I’ve noticed that in business and in life, peak performers tend to align with one of the two mindsets. Either they’re the “GO HARD” type who will do whatever it takes through sheer willpower, often motivated by anger and negativity, or the more “SPIRITUAL” (for lack of a better word) type that WANTS to do hard things, but goes about doing hard things not through FORCE, but rather by removing resistance.
1. GO HARD MINDSET – Whatever It Takes, You Will Do
Think about Elon Musk. The guy would do ANYTHING to make sure his businesses succeed. As he said himself, he would have to be dead or incapacitated to give up.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR5nQ4NwoJ8
And this leads to him working 100+ hour weeks, and neglecting many other areas of his life. People like Elon believe that your capacity with withstand and push through PAIN is what prevents you from reaching their level of success.
“Why is no one else doing these things?”
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3GVC2RObuk
The same is true, not in business, but in life, for people like David Goggins.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHcAWnsNEnw
Other people taking this approach: Andy Frisella, Dan Pena.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7h587FLllE
Dan Pena talks about creating “generational wealth”, 100M+ in a few years. This is the other feature of these guys… they always have to go for BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER, there is no end point for them.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LOazB4DZ8Y
All these guys see MONEY and OUTWARD SUCCESS as supremely relevant.
2. “SPIRITUAL” MINDSET – Remove Resistance & Do The Work
The other mindset I call “spiritual” but really it’s more about balance and listening to yourself, working with yourself rather than pushing yourself.
A great example of this is Michael Singer. If you read his book, The Surrender Experiment, it shows how he built a billion dollar business WITHOUT resistance.
RESILIENCE IN CHALLENGING TIMES - Michael A. Singer
The mindset is about listening to yourself, and working at removing resistance rather than just trying to push yourself.
Another great example, not in business, but in life, is Wim Hof.
The Dark Secret Behind the Ice Man | Wim Hof | Goalcast
Wim also isn’t about PUSHING or FORCING change ("listen to your body, never force"), but rather removing his resistance to challenges.
But there is no question that Wim HAS achieved and will continue achieving extremely challenging tasks. In my opinion, easily rivaling Goggins, but with much greater internal ease.
The spiritual mindset is also not getting its motivation from negativity or anger, quite the opposite. These feelings are seen as obstacles to be removed.
Also, money and outward success is seen as less relevant, but will follow from a strong, stable, healthy mind.
Eckhart Tolle - How To Be Wealthy #clapalongifyoufeellikeha
Which Mindset Do You Find Better For You? Which Is More Effective Generally?
For myself, I use both but in different areas of my life. The “spiritual” mindset is what I use in business and in life generally. However, the “GO HARD” mindset is what I use in sports. I find that physical exercise and physical pain makes my mind want to quit really fast. And it’s hard for me to endure physical pain and physically pushing myself.
So the only antidote I’ve found to that is to take charge of my internal self-talk, and push myself harder. And physical exercise NEVER gets easier for me, quite the opposite, things get harder the more I do it. It's challenging because unlike people like Goggins, all my experimentation with mindfulness, makes it difficult for me to access anger (it just seems so irrational, I can't do it). I do experience anxiety/fear every now and then, but anger is extremely rare, and take a GREAT degree of effort.
As for more effective… hmm. I think in terms of money, if that’s the measuring stick, the “go hard” approach tends to work “better”, but I’m not sure if it’s because it’s better. Maybe the peak performers holding the other “spiritual” mindset just have different priorities, and they COULD outperform the “go hard” types if they shared the same priorities.
What’s your mindset, and what are your thoughts?
1. GO HARD MINDSET – Whatever It Takes, You Will Do
Think about Elon Musk. The guy would do ANYTHING to make sure his businesses succeed. As he said himself, he would have to be dead or incapacitated to give up.
And this leads to him working 100+ hour weeks, and neglecting many other areas of his life. People like Elon believe that your capacity with withstand and push through PAIN is what prevents you from reaching their level of success.
“Why is no one else doing these things?”
The same is true, not in business, but in life, for people like David Goggins.
Other people taking this approach: Andy Frisella, Dan Pena.
Dan Pena talks about creating “generational wealth”, 100M+ in a few years. This is the other feature of these guys… they always have to go for BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER, there is no end point for them.
All these guys see MONEY and OUTWARD SUCCESS as supremely relevant.
2. “SPIRITUAL” MINDSET – Remove Resistance & Do The Work
The other mindset I call “spiritual” but really it’s more about balance and listening to yourself, working with yourself rather than pushing yourself.
A great example of this is Michael Singer. If you read his book, The Surrender Experiment, it shows how he built a billion dollar business WITHOUT resistance.
RESILIENCE IN CHALLENGING TIMES - Michael A. Singer
The mindset is about listening to yourself, and working at removing resistance rather than just trying to push yourself.
Another great example, not in business, but in life, is Wim Hof.
The Dark Secret Behind the Ice Man | Wim Hof | Goalcast
Wim also isn’t about PUSHING or FORCING change ("listen to your body, never force"), but rather removing his resistance to challenges.
But there is no question that Wim HAS achieved and will continue achieving extremely challenging tasks. In my opinion, easily rivaling Goggins, but with much greater internal ease.
The spiritual mindset is also not getting its motivation from negativity or anger, quite the opposite. These feelings are seen as obstacles to be removed.
Also, money and outward success is seen as less relevant, but will follow from a strong, stable, healthy mind.
Eckhart Tolle - How To Be Wealthy #clapalongifyoufeellikeha
Which Mindset Do You Find Better For You? Which Is More Effective Generally?
For myself, I use both but in different areas of my life. The “spiritual” mindset is what I use in business and in life generally. However, the “GO HARD” mindset is what I use in sports. I find that physical exercise and physical pain makes my mind want to quit really fast. And it’s hard for me to endure physical pain and physically pushing myself.
So the only antidote I’ve found to that is to take charge of my internal self-talk, and push myself harder. And physical exercise NEVER gets easier for me, quite the opposite, things get harder the more I do it. It's challenging because unlike people like Goggins, all my experimentation with mindfulness, makes it difficult for me to access anger (it just seems so irrational, I can't do it). I do experience anxiety/fear every now and then, but anger is extremely rare, and take a GREAT degree of effort.
As for more effective… hmm. I think in terms of money, if that’s the measuring stick, the “go hard” approach tends to work “better”, but I’m not sure if it’s because it’s better. Maybe the peak performers holding the other “spiritual” mindset just have different priorities, and they COULD outperform the “go hard” types if they shared the same priorities.
What’s your mindset, and what are your thoughts?
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