Knowledge For Men

Known as”The CEO Whisperer”, Cameron Herold is an entrepreneur, highly paid speaker, author, and business coach. He was responsible for taking the company 1-800 Got Junk from $2 million in annual revenue to over $106 million in annual revenue in only 6 years. He works with and coaches some of the most prolific individuals on the planet including multi-millionaires, politicians, monarchs, and Fortune 500 CEOs. Favorite Success Quote “You’ll never be smart enough to figure this out on your own. Your R&D should stand for be rip off and duplicate. millions of companies have already spent millions of dollars figuring out virtually every problem and every opportunity you will ever encounter. Just do what they’re doing. Instead of trying to sit down and figure it out for yourself, you already have the cheat sheets, just go ahead and use them” Key Points 1. Always be learning always be growing  If you want to have an exceptional life, not a good life, but an exceptional life, then you must commit to constant and never ending growth. Cameron recently attended an event in Las Vegas with dozens of other high profile entrepreneurs including Cole Hatter, Grant Cardone, and Tai Lopez, and he noticed that every single one of the speakers was actively listening and taking notes while the other individuals were on stage. Many of these people already had 7, 8, and even 9-figure businesses. However, despite their success, they were still attentive and engaged in the event, constantly seeking to learn something new. And if you want to create the best life possible for yourself and your family, then you must have the same voracious appetite for knowledge. Never ignore an opportunity to learn and improve yourself, never assume that you already know something, and never take the wisdom of other’s for granted. 2. If you can control your time you control your world  Many people think that entrepreneurs only care about money. And sometimes, this is true. However, most people who delve into the world of entrepreneurship do so because they understand one important thing. When you control your time, you control your world. When you are at the beck and call of your manager, supervisor, or boss, you will never truly have control of your time. When you are dependent on active income for your livelihood, you will never truly control your time. When you give control of your financial destiny to others, you will never have control of your time. Entrepreneurship allows you to change all of that. Sure, entrepreneurship can be even more stressful than working for a business because everything depends on you. But because everything depends on you, you have absolute control of your schedule and your life. You are able to say “No” more, work on your own time, take days off when you want, and live a life that most people dream of. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. If you can find a way to create a lifestyle in which you control your schedule (even if you technically work for someone else) then you have achieved one of the ultimate successes in life. 3. Being “Messed Up” Can Be Your Biggest Asset  Most entrepreneurs are ADHD, bipolar, and suffer from some form of Tourrettes. And guess what? They often succeed because of these so called “disabilities”, not in spite of them. Having severe ADHD allows you to juggle countless projects simultaneously, engage in moments of hyper focus, and constantly be bouncing from idea to idea. Having a manic-depressive personality is what allows you to persuade people to join your team and work for you even when things aren’t going as well as you had hoped. Tourettes, a.k.a. thinking out loud is a hallmark of some of the greatest geniuses and businessmen in all of history. The point is, being “messed up” or “disabled” isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, if you know how to leverage them, your disabilities can often become your biggest strengths. 4. Good Enough = Success  So many of you reading this are being held back by your own perfectionism. You are so focused on making everything that you do perfect, that you never embrace “Good Enough” and actually get it done. Being good creates momentum. Being perfect keeps you stagnant. Think about Apple. Techniologically, they are one of the most inferior companies on the market. But because their product is good enough and they have an incredible marketing team and millions of raving fans, they are one of the most successful tech companies in the world. Think about McDonald’s. Their product is inferior to just about any other burger on the planet and it’s actually been linked to serious health problems. b But because it’s “good enough” and backed by incredible marketing and culture, they continue to succeed as one of the highest grossing fast food chains in the world. If you want to be great, focus first on being good. Once you have achieved “good”, market the hell out of it, rinse and repeat. 5. Understand that Your Network is Your Networth  Nothing will accelerate your results and happiness or keep you mired in mediocrity as much as your net work. If you are surrounding yourself with grade A+ players who keep you on track and inspire you to do great things, you will find yourself breaking through to new heights and achieving goals that you never thought possible. If the company that you keep regularly engages in low caliber behavior and holds low caliber attitudes and mindsets, you will quickly find yourself sinking further and further into a pit of failure. Possible the most important thing that you can do on your quest for the good life is to be intentional about who you allow in your circle. You are the average of the five people you spend your time with most. Ask yourself, “Who are my five people and do I want to be anything like them?”

Frank Ostaseski is a Buddhist teacher and leader in contemplative end-of-life care. In 1987, he co-founded of the Zen Hospice Project and later created the Meta Institute to train professionals in compassionate, mindfulness-based care. He has lectured at Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, Wisdom.2.0 and teaches at major spiritual centers around the globe. His work has been featured on the Bill Moyers PBS series On Our Own Terms, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and in numerous print publications. In 2001, he was honored by the Dalai Lama for his compassionate service to the dying and their families. He is the author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully Favorite Success Quote “It always seems impossible until it’s done” ~Nelson Mandela Key Points 1. Keep Death Close at Hand  You are going to die. I am going to die. Everyone that you love and hold dear is going to die. Life is fleeting, it’s brief, and sometimes, it can feel, as Thomas Hobbes said, “Nasty Brutish and short“. I don’t say this to scare you, but rather to wake you up to the reality of life. Life is precious, each moment that you have is a gift, and the only way that we can truly feel this and remember the beauty of life is by remembering that it must come to an end. Therefore, it is important to keep death close to us. To meditate on it, to remember it, and to embrace it, not run from it, so that one day when our time finally comes to an end, we can look death in the eyes with a smile and face the final curtain knowing that we lived a life that was full and open no matter how long or short it might have been. 2. There are Only Two Things that Ultimately Matter in Life  Frank has spent several decades of his life working in hospice with individuals who are close to death’s door. And in his experience, there are only two things that ulimately mattered to any of them. They didn’t care about the number of horsepower in their engine, how many square feet their estate was, or how expensive their watch was. They only cared about two things: How they loved Who loved them At the end of their lives, when these individuals came to the end, all they really cared about was who they loved and who loved them. They wished that they had been better fathers, husbands, sons, friends, and citizens of this world. But for those of you reading this… It’s not too late. None of us know how much time has been given to us or when it will run out, but we know that it will run out. And because of this knowledge, we have the power to live more fully, to love more deeply, and to receive love on a deeper level than ever before. 3. Don’t Wait Why is it that some people have to be diagnosed with a life-threatening disease before they take a step back and truly appreciate their lives? Why is it that so many of us wait until the end before we ever truly live? I want you to imagine that you walked into the Doctor’s office tomorrow and you were told that you had terminal cancer and only had a year left to live. How would your life change? How would you show up differently? Would you love more? Appreciate the small things? Stop complaining about the petty distractions of life? Express gratitude for all of the abundance and joy flowing into your life? What would you do? Now let me ask you another question… Why in the world do you need to wait until the end to start living like this? Why can’t you live in the moment now? Why can’t you appreciate the small things and express gratitude now? Why can’t you open your heart to give and receive more love now? Well, you can… And you should. 4. Welcome Everything  In every person’s life, they will be presented with experiences that are both “good” and “bad”, and most people run from the bad and towards the good. This is a mistake. Most of life’s greatest lessons and greatest experiences are on the other side of pain and suffering. Think about it… If you ask most parents, they will tell you that raising a child is one of the most amazing and precious things that they have ever done and yet, for childbirth to happen, the mother must endure extreme pain (at least they did prior to medical advancement) to bring that child into the world. Or think about going to the gym. The physical and mental rewards of strenuous exercise are tremendous! From increased productivity, happiness, libido, and general satisfaction with life, training has a massively positive impact on your life. But to reap those benefits, you must endure the agony of tearing your muscles down and literally damaging your body so that you can come back stronger. Life is the same way. Everything that you fear, the loss, the heartbreak, the sadness, and the pain… It all has a lesson to teach you. But before it can teach you that lesson, you must first become fearlessly receptive. 5. Wholeness Doesn’t Mean Perfection, It Means No Part Left Out  You, me, and everyone else in the world is imperfect. And we often try to hide this imperfection by putting on a facade and pretending that we have it all together. But here’s the thing… Just like there is beauty in the impermanence of life, there is beauty in your imperfection, there is beauty in your darkness. But you must be willing to accept it, learn from it, and seek to change it for this “dark side” to truly serve its purpose. We are all imperfect beings living in an imperfect world, pretending otherwise is foolish.

David Schloss is the CEO and Founder of Rampify and Convert ROI, two top level marketing and advertising agencies that have generated over $25 million in revenue for their clients. He has been featured on CNBC, CNN Money, and the Miami Herald. Favorite Success Quote “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them” ~Chris Grosser Key Points 1. All Success Comes from Mastering the “Three P’s”  The formula for success is simple. No really… It is. If you want to be successful, all you need to do is master what David calls the “Three P’s”. Practice Patience Persistence Seriously that’s it. Whether you want to lose weight, build an amazing business, or get better with women, the formula is the same. First, you must practice the important skills and habits required by your craft. Whether you are practicing copywriting, certain weight lifting movements, or going on dates with beautiful women, the first step is always practice. But practice in and of itself isn’t enough. You must be patient and give yourself time to succeed. You can’t expect to lose 100+ lbs. the first time you go to the gym, make $1,000,000 from your first sales letter, or immediately seduce, fall in love with, and marry the first woman you meet! You must be patient and give yourself the time required to become a master of your craft. And finally, you must persist. Because here’s the thing… Even when you are diligently practicing your craft and patiently waiting for results, you are going to hit a speedbump. You will lose a client, get dumped by a woman you love, or injure yourself in the gym… It’s inevitable. But it’s during times of adversity where champions are made. Because if you are willing to persist and overcome these setbacks and losses, on the other side of these adversities is success. 2. Make Your Own Opportunites  Thomas Jefferson once said “I am a great believer in luck. And I have found that the harder I work, the more of it I have.” This sentiment was true hundreds of years ago when our Founding Fathers fought to liberate the United States from British rule and it is true today as you prepare to pursue whatever goals you have set for yourself. Opportunity isn’t given at random. It’s presented to individuals who have earned it, individuals who have hustled and worked towards achieving their dreams and goals and are ready to accept the responsibility of new opportunities. So if you want an abundance of opportunity in your life you must be willing to embrace the grind and go make your own opportunities. 3. Focus on Your Service So You Never Have to Focus on Sales  Many entrepreneurs and business owners struggle to generate leads and close down new clients. It seems like no matter how hard they try to grow their client Rolodex and increase their customer retention, they are constantly fighting an uphill battle to get and keep new customers. The reason? They are focused on their sales instead of their services. You see, when you have services and products that blow your customers out of the water, they will naturally refer new clients to you and tell everyone they meet about your awesome work. Think about Tony Robbins… Each and every year he sells (literally) millions of dollars worth of online programs, high-performance coaching, and live seminar tickets. And while he certainly uses online advertising, and email marketing in 2017, for the longest time his company operated almost exclusively through word of mouth. In fact, the majority of his initial success (which resulted in a $400 million IPO) was a direct result of his client referral programs. If you want to build a business that will stand the test of time, you need to master online marketing, there’s no doubt about it. But even more important than any social media platform or native advertising tactic are the services and products that you provide. If you can wow your customers if you can provide an experience, not just a service, and if you can go above and beyond the call of duty to serve your clients, the results will speak for themselves and you will never have to chase a client ever again. 4. Be Careful Who You Have in Your Corner  Nothing will have a greater impact on your life and success than the people who you allow into your life. From friends to mentors to spouses to family members, the individuals who you let into your life can make or break your happiness and success making it crucial that you are highly selective when building your social circle. For David, his girlfriend was one of the driving factors behind his success. She supported him and believed in his even when he didn’t believe in himself. However, I have friends who are in the opposite boat. Their significant others are the primary reason that they are not succeeding at high levels! In your own life, you need to take stock of your social circle, and this includes your family and spouse. Are they helping you or hurting you? Are they pushing you towards greatness or keeping you mired in mediocrity? 5. Make Time for What is Important  People will often complain that they “don’t have enough time” to spend on the things that are important. And quite frankly, this is a load of crap. You will always have time for the things that truly matter to you, and if you don’t have time, then you can make time. If you claim that your wife is important to you but you can’t remember the last time you went on a date with her, then you need to hire an assistant to free up your day and start taking your wife to lunch. If you say that your health is important but you never exercise and rarely eat anything other than fast food, spend a little bit less time growing your business and start a simple workout routine with one of your friends. Stop making excuses and start finding ways to carve out time for what really matters. Business and money are important, there’s no doubt. However, without your health and without people to share your success with, no amount of money or fame will fill the hole in your life.

The most defining moments of your life will be dictated by one thing… Your ability to stay grounded in the midst of chaos.  When your life is spiraling out of control…when nothing is working and it feels like the universe is conspiring against you, it’s easy to fall into a dark pit. To be controlled by the fleeting emotions you’re experiencing in the present moment and make irrational decisions that can negatively affect your life. In my own life, the times when I was not grounded…when I made a decision based on my sudden emotions and not my values…when I allowed something that happened to me, or what someone else did or said to control my reaction. I often made the wrong decision which I later regretted. Through all of the challenges and trials I’ve experienced, I’ve discovered that the answer to every challenge in life is to “Stay Grounded”. And today, I’m going to teach you exactly what this means and, more importantly, how you can become a more grounded person and reclaim control of your life.

Dan Martell is a Canadian Entrepreneur and most recently, the founder of Clarity.fm. He’s an experienced Angel Investor who has invested in over 23 tech start-ups. Prior to Clarity, Dan was the co-founder of Flowtown (Acquired 11′), founder of Spheric Technologies (Acquired 08′). He has also been a mentor at 500Startups, GrowLabs & theC100.org. Favorite Success Quote “Become the person who can deal” ~Dan Martell Key Points 1. If You Want to Be a Millionaire You Have to Handle Million Dollar Problems Everyone wants to be a millionaire… But the problem is that most people aren’t able to handle million dollar problems. They want the outcome without the action. They want the reward without responsibility.  And this approach never works. Just take lottery winners for example. They immediately come into a windfall of cash with millions, sometimes tens of millions of dollars, but they never did a damn thing to earn that money. And five years after their success, studies have shown that they are often worse off than before they won. Why? Because their character didn’t backup their success. You have to earn what you want. If you want to become a millionaire, then you must become the kind of person who can provide millions of dollars of value and handle millions of dollars worth of problems. And quite frankly… Most of you reading this can’t. Yet… So go and focus on developing yourself and becoming the type of person who can handle the challenges and can provide the requisite value to achieve your goals. Because when you go after your goals with this mindset, success becomes all but inevitable. 2. Own It! I’m going to let you in on a little secret here… Shit happens. Life can be chaotic, things will not work out, businesses will fail, lovers will leave you, friends will turn on you… Shit just happens. And I’ll let you in on another little secret… It’s ok! Failure and frustration are an integral part of life, it’s not a question of if it will happen to you but how you will respond when it does. If you are like most people, you will try to pin the blame on someone else, you will deny the reality of your problems, and you will avoid addressing the situation until the last possible minute. But since you are listening to this podcast, you aren’t like most people. And therefore, you must own your problems. When shit happens… OWN IT. When a business fails, a girlfriend walks out, a friend gets angry, own the problem, own your part in the problem, and figure out what you can do moving forward to ensure that it never happens again. 3. Be Grateful for All You Have  150 years ago, if you wanted to go to Canada, you would have been forced to travel for months on end and risk death or serious injury. Today, you can fly there in a matter of hours. 100 years ago, if you wanted the information that we give away for free on this podcast, you would have had to track down each guest individually, convince them to speak with you, and then pick their brain for an hour or more (or at the very least found one of their books). Today… It’s only a mouse click away. You have a lot to be grateful for. We live in an age of unprecedented opportunity, ease, and access and 99% of the things that you take for granted on a daily basis would have dropped our ancestor’s jaws to the floor. We don’t have to hunt… We go to the grocery store. Most of us no longer work hard physical labor, we work at a cushy desk. And if we want to get somewhere, we can tap a button on our phone and have our own personal chafeur show up to our home in under 10 minutes! You have a lot to be grateful for. So starting today, be fucking grateful! Write down three things that you are grateful for each and every day and never lose sight of who you are and just how lucky you are to be alive in this day and age. 4. Be Yourself and Put it Out There  If you look at the most successful entrepreneurs in 2017, from the Tim Ferriss’s to the Grant Cardone’s to the Gary Vaynerchucks, you will notice one consistent factor. They are all completely and unapologetically themselves. They don’t care what other people think they don’t care who they offend, they show up in the world authentically and they put it out there for others to see. And if you want to create lasting success, you must do the same. Be who you are. Don’t apologize for it, and don’t ask permission for it. Be who you are and share it with the world. Some will love you, some will hate you, some won’t care and that’s ok. As long as you are living authentically and sharing your gifts and talents with the world, at the end of the day you can call yourself a success. 5.Think About The Long Game  In a society built upon instant gratification, you must be a man focused on the long game. Don’t look at the 1-5 year impact of your decisions, instead ask yourself, “What are the ramifications of this decision 20 years from now?” Because here’s a simple fact, 20 years from now you will arrive… The question is “Where”. Will you arrive in style because you were patient, played the long game, learned, grew, and invested? Or will you arrive chasing yet another shiny object because you lacked the discipline and the long term focus to make things work? The choice is yours.

Want to learn how to be an alpha male? How to be more masculine? How to be the man you’ve always wanted to be? Then you’re in the right place. In this episode, I’m going to unveil the 15 habits of alpha males that you must develop to unlock your full potential as a man and live the life you’ve always wanted to live. But let me be clear… This article is not about becoming ‘better’ than other men, developing an ego complex, or learning how to be the alpha of a specific clique or social circle. It’s about learning how to be an alpha male in your life. Taking full responsibility for your life, and living every day fully alive, present, and excited for the future that you are creating. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a step-by-step guide to becoming the man you always knew you could be. It won’t be easy. But I promise you, it will be worth it.

What does it mean to be an alpha male? What are the alpha male traits that separate them from the beta males? How can you develop your alpha personality and eradicate the toxic beta male traits from your life? In this episode, I’m going to set the record straight and break the false narratives of what an alpha male really is. I’m going to teach you exactly what it means to be an alpha male by dissecting the 9 alpha male traits required to become the strongest version of yourself and live your best life. By the time you’re done, you’ll understand the difference between alpha vs beta males and have a clear, path to becoming the alpha of your own life. Let’s get started…

Alejandro Chabán is an author, motivational speaker, certified nutrition and wellness consultant, founder and CEO of Yes You Can!®, and is one of the most popular Hispanic celebrities in the entertainment business. He has dedicated his life to sharing his experiences of battling eating disorders and obesity as a teenager, his journey from a bullied kid in school to an admired TV personality and health and wellness expert, and to helping others to transform themselves the way he did. Favorite Success Quote “Feel the fear and do it anyway” Key Points 1. Turn Your Mess into Your Message  One of the biggest mistakes that most men make is trying to hide from their past. Men who have suffered from addiction, obesity, depression, or are convicted criminals will try and brush their checkered history under the rug and forget about it. But when they do this, they are doing a disservice to themselves and the world. Because the truth of the matter is that your greatest failures are your greatest assets… Your mess is your message. Don’t discount where you came from or the adversity that you have overcome. It is the adversity, the struggles, and the failures that make you relatable… That gives you power. Men are dying for help… Whether they are trying to beat an addiction to cocaine, overcome their negative self-image, or surmount a deep depression, they need help. And the only people who are truly qualified to help are those individuals who have been in their shoes, who know what they are going through and how to fix it. Do not deprive the world of your most powerful message because you are scared of sharing your mess. Instead, turn your mess into your message and give yourself permission to change the world. 2. You Need to Find Intrinsic Motivation  Why do you want to succeed? Is it because you want to piss off your parents? Prove something to your girlfriend? Make your distant relatives proud of you? With all due respect… F*ck that. Creating real success is hard. Really hard. And on your path, you will be presented with obstacles and adversity that seem unconquerable and you will ask yourself on a daily basis “Why am I doing this?” If your only reason for pushing forward is to make someone else happy or to prove something to someone else…. You will fail every single time. However, if you can connect your goals to a deep intrinsic motivation, a motivation that transcends the material goals of this world, a motivation that lights you on fire… Then no obstacle will stand in your way, no adversity will be too challenging, and no setback will prove significant in the long run. Because when you have a strong “Why”, a deep and visceral reason for achieving success that goes beyond your desire for acclaim and financial gain… Then you become unstoppable. 3. Feel the Fear and Do it Anyways As simple as it sounds, the number one thing holding most men back today is fear. They are afraid of losing their comfortable jobs, afraid of ruining their current relationship, afraid of achieving success and alienating the people that they love… They are afraid. And that’s ok. Whenever it comes time to take a big leap in your life, whether it’s quitting a job, proposing to your girlfriend, or dropping everything on a whim to go and work with a mentor… You should be afraid. But the key is to feel the fear and do it anyway. Get scared… Get terrified… Get paralyzed by fear…. And then feel that fear, and take action regardless of your emotional state. When you become a master of fear, you become a master of life. So feel the fear and do it anyway. 4. Be Quick to Act and Quick to Contemplate  If you want to achieve real success in your life, then you must start by taking immediate action on your goals and dreams. If you want to start a business, don’t wait until you have a plan and a perfect team. Go register your LLC, buy a new website domain and get started TODAY. If there is a woman in your life whom you are crazy about but haven’t had the courage to ask out yet, grab yourself by the balls, man up, and go ask her out to dinner. If you are overweight and unhealthy, don’t wait until you have all of the information you need to get healthy, just clean out your pantry, take a long walk each morning, and sign up with a personal trainer. Success loves speed. And if you aren’t willing to take decisive action and take it now then your hopes and dreams will be hijacked by the men who will. 5. Realizing that You are Lost is the First Step to Being Found  The first step to achieving success is realizing and accepting your current reality. In other words, you cannot be found until you accept that you are lost. Don’t hide from your reality… Accept it. If you are broke, overweight, socially awkward, or off purpose… That’s ok. Accept that things are the way they are and that you and only you have the power to change it. Don’t look at your life through rose colored glasses. Instead, be objective and honest about who you are and how your life looks right now, and once you have a clear picture of your current reality, commit to making a change.

Adam Braun is an American entrepreneur, best-selling author, and philanthropist. He is the Founder of Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that builds schools and increases access to education for children in the developing world. He has recently founded a company called MissionU which is an alternative to higher education that is set to disrupt the industry and change the way that we view higher learning. Favorite Success Quote “Live not in dreams but in contemplation of a reality that is perhaps the future.” ~Rainer Rilke Key Points 1. Say “No” More One of the most powerful words in the English language is the word “No”. If you learn to use this word effectively, you can add dozens of hours of productive time to your weeks, reduce your mental and emotional stressors, and eliminate the vast majority of the tasks that aren’t truly serving you. But there’s a catch… In order to become a master of the word “No” you must first learn to prioritize your own time, success, and happiness above anyone else’s. It might sound selfish or egotistic, but the simple fact of the matter is that you should come first. If you aren’t taking care of yourself by saying “no” to the things that aren’t serving you, then you are withholding your potential and your power from the world. Think about it… If you say “Yes” to working on a project for 3 clients even though that project will not pay you what you are worth and isn’t in alignment with your goals and values, then what’s going to happen when you are swamped with work but have a new client reach out to you with a position that would change your life? Or imagine that you have said “Yes” to several meetings that you didn’t want to attend and that didn’t serve you in any way… You are now forced to say “No” when an opportunity presents itself that is in true alignment with your vision. And all of these seemingly little and innocuous compromises will eventually accumulate until you are off track, off purpose, and up to your neck in things that aren’t part of your ultimate mission on this planet. 2.Learn to Delegate Richard Branson, the (in)famous entrepreneur, author, playboy, and philanthropist was once asked to share the secret behind his numerous billion-dollar companies. His answer was surprising… He didn’t say anything about needing a good idea, or working hard, or having lots of capital. No, he said that his secret was to find people who were better than he was, hire those people, and provide them with everything they needed to take his companies into the stratosphere. If you truly want to excel at business, then you must learn to delegate. Find people who are better than you are at a given position and give them the reigns. Because you can’t do it alone. And you would be a fool to try. 3. Be an Entrepreneurial Missionary, not a Mercenary  There are two types of entrepreneurs. Missionaries and mercenaries. The entrepreneurial mercenary has one focus… Money. And while money is not necessarily a bad thing (as we will discuss momentarily) you need to realize that anyone who is solely focused on wealth will likely lose motivation, tire out, and quit. Instead, you should strive to be an entrepreneurial missionary, or, in other words, an entrepreneur whose end goal encompasses more than just a few added zeroes in your bank account. You need to have a mission for your business, you must genuinely want to serve the world and make an impact, and believe that you are the person to do it. Otherwise, you will spend years of your life tirelessly chasing money and success without ever making a real dent in the universe, without ever making a difference. And the irony of all of this? Entrepreneurs who focus on adding value and serving their world first tend to be the entrepreneurs who make the greatest profits in the long run. So regardless of whether you own your own company or are working for someone else, do your best to ensure that every step you make and every goal you set is for a purpose and a mission greater than yourself. The results will astonish you… 4. Money is an Avenue to Freedom Money is a complicated beast. It can bring about so much joy, happiness, and fulfillment, but it can also be at the heart of so much pain, agony, and suffering. Because of the dichotomous and confusing nature of money (and the fact that few of us receive a relevant financial education), it can be easy to fall into the trap of viewing money as either “Evil” or the “End all be all” of life. I am here to tell you… It’s neither. Money is simply an avenue to freedom, it’s a tool, an instrument to be wielded by those who possess it. With money, you can do some incredible things. You can transform lives, build a lasting legacy, and create a real impact on the universe. Without it, your options are severely limited, and your freedom is hindered. The sooner you realize that money is a tool and that in and of itself, has no moral standing, the sooner you will be able to create real wealth for yourself that you can use to bring about a significant amount of good in the universe. 5. Set a Vision, Stick to It, and Stay Accountable  If you want to achieve your goals and live a life of success and fulfillment, then you must set a vision, stick to it, and get massively accountable. You see, most of you reading this right now have at least one of these three steps in order. Maybe you have a vision, but you are constantly changing it and find yourself unable to follow through. Maybe you have been working tirelessly towards a goal or a dream but you know in your heart that it isn’t truly congruent with your values and deepest desires. Maybe you have surrounded yourself with people who lift you to a higher level and want you to excel… But you have no vision for which they can hold you accountable. Whatever the case may be, if you want to excel in all areas of life and truly live a level 10/10 life, then you must set a crystal clear vision for what you want, stick to that vision, and get massive accountability from people you respect and admire. If any one of these ingredients is missing, the whole ship will sink and your dreams will never come to fruition. Set a vision. Stick to your vision. And get accountable. Now…

Seth Swirsky is a best selling author, clinical psychotherapist, artists, songwriter, and creative. He is most well known for his book “21 Ways to a Happier Depression: A Creative Guide to Getting Unstuck from Anxiety, Setbacks, and Stress” Favorite Success Quote “Every morning when I wake up, I ask myself, What is Salvador Dali going to do today?” ~Salvador Dali “Life is in the striving, not the arriving” Key Points 1. Be Open to Who You May Be and Regrow Your Balls  Men in the 21st century are suffering from an identity crisis. Not because we don’t know who we are or who we want to be, but because society and PC culture have told us that who we are is wrong. It’s wrong for men to be men. It’s wrong for you to have your own pursuits and passions. It’s wrong for you to do anything other than work your fingers to the bone in pursuit of arbitrary goals that aren’t really aligned with who you are. And let me tell you… It’s bullshit. You are allowed to be who you are, you are allowed to be happy, and you are allowed to do whatever you damn well please. Many of you reading this are avid video game enthusiasts who have given up your hobby, not because it interferes with your life, but because society has told you that it makes you weak. Many of you reading this love art and music but have relegated these pastimes to the realm of “Someday” simply because society has told you that you should focus on your work. Many of you reading this want nothing more than to pack a backpack and go out into the great outdoors, yet society has told you to be more reasonable and do the safe thing. But guess what? Society is broken and it’s time for you to reclaim your masculinity, regrow your balls, and do the things that you want to do. Life is short and precious, so stop wasting it trying to live up to societal standards that don’t serve you and your mission. If you want something, go get it. If you want to do something, do it. Be who you are and enjoy your life… It’s the only one you’ve got. 2. Women Want to Be Heard  Society has tried to make us believe that women want a 6′ 2″ man with a chiseled jaw, big arms, a deep voice, and a bank account containing countless zeroes. And once again, society is wrong. Of course, women want an attractive, athletic, hard working man. But what they want even more is a man who makes them feel heard. A man who doesn’t pretend to listen to them but who actually shuts the hell up and just listens! Women don’t want a man who pretends to listen, who shuts his brain off and zones out, they want a man who truly hears them, who understands what they are saying and who genuinely cares. Take a common example. Your spouse or significant other comes home to a house sink full of dirty dishes and a house that looks like something out of Hoarders. You’ve had a long day at work and, much to their chagrin, you are sitting on the couch relaxing. Your wife starts to angrily complain about how you never clean the house or help out with the household chores. In this moment, you have three options. You can ignore them, you can get defensive, or you can listen… Really listen. If you choose to listen you will realize something. Your wife, most likely, isn’t upset about the dirty house or the nasty dishes, they are upset because they don’t feel like their time and energy is being valued. So instead of getting defensive, take a step back and listen. Acknowledge what your wife is trying to tell you and respond accordingly. “I hear you babe, and if I understand what you are saying, you are upset because you never feel like you have time to relax and unwind. I’m busy with work too and I understand… So why don’t we just hire a house cleaner to take care of things so that we don’t have to worry about it anymore? Would that make things easier for you?” Do you notice how this response acknowledges your wife’s feelings and makes her feel like she has really been heard? When you learn to apply this skill of really listening in your romantic relationships, you will find that the majority of your problems and disagreements disappear. 3. Optimize Your Environment to Optimize Your Life  If you want to optimize your life, reduce stress and anxiety, and truly operate at peak levels of performance, then you must optimize your environment. Plenty of “gurus” and entrepreneurs will claim that you should ignore your environment and simply hustle your way to your goals, but the truth of the matter is that your environment is stronger than your willpower. If you are trying to quit smoking and your work at a tobacco shop, you might be able to kick the addiction… But you will be much more likely to end the habit once and for all if you are in an environment that makes it difficult for you to have that cigarette. Similarly, if you are a ball of stress and anxiety, coming home to a messy home with violent movies playing on the television and loud noise from the neighbors keeping you up at night, your stress and anxiety will multiply. However, if you can optimize your environment by eliminating clutter, creating a space that elicits feelings of calm and serenity, you will find that your stress and anxiety will become manageable. Do not underestimate the power of your environment. If you have been struggling to get motivated, beat an addiction, move on from a divorce, or any plethora of other struggles, the key might lie in changing your environment. Whether you need to move apartments, cities, or even countries, when you can change and optimize your environment to be more conducive to your goals, you will find that your life and success starts to accelerate at an unprecedented pace. 4. Take a Break  Seriously… As men it’s easy to get trapped in hustle mode, working ourselves to death in order to achieve goals that aren’t truly aligned with our purpose. And when your nose is constantly to the grindstone, it can be difficult to examine your life, solve problems, and enjoy the precious moments each day. So take a break. Step back from the laptop and just relax. Give yourself permission to enjoy your life. If you want to sit in front of the TV, watch a few hours of football and crash out with a beer in your hand… Do it. If you want to play Call of Duty after a long day of work, then load up your darn Xbox, join a match, and go kill some virtual baddies. If you want to sit in your room with a nice glass of wine and an empty canvas, then do it! Create your own masterpiece and enjoy your damn life. Stop working so hard and start enjoying your life more. The funny thing is, that when you start to take more breaks when you give yourself permission to relax, your brain will unwind and be better equipped to handle the adversity and challenge of your work life. It might seem counterintuitive, but I promise, it works. 5. Know When You are Mismatched How many times have you heard the saying “Marriage is hard work”? A lot, right? Have you ever taken a step back and considered that this statement might be a steaming load of crap? What if relationships weren’t meant to be hard? What if you weren’t supposed to have an endless stream of fights and frustrations? What if your relationships, especially your marriage… Is supposed to be easy? Well, I am here to tell you that it is. Yes, you will have fights in any relationship. Yes, you will have disagreements. Yes, you will have times where things are hard. But the sum total of your interactions with your spouse or significant other should feel easy. It should flow naturally. If you find that your relationship is requiring too much work and effort, chances are good that you are not in the right relationship. Marriage was never meant to be this phenomenal challenge… It’s meant to be a fun relationship between two people whose goals, futures, and dreams are genuinely aligned. If you find that your current relationship doesn’t match up to this, then you might need to take a step back and reexamine things. Are you truly meant for each other? Are you truly matched with your current partner? If not, it’s time to cut your losses and move on. Life is simply too short to waste it in relationships that aren’t meant to be.