Dan Martell is a Canadian Entrepreneur and most recently, the founder of Clarity.fm. He’s an experienced Angel Investor who has invested in over 23 tech start-ups. Prior to Clarity, Dan was the co-founder of Flowtown (Acquired 11′), founder of Spheric Technologies (Acquired 08′). He has also been a mentor at 500Startups, GrowLabs & theC100.org.

Favorite Success Quote

“Become the person who can deal” ~Dan Martell

Key Points

1. If You Want to Be a Millionaire You Have to Handle Million Dollar Problems

Everyone wants to be a millionaire…

But the problem is that most people aren’t able to handle million dollar problems.

They want the outcome without the action. They want the reward without responsibility. 

And this approach never works.

Just take lottery winners for example.

They immediately come into a windfall of cash with millions, sometimes tens of millions of dollars, but they never did a damn thing to earn that money.

And five years after their success, studies have shown that they are often worse off than before they won.

Why?

Because their character didn’t backup their success.

You have to earn what you want. If you want to become a millionaire, then you must become the kind of person who can provide millions of dollars of value and handle millions of dollars worth of problems.

And quite frankly… Most of you reading this can’t.

Yet…

So go and focus on developing yourself and becoming the type of person who can handle the challenges and can provide the requisite value to achieve your goals.

Because when you go after your goals with this mindset, success becomes all but inevitable.

2. Own It!

I’m going to let you in on a little secret here… Shit happens.

Life can be chaotic, things will not work out, businesses will fail, lovers will leave you, friends will turn on you… Shit just happens.

And I’ll let you in on another little secret… It’s ok!

Failure and frustration are an integral part of life, it’s not a question of if it will happen to you but how you will respond when it does.

If you are like most people, you will try to pin the blame on someone else, you will deny the reality of your problems, and you will avoid addressing the situation until the last possible minute.

But since you are listening to this podcast, you aren’t like most people.

And therefore, you must own your problems.

When shit happens… OWN IT.

When a business fails, a girlfriend walks out, a friend gets angry, own the problem, own your part in the problem, and figure out what you can do moving forward to ensure that it never happens again.

3. Be Grateful for All You Have 

150 years ago, if you wanted to go to Canada, you would have been forced to travel for months on end and risk death or serious injury.

Today, you can fly there in a matter of hours.

100 years ago, if you wanted the information that we give away for free on this podcast, you would have had to track down each guest individually, convince them to speak with you, and then pick their brain for an hour or more (or at the very least found one of their books).

Today… It’s only a mouse click away.

You have a lot to be grateful for.

We live in an age of unprecedented opportunity, ease, and access and 99% of the things that you take for granted on a daily basis would have dropped our ancestor’s jaws to the floor.

We don’t have to hunt… We go to the grocery store.

Most of us no longer work hard physical labor, we work at a cushy desk.

And if we want to get somewhere, we can tap a button on our phone and have our own personal chafeur show up to our home in under 10 minutes!

You have a lot to be grateful for.

So starting today, be fucking grateful!

Write down three things that you are grateful for each and every day and never lose sight of who you are and just how lucky you are to be alive in this day and age.

4. Be Yourself and Put it Out There 

If you look at the most successful entrepreneurs in 2017, from the Tim Ferriss’s to the Grant Cardone’s to the Gary Vaynerchucks, you will notice one consistent factor.

They are all completely and unapologetically themselves.

They don’t care what other people think they don’t care who they offend, they show up in the world authentically and they put it out there for others to see.

And if you want to create lasting success, you must do the same.

Be who you are.

Don’t apologize for it, and don’t ask permission for it.

Be who you are and share it with the world.

Some will love you, some will hate you, some won’t care and that’s ok.

As long as you are living authentically and sharing your gifts and talents with the world, at the end of the day you can call yourself a success.

5.Think About The Long Game 

In a society built upon instant gratification, you must be a man focused on the long game.

Don’t look at the 1-5 year impact of your decisions, instead ask yourself, “What are the ramifications of this decision 20 years from now?”

Because here’s a simple fact, 20 years from now you will arrive… The question is “Where”.

Will you arrive in style because you were patient, played the long game, learned, grew, and invested?

Or will you arrive chasing yet another shiny object because you lacked the discipline and the long term focus to make things work?

The choice is yours.

David Schloss is the CEO and Founder of Rampify and Convert ROI, two top level marketing and advertising agencies that have generated over $25 million in revenue for their clients.

He has been featured on CNBC, CNN Money, and the Miami Herald.

Favorite Success Quote

“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them” ~Chris Grosser

Key Points

1. All Success Comes from Mastering the “Three P’s” 

The formula for success is simple.

No really… It is.

If you want to be successful, all you need to do is master what David calls the “Three P’s”.

1. Practice
2. Patience
3. Persistence

Seriously that’s it.

Whether you want to lose weight, build an amazing business, or get better with women, the formula is the same.

First, you must practice the important skills and habits required by your craft.

Whether you are practicing copywriting, certain weight lifting movements, or going on dates with beautiful women, the first step is always practice.

But practice in and of itself isn’t enough.

You must be patient and give yourself time to succeed.

You can’t expect to lose 100+ lbs. the first time you go to the gym, make $1,000,000 from your first sales letter, or immediately seduce, fall in love with, and marry the first woman you meet!

You must be patient and give yourself the time required to become a master of your craft.

And finally, you must persist.

Because here’s the thing… Even when you are diligently practicing your craft and patiently waiting for results, you are going to hit a speedbump.

You will lose a client, get dumped by a woman you love, or injure yourself in the gym… It’s inevitable.

But it’s during times of adversity where champions are made.

Because if you are willing to persist and overcome these setbacks and losses, on the other side of these adversities is success.

2. Make Your Own Opportunites 

Thomas Jefferson once said “I am a great believer in luck. And I have found that the harder I work, the more of it I have.”

This sentiment was true hundreds of years ago when our Founding Fathers fought to liberate the United States from British rule and it is true today as you prepare to pursue whatever goals you have set for yourself.

Opportunity isn’t given at random.

It’s presented to individuals who have earned it, individuals who have hustled and worked towards achieving their dreams and goals and are ready to accept the responsibility of new opportunities.

So if you want an abundance of opportunity in your life you must be willing to embrace the grind and go make your own opportunities.

3. Focus on Your Service So You Never Have to Focus on Sales 

Many entrepreneurs and business owners struggle to generate leads and close down new clients.

It seems like no matter how hard they try to grow their client Rolodex and increase their customer retention, they are constantly fighting an uphill battle to get and keep new customers.

The reason?

They are focused on their sales instead of their services.

You see, when you have services and products that blow your customers out of the water, they will naturally refer new clients to you and tell everyone they meet about your awesome work.

Think about Tony Robbins…

Each and every year he sells (literally) millions of dollars worth of online programs, high-performance coaching, and live seminar tickets.

And while he certainly uses online advertising, and email marketing in 2017, for the longest time his company operated almost exclusively through word of mouth.

In fact, the majority of his initial success (which resulted in a $400 million IPO) was a direct result of his client referral programs.

If you want to build a business that will stand the test of time, you need to master online marketing, there’s no doubt about it.

But even more important than any social media platform or native advertising tactic are the services and products that you provide.

If you can wow your customers if you can provide an experience, not just a service, and if you can go above and beyond the call of duty to serve your clients, the results will speak for themselves and you will never have to chase a client ever again.

4. Be Careful Who You Have in Your Corner 

Nothing will have a greater impact on your life and success than the people who you allow into your life.

From friends to mentors to spouses to family members, the individuals who you let into your life can make or break your happiness and success making it crucial that you are highly selective when building your social circle.

For David, his girlfriend was one of the driving factors behind his success.

She supported him and believed in his even when he didn’t believe in himself.

However, I have friends who are in the opposite boat.

Their significant others are the primary reason that they are not succeeding at high levels!

In your own life, you need to take stock of your social circle, and this includes your family and spouse.

Are they helping you or hurting you? Are they pushing you towards greatness or keeping you mired in mediocrity?

5. Make Time for What is Important 

People will often complain that they “don’t have enough time” to spend on the things that are important.

And quite frankly, this is a load of crap.

You will always have time for the things that truly matter to you, and if you don’t have time, then you can make time.

If you claim that your wife is important to you but you can’t remember the last time you went on a date with her, then you need to hire an assistant to free up your day and start taking your wife to lunch.

If you say that your health is important but you never exercise and rarely eat anything other than fast food, spend a little bit less time growing your business and start a simple workout routine with one of your friends.

Stop making excuses and start finding ways to carve out time for what really matters.

Business and money are important, there’s no doubt. However, without your health and without people to share your success with, no amount of money or fame will fill the hole in your life.

Frank Ostaseski is a Buddhist teacher and leader in contemplative end-of-life care. In 1987, he co-founded of the Zen Hospice Project and later created the Meta Institute to train professionals in compassionate, mindfulness-based care. He has lectured at Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, Wisdom.2.0 and teaches at major spiritual centers around the globe.

His work has been featured on the Bill Moyers PBS series On Our Own Terms, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and in numerous print publications. In 2001, he was honored by the Dalai Lama for his compassionate service to the dying and their families. He is the author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully

Favorite Success Quote

“It always seems impossible until it’s done” ~Nelson Mandela

Key Points

1. Keep Death Close at Hand 

You are going to die.

I am going to die.

Everyone that you love and hold dear is going to die.

Life is fleeting, it’s brief, and sometimes, it can feel, as Thomas Hobbes said, “Nasty Brutish and short“.

I don’t say this to scare you, but rather to wake you up to the reality of life.

Life is precious, each moment that you have is a gift, and the only way that we can truly feel this and remember the beauty of life is by remembering that it must come to an end.

Therefore, it is important to keep death close to us.

To meditate on it, to remember it, and to embrace it, not run from it, so that one day when our time finally comes to an end, we can look death in the eyes with a smile and face the final curtain knowing that we lived a life that was full and open no matter how long or short it might have been.

2. There are Only Two Things that Ultimately Matter in Life 

Frank has spent several decades of his life working in hospice with individuals who are close to death’s door. And in his experience, there are only two things that ulimately mattered to any of them.

They didn’t care about the number of horsepower in their engine, how many square feet their estate was, or how expensive their watch was.

They only cared about two things:

1. How they loved
2. Who loved them

At the end of their lives, when these individuals came to the end, all they really cared about was who they loved and who loved them.

They wished that they had been better fathers, husbands, sons, friends, and citizens of this world.

But for those of you reading this… It’s not too late.

None of us know how much time has been given to us or when it will run out, but we know that it will run out.

And because of this knowledge, we have the power to live more fully, to love more deeply, and to receive love on a deeper level than ever before.

3. Don’t Wait

Why is it that some people have to be diagnosed with a life-threatening disease before they take a step back and truly appreciate their lives?

Why is it that so many of us wait until the end before we ever truly live?

I want you to imagine that you walked into the Doctor’s office tomorrow and you were told that you had terminal cancer and only had a year left to live.

How would your life change?

How would you show up differently?

Would you love more? Appreciate the small things? Stop complaining about the petty distractions of life? Express gratitude for all of the abundance and joy flowing into your life?

What would you do?

Now let me ask you another question…

Why in the world do you need to wait until the end to start living like this?

Why can’t you live in the moment now? Why can’t you appreciate the small things and express gratitude now? Why can’t you open your heart to give and receive more love now?

Well, you can…

And you should.

4. Welcome Everything 

In every person’s life, they will be presented with experiences that are both “good” and “bad”, and most people run from the bad and towards the good.

This is a mistake.

Most of life’s greatest lessons and greatest experiences are on the other side of pain and suffering.

Think about it…

If you ask most parents, they will tell you that raising a child is one of the most amazing and precious things that they have ever done and yet, for childbirth to happen, the mother must endure extreme pain (at least they did prior to medical advancement) to bring that child into the world.

Or think about going to the gym. The physical and mental rewards of strenuous exercise are tremendous! From increased productivity, happiness, libido, and general satisfaction with life, training has a massively positive impact on your life.

But to reap those benefits, you must endure the agony of tearing your muscles down and literally damaging your body so that you can come back stronger.

Life is the same way.

Everything that you fear, the loss, the heartbreak, the sadness, and the pain… It all has a lesson to teach you.

But before it can teach you that lesson, you must first become fearlessly receptive.

5. Wholeness Doesn’t Mean Perfection, It Means No Part Left Out 

You, me, and everyone else in the world is imperfect.

And we often try to hide this imperfection by putting on a facade and pretending that we have it all together.

But here’s the thing…

Just like there is beauty in the impermanence of life, there is beauty in your imperfection, there is beauty in your darkness.

But you must be willing to accept it, learn from it, and seek to change it for this “dark side” to truly serve its purpose.

We are all imperfect beings living in an imperfect world, pretending otherwise is foolish.

Known as”The CEO Whisperer”, Cameron Herold is an entrepreneur, highly paid speaker, author, and business coach. He was responsible for taking the company 1-800 Got Junk from $2 million in annual revenue to over $106 million in annual revenue in only 6 years. He works with and coaches some of the most prolific individuals on the planet including multi-millionaires, politicians, monarchs, and Fortune 500 CEOs.

Favorite Success Quote

“You’ll never be smart enough to figure this out on your own. Your R&D should stand for be rip off and duplicate. millions of companies have already spent millions of dollars figuring out virtually every problem and every opportunity you will ever encounter. Just do what they’re doing. Instead of trying to sit down and figure it out for yourself, you already have the cheat sheets, just go ahead and use them”

Key Points

1. Always be learning always be growing 

If you want to have an exceptional life, not a good life, but an exceptional life, then you must commit to constant and never ending growth.

Cameron recently attended an event in Las Vegas with dozens of other high profile entrepreneurs including Cole Hatter, Grant Cardone, and Tai Lopez, and he noticed that every single one of the speakers was actively listening and taking notes while the other individuals were on stage.

Many of these people already had 7, 8, and even 9-figure businesses. However, despite their success, they were still attentive and engaged in the event, constantly seeking to learn something new.

And if you want to create the best life possible for yourself and your family, then you must have the same voracious appetite for knowledge.

Never ignore an opportunity to learn and improve yourself, never assume that you already know something, and never take the wisdom of other’s for granted.

2. If you can control your time you control your world 

Many people think that entrepreneurs only care about money.

And sometimes, this is true. However, most people who delve into the world of entrepreneurship do so because they understand one important thing. When you control your time, you control your world.

When you are at the beck and call of your manager, supervisor, or boss, you will never truly have control of your time. When you are dependent on active income for your livelihood, you will never truly control your time. When you give control of your financial destiny to others, you will never have control of your time.

Entrepreneurship allows you to change all of that.

Sure, entrepreneurship can be even more stressful than working for a business because everything depends on you.

But because everything depends on you, you have absolute control of your schedule and your life.

You are able to say “No” more, work on your own time, take days off when you want, and live a life that most people dream of.

It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.

If you can find a way to create a lifestyle in which you control your schedule (even if you technically work for someone else) then you have achieved one of the ultimate successes in life.

3. Being “Messed Up” Can Be Your Biggest Asset 

Most entrepreneurs are ADHD, bipolar, and suffer from some form of Tourrettes.

And guess what?

They often succeed because of these so called “disabilities”, not in spite of them.

Having severe ADHD allows you to juggle countless projects simultaneously, engage in moments of hyper focus, and constantly be bouncing from idea to idea.

Having a manic-depressive personality is what allows you to persuade people to join your team and work for you even when things aren’t going as well as you had hoped.

Tourettes, a.k.a. thinking out loud is a hallmark of some of the greatest geniuses and businessmen in all of history.

The point is, being “messed up” or “disabled” isn’t always a bad thing.

In fact, if you know how to leverage them, your disabilities can often become your biggest strengths.

4. Good Enough = Success 

So many of you reading this are being held back by your own perfectionism. You are so focused on making everything that you do perfect, that you never embrace “Good Enough” and actually get it done.

Being good creates momentum. Being perfect keeps you stagnant.

Think about Apple.

Techniologically, they are one of the most inferior companies on the market.

But because their product is good enough and they have an incredible marketing team and millions of raving fans, they are one of the most successful tech companies in the world.

Think about McDonald’s.

Their product is inferior to just about any other burger on the planet and it’s actually been linked to serious health problems. b

But because it’s “good enough” and backed by incredible marketing and culture, they continue to succeed as one of the highest grossing fast food chains in the world.

If you want to be great, focus first on being good.

Once you have achieved “good”, market the hell out of it, rinse and repeat.

5. Understand that Your Network is Your Networth 

Nothing will accelerate your results and happiness or keep you mired in mediocrity as much as your net work.

If you are surrounding yourself with grade A+ players who keep you on track and inspire you to do great things, you will find yourself breaking through to new heights and achieving goals that you never thought possible.

If the company that you keep regularly engages in low caliber behavior and holds low caliber attitudes and mindsets, you will quickly find yourself sinking further and further into a pit of failure.

Possible the most important thing that you can do on your quest for the good life is to be intentional about who you allow in your circle.

You are the average of the five people you spend your time with most.

Ask yourself, “Who are my five people and do I want to be anything like them?”

Nate Lind is the founder of Legendary Man and Legendary Beard, an 8-figure e-commerce company that provides men with high quality beard grooming products.

Favorite Success Quote

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” ~Winston Churchill

Key Points

1. You Must Educate Yourself to Succeed 

No matter what your goal, ambition, or desire, the first step is always the same…

You must take massive action and educate yourself on the details of your pursuit.

If you want to build the body of your dreams, start by figuring out what the best meal plans, training programs, and supplement stacks are for your specific goals.

If you want to build a successful business, then start by educating yourself on the nuances of marketing, sales, and management.

If you want to become a master at dating and relationships, then devote time to understanding the female psyche and social dynamics.

Whatever it is that you want to achieve, it is possible… But first, you must take the time to understand it and fully educate yourself about the path to achieving your goal.

2. Embrace the Hero’s Journey 

Once you have a clear goal or vision in mind and have taken the time to educate yourself on the best way to achieve that goal, it’s time to step into your warrior and embrace the hero’s journey.

This journey will look different for everyone, but the general framework is always the same.

In your life, you will face some kind of challenge or adversity.

Maybe, like Nate, you are struggling with obesity and unhealthy eating habits.

Maybe you are struggling financially or in your career.

Or maybe your marriage is failing and your children barely know who you are.

Whatever your particular challenge might be… embrace it.

Own it, step into it, and get ready to overcome it.

Each of us has the power to overcome our biggest obstacles and live a life of joy, achievement, and fulfillment, but we must first take that big scary plunge into unknown and embrace our hero’s journey.

Accept your path, accept the adversity, and accept the consequences of the decisions that you have made in your life.

Because once you have taken full responsibility for your life, you can embark on your quest and change it.

3. Know Thyself 

Gary Vaynerchuk, one of the most prolific entrepreneurs and businessmen of the 21st century has a well-known belief that all success stems from self knowledge.

He and Nate both believe that the first step to creating real success in any area of your life, is to know with 100% certainty who you are.

You must cut the b.s., look at yourself objectively, and take an honest look at your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth.

When you cut through the crap and see yourself as you are not as you want to be, you have true power and the ability to go after goals that are congruent with who you are and how you operate.

Nothing is more powerful than operating from a place of strength.

And when you know yourself better than anyone else, you will know exactly what opportunities and endeavors you should pursue.

4. Get Uncomfortable 

Life doesn’t happen inside of your comfort zone.

Life doesn’t happen inside of your everyday routines.

Life doesn’t happen in the complacent, normal, everyday actions that keep us living a life of ease.

Life happens at the edge of your comfort zone.

It happens when you push yourself just a little further than you think you can go.

It happens when you get out of your old ruts and routines and embrace a new way of thinking, acting, or being.

Life begins where your comfort zone ends.

If you want to live a truly remarkable and exceptional life, then you must break free from the chains of comfort and embrace a new way of living.

You must do things that scare you, step into your fears, and conquer them.

When you can master your own desire for comfort and ease, you can master your entire life.

5. Train Your Body 

One of the simplest yet most powerful habits that you can build into your life is to regularly train and develop your body.

Your body and mind are inextricably connected and if you want to truly perform at the highest levels in your work, social, and romantic life, then you must start by optimizing your physical life.

You are no good to the rest of society if you are constantly tired, lethargic, and weak.

You cannot truly perform at the highest levels if you are overweight or physically untrained.

Therefore, your first step towards greatness in life should be to pursue greatness in your body.

Get in the gym, clean up your diet, take a cold shower, and build the body that you deserve.

I promise you won’t regret it.

Timothy Sykes is a stock trader who turned his $10,000 Bar Mitzvah money into $4,000,000 through exposing the losing game of penny stocks. He then went on to found Profit.ly a community of 84,000 traders, and run a leading trading coaching program called Millionaire Trader

Favorite Success Quote

“Be patient be dedicated and realize that it’s a marathon not a sprint.”

Key Points

1. Challenges Make Life Worth Living

You will often hear personal growth gurus and “enlightened” philosophers espousing the belief that “Life is a journey not a destination.”

As cliche as it sounds, anyone who has ever achieved “real” success in life knows it to be true.

Achievement is incredible. Reaching your goals is exhilarating. Finally feeling like you are “Making It” gives you a buzz that no substance can compete with.

But it doesn’t last…

Because as human beings, we have evolved to constantly seek new challenges and accelerate the old status quo.

Challenges are what make us come alive, they are what give us meaning, and they are, when it’s all said and done, what life is truly about.

You were not meant to earn a million dollars and then retire on an island in the sun.

You were meant to innovate, to find new ways to stretch yourself and progress your life.

And when you understand this… Everything changes.

You will no longer see challenges as a “Bad” thing. You will no longer view hardship as a problem.

You will realize that overcoming challenges is ultimately what will give your life meaning and purpose.

2. Money Might Make You Happy but it Won’t Keep You Happy

When you take the previous point a step further and apply is specifically to money, you will realize that the age old adage “Money can’t buy happiness”, while technically untrue, has its merits.

Money can buy happiness and pleasure.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or has never actually had any money.

Knowing that you never have to work again, knowing that you have absolute freedom, knowing that you can do what you want, when you want, with who you want will make you happy.

But it isn’t enough to keep you happy.

Eventually, you will get bored.

Regardless of how much money you have, if you are not growing and challenging yourself on a daily basis, you will eventually feel stagnant and depressed.

This is why most successful entrepreneurs who take a few years off after a big I.P.O. (thinking that they’re done for good) return to the game almost as quickly as they left it.

Money might make you happy, but it won’t keep you happy.

You need to use it to help others, explore new challenges, and push yourself to grow and evolve.

3. Stretch Yourself and Shoot for Big Goals 

When I was surfing through Quora the other day, I saw a very generic question asking “How can I make a million dollars by the time I’m 30?”

Personally, I felt that this was a ridiculous and arbitrary question.

However, when I started looking through the answers, I saw a response that caught my eye.

The most popular answer in the entire thread started out by posing a counter question, “Why are you playing so small? Why not shoot for something bigger?”

During my conversation with Timothy, he shared a very similar belief.

Over the past few years, Tim has been building schools with a charity called Pencil’s of Promise and he’s already donated in excess of $1,000,000 helping fund 30+ school builds.

However, for Tim, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

His goal is to build over 1,000 schools in the coming years… A $35,000,000 undertaking.

While we were talking about this project, he admits that this is a huge goal and that it’s entirely possible that he will never reach it.

However, it’s the thrill of having something so big to shoot for that keeps him going.

In your own life, how can you 10X your goals to push yourself and get excited?

How can you set a vision and a dream so big that you are thrilled to jump out of bed every morning and pursue it?

Remember, if you aim for the moon you may hit a stump.

But if you aim for a stump… You might miss.

4. If You Don’t Know what You Want to Do, Do Something 

We live in an age of such unprecedented opportunity and possibility that our society has succumbed to something called “Analysis by paralysis”.

Basically, people have so many freaking options to choose from that they can never choose one thing.

If you recently graduated high school or college and had only a few thousand dollars to your name, you could realistically dive into about a dozen different businesses in hundreds of different niches.

For the first time in human history, just about anyone who lives in the Western world has the ability to be and do whatever they want (if they put their minds to it).

The only problem is, most of us don’t know what we want.

So we wander aimlessly, afraid to take action and step into the unknown.

But I’m here to tell you… Just take action.

Just do something even if it’s the wrong thing.

As long as you are making moves, you can pivot and change later down the line to ensure you are making the right moves.

But if you are standing still… You’ll never get anything done and you will never achieve the success you are looking for.

5. The Game Isn’t Over Until It’s Over 

One of the most common questions and concerns that I see on the Knowledge for Men Facebook page, in my Quora feed, and even in the inquiries that are sent to my inbox is this…

“Andrew, I’m [insert age]… Am I too old to start a business, meet the woman of my dreams, achieve my ideal body etc. etc.?”

The answer?

Of course not!

If you still have breath in your lungs, then you still have time to pursue your dreams.

Some of the most successful and prolific entrepreneurs didn’t get started in business until their 50’s, 60’s, and even 70’s.

Many more didn’t achieve the success that they truly wanted until a few years before their death… But they did achieve it.

The game isn’t over until it’s over.

It’s never too late to go after your dreams and do the things that you truly want to do.

And it’s never too early.

So step up and embrace this.

Go for the things that you want in life regardless of your age or experience.

If you are on this planet and you are still alive, then you’ve got time to make it count and achieve your dreams.

The only question is, will you take action or not? 

Lewis Howes is a lifestyle entrepreneur, high performance business coach, author and keynote speaker. A former professional football player and two-sport All-American, he is a current USA Men’s National Handball Team athlete. Lewis hosts The School of Greatness podcast, which has received millions of downloads since it launched in 2013.

Lewis was recognized by The White House and President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country under 30. He is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and Yahoo.com and has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Men’s Health, The Today Show and other major media outlets.

Favorite Success Quotes

“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care”

Key Points

1. Show that You Care 

As men, we have a pathological need to feel important, to feel special, to feel powerful.

To fill this need, most of us walk through our lives searching for ways to make other people see how important we are.

We work ourselves to death at jobs that we hate so that we can afford to buy things we don’t need.

We stay in relationships that we should have left years ago because the person that we are dating is attractive and popular.

We live our lives for the approval and validation of others while forgetting one obvious truth.

No one cares.

Seriously… No one cares about how much money you have, how hot your girl friend is, or how many horsepower your car has.

The people in your life are struggling with plenty of trials and struggles as it is, do you really think they’re going to care that you bought a “Luxury Class” Mercedes instead of a Standard?

What people want and desperately need isn’t another person who’s caught up in their own lives.. What they need is someone who cares, someone who listens, someone who is real.

The people in your life are dying to connect, they are dying for someone who is real, they are dying for someone who genuinely cares about them and is willing to listen and be present.

If you really want to impress someone (which shouldn’t be your focus to begin with), then show them how much you care, don’t show them how much you have.

2. Vulnerability is the Key to Freedom

If you are reading this right now, then chances are good that you’ve been hurt. Some of you have been hurt so deeply and so profoundly that you have never shared your pain with another living soul.

And it sucks…

When you’ve experienced trauma and pain in your life, it’s easy to get stuck in your head, to become isolated and believe that you are alone or that no one would love you if they knew the truth.

In an effort to protect yourself and others, you put up a wall between yourself and the people that you love, closing yourself off from the people who care for you the most.

And then you let the pain sit inside of you and simmer.

Until one day, that simmer turns into a boil and you find yourself exploding in ways that you never thought possible.

Until one day, the wounds have become so deep and so painful that they change who you are.

This is the path that most men take…

Most men refuse to seek help, guidance of support in times of trauma and suffering. They think they have everything figured out and do their best to act the part.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret…. You are killing yourself and you are killing your relationships.

The past only has power over us so long as we allow it to.

When you are willing to embrace vulnerability, trust the people in your life, and open up about your deepest fears, regrets, and experiences, your whole life will change.

For Lewis, this meant opening up about the sexual abuse he experienced as a child.

For nearly 25 years, he’d kept the pain bottled inside until one day, it all came out on a basketball court and he got into a vicious fight with another player.

The encounter shocked and humbled him and made him realize that he needed to talk to someone and he needed to get help.

And so he did, he opened up to a select group of people about what had happened to him as a child and, much to his surprise, the response he received was nothing but love.

People told him that they could trust him more, that they felt more connected, and that they respected him on a deeper level because of the pain and trauma he experienced.

As time went on and he shared his truth with more and more people, he eventually arrived at a point in his life where he could share his story without feeling the pain in the same way.

Through sharing his authentic truth and being vulnerable, he healed the wounds of the past.

But what about you?

What are you holding onto that you need to let go? What pain has been keeping you back and weighing you down?

I want you to write that thing down right now and commit that before the day is over, you will find someone to talk to, even if it’s a professional.

I promise that if you are willing to take this scary leap, your life will never be the same.

3. Why Are You Doing What You’re Doing? 

One of the biggest mistakes that we as men make is that we detach our what from our why. 

We spend all of our time pursuing goals, dreams, and opportunities but we never really know why we do any of the things that we do.

We hustle and grind all day long and for what?

For most men, it’s for the paycheck or the status, but as many of you have already realized, this is never enough.

You must have a strong and deep why for what you are doing that extends beyond yourself.

If you want to live a truly extraordinary and exceptional life, then you must live your life for the greater good and not just yourself.

Find ways to serve and love and improve the lives of others and your own life will be filled with joy, and love, and opportunities that you could never imagine.

It might seem cliche and worn out, but there’s a great deal of truth to the adage that “Living is giving”.

So let me ask you… What are you giving and why?

4. Pause, Breathe, and Smile 

You can read all of the books that have ever been written on the topic of emotional control, masculinity, and mastering yourself and, unfortunately, there will still be instances where you want to explode and rip someone’s head off.

It’s just human nature.

While you cannot control the initial flood of emotions that happens in these circumstances, you can control your reaction.

When you start to feel these negative thoughts and emotions creeping into your mind and body, take a step back and notice them.

Acknowledge them and be aware of them… Don’t try to fight them.

Once you are aware of the internal dialogue and the reason for your emotional response, take 10 deep breaths and mentally detach yourself from the situation, doing your best to look at things through the lens of an objective observer.

Then, once you have regained your center, look around you and smile.

You are blessed and you have a lot to be grateful for. Smile and remember this.

5. It’s All About Finding the Balance 

In a world that seems to be driven by the “Hustle and Grind” mentality, it’s easy to lose balance and start living a life that is completely and utterly consumed by your work.

When this happens, it’s important to take a step back and regain your inner balance.

Life is seasonal.

There are times where you will need to hustle, grind, and push forward.

There are times where you need to take a step back and rest.

Learn to differentiate between the two and your entire life will transform before your eyes.

Chris Guillebeau is the New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup, The Happiness of Pursuit, Born for This, and The Art of Non-Conformity.

Chris travels the world and writes for a small army of remarkable people at ChrisGuillebeau.com, or you can listen to his daily podcast, Side Hustle School, at SideHustleSchool.com.

Favorite Success Quote

Key Points

1. You Don’t Have to Live the Way You Are Told 

Go to school, get good grades, attend college, find a cushy job with nice benefits, buy a house, get married, have 2.5 kids, die.

That’s the script that most of us have been told to follow.

We’ve been fed a steady diet of lies and misinformation that make us believe that there is only one way to approach life, that there’s a select set of goals and ambitions that are acceptable and the rest are heresy.

Luckily for you and me… There’s more to life than what we were told growing up.

Since the inception of the internet, it’s easier now than it’s ever been in human history to create a sustainable income doing something that you love.

It’s easier than it’s ever been before to shrug off the expectations and “should’s” of society and to go about life in our own way.

You don’t have to do what anyone else tells you to do.

If you want to go to college, get a job, get married, and buy a house in the hills, then great!

If you don’t, if you want to drop out, travel the world, start an online business, and live the expat lifestyle, you can do that too.

You have the power to decide who you want to be and what you want to do.

You have the ability to decide for yourself what kind of life you want to live.

Make the most of it.

2. What One Man Can Do Another Man Can Do 

In a world that glamorizes the end result without giving so much as a second thought to the process, it’s easy to look at the successes of others and believe that their accomplishments are out of your reach.

But they were people just like you.

Grant Cardone, Gary Vaynerchuk, and yes, Chris Guillebeau are all just normal people who have done extraordinary things.

There’s nothing special about them, they didn’t have any unique advantages that you don’t have, they were just normal everyday guys who applied proven principles and tactics to achieve extraordinary results.

Whatever it is that you want to achieve in this life, it’s possible, and the first step on your path to making it happen is to acknowledge that it’s possible.

What one man can do, another man can do. If it’s been done before it can be done again.

Always remember this and always keep your head up.

3. A Side Hustle is an Asset 

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when it comes to building a side hustle is to think that a “Side Hustle” is the same thing as a part-time job.

There’s nothing wrong with freelancing or working part-time, but at the end of the day, these endeavors all require the same thing… Your time.

No matter how highly paid you become, anything that directly requires your time to make money is a part time job, not a Side Hustle.

A side hustle is an asset, it’s something that can make you money while you sleep, it’s something that you can set and forget.

It’s something that generates revenue without consuming your life.

4. Your Hustle Isn’t that Big of a Deal 

I know countless individuals who work jobs that they love.

They decide to build a side hustle, quite simply, because they want the extra cash.

After weeks of brainstorming and agonizing over potential paths they could take, they eventually collapse into a puddle of nerves and anxiety.

Not because the task ahead of them is so monumental, but because they have put their side hustle on a proverbial pedestal. They turned it into something that it wasn’t.

A side hustle is nothing more than a fun project that you work on in your spare time to generate extra revenue.

That’s it.

You don’t have to be passionate about it as long as you enjoy it.

You don’t have to make 6-figures with it (unless you want to).

You don’t have to turn it into anything of significance.

It’s just a way to make extra income doing things you like.

So don’t worry about finding your “One Thing”. Make a list of 10 different side hustles, try each one for 2-3 weeks and if you don’t like it, throw it in the garbage and start the next one.

This is an experiment, treat it as such.

5. Just Get Started 

No matter what goal you are pursuing, whether it’s to travel the world, find your dream job, or simply start a side hustle to earn an extra $2,000 a month, the first step will always be the hardest.

You will always second guess yourself, over analyze, and eventually, give up if you don’t take the first step and dive into the water head first.

Just get started.

As simple as it sounds, it’s the key to about 90% of success.

Just get started, take the first step, write the first word, buy that domain, talk to that girl, do whatever it is that you need to do to move towards your dreams.

Get started today.

Because tomorrow you will wish you had started yesterday.