your two secret weapons for success

A few years ago I was sitting in a meeting room with my colleagues. We had busy schedules and this was an optional meeting.

We were all early (which never happened).

All with notepads and laptops ready to take notes.

Something felt different.

The tension was real - we were about to go into lockdown again in Sydney, and none of us were looking forward to it.

Least of all me.

The first lockdown had been torture.

The screen flickered and came to life. We were about to get a pep talk from Jay Shetty.

Maybe you've heard of him, he's a famous guy. A wellness coach with a book 'Think Like A Monk'. I was skeptical. But I needed something to get me through the coming days/weeks/months - who knew if the world would end or not?

I didn't want to just survive. I wanted to do more.

I took more notes than ever on my tiny black pad, like every word would help me. My hand cramped in protest and my face shriveled as I concentrated. He talked a lot, and about a lot of stuff.

Years later, I still use two of his techniques to this day and they've helped a lot. They'll help you too.

1.

The first thing is about motivation. Why doesn't it last long? Well - Jay mentioned motivation is like being full after a meal. You get hungry again, and then you need to eat. So what can you eat to get motivation?

Two videos..

Appetiser: Steve Jobs' commencement speech from 2005. Super motivating. A little long, but engaging.

Main course: Matthew McConaughey's award acceptance speech. It was sick.

These videos have been on repeat for me over the years. I can almost recite the words to you.

2.

The secret weapon: waking up early in the morning.

I've been a night owl all my life. I'd hated waking up early for as long as I could remember, but I was desperate. I wanted this lockdown to be productive and good for me.

So I set my alarm. Tucked in early. Got up at 5. Yes, 5.

Guess what? I didn’t die.

It was a struggle, but after 3 days of it my body started to get into the rhythm - it gets easier.

And, it is definitely a secret weapon.

No one could keep up with me at work, and I got so much done for my own projects because of this tip. I wrote songs, worked on a book, read, exercised, and loved it.

For added motivation, read the book 'The Miracle Morning'. That gave me the kick in the face I needed to keep up with it.

Your questions:

Is there something life-changing you're working on right now?

If yes, what are you waiting for?

If no, what are you waiting for?

Happy Monday.

Harry

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you loved it, share it with someone. Anyone.