The Simplest Success Principle Most People Aren’t Doing (2409)

In today’s episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan challenge one of the biggest mistakes in personal growth. Most people do not fail because they lack information. They fail because they ignore the small actions that create real progress over time.

Drawing from their own experience, coaching patterns, and years of helping people improve, they explain why consistency beats intensity, why clear goals sharpen your awareness, and why better results start with better questions. This episode is a grounded reminder that growth is rarely loud, but it is always earned. Press play and see what your excuses do when real standards show up.

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Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session

Join our private Facebook community, “Next Level Nation,” to grow alongside people who are committed to improvement. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700

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NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

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Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

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Show notes:
(1:52) Why simple progress gets ignored
(5:59) The math behind tiny daily gains
(8:23) What 0.1 percent improvement means
(13:02) Improve or get left behind
(17:47) Building systems for constant feedback
(19:47) Ask a better question every day
(20:27) Identify and solve the real constraint
(25:43) Start with health, wealth, and love
(29:40) Goals change what you notice
(31:02) Outro

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

Transcript

Kevin Palmieri

(0:00) Simple is not necessarily easy, and I feel like we get into this complicated land where we overcomplicate things because a very, very, very, very small progression does not feel like it is meaningful. (0:15) And we fall into these, I'm going to try to make 100% progress today, and then tomorrow I'm going to take off completely, and then I'll come back with 75% progress, and we don't understand that those stops and starts are literally the thing that's holding us back from accomplishing our goals. (0:31) I reviewed yesterday's episode, and while I do think it was extremely valuable, we are here for listeners that listen to this show every day.(0:39) We're going to do even better today. (0:40) Welcome to Next Level University. (0:43) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri.(0:45) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazarus. (0:48) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven but no BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dream chasers. (0:54) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.(1:01) We bring you a new episode every single day on topics like confidence, self-belief, self-worth, self-awareness, relationships, boundaries, consistency, habits, and defining your own unique version of success. (1:17) Self-improvement, in your pocket, every day, from anywhere, completely free. (1:23) Welcome to Next Level University.(1:29) Next Level Nation, today for episode number 2409, the simplest success principle most people aren't doing. (1:37) Here's why most people aren't doing it. (1:39) Because it is so seemingly small, and so seemingly invisible, that it doesn't seem like it's doing anything at all.(1:52) You can go listen to 20 minutes of a book right now. (1:55) Very little is going to happen. (1:57) Maybe nothing.(1:59) Maybe it's just the beginning. (2:00) Maybe it's just the first 20 minutes. (2:01) The foreword and all that shit.(2:04) You might not learn a single thing. (2:07) But tomorrow, if you come back, you'll compound on that first 20 minutes. (2:11) All right, now you're 40 minutes in.(2:13) You do that first. (2:14) What's something useful you learned recently? (2:15) My goodness.(2:17) Oh, ooh, ooh. (2:19) Don't listen to Influence by Robert Cialdini unless you're ready for some shit you can't unlearn. (2:27) After celebrity and or well-known figures commit suicide, more people statistically commit suicide.(2:38) After well-known people commit suicide, more people ... (2:45) No, not commit suicide. (2:46) Die, more people die, statistically speaking.

Alan Lazaros

(2:49) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:50) It's influence. (2:51) I don't like it. (2:53) Yeah, the tribal leadership aspect.(2:56) That's heavy. (2:56) Well, a piece of it too was just the suicide piece is somebody sees it happen, and they're like, oh, you know what? (3:06) I've been waiting on a time to do this.(3:07) Now's the time. (3:08) That's unfortunate, obviously. (3:10) But the other one is if somebody dies in a car crash, there's a far higher probability that you'll die in a car crash.(3:18) It's like, I don't fucking understand that really. (3:22) Okay. (3:23) Thank you for sharing.(3:24) You're welcome. (3:25) We could talk about that for sure, which I would love to, but we're not going to. (3:28) You had a website way back, BEFD.(3:33) And I picked up on it because better every fucking day was a mantra that I absolutely resonated with 10 out of 10. (3:44) Better every fucking day, BEFD. (3:49) Tell us about the website and why you started it.(3:54) You want to know why I started it or why I stopped it immediately after? (3:57) I'll start with the start first. (3:58) Yeah.(3:59) I don't know. (4:01) I have no idea why I started it. (4:04) It's useless information.(4:05) I was really good friends with my ex-girlfriend at the time, and we got along really well. (4:12) And we were. (4:12) After we broke up, we became friends and never crossed the line again.(4:15) We were just friends. (4:16) We just became really good friends. (4:18) And we were both into fitness, and we were both into mindset and motivation, and that just came up.(4:23) We were like, let's start a company. (4:25) Company, quote unquote. (4:26) And we'll call it BEFD, better every fucking day.(4:29) We'll have a blog. (4:30) We're going to have clothes. (4:32) We're going to do the whole thing.(4:33) We'll make the website. (4:34) And then we did that and then realized very quickly, this is way more than I thought it was going to be. (4:40) This is way more.(4:42) So I was better every fucking day for eight days, and then that was it. (4:47) That was the end of it. (4:49) It's very motivational, isn't it?(4:51) Yeah, yeah, yeah. (4:52) The truth is, I was somebody that was very into fitness, and I think I was motivational at the time. (4:59) I was posting stuff on social media.(5:00) I was doing a lot of Snapchat stuff. (5:02) I was trying to motivate people. (5:03) I was coaching people without even knowing I was coaching people.(5:07) And that was kind of my thought, is with fitness particularly, you just get a little bit better every day. (5:13) Just a little bit. (5:14) Just a little bit better every day.(5:16) But I didn't have the personal development 1% improvement. (5:21) That wasn't a thing at that point for me though. (5:23) Okay.(5:24) I picked up on that. (5:25) That was 2016. (5:29) Are you saying that for certain?(5:31) I don't even know how I would find out. (5:32) I'm pretty sure that was in 2016. (5:35) I think it was earlier than that, no?(5:37) Yeah, maybe. (5:38) You did a Facebook Live, and the Facebook Live you said was in 2016. (5:44) Was it earlier than that?(5:45) I don't know. (5:46) It must have been around the same time because I remember I did hashtag BEFD. (5:49) So yeah, probably 2015, 2016.(5:51) I saw that, and you said you don't deserve to be happy. (5:54) Yeah. (5:55) You only deserve what you work for.(5:58) Nice. (5:59) Okay. (5:59) So at Next Level Live, I pulled up a slide that showed $1 in a financial calculator for 50 years.(6:07) So this time I'm going to unpack it. (6:09) Okay? (6:09) Check this out.

Alan Lazaros

(6:10) Ready?

Kevin Palmieri

(6:11) 365 days a year.

Alan Lazaros

(6:12) Okay.

Kevin Palmieri

(6:13) For 50 years, 18,000 days. (6:18) Ooh, hold on. (6:20) 18,500.(6:21) One sec. (6:22) One sec. (6:23) One sec.(6:24) 365 times 50, 18,250. (6:28) 18,250 days. (6:29) Okay.(6:30) Cool. (6:31) So $1 growing by 0.1%, which is one-tenth of one percent. (6:35) One-tenth of a penny percent.(6:37) One-tenth of a penny. (6:38) My camera's doing the damn thing. (6:40) So if you're on YouTube, I apologize.(6:42) Now, if you take weekends off, it's 52 times 5, which is 260 times 50, which is 13,000. (6:51) Oh, shit. (6:51) Okay.(6:52) So if you take weekends off, you're ready. (6:56) So if you don't take weekends off and you get better by 0.1%, you grow that dollar by 0.1% per day. (7:03) Better every fucking day.

Alan Lazaros

(7:03) Okay.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:04) How much does it come to? (7:05) 78 million. (7:06) No, 84.(7:07) Shit.

Alan Lazaros

(7:08) 84. (7:08) God, closer though. (7:09) Closer than I've ever been.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:10) This is the last weekend, man. (7:10) Yeah, brother. (7:11) I was cooked.(7:12) 84 million. (7:13) 84 million. (7:14) It's at 83.5. I round up. (7:16) I have very little confidence in my second answer. (7:20) All right. (7:21) Now, if I get a little better every day, I end up with 84 million in this metaphor, and you end up with what if you take weekends off?(7:32) 78,000? (7:34) No, it's four. (7:36) All right.(7:37) Listen, I'm making a fucking t-shirt and I'm going to give you one. (7:40) It's going to say 191X on the front and on the back, it's going to say, don't ask. (7:45) Now, on the back, it's going to have the math, or maybe the front will have the math.(7:47) I'm not sure. (7:48) Here's my point. (7:50) It's 84 million if you get better every day.(7:54) So Kevin's mantra, better every fucking day, if you actually do that and don't do it just for eight days like he did, it's 84 million. (8:01) If you take weekends off, and that doesn't even mean you get worse, it just means you coast on the weekends, meaning you stay the same on the weekends. (8:07) It only becomes $439,000.(8:11) So if I do every day and you take weekends off, I have 191 times the outcome. (8:18) Give me this. (8:19) Riddle me this.(8:21) Nice. (8:21) How do you... (8:23) So we say in Atomic Habits, it's 1% improvements.(8:27) Yeah. (8:28) Which is extremely unrealistic in the long run. (8:29) Yes, of course.(8:31) To the episode we did yesterday, or the day before, the 1% when you first get started is totally doable. (8:39) If you go from not being in the gym ever to starting to weight train, you can 1% that thing for the whole year, and you will end up 37 times better. (8:49) In data...(8:50) Say somebody's out there, they've been reading books, and they have been tracking habits, and they're exercising. (8:55) What is an actual tangible 0.1% improvement? (8:58) And what does that look like?(9:00) Okay. (9:01) Getting a new toothbrush that is much nicer. (9:06) Give me productivity.(9:08) Productivity. (9:09) I just bought a 75-inch TV. (9:13) It's right behind me.(9:16) And I have way more digital real estate to be way more productive. (9:20) Give me a more sustainable one. (9:22) Smaller.(9:24) You think it's unsustainable to buy a new toothbrush? (9:27) No, no, but that's not productivity.

Alan Lazaros

(9:29) Okay. (9:29) Give me productivity.

Kevin Palmieri

(9:30) Okay. (9:31) I have bidets, so I don't have to wipe my butt. (9:34) Nice.(9:35) Perfect. (9:35) Yeah, it's great. (9:36) It's awesome.(9:37) That's wonderful. (9:37) That's the way. (9:39) I don't expect you to go out and get a bidet.(9:42) Why not? (9:42) If you haven't optimized your journal yet, hypothetically. (9:46) No, no, no.(9:47) It's a principle. (9:49) Next-level bidet systems. (9:51) No, we don't sell bidets, and we're not going to.(9:54) Kev, you can on the side if you want to. (9:55) Thank you. (9:56) The truth is, another example is, next year, I'm going to get the new iPhone.(10:02) And every day, that will be a 0.1% every day because it's faster. (10:07) But give me, like, when you wake up, not you, the collective, when you wake up, how do you know what to fucking do? (10:12) Give me a tangible takeaway, like a tactic.(10:16) Okay, when you're flossing your teeth in the morning. (10:18) Jesus, productivity. (10:20) Uh, okay, okay, okay.(10:21) Hold on, hold on, hold on. (10:24) All right, here's one. (10:25) You're listening to your book, and you put it on 1.1 instead of 1.0 speed. (10:32) So you get a little bit better. (10:34) But now, it can't affect your retention if it affects your retention. (10:38) So for me, I like to keep it on 1 because I'm doing a bunch of other stuff, and I don't want…(10:42) I like to think in between what it's saying. (10:46) So I purposely don't do that, but that's not the point. (10:50) If you bump from 1 to 1.1, you can read more in less time. (10:53) That's a good example. (10:54) Okay. (10:54) But you should be doing that with everything.(10:56) And I say should. (11:01) Is there anything where you wouldn't benefit from doing that? (11:04) No, the answer is no.(11:05) No, yeah, I agree. (11:06) I told Kev this. (11:08) I said I send him…(11:09) There's this awesome Instagram. (11:10) I actually don't even know. (11:11) History something.(11:12) But it sends me all this tech stuff from back in the day. (11:15) N64, Super Nintendo, the first Game Boy, old movies. (11:20) Just…(11:20) And I send things to you because I want to remind Kevin all the time, Hey, keep getting better. (11:27) Keep getting better. (11:28) Keep getting better.(11:29) The whole world. (11:30) This is the problem. (11:32) I'll speak just for career.(11:34) For… (11:34) In your professional life. (11:37) Dude, remember back in the fucking early 90s when Wolverine was super jacked?(11:42) And now it shows him and it's like, he doesn't even lift. (11:46) I remember when I used to watch American Pie, my buddy and I thought Sean William Scott Stifler was the most jacked. (11:52) We were like, oh, he's so jacked.(11:55) Not even at all. (11:57) Not even a little bit. (11:57) Not even a little bit.(11:58) Not even remotely jacked. (12:00) Average male. (12:01) Has he ever lifted ever?(12:03) Yeah. (12:03) No, I don't think so. (12:04) But that's what happens over time is…(12:09) Dude, you just mentioned the marathon or two hours and whatever. (12:13) Dude, the record 20 years ago was probably way… (12:17) He broke the record.(12:18) 20 year ago record? (12:19) For sure. (12:20) He broke the record.(12:21) This is the… (12:22) All industries do this. (12:25) So another good example of this is like the first cell phones.(12:28) Did I send you that? (12:28) I sent you the first cell phone that could take a picture. (12:31) It was a commercial.(12:32) I don't think I've seen it yet. (12:33) Damn. (12:34) I sent it to you on Instagram.(12:35) I'm pretty sure. (12:36) If not, I definitely sent it to you, Amelia. (12:37) It's the first time that a cell phone could take a picture and send it.(12:42) It's awful. (12:43) I believe it. (12:44) Horrible.(12:44) But back then that was amazing. (12:47) And I, again, I know that you want tangibles. (12:50) So let's go back to tangibles.(12:53) Your life… (12:54) This is the point. (12:55) If you're not getting better at everything every day, you're actually getting worse because the world is getting better.(13:02) People said AI will replace jobs. (13:04) No, people who use AI will replace jobs. (13:07) So if you don't know how to use AI, you're in trouble.(13:09) You have to learn how to use it. (13:11) You have to. (13:12) This is not like my opinion.(13:13) You're in so much trouble if you don't get on board. (13:16) Now, smart home. (13:19) The U.S. is behind. (13:22) China has more smart homes. (13:23) Okay, awesome, whatever. (13:25) The point I'm making with this is you should look back at your old self and think you were wildly lazy, wildly unproductive, wildly out of shape, wildly terrible nutrition.(13:35) You should always look at the past versions of yourself and be alarmed at how bad it was in comparison to now. (13:41) So I'm Alan version 3.7. If I look back at me at 27, it's like, oh my goodness, dude, I wish I could coach me, man. (13:50) Holy shit.(13:51) But that's not how it works. (13:53) So now go in to Alan at 47 and say, okay, what would Alan 4.7 tell me now? (13:58) Okay, stop doing that stupid shit.(14:00) So that's how you coach yourself all the time is you should be getting better year over year. (14:05) Oh, you should be getting better every single day. (14:07) Better every fucking day.(14:08) Commitment to constant and never ending improvement. (14:10) 0.1% improvement in your pocket from anyone on the planet. (14:12) Every single day, completely free.(14:13) That's next level university. (14:14) Next level you, not next level Kevin, not next level Alan, next level you. (14:18) That's why we do an episode every day.(14:19) We're not doing this for our health. (14:21) We do an episode every day because it's how you get better. (14:25) Well, then we enjoy it.(14:29) You don't enjoy it? (14:29) No, I've been enjoying it, but not always. (14:32) No.(14:32) No, I don't always enjoy it, but like, I love the... (14:34) When I'm done, I'm always happy I did it. (14:36) Yeah, always glad I did.(14:37) But it's meaningful. (14:38) Yeah. (14:39) Well, yeah, but there's meaning to it.(14:41) I'm fulfilled by it. (14:42) Like when I say I enjoy it, I definitely don't always in the moment like, oh yeah, this is awesome.

Alan Lazaros

(14:47) No.

Kevin Palmieri

(14:48) Do you... (14:49) Every episode we should have a 0.1 takeaway. (14:52) Always.(14:52) Well, we are as guilty of not falling off this, but not talking about it as much as we used to. (14:59) We used to do most important win, most important win, most important win, most important improvement. (15:04) And then life happens, and then business happens, and then where it's like, well, we need a most important win and most important improvement for this department because this has to happen in order for the goals to happen.(15:13) And then things get very wonky. (15:15) But we still do it. (15:16) We still do the 0.1% improvement. (15:17) At the end of every episode, I say, wrap this up. (15:19) And you'd give some tangible takeaway that will make someone's life better. (15:22) Well, I mean, you and I would after that.(15:26) Oh yeah, for sure. (15:27) Yeah, yeah. (15:27) Every episode, it used to be, we would finish it.(15:30) We would say, what's your intention? (15:32) Intention today was flow, right? (15:33) We got an intention.(15:34) Let's hit flow. (15:35) And then we would get off, and then we would have like a recap of, hey, what went well? (15:40) What didn't go well?(15:41) Yeah, that guest showed up. (15:42) Their audio was a little wonky. (15:44) Like we really should have said, hey, if you don't have wired headphones or a mic, like we can't do it.(15:49) I'm gonna have to reschedule. (15:50) Okay, all right. (15:51) We'll do that next time.(15:52) Next time happens, we do that, right? (15:54) Are you not doing that on your own? (15:58) I am, but I don't think it's as impactful with just me, you know, instead of both of us.(16:05) Every time you've talked to me in the last nine years, I always have a bunch of stuff to talk to you about. (16:11) For sure. (16:12) That's because I'm trying to make sure we get better.(16:16) Yeah, yeah. (16:17) I just, I think we were more on this in the past than, and I think we fell off for a little bit. (16:23) Not actually, it's not, we didn't go from 100 to zero.(16:26) But there've been times where you're like, hey, put your mic closer or farther, or hey, by the way, you've come to me and said the audio quality is off. (16:34) Well, the camera, I can't fucking stand it. (16:36) It drives me crazy.(16:38) Yeah, well then we have to fix it. (16:39) Alan's camera does that thing. (16:40) It's like, that's been the improvement.(16:43) So we know that's there for sure. (16:44) And then like when I moved, the improvement was, hey, I'm gonna get my fucking studio done because there's a random blue wall and then I got to figure out the lighting. (16:52) Right now I have to adjust my camera.(16:54) I have to bring it down. (16:54) So there's, it's always there. (16:55) I always welcome them.(16:58) Of course, of course, of course. (16:59) But it used to be more a system where we would set an intention, we would just run the system every time without fail. (17:09) We never missed that.(17:11) We never missed that. (17:12) Now we're still doing it. (17:13) I'm not saying we're not doing it.(17:13) It's just not as front of the scenes as it once was. (17:17) That's all. (17:18) We got to bring it back.(17:19) Let's bring it back. (17:20) I don't have the room in my calendar anymore. (17:22) We did it so well.(17:23) I know. (17:24) That it, no, I'm kidding. (17:25) We're gonna do it.(17:25) We're gonna bring it back. (17:26) But either way, I do want you to come with every improvement you can think of. (17:29) Of course, of course.(17:30) I don't ever listen to our show and not have a dozen. (17:34) Dozens is probably excessive. (17:35) I have several things every time that I think are garbage that need to improve.(17:38) Most of them are for you. (17:40) That's fine. (17:41) No, I'm kidding.(17:42) That was a joke. (17:43) Oh, I'm kidding. (17:44) And I don't have anything else on my head.(17:47) Emilia and I do something now called dark room. (17:49) That sounds dark. (17:51) We literally just sit in a dark room and watch the last episode and we give each other feedback on everything we think sucks about it.(18:00) Yeah. (18:02) And yeah, we talked a little bit about what was great too. (18:05) But dude, when I went back and listened to episode one of the Conscious Couples podcast, it is crazy.(18:09) Those are, it's just interesting because we're like little kids compared to now. (18:17) And that was only six years ago. (18:19) It's been that long?(18:22) Yeah. (18:22) It's night and day. (18:23) Maybe five years, five and a half.(18:26) Yeah. (18:26) But the point I'm making the backdrop, everything's changed. (18:29) Everything's better.(18:30) You know, you do that with this show. (18:32) Yeah. (18:32) It's supposed to be, it's supposed to be getting better.(18:36) What I think that's the thing is, I don't know if it's that conscious for most people. (18:39) Like that is the thing. (18:40) So the point of this episode, the simplest success principle, most people aren't doing.(18:45) Maybe you are doing it, but maybe you're not doing it consciously. (18:48) If you are doing it consciously, maybe you're not doing it to the highest degree you could. (18:53) Like there are certain things you could probably do right now that are seemingly insignificant that make a giant difference.(19:01) A giant difference. (19:02) And some of them are bigger than others. (19:04) Like there's a new gym that opened up down the street for me.(19:08) And I know that would be a big improvement if I was just to go there, but I also know it might be detrimental because it's going to be busier and I have to wait for machines and I don't fucking know if I want to deal with it. (19:17) It's also further. (19:19) So like that's negative.(19:21) It's like it's good. (19:22) That's an extra 10 minutes a day in commute time. (19:24) Do I really want to commit to that when this one's totally fine?(19:26) Even me thinking about that is great. (19:29) That's good. (19:30) That's me trying to find...(19:31) Sprint test it. (19:33) Yeah, I don't know. (19:34) I will at some point probably.(19:35) But how do you make this more top of mind for somebody? (19:39) Like I don't... (19:40) Maybe you're not the best to ask because you are...(19:41) It is top of mind for you. (19:42) But if you were advising me, this isn't... (19:44) I would say every day you need to have a dominant question.(19:48) How can I improve this or myself? (19:52) The dominant question... (19:54) One of my dominant questions is how can I improve this?(19:57) Everything or do you break it to health, wealth? (19:59) How does somebody start this consciously? (20:01) Because again, if you listen to this podcast every day, that's a 0.1% improvement. (20:05) Nice.

Alan Lazaros

(20:06) Yeah. (20:06) And then eventually...

Kevin Palmieri

(20:08) Right? (20:08) And then eventually if you've listened to a thousand episodes, that's not a big enough improvement anymore. (20:13) That's not.(20:14) At some point, it's no longer enough. (20:17) Agreed. (20:18) So then what's the next thing?(20:27) Yeah, okay. (20:29) This is called targeting the constraint. (20:31) I do this with clients all the time.(20:35) You have a goal and the moment you set a goal, there's a largest constraint, quote unquote. (20:42) And you have to identify that and then solve it. (20:46) So let me ask you, what's the biggest constraint in our business right now?(20:50) Your time. (20:51) Okay, okay, awesome. (20:52) Okay, what's the biggest solution to solve that?(20:55) You delegate. (20:57) Okay, awesome. (20:58) I just talked to Laura earlier today about a bunch of stuff.(21:01) Okay, let's do you. (21:03) Okay, let's say that's taken care of. (21:05) What's the next biggest constraint?(21:07) Probably my time. (21:08) Okay, awesome. (21:09) Okay, how do we solve that?(21:10) Same answer. (21:11) More delegation. (21:13) Or the rice cooker that now cooks your rice quicker and isn't burnt.(21:20) So it's not just time, it's your fucking consciousness. (21:24) Brother, this is why... (21:27) And I know that I'm going to come off wrong on this potentially, so just bear with me.(21:31) I'm not trying to offend anyone. (21:32) I can tell how successful someone will be based on what they concern themselves with. (21:39) So your mind is always thinking about...(21:43) All success is, is identify the bottleneck, solve it. (21:46) Identify the bottleneck, solve it. (21:47) Identify the bottleneck, solve it.(21:48) That's why Amazon can get you a package in a day now when that would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. (21:53) Right? (21:53) So if Apple stops getting better, Android wins.(21:57) If Android stops getting better, Apple wins. (21:58) Like this is the same in life. (22:00) Same with human beings.(22:01) Right? (22:02) If I keep getting better and Kevin doesn't, I'm going to be more successful than Kevin. (22:06) That's fair.(22:07) Okay. (22:07) Now we all have different potential, but not... (22:09) I mean, this principle applies to everyone.(22:11) Okay. (22:12) The thing that's frustrating is the cognitive function. (22:18) You only have a certain amount of capacity every day.(22:20) So imagine I'm on a walk earlier and you see me just kind of like thinking about Star Wars. (22:30) I would be upset with you as a business partner if I found out you were on a walk thinking about Star Wars. (22:35) The reason why is who gives a shit?(22:38) Like that's not relevant to our business. (22:40) Right? (22:40) Now, if you love Star Wars and that happens to be your passion and you really want to contemplate Star Wars, that's fine.(22:45) And if you're a filmmaker, great. (22:47) But like, do you see what I mean? (22:48) Whenever I'm around people, I'm very cognizant of what they're thinking about.(22:54) Because what you're thinking about, you're working on. (22:56) Like Emilia is always working on things. (22:59) So I got the new 75 inch.(23:01) She's procuring a new, because this is going to fall over. (23:04) I have to keep my door closed because my cats, this will fall over at any moment, straight up. (23:08) This is not good.(23:09) Okay, it's all fine. (23:10) Like I got it figured out, but this will kill my cats if I'm not careful. (23:13) So, and it'll destroy the TV and waste money.(23:16) So we have a new thing that went in our next house. (23:19) So she's procuring something that we can use in our next home so that we're not wasteful. (23:23) All right.(23:24) She's always, one of my favorite parts about being with Emilia is she's always, always, 24-7, 365, trying to make our life better. (23:31) Since I started dating Emilia six years ago, she is always improving our life. (23:38) Always.(23:38) I get to benefit from all of her cognitive, it's called cognitive labor. (23:42) So my point, and you know that with me, the business will just grow, right? (23:47) And I know that with you too.(23:48) NLPS keeps growing. (23:49) Great. (23:50) I don't have to do it myself, but you better be fucking doing it when I'm not doing it because I'm always doing it.(23:55) 24-7, 365. (23:57) My circle of concern is focused on the right things. (24:01) I should not be contemplating fucking Star Wars.(24:05) I shouldn't be. (24:07) Now again, this is a success podcast. (24:10) If you are obsessed with Star Wars and really want to think about Star Wars and that was a big part of your childhood like mine, you can.(24:16) The point is, it's wasted effort. (24:18) It's wasted thinking power. (24:21) And that's okay.(24:23) You need to identify that. (24:24) So how does someone start? (24:25) They start by looking at what they're focused on.(24:27) When I hang out with certain people, it's like, do not concern yourself with that. (24:33) Oh my God, that's not helping you. (24:35) You can't concern yourself with things that aren't even remotely within your control.(24:41) And then also have a big bright future. (24:44) You know what you need to be concerned with? (24:45) Your fitness.(24:46) You need to be concerned with your nutrition. (24:48) You need to be concerned with your sleep. (24:49) You need to be concerned.(24:50) When I was in college, I was concerned with where the next party was. (24:53) Terrible circle of concern. (24:55) Terrible fucking idea, right?(24:57) You need to be concerned with your fucking exams and your grades and your career and your resume and your profile and your LinkedIn. (25:02) And like, that's one thing that's really hard for me is I watch people complain about not being successful. (25:07) And then I watch them make terrible choices with what they think about and what they do.(25:12) I don't think most people actually want to be successful. (25:15) I'm convinced. (25:16) I'm telling you.(25:17) I'm telling you. (25:19) And I think that's just what people say. (25:22) Like, yeah, they want to.(25:23) Everybody wants to be more in love, more in shape. (25:27) Better off financially. (25:28) Yes.(25:29) But it has to cross a threshold where you're like, no, I actually really do want this enough to sacrifice, prioritize, get uncomfortable, say yes, say no. (25:38) I think it just takes time to get there. (25:41) Well, what would you say to this?(25:42) Because that's what it is. (25:43) If you do nothing else in this episode, the 0.1% improvement that will compound every day, change the questions you're asking yourself. (25:51) For me, what's the best use of my time right now?(25:53) I'll catch myself. (25:54) Like, dude, what the fuck are you doing, Alan? (25:56) Get upstairs and get in your fucking office.(25:59) Oh my God. (26:00) Right? (26:00) Like, no one cares that this towel isn't optimal.(26:04) Like, you see what I'm saying? (26:06) That's why once every Sunday I change the towels. (26:09) Like, I batch it so that it doesn't take more time.(26:11) Simple for me. (26:12) Break it into health, wealth and love and start there. (26:14) What's one thing I can move the needle on health?(26:16) Tara and I went on a wonderful, we had a wonderful date night Saturday. (26:20) It was amazing. (26:21) Great.(26:22) I've been fucking up on dates. (26:23) I've been terrible over the last however long. (26:25) But that's bigger than a 0.1% improvement for sure. (26:29) But even the fact that like I'm contemplating throughout the week. (26:32) That's what thoughtfulness is. (26:34) Yeah, for sure.(26:34) That's right. (26:35) That's the definition. (26:36) If I like, I'll see a certain thing that'll pop up somewhere.(26:38) It's like, oh, that could be a good date night. (26:40) All right, let me make note of that. (26:42) Awesome.(26:43) That's love. (26:45) Health. (26:45) Maybe you need a new water bottle.(26:48) Maybe you need a new gym membership. (26:49) Maybe you're running out of, you ran out of pre-workout. (26:52) And the only time you ever go to the gym is when you take your pre-workout.(26:54) Creatine, protein, whatever. (26:56) That. (26:56) Awesome.(26:57) Rice cooker for me. (26:58) Buying a new rice cooker. (26:58) Awesome.(26:59) And then I think finance is like the easiest one to lock down to a degree. (27:05) Cancel a fucking recurring thing that you don't use anymore. (27:09) Track your finances.(27:11) Just look at your bank statement. (27:12) That stuff. (27:13) In the beginning, that's massive.(27:16) If you don't look at your finances and now tomorrow you do. (27:20) That's way bigger than 0.1%. That's huge. (27:23) That's huge.(27:23) Start there. (27:24) And then eventually it'll be like, I feel like I've optimized pretty well. (27:29) I've gotten rid of so many of these subscriptions.(27:30) All right. (27:31) Is there anywhere I can save money on the subscriptions I have? (27:33) Okay, cool.(27:33) Let's do that. (27:34) And then it never runs out. (27:35) There's always an opportunity to improve.(27:38) But health, wealth, and love is where it makes the most sense to me at least to start there. (27:42) Yeah, I love it. (27:43) That's where I would start.(27:44) All right. (27:44) Takeaway quickly. (27:46) One thing I noticed when I was at your place at Next Level Live, and I know Taryn wouldn't mind me sharing this.(27:50) She wrote you a cute little note before you went to travel and you have a little whiteboard on the... (27:58) Yeah, see? (27:58) Always.(27:59) So that's very thoughtful of her. (28:01) So I've noticed her circle of concern is very much improving you two's relationship, more so than you. (28:07) But I also know that she has lower circle of concern in wealth than you do.(28:11) Right? (28:11) And that's okay. (28:12) I'm just saying I notice all of that.(28:15) And you're very fortunate to have someone who is always concerning herself with what would benefit you. (28:21) For sure. (28:22) And she's very fortunate to have someone who's very much concerning himself with making sure you two are financially free.(28:27) That is the goal. (28:28) Even though you seem like a pain in the ass, you're actually the winner here. (28:32) You're not the villain.(28:33) You're the hero. (28:34) And I'm so sick of people being villainized for... (28:37) It's like my clients sometimes, it's like, well, can you not notice every little thing I'm doing wrong?(28:42) That's my fucking job. (28:44) And by the way, if I didn't notice, nothing would change. (28:47) Don't you care?(28:48) Aren't you glad you have someone who cares that much? (28:51) That much to notice and then help you improve it? (28:54) Yeah.(28:54) Good. (28:55) Well, wouldn't you fire your coach if they just like... (28:57) That's what I'm saying.(28:58) We're always like, yeah, everything's perfect. (29:00) Yeah. (29:00) Fitness coach, you missed six workouts.(29:02) They don't even notice. (29:02) That's not a good coach. (29:03) Everything is totally perfect.(29:04) I called someone out in the fitness group today. (29:06) I said, Andrew, my brother, get it the fuck together, man. (29:08) Let's do it.(29:09) All right, man. (29:09) Let's get out of here. (29:11) I'm talking to Taryn, just popped her head in the office.(29:15) Yeah, she sensed it. (29:16) I don't know what I was saying before that. (29:18) I'm now distracted.(29:19) 0.1% improvement every single day for the rest of your life. (29:23) I mean, that's the goal. (29:25) That's the goal.(29:25) My takeaway is health, wealth, and love. (29:27) Start in health, start in wealth, start in love. (29:29) And then when you get to a certain degree, other things will start to appear.(29:34) You'll see them because your awareness will be higher. (29:36) It's like, why didn't I think of that before? (29:38) I have one more thing.(29:38) Very quick. (29:39) I know we got to go. (29:40) Goals.(29:41) When you set goals, your circle of concern changes. (29:44) And then you notice the things to improve. (29:47) That's key.(29:48) If you set a financial goal to have $5,000 cash on hand by the end of the quarter, there's 72 days left. (29:54) Guess what? (29:55) All of a sudden, you're going to stop shopping.(29:57) All of a sudden, you're going to notice ways to save money. (30:00) You got to set fucking goals. (30:01) You have to.(30:02) It's not my opinion. (30:04) The science shows that when you set a goal, your brain locks in. (30:07) And all of a sudden, you notice all the fuck-ups.(30:09) You have to orient your brain to look at where you're inadequate. (30:13) But if you keep it all vague, you don't know if you're winning or losing. (30:16) You're losing.(30:17) You just don't know it. (30:18) I said this at Next Level Live. (30:20) Timelines and targets for clear, measurable goals, they make you feel terrible.(30:24) The 10-pound in 10-week challenge makes you feel terrible. (30:26) But all of a sudden, I'm noticing, wow, those Reese's are fucking 170 calories every two. (30:32) I don't really need those at the end of the night.(30:34) And they're not Reese's. (30:35) They're Whole Foods. (30:36) But the point I'm making is, if you don't have a goal, you're not going to notice.(30:39) Goal-oriented creatures, human beings are. (30:41) When you set a goal, all of a sudden, you'll notice everything you're doing wrong, which feels terrible. (30:46) But that's how you get started.(30:47) If you set a goal and you were looking for a coach to help you get there, reach out to Alan. (30:50) Alan is the guy. (30:51) He will help you reverse engineer the habits, the metrics, all the things you need in order to accomplish the goal.(30:56) And Next Level Nation, private Facebook group filled with humans like you who are focused on getting to the next level. (31:01) We'd love to have you. (31:02) Link will be in the show notes.(31:03) As always, we love you. (31:04) We appreciate you. (31:04) Grateful for each and every one of you.(31:06) And if you are as committed as you say you are to getting to the next level, make sure you tune in tomorrow because we'll be here every single freaking day to help you get there. (31:13) Keep leveling up to reach your full potential. (31:15) Next Level Nation.(31:16) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (31:21) We love connecting with the Next Level family. (31:23) We mean it when we say family.(31:25) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (31:29) Everything you need to get ahold of us is in the show notes. (31:32) Thank you again, and we will talk to you tomorrow.