We’ve all heard it a thousand times: success is all about being in the right place at the right time. It’s a comforting thought, suggesting that big breaks are a matter of luck or circumstance. But this idea is also incredibly dangerous. It teaches us to wait for success to come knocking instead of building it ourselves. It makes us believe that our situation matters more than our substance.
We’ve already talked about getting to know our true selves and realigning our mental operating system around the core beliefs we were born with, like our limitless ability to learn. It’s impossible to reboot our minds if those fundamental programs aren’t in the right place. Most of us understand that panicky feeling when a phone or laptop gives us the "screen of death" and won't start. We worry that everything is lost. But what many people don't realize is that the most important technology they own—their mind—has been compromised for most of their lives.
It’s a simple question: can you learn? Most of us would say yes without a second thought. But how deep does that belief go? Sure, we can learn simple things. But what about the really hard stuff? Could you learn to play the piano, understand monetary policy, or wrap your head around quantum mechanics? Could you become an expert, speaking on conference stages about it?
Think back to when you were a toddler. At that point in your life, the way your mind was wired was pretty much perfect. It didn't come loaded with flawed programming that held you back or warped your sense of self. Nobody had taught you about limiting beliefs yet. For most of us, that was the last time we were truly set up to build the life we wanted, free from all the negative conditioning that came later.
We are living in an era of unprecedented information. In the last fifty years, the dawn of the digital age has caused an explosion of knowledge and data. Every single day, we collectively generate about 1.15 trillion megabytes of new data—a fact I found in a quick 45-second Google search. To put that in perspective, we create more new information in a 24-hour cycle than all of our ancestors did over millions of years.
Have you ever caught yourself in a loop of self-doubt? That feeling when you desperately want to achieve something, but you just can't seem to make it happen because you're your own worst enemy. How many times have you talked yourself out of a great idea?
I heard a story recently that perfectly captures the journey most entrepreneurs face. A young man’s mother looked at him and said something he dreaded hearing: “You are going to have to go back to being a waiter at Red Lobster.”
It’s a frustratingly common story: your business seems to have all the right pieces in place. The product is solid, the pricing makes sense, and people seem interested. Yet, the sales just aren’t there. The number one reason so many businesses struggle isn't a fundamental flaw in their model—it’s a breakdown in the art of selling.
In the rush to master the latest digital marketing trends, it's become common to hear that old-school media is dead. But reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. While everyone else is fighting for attention in crowded digital spaces, a smart few are finding incredible returns by going against the grain.