#1 Ask Yourself, ‘What’s Worth Wanting?’

I’ve always believed that knowing what you want is important.

But recently, my thought process has changed (for good). Knowing what you want will give you clarity of direction. But knowing what’s worth wanting will give you the fulfillment you yearn for.

And they’re NOT the same. Clarity of direction is easy to find; fulfillment is not. If you know you want to make a million dollars, crack an exam, or become a world-class athlete, ChatGPT will give you a nearly perfect plan now. You don’t even have to think.

But will that fulfill you? Is it worth it for you? Does it align with the life you want? These are questions only you can answer. No AI, no template, no playbook will do it for you. And that’s why they matter so much.

Such ‘intuitive’ questions might not align with your definition of success and clarity, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less important. Focus on the ‘WHY’ first, and you’ll easily figure out ‘HOW.’

#2 Embrace Discipline

I know you’re groaning at that thought but let me offer a different perspective.

Until recently, even I hated discipline. I’d wake up groggily, turn off the alarm, and navigate out of my bed with eyelids barely open.

In such a state, working out felt like the worst thing to do. But I knew it was important, so on some days, I would push myself. But more often than not, I would give in to sleep (then regret it the whole day).

It was a negative spiral that kept dragging me down and depleted the trust I had in myself.

The logical solutions—pushing through, habit tracking, countless affirmations, and plain old willpower—didn’t work.

Then, late one evening, I found myself reflecting on a sentence I’d read earlier in the day, “The safest way to get what you want is to try and deserve what you want.”

Charlie Munger had said it in one of his talks, as a tiny part of a larger discussion, but it stayed with me.

I want a better body. But would I deserve it if I skipped workouts?
I want to write better. But would I deserve it if I didn’t study and practice it enough?
I want to build a profitable business. But would I deserve it if I ignored the basics and focused only on fundraising without a solid product?

It’s a simple question, but it puts the whole world into perspective. 

We think we’re the most powerful species, but nature has an upper hand on us because we control a ridiculously small part of the world. And our cognition cannot override the laws of natural selection that dictate survival of the fittest.

The strongest, most adaptable species survives. And the strongest, most adaptable human wins. Those who build the strength get all they want because they’ve worked for it, and they deserve it.

And when you look at discipline as the means for building your strength and competence, you stop dreading it and start loving it. Showing up, even when your mood doesn’t want you to, becomes a natural choice if your goals and their achievement are important enough for you.

Ever since I embraced this perspective on discipline, I’ve never had to push or pump myself to do what I need to do. I just do it. And it doesn’t feel like a huge struggle because it isn’t! It’s a part of the process—that’s it.

You don’t need a huge routine to make discipline work, you just need to see the truth and act accordingly.

#3 Be Willing to Be Wrong

I know, this doesn’t immediately register a connection with success or happiness because in our minds, the explanation for someone’s success is that they got things right, not wrong.

But the truth is different.

Over the past six years, I’ve actively searched for the most powerful ideas that unlock extraordinary human achievement, and I chronicle the lessons through my blogs, newsletters, videos, and books.

A big part of that exploration is studying those who achieved extraordinary feats and understanding their lives—mostly through biographies.

In all those stories of humans pushing the realm of possibility, the willingness to be wrong (and accept it) has been a core characteristic. They don’t care about being right or satisfying their ego.

That’s precisely why they win. Most human beings care more about their ego than their progress because it gives them validation, false superiority, and false control over their lives. And progress often comes at the expense of all three.

Those who succeed recognize that they can’t always be right. It’s impossible. No human being can know everything about everything. Instead of letting their limited knowledge become a weakness, successful people turn it into a strength by ignoring their ego and uttering the three magic words:

I DON’T KNOW.

If they make a mistake, they say the three scary words that ego doesn’t allow:

I WAS WRONG.

Once they do, they ask a question:

HOW CAN I IMPROVE?

And it changes the trajectory of their lives. By accepting their shortcomings and mistakes with an open mind, they create the possibility for improvement. They become stronger. They rise through the ranks.

They get it right and step into the spotlight only when they learn from all the times they were wrong, and that’s the part of their success we conveniently ignore in the mainstream. That says enough about the grip ego has on us.

Let it go. Be wrong. Let someone else bask in false glory if they want to. And focus on constant improvement.

Because your goals are worth more than a stupid argument that everyone will forget in two days. Treat them with the sincerity they deserve.