Begin With The End In Mind

While Homer Simpson will never be a role model for Argent Alpha, we can learn some things from him and The Simpsons (the writers of the show have an uncanny ability to predict the future).

In the photo above, Homer is looking into the mirror and sees something very different from his reality. He sees his Future Self. The gap between his Current Self and Future Self is evident. But that gap provides the roadmap for becoming the Future Self you create.Whether Homer knows it or not, he is using Dr. Stephen Covey's principle of Begin With The End In Mind.

Dr. Benjamin Hardy has been focusing on the concept of Future Self and his most recent book "Be Your Future Self" is a deep dive into the topic. You can get a free Kindle version of his book here (no guarantees how long this link will work).

We all have a default setting for our Future Self. All of our current behaviors and habits are producing our current results. And our behaviors and habits are a function of what we believe about ourselves and the stories we tell ourselves everyday...good or bad.

But it isn't hard-wired. You can turn off the default setting and take control. You can create your Future Self and begin adopting the behaviors and habits of that Future Self. that you create.

Define a future state in vivid detail and reverse engineer (work backwards) to the current state. This process creates a roadmap for going from where you are today to where you want to go.

Think of it like a GPS for your life. Input destination and instructions are provided on how to get there.

You can do this for any time frame. Too far in the future and it becomes less tangible. Too near term and you don't give yourself enough time and momentum to get results. A good place to start: Create your Future Self 100 days from now and 1 year from now.

Creating your Future Self is the first step in becoming Harder To Kill.

Making the decision to intentionally become something different than your default setting is a powerful transformation tool. James Clear calls it "Shifting Your Identity".

To change your behaviors and habits, you need to start believing new things about yourself.

Per Clear "Each action you perform is driven by the fundamental belief that it is possible. So if you change your identity (the type of person that you believe that you are), then it’s easier to change your actions."

This is the essence of a Growth Mindset according to Carol Dweck. Dweck states “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.”

Real life example

In the spring of 2021, I defined my Future Self as "A fit, functional, healthy active man who prioritizes family, friends and improving the quality of his life and others."

When I identified the behaviors and habits of that Future Self, I started with what was NOT true about him:* he did not eat Dot's pretzels regularly and wash them down with a couple of IPA's* he did not simply work out, he trained with intention to increase strength* he did not just eat any food, he intentionally chose food that fueled his performance* he did not estimate sleep, fitness, nutrition, hydration or health, he measured it.* he did not do this on his own, he enlisted experts, coaches, and like-minded peopleInverting the situation often leads to obvious solutions.

I then set standards that I believed my Future Self would follow. I put them into five categories:* Mindset* Sleep* Nutrition* Fitness* Hydration

I didn't set crazy goals but rather focused on raising those standards over time. The results I was able to achieve:
* decreased body fat from 16% to 10.3%
* increased skeletal muscle mass over 3 lbs (vs average man losing 3 lbs over same period), a 6 lb positive variance
* decreased biological age from 57 to 48 (as measured by Thorne Biological Age Testing)
* improved fitness performance metrics (all objectively measured, no guessing)
* improved sleep quality as measured by the Oura Ring (average sleep score went from 75 to 88)
* reduced weight from 211 lbs to 195 lbs (my weight as a 22 year old)

This was achieved over approximately 16 months. By all accounts, I became Harder To Kill by following this process.The next step was recruiting 15 other Men over 50 to follow the same program. All the Men who are consistently following the principles and program are getting similar results (they are all 6-9 months in).

We don't guess, estimate or use subjective measurements. We test body composition and fitness every month. We test biological age every 6 months.

We use Recurring Accountability Drivers (R.A.D. process) to help Men course correct and keep making progress.We recently added a cohort of 12 new Men to the group. They will get similar results as they follow the principles and program.

Summary

Becoming Harder To Kill doesn't start with a new fitness program, a new diet, a pill, a hack, or some other shortcut.

You can get short term results from those efforts but they likely won't last because you aren't changing your identity.

Start by creating the Future Self you truly want. Adopt the behaviors and habits of that Future Self. Turn these new behaviors and habits into standards. Raise those standards slowly over time.

Here are the steps:
Create Future Self --> Paint a vivid picture with details of who you want to become
List Behaviors & Habits of Future Self--> The more detailed the better
Adopt Those Behaviors & Habits--> Pick 1 habit you listed and start doing it
Add More Behaviors & Habits-->Every 2 weeks, add another behavior or habit you listed.
Create Standards--> Make these relatively easy to follow. Raise them over time.
Become Your Future Self - As you replace Current Self behaviors & habits with Future Self behaviors & habits you become the Future Self you created.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share this with 3 Men over 50 who you think might be interested in becoming Harder To Kill. And follow me on LinkedIn to get more in-depth content to make you Harder To Kill...click on the icons below. Thank you for your support!

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