[F&F] Grow or Die. Maintenance is a Myth.

Read Time: 5 Minutes

One thing in particular has been on my mind recently.

And it's the "myth of maintenance".

For the longest time, I figured I could just be in work/life balance mode - A.K.A. maintenance.

But over time, as I've collected more results, client wins, and experience, I realize it's a MYTH.

There's nothing wrong with work/life balance if you're enjoying yourself.

But one crucial takeaway is as you're "balancing", you're leaving a lot of growth on the table.

It's reeeally tough to be in this "maintenance mode", and still grow - especially rapidly.

At 29, as I review my 20s and what I achieved (and what I didn't), I have only one theme of review.

I won't call it regret...

But IF I could turn back Father Time's sturdy hands, I'd probably de-prioritize fun, and prioritize growth to the next level.

I've always had a blast traveling internationally, experiencing new things, and growing along the way. I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world:

And of course, have put in a hell of a lot of work to get what I have now.

I have a fundamental belief, that you should go as hard as you can, as young as you can - to get everything you want - at as early an age as possible.

Because when you're living it up, enjoying your wins, and taking time off to decompress - this can be healthy.

But if done too much, you start to experience the effects of opportunity cost.

To beat it back, you've really got to stay committed - never settling, just upgrading.

Every second you spend doing something that doesn't get you closer to your goals, gets compounded against you, and becomes harder to combat.

It's not just that you can do it all at another future point; you're actually setting yourself back much further than this.

It's because when you do the opposite, every little action stacks up and compounds, giving you a HUGE, exponential advantage over those who don't.

The process I'm committing to these days, is one of neutralization.

To me, this means staying completely neutral, detached, and focused on my objectives - rather than riding the highs and lows of big wins and major setbacks.

If you want to make this work for yourself, you can use a few strong exercises.

Avoid These Mistakes:

My favorite, is asking yourself in the present moment - "Is what I'm engaged in at this moment, going to contribute to where I want to be?"

If the answer's no, of course limit or cut it out.

As you go through the entrepreneurial rollercoaster, it's tempting to rest on your laurels when things are good, and take pressure of the gas.

Similarly, it's the easiest to forge forward into action when your back's against the wall, and get what you want when the chips are down.

Instead, neutralize.

Put in the same degree of focused drive, no matter what's going on externally.

Easier said than done - but if you can go as hard as you did when you were only earning $2k/mo... as when you've just seen a 5 or 6 figure sales week...

It's pretty hard not to win over the long run.

Tying It All Together:

Focus on what you can control - your outputs.

Limit activities that feel great in the present, but ultimately detract from your laser focus.

Rest and recuperate when needed, so you can continue the long-term marathon.

Your One-Minute Takeaway:

The ups and downs are easy to passively ride emotionally.

Neutralize your attachment to them, keep building under any and all circumstances, and keep the drive (that got you where you are) strong...

... so you can continue to aspire and push to the next level, no matter what's going on around you - the highest highs, or the lowest lows.

Those externalities should ideally never affect your performance.

At all times, you're either growing or atrophying.

Do not get swayed by the "Myth of Maintenance".

Keep your eye on the long-term prize, and break it down into manageable, executable chunks - usually in 30 to 90 day, prioritized increments.