“Here’s what I’ve done to be successful, and you can do it too!”
That statement has been the basis of 99% of influencers, self-help authors, and ‘success’ teachers for 100 years.
I’m not sure if it was my:
- upbringing on the farm. (Growing up with nature as your ruling system grounds you in natural laws.)
- natural disposition to question everything. (My parents have often said I wasn’t the easiest kid.)
- unwillingness to place anyone on a pedestal. (Life is far too nuanced for anyone to have it ‘all figured out.’)
But I’m not a big fan of anecdotal evidence. The “Here’s how I did it, and you can too!” is one of the laziest forms of teaching. I’ll be frank…I got conned by it when I was very young, and a mentor slapped me straight. (Not literally slapped, but he gave me a very good ‘tongue-lashing’ as my mom would put it.)
This is why I’ve walked you through eight principles you can use to lead A Peak Life over the past nine weeks.
The 8 Principles are rooted in natural laws and are drawn from the world of sports and athletic excellence. They have been the backbone of my world for three decades.
As a quick recap for you, here are the 8 Principles and a graphic to drive them home.
The Principle of Individuality: Understand Your Uniqueness
You’ll notice that there are only seven principles on the outside, and ‘Individuality’ is at the core.
No matter how universal, every Principle STILL has to be considered at the individual level. This is why anecdotal evidence of success is interesting and never prescriptive.
We can take lessons from others; however, we always have to personalize them. And that’s the difficult part. Unless you have a set of filters or principles you can use to navigate life, you will end up wasting a lot of time, money, and energy.
Remember:
Individuality definition: You must always consider the specific needs, abilities, and life situations when formulating a plan, making a decision, or playing your game.
The Principle of Overload: Push Your Boundaries
If you want growth, you must embrace the idea of challenging your current level of comfort.
Just like your bicep’s strength can’t grow without lifting weights beyond its current capacity. Overload, is the catalyst for transformation.
However, in your pursuit of growth, beware of falling into the pitfall of burnout. Overload ≠ Overwhelm.
Remember:
Overload definition: If you want to strengthen something, overload it.
One of the greatest benefits of Overload is how it constantly stretches your limits of what’s possible.
The Principle of Restoration: The Power of the Pause
Restoration is the unsung hero of performance. It’s quiet until it’s neglected, and then it screams to get your attention.
Go ahead… work on your bicep every day, then wait for the agony of a muscle tear to come ‘screaming’ for you. #RestorationNeglected
This is the ‘yin’ to the ‘yang’ of Overload.
Unfortunately, many ambitious people see rest as a sign of weakness, instead of seeing it as a strategic and necessary part of growth.
Remember:
Restoration definition: Systems can’t repair, strengthen, or grow without rest, maintenance, and time to recover.
The pause has incredible power in it.
The Principle of Progression: Moving to Mini-Milestones
Progression is the spinach of life.
Small, consistent steps are one of the greatest separators between the best and the average. (They’re also the difference between the wildly confident and the insecure.)
Why? Because when you decide to be consistent, it relaxes you. You leverage inevitability, and that’s a powerful lever to pull.
Remember:
Progression definition: The roof of your abilities can’t be found without consistent action.
If you want momentum in your life, this is where you’ll find it.
The Principle of Reversibility: Beware of Neglect
Nature constantly reminds us when we take something for granted it decays.
Stop weeding the garden—weeds.
Stop giving attention to your significant other—conflict.
Stop filling your mind with healthy ideas or knowledge—doubt.
Remember:
Reversibility definition: Use it or lose it. Feed it or starve it.
Reversibility and Progression play a complementary role together, though, because if you’ve created momentum in the past, the amount of time, effort, or energy to regain it isn’t the same.
The Principle of Transfer: The Ripple Effect
“I have no idea all of the positive ways this will affect your world.”
That’s one of the most common phrases I tell clients. I’ve seen small changes create mega differences, and mega changes create small differences.
The unpredictability of taking action is one of the most exciting parts of living. Sadly, most humans try to over-predict what will happen and convince themselves something isn’t worth it.
Remember:
Transfer definition: Anything affects everything.
I’m a big fan of luck. And this principle is the thread that connects to fortunate things happening you have a hard time explaining.
The Principle of Adaptation: Embrace the Easy
If Progression is the spinach of life, Adaptation is the juice.
Things get easier. Your muscles adapt, and the weight gets easier. Your body adapts and the skill gets encoded into your memory system. When you continuously do something, evolution takes over.
Have you ever had the experience of doing something, and suddenly realizing you didn’t need to concentrate as hard as you once did? Congratulations. You adapted.
Remember:
Adaptation definition: The repeated application of appropriate stressors over time will cause any system to become accustomed to its current state.
I wonder how much your attitude toward any current challenge would change if you knew it would get easier.
The Principle of Specificity: Dial-In Your Focus
If you want to improve your performance in any area of your life, ensure you’re not distracting yourself with the wrong activities.
Most people delay growth because they:
- avoid doing what they most need to do,
- spread their actions across too many activities or
- don’t align their actions with their most important goals
Remember:
Specificity definition: You only get better at what you do. If you want to improve and get better at something, you need to expose yourself to the specific techniques, strategies, or practices that will improve that very thing.
I bet something is staring you right in the face: an activity, decision, routine, task, or skill. It’s obvious, and it would make a huge difference in your life. Do that thing.
A Final Wrap
If you spent the next year of your life consistently applying these principles to your life, you’d reach a level of mastery over yourself that few have accomplished.
The great thing about these principles is they’re not ‘Todd-dependent.’ You don’t need me or anyone to gift them to you.
They’re built into the DNA of how you work.
My job is to raise your awareness, appreciation, and action to them, so that you can win.
And I hope you do.
Be Bold. Take Action. Leave a Mark.
Todd Herman
P.S. If someone forwarded you this article, you can subscribe to my weekly ‘A Peak Life’ newsletter below. Every week I’ll share one idea, framework, or perspective that will help you lead a life you’re excited for.