding force in your life that tells you where you should be going and what you should be doing.

The more fear you feel, the more you will know you are on the right track.

Do not let fear paralyze you.

Realize that on the other side of every fear is a stronger, more powerful, and more grounded man.

Overcoming your fear to start your business or talk to that girl or get off the couch and go to the gym will lead to personal growth and success that you could never have imagined.

Embrace the fear and achieve your dream life.

4. What Do You Want to be Remembered For?

It is easy to live our lives without ever truly considering our legacies.

But the simple fact is, all of us are going to die. We are all headed towards the same fate. And 100 years from now, the only thing that will differentiate your life from everyone else’s is the impact that you had and the difference that you made.

Devote time each day to thinking about the person that you want to become.

Think about how you want to be remembered.

Do you want to be remembered as the grinder? The philanthropist? The family man?

No matter what you want your legacy to be, make the definite decision to take the necessary actions to leave behind a life that will be remembered how you want to be remembered.

5. Success Requires You to Hone Your Capacity

If you want to succeed at any endeavor in life, you must first hone your capacity.

You must become a student to your craft and be willing to put your nose to the grindstone, working and learning, all the while approaching your craft with a deep humility.

The more and more capable you become at any skill, the more you will find your ego and insecurities melting away.

You will no longer feel the need to prove yourself to the world because you already have a deep inner confidence in yourself and your capacity for success.

Charlie Brenneman is a former UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) competitor in the lightweight division with an overall fight record of 19 wins and 8 losses.

After leaving the UFC two years ago, Charlie has devoted himself to helping other people achieve the success that they desire and deserve through professional coaching, speaking, and entrepreneurship.

Favorite Success Quote

"You are what you repeatedly do, excellence is not an act but a habit" ~

Key Points

1. Success is About Giving Everything You Have

In our materialistic and results driven society, it is easy to get caught up in this idea that success is all about making a certain amount of money, winning every competition, and reaching every goal.

But the truth is much deeper than that. While accomplishment should certainly play a central role in every man's definition of success, the missing piece of the puzzle is the effort that you devote to achieving your goals.

If you put everything that you have into the attainment of a goal, if you are relentless and driven to a point that many people consider you insane and you still don't achieve your desired outcome, then guess what?

You are still a success.

You showed up, you put in the work, and you did everything that you could do. Sometimes despite your best efforts, the stars simply don't align. And it's times like this where you can look at yourself in the mirror with pride, knowing that you gave it your all and are still a man of success despite the perceived failure.

2. A Life of Fulfillment Comes from the Habit of Pursuing the Uncomfortable

So many people believe that fulfillment will come whenever they reach a certain goal. Whenever they have seven figures in their bank account, are married to the model wife, or driving the Ferrari.

In reality, however, as men, we derive our true sense of fulfillment from constantly pursuing a life of "uncomfortability."

A life where we don't know whether we will succeed, a life of struggle and triumph, a life, as Teddy Roosevelt put it, "In the arena, with your face marred by blood, and sweat, and tears."

If you want to be fulfilled and live every day with a smile on your face and joy in your heart, then get out of your comfort zone. Get uncomfortable and start pushing the boundaries of what you think is possible in your life.

3. Humility is a Hallmark of the Greats

No matter how successful you become, there is always someone out there who is better than you. And if you want to truly succeed at any endeavor, then you need to have the humility to learn from others and devote yourself to constant improvement.

If you look at any great man in sports, business, or life, you will notice that no matter their stature, they were always willing to take criticism and look for ways to improve their craft.

From billionaires like Sam Walton to All-Stars like Kobe Bryant, they all approached their field with a deep and genuine humility, accepting that they did not know everything and had plenty of room to improve.

If you truly want to be one of the greats, then you need to take the same approach to your life.

4. Accept the Struggle

Whenever you start out at anything, whether it is a business, a sport, an instrument, or improving your social skills, you are going to suck.

It's not pretty, it's not nice, but it is the cold hard truth. You are going to suck, and you are going to suck for a long time.

The quicker that you can come to terms with this and accept that the journey is part of the joy of mastery, the sooner you will be able to overcome your own egotistical nature and truly become an expert in your craft.

So embrace the suck. Don't take yourself too seriously, and get ready for months or even years of fumbling through until you become proficient in your field.

5. Surround Yourself with the Best

The quickest way to accelerate your own growth is to surround yourself with people who are playing the game of life at a higher level than you are.

Find people in your field who are performing at a level 10X your current level and get around them.

Figure out what habits, tactics, and mindsets are separating them from the 99% and putting them into the proverbial hall of fame.

The sooner that you can build up your circle of friends and mentors who are playing at a higher level, the quicker you will achieve your own goals and truly embrace your own potential.