Ever notice how certain environments create specific internal states?
How intentionally designed a 5-star resort is…
How complementary the service provided is…
How productive you are when you get into flow…
I have experienced both sides of the spectrum personally.
I’ve been in states where I feel like a well oiled machine…
… and in others where I can’t focus for longer than a few minutes.
What is fascinating… is that you can design these states on demand.
Once you become aware of the ingredients to your own internal flow, it becomes a choice as to how you show up personally, professionally, and emotionally.
I trust this will help you choose the path of **intentional productivity and growth.
**If you want to go deeper, you can read my article on Entrepreneur Development
Last year I tripled my business….
… and then I traveled for 9-months.
The beginning of the trip (< 2 months) I was still incredibly productive.
Then I began to let things slide… and could barely maintain what was already on my plate.
It came in waves, but I never got back to that place of routine productivity during my travels.
I was spending energy on:
Where I would be next week
Where I would workout the next morning
Where I would work the next day
Where I would eat
The list continues…
… and because of this I was never able to enter flow.
The majority of my willpower and energy was spent on my primary needs, which left very little in the tank for professional and creative endeavors.
It wasn’t until I returned home after 9 months and dropped back into my old routine that my productivity, passion, and perspective returned.
*If you’ve been following me for more than a year, I guarantee you can pinpoint the drop off in my content, community and creative endeavors.
What I found most fascinating was that even after being away for 9 months…
… the anchors I had installed in my stateside apartment still existed.
I didn’t have to create anything
I didn’t have to think about them
I didn’t have to spend energy deciding
I was completely free to turn my energy towards personal and professional work.
It’s in that state that I feel most fulfilled…
… and here’s how I created that environment.
Before I give you the exact protocol for what my system looks like…
… the headspace I was in to create these anchors is important.
I require a routine.
A routine that creates space for spontaneity.
Which is exactly what all routines do, yet most believe it stifles them.
Think of it this way… a river ceases to flow without banks.
In 2021/22, I was a Tony Robbins Platinum Partner.
Part of my enrollment intention was to find the limits of my own potential…
… which I’ve still not discovered - because my imagination is limitless.
What I did discover is that there is so much more in the tank.
Not just for me, but for all of us.
Enter the desire to optimize every aspect of my life.
I knew I wasn’t going to want to always do what I set out to…
I knew that motivation is perishable, but dedication is a choice…
I knew that sustainable consistency beats all-out effort everyday…
Prior to enrolling as a Plat I did 90-days of what most know of as the 75-hard.
If you miss any of them you start back at day 1.
What I discovered was that my ‘100%’ was more like 40…
… and that was the space I had been living in most of my life.
When faced with challenges, I had to level up or restart…
… and because I had made the commitment to myself, I always figured it out.
Not only did I complete the 90-days…
… I had created a new person by the end of it.
I was in incredible shape…
I was unstoppable mentally…
I had more clients than I knew what to do with…
I made more money in my business than ever before…
I, quite literally, had designed the man I had wanted to be…
… and because I saw what was possible, I’ll never go back to who I was before.
What came from that challenge was an awareness of my actions.
For 18 months thereafter I was on fire - dialed in like a fighter jet.
Sometimes we need to experience the opposite to know what we truly have.
That is the blessing 9-months of travel gave me.
What I left behind to hit the road was the following protocol:
4:45a - Wake-Up
5:00a - Writing / Reading
7:00a - Gym
8:00a - Podcast / Audio Book / Program Audio + Walking My Dog
9:00a - Breakfast & Coffee
10:00a - Deep Work
1:00p - Lunch Break & Walk
2:00p - Calls / Admin / Team Meetings
4:00p - Shut Off Email / Slack / Notifications
4:30p - Podcast / Audio Book / Program Audio + Walk Lokah
6:00p - Dinner / Friends / Family / Relationships
8:00p - No More Technology
9:00p - In Bed (Red Light Only)
I took the above to the extreme… because I can.
I use a Hatch Alarm Clock to simulate sunrise and wake me up to birds chirping.
I automated all of the lights in my house with lights from Amazon.
*Time of day, temp, reminders, and colors to keep me off my phone.
I always have 3 - 5 books, podcasts, courses in my queue (and in line with present interests) so I’m not wasting my time searching in the moment.
I made my phone monochrome, removed notifications, and set timers with shortcuts.
I automated all of my ‘at home’ meals with delivery (or my assistant brought them).
I prioritized guaranteed sleep/wake times, recovery, and nutrition… which ensured I was able to show up consistently day in and day out.
The question for me then becomes, did I actually enjoy this state?
In the moment, yes… but I also believe in balancing the macro, not the micro.
This worked for almost 2 years.
I then took a step back to do more consulting, travel and explore.
Which also worked, but for only a few months… the final 3-4 I felt like I was floating.
This brings me to where I am now…
… present day exploring what it’s like living in a new state.
What I do know is that I’m presently recreating my previous routine because it’s time to build again… and that’s a very exciting, fulfilling, and insightful place to be.
Create your environment consciously… unlock your unconscious potential.