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Six Things to get you on the Right Path
The Sharpshooters Blueprint | Introduction | Act 1
Whether physically, mentally, financially, or spiritually, most people aspire to be better versions of themselves — but don’t know where to start.
From an early age, I’ve searched for the secrets to being better, doing better, and getting more, only to learn there is no secret. After a long journey, I went back to the basics.
With all the get-rich-quick and fad programs, deciding what to do to become successful and happy in life is hard.
I’ve attended countless events, purchased programs, and read books to unlock my potential. I was looking to crack the code and learn the secret formula. I searched for quick and easy game-changing steps to take me to the next level.
I wanted the shortcut that would provide immediate results and 10X my performance. I looked for ground-breaking VIP programs where I could learn the loopholes of the wealthy and successful.
It was only after applying basic principles and lessons learned as a Marine veteran and focusing on a strategic action plan that I scaled my business. Sticking with the basics allowed me to improve, hit my targets, and build a better life. Finally, finding gold in a sea of noise.
Over the past 25+ years, from my lessons learned, I created the Sharpshooters Blueprint, a practical framework with processes for hitting your personal and professional targets.
I will share the SIX parts of the blueprint to help you define your targets, manage risk, and commit to making positive changes in your life.
The foundation of the Blueprint is: Resources, Risk, and Return
“A weak foundation cannot provide support for greater things in life.”
1. We start with the RETURN
The Return is where we clearly define how our best life looks. Not what others say it should look like. Not what you believe it should be. Specifically, how YOU want it to look.
Truth is success is up to you to define. Success is personal. You get to decide what success looks, sounds and feels like.
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” — Lewis Carroll
What do you really want? What do you need? Where are you going? What is the endgame? Not only financially but professionally, mentally, physically, and socially.
Too many times, we start down the road, not knowing exactly where we’re going. Or we jump on the bandwagon with the next great thing because that’s what everyone else is doing.
“If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.” — Steven Covey
What does your extraordinary life look like? What does your career or business look like? What reasonable financial targets do you have? How do you feel mentally and physically? What does your social and family life look like? What targets have you set for yourself?
“I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have. If you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, you’re never going to accomplish much.” — Zig Ziglar
How you define your future will ultimately determine your results. This description of the Return is the target you set your sights on. Make the investment, and spend time to clearly develop a picture of your personal and professional targets in life. These are the targets that you will apply your valuable Resources to.
2. Next, catalog your RESOURCES
We all have the primary resources of time, energy, and skill. But we don’t always recognize or use our full arsenal of resources.
“It’s not about resources, but resourcefulness.” — Anthony Robbins
What about relationships? In your network, who do you know, and who do they know? What unique opportunities in the market do you qualify for? Catalog all the resources that you will use to hit your targets.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to far, go together.” — African saying
Dig deep and realize all the resources available to hit your targets in life. Think about how you will leverage all your valuable resources.
3. Then we address RISK
Too often, we don’t take action because of what might happen. Fear is the number one hindrance in our lives. The thought of risk stirs feelings of worry, fear, and possible failure.
These thoughts can create roadblocks to change.
Once we understand that fear exists only in our thoughts, we can regain control, proceed strategically with knowledge, and manage risk.
“Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.” — Navy Seal
True success is born out of failure. Everyone will experience some type of failure. How you handle it is what’s important. Learn from the lesson and fail forward.
“Your fears are a kind of prison that confines you within a limited range of action. The less you fear, the more power you will have and the more fully you will live.” — Robert Greene
Take time to understand what the risks are. Learn how to manage, mitigate, transfer, avoid, or accept the risk.
Then you can move forward, knowing you’re ready for what will or can happen.
Three things fuel the foundation: Mindset, Knowledge, and Commitment
4. MINDSET for clear thinking.
My journey toward a better life began by keeping an open mind and deciding to adopt a growth mindset. We’ve all been brainwashed. Our mind is running a largely ungrounded loop of fiction.
What do you believe? Are you grounded? Does past trauma impact your mind? Through self-criticism and judgment, are you open to learning that may heal and change your beliefs?
Some people are addicted to their beliefs. But misinformation is dangerous. If not challenged and managed effectively, our beliefs can take us in the wrong direction.
“The mind is always looking for the path of least resistance.” — David Goggins
Our mental health is just as important, if not more important, than our physical health. Yet, how much time or resources do we allocate to feed and nurture our minds?
We know we will get sick if we don’t feed our bodies well. Same with the mind. The quality of your thoughts determines the quality of your life.
“Unless a person can learn how their mind works, they can’t begin the process of harnessing and directing it.” — Dandapandi
With all the information overload, we’re consuming mental junk food. Be careful not to soak up information that negatively impacts your thoughts, feelings, and actions.
An unattended mind seeks worry and fear, choosing the negative over the positive, and seeks distraction by focusing on the past or the future.
You can’t hit your target if your weapon is not in good working order. Don’t leave your mind unattended. Be aware. Don’t let your thoughts control you.
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who can’t change their minds can’t change anything” — George Bernard
Allocate resources to work on developing a growth mindset. Nurture your mind by practicing mindfulness and presence with grounded, positive thoughts that support your goals. Look into options for being more present with therapy, meditation, journaling, and social activities.
“The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts.” — Robin Sharma
Rumi says, the quieter you become, the more you can hear. Feed your mind and guard your thoughts with awareness, as the noise in the world can easily hijack them. Practice observing more and reacting less. Make time to practice mindfulness every day.
5. KNOWLEDGE to make the best choices.
Have you stopped feeding your mind? Everyone is doing the best they can with the tools and life experiences they have. Is that enough? To achieve success, you can’t simply do your best.
With additional information and knowledge, you can uncover new ideas and paths to hit your targets.
Knowledge isn’t about school; it’s about becoming educated. It’s about realizing there are so many things you do not know. It’s realizing that continuous learning can increase your ability to perform better and hit your goals.
“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” — Jim Rohn
Are you making efforts to increase your knowledge? What’s the Risk if you don’t?
You gain knowledge by actively reading, listening, watching informative videos, and seeking out mentors with wisdom and insight.
Remember, all information is not good. Consider the source and discern the objective good from the subjective bad. Constantly challenge what you hear or learn.
“The information we digest impacts our outlook on life. Negative media can poison your mind and the information we consume can change our thoughts — for better or for worse.” — Matthew Royse
Incorporate various means of learning every day. Explore, be curious, question everything, and provoke thought. The more you learn, the easier it will be to incorporate new ideas into your everyday routine and way of thinking, transforming and starting to adapt toward positive change.
6. COMMITMENT to stay the course.
We are easily distracted. Especially when we see the next awesome shiny object that we must have. We change lanes to get there faster. Always searching for the shortcut.
But great things take time, and the shortcuts can under-deliver or have you starting over.
“Incredibly talented people fail when they’re not consistent, while lesser talented people succeed simply because they are consistent.” — Jari Roomer
There may be times when we evaluate new options or new directions. Things sometimes change, and we may need to adjust, adapt, and change direction. But evaluate the risk carefully and ensure your energy is invested precisely.
We live in an instant gratification culture. We want everything now. We lose the long-term vision that leads to success.
We expect success much quicker than it comes, so we tend to jump from one thing to another, never spending enough time and attention on any one thing for it to bear fruit.
Once we invest our energy and time (Resources) in a well-thought-out (Knowledge) plan that hits all of our life targets (Return), we have to commit and stick to the plan.
“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.” — Jim Rohn
Commitment takes resilience, courage, discipline, determination, persistence, and, most importantly, patience. Choose to stay committed. Have faith in the process and focus on progress, not perfection.
Summary
After clearly defining your targets (Return), strategically allocating your energy and time (Resources), and managing critical decisions (Risk), you’ll be better able to hit your personal and professional targets.
Fuel your strategy with the right Mindset, continuously gaining Knowledge and making a Commitment to stick to the plan.
These processes comprise the Sharpshooters Blueprint. Don’t be fooled; simplicity is its power.
“An idiot with a plan can beat a genius without a plan.” — Warren Buffet
Most productivity advice overlooks your personal needs and preferences, making it unhelpful. I’m often asked, should I buy NFTs, Bitcoin, sell on Shopify, flip properties? That choice is personal, based on your resources, risk tolerance, and how you want to live your extraordinary life.
If you want more and don’t know where to start, start with the Sharpshooters Blueprint and set your sights on your own personal targets.
Stop chasing quick fixes and shiny objects with empty promises, only to have buyer’s remorse.
Instead, stop, and be present. Develop a well-thought-out plan that you can execute with precision. Then you can proceed with clarity and strategic purpose.
Hi I’m David. I write about personal development, mindfulness & positive change. I share my experiences, mind-shifting ideas, and mental models to help others reach their full potential in business and life. Being happy and successful is a process, not an event. If you’d like to learn more, join my email list.
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