If you want to be a winner, listen to winners. Most people listen to the equivalent of a chicken coop audio feed. They fill their mind with jibber jabber. Most of it is propaganda for some nefarious agenda. Much of it does not benefit the planet.
If you understand the mind you would be very careful what you expose it to. All throughout my day, I'm feeding myself fortuitous stimuli. I am nourishing the brain. On one occasion I decided to listen to a Kobe Bryant interview. The most important thing that stood out to me was his definition of...
"Greatness."
He defined greatness as "inspiring others." This is something I discovered a while back. I coined the phrase...
"Aspire to inspire or expire."
Bryan "Hotep Jesus" Sharpe
(I tweeted this many years ago and remember seeing someone steal it and sell it on a mug. LOL)
If more people understood the power of selflessness they would achieve more for themselves.
But if you practice selflessness for your own benefit, is it really selfless? Ignore this question — it is a frivolous philosophical argument to occupy your neurons momentarily.
Every human interaction is an exchange or transaction. We need more transactions where the exchange is balanced. I tweeted the other day, "When dating do you think about what the other party has to offer you or what you have to offer them? If the latter, you will create beautiful relationships and a gorgeous planet or people will miss out on a good thing. If the former, you’re what’s wrong with the world."
Kobe said that one summer he played basketball as a youth and didn't score a single point. So, how did he get better?
He said...
"Do the hard things."
You need an intense amount of desire and discipline to execute this.
Who really wants to work on their left-hand dribble when they are so great with their right? Few individuals want to learn a new skill after they've only just gotten comfortable with their existing ones.
But this limitation is what will hold you back. And overcoming it is what will separate you from the pack and make you elite!
My chess coach, IM Alejandro Moreno's idea of a good lesson is making the lesson feel like torture. He consistently iterates, "If you are suffering then I'm doing a good job."
After mate-in-two puzzles were mate-in-three. After mate-in-three was blindfolded mate-in-three with the board. Then it was mate-in-four. Then it was mate-in-four blindfolded with the board. Then it was mate-in-four completely blindfolded!
Like working out, you consistently increase the weight.
The last takeaway is something I consistently tell my clients, team members, and students.
STUDY!
To me, this is the easiest thing to do.
You can become instantly smarter by listening to constructive media.
For example. When I wind down for bed, I rarely watch fiction media. I watch documentaries or listen to lectures on economics or history.
When you can find a way to mix fun with productivity that's the sweet spot.
But studying is PARAMOUNT. It's something you can do while jogging or laying on the couch or even cleaning up your living room.
It only takes about 20 minutes a day to become smarter than your average pleb.
Or you can watch regular TV and become dumber in less than 20 minutes.
Honestly, this is my secret. This is what puts the "Jesus" in Hotep Jesus. I will study more than you. I literally create systems that optimize my life for studying.
Then greatness oozes out!
