Be What You Want to Become | How to Achieve Anything In Life
I was listening to the Tim Ferriss podcast with Terry Crews today. It’s a very powerful interview and they cover a lot of really important topics, I recommend you check it out, here is the link to Tim’s podcast.
In Tim’s newest book, Tribe of Mentors, he interviews hundreds of Mentors - world-class individuals and high-achievers - and asks them a bunch of amazing and insightful questions. One question that Tim commonly asks is, “what is the book that you have gifted the most?” Terry’s answer: The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel
In this interview, they dive a bit deeper into why Terry loves this book so much and thinks that other people should read it as well. Terry believes that one of the principles of the book - Be What You Want to Become - can serve as a guiding principle in anyone’s life and once you understand it, it will change your entire life and perspective.
So what does Be What You Want to Become mean? It means identifying the person you want to become and then acting like you are already that person.
If you want to lose weight and get into good shape you need to start acting like a person who is in good shape - have healthy habits like eating right and working out regularly.
If you want to be an artist you need to start acting like an artist: paint, draw and sketch regularly.
Terry gives the example that if you want to write a book, then you need to start acting like a person who writes books. Write regularly!
It seems like a really simple concept and almost like it’s just another line of self-help guru garbage, but I believe otherwise. I think there’s an epidemic in today’s society where people constantly desire and talk about how they want to be something, but then never follow-through and actually exhibit the characteristics that are required in order to attain the life they want.
I have a friend who constantly says that she wants to lose weight. She’s always talking about this diet and that diet and how she just needs something that will work quickly so that she can just lose the weight and be done with it.
I constantly tell her that she needs to exhibit the characteristics of a healthy person: eat right, workout regularly and think about your health with a long-term perspective. I tell her that she needs to just jump in and do it. She always says that she "ate bad today" so she will "start tomorrow." I constantly remind her that this kind of mentality breeds laziness and inaction. If she really wants to lose weight and become a "fit person" then she needs to adopt the habits of that persona today, not tomorrow.
Thanks for reading! Here's the Question of The Day, don't forget to post your answers in the comments!
QOTD: What is one thing that you’ve always wanted to do or be that you continue to put off? Will you start exhibiting the characteristics needed to do or be what you desire?
I challenge you in this new year to start being the person you want to be rather than just waiting for some magical thing to fall out of the sky.
I’ll share my own answer to the QOTD in the comments below, please share yours as well, I really want to hear your thoughts! Thanks!
-Khaleel
Such a great, inspiring post! I strive everyday to become better than the day before! One thing that I have been trying to do for a while now is consistently workout everyday, my problem is that I take one or two days off. To start going everyday I need to better manage my time and choose the best time of the day to go to the gym. Thanks again for such a great post!
Thanks for the support! Going to the gym is one of the hardest habits for anyone to maintain! I find that going to the gym everyday, even on off days, is the best way to maintain the discipline. Go to the gym everyday and the habit will continue to build on itself! 💪🏽
We are the same our off days consist of hiking or rock climbing. We try to stay consistent regardless of what we are up too. Even on holidays we are active and generally pick a hotel with a gym. Not that they are ever brilliant. Only one in Florida The Cabana Bay Hotel has ever hone beyond my wildest dreams for a hotel gym. But that whole place was magical.
Yes yes yes, this is something I've been working on, getting in the mindset of the person I want to be. It's also something that's been around for ages, for a while I was reading new thought books and this guy named neville goddard. Goddard wrote that if you believe it enough in your internal world it would come true externally as well, and that the secret to this was feeling it, feeling like you already were that way or had that thing. The power of thought, belief, and attitude is very strong in transforming our lives.
Here's a quote from one of Neville's books: "Get into the spirit of the state desired by assuming the feeling that would be yours were you already the one you want to be."
Pretty much lines up with this :) It is much easier said than done though, I find with, at least in my experience, the way we are raised we tend to be down on ourselves and doubt ourselves which deters us from truly getting where we want to be.
Personally I want to be a writer, so I've been taking the time to start writing blog posts and will write a book eventually. As far as that goes, I'm on the right track.
Other things are being a good trail runner, playing guitar proficiently, being confident in myself, and being healthy. These are all things I need to get back into the mindset of being, I need to act like I'm already there, and then perform the actions that that person would do. Most of this is in my resolutions for the year and I'll be writing about it throughout the year.
What's your deal with the awesome topics man?
I've been working, like you, to get into this mindset especially when it comes to writing and crypto investing. Neville Goddard I didn't know, will check him/his books out, thanks for sharing that amazing quote and your insight, it's very powerful and lines up exactly with this post!
Exactly, act like you're already walking the walk and soon you will find yourself actually doing/being what you envisioned! I'm glad you like the topics! I've actually had a few friends/family members ask me what exactly I blog about and the best answer I could think of was this: "Everyday I find some sort of random rabbit hole, go down it, and then describe whatever I learned in a blog post." I'm thinking of making that my new bio, still trying to word it better though. 🤔
Thanks for the great response! I love to dive into topics as well, I've thrown myself into plenty of rabbit holes haha. Pyramids and ancient cultures, magic, new thought, diet and exercise, zero point energy, weird stuff about water, the list goes one! There are so many interesting topics out there, so keep em coming, I'm always looking for new things or to discuss things I've read and experienced.
Also, my vote power is down or I'd be voting up your comment, I always appreciate a good response from the author(even though my vote is only 5 cents, I always appreciate votes on my blog and I'm sure other people do too!)
I totally agree with the principles outlined here. In a way, we are all actors playing the characters we choose to be!
I have always wanted to be a software coder. I have touched on it, but never achieved the status where I can call myself that. I think it is something where I just need to keep practicing coding and BE A CODER NOW.
I will check out the podcast and I look forward to your comments!
Thanks @sequentialvibe! Yes! Just be a coder now, write code for anything you can, take on some projects, read books on coding, live a coder lifestyle and you will become a coder in due time. Let me know what you think of the podcast episode! It is very powerful and Terry also gets into a lot of good and emotional talks, it was inspiring to say the least!
An enjoyable podcast! I like the fact that he is having a post NFL career helping people. Terry certainly supports the approach you are recommending here. It is great to explore your source for today's post.
When I saw Hackers, I knew I would be working with computers. Coder and crypto enthusiast is who I am!
Definitely an inspiring post @khaleelkazi!
I listen to Tim's podcasts a lot myself and find them very interesting. He is an amazing interviewer :-)
I do have something that I would like to add to the story here. Be what you want to become is easier said than done, and willpower is usually the defining factor. But actually I believe everybody should go deeper and ask questions: why do I want to be what I want to be? What result do I expect? What feeling will it give me? Who am I doing it for?
Too often people focus on defining means goals instead of end goals. That is why they don't succeed or achieve what they want to achieve...
A great inspiring video about this that I recommend everybody to watch is this one: The 3 Most Important Questions by Vishen Lakhiani.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the kind words and your insight! Yes, I do feel its important to question your goals and ensure that you're following the right path and have the right intentions for doing so. I do think that its equally as important to be cautious of "analysis paralysis" - where you just continue to ponder doing things rather than just going out and doing them. A lot of people are stuck in this paralysis and I see it everyday in friends and family members who always talk about doing things and never act. Thanks for sharing your insight and I'll check out that video as well!
How badly do want to achieve your goals?
Hopefully, what you decided to achieve is something you desire more than anything else. If you’re going to have strong and steadfast commitment, you must really and truly want it.
This is so true! Whenever I set a goal, I always outline the specifics of why I want to acheive that goal. I always ask myself this question: Does this goal push me towards the direction of my ultimate mission in life?
Heres's a question for you @mrsfox: what is one goal that you have right now that you want to achieve badly?
I dontt know,I have to think :)
100% agree @mrsfox! "You gotta want it as bad as you want to breathe!"
It is so true! Does the horse lead the cart or the cart lead the horse? It doesn't matter! It is about doing it and being it. We played pretend as kids and that was the skill we need in life.
I always wanted to be a professional financier. Someone who moves large amounts of money around. I think cryptos may be the ticket for me with the right research and just being it.
Thanks!
Yes! Bring back that kid-like dreamer and pretend like you are what you want to be. You can definitely make your dreams come true with crypto! Just research and become as involved in the space as you can, you're already on the right track by being right here on Steemit! Keep up the good work!
I challenge myself to be more of the person I want to be this year and every year going forward. Motivation is hard yo find at the best of times, so changing small habits daily to be more like the person you invisioned yourself to be is a powerful move. The problem most people have is consistency. As in they want to change so they change everything simultaneously and give it all they have got until it's too hard basket instead of working small changes in daily that are achievable and breed better habits in the future.
We wanted to be healthier people so we started walking for 15 minutes every second morning and the every day 30 mins and then we moved to the gym a few times a week. Now we go 4-6 times a week for an hour and a half minimum. The days we dont go the the gym we hike or rock climb etc. We have developed these habits overtime because we wanted to be fit & healthy.
I just don't think they realised we were tricking ourselves into being what and who we wanted to be. Great read!
P.S. I love Terry Crews. Brooklyn 99 yeah! Lol.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I had a very similar experience when I began working out. I was very overweight and my friend began taking me to the gym and doing some moderate weight lifting. Over time I developed a burning desire to go to the gym and a day without going made me feel terrible until I went again. Starting small and building can be a great way to establish a new habit. The key is to just start. Terry Crews is one of my favorite humans 🤩
What is one thing that you’ve always wanted to do or be that you continue to put off?
Super lean.
Will you start exhibiting the characteristics needed to do or be what you desire?
Yes, as soon as I can figure out how super lean people get that way.
You just have to do it. You already know what super lean people do. They eat healthy foods and they work out. Just do it. Throw out all your unhealthy food - or donate it :) - and then go buy all natural and healthy foods and then start hitting the gym every single day. Even if you go and just sit there on your off days. You just have to start the habit of going. Continuing is the easy part.
You are absolutely right. I was hiding behind humour. The truth is that I believe we are all motivated by perceived reward. We will continue a behaviour as long as we think the rewards of doing it are greater than the reward of not doing it. So if I want to be lean I have to see the rewards of that as greater than the rewards of another helping or beer or whatever. Which is tough when you consider immediate reward versus delayed reward. So I guess I have to work on that. : )
I've always wanted to be an artist and to express my overwhelming emotions freely. Up until recently, I was afraid to express myself because of all the limitations of my own mind. And when I lost any hope and nothing more to lose has left, I started to do what I've always wanted to do and what makes me genuinely happy. Thank you for this wonderful post!
I'm so glad you have been able to follow your passions and do what you love to do and what makes you happy. I have had a similar experience in life - I've experienced a lot of emotional highs and lows and while my parents provided a great life for me, I've been through depressive bouts and have learned that the only thing that keeps me away from those feelings is to do what I love. I love writing and sharing my thoughts and inspiring others. I love hearing comments like yours that tell me its all worth it. Thank you for sharing!
You are absolutely right. I've realized that one can only be happy when doing what makes him happy!
I'm trying to learn spanish from many day for my official work but due to some reasons(or excuses) i can't learned it . It will be very beneficial for me but still i'm continuously putting it off. Thanks for inspiring post now i will try my best.
You just have to keep at it my friend! Consistency is the key and if you stay consistent, you can accomplish anything in life!