Fisherman and Businessman Parable

Retiring early is a completely broken goal that is secretly destroying your daily drive. — When it comes to retirement, some people have a vastly different experience than the one you might imagine, filled with lazy days of sleeping in and no responsibilities. — And for many, this major life shift may trigger some possible mental health issues. — Working is not just about money. People don't understand this very often until they stop working. Work defines who you are. It provides a place where you're social with people. It gives you interaction with people all day long in an interesting way. It even helps you live longer and is very, very good for brain health. People are trying to wind down and figure out how they're going to slow it down or wrap it up. Wrapping it up, man. Start it up. — If you're working this hard just to escape your work, it means you have built a business or you have a job that you fundamentally hate. People say you have to have a lot of passion for what you're doing and it's totally true and the reason is because it's so hard that if you don't any rational person would give up. — How can other people tap dance to work? What's the secret of that? — You find your passion. — What I tend to try to tell people in terms of what does it take to be successful? Find something you love to do and then be great at it. If you don't pivot and build a lifestyle you actually want to live today, you will wake up in 10 years exhausted, sick, and full of bitter regret. — Sometimes it's whoop, I need to pivot. Need to change the old aperture chain lenses on the way I'm looking at this position. — When I'm 80 now 90, I want to have minimized the number of regrets that I have in my life. And most of our regrets are acts of omission. They're things we didn't try. It's the path untraveled. Um, those are the things that haunt us. — You're haunted by all the opportunities that you missed by not bringing your best at that time when you could have won, but you didn't win because you allowed life to interfere with that one shot. — There is a famous parable about a businessman who was walking on the pier of a small coastal village. He saw a local fisherman dock a small boat with just a few fish. The businessman asked why he did not stay out longer to catch more. The fisherman said he had enough to feed his family. The businessman asked what he did with the rest of his day. The fisherman smiled and said he sleeps late, plays with his kids, takes a nap with his wife, and plays guitar with his friends at night. The businessman laughed and said, "I have an MBA and I can help you. You should work harder, buy a fleet of boats, open your own factory, and make millions. " The fisherman asked how long that would take. The businessman said, "Maybe 20 years. " The fisherman asked, "What would happen next? " The businessman said, "Then you can retire, move to a small village, sleep late, play with your kids, and play guitar with your friends. " The fisherman just looked at him and said, "That's exactly what I'm doing right now. " Now, you might be thinking that you don't want to just sit on a beach all day. You have big goals. You want to make an impact, and you actually like building your business. I do, too. You don't have to give up your ambition to find peace. The point of the story is not to stop working. The point is to stop building a business that destroys your life today for a promised reward 20 years from now. You can have the success and the lifestyle right now. And I'm going to show you exactly how to do it. If you've been here before, drop a hashtag believe in the comments below so I can feature you here in a future video. And if you're new, welcome to Believe Nation, the only channel that helps you believe in yourself daily, one video at a time. Believe. Define your actual enough. So you've been told your entire life that the ultimate goal of an entrepreneur is to build the biggest business possible. You start a company. You hit your first revenue goal. And what is the very first thing you do? You immediately set a larger goal. Right? You hit $10,000 a month and suddenly you feel like a failure because you are not making 20,000. You cross a million dollars a year and instantly you feel behind because you do not have a $10 million empire. This is running on an endless treadmill. The businessman in the story wanted the fisherman to scale his operations, to buy a fleet of boats, to open up a factory, but he had absolutely no real reason for the fisherman to do it other than the fact that society says bigger is always better. Do you actually have a real reason for wanting a massive business? You need to figure out what your actual financial enough is. Science proves that chasing money for the sake of money will never make you happy. There was a famous study that was conducted by researchers at Purdue University that looked at data from over 1 million people across the globe. They found that emotional well-being and daily happiness actually peak at an income of about $75,000 a year. Making more money beyond that point does not significantly increase your daily joy, your peace, or your happiness. It often just brings more stress, more overhead, and more problems. More money and more problems. You need to sit down today and

calculate exactly what your deal life costs. Write down the cost of your house, your food, your hobbies, the experiences that you want to have with your family. You will probably realize that you need far less money than you think to live the peaceful life that the fisherman was already living. So figure out what your number is. Stop chasing some fake standard of success that leaves you completely exhausted. Once you know your number, you can finally stop putting off your life until tomorrow. Stop waiting for permission to live. The absolute biggest trap that the businessman presented was the idea of someday. He told the fisherman to suffer for 20 years so that someday he could finally relax. And chances are you're probably doing the same thing to yourself right now. You're telling yourself that you will finally take a vacation when the business hits a certain milestone, right? You tell yourself that you'll finally spend time with your kids when the operations are perfectly systemized, right? You're delaying your actual life or future that is completely ungared. You have to stop waiting for permission to live. You need to apply the regret minimization framework that's famously used by Jeff Bezos. The concept is incredibly simple. You just imagine yourself as an 80-year-old sitting in a rocking chair looking back on your life. You ask yourself, "What will I regret more? Will I regret taking a risk to live the life I want right now? Or will I regret playing it safe and waiting for someday? " When I was 19, I used this exact framework. I was studying finance in university. I had the opportunity to go work for one of the biggest investment banking companies in the world. I thought it was my dream job. It was a six-figure job set out at university. It was safe. It was secure. It was exactly what society told me I should want. But I had another option. I could join two friends in a software startup. I would get 30% equity, but I'd only make $300 a month at the start. And it was the hardest decision of my life. I had to look at myself and ask what my older self would regret. I knew that if I did not try to build a business, I would regret it forever. I would rather fail knowing I had tried than spend the rest of my life wondering what could have happened. So I turned down to save money and I chose the startup and it was terrifying and there were times that I wanted to quit but it was the defining choice of my life. You have to make the same choice. Stop waiting for the perfect time. Take the action today to build the life you actually want to live. Also, if you want to take real action after this video, I made a free worksheet just for you. It covers the top lessons from today, gives you space to write your biggest takeaways, and helps you build a simple action plan. It's 100% free. Just click link in the description to go grab it. I'll see you there. Find your true purpose in your deepest pain. You might be sitting there thinking that you don't even know what kind of business to build that would allow you to feel free. You want to escape the corporate grind, but you don't know what your real mission even is. The answer is usually hiding in your own past. Your true purpose comes directly from your deepest pain. Whatever you struggled with the most in your life is the exact thing that you are meant to help other people overcome. So, uh, if you struggled with your weight and finally figured out how to get healthy, your mission is to help others do the same thing. If you struggled with massive debt and finally crawled your way out to financial freedom, your mission is to teach others your frameworks. When I was starting my journey, I struggled heavily with being uh an introverted, shy entrepreneur. I had zero confidence and zero belief in myself because I felt that intense pain. My entire life mission is now to help other entrepreneurs believe in themselves more. It's why I make these videos. When your business is tied to solving a pain that you deeply understand, it completely changes how you show up. It stops feeling like a stressful grind and starts feeling like it's your calling that it's calling to you to act. You stop building a business just to make a quick dollar and you start building something that actually matters to you and to others. And having this deep purpose is not just it's not just good for your business. It's literally physically good for you. A major study published in the JAMA network open found that having a strong purpose is directly associated with a decreased risk of early mortality. So people who have a reason to wake up in the morning literally live longer, healthier lives. So do not build a massive soulless fishing fleet just because a businessman told you it was a good idea. Build a business that solves a real problem for the younger version of yourself. And when you find that calling, you have to make sure that you do not lose sight of what actually matters. Focus on who you are serving today. The businessman in the story was obsessed with the global market. He wanted the fisherman to sell to middlemen, open a canery, move to the big city and dominate the world. Right? The businessman was completely focused on all the millions of strangers the fisherman was not currently reaching. But the fisherman, he was completely content focusing on his family, his friends, and his local village. He focused only on the people right in front of him. And this can be a massive lesson for your business when you are trying to grow. It's incredibly easy to get obsessed with the audience that you do not have. You stare at your

analytics. You complain about your lack of followers. You get frustrated that you're not famous yet. You forget about the actual humans who are already showing up for you and watching your content right now or buying your products right now. When I first started my YouTube channel, it was a very slow and painful grind. In my first year on the platform, I only gained 25 subscribers. My very first video sat on the internet for a year and got only three comments. One comment was from my mom. One was from my sister and the third comment was from one random guy. Most people would look at those numbers and quit, right? They'd say the market is too small. Nobody cares. But you have to focus on who you are serving, not who you are not serving. So I decided to make my videos for that one random guy. If my content helped him believe in himself a little bit more, then the video was a success. You can adopt that same exact mindset. If you have 10 clients, treat them like absolute royalty. Stop ignoring the people who support you today just because you are distracted by the thousands of people who do not know you yet. If you serve the few people in front of you deeply, the growth will happen naturally. But as that growth happens, you have to protect your schedule. Break the hustle prison to buy back your time. Now, you might already have a business that is completely running you into the ground. You want the fisherman's lifestyle, but you feel trapped inside the businessman's reality. You're working 80 hours a week. You answer emails at midnight. Uh you can't even remember the last time you took a nap or played the guitar. To get your freedom back, you must ruthlessly apply a three-step framework. You must eliminate, automate, delegate. First, you must eliminate. So here you look at your calendar and you audit every single task. You are probably doing things that bring absolute zero value to your life or to your clients. You are attending useless meetings. You are doom scrolling on social media and you're creating reports that nobody reads, right? Stop doing them immediately. Second, you automate. So, you have to use software and systems to take over repetitive tasks. Stop manually sending onboarding emails. Stop manually booking appointments and let technology do a lot of the heavy lifting. And then third, and maybe most importantly, is you delegate. You have to stop trying to be a control freak. You are holding your business back because you insist on doing everything yourself. You should not be editing your own videos. doing your own bookkeeping or designing your own graphics if you are not the best in the world at those skills or want to learn them. I'm terrible at video editing. So, I don't edit my own videos. I hire people who love doing the work that I hate. If you don't learn to let go, you will destroy your physical and mental health. There was a comprehensive study by Gallup on employee and founder burnout that found unimaginable workloads and unreasonable time pressure are the leading causes of severe burnout. You are doing this to yourself. You have to fire yourself from the jobs you hate within your own company. That is the only way you buy back your time. That is how you build a real business that actually gives you the freedom to sleep late if you want to spend time with your family and enjoy your life today. Build a life you love today. You have the complete power to design a business that serves your life right now. Stop deating your joy for tomorrow that is not guaranteed. You can have massive ambition and daily peace at the exact same time. And congratulations. You're one video closer to who you're meant to be. Believe. Now, let's learn how to discover your true calling. Your purpose is the single most powerful force in your life. It gives you direction, drive, and a reason to get up inspired every morning. If you never find it, you risk wandering aimlessly through life feeling empty no matter what you achieve. In fact, research shows that lacking a clear purpose is linked to worse health and even higher risk of death. I got a question of this from one of you, a subscriber named Giza, who asks, "Hi, how do you find your purpose? " Great question, and it's so important. Not knowing your purpose can cost you years of progress and happiness. Imagine reaching the end of your life only to regret that you didn't live true to yourself. Now, I don't want that for you. The stakes are high. your fulfillment, your impact, and even your longevity depend on finding meaning. Let me share a quick story. Years ago, I was shy, introverted, terrified of public speaking. I didn't want to make videos. I hated networking. But I was also on a mission. My purpose is to help entrepreneurs believe in themselves more. It pushed me out of my comfort zone. I filmed 350 YouTube videos before I even felt slightly comfortable on camera. I then forced myself on a 90-day 23 city speaking tour to conquer my fear of disappointing people. And halfway through that tour, I broke my neck in two spots, compressed my spine, and I got a concussion. But I kept going. Now, I'm not superhuman. I was exhausted. I was scared. But my purpose gave me the strength to push through my biggest fears. That's the power of knowing your why. As Victor Frankle famously said, "Those who have a why to live can bear with almost any how. Your purpose becomes your fuel to do extraordinary things. " Now, I know what you might be thinking. Yeah, Evan, that's great, but

I have no clue what my purpose is. I've got bills to pay and no time to go on some soularching journey. Hey, fair point. Finding your purpose can sound like a luxury or a fuzzy ideal when you're busy and just trying to survive. Maybe you feel you're too old to start over or too young to know what you want. Maybe you worry you don't have any special passion or that pursuing it won't pay the rent. So, let's talk about it. I don't think I have a purpose. Everybody has a purpose. Everyone has been made for some particular work and the desire for that work has been put in every heart. You have unique talents and values that when tapped into will light you up. As I often say, everybody has Michael Jordan level talent at something. If you haven't found it yet, it just means you haven't looked in the right place. It's not too late to start. And you're not too ordinary. You're a genius at something. Next, purpose won't pay my bills. Purpose and profits are not opposites. They're allies. When you build a business or career around your purpose, you unlock extra motivation and creativity that lead to greater success. Purpose-driven companies, for example, achieve higher market share gains and grow on average three times faster than competitors. They also have more engaged teams and loyal customers. In other words, knowing your why can actually help you thrive financially because you'll work with more passion and persistence than the person who's just clocking in for a paycheck. So, don't buy the lie that you have to choose between purpose and practical success. The best entrepreneurs integrate them together. Next, I'm too busy and overwhelmed. You don't need to drop everything and trek to an ashram in India to find your purpose. You can start right now where you are with small steps. In fact, you can't afford not to. Having a life purpose is a buffer against stress, anxiety, and depression. It actually helps you cope with challenges better than grinding away without any meaning. Think of purpose like a guiding star. It doesn't add more weight to your load. It lights your path and makes the journey easier. I'll dive into simple habits you can fit into your day to start uncovering what drives you. But now that we've busted some of those objections, let's get into the how. How do you actually find your purpose? I'm going to cover mindset shifts you need, habits and daily routines to discover and live your purpose, and how to craft a long-term vision that helps keep you aligned. And these tips are a mix of things I learned from my own journey, exercises I've shared in my book, Built to Serve, and sciencebacked insights from experts. So, you ready? Let's do this. Shift your mindset. Believe you have a purpose. The journey starts in your head. Mindset is the foundation. You have to believe deep down that you are here for a reason. If you don't believe it, you'll never put in the work to find it. So, step one is adopting a mindset that your life does matter and that you can discover what for. We start with adopting a growth mindset about purpose. Maybe you haven't found your purpose yet. That's okay. Instead of saying I don't have a purpose, start saying I haven't found my purpose yet. This one word yet, it keeps the door open. It reminds you that purpose is something you uncover through exploration. Research in psychology shows that when we treat abilities or traits as learnable and discoverable, we're more likely to actually develop them. The same goes for purpose. See it as a journey of growth. Next, know that purpose is about service, not just self. A big mindset shift is understanding what purpose really means. Purpose isn't just a fancy word for your personal passion. It's bigger, much bigger. One team of psychologists defines purpose as a stable and generalized intention to accomplish something that is meaningful to the self and of consequence to the world beyond the self. In other words, your purpose isn't only about what you love, but also about how you use it to help others or contribute. This is huge. If you think purpose is selfish, like what I want to do with my life, flip that. The most powerful purpose usually involves serving. Like Albert Einstein said, "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. " When you start thinking about how you can make a difference for someone else, whether it's your community, your customers, or the world, you tap into a deeper motivation. Humans are built to serve. If you're not happy now, it's because you aren't serving others in a way that matters to you. Change that mindset and purpose becomes easier to find. Next, believe in your talents even before you see all the results. You have strengths and passions that point towards your purpose. It's easy to dismiss them. Sure, I love music, but I'm not a rock star, so that can't be my purpose. Don't kill your purpose before it's born. Start believing that your passion means something. If you love music, maybe your purpose is to bring joy to others through sound. If you enjoy coding, maybe your purpose is to solve problems with technology, to improve lives. Like, trust that your interests and skills are clues to your purpose, not just silly side hobbies. Everybody has Michael Jordan level genius at something, something you can be among the best in the world at if you fully devoted yourself. Now, it might not be something flashy or something that people traditionally celebrate. And it might not be something that your parents or your friends expect, but it's yours. And so, start telling yourself, I am here for a reason, and I have a gift to give. This positive belief is the fuel that will drive you in the exploration and the work that you have to do next. Embrace curiosity over fear. A purposefinding mindset is a curious mindset. Instead of fearing that you'll

never get it, get curious about yourself. Think like uh an investigator. Hm. Investigator. What clues does my life show about what my purpose might be? Every interest, every strength, every story from your life is a potential clue. When you approach it with curiosity and optimism, the process becomes exciting, not overwhelming. Remember, the meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away. So, what is your gift? Get excited about discovering that. If you catch yourself in a negative headsp space like comparing yourself to others who seem to be just so far ahead of you and have this giant purpose, pause and reframe. Your journey is unique. Some people find their calling at 5 years old, others at 50. There is no deadline. What matters is the belief that I have a purpose and I will find it. With that mindset locked in, you become unstoppable. You go from saying, "Can I ever find my purpose to how will I find my purpose? " And that how is what we're going to tackle next. Develop habits to discover your purpose. Purpose isn't just something that hits you one day while you're watching Netflix. You find your purpose by engaging in life and self-discovery. It's a process of exploration. The good news is there are concrete habits and exercises that you can do to start uncovering what lights you up and what matters most to you. So, think of yourself as an archaeologist. We're digging for the treasure that is your purpose. So, here are some habits and strategies you can use to get digging. One, start with what drives you. Set aside some quiet time to look inward. Ask yourself, when have I felt most alive? What activities or topics really energize me? Write down the answers. Journaling is a fantastic habit here. Even 10 minutes every morning. Write about times you felt proud, fulfilled, excited. What were you doing? Who were you helping? These reflections reveal patterns. As one set of tips suggests, think about what you love to do, what truly energizes you, and what you care about so deeply, it moves you to action. Within those passions can lie the seeds of your purpose. Maybe you love teaching others or creating art or solving tough problems. Now ask, how can you turn those passions into something meaningful to others? It's usually by using them to serve others or a cause. And we'll touch on more of that in a moment. Next, draw on your hardships. It might sound counterintuitive, but your toughest experiences in life can reveal your purpose. Think about challenges or pain that you've overcome, an illness, a loss, bullying, a failure, anything that deeply affected you. How did it change you? Many people find purpose in helping others through the very hardship that they endured. I call it your purpose comes from your pain. Psychologists call this post-traumatic growth. Turning pain into purpose. What could be more meaningful than easing the path for someone going through what you went through. Your purpose may come from a determination to write past wrongs in your life or injustices in the world. For example, if you struggled with poverty growing up, maybe your purpose is to create opportunities for others in poverty. If you lost someone to a disease, maybe your purpose is to support patients or families facing that disease. One of my favorite ideas is your purpose comes from your pain. So don't run from the difficult chapters of your life. Mind them for insight. They've given you empathy and motivation that are pure gold. Next, expand your interest. Read, watch, learn. If you feel stuck, make a habit of exposing yourself to new ideas and experiences. Purpose is often discovered by trying lots of things until something clicks. Read widely. books, articles, biographies, anything that sparks your curiosity. Watch more videos like this. In fact, research suggests reading is linked to a greater sense of meaning and purpose. It makes sense. Reading opens your mind. It gives you new perspectives and it can ignite interest that you didn't know you had. So, read something inspiring or challenging. Also, watch documentaries, take online classes, listen to podcasts, watch more YouTube videos that inspire you. The point is to feed your mind and soul with inspiration. You might stumble on a story of someone doing something that makes you just think, "Wow, I wanted to go do that. " Or learn about a problem in the world that you suddenly massively feel passionate about for some reason. Pay attention to what pulls at you. Next, explore through action and play. It's not just about reading or watching videos. You need to get out there and actually try stuff. Make it a habit to step outside your comfort zone regularly, even just a little bit. Sign up for a workshop, volunteer for a local organization, try a new hobby, travel to a new place, make your first video. Purpose often hides in experiences you haven't had yet. You might discover your love for gardening by helping a friend plant a backyard, which leads you to a purpose in sustainable farming or simply sharing beauty through plants. Or you might volunteer at a youth center and you suddenly realize, "Wow, mentoring kids gives you this profound feeling of fulfillment. " Even if an activity doesn't turn out to be the thing, you'll learn something about yourself with each attempt that you go through. Treat it like experiments. Each month, commit to trying one new thing that just interests you for some reason. Keep a journal of what you felt during the experience. Did time fly by because you were so engaged and you loved it? Did you feel proud of what you did? Those are good signs that you're close. Next, seek insights from others. Sometimes we're blind to our own strengths, but the people around us can

see them more clearly. So, ask your close friends, your family, co-workers what they think that you're really good at or what reminds them of you. You might be displaying your purpose without even realize it. So, for example, others might say, "Wow, uh, you've always been great with kids, or when I think of you, I think of how passionate you are about animals, or you have so much enthusiasm for technology, it's contagious. " Those comments can be eye opening. We tend to undervalue the things that come easiest to us, but those are often exactly where our purpose lies because your gifts feel natural to you. So, gather that outside perspective. It might point you to something that you have overlooked. Additionally, look at what people thank you for the most. So, do friends thank you for listening to them uh and giving great advice? You could have a purpose in counseling or coaching. Do colleagues always seek you out for help when they're trying to organize projects? Maybe your purpose involves leadership or project management to bring bigger visions to life? Feedback from others provide dots that you can connect to see the outline of your purpose. Next, be altruistic and serve. One of the fastest ways to inject more meaning into your life is to help others. Start small and consistently look for ways to be of service to other people. Tutor a student, help a neighbor, uh join a cause in your community. Not only does it make a difference, it also reveals what issues or activities you find the most meaningful. Studies confirm that donating your time and energy is good for you and can give you purpose. As you volunteer or you support other people, pay attention to which efforts resonate deeply. Maybe you feel especially fulfilled helping seniors or working with animals. I love helping entrepreneurs. Maybe you love advocating for the environment. Those feelings are strong indicators of a purpose area. And even if you're still unsure if it's your big purpose, serving others right now gives you purpose in the moment. You see that you matter to someone and that you can improve somebody's life. And that sense of contribution is often the spark that leads to bigger clarity. Plus, helping others expands your network and it exposes you to new experiences. Tying back to the exploration we talked about being the archaeologist, it's a win-win for finding your purpose. Next, express yourself creatively. Purpose is often linked to creation. Whether it's creating, art, writing, building a business, some form of self-expression, if you have any inclination towards creative outlets, so think writing, painting, music, crafting, coding, cooking, anything. Make time for them. Sometimes when you create, you tap into your subconscious values and desires. You might write a short story and you realize that the theme that keeps coming up is social justice. Aha, you know, that could be your point of purpose of fighting for fairness. Or you might find that when you play guitar, the hours seem to disappear and afterwards you feel on top of the world. Okay, that could be a good sign that music is essential to your purpose. Even practices like meditation, prayer, journaling, they're forms of expression that can yield purpose insights. What they do is quiet the noise and they let your true voice emerge. Creative outlets and mindfulness can help you gain a sense of purpose by connecting you with your inner self. So don't say, "I'm not creative. " Creativity here isn't about being Picasso. It's about letting your inner thoughts and passion surface in whatever form works for you. So that's a lot of different potential habits. You don't have to do them all at once. The key is to commit to a few regular practices of self-discovery. So reflection, exploration, service, creative expression. Mix these things into your weekly routine. Purpose finding is an iterative process. Each step you take gives you feedback. Maybe journaling reveals two or three themes that keep recurring for you and say teaching nature a community. Next, you might volunteer at a community garden that teaches kids about nature. And combining all three, you feel an electric sense of like this is it. Or maybe it tells you not this. And that's fine, too. You refine the path as you go. Be patient with yourself. Only about 25% of American adults report having a clear sense of purpose. So, if you're still searching, you are not alone. It's a journey that many people are on. The difference is you are actively working on it right now. That already puts you ahead of the pack and on course to join the 25%. So keep at it and the puzzle pieces will start coming together. Align your daily routine with purpose. As you start getting hints of what your purpose might be or even if you're still in a discovery phase, you want to infuse purpose into your daily life. Purpose isn't just a lofty big idea. It shows up in the small actions that you take every day. So by building routines that align with what matters to you, you create momentum and stay connected to your why consistently. Now let's talk about how to actually do that. So start your morning with purpose. How you begin the day sets the tone. Instead of immediately diving into emails or social media, take 10 to 15 minutes each morning to center on your purpose or the search for it. This could be as simple as a morning journal where you write down your goals and your intentions. It could be going for a walk and thinking about who you want to serve. Making sure at least one of them is tied to your emerging purpose. So, for example, uh if you think your purpose involves writing the book to inspire others, your morning intention might be write 500 words of my book today. If you're still trying to figure it out, your intention could be something like do one thing that makes

me feel alive today or help just one person in some way today. Some people use affirmations or prayer in the morning related to their purpose. Like I am on the path to discovering my purpose or uh today I will live with meaning and service. It might sound a little cheesy but speaking it primes your brain to look for that purpose around you. Another powerful morning habit is visualization. So you picture yourself living a purpose- driven life. What does that look like? Athletes visualize winning. You visualize fulfilling your mission. This keeps your purpose front and center so you can see it rather than letting it get buried somewhere, you know, in busy work. And over time, this habit trains you to prioritize what matters most rather than just what's urgent and right in front of you. Next, break it down into daily goals. So, let's say through the habits that we've already discussed, you've identified a passion or a direction that feels like it could be a part of your purpose. It could be anything. You're building your startup. You're becoming a motivational speaker. You're making YouTube videos. You're creating art that heals people. You're advocating for a cause. Now ask yourself, what's one small thing that I can do today to advance that? Purpose can feel overwhelming if it's too big. It's like it's the end. I'm gonna end world hunger, right? It's huge. But remember, every big mission is achieved through tiny steps. So if your purpose is aligned with your work or business, then each day you likely already spend time on it. Just make sure to touch the part that is the most purpose- driven, like the creative design or networking with people you serve, not just the spreadsheets. If your purpose lies outside your day job and you can't just jump into it full-time yet, that's okay. Carve out a slice of time daily or weekly, maybe every evening from 7:00 to 8:00 p. m. you work on your side project or you study for that career shift that aligns with your purpose. Treat it like it's an important meeting with yourself that can't be missed. By scheduling purpose time, you ensure it doesn't always get postponed. Those daily actions add up and keep you emotionally connected to your why. Next, incorporate purpose into even routine tasks. So not every moment of life is thrilling, right? We still have chores, commutes, errands to run. But you can reframe even the mundane through the lens of purpose. For example, while doing tasks like cleaning or exercising, use the time to reflect or learn with purpose in mind. Listen to audiobooks or watch YouTube video or podcast. Relate it to your area of interest. Use your commute to practice a skill in your head or plan your next purposeful project. At work, if your job isn't your passion, you can still practice purposeful habits like kindness, excellence, uh, curiosity, which tie into who you want to be. Now, let's say you figured out that a core part of your purpose is to spread positivity. Then make a habit of smiling at strangers or sending a positive note to a colleague daily. It sounds small, but this keeps you aligned with your values, and it builds the purpose muscle. Every time you act in line with your perceived purpose, you reinforce it again and again, which gives you confidence. You don't want to live for the few moments you get to work on your passion and then sleepwalk through the rest of your day. Bring purpose into everything. You'll find even boring tasks take on new meaning when you can connect them back to your larger why. Next, surround yourself with purpose-minded people. So Jim Ran famously said, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. " If you want to live a purpose-driven life, try to connect with others who have that mindset, too. This is a crucial part of your daily environment. Seek out mentors, peers, or communities, and they could be online or offline that are pursuing meaningful goals. Their energy and example will rub off on you. If your current circle is just full of negative and aimless people, it's going to drag you down. It's really hard to feel passionate and excited and purposeful. When you're surrounded by people who aren't interested in making any kind of positive contribution, you might need to set some boundaries with naysayers or reduce time with people who belittle your search and make fun of purpose. Instead, find your tribe. Maybe a local entrepreneur meet up, a volunteer group, online forum talking about your interest. When you regularly talk to people who get it, right? You'll stay motivated and pick up new ideas for your journey. So, make purpose a shared adventure. Next, practice daily gratitude and reflection. In the evening, take a few minutes to reflect on your day through the lens of purpose. Ask, "What did I do today that felt meaningful or aligned with my purpose or my core values? And what am I grateful for today? " Gratitude is powerful. Research shows practicing gratitude increases life satisfaction and can even help you understand your purpose. When you note what you're grateful for, you often highlight what matters to you. So, for example, if you frequently write, "I am grateful I got to help my friend with her problem today. " That's a neon sign that helping others is fulfilling for you. Over a week or a month, your gratitude journal may reveal consistent themes. Those are related to your purpose. Additionally, reflecting on what felt meaningful each day helps you do more of it. You might realize that the highlight of your day was the hour that you spent painting or the moment that you had a deep conversation with your child. That awareness will encourage you to prioritize those activities moving forward. This simple nightly habit keeps you course corrected toward purpose. If you have days when nothing felt meaningful, that's okay.

Use it as motivation to plan something purposeful for tomorrow. And over time, you'll string together more and more days that feel aligned with your mission. Building these purpose aligned routines isn't about adding strict discipline to an already busy life that you have. It's about infusing meaning into the things that you are doing and being more intentional with your time. Even 20 to 30 minutes a day dedicated to purposeful practice like learning, creating, serving can change your life's trajectory. And by bookending your day, a purpose-driven morning and a grateful evening, you create a mental framework that keeps you engaged and excited about your why every single day. Create a long-term vision for a purposeful life. Daily actions are crucial, but we also need to take the 30,000 foot view. It's time to zoom out and look at the long-term vision. What kind of life do you ultimately want to live? What kind of legacy do you want to leave if that matters to you? Crafting a vision anchored in purpose will guide your big decisions and keep you motivated for the long haul. So, we're going to think of it as designing your personal north star that all of these efforts that you're doing point towards. Start with envisioning your ideal future. So, fast forward 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. If you were living a deeply purposeful life, what would it look like? Allow yourself to dream a little bit without any self-censorship of what can and can't be. Where would you be living? Who would you be working with? What kind of impact would you be making on the day on the world? Write it down in vivid detail and emotion. This is essentially writing your own life story in advance. For example, you might write uh 10 years from now and I wake up every morning. I'm excited. I'm running my own business that provides clean water to communities or I'm a successful author touching thousands of readers or I built a company that gives people great jobs and so on. I spend my days doing X, Y, and Z, and I feel fulfilled because I know I'm making a difference in blank. Don't worry if your vision feels ambitious and if you're not 100% certain. The goal is to create a compelling picture that resonates emotionally. This vision will evolve as you do, but having it written down gives you a target that you can aim for. It's incredibly motivating to have a clear vision of a life where you're living your purpose. It pulls you forward on the tough days. Next, write a personal mission statement. So, businesses have mission statements. Why not have one for your life or your venture? A mission statement is a short paragraph or a few sentences that capture your purpose and how you plan to pursue it. It's like your credo, for example. Your mission might be to inspire healthy living by teaching others how to grow and cook their own food or to bring people hope and happiness through storytelling or to innovate technology that improves everyday life for the elderly. Like, don't worry about making it perfect. Just make it authentic to what you actually care about. The act of writing a mission statement forces you to clarify your purpose in words, which makes it feel more concrete. And if you revisit it periodically to refine as you learn about yourself, cool. Once you have it, use it as a filter for opportunities. Does this job, project, partnership align with my mission? If yes, great. If not, maybe it's not the right fit. This helps you stay true to yourself. Remember Bronny Wear's lesson from people at the end of their life? The number one regret was, "I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. " Having a clear mission statement is an act of courage and self-defin. It's saying this is my path. Next, set meaningful goals that align with your purpose. So once you have a vision and mission, break it down into more concrete goals. Humans are goaloriented seeking creatures. Having goals gives us direction and satisfaction when we achieve them. So the trick is to ensure that your goals are aligned with your purpose, not just some arbitrary number. For example, uh if your purpose is related to improving education, great. A goal might be get a teaching certificate in the next 18 months or uh launch my educational YouTube channel by next March and grow it to 10,000 subscribers in a year. Great. Make some goals that are short-term, 3 to six months, and some longer term. All pointing towards that vision. Studies have found that pursuing meaningful goals boosts well-being. It gives you a sense of progress and hope things are happening. Write your goals down and track them. But also stay flexible if you discover new insights, which you will. You can adjust your goals. That's totally okay. The purpose is the compass. The goals are the landmarks along the journey. Even small wins like finishing a course, reaching your first 100 customers in your purpose-driven business. That will fuel your motivation and your confidence to keep going. Next, plan for obstacles and prepare to persevere. A long-term vision doesn't mean much if you give up at the first setback. One thing purpose gives you is resilience because when you deeply care about why you're doing something, you'll find a way through the how. Still, it helps to anticipate challenges. So, think about what could trip you up in pursuing your purpose. Is it the fear of failure? Is it financial constraints? Is it the lack of time? Once you identify the potential obstacles, you can make a plan for how you're going to handle them. So, for example, if uh money is an issue, uh maybe your plan is I'll save 10% of my income for the next two years, and I'm going to create a cushion to transition

into my purpose-based business. Or if time is an issue, I'll talk with my family about creating two evenings a week where I have no obligation so that I can work on building my dream. Right? Also, remind yourself of examples of others who overcame adversity through purpose. History and current events are full of stories. An entrepreneur who failed five times before succeeding. an activist who kept fighting despite criticism, etc. Draw strength from them and recall Franco's wisdom. With a strong enough why, you can endure anyhow. When challenges come, reconnect with your why. Read your mission statement. Visualize that future. Remember who you're doing this for. Your family, your community, your younger self who really needed a role model. This will reignite your determination to keep going. Purpose and perseverance go hand in hand. A long-term vision grounded in purpose is extremely powerful. It gives meaning to your sacrifices and focus to your efforts. It's the answer to why am I doing all of this on the days when things are tough and it will inspire others to support you too. When you have clarity of purpose, you become a magnet for opportunities and people who align with that same purpose. So don't be surprised as you better share your vision that the right doors just start to open. As the saying goes, when the student is ready, the teacher appears. By getting clear on your purpose and boldly setting out towards achieving it, you signal to the world that you are ready. And resources, mentors, and allies often show up in ways that almost feel magical. But it's really because you're now laser focused on what matters. Living a life of purpose. Finding your purpose as an entrepreneur and as a human being is the greatest journey you can undertake. It's not always easy, but it's absolutely worth it. Remember that purpose is not found in a day or a week. It's a lifelong adventure of becoming more and more the person you're meant to be. Along the way, you'll try things that don't work. You will face people who don't understand, and you'll probably evolve your direction a few times. That's okay. Every step, even the missteps, are part of the process. What matters is that you start. Start consciously looking for what makes you feel fulfilled. Start doing more of what you love and what helps other people. Start saying no to things that pull you off track. Start surrounding yourself with people with ideas and in environments that light you up. In short, start living on purpose instead of by accident. When you find and live your purpose, life gains a richness that is kind of hard to describe until you experience it. You wake up with more enthusiasm. Challenges become opportunities. You have this inner drive that propels you through obstacles that would stop other people. You contribute to something much bigger than yourself, which gives you a profound sense of satisfaction. As one study showed, having a strong purpose even helps you live longer and healthier. Talk about a win-win. And the beautiful thing is purpose is not static. As you live it, it grows. You'll touch lives in ways you never anticipated. You'll become a beacon for others. Your courage to live your purpose will inspire them to find theirs. And that's how we change the world. Each person shining their light, giving their gifts. As you pursue your purpose, never forget the world needs what you have. Your story, your voice, your ideas, your passion, they matter. They could be exactly what someone is out there praying for. So find that purpose and run with it. It might start as a small spark. Protect it, nurture it, and let it grow into a big flame. Trust yourself, trust the process. And as you get clarity, take action. Even if it's one small step, take it, then another. Purpose is revealed through action, not just thinking about it. You've got this. I'm excited for you to discover the incredible impact you're going to make once you're aligned with your purpose. It's never too early or too late to start. Whether you're 15 or 50, your purpose is waiting for you to step into it. As Mark Twain reportedly said, the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. Don't settle for anything less. Go find your why, live it fully, and give it to the world with everything you've got. Your future self will thank you, and so will all the lives that you touch along the way. I believe in you, and I believe in your purpose. Now, it's time for you to believe in it and take action. Stay strong, stay curious, and as always, believe. Now, let's learn how to get unstuck and rewire your brain with a sticky note. You ever feel like you're completely lost? Like you're stuck in a rut and you can't find your way out? It's a scary feeling, especially for an entrepreneur like you who's used to chasing big dreams. You might be waking up dreading the day, wondering, "What am I even doing with my life and business? " If that's you, stay with me. It might sound crazy, but a simple sticky note could be the key to rewiring your brain and getting you back on track. I'm going to show you how step by step, backed by real neuroscience. The problem, feeling lost on your entrepreneurial journey. So feeling lost

or stuck is more common than you think, especially among entrepreneurs. You pour your heart into your business and sometimes it feels like you're getting nowhere. You start doubting yourself and those doubts just keep replaying over and over in your mind. Studies have found that approximately half of entrepreneurs experience at least one significant mental health challenge like anxiety or depression in their lifetime. So if you're feeling this way, you are not alone. Far from it. The problem is the more that you tell yourself that you're lost or that you're failing, the more your brain believes it. Negative thoughts can become a loop and a mental trick that plays over and over again. But here's the good news. Your brain can change and you can break that loop. Neuroplasticity. Yes, you can change your brain. So your brain isn't fixed in stone. It has an amazing ability called neuroplasticity. That's a fancy word. That means it can rewire and adapt throughout your life. So in simple terms uh when you learn something or you repeat something your brain cells neurons form new connections. So neuroscientists often say it like this neurons that fire together wire together. So what does that mean? If you repeatedly think or do the same thing the neurons involved start connecting more strongly making that thought or that action easier the next time. It's how habits form and skills develop. So think about it. If every day you tell yourself, "I'm lost. I'm lost. " You're literally wiring your brain to stay lost. Those neurons keep firing together and strengthening that belief. But, and huge but, if you start feeding your brain a new message, you can wire a new pathway. It's like carving a fresh trail through a forest. At first, it's hard to even see, but walk it enough times and becomes a clear path. According to brain experts, the brain forms interconnections based on repeated simultaneous activity. In other words, repeat a positive thought enough and your brain will rewire itself to adopt it. This is real neuroscience. Your brain can literally change its structure and function with focused practice over time. Okay. So now, how do we make use of this superpower of neuroplasticity to help you stop feeling lost and start feeling driven again? That's where our simple tool comes in, the sticky note. Why focus and belief matter, the power of your mindset. So before we dive into the sticky note method, you need to understand why this works. It comes down to focus and belief. There's a part of your brain called the reticular activating system or RA. Think of it as your brain's filter for information. Your brain is bombarded with signals every second. And the RA helps decide what actually gets your attention. So you ever notice how if you learn a new word, you suddenly start hearing it everywhere? or if you decide on a certain car to buy, you suddenly start seeing that car on the road all the time. That's your RA at work. It filters in what you've programmed it to consider important. So, when you feel lost, your mind is often zeroed in on negative thoughts like, uh, I'm directionless or nothing ever works out for me. Your RA will then filter the world to confirm those beliefs. You'll zero in on more evidence that you're stuck and miss opportunities or solutions. So we need to flip that script for you. By setting a clear intention or goal for yourself and repeating it, you tell your hey this is important to me. As a result, you start to notice ideas and people and opportunities that align with that new focus. Neuroscience researchers put it this way. If you clearly define your goal and write it down, you will start noticing connections in conversations and seeing different avenues in your environment that help you achieve it. So those opportunities were probably there all along. But now your brain is tuned in. This is also where belief comes in. Right? If you believe you're stuck, you'll act stuck. If you believe you can change, you will start changing. As Henry Ford famously said, whether you think you can or you can't, you're right. In other words, your mindset sets the limit on your potential. Again, isn't just a motivational talk. It's backed by psychology. Optimism and a sense of self-efficacy, that's the belief that you can influence your situation, have been linked to better resilience and performance. So, when you have a hopeful, positive narrative in your head, you make better choices and create better outcomes. So, how do we train your focus and belief towards the positive? All right, enter the sticky note, your new daily brain trainer. Why a sticky note? The science behind this simple tool. So, why are we using a sticky note of all things? It seems almost too simple, right? That's the beauty of it. A sticky note is cheap, it's easy, and it can serve as a constant visual reminder of the change that you're trying to make. Here's why it works. Backed by science. Writing engages your brain. So, don't just think your new intention, write it down by hand. Neuroscience research from the University of Tokyo found that writing by hand actually increases brain activity in areas involved in memory and

recall. much more than typing on a phone or computer. In the study, people who wrote on physical paper could remember information better and even completed tasks 25% faster than those who use digital devices. Why? Writing on paper gives your brain unique tactile and spatial information, creating stronger memory traces. In short, putting pen to paper makes your brain sit up and pay attention. When you scribble a powerful phrase on a sticky note, you're imprinting it deeper into your mind than if you just silently thought about it. Next, visual cues trigger action. A sticky note placed in your environment, like on your bathroom mirror or your computer monitor, it becomes a cue. So, psychologists who study habits will tell you that cues are a big part of forming new routines. Your environment can prompt you to think or act in a certain way without you even realizing it. So, if you see a bright sticky note each morning that says, for example, keep moving forward, it interrupts your autopilot thinking and refocuses you on that idea. It's hard to ignore a neon postit by your face. By making the positive message highly visible, you ensure that you're repeatedly triggering the new thought. Remember, neurons that fired together wired together. So, every time you see the note and think the thought, you're strengthening that neurowiring. Next, affirmations rewire thought patterns. So, the sticky note message will essentially be a positive affirmation or a focused thought. Repeating affirmations have been shown to have real effects on the brain and on stress levels. Research published in Psychology Today notes that positive selft talk can counteract and eventually quiet the negative thoughts in our heads. We all have negative selft talk that holds us back. But when you deliberately introduce positive statements, you start to drown out the negativity over time. So, think of it like this. Affirmations are exercises for your brain. Just as doing reps in the gym builds your muscles, doing repetitions of a positive statement builds new mental pathways. Over time, you reprogram your brain and replace the old limiting circuits with new empowering ones. In fact, studies have shown that a habit of affirmations can reduce stress and even improve people's problem solving and health choices. That's because you're training your brain to focus on possibilities and strengths rather than fears. Next, emotion boosts memory. So, here's a pro tip. When you read your sticky note, feel it. Don't just say it. Neuroscience tells us that emotional experience gets remembered more strongly than neural. So, for example, uh you probably remember your first victory in business or a major setback very vividly because it had a strong emotion attached to it. Researchers found that memories of emotional events are often more vivid and accurate than memories of ordinary events. Emotional arousal hardwires details into your brain. So if your sticky note says, "I have a purpose. " And reading that gives you a spark of hope or determination, that emotional charge will help lock in the message. So smile, stand tall, and let yourself feel the positivity of confidence of the statement. By combining the intention, which is the words on a note, with emotion, you're signaling to your brain that this is important, and your brain will remember and integrate it faster. So in short, a sticky note works on multiple levels. It's engaging your brain through writing. It's grabbing your attention visually. It's reinforcing positive selft talk. And if you involve emotion, it's turbocharging all of those effects. Not bad for a tiny piece of paper. Right now, let's get practical and walk through how you can use a sticky note to start rewiring your brain and guiding yourself out of that lost feeling. The sticky note brain rewire step-by-step guide. Okay, it's time to take action. Grab a pen and a pad of sticky notes. Right, we're going to create your very own brain rewiring note. Here's a simple step-by-step process. Step number one, choose one powerful message. First, decide on a word or phrase that captures what you want to believe or focus on most. Make it positive and present tense. It could be an affirmation, a goal, or simply a reminder of your core purpose. Think about the mindset that you want to install in your brain. So, for example, if you've been feeling directionless, your message might be something like, I have a clear purpose, or I am focused and moving forward. If you feel like a failure, it could be, I am capable of great things. Make sure that it resonates with you deeply. Less is more here. A short, clear phrase is easier for your brain to latch on to. And here's a pro tip. In my book, Your One Word, I talk about finding your core value or theme for your life. This can also be a great source for your sticky note. My one word is believe. and seeing that word reminds me of what I do. So, take a moment to pick your word or phrase that represents the opposite of feeling lost. Something that represents being guided, being purposeful, being strong, or whatever you need right now. Another one of my personal favorites when I feel lost is that great things come to me. Whenever I don't know what to do and I struggle and I feel like none of my plans are working out, I tell myself, I write on a sticky note, great things come to me. Okay, step number two, write it by hand. Now take out your sticky note and write your message by

hand. Write it in big bold letters so that you can see it at a glance. As you write it, say it in your head or say it out loud. This simple act is already beginning to wire it into your brain. Remember, writing engages your brain more than just typing or just thinking. So for example, if you choose the phrase, I am focused and unstoppable. Write out On that note, the physical act of writing and the mental act of affirming it start forging a new neural pathway. And here's a pro tip. Use a color that stands out. I'm using, you know, white and black that are on brand for me right now, but a bright yellow or orange sticky note can grab your attention more than a dull color. You want this to literally stand out in your environment and in your mind. Step number three, place your sticky note strategically. So, put that sticky note somewhere where you will see it every single day, especially first thing in the morning and throughout the day. So, some good suggestion spots, your bathroom mirror, you see it when you go and you brush your teeth. Uh, your bedroom door, you see it before you go to sleep. The refrigerator, your computer monitor. Choose a place associated with when you often feel lost or in a down mood. So for a lot of people, the morning mirror is powerful because you start the day by looking at this positive message instead of immediately drowning in your worries. So by placing it in a high visibility spot, you ensure that you get that daily cue. It's like setting up a checkpoint where your brain gets a dose of positivity and focus automatically. And hey, you can even have multiple notes for multiple places if you want some extra reinforcement. The key is don't hide it. Make it unmissable. Step number four, read it, repeat it, feel it. So, every time you see your sticky note, read it consciously. Don't just glance at it and ignore it. Take a second to really absorb it. Read it out loud if you can. Yes, talk to yourself. It works. Say it with conviction. Uh say it like you're telling yourself the most important truth. And here's the important part. Feel the words. If your note says, "I have a purpose. " Recall for a moment why you started your entrepreneurial journey and feel that sense of purpose spark up. If it says, "I am strong," stand a little straighter and feel the strength in you. Infuse the affirmation with emotion and meaning. This helps encode it deeper in your brain and faster. It might feel a little silly at first, but trust me, this is training your brain. You're not just reading a note. You're rewiring your neural circuits. Try to do this every single time you encounter the note. So, make a tiny little ritual. See the note, say the note, and feel it for a moment. These few seconds of mindfulness are rewiring you bit by bit. Step number five, take small actions. Optional, but powerful. After reading your note and getting into that positive mindset, try to do something small that aligns with the message. So, this step links your new mindset with tangible action, which reinforces it even more. So, for example, if your note says, "I am moving forward. " Right after you read it, do a couple quick tasks that show that you're moving forward. Send that email you've been procrastinating on, or spend five minutes brainstorming solutions to a problem that you've been stuck on. This creates a mental association between the state of mind uh the I'm proactive and focused and the actual behavior. Action also gives you evidence that what you're telling yourself is true. So you'll start to say, "Hey, I am getting things done. Look at me go. " Those small wins each day piled up build momentum out of your rut. So remember, feeling lost often causes inaction. So we counter it with small action. Your sticky note becomes a trigger not just for thinking better, but doing better. Step number six, stay consistent. Make it a daily habit. Rewiring your brain isn't an instant miracle. It's a daily practice. The brain learns by repetition over time. Researchers have found that forging a new habit takes on average about 66 days of consistent repetition. About 2 months for it to become automatic. So commit to this sticky note practice every day for the next few months. It literally takes less than a minute of your day to do. So make it non-negotiable. If you miss a day, don't beat yourself up. Just get back to it the next day. Some days you might not feel those words are true. That's okay. Still say them. In fact, especially say them on the hard days. You are rewiring those old beliefs. And that old I'm lost circuit will take a little time to weaken as a new I have direction circuit takes over. Trust the process. Science backs us up. With each repetition, that new neural connection is getting just a little bit stronger. It's just like muscle training. You might not see the bicep on day one, right? But by day 30 or 60, there's growth. So keep at it daily. Step number seven, refresh your notes over time. So, here's a practical tip. If the sticky note starts to blend into the background after a few weeks, you might get too used to it, right? Feel free to move it to a new spot or write a new note to keep things fresh. You could upgrade your message as progress. So, for example, if uh I have purpose has sunk in and you're feeling more directed, maybe your next note says execute with passion or great things come to me or whatever next step you need. This isn't about constantly changing goals, but rather keeping your brain engaged. Sometimes a new wording or a new color paper reignites your focus again. But if the original message still hits home, you can absolutely keep the same note up as long as it motivates you. And so by following these steps, you've essentially set up a mini neuroscience experiment just on yourself. You've created a positive feedback loop. The note triggers a positive thought which triggers positive

emotion and action which gives positive results which then reinforces the positive belief. This loop over time pulls you out of the mental quicksand of feeling lost. It's simple but incredibly powerful when done consistently. Bringing it all together, motivation and next steps. At this point, you might be thinking, can a sticky note really change my life? And on its own, the sticky note is just a tool. You are the one changing your life. The note is a daily catalyst. It's a prompt to remind you of what matters and what you're capable of. It helps you break the cycle of negative thinking and replaces it with intentional positive focus. So, think about this. The fact that you're willing to try this means you haven't given up. There's a part of you that knows that you have a purpose, that you can find your way again. We're just using science and a little piece of paper to draw that out and make it your dominant mindset. Small things lead to big changes. Writing a couple words on a sticky note is a small act, but doing it every day with heart and intention can lead to a profound mindset shift. And remember, you're not just doing mind tricks. You're leveraging how your brain naturally works. You're using neuroplasticity, which is your brain's ability to adapt. You're using psychological principles of habit formation and attention. You're effectively coaching your brain like you would train a muscle. There's real weight behind this. For instance, self-affirmation practices have been shown to reduce stress and increase well-being. In scientific studies, entrepreneurs and high performers around the world use techniques like visualization, affirmations, and goal setting because they work. And now you have your personalized version of that. I want to emphasize if you feel lost, don't go it alone. Yes, the sticky note exercise is something that you can do by yourself, but also make sure that you're talking to mentors and friends and experts who can support you, too. Sometimes a conversation, reading a good book, watching an inspiring video. I've interviewed countless successful people on my channel and featured them where we talk about pushing through tough times. That can also give you a boost of perspective. So, use those resources. For example, if finding purpose is a big issue for you, check out my book, Your One Word, or Built to Serve, where I dive into how serving others can give your work meaning. In fact, one strategy I mentioned is remembering who you're serving. Maybe your customers, your family, or a younger version of you. You can even write that on a sticky note. something like, "I built this business to help new moms or remember why you started. " A purpose-driven reminder, can be incredibly grounding when you feel lost. It pulls you out of your own head and directs your focus to the impact that you want to have. And let's also talk a little bit about motivation. Change, even with a tool as simple as this, can feel slow. You might do this for a week and think, "Is anything happening? " Trust that it is. Your brain is changing quietly day by day. Others might start noticing you seem a little more upbeat or determined even before you fully notice it. You'll gradually find that the lost feelings visit you less often. And when they do, you now have a way to steer your thoughts back on course. So celebrate those small victories. Maybe you felt excited about your project for the first time in months. That's a win. Maybe you solved a problem at work that you felt too stuck to handle before. Another win. These are signs that you're sticking out. And more importantly, your commitment to a new mindset is paying off. your new path forward. Look at the journey we've laid out here. From understanding why you feel lost to learning that your brain can change to setting up a practical method to redirect your focus every day. It's actionable and it's backed by neuroscience. Now, the ball is in your court. Will you take that first step? Will you spend 5 minutes or less to write out that note and place it where you need it? I hope you do because that tiny action could spark a transformation for you. Imagine yourself a few months from now. You walk past your mirror in the morning and you see your note. I am focused and unstoppable. Except it's not just a note anymore. It's your reality. You've been living it. You feel more clear. You feel more driven and more you. Again, the challenges are still there. Entrepreneurship is never easy. But now you tackle them with a mindset that says, "I will find the way. " That's the difference rewiring your brain can make. So you have the tools, you have the knowledge, and deep down you have that fire that pushed you to start this journey of entrepreneurship in the first place. It might have dimmed for a moment, but you're about to reignite it. Every great entrepreneur, every success story has faced moments of feeling lost. And the ones who rise are those who choose to believe in themselves and put in the work to change. And now it's your turn. So take that sticky note, craft your future one day at a time. Your brain will follow your lead. It just needs you to show up consistently. So make that promise to yourself. You are not lost. You are recalibrating. You are learning, growing, and rewiring for success. So go ahead and do this. Do this for you. Start now and stick with it, literally. And soon you'll look back and realize that the fog has lifted and you're on a clear path forward. a path

that you created by training your mind. And remember, you have the power to change your story because brain. It all starts with a single decision, a sticky note, and a belief that things can be different. So, are you ready to rewrite your narrative? I know you can do it. Now, it's time for you to know it, feel it, and live it every day. Go make it happen. Believe. To learn the fastest way to financial freedom with Robert Kiyosaki, check the video right there next to me. I think you'll love it. Continue to believe and I'll see you there. In 1985, Robert Kiyosaki and his wife hit rock bottom. They were homeless, living out of a beat up brown Toyota with exhausted credit cards and just a few dollars to their