The self development world gets convoluted all the time with a bunch of fluff. It seems like every single time we go on Instagram or any social media outlet for that matter, there’s always a new health trend, tactic, and/or conspiracy.

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We are getting bombarded with what we call “hustle porn,” and don’t get me started on the act of “mental masturbation,” where individuals will pat themselves on the back just because they listen to a self-help podcast. Yes, this may sound gruesome, but the fact of the matter is that it is gruesome.

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As a 26 year old CEO, I often find myself talking to the “ideas guy.” The guy who watches all the podcasts, reads all the books, pays for all the seminars, but has made zero life progress, because they use their willingness to learn as an excuse for not starting at all.

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I used to be that guy. Don’t get me wrong at first, self help serves a purpose, but at some point you got to let the horse out of the freaking stable, before the legs get tired from standing in the same place.

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Nowadays I’m the complete opposite, I implement before iterating. I’ll build without the manual. I’ll start a company and learn on the way (hence how Flow Forward Media was born). I’ve seen how that process works and I’m addicted to the end result.

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The character that wins is the “action taker.” The action taker isn’t always the smartest guy. Often times they are the quietest in the room. They don’t ruminate on where to go, they just pick a path and run with it. The action taker can take 10 bad routes, circle back, and win on the 11th route and it’d still be before the ideas guy even picks a route to go down.

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What I’ve learned very quickly is that the speed of implementation dictates your success. The most successful people in the world find more pleasure in the actual action than the learning phase. They understand that, the real fruits are in the outcomes from the outputs, not the ideation of ideas.

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The biggest hindrance on the self-help society

It’s a beautiful thing, more people than ever are on their “self-help era.” Well, it’s actually not as beautiful as you’d think. Why would you make self development just an “era?” That’s essentially telling yourself, that you’re not willing to continue it over the course of your life.

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Replace era with journey (because it lasts forever).

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Becoming the best version of yourself is a field goalpost that will always keep on moving back, it doesn’t just stop after you get a 4.0 gpa in school, win an all-american athletics award, get your first sale, and make 1 million dollars. Once those things are accomplished there’s more work to do. The “ideas guy,” sees that as tedious, they’re more comfortable sitting at home watching a podcast and fantasizing about their favorite Youtuber. The “action taker,” sees this journey as a game, every time they acquire a new skill they see it as leveling up.

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What makes an action taker?

An action taker understands these core principles below:

1. Loose lips sink ships
   1. The more someone talks about something, the less time they are actually building. Jinxing outcomes is as real as it gets. Most people that talk a big game get humbled by life. The action takers are quiet, like snipers.
2. Anxiety is the engine for speed
   1. Most look at anxiety as a negative thing. Action takers use their anxiety as urgency to get tasks done. They can’t sleep unless the project is done. There is zero delay, just over delivery on implementation time
3. Their signal outweighs the noise in their life (80/20)
   1. Steve Jobs was a massive proponent of signal vs noise. Signal meaning the focus or the main thing. Noise being the outside ideas, distractions, and shiny objects in the way of progress.
4. Implement first, then learn
   1. Since pre-school we are taught to learn first, then solve a problem. The most successful people try to solve the problem first and learn on the way. Baptism by fire, that is the best way to get ahead.
5. They have mentors
   1. Most ideas guys don’t have mentors. They watch youtube and read books, which is great to a certain extent… except books don’t keep you accountable. The action takers do all of the above, plus they prioritize mentorship over any other form of learning. Conversations and accountability are the main driver for incredible success.

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Everything above seems controllable, but how do you get mentors?

In my life, I have about 15-20 mentors of all different age groups, industries, success levels… you name it. They all serve a different purpose in my life. The million dollar CEO might be great at teaching me more business, but may suck at teaching me how to be a great leader of a household. The same rule applies in the opposite.

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How I’ve found most of my mentors was simple… I got out of the house and shook hands.

Step 1: Find an event (business, self dev, religious, etc)

Step 2: Meet as many people before the event starts

Step 3: Find the most interesting people in the room

Step 4: Carry on those conversations after the event, exchange info with them. Try to get a meeting on the calendar with them

Step 5: Message them immediately after the event (this shows that you’re on top of the ball, that you care, and that you’re eager about the relationship)

Step 6: Once you meet with them ask questions. Your intelligence is dictated by the questions you ask, not by the answers you give. This shows you have a genuine interest in their life. People gravitate towards people that make them feel good.

Step 7: Follow up with them once a month, create a monthly cadence of meeting with them.

Step 8: Now you have a mentor without calling it a mentor.

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IMPORTANT SIDE-NOTE: Make sure you pay for everything when you’re with them. They’ll wrestle you about it, but it’s a major sign of respect when you pick up the bill in exchange for their time.

This benefits the mentor as well. Talking to someone like you will make them feel young and alive again. When you honor their time and what they tell you, they’ll pour everything into you. Your one obligation you have is to implement their wisdom and pay it forward by being a mentor to someone else.

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What life is about

Life is about taking action, taking risks, and learning from success and failures. In fact, failures that are learned from are just lessons at the end of the day.

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If you’re reading this and questioning why you’re not where you want to be in life, I get it.

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I want you to take inventory of your input vs output ratio.

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How much risk are you taking? How much time is spent learning vs doing?

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If your output is more than your input, this is your sign to keep pushing forward, look into mentorship, and continue to learn.

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If your input is more than your output, it’s time to get off your ass and do the damn thing.

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If you enjoyed this, send me an email! I enjoyed writing this at 6am in my apartment.

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For digital marketing project Inquiries please email

marcus@flowforwardmedia.com

Love you all,

Marcus Johnson, CEO of Flow Forward Media, Action Taker, Thrill Seeker, etc

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