I​f you're like most men, you want to compete at the highest level, but you don't want to spend years focusing on developing the skills necessary to get there.

"​I have a suspicion that most adults (75%+) could pick any skill—excluding sports—and work their way into the top 10% in the world simply by working exclusively on it every day for two years. But almost nobody displays that degree of focus, so we will never know." - James Clear.

Most of us are afraid to admit that we don't want to do the work, let go of our limiting beliefs, and walk down the unconventional path. 

W​e fear the opinions of our friends, family, and society.

W​hat happens when we leap without a safety net?

T​he True Path 

All of your life, you've been conditioned to follow a particular path. Your parents, teachers, and culture projected their fears, insecurities, and bad decisions onto you. These people say that they want you to do better than they did, but unconsciously their limitations hinder your growth.

Have you noticed how unhappy most people are?

Opportunity abounds in this world, yet your perceptions keep you from realizing your potential.

Most people spend too much time relying on cheap dopamine hits from screens and devices. They lack proper nutrition, physical activity, and purpose.

S​o, what does it take to reach that magical 1% of your chosen skill?

First, you must understand that attempting to intellectualize this pursuit as a statistic creates a mental barrier to taking action. Let go of the voice in your head telling you it's impossible.

T​here are more quality resources available now than at any time in history, but momentary distractions and external stimuli keep you cocooned in a life of comfort. 

N​ow that you're fully aware of the distractions blocking your path, you must remain vigilant in your battle against them. Let them flow through your mind as you recognize them as merely obstacles to achieving your dreams.

T​he First Step

T​he first step in acquiring your desired skill is learning. Learning is much more today than sitting in a classroom as you did as a kid. Specific online education is available for almost anything you wish to learn; watch videos, attend webinars, find a mentor, and follow the experts.

S​elf-education is the unconventional path to success that comes naturally to the curious-minded person. Everything is right in front of you, usually for free, but you must be willing to use it. 

Connections

W​hen you expose yourself to information, you also make connections. Connections are more than meeting like-minded people. It's learning to connect the dots from a set of resources.

W​hat are your go-to resources?

A B​ook

N​otice it's a singular book and not books plural. Reading too many books on a subject can be harmful to your progression. You get comfortable reading about a topic and are less likely to get started doing anything about it.

C​hoose a highly-rated or bestselling book in your area of interest. What you want from this book is a basic understanding or overview of the given subject. Your chosen book should provide connections to other, likely more up-to-date and valuable, resources.

S​ocial Media

W​ith your newfound broad view of a subject, it's time to find like-minded resources to follow.

S​tart by searching the social media platform of your choice with something like "Top accounts in (your subject)." 

Here's a helpful list of what each current social media platform provides:

• T​witter = writer

• I​nstagram = photographer

• T​ikTok = performer

• Y​ouTube = teacher

• L​inkedIn = professional

O​nce you find the top accounts in your subject area, curate a list where you only see the posts from the chosen accounts.

R​emember, this list is meant to create connections and opportunities. Keep it to 100 or less, or you will find yourself constantly chasing other people's opinions. Social media is an easy distraction, so understand its purpose and refrain from doomscrolling.

M​oderate your social media experience. Ideally, spend more time contributing than you do following. Commenting on others' accounts is the best way to grow and make connections.

L​ong-form Learning

L​ong-form resources are podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and videos. This resource is your rabbit hole of opportunity where you learn rapidly if your curiosity allows it. If watching hours' worth of jujitsu instructional videos and listening to multiple podcasts about choke holds is your thing, you may have discovered your passion.

Passionate Creation 

C​onnecting the dots between the information in your head and the real world drives a dopamine response. The resulting excitement from that dopamine is passion.

W​hat do you do with your passion?

U​se your passion for creating something. Write, speak, and teach about your passion to make sense of everything you're learning. The more you build using your passion, the more connections you'll make.

30-Day Test 

H​ow do you know if you should keep going? 

H​ere's where the rubber meets the road. Passion burns quickly, and most people quit after two weeks. Give yourself time to let your experience marinate, and don't give up easily. Commit to at least 30-days before evaluating whether or not you should keep going. 

I​t's okay if, while chasing your passion, you find an alternate skill you wish to master. It's part of the discovery process, and everything you learn along the way will only complement your new interest. 

Use this framework as a test to find the skill that you want to spend the rest of your life learning and perfecting. Once you find it, the distractions will fade as your passion leads to consistency. 

Consistency is the key to mastery.

A​nther. Male wellness where it counts.