What would your business look like if you stopped trying so hard?
If you dropped your efforts by ten percent?
I know, it sounds crazy, but one of the most powerful lessons I learned in scaling my income, impact, and freedom was the power of stopping trying so hard.
I get that your ability to get shit done is a major strength. For years my badge of honor was how many hours I could work in a day … 15, 16, 17 hours. Put me up against any man and I was confident that I’d ‘out-hustle’ him.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that my tunnel vision was blocking my peak performance and it had me selling myself short in and out of my business.
I was at war in my relationship.
I felt torn and misunderstood.
You just don’t understand how important this is to me!
You don’t get that I’m doing this for us!
My health was non-existent, low energy, overweight, and unfit.
My business was equally unhealthy for me. I felt trapped and frustrated because I knew that I was capable of more but was stuck on a hamster wheel of getting shit done.
I entered into bad business deals, undercharged for my services, overstretched myself, and was constantly putting out fires.
The truth is, I was in denial, underneath the mask I was exhausted and being driven by fear, lack, and scarcity. I was terrified that if I stopped it’d all come crumbling down. My life was a test of willpower and I believed that willpower was my strength, through it I was being ‘a strong man’.
What has got you to where you are isn’t going to get you to where you want to be.
Actually, it’s quite the opposite.
It’s going to get you more of what you’ve already got.
How’s that working out for ya?
It’s time to DO something different and to BE something more.
It’s time to work smarter, not harder.
How to stop trying so hard – Do and Be More
Step 1: Have more fun
If you were to remove alcohol, food, TV, and women, what would you do for fun?
All of those things are sources of sedation. I imagine you’ve let life get so serious, constantly living in your head, constantly focusing on your business and never switching off that you struggle to know what you find fun. Find yourself. Discover what fills you up that doesn’t involve competing with other men and get lost in it.
Step 2: Meditate
Meditation is misunderstood by a lot of people. In it’s most simple form it’s a technique to get you out of your head. Keep it simple. Commit to 15 minutes, once per day.
If need be, choose a guided meditation on YouTube or give ‘The Powerful Man Meditation 10 Day Meditation Challenge’ a try.
Step 3: Understand what is driving your excessive behavior
According to Pareto’s Law, 20% of your actions yield 80% of your results. So, what is driving you to waste time, effort, and energy by constantly doing the other 80% of your actions? Fear, self-doubt, judgment, comparisons. Your ego mind confuses busy-ness with progress and as a result, it wants to keep you in action … the ego-mind thinks this is its safe zone.
Understanding where the fear comes from, how it shows up, and how to let go of it is key.
Step 4: Reverse Engineer
This is going to sound crazy but prioritize your business last.
When you are planning your schedule for the week ahead, make plans first for your health, your relationships, and yourself. What is left over you give to your business?
As you’re reading this I’m sure it’ll be creating tension and confusion in your mind and body. That’s your ego-mind freaking out. That’s the fear we were just talking about.
Step 5: Decompression
At the end of your working day it’s important to get out of your head otherwise you take that energy into your relationships, and or, your personal time. It’s important to express the energy you’ve built up – scream, shout, laugh, dance, smile. Whatever works for you to “let it out”. You’re a spiritual being having a human experience, being mechanical with your emotions doesn’t work. It creates blocks.
Expressing yourself in this way radically changes your state and is even more powerful when combined with journal or meditation.
What is the result of all of this?
By dropping the fear and reducing your mental noise you’re able to listen to your inner voice and act on it.
You experience a greater sense of confidence, your creativity increases, your decision making improves and your life becomes a lot more peaceful, productive, and powerful.
Your relationships take on a whole new level of passion and connection. You stop abusing your body so your health becomes effortless and your personal fulfillment reaches whole new levels.
You start to live again.
Much Love, Tim
