Fuck mediocrity. Say that at every opportunity this year. Every time I write an article, workout, buy something, set a goal, book a trip, read an email… I’ll say The hell with mediocrity. No half-assedness, only whole-hearted and purposeful action. No small plans, only gargantuan missions.
The other night my dad made a statement that we’ve all heard before, but need to hear again. Coming from a guy I admire, and one who doesn’t use his words frivolously, it stuck this time more than any other before; It amazes me how short life is.
He may have been looking at me, remembering the child, screaming at the top of my lungs to come to the window as I punched my first bully on the chin, after my dad had told me it was ok to defend myself (I was 4 years old, the other kid was 7, and had been an ass a couple days earlier when my dad told me it was ok to stand up for myself. On that day, however, the kid was being a great guy as I punched him in the kisser without much warning, except for the howls to my dad to come the window and “watch me stand up for myself”. Advice taken to heart, just completely out of context).
He could have been looking at me, in my late 20’s, remembering his own life at this stage. How it feels like it was yesterday, along with decades of other memories that have passed as quickly as our steamy breath on a cold winter’s day. Whatever he was thinking at that moment, he was genuine. And it hit home.
Thus, the decision to start the article with an emphatic mission statement. Nothing wishy-washy. I’d rather offend a few in the process of inspiring many, than play it safe and moderately effect everyone. So, I say Fuck mediocrity. Stick a sword in its gut and watch it bleed to death on the battlefield of life. Kill it without remorse. Fight it. Destroy it. Replace it with greatness.
2013 is the year you become a Legend. It’s the year I become a Legend. This is a fact. Predetermined. It is an expectation, not a goal.
Expectations
We’ve decided to stop mediocrity in it’s tracks. That means no more laziness, distraction, or anything else that pulls us from our objective (each of us having our own individual goals and expectations). Now, what should we expect from ourselves? These aren’t goals, hopes, and pipe-dreams, but expectations. I will‘s, not I hope’s.
The Expectation of Success
Expect greatness in end result, and in process. Great people do great work. Mediocre people do mediocre work. Each of the following categories need to be taken into consideration for us to reach Legendary status within the next 365 days.
Fitness
If you expect yourself to look and feel a certain way, live that expectation daily. Not in short spurts. This means that you work out at the same time everyday (according to your training split). You eat right everyday. You train hard every single workout. Your “goals” should be expectations that focus on the process, not the end result.
What do you expect from yourself in 2013? What will get you to your end result? What are the steps you need to take? Identify these steps, then expect them of yourself on a daily basis. Write them down as tasks, not goals.
Each area effects another. By being healthy, strong, and confident in how we look and perform, we’re going to be more successful in every single other area of life. It’s that important. We’ll have more energy. Our work will be at a higher quality. We’ll be happier. We’ll accomplish more and we’ll live better lives. Take this aspect of your expectations very seriously. Give it the respect it deserves.
For that end result, find a visual example (Craig in Bond, Wahlberg in the Fighter etc…). It’s important to see where you’re going to be. I’ll post further resources at the end of the article.
Business
Each business has it’s own benchmarks. We can set financial goals within our business, growth goals, etc… However, I’ve found that the best goals are process-driven expectations. They aren’t goals at all, but expectations of the quantity and quality of the work we can put in.
Just like our fitness expectations, our work and career expectations shouldn’t be focused on the end result, but the process. Sure, the end result should be taken into consideration as a degree of success, but the process is what will get us there.
Set your growth and financial markers into monthly and quarterly expectations.
Set your weekly and daily expectations. You might not do the same thing every day, but every week. For example, I’m writing 3 articles every week, so it’s a Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday writing expectation on my part. Not a daily one.
Beside each expectation, determine a time that it should take to finish. Time each task. This will help you stay focused and away from distractions. Look to the resources section for some help.
Learning
To move forward we must improve. To improve we have to learn. How are you going to learn? For myself, that includes reading. The expectation: read a book a week. This also includes learning. I’ve taken online courses in the past, and they’ve helped me a lot. This year I’m going to invest more in myself, both in time and financially.
I’m going to join a mastermind group. I’m also going to sign up to a lot more online courses to help me with my business. But growth doesn’t stop there. I need to actively learn more about nutrition and fitness, so I’ll take necessary steps to do the same in that area.
Mentorship
Find a mentor. You’ll find that every successful person has had a mentor. This makes them more open to taking on people looking for a mentor. A mentor is the most powerful ally we can have in our quest. Approach people who have accomplished what you’d like to accomplish. Offer your services in exchange for mentorship, or simply start a relationship. Reach out to them. Provide value without expecting anything in return.
Sustained Ambition
January 1st, the day that everyone is ambitious. With each day, however, this ambition declines. Real, everyday life begins to set in once again. Our laziness takes over. Distractions win. We become who we were in 2012, in a bad way. How to we stay ambitious?
First, write your expectations accompanied by reasons. Why do you want this, why do you want that? Make it emotional. But also make it measurable. Know, very specifically, what success will look like, then track your progress. Know what you have to do to make it happen every single day of the year.
Are you closer after month #1? Are you on track, or further from your goal than you’d like to be? Take a day to write all of this down. Print it out. Use the resources in the section below that pertain to goal setting. Then make the habit of either starting or ending your day with a review of your expectations, as well as your progress.
Resources
I wasn’t able to build my dream body all by my lonesome. I needed help. I needed guidance, and a program that would help me get there. If I had left it to chance, or to my own knowledge of training at that time, I’d probably still be an unconfident toothpick, working at a job I didn’t like, walking through life following someone else’s path, rather than forcibly forging my own.
This is why I think the following resources are so important. Some cost money. This is an investment in YOU and your future. They’ll take the chance out of your success. They’ll help you rid distractions, find a focus and a purposefulness to the actions you’re about to take.
Expectation: to Build Lean Muscle
This is the program that helped me build 32 pounds of lean muscle in 32 weeks… for the first time ever. So I know it works. I’m proof, as well as hundreds of other guys doing the program right now. To find out more about how to build muscle – even if you’ve never done it before in your life – watch THIS VIDEO.
One part of building muscle is the training, another very large aspect of this goal is nutrition. Check out THIS VIDEO about a unique nutrition program that give you specifically what YOU need to build muscle. It’s an awesome program that designs meal plans for you, your height, weight, goals, struggles, and everything in between. Click Here.
Healthy Muscle Building Supplements (on sale)
Supplements are meant to supplement an already healthy diet. These are my “must-haves” for anyone trying to add lean muscle mass.
Protein Powder – find out why here.
Lean Muscle Stack – find out why here.
Pre-Workout Supplement – find out why here.
Expectation: to Get Ripped
This is my first choice for a fat loss program (nutrition and training). It’s creator, John Romaniello, is a leader in fat loss content. His program helps you attack fat on a metabolic and hormonal level. Find out more about John’s story, and his awesome program, CLICK HERE.
The PowerHowse Challenge
How can the same program be in the fat loss as muscle building lists? Well, I’m of the believe – and for multiple very good reasons – that training for fat loss and lean muscle gains should be identical. The variation should come in the nutrition. So, where I created the PHC, I gave meal plans for those trying to build muscle, but also for those trying to burn fat. Find out more, here.
I’ve never been a fan of cleanses because most of them push pills and potions as cleansers and fat loss saviors. This cleanse is the exception. Yuri, it’s creator, has also put it on sale ($100 off) over the next 3 days. Learn more about this cleanse – one that I’ll be doing to start my year – HERE.
Healthy Fat Loss Supplements (on sale)
Fat Loss Stack – find out why here.
LeptiBurn – find out why here.
BCAAs – find out why here.
Expectation: to Improve Productivity
ToDoist – This is a great little app to set big goals, more immediate goals, and to track corresponding tasks.
AntiSocial – If social media is a distraction, grab this app, it’ll be a big help.
Freedom – Want to take the internet away as a distraction? This is the perfect app to quell your web surfing tendencies.
The Mission: to Be Legendary
I started the article the same way I’ll finish it: fuck mediocrity. Take that tenacity into everything you do this year. Into every workout, every article, every day on the job, every fight, battle and war. Take that venomous hatred towards being average to every endeavor. Make it your enemy. Beat it to a pulp, to live Legendary.
