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.

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.

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.

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.

Executive, activist, and entrepreneur, Sarah Robb O’Hagan has been described by the media as everything from “Superwoman undercover” to the “Pied Piper of Potential.” She is a high-energy combination of disruptive business leader, fitness fanatic, and cheerleading mom, and has been named one of Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women in Sports” and one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business.” As Chief Executive Officer of the fast growing indoor cycling company Flywheel Sports, she is currently leading the transformation of the business through digital content and services. Prior to this role, Sarah became an internationally recognized re-inventor of brands, having served as global president of the $5Bn sports brand Gatorade, where she successfully led the business through a major repositioning and business turnaround, and global president of the luxury fitness company Equinox, where she reinvented the offering through a significant technology transformation. She recently released her new book, Extreme You: Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat. Favorite Success Quote “Without risk does not come great reward.” Sarah’s Dad Key Points 1. Learn to Focus on What You Are Doing Now  Tell me if this has ever happened to you before? You are at work, hustling away on a  project that is fun and exciting, but for some reason, you cannot stop thinking about what’s happening at home with your wife or girlfriend. Or you are out on a date with your significant other and, instead of giving them your full attention, you are answering work emails when you are supposed to be connecting and sharing a special moment. Why the hell is it that we are always thinking about, and focused on everything except for what we are doing right now? Happiness and success are found when you are able to be completely present in whatever you are doing. When you are 100% focused on your work, you will be able to solve problems, pivot, and accomplish your tasks with greater speed and efficiency. Meaning that later in the day, you have the mental bandwidth to focus in on your family and friends 100%. The more present and focused you can be in one area, the more focus and presence you will be able to bring to the other areas of your life. 2. The Foundation of Success is Self-Care One of the most underrated and least talked about subjects in the world of entrepreneurship is self-care. Everyone gets so focused in on the hustle, they get so focused in on grinding it out and being “obsessed” that they forget to take care of #1. But let me ask you a question… How much money are you going to make if you are constantly in and out of the hospital with stress-related illnesses? How effective will you be if you are constantly drained, lethargic, and fatigued? How successful do you think you will really be if you are not taking care of yourself? You won’t! Success without self-care is unsustainable and ultimately unfulfilling. You must learn to take care of yourself, especially your mental and physical health first and focus on your business second. Make time every single day to get some form of exercise. Give yourself those extra 10-15 minutes to meditate and clear your headspace. Give yourself permission to relax at the end of a long day with a hot bath and some calm music. If you are not taking care of yourself and your body, you will eventually burn out and fail. Period. 3. You Cannot Take Things too Seriously  Look… Life is short. So why the hell would you waste one second of your life in an unhappy or depressed state? Have fun for God’s sake! Learn to laugh at yourself, laugh at your work, laugh at your success, laugh at your failure, because, at the end of the day, we are all dead anyways, so we might as well enjoy the journey and have a few laughs along the way. Life isn’t meant to be a constant stress-fest. It’s meant to be enjoyed with people that you like, doing things that you love. And guess what? In every moment, you have the choice to enjoy your life, to have a great time, and to laugh through the hardships or to succumb to the pain and the suffering and allow outside circumstances to dictate your attitude. You have a choice to enjoy life even when it’s hard. You have a choice to let go of your ego, stop taking things so damn seriously, and enjoy the ride. So will you? 4. Stop Going Half Way  Because of the pressure that many millennials feel from the older generations, a large majority of the young people in Western society are making the grave mistake of building “partial bridges” for the sake of their resume. What do I mean? Well, think about it. Most 18-35-year-olds will change jobs every 2-4 years. Instead of finding something that they are really passionate about, going all the way and becoming great, they go halfway. They hop from position to position trying to build their resume and “experience” when all that they really accomplish is becoming ok at a bunch of unrelated crap. If you really want to become great, then you need to go all the way. Build your bridges fully. Commit to one skill, one position, one person and don’t back out when things get tough. Stick it out and become an expert at your craft. Because when you do, the rewards will be great. 5. Passion is Made Not Found  One of the most “bass akwards” beliefs in the 21st century is that you need to find your passion. In reality, you must make your passions. Passions aren’t something that you find like a dollar bill on the street. They are the result of commitment, persistence, and breakthroughs. How many of you reading this are passionate about music? Now… How many of you picked up a guitar for the first time, tried to strum a C chord, sounded terrible and thought to yourself “Yes! I am passionate about this!”? Not many. Chances are, you picked up the guitar and you sucked for a long time. But you stuck with it. Maybe you wanted to impress that girl or show off that Pearl Jam song to your friends. But for whatever reason, you stuck with it, and eventually, it became an addiction. You loved the way that learning new songs and techniques made you feel, you loved the reaction on people’s faces when you started playing their favorite songs, and you loved the feeling of getting into flow while soloing. And now… It’s a passion. And that’s how most passions are born. You don’t know what your passions are until you stick with something long enough to enjoy and understand it. So realize that you make your passions. And the better you become at a skill the more passionate you will be about it.

Adam Grant has been recognized as Wharton’s top-rated teacher for five straight years, and as one of the world’s 25 most influential management thinkers and Fortune’s 40 under 40. As an organizational psychologist, he studies how we can find motivation and meaning, and lead more generous and creative lives. Adam is the author of two New York Times bestselling books translated into 35 languages. Originals and Give and Take. Adam received a standing ovation for his 2016 TED talk on the surprising habits of original thinkers and was voted the audience’s favorite speaker at The Nantucket Project on the success of givers and takers, which was the subject of his most recent TED talk. His speaking and consulting clients include Facebook, Google, the NBA, Merck, Goldman Sachs, Disney Pixar, Johnson & Johnson, BCG, Amex, the U.S. Army and Navy, and the World Economic Forum, where he has been honored as a Young Global Leader. Favorite Success Quote “The best way to succeed is to help other people succeed.” Key Points 1. Become a Master of “Five Minute Favors” One of the secret weapons of high performers, their proverbial “special sauce” if you will, is the five-minute favor. These favors are simple, easy-to-do tasks that can have a huge impact on your network and future success. One of the simplest examples is devoting 10 minutes a week to connecting at least 2 people you feel need to know each other. This simple tactic resulted in the formation of the Beatles and Apple. Another example is taking the extra initiative at work or in the classroom. Simple things like providing your boss with ten easy-to-implement actions to save the office money or helping a co-worker with a project that they are behind on can drastically increase your social capital and build reciprocal kindness and goodwill. 2. Being an “Original” Is Simple If you want to be original, the path is simple. First, avoid the status quo. Second, look for a new way to do things. And third come up with a superfluous number of ideas, even bad ideas, until you find the solution for which you’re looking. Many people seem to think that being an “Original” is a complicated process that requires psychedelic drugs, a MENSA IQ, or a real creative genius. But the simple truth is that all non-conformists, originals, and real industry disrupters have followed the same three steps. 3. Learn to Reframe the Mundane  One of the most immediate and impactful ways that you can increase your own levels of happiness and satisfaction is to reframe the mundane tasks in your life and find a way to enjoy them. The simplest example is email. How many of you spend at least an hour a day sorting through, organizing, and responding to emails? How many of you think that one hour sucks? I get it… It might seem hard to reframe this seemingly sucky task into something that is genuinely meaningful and enjoyable, but just imagine if you could. Imagine if instead of seeing your email as a drudgery, a  life-sucking task, you saw it as an opportunity. An opportunity to touch every life with which you connect. An opportunity to inspire love, gratitude, and empowerment in every interaction. Because isn’t that exactly what it is? It’s a chance for you to connect with people from all around the globe and inspire them with your attitude, your mindset, and your values. When you approach it from this angle and with this mindset, checking your email because an empowering and exciting task because, instead of thinking “How many freaking message do I have to handle” you get to think “How many lives will I get to shape?” 4. Being an “Original” Is About Execution Not Ideation Being an original has nothing to do with the idea. Everyone, if they think about it long enough, can develop a “Billion dollar idea” that would change the world and disrupt entire industries. But they never take the requisite action. They allow their dreams, their hopes, and their ideas to wither away and die because they cannot bring themselves to execute. They take their ideas with them to the graveyard because they were unwilling to take action on those ideas! At the end of the day, those who truly succeed and shape the world are those who are willing to take ideas and run with them. To take massive action in the face of uncertainty, and give their idea the chance to see the light of day. 5. Fear the Failure to Try Many gurus and self-help proponents shame the fear of failure. They instill a toxic belief that fearing failure is a bad thing. But the simple truth is that you should fear failure. In fact, it should scare the hell out of you! But not in the way that most people imagine. You shouldn’t fear the failure of your business, your relationship, or your bank account… you should fear your own failure to try. At the end of the day, when you lie in your bed, weathered by time, and near the end, you will not look back in regret on the things that you tried and failed. You will look back with regret on the times that you failed to try. You will wonder “What if” I had asked her to marry me? You will wonder “What if” I had started that business? You will wonder “What if” I had embraced my truth and lived a life that was in alignment with my values and my beliefs instead of allowing my family and society to dictate my actions. Because at the end of the day, we are all dead men. The worst thing that can happen to you, death, is already a certainty. So don’t fear failing to succeed. Fear failing to try.

Jocko Willink is a decorated retired Navy SEAL officer, author of the book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he is a leadership instructor, speaker, and executive coach. Jocko spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer. As commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city. As commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War. Jocko returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. There, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield. During his career, Jocko was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards. In 2010, Jocko retired from the Navy and launched Echelon Front where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. Clients include individuals, teams, companies, and organizations across a wide-range of industries and fields. Favorite Success Quote “Discipline equals freedom” Key Points 1. Discipline Gives You True Freedom If you want freedom, then forget all the crap about life hacks, smart drugs, and shortcuts. If you want freedom, then you must cultivate extreme levels of discipline. Period. I don’t care if you want to do the important things. Do them. I don’t care if you feel like handling your responsibilities. Handle them. I don’t care if you want to wake up early and grind. Just fucking rise and grind. Discipline equals freedom. 2. You Have to Be Humble Once you have cultivated discipline and overcome your weakness and propensity to allow your feelings in the moment to dictate your life, arrogance becomes your most dangerous enemy. Just because you have achieved a certain level of success does not mean that you have it figured out. The day that you think you know it all, the day that you stop trying to grow, and the day you stop learning from others… That’s the day that you will fall and you will fall hard. 3. Take Extreme Ownership  Whatever circumstances life has given you, it’s time to man up and own them. Step up and take charge of the results that you are producing or failing to produce. Take ownership of your marriage, your business, and your finances. Sure, you can piss away your time blaming others, whining, and moaning. But you will lose respect from the people who matter and accomplish nothing in the process. Or, you can let go of your ego, accept responsibility, and take extreme ownership. And when are willing to swallow your pride and take ownership of your life and success, you will cultivate respect for yourself and respect from others. 4. Detach Emotions from Your Decision-Making Process  If you want to sabotage your success and ruin all chances of high achievement, then allow your emotions to dictate your decision making. If you want to achieve greatly, lead effectively, and create massive success in your life, then learn to detach your emotions from important decisions. I don’t care if you like an under-performing employee and feel bad about letting them go. If you have done everything you can to empower them and call them forward, and they still fail… it’s time to let them go. I don’t care if you don’t feel like getting up and doing your work for the day. It’s time to rise and hustle. When it comes to important decisions, you must lead with logic. I don’t care how you feel. Feelings don’t win wars, build businesses, or change the world. Smart and consistent action does.  5. Win the Mornings and Win Your Day  If you want to have great days, then start with great mornings. Jocko rises every morning at 4:30 a.m. and hits the gym long before distractions or other people’s agendas can start to distract him and interfere with his goals. To achieve high levels of success, you must accomplish your most important tasks first thing every morning before the rest of the world is awake. If you can do this, success is all but guaranteed.

If you're struggling with an existential crisis, this guide will help.  I don't have all of the answers, but I've been through the ringer.  From quitting my job to devastating breakups, to losing my father and best friend in the same month... I've been through challenges that have made me question the purpose of life and my place inside of it.  And this is how I overcame those challenges. 

Isaac Lidsky “may possess the most eclectic resume in entrepreneurship” according to Inc. Magazine. He played series regular “Weasel” on Saved by the Bell: The New Class; graduated from Harvard College at age nineteen with a degree in mathematics and computer science; graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude; served as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg; argued more than a dozen appeals in federal court on behalf of the United States and never lost a case; started a tech company that sold for $230 million; transformed a struggling $15 million concrete subcontractor into an industry-leading $150 million construction services company in five years; and founded Hope for Vision, a nonprofit organization that funds the development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases. Lidsky was born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare degenerative disease of the retina that caused him to gradually lose his sight. Lidsky lives in Windermere, Florida with his wife, Dorothy; their triplets, Lily Louise, Phineas, and Thaddeus; and baby Clementine. Favorite Success Quote “Try not to become a man of success, rather become a man of value” ~Albert Einstein Key Points 1. Make Your Own Definition of Success Each and every day, we are bombarded by images, videos, and social diatribes about what it means to be a success. Fancy cars overtake us in traffic, well-dressed men dating beautiful models captivate our attention, and the “Houses in the Hills” earn both our scorn and envy. And most of us allow this societal autopilot to determine our goals, dreams, and ambitions. We all want to make millions, sleep with beautiful women, and have a luxurious lifestyle, but we never stop to ask ourselves why. We define our success by the world’s standards instead of our own, and as a result, most of us are angry, confused, and frustrated. But there is another way. You have the power to create your own definition of success. To decide for yourself what is important and what is not. To create your own goals based on your deepest values and desires. Forget what society says. Success is subjective. If you wake up each morning, happy, fulfilled, and full of life, then you are a success. The only question that remains for you to answer is “What is my definition of success”? 2. Your Reality is Determined by Your Choices  If you are drawing breath and reading this paragraph right now, then chances are, you have been through the ringer. And if you haven’t, then you might want to put on your raincoat, because there are a couple of storms on the horizon that are headed in your direction. Struggle is an axiom of the human experience. Everyone has challenges, problems, and setbacks. So why is it that two people who are faced with exactly the same circumstance can create massively different results? One simple word. Choice. In each moment, you have the power to choose how your circumstances will affect you. You can choose to believe that life is happening for you, that everything happens for a reason, and that you will achieve your goals and dreams. Or you can choose to believe that life is happening to you, that people are all inherently evil and trying to hurt you, and that you are doomed to a life of failure. The choice is yours. But as the Knight in Indiana Jones said “Choose wisely.” 3. There is No Tomorrow  Yesterday no longer exists. It is nothing more than a series of mental projections that often occurred in a completely different manner than you remember. Tomorrow has not yet arrived and never will. All that we have is right now. This present moment. Take a minute to appreciate it. Enjoy the next breath you take, feel the chair underneath you, listen to the sounds around you. Each moment that we have is a gift, you must learn to appreciate it and be grateful for it instead of waiting for a tomorrow or “Someday” that may never come. 4. Reframe Fears as Fiction In AA, they define fear as “False evidence appearing real”. And truthfully, that is all that it is. Most of the things that we worry about, lose sleep over, and allow to paralyze us will never come to fruition. The worst case scenarios almost never happen, and when they do, they are rarely as awful as we initially imagined. Fear is nothing but fiction. Every fear that is holding you back and preventing you from achieving your greatness is little more than fiction. It is a projection that your 10,000+ year old brain is creating to try and keep you safe from an imaginary fate. Realize this. Embrace this. And step into your fear and take massive action. 5. Get Congruent with Your Values  We live in a world that utterly and completely lacks integrity. I don’t mean this in the sense that we all run around lying and breaking our promises, but rather in the sense that what we think, say, and do rarely align. Most people think that they want to be rich, they say that they want to be well-off, and then they act like they want to be poor. People say think that they want to be shredded and healthy, they say that they want to be in “Decent shape”, and then they act like their body is a playground to use and abuse. People are rarely congruent and almost never in integrity with their values. You need to realize that you cannot have your cake and eat it too. You cannot say that you value health and well being and then abuse your body, skip the gym, and deprive yourself of sleep. You cannot say that you value wealth and then spend every penny you make and waste hours on end in front of the television. If you want to be successful, whatever your definition of success is, then the first step is to get in integrity with your values. What do you want? Say it. And once you say it, go and do it. It’s that simple.

Nicolas Cole, a former pro gamer and now a successful entrepreneur and writer, shares fascinating insights from his unique journey. He discusses how skills acquired from gaming, like resilience and discipline, translate into business success. Highlighting that every endeavor teaches valuable lessons, Cole emphasizes the importance of consistent action and learning from failures. He also explains how community and accountability play vital roles in personal growth, encouraging listeners to embrace their emotions and pursue their passions with purpose.