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My notes:
The
Man in the Arena
It
is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the
strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them
better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives
valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there
is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually
strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great
devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best
knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the
worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his
place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know
victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt, excerpt from the speech
“Citizenship in a Republic,” delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris,
France, on April 23, 1910 Preface
Individualism
is freedom, the free will to make decisions that—for better or for
worse—fall on your shoulders.
When
our decisions are good, we get rewarded; when they are not, we still
get rewarded. Knowledge is the reward for mistakes made and lessons
learned.
My
philosophy is that you are either part of the solution or part of the
problem.
Those
who look for solutions are the ones you want on your team because
they lift you up when you are down and help you find the answers you
are looking for.
I
am a soldier on the frontlines dealing with life’s daily battles.
“Winning
is not everything, wanting to win is.” Vince Lombardi
Entering
beast mode is a daily battle of making good choices that propel you
forward.
Once
you conquer these little battles and reap the rewards, entering beast
mode becomes an addiction and, with enough practice, a powerful
mind-set.
Almost
every driven person I met succeeded because of a work ethic that was
at such a high level of intensity,
A
beast is an attitude. It’s discipline. It’s entering each daily
battle with every ounce of fight you can possibly muster. It’s
giving that extra drop of blood, extra bead of sweat, and extra ounce
of energy when you want to quit.
It’s
running the extra mile, getting up when you get knocked down, and
hitting the pillow every night knowing you gave that day everything
you had.
A
beast is focused on achieving the impossible.
Being
around others in beast mode will help you get there. Beasts don’t
hold grudges or make others feel bad when they don’t perform to
their best ability, either. They understand that it’s a daily
struggle and that sometimes, even in a victorious war, everyone loses
a battle here or there. Beasts encourage and inspire; you want to
surround yourself with them because you’ll rub off on each other,
leading to positive growth. When you’re a beast, people gravitate
to you because they feed off of your infectious energy and want to be
around it. You’ll want to be around people who are focused and have
their shit together, too, because you want to gain knowledge from
them. You want to figure out what they are doing that makes them so
successful.
It’s
about being passionate and excelling at whatever you put your mind
to.
Those
who take time to share their passion and knowledge with others for
nonmonetary rewards are beasts.
Career
choice, however, is irrelevant in terms of becoming a beast.
What
matters is finding what motivates you to push yourself to your
highest potential. Entering beast mode and staying there is not
temporary—at least is doesn’t have to be. It’s a lifestyle that
becomes who you are.
How
do I take my first step toward finding my purpose? What do I want to
do today, tomorrow, a year from now, ten years from now? These are
questions you should always be asking yourself.
Beasts
push themselves out of their comfort zone in order to find that
purpose, and even when they find it, they continue to push themselves
to learn, grow, and overcome fears and challenges. Beasts are a
constant work in progress.
We
live in a world with more emphasis on individual effort, less
guaranteed security, and higher rewards for winners, so entering
beast mode is of utmost importance if you want to survive.
Tapping
into your maximum potential might sound like a high standard, but
it’s something you can achieve—and it all starts in the mind.
You
won’t achieve a goal if you don’t have one, however, and a goal
is useless unless it has been defined.
Ask
yourself the following questions: What am I doing in the morning? Am
I springing out of bed or hitting snooze? Am I drinking coffee for a
quick energy boost? Am I hitting the gym or doing something to get my
blood flowing? Am I spending an hour in bed on Facebook or social
media? Your entire day is dictated from the first half hour to hour
of waking up, so choose wisely.
Many
people settle for mediocrity and don’t achieve the things they want
in life. You are unaware of the power you have within yourself to
achieve anything you want. And you can achieve it.
I
truly believe in the power of the pen—once written down, fuzzy
thoughts become firm.
One
trait these people shared was they refused to give up, eventually
conquering their adversity.
Life’s
hardships are inevitable, and it’s okay to be down, to experience
low moments, and to have challenging experiences because this is
where the motivation to change your life can come from.
When
in life was I the happiest? When did I overcome adversity? Who do I
look up to or admire? What positive traits from these individuals do
I like? (These traits will give you an outline as to what your
potential inner beast is.) Who or what distracts, destroys, and saps
my energy? What am I unhappy about? (Think of people and/or places
you feel are negatively impacting your life right now. Immediately
begin extracting everything negative from your life.) How can I
change that? What’s my passion? What’s my dream life?
Once
you’ve established a vision, start breaking down how you’re going
to achieve that vision by setting goals.
Start
with a thirty-day challenge. In one month, I will…? My one-year
goals are… My five-year goals are… My ten-year goals are…
Before
you start your day each morning, write out the goal for that day and
cross it off at night.
Along
your journey, there will be multiple setbacks; embrace them.
Why
are you trying to achieve this vision? Why are you reaching for those
goals? Your “why” needs to be powerful because you will return to
it repeatedly throughout your journey in becoming a beast. Your “why”
will function to keep you on track when you feel defeated or weak.
You will undoubtedly have bad days, and returning to your “why”
will help you overcome them. You really have to dig into your
“why”—and don’t forget to write it down.
Your
passion is important because when you believe in something with all
you have, it will be tough to stop you.
The
vision, the goals, and the why mean absolutely nothing without
action.
When
you’re in the mind-set of a beast, you take the reins of
leadership, and you begin the journey of creating your own destiny.
Becoming
a beast means having scars on your back from going through the
trenches of life and fighting the good fight, battle after battle.
There is no magic formula.
"He
who makes a beast of himself, gets rid the pain of being man.” Dr.
Samuel Johnson
There
is beauty in the grind and the struggle. You just need to embrace it.
Start
building your network from day one.
“The
whole world loves a winner and has no time for a loser.”
The
toughest and most difficult obstacles in life are where the biggest
growths happen, especially when you surround yourself with people who
operate at a high level and motivate you to keep up. It unleashes a
power within you: your beast.
Intelligence
is focus and intensity;
You’ll
find a bit of edginess and feistiness in the majority of beasts.
My
dad taught me never to start a fight but always to defend myself if
someone was going to start one with me—so I did. And that’s the
mind-set I took through life.
Surround
yourself with people who are smarter than you and who are good at
what you are not. Build your team recognizing your weaknesses and
your strengths.
Building
teams, partnerships, and networks is oftentimes more important than
trying to do it all by yourself.
I
believe it is to lead by example.
“Whoever
knocks persistently ends by entering.” Ali, political leader (AD
600–61)
In
order to survive in today’s economy, you must be proactive. You’re
in charge of transforming your life into something you want it to
be—no one else is.
The
Heart of a Beast = Vision + Preparation + Persistence + Patience
The
three most important keys are preparation, persistence, and patience.
Persistence
is waking up every morning and pushing yourself harder than the day
before—that
The
word patience, in referring to the lone wolf, is your shield, whereas
persistence is your sword.
If
there is not a clear, defined job description for each person in the
partnership, the odds of failure increase.
Anyone
you exchange money with is basically a partner.
The
point is to fire up your favorite tunes whenever possible.
Don’t
do business or engage in a partnership with those who only have eyes
for themselves and their bank accounts.
Do
business with good people whose goals are to enhance other people’s
lives.
Relationships
plus salesmanship equals business.
and—the
most important currency of all—human capital.
Once
you are solely focused on the other person’s needs, and not your
own, success follows like the night follows day.
Each
team needs to establish a leader who makes all the decisions, and
when possible, that leader should be you.
You
should form a team to accomplish a goal where each member has a
specific job that’s unique to his skill set—that’s when a team
can do great things.
The
outer layer of your team consists of your allies—people who over
time have formed bonds and relationships with you. You look out for
them, and they look after you.
Social
media has become a lion’s den for future entrepreneurs and beasts
who are taking business to a whole new level because the
opportunities to connect are exponential.
Work
to build a huge Rolodex, grow your Facebook following, grow your
connections on LinkedIn, follow people on Twitter, or grow your
network through Snapchat and Instagram stories. Don’t be scared to
post; be yourself and be bold. People will respect you.
Social
media tools can only help you.
Taking
care of your body and getting physically stronger, faster, and better
is an essential step in entering beast mode and maximizing your full
potential.
You
start your day mentally strong by exercising.
Working
out is just as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one.
There’s
a saying in jiu-jitsu: “A black belt is a white belt who did not
quit.”
Beasts
love other beasts because they feed off each other.
You
can’t hide from your fears or negative thoughts. You will need to
tackle them. Deal with them.
Part
Two: Entering Beast Mode
“The
highest wisdom is kindness.” Proverb
Nothing
in life happens without good social skills.
Sales
sometimes gets a bad rap, but everyone—regardless of profession—is
a salesman at heart.
The
golden rule of social intelligence is the ability to see the
situation from the other person’s perspective.
If
you can develop the skill of detaching yourself from the situation
you’re in and viewing it from the client’s, the friend’s, or
the family member’s perspective, you’ll get to the heart of what
he or she needs and be able to go from there.
Detaching
yourself will save you from wasting energy.
I’ve
never met a funny person who I didn’t like. People who make you
laugh are good to be around because laughing releases serotonin in
your brain, and you want to be around people who make you feel good.
Avoid
negative people at all costs.
You
are the CEO of your life, and you’ll need a board of directors.
Whether you want to tell these people that they have a special role
in your life or not is entirely up to you, but they will give you
knowledge and guidance in all aspects of life.
“Better
an honest slap than a false kiss.”
In
today’s world, some of my greatest mentors are people I’ve never
met.
Don’t
be scared to ask someone in a powerful position how he or she got
there.
What
did they do differently, then? They were the first ones in the office
in the morning, they were the last ones to leave at night, and they
ran that extra mile instead of quitting. They took extreme risks and
didn’t shy away from fear or uncertainty.
By
choosing to take on the hardest tasks—the ones no one else wanted
to take on—and through discipline and hard work, they put
themselves in a position to create their own luck.
The
end goal is to stick with people who are moving forward and avoid
those who are dragging you down.
People
exude a certain type of energy. When you meet someone, you should be
able to decipher his or her character early on.
Do
things that give you energy; don’t do things that sap it.
Learn
to identify people who may not have your best interest at heart, and
don’t let them stop you.
What
differentiated those who succeeded with those who didn’t was their
ability to work hard and persevere.
Leadership
to me is defined as action. Leaders create their own space; they take
charge of the meeting. No one is going to anoint you king; you must
take leadership.
The
entrepreneur is the ultimate lone wolf. You must take it upon
yourself to be all things. You must find the solution. To succeed you
must become the smartest, the most humble, and the most resilient.
You must never waiver. You must be willing to do all that it takes,
whenever needed, without self-pity or complaining. You must face the
odds and know that you will beat them. There is no plan B.
The
first is simply to get out there. Get off your couch, even if you
don’t want to, and seek people out. Nobody will give you business
or hire you if you’re not engaging. This life is a contact sport.
The more contacts you make, the better off you’ll be.
Go
to conferences and meet like-minded people as often as you can.
Even
if you’re going to have fun, be cognizant that you’re always
building your brand.
Another
social skill is to track your image. The way you dress, the way you
look, and the way you carry yourself is the first thing others
notice, and they will judge and evaluate you.
Do
not underestimate the power of dressing the part, because it makes
good impressions, and when you’re meeting people who can
potentially contribute to achieving your goals, impressions are
important.
I’ll
let you in on a little secret, regardless of whether you’re a
beginner or seasoned professional: Dress, speak, and act not for who
you are but who you want to be. Regardless of what it is, “act as
if.” Act as if you are already successful. Being successful starts
in your mind. Act as if you are the best in your line of work. When
you exude confidence, people are more receptive to you and what you
have to offer.
Whatever
you do, put on that uniform and come to win.
Be
cognizant of your online persona; it’s just as important as your
physical one.
God
gave us two ears and one mouth so as to speak rarely and listen
often.
The
best in business are those who shut up and listen.
People
who are good listeners and show interest in others are the ones who
leave the best impressions.
Practice
asking open-ended questions and then listening;
Your
number-one currency is how you make someone else feel.
“We
have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us
many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is
our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with
all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage
war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark,
lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask,
what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at
all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and
hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.”
Winston Churchill
Of
all the tools you have at your disposal, the mind is the most
important.
My
favorite books are 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene, Art of War
by Sun Tzu, and The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi (the
greatest swordsman in Japan). These books lay out the many strategies
of war—timeless relics of information that can be applied in any
boardroom, business transaction, or decision.
The
one thing that can’t be bought is your passion and skill set that
you bring to the table.
You
can build whatever you want with the right mind-set.
The
key in the face of adversity is to remain calm. Defeat is a learning
experience.
You
are the general in your own war. The best generals in the world lead
from the front.
The
more you practice being bold, the more it will become second nature.
Be
confident in yourself, and don’t let your ego get in the way of
your mission.
Try
and figure out what makes a person tick.
As
you operate on your own battlefield, be sure to constantly meet
people, build your team, and seek individuals who have a good heart,
have good intentions, and have a positive influence on you.
Having
an enemy in your line of work or business is a good thing. We should
never create enemies on purpose or actively seek them out, but when
they come—and believe me, they will come—be ready to confront
those situations and deal with them head-on. Without getting angry
and losing your temper, you should strategically outmaneuver this
individual or group of individuals.
In
the world of business, we don’t fight with fists or guns; we fight
with strategy.
You’ll
have many encounters that may cause friction. Some of those people
might be your best friends, offering friendly criticism to help you
improve; and others are just out to hurt you and want you to fail.
Enemies can come in different forms. Some come head-on, like my
fraternity brother, but the more dangerous ones operate covertly
behind the scenes to take you down. Keep your eyes and ears open for
those you suspect to have ulterior motives, and steer clear of them.
Success
is the greatest revenge for those who might have abandoned you. A
winner is a loser who got pissed off and worked to prove everyone
wrong.
A
beast is always driven.
That
red beast is part of who you are. You don’t want to kill the red
beast; you just want to tame it like a wild horse—you want to
control it.
You
cannot run from problems. No one will be there to save or protect
you. You’re alone in finding and creating solutions to the problems
you face. Sometimes you’ll get it right, and sometimes you won’t.
Sometimes it takes a few attempts to get it right. And sometimes,
your solution will be to call on someone else for help.
The
power of the pen and putting it down on paper is unlike anything I’ve
ever experienced.
Believing
in what you have to offer is the most important key to success. If I
did not believe I had anything to offer to someone reading this book,
I wouldn’t write it.
Billionaires
are billionaires because of their belief system; nothing will stop
them from achieving their goals because they’ve already envisioned
reaching them.
Working
Hard + Working Smart + Timing = Luck
Remember,
you are the CEO of your brand; invest in that brand.
Your
good name is everything. Once you establish your reputation, people
will naturally gravitate to you.
Becoming
a beast is a game that never ends, because you will never let it end.
A beast concentrates everything within him—from the minute he wakes
up in the morning to the minute he goes to bed at night—to give 100
percent of his potential to live a better life.
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