The Art of Learning

Tony has been a presenter on Sky Sports since 2006. He is a regular on Sky Sports News HQ, and also the regular presenter of Golfing World. He hosts a roster of other sports on Sky Sports channels 1-5.

Tony is also a personal development author and presenter. He has three books published with Virgin Books in 12 languages and is one of the country’s foremost experts on NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).

He is the host of top-rated podcast Zestology, interviewing a wide range of experts in the field of health and personal development, and having lots of fun along the way. He regularly appears as a guest on other shows talking about energy, vitality, and motivation.

Favorite Success Quote

“Men of lofty genius, when they are doing the least work are the most active” ~Leonardo Da Vinci

Key Points

1. Do Less to Achieve More 

I want you to imagine that you have two friends who are starting a business.

The first friend is a firey, gung-ho, type-A personality who jumps into building his business operating by the mentality of “Ready Fire Aim!”. He works hard, hustling for 16-20 hours a day, working weekends, and sleeping at his office, but his does so without taking a moment to think or plan.

The second friend, although just as oriented for action, takes a few steps back before launching his business. He learns his market, he spends time every day sitting in thought and contemplating his goals, he takes long walks in the parks after asking questions of his subconscious, and when he does start his business, he has a clear picture of exactly what he needs to do and how he needs to do it.

Who do you think will be more successful?

While society might tell you that the first man will learn at an accelerated pace and achieve success quicker, Tony believes that the second man will actually achieve greater levels of success in the long run.

Even though he was doing “less”, spending plenty of time relaxing and living at a leisurely pace, Tony suggests that he will achieve more in his business because he is giving himself the mental bandwidth to properly approach problems and fully understand his goals.

Here’s another example.

Imagine that I told you and a friend that you needed to get from San Diego to New York.

As soon as your friend hear’s the directions, he laces up his Nikes and starts hauling ass towards the East.

You, however, take a step back, check your bank account and realize that you have more than enough to purchase a non-stop flight from the San Diego airport all the way to JFK.

After eight hours, you have successfully passed through security, boarded the plane, and landed at your destination.

Your friend, on the other hand, will not arrive in New York for several weeks (unless he is some sort of ultra athlete). Even though he took more action and did “more” it took him longer to accomplish the task and he had a more difficult journey.

As Abraham Lincoln said, “If I had 8 hours to cut down a tree, I would spend the first six sharpening my ax“.

2. You Owe it to Yourself to Pursue Your Passion 

When has there ever been a greater time to be alive?

Life expectancy is up, crime, poverty, and other societal diseases are down and there has never been a time in all of human history where the average man could climb the ranks of society and achieve at whatever levels he desires regardless of race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or age.

There has never been a better time to be alive!

So why are you wasting away your opportunities?

Why aren’t you pursuing your passions?

Why aren’t you using all of the amazing technology and political freedoms that you have to build a life you love, a life that inspires you, a life filled with passion?

Why the hell are you wasting this opportunity!?

You have one shot at this life, one opportunity to live to the fullest, one chance… Why waste it pursuing careers and goals that you aren’t truly passionate about?

I am not telling you that you need to quit your job and start your own company, or even that you need to start a side hustle.

I am saying that your life is too damn valuable to waste on uninspiring crap that doesn’t light you up.

Do things you enjoy.

Pursue your passions.

Have fun.

You owe it to yourself to enjoy your life!

Because you only get one of them.

3. Just Share the Truth 

Most men suck at telling the truth.

It’s just a fact.

And I don’t mean that we are all liars or manipulative a**holes. I simply mean that men are terrible at being authentic, honest, and vulnerable about what is really going on.

Because, quite frankly, it’s hard.

It’s hard to let other people in, to show our weakness, to admit that we don’t have everything figured out.

It’s hard to stand out from the crowd and be the only person standing for a specific cause or belief.

It’s hard to share your truth and be unabashedly you!

But it’s worth it.

Because when you share the truth, your truth…. You are free.

You are free from the bullshit, free from the expectations of others, and free from all the societal garbage designed to hold you back.

Share your truth and be yourself… Because anything else is a waste.

4. Manage Your Energy Not Your Time

Have you ever wondered how some people who work so little can accomplish so much, while others, who work their fingers to the bone, can come up short again and again and again?

If you have ever spent a significant amount of time among a pool of high achievers, you will quickly realize that hard work alone is not their secret to success.

Many of them sleep 9 hours a night (James Altucher and Neil Patel both do this), several spend more time reading than working (Warren Buffet and Bill Gates), and the legendary Richard Branson somehow has the time to run 400+ companies, party on his own private island, and spend time with his family and friends!

So what gives?

If the answer isn’t spending more time on work, then what is it?

Well, the answer that Tony and countless other guests have suggested is that the secret to success and productivity is not time management, but energy management.

It doesn’t matter how much time you throw at a task, if you are too lethargic and groggy to properly function, you won’t be able to achieve it no matter how well you manage your time.

Therefore, energy, not time should be seen as your greatest asset.

But how in the world can one successfully manage your energy when there are so many different forces vying for your attention, time, and effort?

While I could write a whole book on this topic (and plenty of my previous guests have), there are three simple hacks that you can implement today to 10x your energy in less than a week.

First and foremost, you should give yourself a minimum of two hours a day to totally unplug.

No cell phones, no TV, no computer screens, just yourself, your friends, and your favorite activities… That’s it.

In our modern world, most people are wildly overstimulated resulting in massive levels of mental and physical fatigue, and while you can fight it for a while, the only truly effective method that I’ve found to reclaim your lost energy levels is to give yourself the gift of unplugging.

In addition to stepping away from your iPhone and laptop every day, you must also make an effort to exercise at least 20 minutes a day. While it might seem counterintuitive to do something that takes energy in order to gain energy, study after study has irrevocably shown a direct correlation between exercise and energy levels (not to mention mental and physical wellbeing and longevity).

And the good news is that it doesn’t take much!

You can try out the simple 7-minute workout promoted by the New York Times, go for a 20-minute jog, or just do a few calisthenics circuits from your office.

Whatever you do, I promise that if you stick with it, you will see your energy levels skyrocket.

Finally, for the last piece of advice, I must defer to the legendary Peter F. Drucker who said: “What gets measured gets managed.” This is true in your business, your finances, and yes, your energy levels.

If you want a simple hack to immediately boost your energy levels so that you can accomplish more in less time and truly enjoy your life, then start tracking your energy levels throughout the day and note the elements in your life that are leading to either an increase or decrease in energy.

Every body is unique, therefore what helps or hinders one person’s energy might not have the same effect for you. So tracking your energy levels and noticing patterns is the only way that you can truly optimize your energy and ensure peak performance.

5. Success at the Expense of Your Health Isn’t Success at All 

One of the greatest ironies of life is that the aggressive Type-A individuals who work themselves to death in order to achieve success are often the same individuals who die young and leave behind their wealth before they can ever truly enjoy it!

So many people work day in and day out to build their dream, neglecting their health and letting their bodies fall to the wayside. And when they finally do hit that million dollar mark, epic IPO, or acquisition… They are too tired, fat, and sick to enjoy any of the rewards for their hard work.

Why the hell would you want that fate?

I don’t know about you, but I am in this for the long haul.

If I have to wait until I am 40 to become a millionaire so that I can take care of my body, get to the gym, eat well, sleep plenty, and enjoy my life, I will happily wait on the seven figures.

I don’t believe that it’s worth it to arrive at my goal too sick and tired to enjoy it.

Realize that nothing is worth your health.

No goal is worth losing your vitality.

And quite frankly, if you focus on your health first, you will find that your other goals and desires will actually manifest faster because you can pursue them with more energy and clarity than ever before.