The One The ONE Trait I Have Always Prioritized...and How to Balance the Dichotomies of Life Ep 114

In a thought-provoking discussion, Alex delves into the complexity of decision-making and the pursuit of wisdom in business and personal growth. He emphasizes the importance of context when processing information and making choices, highlighting how different situations require different responses, such as when to prioritize justice over mercy or consistency over innovation. Alex challenges the allure of shiny object syndrome, advocating for a focus on identifying and addressing one's immediate business bottleneck. He shares his own practice of daily affirming the goal of being wise, which for him means discerning the relevance and timing of various pieces of advice, whether from influencers like Gary Vee or Grant Cardone or his own content. Alex's perspective is that true leadership and progress come from understanding the nuanced, often gray areas of decision-making and consistently applying the most pertinent actions to one's current context.

• Dichotomies represent two opposing concepts that may both be favored but not simultaneously applicable.
• Confusion often arises from trying to reconcile these opposing ideas, especially with the plethora of information available on the internet.
• The ability to process information and make decisions is critical to success, as evidenced by the differing outcomes of individuals in similar situations.
• The goal is to have the best lens for processing information, which forms the basis for all subsequent decisions in life.
• Relevance of information to personal circumstances should always be considered, regardless of the source.

"And it started with thinking about, like, dichotomies. So how we can have two opposing concepts that we're both in favor of yet aren't necessarily applicable in a certain situation."

This quote introduces the concept of dichotomies and the inherent challenge in applying them to real-life situations, highlighting the importance of context in decision-making.

"And so what I want to do is give you an example. And the single trait that I have always, if you look at my journal here. Every day, if you like, what is Alex's goal for today? What is my word? And every day on my jang, it's be wise."

Alex emphasizes the importance of wisdom in decision-making and personal growth, suggesting that this trait has been a consistent goal in their life.

"And so for me, my wish is always that I have the best lens to process information. And so it's like the wellspring that from there, every other decision you need to make in your life comes from."

Alex expresses the desire to process information effectively, recognizing it as the foundation for all other decisions.

"And the reason that my goal for everyone who consumes our stuff is that you take everything in, and then you ask, is this relevant to me?"

The speaker stresses the importance of personal relevance when consuming information, indicating a need for discernment in what advice or knowledge to apply.

• The trait of wisdom is highly valued and is seen as a daily goal for personal and professional conduct.
• Wisdom is linked to how successful individuals, like billionaires, process information and make decisions.
• Different outcomes in life can be attributed to the ways individuals process information and act upon it.
• The aim is to develop a perspective that allows for the most effective processing of information, which is crucial for making good decisions.

"And the single trait that I have always, if you look at my journal here. Every day, if you like, what is Alex's goal for today? What is my word? And every day on my jang, it's be wise."

This quote reveals that wisdom is a daily focus for Alex, suggesting its importance in guiding actions and decisions.

"That's really it. Because if two people are put in similar situations and then one becomes a billionaire and the other person becomes a prison inmate, whatever, right? The point is that they made different decisions, and so how they process information and then took action on it is what differentiated them."

Alex points out that the critical difference between individuals with vastly different outcomes is their decision-making process, which is shaped by how they process information.

• The importance of context in applying concepts such as justice, mercy, consistency, and innovation is emphasized.
• It's suggested that there is no absolute right or wrong, but rather the need to understand when and how to apply different principles.
• The reality of life is that it doesn't conform to a strict playbook of actions; flexibility and context-awareness are necessary.

"And the majority of the time, it's difficult because one person can say, we need to be just, right? We have to be just. We believe in justice, right? And you're like, yes, I believe in justice. And then two minutes later, you watch another piece of content, and it says, I believe in mercy. I believe in empathizing with people's situations, right? And then who is right?"

Alex illustrates the dilemma of encountering conflicting concepts and the challenge of deciding which to prioritize, emphasizing the need for context in decision-making.

"Like, where do you go? Because each of them is right. But the difference is context. It's when, right. Do I need to make content every day or do I not need to make content? Well, it depends, right? It depends on where you are."

The quote highlights the significance of context in determining the appropriateness of actions and beliefs, suggesting that the timing and situation greatly influence what is considered correct or beneficial.

"But the reality of life is that it doesn't work that way."

Alex acknowledges the complexity of life and the inadequacy of a one-size-fits-all approach to decision-making and applying principles.

• The concept of a psychological binary contrasts with a biological continuum, suggesting that while people may prefer to think in absolutes, reality is often more nuanced and complex.
• This idea is applied to nutrition, but it can be extrapolated to other areas of life where rigid thinking does not accurately reflect the variability and complexity of real-world situations.

"And so I think Trevor says something, Dr. Kashi, that I think has been something that I absolutely love from, like, a thinking about concept standpoint. So he applied it to nutrition when he talks about the psychological binary. But the biological continuum, which is like people like to think carbs are good, carbs are bad, ri"

Alex introduces the concept of the psychological binary versus the biological continuum as articulated by Dr. Kashi, highlighting the discrepancy between black-and-white thinking and the reality of continuous variation, though the quote is cut off before completion.

• The discussion emphasizes the concept of continuums rather than dichotomies in various aspects of life.
• Alex talks about the importance of recognizing the degree to which one may possess a certain trait or skill, rather than seeing it as an absolute presence or absence.
• He uses the example of diabetes to illustrate that conditions can exist on a spectrum rather than as a binary state.
• Alex extends this concept to content creation, team coaching, and business skills, suggesting that the approach should be tailored to one's current situation and capacity.

"Either I hit my macros or I didn't hit my macros. But the reality is that it's not, are you diabetic or are you not diabetic? But how diabetic are you?" "It's not like that. It's just to what extent in your current season, what makes the most sense?"

• These quotes emphasize the importance of seeing personal health and professional tasks as spectrums rather than binaries, encouraging a more nuanced approach to goal-setting and self-assessment.

• Alex discusses the importance of prioritizing skill sets and learning them in a logical sequence.
• He stresses the need for wisdom in determining the applicability of information to one's own situation.
• The conversation highlights the challenge of deciding what to do next without external guidance, underscoring the need for self-awareness in personal and professional growth.

"Can you prioritize what skill sets you need to learn? In what order does that make sense?" "Do I have the wisdom to know in my situation whether or not this information I'm taking in applies?"

• These quotes suggest that individuals must critically evaluate and prioritize their learning based on their current needs and goals, and they must also discern which advice is relevant to their specific context.

• Alex speaks about the power of storytelling in creating a "weaponized community."
• He emphasizes the role of personal stories in shaping values and decisions, and how these stories can be communicated in various ways.
• The narrative also touches on the importance of having business fundamentals in place before focusing on content creation for a community or team.

"One of the speeches I gave at the summit was about telling your stories." "And how to create a weaponized community by reinforcing the stories that made you who you are."

• These quotes highlight storytelling as a tool for reinforcing personal values and building a strong community, suggesting that sharing one's journey can inspire and influence others.

• Alex references Jocko Willink's book, "The Dichotomy of Leadership," to discuss the complexities of leadership.
• He points out that leadership involves navigating a spectrum of behaviors and decisions, rather than adhering to strict rules.
• The discussion suggests that effective leadership requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to different situations.

"There are times to be just, there are times to be merciful, right? And how do you balance that?" "The reason leadership is challenging is because it isn't black and white, it's gray."

• These quotes reflect on the challenges of leadership, indicating that leaders must balance contrasting qualities and approaches to navigate complex situations effectively.

• Alex shares his personal wish to be wise, which encompasses the ability to apply information effectively to one's life.
• He discusses the continuum of life decisions and the importance of understanding when certain actions or qualities are appropriate.
• The conversation underscores the desire for personal growth and the quest for wisdom as a guiding principle in life.

"The one wish that I've always had in my whole life is I want to be wise." "Can I take this information and say, does this apply to me? Does this apply to me now?"

• These quotes encapsulate Alex's personal goal of attaining wisdom, emphasizing the importance of contextual understanding and the application of knowledge to one's life.

• Alex briefly promotes his book, "100 million dollar offers," available on Amazon for Kindle.
• He mentions the effort put into writing the book and presents it as his "biggest gift" to the audience.

"I have a book on Amazon. It's called 100 million dollar offers. At over 8005 star reviews, it has almost a perfect score." "It's my biggest gift."

• These quotes serve as a promotional statement for Alex's book, highlighting its success and the value he believes it offers to readers.

• Business decisions are not black and white but rather exist in a gray area where one must balance multiple considerations.
• Wisdom and self-awareness are crucial in determining the right course of action for a business.
• Entrepreneurs need to be able to assess their current position and decide which pieces of information are relevant to their decision-making process.
• Prioritization is key, and identifying the bottleneck in your business can help focus efforts on what will make the most impact.

"But that's not how business works. Business is gray. It's how can I be both?" "Am I self aware enough to know where I'm at right now in my journey, in my path, to know what information that I need to put through my decision making system, that I process and weigh and prioritize information and see which one of these are relevant and which one do I need to act on today?"

These quotes emphasize the complexity of business decisions and the importance of self-awareness and wisdom in navigating them. They suggest that entrepreneurs must be able to understand their current situation and prioritize actions that are most relevant and impactful.

• Business strategies such as branding should be applied contextually, rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Alex's company delayed branding until they reached a $50 million run rate, which was the right decision for them at the time based on their priorities and resources.
• Entrepreneurs must understand that the right strategy depends on the context of their business and its stage of growth.
• There are always exceptions to the rule, and the key is to be wise enough to recognize when to apply different strategies.

"Now, we didn't start doing this branding thing until we were at a $50 million run rate." "Which one of these things will I do? And so it's easy to take things out of context and say, like, well, Alex said you should never brand. No, I'm branding. I think there's a time to do that, and I think most people aren't there."

These quotes highlight the importance of context when deciding on business strategies like branding. Alex explains that his company waited until a certain level of growth before focusing on branding, demonstrating that strategies should be tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of the business.

• Entrepreneurs often struggle with prioritizing tasks and can be easily distracted by new opportunities or "shiny objects."
• The concept of "shiny object syndrome" (SOS) is introduced as a common pitfall for entrepreneurs who chase after new opportunities instead of focusing on what they need to do to grow their business.
• Alex suggests that the truth about what it takes to grow a business isn't always attractive or exciting, but it's more effective than chasing after new opportunities.
• The ability to prioritize and focus on the most critical tasks is a significant factor in the rapid growth of Alex's business.

"And a lot of times they're caught doing should do's, they're caught doing shiny object syndrome." "Because new is always the..."

These quotes discuss the concept of "shiny object syndrome" and how it can distract entrepreneurs from their primary goals. Alex points out that entrepreneurs should focus on the essential tasks rather than being lured by the appeal of new opportunities.

• Consistency in business practices is often more important than seeking new methods.
• Performing mundane but necessary tasks, like making more ads or calling leads again, is crucial.
• The excitement of novelty can distract from the effectiveness of consistent action.

"But the reality is that most times better is what's true. And so most people just need to do the shit they know they need to do and keep doing it and be consistent about it rather than do something new."

This quote emphasizes the truth that often the best strategy in business is to stick to proven methods and be consistent in their application rather than always seeking new approaches.

• It's essential to identify the aspects of your business that are bottlenecking progress.
• Wisdom lies in focusing on what is contextually correct for your business.
• Prioritizing the right actions can lead to faster progress than competitors.

"And so what thing in your business is bottlenecking you? And do you have the wisdom to be able to shut out everything else despite the fact that the other things are also correct, but may not be correct in your current situation, your contextual situation?"

This quote addresses the need for business owners to recognize the specific challenges hindering their business and to have the discernment to focus on these areas despite other potential distractions.

• Wisdom involves choosing the most impactful actions for your business and applying them consistently.
• Systematizing successful processes allows you to move on to other priorities.
• The speaker reinforces the importance of wisdom in daily business operations.

"I will be wise, which means I will look at all of these things that I should do and decide which of them is truly the thing that, if applied and if applied consistently, will make the biggest difference in my business."

This quote conveys the speaker's personal strategy for success: identifying and focusing on the actions that will have the most significant impact on their business.

• Growth strategies may vary based on whether a business is B2B or B2C.
• The speaker acknowledges that while there are differences in strategies, there are also similarities.
• Understanding the context of your business is key to identifying applicable strategies.

"And so are there differences? Sure, we're b to b instead of b to c, but are there similarities? Maybe that's up to you to figure out."

This quote suggests that while businesses may differ in their approach depending on their market (B2B or B2C), there may be underlying similarities in successful strategies, and it's up to the individual to discern these.

• The ability to sort through and prioritize information is becoming increasingly important.
• The speaker compares the value of prioritization tools like Google to the importance of filtering information in business.
• The speaker stresses that the value lies not in the information itself but in how you prioritize and filter it for relevance.

"So as there's an explosion of information, the thing that then creates the most value is the thing that allows you to sort and prioritize it. Which means for you, for us, for all of us, the thing that makes us more valuable is not the information we have access to, but it's like, what filter are you processing it through so that you can understand and prioritize what's important and what's not today."

This quote draws an analogy between the value Google provides in searching through the internet and the value of a businessperson's ability to filter and prioritize the right information for their business needs.