Let me say this up front: I want to prevent Veteran suicides as much as anyone. It's a huge reason why this show exists.
But I won't do 22 pushups. I won't wear tee shirts or clothing with the number 22 on it, and I don't want anything to do with events that incorporate the number 22.
That's because I believe that it contributes to the problem.
I posted about this last week on Instagram and most people understood where I was coming from.
But I also got people accusing me of not talking about suicide because it makes me "uncomfortable." I also had people telling me that "no one will commit suicide because of a number."
That's not how it works.
Social proof is well studied. It states that when a group of people shares similarities with each other, those people are likely to mimic each other.
This concept has been used to great effect by marketers, psychologists, and the United States Military.
Social proof has also been shown to be linked to the increased likelihood of suicide.
Most famously, this link was discussed in Robert Cialdini's book Influence.
Cialdini's book is considered the seminal book on human persuasion. There is also other research to suggest a link between publicizing suicides and suicide rates.
Look, contrary to popular opinion, science never proves anything. Especially in social science, where variables are often questionable, statistical analyses can only tell us so much.
This has never been directly studied in terms of the Veteran Community, but the potential link has been shown over and over again in the civilian population.
So here's my point: if there's even a possibility that plastering the numer "22" everywhere could increase the likelihood that one of our brothers or sisters in arms would commit suicide, why would we continue to do it?
Does that mean we should turn our back on the issue? Absolutely not.
We still need to fight suicide, but we should do it by inspiring and teaching Veterans to truly live.
The more we hear about Veterans who are building businesses, becoming leaders in their communities, and running for office, the more we will turn social proof in our favor.
The more Veterans charities that switch their focus from creating "awareness" to building comradery, civic responsibility, leadership, and skillsets in our community, the more we will benefit.
No one kills themselves just because they heard someone else do it. There are many factors that go into that decision. But having it plastered everywhere makes it more of a possibility.
You are free to have your own opinions. What I've done here is present evidence for you to evaluate. I am not the lord and keeper of the Veteran Community.
But I do love this community with all of my heart, and for that reason, I will not be propagating the number 22 for any reason.
Vincent "Rocco" Vargas is a US Army Ranger Veteran, Entrepreneur, Actor, and Podcaster. He is currently playing Gilberto "Gilly" Lopez on the FX Series Mayans MC.
Vincent "Rocco" Vargas has a lot to say about the state of affairs in the US Military Veteran Community, and we should be listening.
He's been through the struggles that many Veterans have faced: the sleepless nights, the nightmares, the addictions, and divorce. He's spoken to thousands of Veterans about these struggles.
In the past, he dealt with these issues like many of us have: with humor. As an influencer, Vinny played the character "Rocco" on Matt Best's YouTube Channel. He was known as the "funny" guy.
But as Vinny says during this interview "dick and fart" jokes weren't cutting it anymore. Over the past two years, he's worked to cultivate a more serious image. Not for fame or fortune, but because he believes that it's what the Veteran Community needs.
He still loves humor. It takes the edge off of things. He still considers Matt Best and the rest of the guys great friends and he has the deepest of respect for what they've done together.
But now he's also working for a larger vision: to teach the Veteran Community that they are not victims and that they are capable of fostering strength, resilience, and prosperity in their civilian lives.
We discuss:
- Vinny's transition into serious acting
- why he no longer drinks alcohol
- the difference between the characters he's played and him as a person
- why family is the most important thing to him
- what his vision is for his future and for the future of the Veteran Community
- and a whole lot more
The Warrior Soul Podcast is sponsored by FBOMB Nutrition.
They make delicious and portable low carb fat-fueled snacks like Macadamia Nut Butter, Cheese Snacks, and Meat Sticks.
Get 20% off of your first order of FBOMBS by using the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout at http://www.dropanfbomb.com
Rob Jones is a US Marine Corps Veteran. He's ridden across country in the dead of winter on a bicycle. He's also run 31 marathons in 31 days.
Rob is a double above the knee amputee who lost both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan. In addition to the accomplishments listed above, Rob also earned the bronze medal in rowing for the US Paralympic Team.
Now Rob is running for a congressional seat to represent Virginia's 10th district in the US House of Representatives. We brought Rob on for the second time to speak about his life, his campaign, and where he sees this country going.
The Warrior Soul Podcast is sponsored by FBOMB Nutrition, makers of delicious high-fat low carb snacks. Get 20% off of your first order when you use the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout.
You can live in this world, you can just exist in it.
When you're just existing with no real purpose in mind, that's when you're aimless.
Contrary to popular belief, being aimless isn't something that just happens. You actually choose to be aimless.
That choice comes when you decide to take the easy road. In this episode, Chris discusses aimlessness and how you can avoid it by living a life of purpose and meaning.
This episode is brought to you by FBOMB Nutrition: Get 20% off of your first order of Fbombs by using the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout at www.dropanfbomb.com.
Dr. Kirk Parsley is a US Navy Seal and Medical Doctor.
Doc Parsley has been there and done that. Serving as an enlisted Navy Seal, he burned the candle at both ends for a long time. Like many who've served in the military, he was used to surviving on much less than the 7.5-9 hours of sleep that's recommended for health and vitality.
After his time in the Seal Teams, Doc Parsley chose yet another profession where sleep depravation was common: medicine. It was par for the course, and like most of us, Doc Parsley drove himself to tough it out.
Then Doc Parsley came back to the Seal Teams to serve as the Medical Officer for Naval Special Warfare Group One. That's when it hit him. The warriors he was caring for were often falling apart with hormone deficiencies, chronic injuries, and constant fatigue.
Being Seals, they "embraced the suck" and wore their sleep depravation like a red badge of courage, but it was heavily affecting their performance, health, and longevity in the teams.
Doc Parsley knew that the answer to most of their issues was adequate restorative sleep. Since then, he's become one of the world's foremost experts on sleep and performance. After leaving the Navy, he set up his own practice where he coaches high performers from around the world. He also invented a Sleep Remedy that provides the body with the raw materials it needs to induce restorative sleep.
In this interview, Doc Parsley delivers his advice to our community of military Veterans. We discuss why sleep is essential to performance and why you're fooling yourself if you think you're fine with less than 7.5 hours. In truth, you're creating lasting damage to your brain and your body.
To learn more about Doc Parsley, visit his web site at http://www.docparsley.com.
G. Michael Hopf is an apocalyptic author and Marine Corps Veteran. Much of his life before he began writing was an adventure. In addition to his time as a US Marine, G. Michael Hopf was a commercial diver and an executive protection agent who once guarded members of the Saudi Royal Family.
He credits his travels and the host of characters he met along his way with helping his own character development in his writing.
Today, his books have a massive following amongst apocalyptic fiction readers. He's authored close to 30 books including his best-selling New World Series.
In this episode we discuss his amazing story and how he went from the Marine Corp to becoming a best-selling novelist.
You'll learn:
- how he started writing
- how he develops his ideas and characters
- what it was like marketing his first book
- his advice for new writers
- and so much more
To follow G. Michael Hopf and keep up with his work head over to his web site at: https://www.gmichaelhopf.com
Your past doesn't make you special, whether you're a veteran or not. Serving in the military should be but one of the great things you do in your life, and if you haven't served, the great things in your past should be stepping stones to greener pastures.
Similarly, the bad things you've experienced in your life don't make you special either. This is life. At some point everyone experiences tragedy, hardship, and eventually, death.
What does make you special? How you choose to respond to the things that have happened to you. When you allow your experiences to make you stronger rather than break you.
This episode will help you start.
Nick Koumalatsos is a modern renaissance man.
He currently runs seven businesses. These include:
- Snap Fitness
- Ship on Site
- A Coffee Company
- Survival and Tactical Systems
- Miserable Cows
- Johnny Slicks Grooming
- The Raider Project
And he's seeing absolutely ridiculous growth, especially with Johnny Slicks, the hair grooming company he owns along side fellow Marine Corps Veteran Johnny Slicks.
In addition to that, Nick has authored several books about prep for Marine Corps Bootcamp, Recon selection, and MARSOC. His latest book, Excommunicated Warrior, is a guidebook for anyone going through transition in their lives.
On top of all this, he's a dedicated family man, devoted to his wife Alison, his daughters, and he's trying to have another baby.
In looking at Nick now, you might be fooled into thinking that everything came easy to him. That's definitely not the case.
After a wayward period in his youth, Nick had to fight to get into the Marine Corps. He also had to fight to regain control of his life after his discharge.
Like many Veterans, Nick went through problems with alcohol, depression, traumatic brain injury, and self-destructive and suicidal tendencies.
His book, Excommunicated Warrior, details how he slowly regained control of his life.
Nick came onto the show to discuss his life as a business and family man. This was an absolutely awesome conversation and you'll be sure to get a lot of motivation and hope if you're going through your own transition.
You'll learn:
- how Nick keeps his busy life in order
- why Nick relies so much on his team
- how Nick's immigrant heritage has influenced him
- the story behind how Nick partnered with Johnny Slicks
- why you can't be scared of falling flat on your face
- and so much more
To learn more about Nick's businesses click any of the links above.
To keep up with everything Nick is doing, check out his website at https://www.nickkoumalatsos.com
It doesn't matter who you are: at some point in your life, you're going to have to embrace the suck.
What's the suck? It's the hard times, when the world seems like it's working against you. Those times when you try something big and life get's really difficult. Those times when you face tragedy, hardship, and bad luck.
It's the suck, and you have to embrace it. Embrace the suck.
Why? Because it's those times that will make you or break you. When you embrace the suck, you're not just allowing bad times to happen to you, you're allowing them to make you stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
The more you can embrace the suck, the more success you'll have in life.
In this episode, I go into what I'm reading at the moment:
- Mastery by Robert Greene
In this book, Robert Greene explores the path to power that the great masters of the world took. It's the perfect book for those who are trying to find their way in life toward a significant goal.
Lessons:
- Mastery is a process that you need to be willing to undertake
- It can often include initial boredom and difficulty that most people don't get through
- Mastery starts with an apprenticeship phase that you need to go through in order to achieve it.
- True mastery comes through consistent work
- Why you should look at your work as a vocation
- It takes up to 10,000 hours of practice before you can achieve mastery at anything
To get your copy of Mastery: https://amzn.to/2oBfTmv
The Warrior Soul Podcast is sponsored by FBOMB Nutrition. Get 20% off of your first order of FBOMBs by heading over to http://www.dropanfbomb.com.
Bing West is an author, former Reagan Administration Undersecretary of Defense, and US Marine Corps Veteran of the Vietnam War. Recently, Mr. West coauthored Call Sign Chaos along with General Jim Mattis.
General Jim Mattis's recently released memoir, Call Sign Chaos, didn't cause the stir that the media hoped it would.
Rather than a tell-all about the Trump Administration, General Mattis and his co-author Bing West, decided to make the book the culmination of General Mattis's long career of service, and rightfully so.
This book is probably the most important memoir of a military leader of the past half-century, and it is a gold mine of information for those who want to learn how to lead effectively.
This week, I had the honor of having Bing West on the show to discuss the book, it's place in history, and what readers should take from it.
We discuss:
- Bing West's history as an author and as a US Marine
- The three levels of leadership: direct, executive, and strategic.
- how General Mattis learned his leadership habits
- how General Mattis's renegade background served him as a leader later on in life
- how General Mattis's singular focus on his job makes him unique
- and a whole lot more
To get your copy of Call Sign Chaos by Jim Mattis and Bing West, click the image.
To learn more about Bing West and his other books, head to https://westauthors.com/
Staying on the path to your goals isn't easy. The world presents countless shiny objects that can take you far away from where you ever wanted to end up.
Moving forward takes drive, focus, and a clear vision of where you want to go.
This episode will give steps for determining what your ultimate destination is, and how you can pursue that desired state without distraction.
Call Sign Chaos, is an outstanding book, but you wouldn't know it from the media response. In fact, most of the major news outlets seemed disappointed that General Mattis didn't give a "tell all" of his time as Secretary of Defense in the Trump Administration.
Despite the flat media response, Call Sign Chaos by General Jim Mattis and Bing West delivers on a much more important purpose: to provide a chronicle of the life of one of the United States' most important military leaders in history, along with the lessons he learned over his long career.
In a few weeks, we'll be bringing co-author Bing West onto the show to discuss the book. In preparation for that event, I thought it appropriate to cover six leadership lessons I learned from my first reading of it in this episode:
- seeing your mistakes as tuition payments
- leading isn't about you, it's about your impact on others
- becoming an opportunistic learner
- the importance of understanding history
- the vital importance of stepping back to see the big picture
- defining the problem and your desired outcome as clearly as possible
If you've read the book, be sure to let me know what you think of the episode on the Facebook post for this page.
If you haven't then be sure to get your copy at the link below:
If you liked this episode, be sure to check out:
https://warriorsoulagoge.com/podcast-show-notes/michael-reagan
Rhett Power is the co-founder of Wild Creations, a company that was named one of the "fastest growing companies" of 2010. He was a finalist for Ernst and Young's prestigious "Entrepreneur of the Year" award in 2011, and today he coaches top entrepreneurs from around the world.
But Rhett's outlook didn't always look so bright. Rhett struggled for several years to get his company off the ground and he was down to his "last tank of gas" and last few dollars just before his company took off.
This is the case for many new business owners, including myself. It's hard, difficult work, but it is worth it.
Rhett has since grown his life's mission to inspiring and advising new business owners. His book, The Entrepreneur's Book of Actions outlines a year's worth of daily practices for business owners trying to find their way.
Rhett came onto the show to discuss his life and his advice for our audience of Veterans, many of whom are seeking to start their own businesses.
We discuss:
- how Rhett went from startlingly close to failure to running a multi-million dollar company in just a few days
- why you shouldn't give up
- what new entrepreneurs should be spending their time on
- the similarities between product-based businesses and service businesses
- why success involves daily practices
To follow Rhett's show, Power Lunch Live, click here.
To get Rhett's book, click the image.
If you like this episode, check out these:
https://warriorsoulagoge.com/articles/robert-greene
https://warriorsoulagoge.com/podcast-show-notes/randall-grizzle
https://warriorsoulagoge.com/lifestyle/craig-ballantyne-unstoppable
There's a disturbing trend out there within our community - victims of victims.
These are people who consider themselves patriots who most of their time complaining about people who are complaining. Every time I sign onto social media, there's someone talking about how the other side is ruining America.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't point out things that are wrong, and I'm not saying that you shouldn't stand up for what you believe in.
But if you're spending your entire day composing tweets and Instagram posts to start meme wars, it's really not worth your time.
If you want to win the war for America's soul, then work harder, earn more, and put yourself into a position of leadership. You're not going to be able to change anything by complaining all day long.
Here's another episode you might like:
https://warriorsoulagoge.com/articles/mass-shootings
The quote above actually isn't from Ben Franklin, but it's been misattributed to him so often that it's contributed to his legend. Despite the misattribution, it is actually highly accurate.
Manhood isn't just about biology. It's also about how you carry yourself. Far too many men lose their zest for living by the time they hit their 30s. They no longer have the friendships they once had, surrender their ambition, and resign themselves to living a life that they never wanted to live.
In this Warrior Notes episode, we explore four factors that can help to revitalize you.
- Physical Fitness
- Hobbies
- Friendships
- Personal and household management
Starting a business isn't easy. In fact, entrepreneurship is one of the most difficult things you could ever do with your life. At the beginning, there will be months where you don't know where your next paycheck is going to come from, and there will be moments where you question whether or not you made the right choice.
But entrepreneurship can also reward you like few other things in life. There's so much empowerment that comes from being a master of your own fate and creating something out of nothing.
Our guests this week are Chris and Eric Martinez, from Dynamic Duo Training. In their business, they provide world-class online training services with safe, ethical, and healthy approaches, and they've built their fitness business from the ground up.
Now they're growing their mission to help other fitness entrepreneurs start their own online fitness businesses, and they came onto the show to deliver their insights to our audience of military veterans.
As you'll find out from this interview, success in any business is not guaranteed. Chris and Eric drove their success by educating themselves as much as possible through reading, research, and finding mentors to guide them along.
In this conversation, you'll learn:
- how Chris and Eric overcame one of the most difficult periods of their lives after the loss of their father
- how develop a vision for your business
- how to find mentors
- how to deal with the inevitable adversity that comes with a startup business
- how to build an online presence
- how to promote yourself over social media the right way
- how to find the right coaches
- how to build discipline into your life to work for yourself
If you like this episode, check out these:
Why Capitalism is Awesome with Matt Sapaula
The Greatest Salesman You Never Heard Of with Randall Grizzle
How to Master the Highest Paying Profession in the World with Charlie Cina
Everyone and their mother right now in the self-help world is keeping a gratitude journal: writing down three things that they're grateful for every day.
I've found this helpful in my life, to a point. You can only write down that you're grateful for your family, your health, and the weather so many times before it becomes a meaningless and repetitive exercise.
What I've found is that you have to find gratitude for the problems in your life as well. They're in front of you for a reason: to make you stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
This episode will take you through the ins and outs of keeping a gratitude journal that actually means something.
The Warriors Obituary Society
If you are a man who is searching for deeper meaning in life, consider joining our brotherhood, The Warrior's Obituary Society. This group empowers men to live epic lives worthy of epic obituaries. It consists of an 8 week development program centered on improving your fitness, finances, relationships, and impact on this world. From there, we continue the fight with weekly challenges, workouts, and guidance toward achieving your most valued goals. Learn more at https://courses.warriorbusinessacademy.com/courses/warrior-obituary/.
Support our amazing sponsor, FBOMB Nutrition, and get 20% off of your first order with the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout!
FBOMB makes delicious low carb fat fueled snacks including their amazing macadamia nut butters, oils, meat snacks, and cheese crisps.
They're also amazing people who send boxes of their products overseas to the troops on the front lines.
It's an amazing company and their products are top quality, which is why we have them as a sponsor.
You can also support the show by purchasing supplements from 1stPhorm. They make some of the best supplements in the world.
1stPhorm makes the greatest nutritional supplements in the world. Their Opti-Greens are the mainstay of my own micro-nutritional supplementation program. Whether you're looking to perform better, shed a few pounds, or look like a Greek God, their products will help you along on your way. Click here to shop now.
Many people live their entire lives without ever actually admitting to themselves what they really want to do.
Instead, they choose paths that were chosen for them by their parents, by society, or by their schools.
This, in my opinion, is why so many people end up unhappy. They wake up many years later living lives that they never actually wanted for themselves.
For those of you who are young, especially those who are just getting out of the military without being married, this episode will help in setting your perspective.
Your youth is a time when you should explore, take calculated risks, and try new things. You can live on a couch, travel the country, and take jobs that require you to travel.
The lesson: don't be so eager to settle into life. Take some time to figure out who you really are.
The Warriors Obituary Society
If you are a man who is searching for deeper meaning in life, consider joining our brotherhood, The Warrior's Obituary Society. This group empowers men to live epic lives worthy of epic obituaries. It consists of an 8 week development program centered on improving your fitness, finances, relationships, and impact on this world. From there, we continue the fight with weekly challenges, workouts, and guidance toward achieving your most valued goals. Learn more at https://courses.warriorbusinessacademy.com/courses/warrior-obituary/.
Support our amazing sponsor, FBOMB Nutrition, and get 20% off of your first order with the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout!
FBOMB makes delicious low carb fat fueled snacks including their amazing macadamia nut butters, oils, meat snacks, and cheese crisps.
They're also amazing people who send boxes of their products overseas to the troops on the front lines.
It's an amazing company and their products are top quality, which is why we have them as a sponsor.
You can also support the show by purchasing supplements from 1stPhorm. They make some of the best supplements in the world.
1stPhorm makes the greatest nutritional supplements in the world. Their Opti-Greens are the mainstay of my own micro-nutritional supplementation program. Whether you're looking to perform better, shed a few pounds, or look like a Greek God, their products will help you along on your way. Click the image below to shop now.
Interview begins: 07:52
Robert Greene is, in my opinion, the most important author of our time while also being one of the most misunderstood.
He is a five-time New York Times Best-Selling Author and his books are studied by celebrities, corporate leaders, and the highest echelons of the military, but this is not what makes his work so important.
Robert writes about the most important subject of our day: how to navigate the ins and outs of complicated human dynamics. In an increasingly interconnected world where we are practically staring over each others' shoulders through technology, understanding the concepts that Robert writes about is more important now than it ever was.
That is not to say that anything has truly changed. It's tempting to believe that we, as human beings, can evolve past our primal drive to tear each other down. Using examples throughout history in each of his works, Robert demonstrates that these tendencies have always been a constant and he shows that our modern times, if anything, have exacerbated the effects of these tendencies.
As I mentioned in the introductory paragraph, Robert is also highly misunderstood as an author. His first book, The 48 Laws of Power, was highly praised, but also highly criticized by some because they believed that he was reinforcing our most destructive and dark tendencies. But, as you will discover in this interview, Robert is highly driven to help people to live better lives by understanding the people around them, but more importantly, by understanding themselves.
The discussion in this interview is centered on Robert's latest book, The Laws of Human Nature, which is one of the most valuable books I have read in my life. Robert wants us to understand that we are not "angel-like" creatures descended from Heaven. We are highly capable of treachery, intrigue, and mayhem, and the more we understand this, the better off we'll be.
I also have to say this: I have had many New York Times Best-Selling Authors on this program. Few have brought the sheer passion and desire to help our audience that Robert brought to this interview. You will learn:
- how Robert found his way to becoming a book writer in his late 30s after holding nearly 80 jobs ranging from construction to private detective work
- why it's so important that we all become students of human nature
- how Robert organizes himself to undertake such massive writing projects
- why studying history is important for success in today's world
- why understanding your own human nature is so important to becoming successful
- why having your back against the wall with no other options is such a powerful situation to be in
- how admitting to your own mortality and the shortness of life can help you to live a better life
- how to approach Roberts books to get the most out of them
- why owning a cat can help you to better understand the world
Read Books By Robert Greene
Robert Green's Blog: Power, War, and Seduction
Growing up, many of us are taught to have something to fall back on. A fail-safe in case our plans for life don't go exactly as planned.
This can be a useful strategy, but sometimes having a fall back plan can shoot you in the foot. Some of the most successful people found their footing when there were no other options.
This episode will discuss when it's appropriate for you to "burn the ships." This phrase refers to a story about Hernan Cortes. He had aspirations to conquer Mexico, but his men were fearful. They wanted to sail back to Cuba where there was an established settlement.
Sensing the anxiety in his men, Cortes secretly ordered that his ships be destroyed. His men found him out, but by that point, the ships had already been destroyed. He told his men that they could either be lords of Mexico, or they could sit there and die.
Focused and motivated to avoid death, his men fell into line, and Cortes conquered Mexico with just a few hundred men.
I learned this strategy from Robert Greene's 33 Strategies of War. I recently spoke to him in an interview for the Warrior Soul Podcast, and it will be published on September 16.
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to the Warrior Soul Podcast and writing us a five-star rating and review on itunes. It really helps with getting this information into the hands of more Veterans and hard-charging civilians who are looking to get the most out of life. If you want to pay us the highest compliment, please share this episode out to someone who can use it.
Also, if you liked this episode, you'll probably also like these:
How to Get Through Hell, Smash Anxiety, and Become Unstoppable - Craig Ballantyne
How to Become More Productive with Yannis Pantelis
The Warriors Obituary Society
If you are a man who is searching for deeper meaning in life, consider joining our brotherhood, The Warrior's Obituary Society. This group empowers men to live epic lives worthy of epic obituaries. It consists of an 8 week development program centered on improving your fitness, finances, relationships, and impact on this world. From there, we continue the fight with weekly challenges, workouts, and guidance toward achieving your most valued goals. Learn more at https://courses.warriorbusinessacademy.com/courses/warrior-obituary/.
Support our amazing sponsor, FBOMB Nutrition, and get 20% off of your first order with the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout!
FBOMB makes delicious low carb fat fueled snacks including their amazing macadamia nut butters, oils, meat snacks, and cheese crisps.
They're also amazing people who send boxes of their products overseas to the troops on the front lines.
It's an amazing company and their products are top quality, which is why we have them as a sponsor.
You can also support the show by purchasing supplements from 1stPhorm. They make some of the best supplements in the world.
1stPhorm makes the greatest nutritional supplements in the world. Their Opti-Greens are the mainstay of my own micro-nutritional supplementation program. Whether you're looking to perform better, shed a few pounds, or look like a Greek God, their products will help you along on your way. Click the image below to shop now.
Many people overcomplicate productivity.
They invest in expensive programs and planners, set up complicated systems, and at the end of the day, they set themselves up for failure.
And when we fail, if we feel like we wasted a day or didn’t get everything done that we would have liked to, we can often fall into a negative thought pattern that leads to depression.
Beyond this, the thoughts of what we should have done stay trapped in our minds. This tends to increase anxiety, interrupt our sleep, and in turn, translates to more lack of productivity the next day.
So one of the biggest factors in getting you to live a happier, healthier, and freer life, ironically, is by disciplining yourself to get those most important tasks in your life done in a timely and efficient manner.
But knowing this, where do most people go wrong?
It starts by understanding this: we chronically overestimate the amount of stuff we can do in a 24 hour period.
Essentially, we stuff so much into our workdays that we get overwhelmed and overwhelm leads to procrastination.
Generally, when you find yourself mindlessly scrolling on social media when you should be working, it’s not because you’d rather be looking at Instagram.
It’s because you just don’t know what to do at that moment.
So the biggest factor in avoiding procrastination is to make it as clear as possible what you’re going to be working on.
So what I want to do here in this episode is to give you a few best practices that you can implement right here and right now after you listen to this show to help you avoid procrastination and get more done in your day.
I’ll also include photographs of my daily planner in the show notes so you can see what I’m talking about.
You don’t need an expensive planner, just get yourself a notebook. It can be a green monster, like those we used in the Corps, or it can be a moleskin. - Planning - You need to set time aside to plan your months, your weeks, and your days.
- On the last Sunday of every month, I plan the month ahead. I just number the days on a single page, and I use it as a radar. Any big events or deadlines I have for that month, I note there next to the number corresponding with the date.
- Each week, on Sunday, I plan out the next 6 days. I do this by making six boxes on a page. Then I separate my tasks based on the day. For example, I Mondays are my writing days, that’s when I draft out episodes for the podcast, Tuesdays are the days when I record my solo episodes, I use Wednesdays to write out show notes, Thursdays I work on building new products, and on Fridays and Saturdays I handle podcast planning and calls with clients. Separating tasks like this keeps me from overloading too much in any given day.
- Each night before I finish work, I plan the next day by writing out the tasks I need to accomplish. I work in two blocks of time. In the early morning, I’ll work on my hardest tasks - creative work that I need to do for the show. Then at 11AM each day, I put on my workout clothes, train for an hour, and then I return to work. In the afternoons, I handle tasks that take less brain power, like phone calls and administrative tasks like posting videos or blogs. One very important thing that I do each day is I make it a point to connect with one important person from my network each day. That’s normally a note, an email, or a call just to check on them to see how they’re doing.
- Calendar, once everything is written in my journal, I put everything into my mobile calender and I stick to the schedule there.
- Flexibility - One big thing we all know is that any plan, even the best of them, are subject to change. Inevitably there’s going to be something that comes up like an emergency or a fire you’ve got to put out. What’s important here is that you don’t get discouraged. So when I’m setting up my calendar for the day, I ensure that I include buffer time. This is time for transition from one task to another where I can catch up. I make sure that I have at least an hour of buffer time at the end of each day to close open loops.
- Solo hour - one thing I learned as a squad leader in the Marine Corps was to be up at least an hour before any of my Marines. That gave me time to get myself straight, get my gear ready, and think. When my Marines finally got up, I could then be present to advise them and lead. I do the same thing today. I wake up at least an hour before anyone in my house is up. My clients aren’t awake, no one is trying to get in touch with me, and this gives me time to meditate, read, pray, and get my mind ready for the day ahead.
- Finally, when I’m working on something, I do everything possible to get rid of all distractions. I avoid social media unless it’s a scheduled slot for me to interact or post. I turn my phone on airplane mode, and I run an app called Brain FM that plays focus music to help me concentrate, be more creative, and calm my nerves.
Above all, the absolute key to success with this process is this: prioritizing your life. One thing we do as human beings too much is going after shiny objects that distract us from what we truly want to do. If you’re going after several different big goals, then your focus won’t be where it should be. Pick one main focus each month when it comes to your goals and focus on that.
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to the Warrior Soul Podcast and writing us a five-star rating and review on itunes. It really helps with getting this information into the hands of more Veterans and hard-charging civilians who are looking to get the most out of life. If you want to pay us the highest compliment, please share this episode out to someone who can use it.
Also, if you liked this episode, you'll probably also like these:
How to Get Through Hell, Smash Anxiety, and Become Unstoppable - Craig Ballantyne
How to Become More Productive with Yannis Pantelis
The Warriors Obituary Society
If you are a man who is searching for deeper meaning in life, consider joining our brotherhood, The Warrior's Obituary Society. This group empowers men to live epic lives worthy of epic obituaries. It consists of an 8 week development program centered on improving your fitness, finances, relationships, and impact on this world. From there, we continue the fight with weekly challenges, workouts, and guidance toward achieving your most valued goals. Learn more at https://courses.warriorbusinessacademy.com/courses/warrior-obituary/.
Support our amazing sponsor, FBOMB Nutrition, and get 20% off of your first order with the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout!
FBOMB makes delicious low carb fat fueled snacks including their amazing macadamia nut butters, oils, meat snacks, and cheese crisps.
They're also amazing people who send boxes of their products overseas to the troops on the front lines.
It's an amazing company and their products are top quality, which is why we have them as a sponsor.
You can also support the show by purchasing supplements from 1stPhorm. They make some of the best supplements in the world.
1stPhorm makes the greatest nutritional supplements in the world. Their Opti-Greens are the mainstay of my own micro-nutritional supplementation program. Whether you're looking to perform better, shed a few pounds, or look like a Greek God, their products will help you along on your way. Click the image below to shop now.
Craig Ballantyne is a Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author, creator of the Perfect Day Formula, and advisor to some of the world's greatest entrepreneurs.
He's also widely touted as The World's Most Productive Man, and if you take a look at what he's been able to build you would agree.
At a young age, he turned his personal training business into a multi-million dollar online business empire. Since then, he's gone on to advise some of the most successful entrepreneurs both in the fitness world and in other industries including Bedros Keulian and Vince Del Monte.
But there was a point where Craig was suffering big-time from the paralyzing effects of anxiety. His first attack happened when he was in the best shape of his life. He was working out and running almost every day and he had six-pack abs, but for six-months, he constantly felt like he was having a heart attack.
He decided he needed to do something about it, so he set about reading everything he could to make it stop. Then he integrated systems and structures into his daily life to allow himself to become happier, healthier, more productive, more successful and ultimately more fulfilled.
His latest book Unstoppable: How to Get Through Hell, Overcome Anxiety, and Dominate in Business and Life shows you how you can integrate these practices and overcome anxiety for good.
For many Veterans and hard-charging civilians, anxiety is a crippling factor that keeps them from being their absolute best. If you're dealing with crippling anxiety, this episode and Craig's book will help you by delivering simple practices that you can begin to implement immediately.
You'll learn:
- How to use simple breathing techniques to calm yourself down
- How nutrition plays a role in easing anxiety
- Why doing too much exercise can actually cause more anxiety
- How consuming alcohol can disrupt the restorative processes in your body that can help ease anxiety
- How you can get the benefits of meditation and yoga by starting with as little as a few minutes a day
- Why having structure and discipline in your life is so important to reducing anxiety
And so much more. Craig really brought his top game to this episode and you will not be disappointed.
[caption id="attachment_12760" align="alignleft" width="249"]
Click the image to get a free copy of Unstoppable[/caption]
I highly suggest that you get both of Craig's books and that you sign up for his newsletter at www.craigballantyne.com. He delivers a free 90-day blueprint to each of his subscribers, and I can tell you from personal experience that Craig's writing is awesome. His blog was a huge influence on me and it helped me to get Warrior Soul Agoge off the ground by teaching me how to structure my day and get the most out of every minute.
You can get a free copy of Unstoppable from Craig's site by clicking the image on this page.
Additionally, you should definitely take a look at Craig's blog Early to Rise at www.earlytorise.com.
If you liked this episode and found it helpful, please consider sharing it with someone else who could benefit. Also please consider writing a five-star rating and review for the Warrior Soul Podcast. These actions help us to get this information into the hands of more Veterans and people who are seeking to live their absolute best lives.
Additionally, here are some other episodes that you may find helpful:
How to Beat Anxiety with Kevin Ashworth
Don't Take Refuge in Anxiety with Chris Albert
The Warriors Obituary Society
If you are a man who is searching for deeper meaning in life, consider joining our brotherhood, The Warrior's Obituary Society. This group empowers men to live epic lives worthy of epic obituaries. It consists of an 8 week development program centered on improving your fitness, finances, relationships, and impact on this world. From there, we continue the fight with weekly challenges, workouts, and guidance toward achieving your most valued goals. Learn more at https://courses.warriorbusinessacademy.com/courses/warrior-obituary/.
Support our amazing sponsor, FBOMB Nutrition, and get 20% off of your first order with the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout!
FBOMB makes delicious low carb fat fueled snacks including their amazing macadamia nut butters, oils, meat snacks, and cheese crisps.
They're also amazing people who send boxes of their products overseas to the troops on the front lines.
It's an amazing company and their products are top quality, which is why we have them as a sponsor.
You can also support the show by purchasing supplements from 1stPhorm. They make some of the best supplements in the world.
1stPhorm makes the greatest nutritional supplements in the world. Their Opti-Greens are the mainstay of my own micro-nutritional supplementation program. Whether you're looking to perform better, shed a few pounds, or look like a Greek God, their products will help you along on your way. Click the image below to shop now.
Interview begins at 08:15
Life is difficult. Whenever we try to do anything that is meaningful or difficult, obstacles tend to beseech us from every corner.
This makes it easy to create a victim mentality, where you believe that the world is just trying to get in your way.
But the truth is that the world owes us nothing. It's not coming after you, but you can't expect the world to bend over backward just because you're trying to do something meaningful to you.
Ask yourself, "am I really doing everything I need to do to get to where I want to go?"
Being truthful here means the difference between massive success and total failure.
In this episode, we discuss practical steps you can take to get yourself out of victim mode and back onto the battlefield so that you can fight for what you want.
The Warrior Soul Podcast empowers US Military Veterans, and anyone else willing to listen, to live their absolute best lives by delivering tools, tactics, strategies, and ideas to help them to become stronger, smarter, and more capable humans.
Please support the show by sharing these episodes out and by writing us a rating and review on itunes. Click the image to subscribe and leave a review.
The Warriors Obituary Society
If you are a man who is searching for deeper meaning in life, consider joining our brotherhood, The Warrior's Obituary Society. This group empowers men to live epic lives worthy of epic obituaries. It consists of an 8 week development program centered on improving your fitness, finances, relationships, and impact on this world. From there, we continue the fight with weekly challenges, workouts, and guidance toward achieving your most valued goals. Learn more at https://courses.warriorbusinessacademy.com/courses/warrior-obituary/.
Support our amazing sponsor, FBOMB Nutrition, and get 20% off of your first order with the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout!
FBOMB makes delicious low carb fat fueled snacks including their amazing macadamia nut butters, oils, meat snacks, and cheese crisps.
They're also amazing people who send boxes of their products overseas to the troops on the front lines.
It's an amazing company and their products are top quality, which is why we have them as a sponsor.
You can also support the show by purchasing supplements from 1stPhorm. They make some of the best supplements in the world.
1stPhorm makes the greatest nutritional supplements in the world. Their Opti-Greens are the mainstay of my own micro-nutritional supplementation program. Whether you're looking to perform better, shed a few pounds, or look like a Greek God, their products will help you along on your way. Click the image below to shop now.
August was a tough month. After attending a memorial service for a friend who passed away, another friend, the man who organized that service, passed away suddenly.
Several days later, I got stricken with sickness: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Virus.
Beyond that, business hadn't quite been going as expected and I faced dire financial circumstances.
Angry, sad, and in a high degree of pain, I began searching for answers. This is why I began reading Viktor Frankl's classic book, Man's Search for Meaning.
The book details Frankl's 3-year experience in a Nazi concentration camp and how he survived by finding meaning in his captivity. It also explores how he dealt with life after he was freed when he learned that his wife, unborn child, and his entire family were murdered.
The truth is that none of us are immune to suffering. We all face tragedy, hardship, and ultimately death. The key to life is in how we choose to deal with our suffering.
Do we allow it to break us? Or do we allow it to make us stronger, wiser, and more capable humans?
These are the important themes discussed in this amazing book, and we explore them in this week's Warrior Notes Episode.
To purchase Man's Search for Meaning on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MT10XI
When you use this link, a small portion of your purchase will go toward funding the Warrior Soul Podcast.
The Warrior Soul Podcast empowers US Military Veterans, and anyone else willing to listen, to live their absolute best lives by delivering tools, tactics, strategies, and ideas to help them to become stronger, smarter, and more capable humans.
Please support the show by sharing these episodes out and by writing us a rating and review on itunes.
The Warrior Soul Podcast is made possible with the help of our sponsors at FBOMB Nutrition. Get 20% off of your first order of FBOMBS when you use the code WARRIORSOUL at checkout at www.dropanfbomb.com.