In the past year, I’ve grown and developed greatly in several areas of my life. I’m much more self-aware of who I am and what I do and say. I’m very comfortable with the direction of my life, and I’m much less defensive than I used to be. I look at myself as if I were on a continuum—I’ll never reach perfection, but I’ll do my best to tilt the scale in that direction.
As I continue growing my platform as a speaker and mentor, I’ve picked up some invaluable pieces of guidance that have helped served me in my pursuits. For the sake of readership, I’ve broken them down into…
3 Crucial Principles to Maximizing Potential
- Let your guard down. Allow people to help you. And if you have to pay them, pay them. I can’t tell you how much time I wasted trying to become a website designer or fight manager. With enough time and resources, I’m sure I could’ve mastered those areas, but they weren’t my specialty. There were other people much more qualified to do the job. And yes, you pay out a portion of what you make, but a portion of a lot, is better than 100% of NADA.
- Don’t attribute something to malice that could’ve been a result of incompetence. I heard this on a podcast (Derek Halpern, I believe), and it summed me up well. I was so wound up in controlling and owning everything that I had built up this defensive mindset. Granted, MMA does indeed have some unworthy characters, as does life, but surely not everyone is out to get you. Some people just mess up. Some people just shouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. Don’t go screaming intentional deception until you have the facts.
- Stretch yourself. Get comfortable getting uncomfortable. I spoke on Sunday to a gymnasium full of 500 parents and wrestlers. I was nervous, of course. But I was well-prepared and qualified to be doing what I was doing. I’m not saying to go skydiving tomorrow. I’m saying to consistently put yourself juuuust beyond your comfort zone so you can grow through experience (Tim Ferriss even recommends lying down in a public setting for 10 seconds. No reason. Just to be uncomfortable). I had several key takeaways from Sunday’s talk; the most important that it’s tough to get a laugh from a gym full of anxious/nervous/focused wrestlers!
Try implementing these 3 principles into your daily life, and you will see results.
P.S. Am I going to have to start offering cash prizes and giveaways for comments on my blog??? :)
-Spaniard
About the author : cbrenneman
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Three days after the birth of his second child, The Spaniard discusses Fathership (a Spaniard term): his gratitude, his hopes, his plans, and how little he and his wife are sleeping. What does this mean for you? The tale involving Sheetz will make you think about the power of example. The discussion of summer camp and iffy acquaintances will help you watch for good and bad influences. The story in the hospital will alert you to opportunities to make simple, difficult decisions for growth. Whatever your relationship to parenting—past, present, future, never—there are thoughts here to help you put your arms around what matters most to you. Also: The three inspirations for the new baby’s name!
Three days after the birth of his second child, The Spaniard discusses Fathership (a Spaniard term): his gratitude, his hopes, his plans, and how little he and his wife are sleeping. What does this mean for you? The tale involving Sheetz will make you think about the power of example. The discussion of summer camp and iffy acquaintances will help you watch for good and bad influences. The story in the hospital will alert you to opportunities to make simple, difficult decisions for growth. Whatever your relationship to parenting—past, present, future, never—there are thoughts here to help you put your arms around what matters most to you. Also: The three inspirations for the new baby’s name!
Latest videos
It’s host versus co-host. The Spaniard finds competition essential while Dread questions that. The Spaniard gives a wrestler’s and fighter’s appreciation of flesh-and-blood opponents: how they have shaped him, how they have often obsessed him, and how he sometimes has to search for their equivalents. The conversation highlights how competitors personify high standards and how the highest performance might require a winner and a loser. Also: Will baby Rocky let The Spaniard work out?
It’s host versus co-host. The Spaniard finds competition essential while Dread questions that. The Spaniard gives a wrestler’s and fighter’s appreciation of flesh-and-blood opponents: how they have shaped him, how they have often obsessed him, and how he sometimes has to search for their equivalents. The conversation highlights how competitors personify high standards and how the highest performance might require a winner and a loser. Also: Will baby Rocky let The Spaniard work out?
It’s host versus co-host. The Spaniard finds competition essential while Dread questions that. The Spaniard gives a wrestler’s and fighter’s appreciation of flesh-and-blood opponents: how they have shaped him, how they have often obsessed him, and how he sometimes has to search for their equivalents. The conversation highlights how competitors personify high standards and how the highest performance might require a winner and a loser. Also: Will baby Rocky let The Spaniard work out?
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Great post! Your insights are so real and so personal that they hit home. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jim, I always appreciate the feedback. Your comments help!