- The Optimalist
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- From the hip excellence
If you are an optimalist, you are in fighting shape.
You're ready to go at a moment's notice.
Why?
Because life doesn't wait for you to be ready.
It'll throw opportunities at you.
You'll meet a billionaire in an elevator and you've got to be ready to pitch.
You'll get a time-sensitive DM from a potential client and you've got to be ready to respond.
Your kid will be at the edge of a road while a car is coming, and you have to be in good enough shape to run and grab them.
One of my favorite podcasts of all time is the Tim Ferriss Show episode with Jamie Foxx (1st one).
Jamie tells a story that illustrates the perfect example of this "from the hip excellence.":
So one day, my boy Briam brings in this kid. He has a backpack on.
His jaw’s a little busted. His name is Kanye West. And I say, “Yo, who’s that?” They say, “Yo, that’s that new kid, Kanye West. He comin’ on.” I say, “Really, what he do?” They said, “He rap.” I said, “Well, shit, he gotta perform that shit because everybody that comes to my house, they gotta perform.”
So I say,“Yo, man, they say you the shit.”
And he was really quiet. I said, “Man, let me hear you rap. You need your beats or whatever?” He said, “I don’t need no beat. Freestyle.” Chopped everybody's heads off, just amazing. I said, “Dude, I don't know where you come from but you are going to be one of the biggest stars ever.” And he says, “I actually have a song for you.” I said, “Moi? Me? A song? What you mean?” He said, “I got this song. I want to record it.” I said, “You happen to be in luck because I got a studio in the back.”
Kanye was READY.
He didn't say, "wait, let me grab my boombox from my car."
He was ready to shoot from the hip and be absolutely DEADLY.
This is what we all should strive for.
Be so good at your thing that you can execute on a world class level at the drop of a hat.
From the hip:
Sit down and write 300-500 GOOD words
Call a potential client and be persuasive enough to get the sale
Play a song on the guitar the way through without messing up
And note, it's really hard to be world class at more than 1-2 things.
Don't spread yourself thin.
Practice everyday.
Be from-the-hip excellent.
"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
Swanagan
P.S., send this email to 5 contacts and I’ll send you a shirt.