Build a Business Success Secrets - January 2021

Build a Business Success Secrets - January 2021

VOL. 8 · JANUARY 2021

SUCCESS SECRETS

BRANDONCWHITE.COM · 320 CENTRAL AVENUE, HALF MOON BAY, CA 94019 · 415-429-1229

HOW TO MAKE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS YOU’LL STICK TO WITH THE MIND/BODY/BUSINESS APPROACH

We all know the statistics on New Year’s resolutions. At this point, people hardly argue about how they’re doomed to fail anymore. Instead, they argue about why they’re doomed to fail. What is it that makes us break down and eat junk food, skip the gym, or let our business dreams slide by Jan. 15? Personally, I don’t disagree with the science showing most resolutions don’t work out (See Pg. 3 for more on that), but I don’t think the failure rate is because the concept of goal-setting sucks. I think people are just making their resolutions the wrong way. Over the last few years, I’ve tested a new model, and I’ve met my goals every time! My New Year’s resolution philosophy is simple: Just pick three. I choose one resolution for the health of my mind, one for the health of my body, and one for the health of my business. This “mind/body/ business” approach probably sounds familiar because it’s a key part of the Build a Business philosophy. So, you have three resolutions. What else makes this system unique? Well, they have to be easy. All of the other goal-setting systems out there are way too complicated — believe me, I’ve tried a bunch of them! They ask you to list 10 goals, or 20, or 100. They make you break them down by quarter, by month, and by week. Psychologically speaking, that’s pretty overwhelming for the average person. And compounding that problem is another one: These systems rely on motivation. In order to see your goals through, you have to be

very motivated and, to be honest, for most humans staying super motivated consistently for a year just isn’t possible. A while back, I studied this very problem under social scientist Dr. BJ Fogg at Stanford's Persuasive Computing Lab. Fogg codified the motivation problem using what he calls the Fogg Behavior Model, which graphs the intersection between motivation (on the y axis) and ability (on the x axis). His graphs make it clear that the harder it is to do something, the more motivation it takes and vice versa. The problem with difficult New Year's resolutions is that they require high motivation, and that’s just not sustainable! No one is waking up and watching motivational speakers on YouTube every single morning. We all have off days, and when those off days pile up and our motivation flags, that’s when our resolutions fail. Add in a pandemic, and you can see why so many people gave up in 2020. So, when you pick your mind/body/ business goals, all you need to do to succeed is keep them on the “low ability” end of Fogg’s spectrum. If you want to get more exercise, don’t resolve to get a gym membership and go six days a week. That’s unrealistic, and your motivation will inevitably fall off. Instead, commit to doing just one pushup a day. That’s it! Just one! When it’s that easy, motivation is not required. Keep in mind that “low ability” is relative. Last year, I met my goal of riding 8,000 miles on my bike by just adding 10

“BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, ONE PUSHUP TURNS INTO 10 PUSHUPS, WHICH TURNS INTO LIFTING WEIGHTS, AND THEN INTO A GYM MEMBERSHIP.”

more miles to each of my rides. Since I’m already a competitive cyclist who averages 125–175 miles per week, that was easy for me! When you choose easy, guess what happens? This new behavior becomes a habit. Before you know it, one pushup turns into 10 pushups, which turns into lifting weights, and then into a gym membership. Eight thousand miles turns into six-pack abs. Long story short, the old system is flawed, but you can opt out of it. If you want to try my easy, three-step approach, then I have some good news for you — you already have one resolution picked out! If you followed my advice and conducted a business shutdown back in December, you can use one of the major themes that emerged from that meeting as your business resolution. That just leaves mind and body resolutions for you to figure out. Good luck!

BRANDON C. WHITE, FOUNDER

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Focus on Fitness for 30 Days Everyone’s done it. We’ve rung in the new year on the promise that this is our year to get healthy. We’re going to finally lose the weight, eat healthier, and feel better than ever. Sadly, many of us fail at this endeavor every single year. Let’s make 2021 different! Work toward your wellness goals by trying monthly challenges. These challenges allow you to focus on one area of your wellness each month, which will ultimately ensure you create sustainable habits. Here are three challenges to get you started! Are You Up for a Challenge?

Meet Amelia Lin, ‘The Memory Keeper’ HOW BRANDON HELPED ONE ENTREPRENEUR GET HER DREAM APP OFF THE GROUND I call Amelia Lin “The Memory Keeper” because her business, Saga, is all about capturing family histories. It’s a voice-based iPhone app for families that makes it easy for users to record, share, and save voice recordings about their most important memories. “I started Saga for my own mom and dad, to save their memories and the incredible stories they used to tell me and my sister when they were growing up — about how they met, and what it was like for them to come to the U.S. for the first time as Chinese immigrants,” Amelia says. Amelia relied on her background in tech startups to found Saga in 2018, and I met her a year later when she was just beginning to fundraise for the app. Her passion resonated with me, and before long, I was helping her build her business. “Brandon was just one of the most generous and knowledgeable people when it came to providing advice. When I was preparing to go into the fundraising process, he shared tactics for how to do it and the kinds of materials I needed to have prepared,” Amelia says. “I was a first-time founder. I didn’t know any of this stuff, and he really helped me a ton with pulling together the financials, the business plan, and figuring out how to navigate fundraising. We had an exceptionally smooth fundraise that moved actually very quickly, and it went so much better than I could have imagined as a first- time founder. We were fortunate enough to be oversubscribed in that round, and I’m so grateful to Brandon for sharing his expertise.” Thanks to Amelia’s grit and my help, Saga is now a successful start- up backed by Bling Capital, DCM, and Precursor Ventures. The app has also been featured by USA Today, Forbes, and Harvard Business School. That’s impressive stuff!

January: Step Up

Getting extra steps in during the day is the quickest way to introduce more activity into your life. Start easy and just track your regular steps for one week. Then, set a goal to get 1,000 more steps than that in the following week and build from there. Keep going until you’re regularly hitting a number that is at least 5,000 steps beyond your baseline! (If you don’t have an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or other fitness tracking device, find an old- fashioned pedometer and get to work!)

February: Drink Up

Tracking your water intake and challenging yourself to drink more can help you feel more energized and make progress on your other goals. Start by calculating how much water you need to consume. Experts suggest taking your body weight, dividing it by two, and drinking that many ounces of water each day. (For example, a person who weighs 150 pounds should drink 75 ounces of water.) Can you drink that much water each day for 30 days? If not, drink more each day throughout the month until you reach your goal. Give it a shot. We guarantee you’ll have more energy!

March: Bulk Up

Choose one area of your body to focus on this month. Want to improve your arm strength? Work your way up from five to 50 pushups throughout the month. Follow the same formula with squats if you want to focus on your legs. Or, try planking to strengthen your core. Start the month by holding the plank for 30 seconds and work your way up to 2–3 minutes! As you progress in each challenge, you’ll notice significant improvement. For the best results, rest whatever area of your body you’re focusing on during your regular exercise routine. (That’s how muscle grows!)

“We’re now a team of four and growing; we’re hiring engineers now,” Amelia says. “It has been a really great journey.”

I’ve enjoyed working with Amelia and can’t wait to see where Saga takes her. Saga has even released free updates to help families connect during COVID. To learn more about the app (and download it for free to your iPhone) visit TrySaga.com.

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OVER AND OVER, STUDIES SHOW CONVENTIONAL NEWYEAR'S RESOLUTIONS DON’T WORK A Brief History of Failure

It’s Jan. 1, 2022. You step on the scale and see that it reads 20 pounds below your weight one year ago. You’ve done it! You’ve lost the weight and kept it off. Outside of the bathroom, where the rest of your life is waiting, your finances are in perfect order. You're debt-free, and your company is thriving. Feeling satisfied, you lace up your shoes and set off on a 30-minute run — a ritual you’ve kept up for 365 straight days.

• According to The Washington Post, a follow-up to the 1989 New Year’s resolutions study found that 29% of resolution-makers gave up on their resolutions in the first two weeks of January. About 25% tapped out during week one. • The European Obesity Journal reports that in 2009, a study followed more than 6,000 women who named weight loss as a New Year's resolution over two years. It found that depending on their starting weight, only 9%–20% of the women “indicated some success” — and just 39% of them actually started a weight- loss program in January as planned, while most started later. Overall, that’s between an 80% and 91% failure rate.

Reality Check, Please!

Does something rub you wrong about that scenario? Does it seem too … perfect? It should. What I just described is the life nearly every American would be leading if we could all follow through on the most popular New Year's resolutions: losing weight, improving our finances, and exercising more often. The reason it sounds unrealistic is that studies have shown over and over again that only a fraction of resolution-makers follow through and achieve their goals.

Why Bring Down Your Mood?

I’m not telling you this to crush your resolution dreams but, instead, to make you think critically about the process. On Pg. 1 of this newsletter, I shared my personal theory about New Year’s resolutions and my secret to accomplishing them every time. Here’s a hint: It’s not traditional! If you haven’t read that article yet, take a look. It might open your eyes to why so many people fail — and how you can succeed.

The Facts on Failure

• A study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse in 1989 tracked 200 people and their resolutions for two years. It found that “77% maintained their pledges for one week but only 19% for two years” — an 81% failure rate.

In just about 5 minutes, you can enjoy a tasty muffin for one baked in a mug! Dr. Gundry’s Tasty Coconut-Almond Flour Muffin in a Mug

"How I Built an Online Business and Sold It: Part 2" "How I Built an Online Business and Sold It: Part 1" "Entrepreneurs Don't Want to Hear the Advice, 'Have Patience.' Here's Some Good News" "Courtney Brand Is an Entrepreneur and Founder of Lighthouse Who Quit Her Day Job, Started Her Own Company, and Raised Money for It. Learn How She Did It" "How to Improve Your Focus When Working From Home With This Free Tool" "How Pat Flynn's Podcasting Course Got Me Back Into Podcasting" RECENT EPISODES

EP. #56

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

EP. #55

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil • 1 tbsp coconut flour • 1 tbsp almond flour • 1 tsp of cocoa powder • 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder • Pinch sea salt, preferably iodized • 1 packet Stevia or 2 tsp Just Like Sugar • 1 tbsp water • 1 large pastured or omega-3 egg, lightly beaten (or VeganEgg for vegan style)

1. In an 8–12 oz microwave- safe mug, add all ingredients and mix well with a fork or spatula. Scrape the bottom and sides and let the mixture set for a few seconds. 2. Next, microwave (yes, microwave) on high for 1 minute and 25–30 seconds. 3. Using a potholder, remove the mug from the microwave and invert it onto a plate, shaking out the muffin. 4. Let your mug-muffin cool for a couple of minutes, then simply enjoy!

EP. #54

EP. #53

EP. #52

EP. #51

Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Breaker

Source: GundryMD.com/lectin-free-muffin-recipe/

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SUCCESS SECRETS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

How to Make New Year's Resolutions You’ll Stick To

PAGE 1

Make Resolutions Easier With Fitness Challenges

PAGE 2

Meet Amelia Lin, ‘The Memory Keeper’

A Brief History of Failure

PAGE 3

Tasty Coconut-Almond Flour Muffin

PAGE 4

How to Find Your Flow in 2021

IS DEEP FOCUS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS? How to Find Your Flow in 2021

Have you ever started working on an important project and looked up at the clock after what felt like minutes only to find that hours had passed? If you have, you’ve probably experienced “flow state,” aka the Holy Grail of concentration and achievement.

of happiness and pleasure, and the impression that all obstacles ahead of you have disappeared. That makes accomplishing your goals feel like less of a struggle. It's no wonder high-achieving hobbyists, workers, and creatives crave the feeling!

What is a flow state?

How can you get in a flow?

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes a flow state as a "focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback.” That sounds complex, but you can also think of flow as being “in the zone.” And it might be the key to achieving your New Year's goals. That’s because a flow state almost always coincides with tackling a difficult task, and when you’re in a flow state, even the most challenging things feel relatively easy.

Usually, a flow state isn’t planned — it just happens. In a BBC article, author Steven Kotler describes flow as “a happy accident.” But he also notes that we can make ourselves “more accident-prone.” To set yourself up for a flow state, find a quiet place to work and choose an activity that’s difficult but meaningful for you. Ideally, it should be something you’ve already put work into perfecting. If you’ve never tried painting before, you probably won’t find flow on your first attempt, but an experienced painter could achieve it while mastering a new technique.

Why are high achievers obsessed with flow?

Some people claim that being in a flow state is a form of

Flow state doesn’t only happen for people with desk jobs. You can get it while running, playing chess, dancing, or climbing a mountain, and it’s considered the Holy Grail because it has a host of benefits. According to the meditation app Headspace, those perks include heightened focus (goodbye, distractions!), a sense of clarity, feelings

meditation and that learning how to meditate can help you reach it. To that end, apps like Headspace and Calm are great places to start! Before you know it, you’ll be finding the flow like a pro.

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