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- The Harder To Kill Mindset
One of my favorite parts of creating Argent Alpha is talking to fellow Men over 50.
Our conversations usually originate from one of three sources:
Referral from a friend (Men who have been in the program for over 6 months tend to be walking billboards and are regularly asked "what program are you on?"
LinkedIn post - I post regularly and a specific post resonates with them or the cumulative effect of reading my posts causes them to reach out.
Existing relationship - a friend, a neighbor, a former colleague or business associate. When you have been around over half a century, you build up a lot of relationships.
Once we get on a video call, the conversation fits into one (sometimes more) of the following themes:
Acknowledgement - Men who acknowledge they have let their health slip, sleep and fitness are lacking, they aren't sure how to eat right and know they are losing ground every month.
Next Gear - typically a healthy and fit Man who knows there is another gear to tap into. He wants more structure and a group of like-minded Men who are seeking growth and improved performance. They have a "iron sharpens iron" mentality but lack access to the tools, structure, community and accountability.
Curious - curiosity is generated from two different sources: Men who fit in both categories above and are wondering what's going on inside Argent Alpha.
Ready - this is the Man who is ready to go NOW, let's get started, run through a brick wall, etc. Whether they are truly ready or not is TBD.
Fear - this Man also fits into Acknowledgement but is gripped by fear. Fear of mortality, illness, a recent health scare, what's next. And he knows he needs to take action.
What I'm listening for during these calls are language patterns that can tell me whether or not this Man has a growth or a fixed mindset.
The answer determines whether or not Argent Alpha can help them become Harder to Kill.
Two Types Of Mindset
Carol Dweck, author of Mindset, is a leading authority on how mindset determines the course of your life, starting as early as your preschool years.Your attitude about your intelligence, abilities, learning capabilities, effort and possibilities in life is directly correlated to your results
The fixed mindset is one where personal qualities such as intelligence and ability are innate and unchangeable. It's the hand you are dealt and life is usually win or lose. It can be characterized by statements like "He's a natural at that" or "I wasn't born with that talent." It assumes you can't learn new things.
The growth mindset is one that can change, grow and adapt. It treats mistakes and failures as learning opportunities, not as predetermined outcomes. It can be characterized by statements like "I'm going to research that and apply what I learn." or "I've run into a brick wall. I need to try a new approach."
Growth Mindset Required
Back to my opening statement: One of my favorite parts of creating Argent Alpha is talking to fellow Men over 50.
Nearly every Man I talk to over 50 has a mindset that I would call "neutral+" to Growth. They know they are not maximizing their potential. They realize they are closer to their floor than their ceiling. They know the clock is ticking and they need to create better habits. It's just a question of whether or not our approach is a fit for them.
Conversely, I have never been contacted (yet) by a Man over 50 with a fixed mindset. They self-select out from the start.
And while I don't get contacted by fixed mindset Men, I have approached Men I know who are over 50 and I bring up some of the principles we cover. Common reactions from the fixed mindset crew:
"I'm too old for that."
"I don't have time for that."
"I'll think about that when I retire."
And I do understand that what we do isn't for everyone. It takes commitment, dedication, perseverance, dropping lower value activities, and upgrading behaviors and habits. And the foundation for all of this is a growth mindset.
Identity Shift
James Clear, author of the Atomic Habits, identifies 3 layers of behavior change:
Outcomes
Processes
Identity
Outcomes are about changing your results (what you get)
Processes are about changing your habits (what you do)
Identity is about changing your self image (what you believe)
All of these behavior changes have positive outcomes. But not all last.
Focusing on your Identity is the most lasting as it focuses on WHO you want to become.
Application
Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an authority on Future Self which is another way of thinking about Identity. Both Hardy and Clear use similar approaches to guide you through the process of becoming the person you want to be (Harder To Kill). It looks like this:
Decide the person you want to be
Create standards that align with your future self
Live an attainable version of those standards everyday
Raise those standards over time
Measure progress and course correct
Many people aren't sure where to begin but they have an idea of what kind of results they want. Lose fat, get in shape, get stronger, improve cognitive function, improve blood markers, execute a strict pull-up, eat healthier, etc.
Start with the results you are looking for and reverse engineer into the type of person who lives that way and gets those results.
Model the behavior of your Future Self and over time you become that person.
Example
Men in Argent Alpha set standards in 5 areas (called The Alpha 5):
Mindset
Sleep
Nutrition
Fitness
Hydration
The standards they set are unique to them. They are attainable but they are not their current practice (so they require intention and effort to meet them). They are standards that are closer to the standards of their Future Self.
They score their daily performance on The Alpha 5 and report their weekly scores to the community. Over time, they improve performance and raise their standards.
The Alpha 5 are all correlated to making Men over 50 Harder To Kill. As you live your standards and raise them over time, you become your Future Self.
Here's what happens.
Body composition improves by losing fat and gaining muscle (as measured by monthly InBody scans). Body fat under 20% for men correlate to lower all cause mortality rates (we target 15%).
Biological age reverses (as measured by semi-annual blood labs). Most men are aging at an accelerated rate. We want to reverse that which effectively gives you more years.
Fitness improves (as measured by monthly fitness testing). The ability to perform certain functional movements as we age correlates to increased longevity.
Sleep quality increases (as measured by the Oura ring). Improved sleep quality is like a booster for all aspects of your life.
The result: Men over 50 who are quantitatively Harder To Kill.
And it all starts with Mindset.
Summary
Becoming Harder To Kill starts with a growth mindset. Believing you are capable of learning, improving and changing is the key to making lasting transformation.
Begin with the end in mind by creating your new identity/future self. Identify the behaviors and habits necessary to become that person. Set goals and processes to achieve those goals. Measure your progress and course correct as you go. Find a community of like-minded individuals and create account ability.
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share this with 3 Men over 50 who you think might be interested in becoming Harder To Kill. Thank you!
We oversubscribed our Q4 program called The Argent Alpha Upgrade. If you want to join our waitlist, drop me an email at [email protected]. We will be launching a new cohort December 5, 2023 with applications closing on November 22, 2023. Seats are limited to 15 and 7 are filled as of the date of this newsletter.
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