Knowledge For Men

Abel James is the founder and CEO of the Fat Burning Man podcast and blog, a brand committed to bringing people the no bs guide to getting the body of their dreams. Abel challenges all of the traditional wisdom around diet and exercise, challenging people to think outside of the box and do what actually works. Abel is the author of “The Wild Diet” a cook book designed to help the average person cook incredibly healthy and delicious foods that will result in phenomenal results for your body and health. You can order a copy of Abel’s new book here Favorite Success Quote “Every kick in the butt is a step forward” ~Anonymous Key Points 1. Fat is Not the Enemy (it’s actually a friend) One of the common misconceptions in the health and fitness industry is that fat is somehow unhealthy. It is processed fats that are unhealthy. Due to the over processing of our foods, the increase in chemicals and  the wide spread use of growth hormones, many of fats we receive from red meat and other previously organic sources are now basically just a slab of toxins. However, eating organic, grass fed beef and other healthy fats such as avocado, coconut oil, and has actually been shown to help lower bad cholesterol, boost testosterone, and enhance cognitive function. Long story short; get more healthy and natural fats in your diet. 2. Don’t Follow the Fads The majority of diets nowadays are straight crap. If you want to look better, feel better, and live longer (and who doesn’t) keep it simple. Eat lots of fruits, veggies, and naturally raised meats. Period. Don’t complicate things unnecessarily. Remove processed sugars and eat organic whole foods. 3. Get Food as Close to The Source as Possible Something many people do not realize is that the quality of your food is often more important than the food itself. If you are eating processed meats and veggies, filled with pesticides and antibiotics, you may as well be enjoying a pop tart for breakfast. Read the label on your foods, always buy organic and natural, and if possible, shop at a local farmers market. Not only will the food taste better, it will also be far richer in nutrients than any of the chemically processed alternatives/ 4. Real Food is Cheaper Than Medical Bills  One of the most common excuses regarding healthy eating is that it’s expensive. And it is. Sometimes, high quality organic meats and veggies are 5x more expensive than their processed alternatives. However, this should be seen as an investment in your health and quality of life, not as an expense. Eating chemically rich and nutrient devoid foods has been shown to lead to diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases and an early death. Do yourself a favor and invest in some high quality food so you don’t have to “invest” in medical bills. 5. If You Really Want to Get What You Want You Must Decide What You Want Too many people today wander around aimlessly, with little to no direction in life and wonder why they are not successful. What they are not realizing is that to live an extraordinary life and achieve extraordinary things, you must decide exactly what you want. Set a vision and clear plans for your future, and then execute ruthlessly.

Ash Avildsen is the Founder/CEO of Sumerian Records and was the Founder/CEO of The Pantheon Agency. For the past eight years, Ash has been a key player in the new wave of hard rock music as both an agent and a label owner. Discovering and developing acts like Asking Alexandria, Black Veil Brides, Animals As Leaders and many others from before the bands had ever toured or put out albums. Ash is also the director of his debut film “What Now.” Favorite Success Quote: “Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be happy” ~ The Buddha Key Points: 1. Success Does Not Equal Happiness One of the common misconceptions of the modern world is that success automatically equals happiness. While it is true that many successful people experience tremendous levels of happiness, this is not due to their success, it is a product of their character and mindset. Do what makes you happy, do what makes you fulfilled, do things that no one would have to pay you for because you are so passionate about it. At the end of the day, you can’t take a single dollar you earn with you, all the material accomplishments and “things” will fade away and all you will be left with is your experiences and the impact you had on the world. So do what you love and don’t worry about the money; your happiness is contingent on your experiences and your attitude, not your bank account. 2. Don’t Let Haters Get to You “You have made enemies? Good, that means you’ve stood up for something at some time in your life.” ~Winston Churchill. If you set out to accomplish anything big in your life, regardless of what it is, there will be haters. There will be people who tell you that you can’t do it, that you aren’t good enough, that you’ll never succeed. Ignore every single one of them. No one great every accomplished anything by listening to the doubters, people who feel the need to try and bring you down are often suffering from their own insecurities and fear that you will succeed and they will not. Learn to accept criticism and ignore “trolling” your life, business, and relationships will all be better for it.   3. You Have to Have Faith That You Can Do It “Whether you believe you can or can’t, you’re certainly right” ~Henry Ford Everything starts with faith. The faith in yourself, your abilities, and your perseverance. You must have faith that if you put in the time, money and effort, you will inevitably succeed. How could you not? When you are educating yourself, learning from the best, taking massive action and learning from that action; success is inevitable. Have faith in yourself and faith in the process, and at the end of the day, you will achieve the things that you desire. 4. Try to Improve Your Batting Average No one is perfect, no one “bats 1,000,” but most of us have significant room for improvement in our lives. Take time to examine each area of your life, examine the results that you have achieved. What are you batting in health? In wealth? In love? In personal growth? Be honest and brutal with yourself. Figure out what you need to improve on and then take action. Life is nothing except for a never ending cycle of challenges and growth, if you aren’t growing you are dying. Stay in the land of the living; improve everything. 6. Do it Yourself  We live in an age of men who lack self reliance. Society and technology have made us soft. Small occurrences that used to be minor bumps in the road are now considered catastrophic set backs. One flat tire, one broken bulb, one business project where you don’t know exactly what to do, one fitness program that doesn’t map out every second of your workout, and we are screwed. Learn to be independent, do things yourself. Do not rely on others for help or affirmation, just do it! If you don’t know, than follow Tai Lopez’s advice and “Just darn google it.” Do not allow yourself to become dependent on anything or anyone, do it yourself and make your own destiny.

Dr. Joe Martin is an award-winning speaker, author, professor, and retention expert. He’s authored or co-authored seven books, including the top-selling Good Teachers Never Quit and Tricks of the Grade. In spite of being reared in one of the toughest inner-city ghettos in Miami, Florida, Joe started his first business at the age of 22 and his second at the age of 26. Professor Martin became the youngest, tenured-earning faculty member ever hired to teach at a state University in Florida at the age of 24. He’s now regarded as “The Educator’s Educator” and the country’s leading expert on new teacher retention and student motivation issues. Joe is a visiting professor and educational consultant and he lectures on more than 60 college campuses a year. Favorite Success Quote: “Watch what most people would do in a given situation and do the total opposite” ~ Dr. Joe Martin Key Points 1. Do Not Follow the Crowd If you want to achieve a life that is different from the crowd, if you want to break away from the flock, and live life on your terms, then you cannot take the same action that the flock takes. You must ensure that every decision you make is as far removed from what the average and mediocre would do as possible. Seek out mentors, find role models living the life that you desire, and model your actions after them. Do not follow what uninspired and small minds are doing. Ignore their criticism and focus on becoming great. 2. External Trappings Do Not Make You a Man You can achieve every goal you have set in life. The beautiful wife, the big house, sports car and million dollar business, but none of it makes you a man. The measure of a man is not in the size of his wallet, or number of women he’s slept with; the measure of a man is his character and his impact. It does not matter how much money you are making if you are not making it in an honorable manner. It does not matter how beautiful your wife is if you are not treating her with respect and dignity. It does not what you have achieved if you are not living your life for a purpose bigger than yourself! To be a true man, you must have unwavering values, you must focus on helping others more than yourself, and you must make sure that your existence means something to this world. 3. A Real Man Has Integrity One of the most essential traits of a real man is integrity. Doing what you say you will do and doing what you know and believe is right…PERIOD. If you set a standard for yourself or commit an action to someone else, it does not matter how you feel in the moment, it does not matter that you are tired or weak or busy. Do what is right, and do what you say you will do. NO trait is more important than this. 4. Your Purpose is Above Everything Your purpose in this life is unique. In a world of 7 billion people, no one else has your exact calling, no one has your exact talents, mindset and goals. You must put this calling, this purpose above everything else. You must put it above your relationships, above your bank account and above your momentary desires. Your purpose is what guides you through everything so you must not forgo it for anything. 5. A Real Man Teaches Others to Be Real Men  An essential transition in every man’s journey is when he realizes that he has the obligation to teach and mentor others. Regardless of your status in life or your development as a man, you still have something valuable to offer the world and other men. Do not do yourself or the world the disservice of letting that gift go un-given. Teach others what you know, help those struggling in trials through which you have already passed and be generous with your time and gifts. Because at the end of the day, the money, cars, and one night stands will amount to nothing and all that will remain is the legacy you leave and the lives you impact 6. You Must Have a Mentor As men, we are often hesitant to admit our need for help to ourselves, let alone others. However, we must realize that a true man knows his weaknesses and brings other men into his life to help him work through the challenges. Life is confusing, it’s scary and it’s uncertain, but it doesn’t need to be lonely. Open up, be vulnerable, be authentic; find a man that you can trust and ask him to help you, to hold you accountable, to mentor you. Your life will never be the same once you do.

Jordan Harbinger, once referred to as “The Larry King of podcasting,” is a Wall Street lawyer turned talk show host, social dynamics expert, and entrepreneur. After hosting a top 50 iTunes podcast for over a decade that enjoyed nearly four million downloads a month at its zenith, Jordan has embarked on a new adventure: The Jordan Harbinger Show, where he deconstructs the playbooks of the most successful people on earth and shares their strategies, perspectives, and insights with the rest of us. Jordan’s business sense, extensive knowledge of the industry, and contemporary approach to teaching make him one of the best and most sought-after coaches in the world. You can learn more about Jordan and follow his new podcast at jordanharbinger.com  Favorite Success Quote "Fortune favors the bold" ~Latin Proverb  Key Points 1. Find the Silver Lining  Stuff happens.  It's an inevitability of life.  Things will not go your way. Partners will leave you. Employees will steal from you. Friends will betray you.  This isn't a pessimistic outlook on life, it's simply the reality of the world we live in.  As such, the question is not if these events will happen but how you will respond when they do.  In every negative situation, every layoff, divorce, breakup, and failure, you have one of two choices.  You can throw yourself a pity party, whine, moan, and cry that your life isn't where you want it to be. Or you can find the silver lining and move forward with your life.  Every door that closes opens up a new one. Every failed endeavor frees up your time and resources to pursue a new one. Everything that you currently think sucks has a silver lining... If you're willing to look for it.  Learn to make the best of any situation and use adversity to your advantage and you will become unstoppable in your business, relationships, and life.  2. Dig the Well Before You're Thirsty  There is an old proverb that states, "Dig the well before you are thirsty".  And truer words have yet to be spoken.  In every area of life, you must learn to cultivate a proactive attitude instead of a reactive one.  In your finances, set aside money each month and invest in your future so that when the unexpected happens, you are prepared.  In your relationship, create your own social circle and build your own life so that, even if your partner leaves you, you aren't left out in the cold.  In your business and career, learn to cultivate powerful relationships with people when you have no agenda so that, if and when something happens (like a layoff or bankruptcy) you have a network of friends who will come to your aid and support you.  Take preemptive action in your life to avoid and recover from tragedies before they happen.  As I've already said, it's not a matter of if something bad will happen, it's a matter of when.  Plan for these crises and prepare for them before you need to. Your future self will thank you.  3. Don't Wait on Other People  Whether it's a business partner, spouse, or friend you can never allow your momentum in life to be dictated by another person.  Don't wait for someone else to get on board with your mission and vision.  Simply take action and move forward.  If your business partner or significant other is dragging their feet and screwing around with regards to your vision and important goals, fine. Take action without them and move forward on your own.  You can spend years or even decades waiting for someone else to come through, all the while missing opportunities and possibilities in your own life.  Don't let this happen to you...  Chart your own path and move forward whether the people around you are on board or not.   4. Don't Sacrifice Success for Other People's Comfort  In many relationships, people will avoid having difficult conversations with their partner because they don't want to hurt the other person.  For example...  A wife might avoid talking to her alcoholic husband about his drinking problem because she doesn't want to upset him.  A man might avoid talking to his girlfriend about her lackluster work ethic and spending problem because he doesn't want to hurt her feelings.  A business partner might avoid calling his team out for laziness because he doesn't want to be seen as overly critical or negative.  Stop!  In all of these situations, the uncomfortable conversation is necessary.  Unless you are willing to step up, make other people uncomfortable, and call them out on their b.s., they will never change.  You will never move forward in life and eventually, the relationship will implode.  Be willing to take a stand for yourself and let other people know when they've violated a boundary or acted in a manner that is unacceptable.  Otherwise, you will live in a constant fairytale and fail to achieve the life you want.  5. Do the Things Today that Your Future Self Will Thank You For  Every day, you have a choice.  You can either choose to live for the moment or the future.  While it's all fine and dandy to be present, it's even more important that you are acting in a way today that your future self will thank you for.  What would make your future self-smile?  Eating that piece of cake or eating a salad?  Skipping the gym because you're tired or staying commited to your training?  Talking to that cute guy/girl or letting fear hold you back from the relationships you want?  Working hard on your side hustle or goofing off with YouTube and video games?  You have a choice to create the life that you want.  The only question is, "What choice are you going to make?" Next Steps  Thanks for listening! If you found this content helpful, please pay it forward by sharing it on your favorite social media channel so that other men can benefit from the lessons and strategies we’ve discussed. If you’d like to learn more about the concepts and strategies I’ve shared here today, then you can get my FREE 3 part video training series on becoming a stronger more Grounded man so that you can build a life of freedom, success, and happiness. Just click here to claim your free training today.

Dr. Andrew Hill received his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCLA in 2012, studying how attention operates in the brain. He is currently lecturing for the Undergraduate Education Initiatives program at UCLA, teaching a course sequence gerontology, and the neuroscience of healthy brain aging. Dr. Hill has published chapters on measuring and modulating human attention, and continues to research self regulation. Favorite Success Quote “Do what you love and the money will follow” ~Marsha Sinetar Key Points 1. If you do not do what you love, you may achieve success but it will not be your success Many men exemplify the qualities of successful individuals. They have drive, they have ambition and they have an innovative mind. But if you are not actively putting your skills and traits into building the life and business of your dreams, the successes you achieve will not fulfill you. As the old saying goes “You may climb all the way to the top of the ladder only to find it is leaning on the wrong wall.” Don’t lean your ladder on the wrong wall. Life is short, make the most of it. Do what you love, do it with  a passion, do it will more heart and soul than anyone else, and all the fame, recognition, and money that you have sought after will come. 2. Practice Meditation  One of the only free methods of cognitive training, mindful meditation has been proven to aid in several neurological functions. From improving your attention control, to memory to, to reducing stress and inflammation, meditation is one of the most beneficial and accessible forms neuro training available. Studies have also shown that the amount of time you spend meditating actually matters less than the consistency with which you practice, so 3 minutes a day immediately after waking up is more beneficial than an hour once a week. 3. Basic Healthy Habits Increase Brain Health The best way to increase overall brain health is to improve the quality of your overall health. Eat a diet that is low in starch and sugar and high in fats, exercise in some way every day, and ensure that you are getting at least 6 hours of quality sleep every night. Without a basic foundation, no amount of nootropics or electrode stimulation will turn you into the high achieving machine you want to be. 4. Exercise Caution when Using Nootropics A relatively new form of supplement, nootropics are cognitive enhancers that aid in: memory, mental agility, alertness, and overall brain function. However, because of how new the industry is, and the lack of FDA regulation, a large number of supplements on the market are complete bs. Before you purchase or more importantly ingest any nootropic, make sure that it is backed by research, testing, and lots of scientific evidence. For a simple starter with nootropics, purchase L-Theanine oil and add it to your morning coffee. L-Theanine is a naturally occurring cognitive enhancer found in many teas and other similar drinks. It is inexpensive, completely safe to use, and overall, one of the best introductions to the world of neuro supplements. 5. Figure Out What You Would Do if You Knew You Couldn’t Fail Many of us waste time in careers that don’t inspire us, relationships that don’t excite us, and lifestyles that don’t fulfill us. Of the many excuses and issues surrounding our complacency, one problem surfaces most of all: Fear of failure. What we must understand about failure is that it is rarely final, and almost never as devastating as we make it out to be in our minds. Whatever you want to do, go after it like you knew you couldn’t fail. Put in the hours, grind it out, do the work, and what you will discover is that the failure you so dreaded likely never come to fruition. Instead you will be left with a fulfilling and exciting life like nothing you could have ever imagined. 6. Don’t Screw Around  You only have a limited amount of time on this planet. Despite the societal idea that “30s are the new 20s” you will not live forever. You need to get your tail into gear now and start hustling to create the life that you want to live. Don’t wait for some day, don’t put off what you love for something you “have” to do, and don’t waste time on partying and intoxicants. Start building the life you want now, so that you can have the future others will only dream of

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, an online, graphics-design service, and an executive fellow at the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley. Formerly, he was an advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google and chief evangelist of Apple. He is the author of The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and ten other books. Guy has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College. Favorite Success Quote “If you believe it, you will see it” ~ Jesus Christ Key Points 1. Things Are Seldom as Good or Bad as You Think In life, you will be presented with numerous challenges and triumphs. Accompanying these experiences will be a roller coaster of emotions from tear drenched depression and frustration to euphoric highs of achievement. However, despite what you may feel in the present moment, things are rarely as good or bad as they appear. The failure in your business or relationship is not the end of the world, and generating your first 7 figure company is not as life-alteringly incredible as it once seemed. As the Latin proverb states “En medio stat veritas,” the truth lays in the middle. Learn to see life’s struggles and accomplishments for what they truly are and always keep perspective on the good and the bad. 2. Life is Short Don’t waste  time waiting for tomorrow. If you want to build the business, build it, if you want to talk to the girl, do it, if you want to pack up and travel the world, now is as good a time as any. Do not wait for all the lights to turn green or for the stars to align, if you want something, make it happen. The only certainty in life is death, act in accordance. 3. Your Customer Cannot Tell You What They Want Your customers are an excellent source for improving existing products, but they lack the innovation and vision to tell you what they really want. They did not know that they wanted an iPhone or Amazon.com or any of the other industry shattering creations of the past. It is up to you as a producer and entrepreneur to innovate and create something that alters the way the industry works 4. The Goal is To Ship Your goal as a businessman is not to secure funding or build capital, but to ship. Ship your product or service as soon as humanly possible. Then, after you have shipped; learn, improve and ship again. 5. Tell a Story If you want to connect with a customer or client, tell a story. Don’t hash out the same, dried up marketing hype surrounding every new product. Tell them a story that they can relate to, tell them a story about what your product can do for their lives, tell them a story about who you are and why you are doing what you are doing. If you can engage your audience into your story, into your journey, you have a much greater chance of closing the sale and building customer loyalty in the long term. 6. Man Up Quit whining, grow a pair, and put in the work. Quit complaining about how unfair life is and make something of it. If you want something, than go after it, pursue your goals tirelessly, never quit, and at the end of the day, you will achieve what you want. 7. Take Advantage of Opportunity The biggest key to being a successful entrepreneur is to have the ability to seek out and take advantage of opportunity. When you see a viable opportunity, don’t be like most people who simply say “That’s a great idea,” or “Someone will make millions off that one day.” See the opportunity and take it. You never know when you may pass up on the next billion dollar enterprise 8. Work Your Butt Off  “Good things come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle.” ~Abraham Lincoln You cannot sit on the sidelines and expect the world to hand you the life of your dreams. You have to be willing to put in the work to make it happen. Wake up before everyone else, stay longer, train harder, invest more, educate yourself more. Do not settle for mediocre work. Strive to be above average, to be extraordinary. Be willing to put in more work than anybody could reasonably expect of you, and you will achieve the results you want in less time than anyone could reasonably expect of you.

Dean Graziosi is well known as America’s #1 real estate expert, author, speaker and entrepreneur. Based in Scottsdale, AZ, Dean has written Multiple New York Times best-selling books and has touched the lives of Millions of people around the world with his powerful investing education. Favorite Success Quote “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm” ~ Winston Churchill Key Points 1. Failure is an Essential Piece of Success Many entrepreneurs and other businessmen believe that success is a straight road, you simply get on the path and once you get enough momentum you will succeed. What they don’t understand is that there is no success without failure, as Ryan Holiday says,  “The obstacle is the way.” Even the most illustrious of companies and entrepreneurs have faced tremendous adversity and “unconquerable”situations before they achieved the renown they know today. When going into any new endeavor, expect failure, expect to be tested beyond your perceived limits, and expect things to which you devoted your whole life to fail. Do what you can to prevent failures by reading books by those who have gone before and gathering an army of mentors, but realize that even with all the preparation in the world, you will fail. And when you do, have the courage to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go again. 2. Use Your Pain as a Motivator The natural state of human-kind is to move towards pleasure and away from pain. This is the driving force behind every action we take. Therefor, learn to use the pain in your life to motivate you towards success. Make the pain of inaction or ultimate failure (not temporary setbacks) far greater than the pain of getting off your ass and doing what needs to be done. Overweight? Learn to make the pain of dying young, and being unable to live a full life greater than the pain of going to the gym. Broke? Then make the pain of not having the money to live the life of your dreams greater than the pain of forgoing temporary pleasure. Pain is one of the most powerful tools in your belt if you learn to harness it properly. Leverage pain to create the life you want. 3. Don’t Work on Your Weaknesses One of the biggest lies of our society is to work on our weaknesses. From grade school we are taught to focus on things we suck at instead of improving things for which we have a natural propensity. If you made an A in math and a C in English, you were told to work harder in English instead of doubling down in the areas which you already excel. Root out this mentality like a cancer, embrace your strengths and delegate your weaknesses, the only way to build a vibrant business or life is to fill it with people working from areas of excellence and passion. Forget your weaknesses and work on your strengths. You will be healthier, wealthier and wiser for it.   4. Most People Will Not Understand If you are on this site, you are unique. Most people are not filling their heads with the knowledge and wisdom of the wise and successful and as such, they will try and bring you and your dreams down.They do not understand the world the way you do, they are victims and pessimists. Do not let small minded underachievers prevent you from achieving the life of your dreams. Go for what you want, go big, build the life of your dreams the business of your dreams, do what you damn well please and don’t let broke unhappy people stop you. 5. Protect Your Confidence  Ensure that you guard your confidence in yourself above all else. If you do not believe in yourself and your abilities, you will never accomplish great things. Realize the importance of confidence in all areas of your life and take daily actions that reaffirm your self belief. 6. Remove Energy Vampires Plain and simple, if you sigh when someone calls or messages you, they need to be cut out of your life. As harsh as this sounds, you cannot afford to waste time and energy on people who do nothing but drain you. 7. What Your Surround Yourself Shapes Your Destiny Your environment will, in large part, determine your destiny. Surround yourself with inspiring and high caliber individuals, fill your head with knowledge and ideas from the best minds, listen to audio tapes and CDs. No matter where you are in life, by altering your environment, you will alter who you become, get started today creating an environment conducive to excellence. 8. You Have to Actually Do The Work No amount of positive thinking or visualization will make the life of your dreams fall into your lap, you have to get up and do the work. Period. 9. Go 7 Levels Deep to Find Your Why One of the most powerful tools for getting the motivation required to succeed is to go 7 levels deep with your “why.” Ask yourself what you want, then follow up with “why?”, then again and again, 7 times until you are at the very core of what it is that is truly motivating you. Do this exercise and your eyes will be open to the truth behind every action you take. Do this, and you will be better equipped to crush it in life, love, and business. 10. Trust Your Heart and Not Your Head  Trust your heart above your head. Your heart knows what you truly want and what will truly fulfill you in life, your head only knows what friends, family, and society have told it will fulfill you. Do the hard thing now, condition yourself to trust your heart and you won’t go wrong.

Alistair Overeem is a Dutch mixed martial artist and professional fighter. He is one of the only fighters who holds a belt in different combat sports and the only mixed martial artists to win the K-1 Grad Prix Title. Alistair is currently training for his next fight against Roy Nelson on March 14th in Dallas, Texas.

Freddie Achom is a Nigerian born British business man, entrepreneur, and investor who decided to follow an unconventional route by dropping out of medical school and starting his own business. Freddie founded what would be his first million dollar company, the Rosemont Group, in his early 20’s and is currently serving as Chairman of the company. Freddie is now focused on giving back to the next generation of entrepreneurs helping young inventors, businessmen, and CEO’s acquire the capital and develop the relationships necessary for personal and professional success. Favorite Success Quote “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage continue that counts.” ~Winston Churchill Key Points 1. You Cannot Live Your Life for Others Each of us have a plethora of voices vying for our attention. Our parents, friends, coworkers, and even society all tell us how we should live our lives. Although none of these voices is necessarily bad, almost none of them are looking out for our best interest. They all want something different for our lives than we do, they want us to have security, they want us to have safety, they want us to stay on the same playing field they’re on, in short they do not want us to live the lives we were designed to live. As men, we want lives of danger, lives of risk, and above all, lives of purpose, but we cannot accomplish our purpose if we are following a plan laid out for us by someone else. We must march to our own drum and create our ideal lives, not the live’s of others. 2. Relationships Are Key to Business Many young and aspiring entrepreneurs forget the famous saying “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” We focus on developing our skill sets, on absorbing as much knowledge as possible, we read as many books and listen to as many podcasts as is humanly possible in a single day. But we forget that first and foremost, all business is relationships. No matter what you are building or creating, you cannot do it without creating and sustaining relationships with your customers, employees and mentors. As you begin building your knowledge and skills, remember to focus on growing your network as much as yourself. 3. Do Not Try and Scale too Quickly Many otherwise promising businesses have failed because of  hasty growth. Do not try and force your business into its next chapter prematurely. Build your companies core values, build your brand and client base, and allow the growth to happen naturally over time. 4. Focus on the Core Values of Your Company Instead of getting caught up in the valuation of your company or your projected growth over the next quarter, focus on the core values of your company. What are you and your business here on this earth to do? How well are you achieving this mission? Every couple of months, take time to analyze your business and the direction it is headed in, make sure that every action is in alignment with your ultimate vision for your company and your life. 5. Make Sure You Have a Large Market Disruption Too many companies aim for small or mediocre impact within the marketplace. Set audacious goals, make it your mission to have such a huge effect on the marketplace that your niche will never be the same again after you enter. Think of companies life Google and Microsoft who have revolutionized entire industries, you must strive to have an effect on the same scale. Regardless of whether you believe you can have an impact on the same level as these companies, companies that have defined a generation, remember the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, “I would rather aim for the stars and hit a stump than aim for a stump and miss.” Don’t aim for a stump in your life, dare mighty things, and at worse, when you fail, you will fail heroically. 6. Failure is Never Final In the modern world, almost no failure is final. There is always a way to pick your self up by your bootstraps and get back on your feet. Think of people like Donald Trump who went $9 billion dollars in debt when the recession hit…and then paid it all back and became, once again, one of the wealthiest people in the world. No matter how catastrophic you may feel your failure is, there is always a way to get back to the top if you are committed. 7. The Journey is More Important Than The Destination As men who are not content with average lives, it is often very difficult to live in the now whenever our whole existences are so far below what we imagine. However, we cannot lose sight of the joy of the journey, we can’t stop enjoying the grind. In reality the only end destination is death, enjoy the journey, because the journey is life, enjoy improving, enjoy failing, enjoy succeeding. Whatever you do, enjoy it, and enjoy it to the full, don’t wish for tomorrow, because tomorrow will bring its own challenges, live for today. 8. Understanding People is Key to Success in Business One of the most crucial skills you can develop in your life is the ability to read and understand people. This will put you heads and shoulders above your competition in business, love, and life. Take time to study human psychology, understand what drives people to action, what holds people back. Learn to understand what people want and to read how they react to situations and you will have yet another force multiplier in your quest for the good life. 9. You Must Balance All Pillars of Your Life Life is short, you must never allow your desire for material success and fame to outweigh the important things in your life like family and friends. Learn to balance your life. Build your business, hustle like heck, but spend time with people in your life that are important to you, reignite old hobbies, call a friend you haven’t seen in years, in short, live life like you knew you would die tomorrow. All the material gains in the world aren’t worth a damn when it’s all said and done, all that you will have to take with you into the great beyond are the people you loved and the lives you impacted. 10. Break The Rules As Mark Twain so famously said “When you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” No one on this site wants to be average, no one here wants to work an average dead end job for 50 years only to find they can’t retire and then continue that job until they die. Everyone here wants to be extraordinary. But to be extraordinary sometimes means bending the rules, it means taking the path less traveled or doing the unconventional thing. Do not be a slave to tradition and “supposed to’s” create the life you want, whether it fits society’s mold or not.

Growing up in a fatherless home, Tony Little experienced significant adversity in his youth. After moving to Florida to live with his uncle, he began a career in bodybuilding winning the Mr. Florida title and being on track to win Mr. America before a tragic bus accident ended his bodybuilding career. After a bout with depression and uncertainty, Tony decided to build a career in the fitness and advertising markets. Tony’s fitness products have grossed over $3 billion with over 45 million customers. At 57 Tony is still working in the fitness advertisement industry developing new and innovative products every year. Favorite Success Quote “When you change your mindset, you change your life. ” – Tony Little Key Points 1. Change Your Environment Change Your Life   As a young man, Tony grew up in a small town with very few positive influences in his life. As such, he became involved with the wrong crowd at an early age experimenting with drugs and alcohol and butting heads with the law. After an unintentional GTA, his mom decided to move him to Florida to live with his uncle, and this is when his life changed. By changing his environment, Tony was able to change his future. Regardless of your situation, there are probably some tweaks you can make in your environment to improve your life. Spend less time with unmotivated and uninspiring people, make your pantry more conducive to healthy eating, unplug your TV and buy more books, do whatever is necessary to get you to the life you want.   2. Fight Harder When Your Back is Against the Wall   Life is full of adversity, always has been, always will be. But the times when it is most difficult to be on our feet are the times when we need to stand strong the most. Whatever challenges life throws at you, do not cower from them, face them and overcome them. Fight like hell and never give up, because it is often the most difficult challenges that result in the greatest rewards.   3. Never Quit   Plain and simple, reaching your goals is difficult, but quitting wont make it any easier. You only have one shot at the game of life, so make it count. If you want something, fight for it, and don’t stop fighting until you get it. Don’t quit when you’re tired, quit when you’re finished.   4. Believe in Yourself   Henry Ford once said “Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t you are most certainly correct.” Believing you can do something does not ensure success, but believing that you cannot ensures failure.   If you believe in yourself and work tirelessly to make your vision a reality, you will inevitably succeed in some manner. However, lack of belief in self will prevent you from even taking the first step toward your goals.