6 Unusual Things Even Average People Can Do To Become Genius-Level Thinkers
Success takes courage.
Pexels, Anastasia Collection, ninocare | Canva It’s time to draw a line in the sand, friend. It’s time to stop pretending you don’t want real success, solid income, and excellent health. Your excuses are lies, and they keep you down.
I’m not the most successful, though I’ve done well and have everything I need right now. There is much I am learning about accelerating my progress. Yes, success is subjective, but much of it we can all agree on.
Here are 6 unusual things even average people can do to become genius-level thinkers:
1. Work with someone who’s done it
Ground Picture | Shutterstock
What are you looking to do? What has someone achieved that you’d love? Find them, talk to them, and find a way to absorb their knowledge, experiences, and insight.
What if someone could give you the steps and accountability you needed to get there faster and save potentially years of frustration? What would that be worth to you?
Right now, I’m working with a business coach who has sold millions in online courses. I want to do the same, so I am paying him to help with my next launch. Invest in yourself, even if it feels like a painful stretch. It should. If it hurts, you’ll work twice as hard to make sure you earn that money back.
2. Build your brand
Gorodenkoff | Shutterstock
Simon Sinek said: "People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it." (I’d also add — they buy based on who you are, too).
The context of you as a human being on a mission that gives context to your products and services is a long-term asset. Many overlook its significance. But the larger, more engaging, and more meaningful your brand is, the easier it will be to make an impact with your knowledge and earn money from your skills.
I use personal stories, observations, and lessons to demonstrate my humanity and authority on several topics. This creates a community around me who are happy to exchange money for my ongoing support. The brand keeps me free and able to live anywhere I want.
3. Validate your ideas
fizkes | Shutterstock
I’ve spent many years working for myself and creating my products and services. A big lesson I learned was that assuming people will want to buy my stuff is very different from knowing they will. There are ways to move the needle towards more confidence in knowing I’m building the right product that people will want to buy.
I ask more questions. I put together smaller tester products and beta cohorts. I get more people on coaching calls to validate the solutions I provide. I get more reviews from people who saw results and use those reviews to validate the products further. This way, I am taking small risks on things that have a far higher likelihood of succeeding.
4. Commit to a seemingly relentless daily habit
Ground Picture | Shutterstock
Many habits you probably have dialed in. But what’s that habit you know would change your life that you continually allow to slip? Maybe it’s writing every day. Or quitting video games. Or reaching out to three potential new clients.
How do you start to build a habit? A Harvard study tells us it all starts with you. You need to set an intention, and it won't be easy. It takes self-discipline, patience, and commitment. In other words, you have to want it.
“This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard, and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.” — Neil Gaiman
At the heart of your success lies monotony. Your willingness to repeatedly do what you need to do, no matter your mood. What is the driver? For me, it’s writing and publishing at least one article. I have slipped in the past, but regardless of what else is happening, I am working extra hard to ensure I don’t miss a day.
What single activity, done repeatedly, could compound to magnificence in a year? You must find the strength to build your tower with a brick a day.
5. Go 10X over 2X
1st footage | Shutterstock
In Benjamin Hardy’s book, 10X Is Easier Than 2X, he argues that when we aim for a bigger target, we’re forced to think differently than had we aimed at the 2X goal. Our options are reduced, but there is less to do and think about because they are limited.
Write down your goals. Research from Dominican University shows us that people who wrote down their goals were 33% more likely to accomplish them.
In my case, I could do what I was planning: create another $50 course, release it without much fanfare, and add a few thousand per year in income.
This would mean my income goals take a lot longer, with me needing to create a far greater variety of courses to make it happen. Or I could go all in on a big course launch with a higher quality product, working with partners to ensure a successful, higher income launch and limiting its availability.
6. Be courageous
CarlosBarquero | Shutterstock
Just writing this makes me nervous because now my neck is on the line, and there is the possibility of failing in public. But there is always a price to pay for taking a bigger risk. However, when you go all in on fewer things, your likelihood of success increases because your focus is there.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.