Embrace The Word “Impossible”

Cover Photo by @jplenio: https://unsplash.com/photos/hvrpOmuMrAI

One of my favourite word in this world is the word Impossible.

I don’t know if anyone else is like me on that, but every time someone tells me it would be impossible for me to do something, I light up inside. Now there’s nothing more I want to do than prove them wrong.

As Barney Stinson would say: “Challenge accepted!”.

Anyone else is like me on this?

How do you react when someone tells you it’s impossible to accomplish something?

I understand that sometimes you have to listen to good advice, but there are also times when you have to trust in yourself, give it your real best shot and accomplish things that, deep inside, you know you can do.

“Danny, You Will Never Accomplish Anything In Life”

That’s what my brother told me about 16 years ago as I was playing video games on my Gameboy Advance on the couch, just like every other day.

Without knowing it, he changed my life forever.

This is such a harsh thing to say to someone. I could have been devastated. But somehow I knew he was wrong, even though all signs pointed that he was right.

I was far from being a popular kid in high school. Living far from the town center, I would never play with friends. And being so immersed in games, I didn’t really connect much with people.

I was a classic introverted kid.

But shortly after his remark, I had renewed resolve. I had to prove my brother wrong.

About 16 years later, I’ve accomplished way more than I imagine was possible. Especially in hindsight. Sometimes, in the day to day living, you don’t realize how much you accomplish during a year.

I started journaling and thinking about that recently. I’m baffled by the results. I didn’t put it in my brother’s face, but man was he wrong about me never accomplishing anything in life!

“Danny, Your Goals Are Insane And Impossible To Reach”

Said two co-workers in the past two months. To be fair, probably everyone at the co-working space thought I was insane, with reason.

My goals are getting more and more insane. But the things is, with obsession, both in planning and in execution, you can achieve so much more than even you think you can.

“There’s no talent here. This is hard work. This is obsession. Talent does not exist.” — Conor McGregor


Gaining Extreme Mass In A Short Timeframe

The first goal that was deemed impossible was my goal of gaining 5kg of mass, while losing 3% body fat, all that in one month. For an ectomorph like myself, it’s insane. To maintain my 56kg weight, I had to eat about 2,800 calories. The norm for 56kg is 2,036 calories. A lot of girls are jealous of my problem. I hate it.

When my co-worker said it was impossible, I had to prove her wrong.

I wanted my 5kg of mass even more. It was the most insane month of my life. The workout was hard, but the hardest part was eating about 700 calories of high-value healthy food almost every 2 hours. It was hard to eat it all, but it was also expensive and took time to prepare every day.

A little after halfway, I was behind on my gains. I really wasn’t sure I could make it anymore. I was about 1kg behind schedule. And then my co-worker told me she knew it was impossible.

BOOM! Instant energy boost!

I had more energy at the gym. I doubled my daily push-up count. Started doing even more squats. Doubled the weights at the gym.

A few days later, I had reached the 5kg goal. I didn’t end up reaching the 3% body fat loss, but I was already very lean, so it was as important to me. I lost 2% body fat still.


Attending The Genius Network Event

Now this one is very new.

I was following Benjamin Hardy’s course on Journaling and at one point he mentioned speaking at the Genius Network Event. I looked it up.

People attending this event ARE geniuses. WAY beyond my current level.

But the event is in November. I have about 8 months to become a better version of myself. I want to attend not for the status, but for the level of self-improvement I’ll have reached to get there.

“Become a millionaire not for the million dollars, but for what it will make of you to achieve it.” — Jim Rohn

Of course, this is shooting way too high. People attending earned it through years of hard work. Now here’s a kid who thinks he can achieve that in 8 months? That’s impossible!

And a co-worker confirmed the insanity of this goal recently. He’s not wrong. But that gives me the necessary fuel to reach for it.

“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” — Zig Ziglar


Conclusion

Because one person, a group of people or even yourself have doubts about your success, it doesn’t mean they are right. Prove them wrong! If you have doubts yourself, prove yourself wrong!

Never let the word “impossible” defeat you. Defy it. Plan your path.

Rid of the fog, and you’ll see that the path to the possible in fact exists, and you can achieve it.

Let these stories inspire you to achieve your most insane goals.

Aim high. Plan. Execute. Achieve.

Aim higher. Plan better. Execute harder. Achieve more.

Aim for the peak. Plan best. Execute perfectly. Achieve all.

You can do this!

Improve Everything In Your Life by Learning 3 New Skills Every Month

Cover Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/active-agility-dancer-dancing-415307/

As I frequently write about, I learn 3 new skills every month. It’s a “calculated” approach that helps improve different areas of the brain or body. I strongly encourage you to read it first, or bookmark it if you don’t have time to read it now.

Learning 3 new skills every month completely changed my life for the better. I’m a much better person than I was 5 months ago. And trust me, it’s not as hard as you think it is. In fact, most of us do learn 3 new skills every month without knowing it. Being aware of it makes all the difference.

However, the 3 skills a month approach is not without criticism. I’ve had the same questions multiple times, so I thought it might be interesting to write about. I narrowed it down to one question, which I hope answers all.


Why Are You Learning 3 New Skills Every Month?

Because They Are Useful

I will start by saying there are (almost) no useless skills.

Everything I aim to learn has a purpose. The first skills I chose were: classifying documents using Machine Learning, Drawing using Photoshop and Learning The Past and Future Tenses In Spanish.

In one of the current startups I’m working on right now requires my acquired ML skills.

When working on my game, I can now draw decent enough sketches/drafts for my artists to understand my vision.

I moved to Spain 2 months after learning the past and future tenses. I had no idea I would go to Spain at the time.

I use and improve these skills pretty much every day now. The progress has become organic.

I picked up storytelling, public speaking, conversational Spanish, bodybuilding for an ectomorph, dropshipping for eCommerce, investing smartly, photography, non-fiction writing, meditation, and more.

I’m currently working on Podcasting, Social Media Marketing, Learning Norwegian and Journaling.

In total, 20 new skills in 5 months.

Because I Build Stronger Connections

I work in co-working spaces. I work with people from all over the globe with different backgrounds. As such, it’s not always easy to have deep conversations if you have nothing in common.

By learning so many skills, there’s a much higher chance that I’m going to find something that unites me with another person.

I’ve connected with people I would never connect with normally, and these connections ended up being some of my strongest connections.

Because I Discover Hidden Talents Or Passions

I didn’t aim to write. I didn’t aim to take photos.

Yet I’m now getting paid to do both.

If I didn’t try them as new skills, I would never have known that 1. I’d be good enough at them, and 2. I’d really grow to like them.

As I mention in the other story, we pigeonhole ourselves into specific things that we are/do. I’m a software engineer. Most of the skills I learn are counter-intuitive to that.

Because The More You Know The Faster You Learn

I touch a bit on this subject in: this story.

And for me that is the best reason. Learning constantly, at a faster pace. There’s (almost) nothing I enjoy nothing I enjoy more in life than learning. It’s such a great feeling when you reach a level of mastery you never knew you could reach before.

Here are a few powerful quotes on learning:

“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.” ― Robert Greene, Mastery

“Approach everything with an open mind, with a learning mind. You will never stop learning as long as you keep the mindset that everything works, because everything does work. There’s a time and a place for every single move. If you work on it enough, it will work.” — Conor McGregor

“The person who can learn from everything will beat out the person who judges harshly who and what to learn from.” — James Altucher

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.


Conclusion

I’ve been doing for 5 months now.

  • I am more skilled;

  • I have stronger connections;

  • I have new passions; and

  • I learn much faster.

You want more skills, stronger connections, discover new talents and learn faster?

I strongly suggest you try the 3 new skills approach.

You’ll see, all aspects of your life will improve. Maybe not the first month, but you’ll build momentum and get there.

You can do this!

You Are, Or Will Become What You Do

Cover Photo by Kaboompics // Karolina: https://www.pexels.com/photo/grey-felt-journal-to-do-list-on-a-white-desk-6423/

How do you spend your time during your limited 24 hour day?

Do you plan for it?

Do you know in advance what you will be doing for the next day?

What do you do the most frequently?

Here are my own personal answers:

This is how I spend my days this month:

Pasted from my Google Keep notes

Pasted from my Google Keep notes

As you can see, it’s quite detailed. Below is an example of how I plan for the next day:

Pasted from my Google Keep notes. Sorry for the Spanish, but I’m learning it, so I’m writing it!

Pasted from my Google Keep notes. Sorry for the Spanish, but I’m learning it, so I’m writing it!

What I do the most: Work on Soul Reaper.


How To Do More

“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

If you analyze my daily schedule and my day planning, you should have a good idea of what kind of person I am, or will become.

If you know my story, you know I learn 3 new skills every month. For this month, I’m learning:

  • Podcasting (see 6:30am: Read Story)

  • Social Media Marketing (see 8:00am)

  • Norwegian Language (see 7:30am Duolingo)

  • Bonus: Journaling (see 7:00am)

Last month, one of my skills was writing. I wanted to become a better writer. I had no real experience prior to January 1st.

Well, by writing every day, I actually did become a writer. I write for The Startup and The Ascent, and became a top writer on Medium in: Inspiration, Life, Life Lessons, Self Improvement, Entrepreneurship and Startup. I love writing now and some people know me as a writer.

Another one of the skills I practiced a few months back was photography. I started from zero. I studied all the terms, how to take good photos, etc. I analyzed professionals. Shortly after I was asked to take photos for Sundarafund.org in Uganda, and now I’m doing it semi-professionally.

Not all skills turn into gold, but if I didn’t do them, I would not have become a writer or a photographer. I never thought I’d ever be good at them. Photography and Writing are creative things. I’m a software engineer by trade.

You can always do more than you think. You’ve got the time. Plan for it. Do a detailed schedule and stick to it. You’ll waste less time and be more productive doing things that bring you closer to what you want to be.


Conclusion

Most of us want to be more than what we currently are. Yet we do nothing to make it happen.

Try the 3 skills approach. Dare try things out of your comfort zone. You’ll notice you’re better than you think you are.

Plan your days, at least one day in advance. Be precise with time. Execute consistently.

Before you know it, you’ll have become the things you have been doing.

You can do this!

Poco A Poco — How To Build Lasting Momentum

Cover Photo by Porapak Apichodilok: https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-child-clouds-kid-346796/

Writing wisdom says to not give the answer in the headline. Well, I just did.

Little by little

Not the biggest revelation I know, but that’s exactly why it works and why no one can apply it.

For some reason, we humans just try to overcomplicate everything. Everything.

Think about a problem you had which you tried to find a solution for.

How simple was the solution? How much effort did it take? Did you execute on it?

I’m sure you didn’t have to think too hard to find a problem you overthought.

Well, I’m telling you straight: building momentum is all about Doing. Little by little. Everyday. ¡Poco a poco!

It’s that simple. Don’t overthink it.

I build so much momentum that not persevering is actually more difficult than procrastinating.

And this all starts with small increments. Common wisdom says 1% improvement everyday. Qualify and quantify everything, down to the little details. That way, it’s nearly impossible to not to notice gains or progress towards a goal.


How Can I Execute Every Day?

In Zdravko’s Ultimate Productivity Cheat Sheet, he explains what he calls the X Method.

At its most basic, it’s just marking down that you did your habit on a calendar with a big fat ‘X’.

Sounds a little childish I know.

Back when I was a kid, I would get a sun sticker on my calendar if I brushed my teeth in the morning and at night. Sounds dumb, but I’ve never looked back on my teeth brushing.

If you want a more tech-y version of that, try out the Way Of Life app, which was featured on The Tim Ferriss Show, amongst other places. I had the chance to get a glimpse of the next version coming out soon, and it’s really really good!


How Do I Make Momentum Last?

True momentum really makes you unstoppable.

Much like in my story above, this morning, I was out of bed at 6:20am. Today is a Sunday. No alarm. As much as I try to tell myself to stay in bed, I’m already out by the time I finish my thought.

It’s that powerful.

I’ve had/felt this momentum for at least 5 months now. And it all began when I decided I would learn 3 new skills every month.

It really is as insane as it sounds, but the more obsessed you are with your goals, and the more frequently you achieve them, the high you get is unfathomable.

Sir Richard Branson said: “Get high on life”. I think that’s what he meant.

“There’s no talent here. This is hard work. This is obsession. Talent does not exist.” — Conor McGregor

Everyone can achieve lasting momentum.


Conclusion

Break everything down. Be consistent. Do. Little by little.

Don’t cheat. Act. Measure. Achieve. Build momentum.

Always aim for more. Aim freaking high. Take criticizing. Let it be your fuel to achieve more better things.

Be obsessed. Research. Know your goals. Execute.

Rinse and repeat.

You can do this!

You Want To Achieve More? Be In The Right Room

Cover Photo by @shutters_guild: https://unsplash.com/photos/43ScFMWx2xY

Let’s start with a little reflexion here:

  • Who shows up the most frequently at the gym? The people who take classes.

  • Who procrastinates the least for work? The people who have co-workers.

  • Who reads the most? People who are part of a book club.

See the pattern?

If you want to achieve more, you need to surround yourself with like-minded people.

But that’s only the first step!

One of my favourite writers here on Medium said it best yesterday:

If you are the most active person in the room, you are in the wrong room. — Zdravko Cvijetic


Working With Even Harder Working People

I used to think that I was one of the hardest working people out there.

Back in Toronto, everyone works hard, but it wasn’t common for someone to do 12 hour days.

When I left Toronto to work in Cambodia, I realized I wasn’t alone. In fact, there were people working even harder than I was.

And I’m sure some of you work harder than me too.

At the coworking/coliving space I was working from, Jeff, the owner of the place, and his partner Jan, were working at least 12 hours per day, 6 days a week. They enjoy what they do, but they also do it out of necessity, which makes them work even harder. The stakes are high.

Working with and alongside them changed me. I worked harder and more efficiently. They elevated my standards for hard work.

I achieved so much more simply because they were in the same room, literally.


Getting More Fit

In January, I had the crazy goal of gaining 5kg of mass while losing 3% body fat. For an ectomorph like myself, it’s near impossible. In fact, it was 8+% of my body weight. I was eating 4500 calories of healthy food every day. To put that into perspective, Dwayne Johnson eats 5000. The guy is 3 times my size.

I reached my mass gain goal in 26 days. I ended up losing 2% body fat. I was already very lean, so I’m more than satisfied.

During that period of time, I inspired other people at the current co-working space I work from in Málaga to get fit as well. I accidentally started a “fitness squad” and we grew from 2 members to 15 in less than a month.

I certainly didn’t see myself as a leader, but they followed me. They saw my results. They want to achieve more. Everyone, without exception, achieved way more than they thought they could.

We do 100 pushups every day. Most people who start think they can do about 10. Everyone does more than 20 on their first session. Most reach over 60 over the course of the day.

These people were in the right room, following others who were more fit than them.


Getting Even More Fit

The problem with the fitness squad for me is that I was in the wrong room. And I knew it. Even more so after reading Z’s story.

But this changed yesterday.

I started journaling yesterday. I thought it would be dumb. I thought I’d have nothing to write. But every “successful” person mention how great it is, so I decided it would be one of the 3 skills I pick up this month.

I won’t go into the details, but needless to say, I had SO MUCH to write about. I journaled for two and a half hours at the beach. For the last 30 minutes or so, there was a guy who came stretching close to me. We both noticed each other, simply because we were both doing unusual things.

After my journaling session, I went to talk to him. Turns out I actually played Pádel with him the previous weekend!

Gerrit is a fit guy. He’s always been into fitness. I learned more in my hour-long chat with him than I learned in my entire life I think. I had finally found a guy way more fit than me abroad.

That happy accident made it so I now know where the right room is for me to achieve more in fitness.


Conclusion

What is it you want to achieve?

Look around yourself.

Can you think of anyone who does what you want to achieve, but at a greater level?

If not, how can you turn that around?

The power of peers is unquestionable. We see it everywhere, in health, at work, in our recreational activities, etc.

We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. — Jim Rohn

When we see people do, we do. When people do it better, we do it better. When we do it better, we want to do it even better.

When we achieve our goals, we have bigger goals. When we achieve bigger goals, we become unstoppable!

Be in the right room. Do more. Be better. Achieve more!

Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments below!

You can do this!

41 Short And Powerful Quotes To Make You Feel Unstoppable

Cover Photo by @zacdurant: https://unsplash.com/photos/_6HzPU9Hyfg

Over the course of my first 30 days writing on Medium, I noticed that, with reason, what gets highlighted the most are powerful quotes from wise and/or “successful” people.

As such, I’ve accumulated lots of them during that period. This article contains some of the most powerful ones I’ve collected.

Let these strong quotes inspire you; motivate you to be what you want to be; motivate you to dare act, change, and think differently.

Feel the power of these quotes and become unstoppable.


Success

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” — Robert F.Kennedy

“There’s a six-word formula for success: Think things through, then follow through.” — Eddie Rickenbacker

“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” — Zig Ziglar

‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’ — Steve Martin

“Your level of success will rarely exceed your level of personal development, because success is something you attract by the person you become.” — Hal Elrod

“Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.” — Jim Rohn


Learning

“Live life as if this will be your last day; Learn as if you will live forever.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“The person who can learn from everything will beat out the person who judges harshly who and what to learn from.” — James Altucher

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.” ― Robert Greene, Mastery

“Approach everything with an open mind, with a learning mind. You will never stop learning as long as you keep the mindset that everything works, because everything does work. There’s a time and a place for every single move. If you work on it enough, it will work.” — Conor McGregor

“If your why is strong enough you will figure out how!” — Bill Walsh

“Once you’ve taken a few punches and realise you’re not made of glass, you don’t feel alive unless you’re pushing yourself as far as you can go.” Green Street Hooligans

“Become a millionaire not for the million dollars, but for what it will make of you to achieve it.” — Jim Rohn


Being/Becoming Different

“To achieve what you have not, you must become what you are not. You have to grow into your goals.” — Darren Hardy

“The day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea” — Peter Diamandis

“Who you are today is not who you have to be tomorrow.” — Zdravko Cvijetic

“The more you seek the uncomfortable, the more you will become comfortable.” — Conor McGregor

“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.” — Darren Hardy

“If you want to live an exceptional and extraordinary life, you have to give up many of the things that are part of a normal one.” — Srinivas Rao

“Every next level of your life will demand a different you.” — Leonardo DiCaprio


Self-Awareness

“When the student is ready the teacher will appear.” — Buddha

“The thing about truth is, not a lot of people can handle it.” — Conor McGregor

“The trouble is, you think you have time” — Jack Kornfield

“Defeat is the secret ingredient to success. What defines us is how we rise after falling.” — Conor McGregor

“What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.” — Buddha

“The moment you accept total responsibility for EVERYTHING in your life is the day you claim the power the change ANYTHING in your life.” -Hal Elrod

“Don’t wish it was easier wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge wish for more wisdom.” — Jim Rohn


Productivity

“What gets measured gets managed.” — Peter Drucker

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” — Mae West

“Shipping beats perfection.” — Khan Academy’s Development Mantra

“There’s no talent here. This is hard work. This is obsession. Talent does not exist.” — Conor McGregor

“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.” — Jim Collins

“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” — Charles Dickens

“Small, seemingly inconsistent steps completed consistently over time will create a radical difference.” — Darren Hardy


Positivity

“I have never encountered a winner that held hate towards something.” — Conor McGregor

“Excellence is not a skill. Excellence is an attitude.” — Conor McGregor

“Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.” — Albert Einstein

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” — Maya Angelou

“Nothing good ever comes from worrying or sitting there feeling sorry for yourself. Keep positive and keep pushing on and things will turn good.” — Conor McGregor

“At the end of the day, you’ve gotta feel some way. So why not feel unbeatable? Why not feel untouchable?” — Conor McGregor

Feeling Inspired?

Bookmark this article and refer to it regularly. I know I will.

Feel free to share some of your favourite quotes in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! :)

There Are Those Who Do It For The Money, Then There Are Those Who Do It For…

Cover Photo by @bartos on https://unsplash.com/photos/v9rZ3Yz6fSg

  • love;

  • compassion;

  • happiness;

  • justice;

  • fun; or for

  • any other reason.

(This story is very much a personal and collective reflection on motivation for doing things. I do not have answers, mostly because there is no one answer on the topic. Happy to hear about what motivates you to do things in the comments!)


On Doing It For The Money

There are those who do it for the money:

The year I turned 26, as the head of my own brokerage firm, I made $49 million, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week.” Jordan Belfort

“Let me tell you something. There’s no nobility in poverty. I’ve been a poor man, and I’ve been a rich man. And I choose rich every fucking time. “Jordan Belfort

“Listen! We’re not just doing this for the money! We’re doing this for a S*** LOAD of money!” — Bill Pullman


On Not Doing It For The Money

“I am not doing it just for the money or for you. I am doing it for me.” — Keith Richards

The real reward for doing your best work is not for the money you make but the leader you become. — Robin Sharma

For some strange reason, money has never been the object of my desires. I personally never do anything for money.

Money comes to me not because I work for it, but because I do things I care about. When I put my heart into something, I obsess over doing it right. About doing it as well as I can possibly do it.

Money, it turns out, is very much a side-effect of “success” in doing what I care about.

And I’m not the only one who thinks that.

A prime example of that is Warren Buffett. He has a 75.6 billion net worth. He’s the second richest man in the world, after Bill Gates. Warren never cared for money. Strange thing to say for the world’s most successful investor of all times and second richest person in the world. He still lives in the same house he bought in 1958 and drives the same car for years.

The world’s richest person, Bill Gates, gives a lot of his fortune to his foundation: The Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation. When he co-founded Microsoft, he didn’t do it for the money. He just believed in democratizing the use of computers for everyone, much like Steve Jobs at Apple.

If the two richest people in the world don’t care for money, why should we?

Look around you. Look at people who have found success in what they do.

Did they do it for the money?

What did they do it for?


On Doing It For Other Reasons

“Love what you do, not the love you get from doing it.” — Tablo

“It is not necessarily a money thing for me. I am passionate about fighting. Fighting is what I love to do. I will continue to do it as long as I am healthy and willing to put in the work that it takes to do.” — Conor McGregor

“I was just doing it for the lulz” — South Park

At the risk of sounding contradictory, I find that there’s no reason that’s better than another.

A lot of the times it’s circumstantial. In some situations, doing for justice or for fun may be the right approach for you. And an approach that is right for you doesn’t mean it’s right for others.

After traveling the world for a year, I came back with a sense of renewed purpose, in many areas of my life.

The overall theme was that I started appreciating doing good in the world. Not just thinking about me, but thinking about people around me, but more specifically for people “in need”.

I do it because I like to do it. I never ask for money. I never ask for anything in return.

When I do something, I consciously or unconsciously think about my motivations to do it.

The general theme for me revolves around compassion.


Conclusion

Everyone has their own personal motivations to do things they do. In business, a lot of people aim for money. Is that right? Is that wrong? It depends on perspective. I personally side with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates on this one.

What about you?

What motivates you to do what you do?

If you’re motivated by money, how is it working out for you?

If you’re not motivated by money, how is it working out for you?

Thanks for reading! :)

Is Impatience A Weakness Or A Skill?

Cover Photo by @punttim: https://unsplash.com/photos/_U-x3_FYxfI

This is a serious question to you.

You commonly hear people say: “patient is a virtue”. Here are some other patience quotes:

“He that can have patience can have what he will.” — Benjamin Franklin

“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” — Napoleon Hill

“Though patience, great things are accomplished.” — Imam Ali

I personally like this one best:

“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” — author unknown

I’m a very impatient person. I started working on farms when I was 8 years old and was getting paid by productivity.

Obviously that changed my whole perspective on efficiency from a very early age. For better or worse.


The Good (In My Mind)

I have this obsession with time. About not wasting any of it. I always try to find ways to learn new things as efficiently as possible.

When I was 29 years old, I was afraid of the 30s, thinking I hadn’t accomplished enough for my age. Yet I was (and still am) happily married, had a college degree, had sold a property for great profit, started 4 businesses, had done over 10 different jobs, stayed mid-term in other countries, traveled around the world to over 45 countries, and why not: finished over 200 video games.

I’m 31 years old and find the 30s amazing. I’m wiser, more interesting, and learn at a faster pace than ever before. I talk more about that in How To Frequently Trigger Happy Accidents And Why It Matters.

I learn 3 new skills per month because I find our regular day-to-day learning pace to be too slow for me. Heck, I dropped out of Software Engineering school because the learning pace was too slow and not focused enough the software classes.

From the outside world, I get criticized for lacking focus, yet I work at least 10 hours per day on Soul Reaper and have been working on the game on/off for 4 years. That’s some serious focus and dedication in my mind.

So on that, Impatience seems like a skill to me.


The Bad (In My Mind)

It hurts me deep inside when things are slow:

  • Waiting on a red light kills me.

  • Waiting for the bus kills me.

  • A flight that is delayed kills me.

  • A deadline that is not met kills me.

  • A person who arrives late for any reason kills me.

  • A computer or phone that takes forever to open something kills me.

  • Waiting for an elevator kills me.

You get the point.

And being in Spain right now, things are just at a different pace I’m used to (no discrimination here).

They take the time to “enjoy life”. They put a lot of emphasis on social interactions. Which is good, in my opinion. I’m way more social since I’m here.

But damn does it bother me that 8pm means 10pm for them!

Waiting for things makes me anxious. I’m boiling deep inside. Seriously. I try to hide it. Most people probably can’t tell, but my wife knows every time.

So on that, Impatience feels very much like a weakness to me.

So I re-iterate my question here:


Is Impatience A Weakness Or A Skill?

What are your thoughts on this?

Is impatience a weakness?

Or impatience is a skill?

On a personal level? On a professional level?

Are you impatient?

If so, how do you calm your mind when you feel impatient?

I genuinely would love to hear your thoughts on that. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Thanks for reading! :)

How To Frequently Trigger Happy Accidents And Why It Matters

Cover Photo by Lechon Kirb: https://unsplash.com/photos/yvx7LSZSzeo

When we look at all the “successful” people we know, personally or not, one thing they have in common is that they didn’t set out to do what made them “successful”.

Circumstances made it so they did something or something happened to them and here they are now. They never set out to do this particular thing that made them great in the first place.

Some people call this serendipity. I call it a happy accident. I like “accident” because it can be “positive” or “negative”. Whichever the case, it changes the course of your life and shapes you to be a better version of yourself.

One of my favourite scene from the TV Show Vikings (a little bit of spoiler here) is when King Ragnar lets his army lead an assault and sees them fail. He then proceeds to talk to them. He said, and I’m paraphrasing here: “I didn’t choose to be King. I never aimed for that, but circumstances made it so I gained this power […]”.

Happy accident? Not quite.

Building on that idea:

One of the questions Tim Ferriss almost always asks his guess on his podcast or in his latest book, Tribe of Mentors, is: “How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a “favorite failure” of yours?”

That is a KEY question.

“Bad” things in life will continually happen to you. Most of the guests talk about a bad experience that ultimately changed their direction and made them who they are today.

Happy accident? Not quite.

So many things happened to me “by accident”. Things I never plan for.

  • I didn’t set out to find an awesome wife when I was 17 years old, working in strawberry fields. Yet I did meet her and have been happily married since.

  • When I bought my first condo in Montreal 8 years ago, I knew it was a good investment, but I never knew I’d sell it for great profit a year later, helping me getting rid of all my debts and later travel all around the world.

  • When I failed to launch my 3rd business, I joined a team who pitched to the same investors and got the funding. I learned so much about business, backend development and made tons of important connections.

  • And way way more things.

These “accidents” always lead to other better things. Especially in hindsight.

These happy accidents shape our future. They make us who we are. They help us “succeed” in life.

I’m sure you’ve got accidents that, in hindsight, have been beneficial in your life, and to the lives of people around you. And I bet you don’t even have to look that far.

If we agree that they’re good for us, then here’s the question:


How To Frequently Trigger Happy Accidents?

I’ve got an easy answer for you:

Do and Learn. A whole lot.

Do a lot

“Don’t let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen.” — https://www.pinterest.com/explore/accident-quotes/

The more things you do, the higher the chance of such events happening.

When someone you haven’t seen for a little while asks you “What have you been up to?”, what do you answer?

A lot of people answer “Same old, same old”. Let’s be honest here, it’s a boring answer.

I don’t want to insult anyone here, but high-performing people don’t answer that. They always have things to say. They try things. They experiment. They do. And it doesn’t have to have meaning. It doesn’t have to be something related to work. New sports, new skills, new languages, new activities, etc.

You never know what can happen from joining a local sports team as an example. Maybe you’ll meet someone who has the right connections in a field you want to get your feet into. And BAM, all of a sudden you’re well connected and perform in a field you really care about. Not because you studied the subject for years, but because you joined a local football team.

I’m a game developer. A few years ago I went hiking the Inca Trail in Peru. I met a very important person working at Sony on the Playstation team. That connection paid off. I never set out to meet him.

Happy accident.

Learn a lot

“Once you stop learning, you start dying.” — Albert Einstein

For those who have read my stories here, you know I learn 3 new skills every month.

This has changed my life. This has opened many doors.

Recently I got criticism about the deepness at which I do learn these skills. It is true that in one month, it’s hard to go very deep in learning a skill. I try to follow the 20/80 rule, where 20% of the effort leads to 80% of the results, yet they are right about not going deep. I would not become a professional in any of the skills I practice during those times.

But here’s why it’s great nonetheless:

  • The more different things you learn, the more patterns you create for your brain to learn other things. The more patterns your brain recognizes, the faster you can assimilate other concepts, in a related field, or something else. That is KEY.

  • The more things I learn, the more interesting I become. I can relate to many subjects with many people. A lot of times, my level in those skills is more than enough to carry a great conversation.

  • It expands my interests in other things. Being a programmer by trade, I always thought of myself as a logical person, yet I learned that I can draw, speak other languages, give public speeches, write stories and take photos professionally. All that because I dared try it for a month. I didn’t set out to make money writing or taking photos. Yet I do get paid for it now. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be known for one of the simple skills I learned during a specific month, and not my programming.


Conclusion

What are some accidents that happened to you that turned out to be beneficial, for you or for someone you care about?

What are your personal tricks to make them more likely to happen?

The more you do and learn, the higher the chance of triggering these happy accidents.

These happy accidents shape you and make you a better person, a “successful” person.

Do not seek them or they won’t happen. Make them more likely to happen.

Do more. Learn more. Be interesting. Do good. Be happy. Repeat.

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

Cheesy Alert: A Concrete Tip On How To Win At Everything You Do

Cover Photo by Jez Timms: https://unsplash.com/photos/GhfkRvlXK8c

Such a cheesy sentence: “You can succeed at everything you do.”

Feels like something our grandmas would tell us growing up.

We believed them, yet we failed. Constantly.

Were they wrong? Are we all doomed to fail? Was this all bs?

To this I say: they were right!

In fact, you are succeeding at most of the things you do, without knowing it. You’re succeeding, just not at a degree you think you were aiming for.


How I Won This Month

  • I gained 5kg of muscles;

  • I lost 2% body fat;

  • I got published by The Startup and became top writer in Entrepreneurship, Life Lessons and Self Improvement on Medium;

  • I established a partnership with another company to work on my game;

  • I released 3 new versions of my game;

  • I hired 3 new people for my video game startup;

  • I found a partner to work with me on a new startup idea I had;

  • I started a fitness group at the co-working space I work at. We grew from 2 members to 12 members in less than two weeks; and

  • I gave a very successful talk about productivity.

I’m certainly not saying that to brag.

Am I more skilled than you? Likely not. Some of these happened by accident. So then you think I’m luckier than you? Well, again, likely not.

Here’s what I do that makes me succeed at everything I do:

I measure everything: I quantify and qualify everything I want to win at.

That is a common pattern amongst “successful” people. In fact, that’s probably the 100th story you read about that tip.

But stick around, I’m sure you’ll find something worthwhile here!


How To Win At Weight Goals

Surprisingly, this is one of the easiest to win at, yet everyone “fails”.

In one of my latest stories: Quitting Is A Choice, You Just Chose Not To Take It, I opened up on how I didn’t quit my goal of gaining 5kg when I thought there was no way I would be able to succeed anymore. As you know from above, I did end up winning.

And here’s why I say it’s one of the easiest: You’ve got so many things you can measure when it comes to weight, whether for gains or for loss. There’s nothing subjective about weight control.

We all use a scale to weigh ourselves. When we see the same results every day, we think we fail. That’s wrong! Remember, measure everything!

Measure your body fat percentage, measure the width of each part of your body. Review weekly. Sometimes the scale will show you weigh the same, yet you did gain or lose somewhere else. I gained 1.5 inches of arm size. Same with legs and shoulders. Every day I’d measure everything. If my weight didn’t change, at least I’d see a change in one of these. I won. Everyday. 30 days in a row.

Want to lose weight? Do the same. Sometimes you’ll gain muscle mass, so the scale will show the same number, but the tape will tell you your waist is smaller, it’s just that your biceps grew stronger.


How To Win At Work

I touched a bit on that in: In Need Of Motivation? Try These Simple Tried And True Productivity Tips.

I tend to break every task down to 10–15 minutes efforts. When you work on something so big it takes a long time to accomplish, it’s easy to lose motivation and feel like we’re not accomplishing anything.

Yet every work day, I win about 32 times. All small tasks lead to a bigger goal. And by breaking it down and continually winning, I have all the motivation to accomplish the bigger goal.

That is how I managed to release 3 new versions of my game in less than a month.


How To Win At Getting People To Say Yes To You

  • The 3 new people I got for working on my game with me, I approached them. They all said yes. Two didn’t know me.

  • The company that’s partnering with my company to build the game didn’t hesitate to work with us.

  • The new partner I made to work on another startup I have proposed his help even before I could do it myself.

How does measuring everything help with that?

I didn’t approach random people to help me. I studied them. I researched what they do. What they like to do. Where they are currently in their career. How available they might be.

I measured how likely they might be interested in the work, my game, my team, myself. I measured how available they might be.

I approached people that ranked high in the measurements I did. This doesn’t guarantee a “yes”, but it makes it more likely than just blindly reaching out.

When you show them that you did your research, they trust you. Even if they don’t yet know you.


How To Win At Public Speaking

That was all new to me, yet the first time I did it, I nailed it. Or at least, I did very well for a first time.

How do I know? Here’s how I know. Sorry for the “boring” spreadsheet. I still encourage you to look at it. I measured my performance on 30 different points. Sometimes 5 means it’s excellent, sometimes I’m aiming for balance, so 3 is excellent.

I won on the majority of the points. But not all. There’s room for improvements. If I didn’t track all these points, I could have thought I failed or I was excellent. But now I know for sure how I did.

If you do a presentation that you think you failed, get feedback on many points, you’ll see you won on many of them. The more you practice, the more of the points you’ll win.


Conclusion

How often do you win at things you do?

How often do you fail at things you do?

Did you measure how you won or failed?

If you think hard enough, do you see some success in your failures?

If you measured everything, do you think you could win more?

I know you would.

Let my wins be your wins. Think differently. Quantify and qualify everything. Every small win is a win. Every win leads to bigger wins.

You can succeed at everything you do.

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

Quitting Is A Choice, You Just Chose Not To Take It

Cover Photo by Mitchel Lensink: https://unsplash.com/photos/Ismnr6WSHCU

As per usual, I was listening to The Tim Ferriss Show as I was walking this morning.

(If you don’t listen to podcasts, I strongly encourage you to do it! It’s one of my top productivity hacks.)

The guest speaker was Catherine Hoke, a very inspiring woman who helps ex-convicts pick their life up and start businesses or get employed. She runs Defy Ventures.

At one point in the podcast, she said something I found both profound and inspiring:

“Quitting is a choice, you just chose not to take it.” — Catherine Hoke.

I don’t know if she got it from somewhere else, but nonetheless, I found that very powerful.

How many times have you heard the sentence: “I’ve gone so far now, I can’t quit.”?

Pretty often right?

What if we shift that around?

It’s not true that you can’t. You’d probably rather not, but you can. You can always quit. But you choose not to.

Making a conscious choice and owning it is so much more powerful than pretending it wasn’t up to us.

When you are in the mindset that you own the decisions you take, you’re willing to work so much harder to respect the choice you made.


Not Quitting Working Out

This month I set myself the goal of gaining 5kg of muscles in 30 days. It’s extremely difficult for an ectomorph like myself to pull this off. It’s almost 10% of my body weight after all!

Up until Wednesday, I wasn’t on track to reach that goal. I had a choice to make: Do I keep going, even though I didn’t think it was possible anymore giving the number of days left, or do I quit and be happy with my current gains (3.2 kg at the time)?

I chose not to quit.

I didn’t quit, not because I had gone so far, but because I chose to pursue my goal. Even harder. Even smarter. It was very much conscious. I pushed harder. By making this choice, I gained even more momentum. I owned it.

I weighed myself this morning: I achieved my crazy goal!

I achieved it because I chose not to quit.


Not Quitting Writing

Another crazy goal I set myself this month was to write one story a day on Medium. All that in 45 minutes or less, including coming up with the headline, finding quotes and at least one image.

It’s insane. Especially given my lack of experience writing anything that’s not related to my game.

Well, after 5 days, I got published. And just this morning, I got an email from Medium saying I was now a top writer in Entrepreneurship, Life Lessons and Self Improvement.

How did I reach there?

I chose not to quit.

Any writer would tell you this is an insane goal.

I seriously don’t know how I managed to do it. There are days I would stare at my screen, just not coming with anything good to write. I would stare at the screen for 10–15 minutes. I’d try things and scrap them. I have lots of short drafts waiting to be written. But because I gave myself only 45 minutes maximum to write something, I only had so much time left to write something.

I never quit. I chose to continue even though odds were against me that I would write something meaningful.

Seven days ago I wrote: True Momentum Really Makes You Unstoppable. It took me 20 minutes to write. It’s my top 3 story so far. I had failed to write anything meaningful the first 20 minutes, but I pressed on and did write something good.


Conclusion

When’s the last time you faced a situation where you had to choose between quitting or pressing on?

What did you choose?

For what reason?

In hindsight, was it a choice you made, or you had to do it?

If you didn’t quit, I’m willing to bet you chose not to quit.

Feel free to share your answers (positive or negative) in the comments.

Next time you’re faced with such a decision, own your decision. If you choose not to quit, realize it’s your decision and do everything to honor it.

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

Work Hard, Brake Hard

Cover Photo by Chuttersnap: https://unsplash.com/photos/gts_Eh4g1lk

When I left Canada 7 months ago, I went to a co-working/co-living space in Siem Reap, Cambodia. My goal was to focus on working on my game.

And boy did I work hard! I was so focused. I had so much momentum! I was working 12–14 hours per day. I got so much done during that time.

My gas pedal was all the way back.

“There’s no substitute for hard work.” — Thomas A. Edison

Part of the reason I worked that hard was because I knew I’d take a vacation with a friend after two months there.

In those two months in Cambodia, I had accomplished more work than I would have done in 3 months of normal work. Way more! It’s not just because of the number of hours, but the focus also. In fact, it was mostly because of focus.

But obviously, I was quite exhausted from the crazy hours. So when came time for a vacation with my friend, I was ready. I needed it. With the exception of sometimes providing my team with guidance, I didn’t work at all.

My brake pedal was all the way back.

“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.” — Mark Black

And here’s the magic: both moments felt amazing!

As entrepreneurs, we rarely find focus in anything we do. When we take a vacation, we think about work. When we work, we think about vacation. This didn’t happen to me.

I was completely focused on my work; and

I was completely focused on my vacation.

I’ve since adopted this work hard, brake hard mentality. I’ve done it three times so far. Every time it was fantastic.


How Can You Do That?

Now, I realize it’s not that easy to accomplish for most people.

For one, it’s pretty hard to pull off if you’re working for someone else. The company mentality also has to allow for that.

At Power Level Studios, everyone is pretty much self-managed and everyone can work from anywhere, at any time they work best. It’s in our culture. We plan for that. Most of us have taken full-month breaks.

If you are a small business owner, you can try it out. Think of it as buying vacation time. Let your employees work as much as they want, when they work best. Let them accumulate hours of vacation time. Your employees will be more than happy to give their best for such a compromise.

And when they finish their much-deserved vacation, they’ll be more than happy to put back as much effort when coming back.

Any company that lets employees take long vacations is well-respected by their employees.

I also realize that you can’t change the mentality just like that, because of clients, deadlines, etc. Try on the next project. Experiment with a division of the company.

Think outside the box. Don’t shut off the idea just because you’re in too deep.


Conclusion

Focus brings the best in all of us. That applies at work, at home, on a vacation, etc. Yet in today’s world, focus is a rare commodity.

The Work Hard, Brake Hard approach teaches you to focus on the present moment. When you work, you work. When you take vacation, you take a vacation. You stop thinking about vacation at work, and you stop thinking about work on vacation. It’s magical!

Think about how you can implement this in your life or at work. Experiment. Think outside the box. See what works for you. See what doesn’t. Refine. Try again.

Reap the benefits of working hard and braking hard!

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

You Are, Or Will Become What You Listen To

Cover Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash

What do you listen to?

Think about that while reading this story.

The other day I wrote: You Are, Or Will What You Read. The idea came to me when a reader of my other stories said she was inspired by what I wrote.

I then realized how much I was also inspired by many other writers and had become what they write about, simply by continually reading their stories.

Last night, as always, I was listening to a podcast on the way home from work. The guest speaker was talking about morning routines, diet, workout, being curious, learning new things, etc.

And everything he said, I was nodding to semi-frantically, probably looking like a deranged person. Or maybe people just thought I was listening to really awesome music!

It’s then I realized that not only did I become what I was reading, but also what I listen to.


Podcasts

Photo Credit: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/id863897795?mt=2

Photo Credit: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/id863897795?mt=2

About three years ago, I followed a program by Tai Lopez called the 67 Steps. He has since become a controversial person, but his discoveries in the 67 Steps were good. They put me in the right mindset for wanting to change.

Every day, I would listen to one of the Steps while walking to and from work. I did that for about 3 months.

More recently, I’m listening to The Tim Ferriss Show. For those who don’t know the show, Tim is interviewing incredible people in all sorts of fields, ranging from a sex worker to top politicians, and everything in between.

The magic of that show is that each person is so different that you see other perspectives on the same subject. That is very much on purpose. Tim asks the same questions to each person, then adds other more personal questions. He makes them all expose their vulnerabilities and it’s very enriching.

I also started listening to The School Of Greatness, by Lewis Howes, based on a recommendation from a friend. That friend is a fascinating person and I understand how now after listening to what he listens to.

The great thing about podcasts is that you can listen to them whenever you’re doing mundane tasks, like walking to and from work, brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, etc.

I also find that hearing the person’s voice helps it give it more personality and depth as opposed to reading.


Music

Song: Impossible, Album: Unleashed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qTghUgMOeY

Song: Impossible, Album: Unleashed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qTghUgMOeY

Turn up the volume, close your eyes and let the music take over your soul. — http://kushandwizdom.tumblr.com/

I have particular tastes in music. I listen mostly to a variety of metal genres, but the music that inspires me the most is Epic music.

People find that funny. But it works. It puts me in the mood to accomplish things that are out of my comfort zone. I feel more powerful, both physically and mentally.

Anyone else listens to Epic music?

If you watch TV shows like Masterchef, you know the kind of music I’m talking about. You see epic music in trailers and movies all the time. Sometimes in video games as well.

Currently, I’m listening to a lot of Thomas Bergersen and Hans Zimmer. Thomas is one of the two composers from Two Steps From Hell. Hans Zimmer is best known for almost all the best compositions in Hollywood. These two composers are so inspiring to me. Feel free to try out my Thomas Bergersen playlist on Spotify here.

For me, combining violin and french horn just gets me emotionally. By having no lyrics as well, it helps me get into flow state. I can code for hours. I can lift weights longer. I can do more push-ups, etc.

When I listen to epic music, I feel epic.

I know my wife sometimes fuels on songs with powerful, uplifting lyrics. It works for a lot of people. If anyone has good examples of songs with powerful lyrics, feel free to share in the comments.


People Around You

When people talk, listen completely, most people never listen. — Ernest Hemingway

Who do you listen to the most? Who do you go to for advice? Why do you go to them for advice?

Think about that for a minute.

When I think about that, my wife comes to mind immediately. In my mind, she’s so much smarter than me. I go to her for advice on many things. She’s not afraid to tell me the truth. I trust her.

Who tells you the brutal truth? Trust these people. Listen to them.

She does things I want to do. On many points, I want to become her. Listening to her advice is a first step towards that.

When it comes to writing, I listen to the writers around me. People who do it professionally.

When it comes to working out, I listen to people with a similar body type, but have reached the goals I’m looking for. There’s quite a few of them at the gym.

Hear their journey. No one gets to where you want to be without breaking a sweat. Think of them as mentors. Listen to their advice.


Conclusion

Pause for a minute. Take this opportunity to think about what and who you listen to.

Do you see they shape the person you are today or will become tomorrow, just like reading books or Medium stories?

If you don’t currently listen to uplifting podcasts and music, I strongly encourage you to do so. If you don’t listen to other’s advice, please start now.

All that puts you in the right mindset for improving yourself. Improving your life.

What podcasts do you listen to?

What music do you listen to?

Who do you listen to?

Have you become what you listen to? Do you aspire to become what you listen to?

Keep listening to what inspires you and you will become inspiring yourself.

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

Pro Tips For Power Napping Like A King

Cover Photo by Jeff Rodgers on Unsplash

I power nap almost every day. And I swear I’m no lazy bastard.

In fact, power napping is one of my top productivity advice.

Now, when I say King, I mean it figuratively speaking of course. I can’t image kings sleeping on their desk like I do ;).

And I’m no history expert, but I assume that some of the greatest kings in history also did power naps to rejuvenate and help them make better decisions. Please share in the comments if you have factual examples of kings doing it throughout history.


Power Napping Is A Skill

Power napping is hard. Like any skill, it takes practice. I’ve only started being good at it 6 months ago. I do it almost every day now. But before that, I would try at least once per week and I would “fail” most of the time. Actually, even to this day, I still don’t always fall asleep.

A power nap is typically 15–20 minutes long. I personally power nap to give myself an extra 2–3 hours of productive work.

A more powerful alternative is the coffee nap. Basically, you quickly drink a shot of espresso coffee right before your power nap. The caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, so right at the same time as you finish your power nap.

I would suggest you don’t try coffee naps until you can do power naps though, for three reasons: 1. Not everyone can quickly drink a hot coffee. 2. It’s harder to fall asleep, and 2. It’s quite powerful when you do it right. When I do coffee naps, I have to be ready to go to bed much later. It makes it much harder for me to fall asleep.


Pro Tips On Power Napping Like A King

Here are a few tips for a successful power nap:

  1. Don’t power nap if you’re not tired enough. I usually fall asleep in about 10–15 minutes when I’m really tired. This is different for everyone. 10–15 is actually quite a lot. If I’m tired enough but need a break, I usually take a 15–20 minute walk.

  2. Put an alarm. I set mine for 25 minutes. I end up napping between 10–15 minutes. The alarm frees you from thinking about waking up on time.

  3. Don’t nap for more than 15 +/- 5 minutes. This depends on people obviously. 10–15 minutes work great for me. 20 minutes makes it hard for me to wake up.

  4. Cut off the distractions. I always listen to a song called Earth, from Gladiator’s soundtrack (by Hans Zimmer). I know other people who use earplugs. If you’re good at meditating, you can probably do without earplugs or music.

  5. Be comfortable but not too much. Napping in a comfortable bed makes it hard to get out. I currently nap on my chair, resting my head on the desk with my arms crossed over. It’s really not that comfortable. If you have access to a couch, I would go for that.

  6. A “successful” nap is not always about sleeping. I don’t always fall asleep. You still gain energy back from relaxing.

  7. It takes some time to recover from the nap. Plan for 15–20 minutes to be back to full energy. A successful power nap almost entirely removes this grace period.

  8. Don’t nap when it’s close to bedtime. By close, I mean less than 3-4 hours. You will have a hard time sleeping at night if you do that. I sometimes just go to bed at around 8pm because of that. My next day tends to be more productive since I’m well rested.

If you do want to do a coffee nap, go for an espresso. If you can’t set the water temperature, let it sit in the freezer for 3–5 minutes. You have to make sure to drink it fast. Real fast. The caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, so it’s the same length as the power nap.


Practice, Practice, Practice

This takes practice. Keep trying. Don’t judge a “failed” nap. There are still benefits even if you don’t always fall asleep. Acknowledge that it does take time to fully recover as well. I’ve been doing it for over 2 years now and on average, I get 2–3 extra productive hours every day.

If you’re a leader in your company, lead by example. A lot of people are shy and are afraid of looking like a slacker. Show them it’s okay to power nap. Encourage them to do it. Do it yourself.

If you work from public places like coffee shops or co-working spaces (like me), just do it. The first time I did it, I was afraid of judgment. Especially because I was quite new here. But seriously, who cares. I cared more about my productivity than for what people thought.

And to my surprise, I didn’t get judgment, but curiousness. People started asking me why I was doing it, how I was doing, etc. People started doing it after.


Conclusion

Yawning constantly? Nap!

Can’t do simple tasks? Nap!

Struggling to keep your eyes opened? Nap!

Nap! Nap! NAP!

Act like a King, power nap in the middle of the day. Make better decisions, be more productive, work longer and better. Your brain deserves a break too!

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

Let’s All Learn This Lesson From Arnold Schwarzenegger

Cover Image source: HULTON ARCHIVE / STRINGER / GETTY

Arnold’s story is an amazing one. If you haven’t read his biography: “Total Recall: My Unbelievable True Life Story”, add it to your list. There’s something for everyone and it’s incredibly inspiring.

Of all the things he did, here’s where I think I learned the most valuable lesson:

“I knew if I exposed only my better body parts — my arms, chest, or deltoids — all I’d get from my peers would be wonderful comments and I’d soon forget about my horrid lower legs, so I continued to wear the cutaway sweatpants that invited ego-bruising pain … and it worked. I trained them first every workout, and very often I did a few sets at the end of my workout.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger.

How often do we expose our weaknesses?

Very rarely.

I have really small legs for a man. I’ve always been ashamed of them. In fact, I was teased for it when I was younger. For a long time I would not wear shorts because of that. I didn’t want to expose them. I didn’t want to expose this weakness.

I was afraid of judgement from other people. I still am actually. Aren’t we all?

But by exposing my legs at the gym now, I am so much more motivated to work them out. It’s very hard for me. I’ve got weak legs. But at the gym, no one is judging me for it. They get it. They see that I’m working on my weakness and respect that.

I just mentioned one of my body weakness, like Arnold, but this really applies to everything, not just the body. It can be a skill you can’t pick up, a fear you have, in business, at work, anything really. I can hardly ride a bicycle. I’m afraid of heights. I’m afraid of drowning, etc.

Exposing your weaknesses is incredibly hard to do. It’s made a little easier by having more self-confidence. But, there’s a key lesson here: expose your weaknesses in the right environment.

I prefer not to expose my legs outside the gym. Out of context, people will judge me negatively for it.

Unless you have Arnold’s confidence, I suggest you do that same. Expose your weaknesses in environment where people will be more open to seeing your weakness. And gradually expand that environment.

For me, I’ve grown my legs considerably this month. They’re still really small, but less so than before. Little by little, I’m becoming less ashamed of them.

If I didn’t expose on my legs, chances are I would have worked mostly on my arms, where I have a clear strength.

So let’s all learn from Arnold!


A Little Exercise

What are your weaknesses?

How do you hide them?

How do you expose them?

What are you doing towards them?

Let’s help each other out. Feeling brave? Post in the comments. You’ll see it feels good to let it out there, in a non-judgemental environment.

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

In Need Of Motivation? Try These Simple Tried And True Productivity Tips

Cover Photo by Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash

Think about this simple idea: Productivity leads to wins. Wins lead to momentum. Momentum makes you unstoppable. Being unstoppable means that motivation almost becomes irrelevant.

You get the idea.

But this all starts by being productive.

“Focus on being productive instead of busy.” — Tim Ferriss

And being productive is not all about working more than others, it’s also about working more efficiently. Differently. Thinking outside the box.

Apply the following 5 tips. Let them inspire you to come up with your own. Let me and the world know what works for you in the comments. Let’s all be productive and build our momentum!


Tip #1: Split Tasks into their smallest components

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Is an orange a single component?

Well, no. When you break it down into its smallest components, there’s quite more to it.

A lot of our tasks are similar. For some reason, we don’t dare break it down into smaller components.

I personally aim to break everything down into about 10–15 minutes tasks.

As proven by science and explained in this article, the brain dumps a little dopamine every time we successfully accomplish a task — no matter how big or small.

This habit also has a tendency of keeping you moving toward your goals, and clearing the mental clutter in your mind. — TheMindUnleashed.com

Photo Credit: https://eduwithtechn.wordpress.com/2007/02/26/improving-student-achievement-through-small-wins-introduction/

Photo Credit: https://eduwithtechn.wordpress.com/2007/02/26/improving-student-achievement-through-small-wins-introduction/


Tip #2: Start the day with one or two easy tasks

Photo Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sK3wJAxGfs

Photo Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sK3wJAxGfs

Even though I consider myself to be highly motivated, I still need a “win” or two to start my day. After completing easy tasks, I have the motivation and energy to tackle the real hard problems.

Working as a programmer, I typically start with an easy bug fix or small UI change that can be done in 10 minutes or less. Pushing the code up and moving the Trello card to “Done” gives me the drive to keep going.

Working out? Do 10 push-ups as you wake up. You’ll be ready to go to the gym.

Writing? Start by praising a writer you like.

Or even easier, start by making your bed. I personally find it a little too easy and doesn’t really work towards my own personal goals, but it works for other people.


Tip #3: Work on your hardest tasks when you work best

For me, it happens in the morning, right after I finish my one or two easy tasks. I start so early that I don’t have any distractions for about 2 hours, and I have all the energy from having woken up not too long ago + coffee + dopamine rush from previously completing tasks. It’s a recipe for success!

Hard tasks for me include game design/balancing and engineering new systems. Things that require all my brain power. It will be something different for you.

The point is: Don’t spend your high-quality energy on low-importance tasks, otherwise you’ll end up with high-quality results for low-importance tasks.

Photo Credit: http://www.matthew2323.info/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/08/sisyphus-267x300-267x300.jpg

Photo Credit: http://www.matthew2323.info/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/08/sisyphus-267x300-267x300.jpg

Always aim for high-quality results for high-importance tasks. It’s that simple!

“Nothing is less productive than to make more efficient what should not be done at all.” ~ Peter Drucker


Tip #4: Prepare your next day the night before

This greatly helps with waking up in the morning! At the end of my workday, I write down all the tasks I’ll be working on for the next day and review it before going to bed. This helps me wake up with a sense of purpose. I know what needs to be done, and I want to do it!

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As a bonus, my brain keeps working while I sleep, so sometimes I come up with genius ideas on how to complete my tasks while I sleep! Everyone has heard the expression: “sleep on it”. Well, there you go! It’s been proven many times that it helps and here’s an explanation:

REM [sleep] helps to stabilize, consolidate, and enhance connections between memories. Information that was stored in long-term memory during the day is activated (also called rehearsed) and turned into useful connections while we experience REM sleep. — factmyth.com


Tip #5: Take breaks and relax

Have you ever worked on a problem you couldn’t figure out for hours, and later went back to it and solved it in a matter of minutes? Often right?

The problem is we obsess over problems we can’t solve. We spend the little energy we have left trying to figure it out, but the mind just doesn’t work as it should. Take a damn break! It’s a skill that takes practice: figure out when and how to take breaks. Don’t do it on a schedule, that makes no sense. Take a break when you can’t solve a problem that you should be able to solve with minimal to low-effort.

Photo Credit: http://highexistence.com/images/view/50-ways-to-take-a-break-%E2%98%AF/

Photo Credit: http://highexistence.com/images/view/50-ways-to-take-a-break-%E2%98%AF/

My favourite ways to re-energize are: Power Naps, Coffee Naps, Walking, Showering and Meditating, in no particular order.

Bonus tip: Ignore the people judging you for taking a well-deserved break.

People may label you as a slacker but they’re wrong. Ignore them, reap the rewards and be more productive than them!


Conclusion

Remember that being unstoppable all starts from being more productive.

Whatever you find hard to get motivated on can be made simpler with a series of small productivity wins.

The tips above help you manage your expectations, but also help with respecting your body and mind.

Have you tried applying any of these tips?

Which ones work for you?

What are some of your personal favourite tips?

Feel free to share your experiences in the comments and inspire the rest of the world!

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

It’s Your Fault If You “Fail”, And How To Grow From That

Cover Photo by Ben Rosett on Unsplash

The other day I read the follow quote:

“The moment you accept total responsibility for EVERYTHING in your life is the day you claim the power the change ANYTHING in your life.” — Hal Elrod

So many times in life we “fail” at something and find every good reason to point the finger at someone else, trying to find a culprit for our failure.

We are terrible when it comes to self-reflection. It’s just so much easier to look at the surface and draw false conclusions.

But Hal Elrod is right in his quote. Once you accept responsibility for every bad thing that happens to you, everything changes.


A Recent “Failure”

I was recently rejected for a dream job I felt very qualified for.

Who’s fault is it?

Mine of course.

Now, I didn’t get a reason for my rejection. There may be a lot of things that are seemingly out of my control on the surface. But because it’s my fault, I peel down the layers:

  • I have become too confident in my programming skills, thinking I had reached the top. This could prove I was wrong.

  • I didn’t answer the pre-interview questions in a way that showcased how well-suited I was for the job.

  • Maybe there was a lot of typos in my answers.

  • I didn’t have the right network and connections.


Grow From “Failure”

I didn’t beat myself over it. Instead, when reflecting on the things I could have done wrong, I have a new sense of purpose.

Now, what I wrote above are simply assumptions, but nonetheless, there’s nothing to lose from working on those. It may not get me that job, but it may get me another one that’s equally good, or better.

There’s never anything to lose from working on yourself. Being a better programmer, being more persuasive, becoming a better writer and making more connections are all incredible things for any potential employers.

And this applies to every “failure” in your life, whether professional or personal.

The next time you “fail” at something, search deeper into the “why”. Most of the time, you’ll be able to see that you are indeed the cause of failure.

Embrace it. List key reasons why. Plan how you will improve. Execute. Measure. Reflect. Fail. Repeat.


Conclusion

For a lot of us, it’s not easy to “blame” ourselves for things that happen to us. Yet once you change your mindset and take responsibility for the bad things that happen to you, you grow way beyond whatever you could imagine before.

True Momentum Really Makes You Unstoppable

Cover Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/PHIgYUGQPvU

It’s Sunday.

I told myself I wouldn’t do anything today.

I didn’t put an alarm the night before. I “wanted” to sleep in. Take it easy. Relax.

I woke up slightly after my alarm would usually go off. I was in my bed, thinking about what I could do for the day.

Before I knew it, I was already out of bed.

And I thought to myself: “Hey man! Yeah you! I thought you said you would take it easy and sleep in?”.

I couldn’t.

Strange isn’t it?

Ever since I built this momentum I have, it’s very hard to stop.

Most people struggle to get out of bed to do things they set out to do. Yet here I am out of bed on a Sunday morning way before anyone else is up.

What’s hard for me now is to NOT do things that work towards my goals.

That momentum I built over the last few weeks really made me unstoppable.

  • There’s NO way I’m skipping the gym;

  • There’s NO way I’m skipping writing;

  • There’s NO way I’m skipping progress on my game;

  • There’s NO way I’m skipping mediation;

  • etc.

Want motivation? Want to achieve your crazy goals?

Build that momentum up!

Be consistent in working towards your goals.

Don’t skip. Do. Even when you don’t want to.

It doesn’t take that long to build momentum. Do consistently for two weeks straight. Checkmark your calendar every time you do. Track everything. Quantify everything. Qualify everything. Be obsessed.


Conclusion

Every small gain builds your momentum.

When you quantify or qualify everything, you WILL find gains or progress. ALWAYS. Series of small wins become big wins. Big wins build momentum. Momentum makes you unstoppable!

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

You Are, Or Will Become What you Read

Cover Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/6jYoil2GhVk

This morning I woke up to a really nice message from a reader of this story I wrote: Stop Being What You Can, Start Being What You Want. Here’s part of it:

“[…] I wasn’t courageous enough and there’s too much negativity and pessimism from my family and society. However, this year is different. After reading many inspiring stories like yours and getting so sick of this mediocre life, I’ve decided to make the most crazy change ever.” — Introvert Vicky

That spoke to me greatly.

If you’re reading this, I’m sure it’s speaking to you too.

How many times have we stopped doing what we really wanted to do because it was less conventional or frown upon by people around us?

We can change that!

And Vicky might not know it, but she’s on the right track here. Let me emphasize a part of her message that I think proves she’s on the right track:

After reading many inspiring stories like yours […]

Yesterday I gave a talk at the co-working space I work from. It was about Life and Work Productivity Hacks. At one point in the presentation, I explained that I didn’t always used to be productive and driven like I am now.

And then I got a follow-up question asking me “How” I became driven like that, and I wasn’t sure what to answer.

I didn’t consciously become driven. I didn’t wake up one morning and thought to myself: “Okay, starting today, I’ll have all the motivation in the world to do anything I want”. I didn’t plan for it. That would never have worked. No one’s that great.

After reading Vicky’s message this morning, things became clearer. I’ve been reading a lot of awesome stories from other writers here on Medium. Basically every day for the past 6 months. This motivated me to consciously learn 3 new skills every month.

It turns out, I became everything I’ve been reading for the past 6 months.

So I want to apply what I’m preaching, and thanking the writers who inspired me to be what I am today:

A big thank you to the following writers I’ve been following and reading frequently:

Also a big thank you to the following publications for which I’m either reading and/or writing for:

Let them inspire you.

Learn from them.

Before you know it, you will be the person they talk about in their stories.

You will have changed your life for what you really want to be.


Conclusion

Whether this is the first story you read here or you’ve been reading for a while, let these incredible writers inspire you. Keep reading. You’ll see repeating patterns but told from very different perspectives. You’ll share stories with them. You will build trust in them, but most importantly, trust in yourself.

Keep reading what inspires you and you will become inspiring yourself.

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)

Be More Productive And Sociable By Making Your Environment Uncomfortable

Cover Photo Credit: http://thechoiceeffect.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/062b.jpg

How comfortable is your house or your apartment?

Do you have a really nice living room, with a big screen TV, a really comfortable couch? And video games maybe?

Do you have a workshop and/or a garage?

Do you have a pool and/or a sauna?

Do you have a big library with lots of books?

Do you have pets?

If you’re like most of us, it’s easy to get distracted and reach for entertainment and comfort while working from home.

I used to be terrible at working from home. If I had to wait for anything to happen at work, I would turn on my video games and play until the wait was over… or until I finished one more level?

When my wife and I came back to Toronto from our year-long trip around the world, we bought no furniture, with the exception of a desk and a chair to work from. It was one of the most minimalist apartment you’ll ever see.

When I came to the rental office with my backpack to sign the documents, the person working there asked me when I would need the elevator and I told her: “What I have on my back is all I own or need. No need for an elevator.”. She was certainly not expected that.


Living In Spain

For now, I live in Málaga, Spain. It’s in the south. It’s considered to be a pretty warm place. But it’s winter now, and the temperature is between 5–10 during the night. Doesn’t sound too bad, but when your window doesn’t close properly, it’s almost as if you were sleeping outside!

I can only be in my room when it’s to be in bed, where I have warm blankets. I can’t really shower in my apartment either. Sure there is hot water, but there’s no window, so all the air from outside comes in. It’s freezing getting out of that shower.

On top of that, every time I come back home, the landlord’s dog barks at me.


Spending Time On Things That Matter

But these two moments of my life were when I was most productive. And I love these places for that.

By not having any distraction and having my office as the only comfortable place in the apartment, I was able to consistently focus on my work. And because there was really nothing much to do at home, we would go out more.

In Málaga right now, I have every reason to be out all the time. I go to the gym, work long hours (intentionally) and hang out with friends. I’m only there to cook, eat and sleep.


Where To Start

I know this is not easy, and may not work for everyone, but I’d suggest starting with removing the comfortable couch. It’s the source of many distraction problems. There’s almost no need to remove the TV or video games with there’s nowhere comfortable to sit on. It’s a good way to limit the TV time.

And piece by piece, you can start removing other things.

If you’re moving, take less things with you.

If you’re back from traveling, only get yourself a mattress to sleep on.


Conclusion

It’s easy to get distracted with all the fancy stuff we have around us. Dare remove key pieces and you’ll find yourself to be more productive and sociable.

It’s not an easy shift, but like anything, once you’re used to it, you won’t want to go back!

You can do this!

Thanks for reading! :)