Fool Me Once... Can't Get Fool'd Again!

I’m about to shake sh*t up this morning!

If you can’t handle that right now, then come back to this email later.

Seriously.

Okay now that they’re gone.

Here’s the deal.

You know that quote, “everyone’s got a plan till they get punched in the face”?

Mike Tyson said it.

Great quote.

Makes a lot of sense.

We’ll come back to this.

Here’s a second quote to consider. This one maybe less familiar.

“There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — can't get fooled again.”

This one is George W. Bush from the Ol’ lone star state. (not a sponsored ad)

Also a great quote.

Now what the hell do these two have in common?

Let me show you.👇

Connecting The Dots

“Everyones got a plan till they get punched in the face.”

Ever happened to you?

Ever felt like you had a plan, and then BOOM out of no where you get decked in the face by life?

If you answered yes than congratulations you’re like 99% of us.

Now here’s where Ol’ W. comes in…

“fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - can’t get fooled again.”

W gets it!

If you get punched in the face by life once… okay fine, charge it to the game.

It happens.

But once life fools you, why do you keep getting fooled?

Why does life keep punching you in the face?

Wouldn’t it be wiser to plan for the punch, instead of planning for life?

We’ll give you a second to think about that…

Here’s how it oftentimes works.👇

The Process

Imagine this…

There’s a specific behavior, or habit, or skill that you want to change.

You set a goal, and think about all the steps you’ll need to take to get there.

Plan intact, full of gusto, you set out on your journey.

Then, someway into it, out of nowhere, life throws you a curveball, something that catches you off guard, and knocks you off your plan. (This is the figurative “punch in the face” we referenced earlier.)

You stumble, trying to regather your momentum, but the motivation and energy it takes is too much!

1 degree off, (one day skipped) turns into 50 degrees off (one month skipped) and now, achieving that goal feels even further away.

Another attempt, another L.

Now here’s the fix….

The Secrete Sauce

Step One: 

Define your target.

Have a clear understanding of where you want to go and what you aim to achieve.

Update #4 covers this so I encourage you to read it if you haven't already.

Step Two:

Envision the profound impact hitting your target will have in your life.

Immerse yourself in your imagination.

Picture it, feel it, and visualize how your life will transform once you reach your goal.

This imaginative exercise serves as fuel—a catalyst rooted in emotion!

Don’t skip it.

Now, here's where 99% of people usually stop.

They think they’ve hit the finish line, but it’s a false summit, the key is to go one step further.

Step Three:

You see, imagining hitting your goals feels great!

But that’s the problem…

It feels this way because our brains are programed to treat it as reality.

It's the same reason we wake up from a nightmare panting with sweaty palms, or why a romantic daydream warms our hearts.

What we imagine, our brain takes in as real.

This creates the problem for 99% of people. (Dramatized number)

Traditionally, people (maybe even you) stop after step 2, merely imagining success.

Unfortunately by doing so, your mind now thinks “your goal” has already been achieved, your mind thinks you’ve already hit your target. (since it can’t tell the difference between imagined and real)

So what happens?

You subconsciously let off the gas, you relax. 

Then life throws the punch!

But because your brain thinks you’ve already achieved your goal, and since we already let off the gas, your resilience, grit, and tenacity aren’t strong enough. (Research supports this!)

Your mind thinks… “Why push myself through this discomfort, if I’ve already gotten the prize?”

And so, the punch comes, you falter, and it’s back to square one.

Unless…

You anticipate your obstacles, preview your friction, and plan for the punch!

The Missing Link

After you imagine how sweet it will be to accomplish your goal, take a moment to identify all the potential roadblocks that may stop you from hitting that target.

Regardless of their size, jot them down.

Identifying potential challenges keeps your foot on the gas, it gives life’s “punch” no room to wind up.

But don't stop there.

After identifying the potential roadblocks, build a plan to overcome each obstacle if it were to arise!

Ask yourself: If this particular challenge pops up, how will I navigate it?

Create workarounds, develop pivots, and establish plans to neutralize each threat swiftly.

By crafting a plan for each obstacle, you supercharge your resilience and significantly increase your chances for success.

(Disclaimer: You can’t plan for EVERY obstacle, you’d never get started, and you can’t predict the future. The point is to identify the KEY obstacles that historically or hypothetically could stop you. Anything else, you’ll have to trust your skills and navigate in the moment.)

The Final Boss

The truth is, greatness is never guaranteed. It's never a linear, easy path.

Along the way, you will encounter roadblocks, face challenges, and navigate obstacles.

What matters is how you embrace them.

So, apply this model.

See your target, imagine the profound impact its achievement will bring, but then go beyond that. Identify the obstacles, take note of the potential threats to your success, and craft a plan for each.

This is how you create your edge.

While others stumble, you'll know how to embrace it.

Let’s make the first move quickly.

Right now, reply to this email, and let me know the following…

1. The most important goal you are pursuing right now.

2. The biggest 2-3 obstacles that could stop you from achieving that goal.

I look forward to hearing from you!