I’ve never been aware that we actually have the ability to grow our brains, noted the entrepreneur excitedly.And I guess what you’re saying is the more we practice a fresh habit, the more our brains will work with us and evolve to make it part of who we are.Right?Yup, responded the billionaire.He loved seeing how the two human beings he was mentoring were improving through his sharing.Real leaders always feel great joy when they shine a light on the talents of others.Powerful idea, he went on with his finger now on the wall of the wonder of the world.You don’t have the brain you want, you have the brain you’ve earned.Spend your days diverted by your devices, tethered to television and majoring in mindless pursuits and your brain will be weak and flabby through your mistreatment of it.Just like other muscles, it will atrophy.And this will result in weaker cognition, slower learning and lower processing power.Your competition will destroy you and your targets will elude you.On the other hand, when you use your brain intelligently by expanding its limits and running it like a titan, it will expand and increase its connectivity causing important gains in your productivity, performance and influence.The brains of London taxi drivers were studied and the area responsible for spatial reasoning, the hippocampus, was found to be significantly larger in them compared to the brains of ordinary people.Guess why?Because of the complexity of the street system in London, the artist responded confidently.You got it, applauded the billionaire.And, like I said, given that the brain is a lot more like a muscle than neuroanatomists previously understood, that part of it grew stronger.See how powerful we human beings are?This is a superb example of the neuroplasticity we all have at our disposal.When you guys get home, study this phenomenon as well as the awesome process of neurogenesis, which describes the brain’s natural ability to actually breed new neurons.The emerging neuroscience explaining the availability of mastery to every single person alive today, no matter where they live or how old they are or what they do or how hard their pasts have been, is so incredibly exciting, the tycoon gushed.Anyhoo, he added, for now, please just know that the brain has a malleability and a muscularity to it.And what makes the great ones the great ones is they truly understand that daily discomfort is the price of enduring success.It’s such a myth that the superproducers had easy lives!The billionaire reached into a pocket, pulled out a sealed envelope and handed it to the entrepreneur.Do not talk about giftedness, inborn talents!One can name great men of all kinds who were very little gifted.Please, requested the billionaire as his eyes twinkled in the light entering the Taj Mahal.The phrase was from the English poet William Ernest Henley.It matters not how strait the gate,How charged with punishments the scroll,I am the master of my fate,I am the captain of my soul.The masters and the geniuses and the heroes of civilization all lived hard lives, expanded the billionaire.They ‘played through pain,’ to borrow a term a lot of superstar athletes use these days.They pushed their potential fiercely.They were ambitious, ceaseless and ferocious when it came to the complete capitalization of their grandest potential.The Latin root of the word ‘passion’ means to ‘suffer.’ These women and men suffered for their visions, ideals and aspirations.They suffered for the increase of their skill and sacrificed for the realization of their prowess.They endured enormous anguish as they advanced their crafts and abandoned their temptations.And I must tell you, these illustrious performers also suffered for the state of the world.Playing small with your promise demotes our world, you know.Because the planet becomes a poorer place without your greatness in it.Suddenly, the billionaire fell to his knees.He lay flat on the floor and closed his eyes, folding his arms over his heart.The tycoon then began to snore.What the heck are you doing now, brother? asked the artist, appearing both confused and amused.Voluntary discomfort, was the speedy reply.I want my teddy bear! he cried.And my jammies.Stone Riley then began to suck his thumb.He’s unreal, laughed the entrepreneur, clearly entertained by yet another stunt of this maverick industrialist.One could see the billionaire was now smiling, apparently impressed with his comedic skills as well as his unusual ability to make a teaching point.The single best way to build your willpower is to voluntarily put yourself into conditions of discomfort.The Spellbinder calls these ‘Strengthening Scenarios.’ When I was much younger and my ability to command myself to do what I needed to do when I didn’t feel like doing it was much weaker, I’d give in to my lesser urges so easily.So, he had me actively put myself into situations of hardship.And it worked like magic.What kind of situations? asked the artist.Once a week, I slept on the floor.You’re serious? quizzed the entrepreneur.Really?Absolutely, the billionaire confirmed.And I began taking cold showers every morning.Twice a week I’d fast, like so many of the most accomplished women and men of the world have done to capitalize on and manifest their primal power.It’s remarkable how much time I’d save during the fasting windows when I wouldn’t eat.And striking how clear my thinking would be and how much energy I’d have.Science confirms it.The real key is to push your brain to develop new neural pathways and to force your willpower muscles to flex and stretch, intentionally working these natural resources up to their highest level.All those long runs in the rain, with heavy backpacks on.Crawling through thick mud in the middle of the night.Eating brutal food and living in a spartan setting.Confronting their fears by performing tests like jumping into the ocean from cliffs, backwards, with blindfolds on, or enduring exercises involving psychological degradation so they train themselves to transcend what most limits them.It’s a voluntary practice.So, I very much suggest you begin to suffocate your demons, slay your dragons and hug your monsters by doing more demanding things.This is one of the surest routes to masterful achievement and a private life you’ll be ever so proud of at the end.You know, this makes me think of the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.Boy did that dude have a cool beard, the billionaire said awkwardly.Ever seen it? he kept on.I have not, the artist responded.You should, it’s gnarly, the mogul noted.He then snapped his fingers eight times.Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.The voice grew silent.And then did something his two students had not seen anyone do before.He kissed the area of flesh between the index finger and thumb of his left hand.You gotta love yourself before you can lift the world, by the way, he muttered with a grin before proceeding with his mentoring.Inspiring, the artist admitted.What George Bernard Shaw said.Research proves that training yourself so your willpower becomes maximized is one of the crowning achievements of an epic life, the billionaire continued.Look, said the billionaire.It’s such a myth that celebrated athletes and legendary artists and revered statesmen and stateswomen had more natural willpower than the rest of us.That’s just a big lie.What’s real, he declared, is that these exceptionalists began as ordinary people.And through relentless practice and constant drilling to wire in excellent daily habits, their power to manage themselves against their cravings and temptations grew stronger until the culture perceived them as superhumans.Small, daily, seemingly insignificant improvements, when done consistently over time, yield staggering results, commented the artist, happily reciting the valuable brain tattoo that he’d embraced on this wondrous journey.He reached over and grasped the hand of the entrepreneur.That’s right, acknowledged the billionaire.The true geniuses all started out as ordinary people.Riley led them down a corridor of the monument, past a series of dim rooms and into a small chamber.In one corner sat a blackboard.This simple model is based on the latest studies on how habits are formed, he began.Your starting point is to create some kind of a trigger.When we get to Rome, I’ll explain why you shouldn’t have any technology in your bedroom.Rome? the entrepreneur and the artist exclaimed at the same time.The billionaire ignored them.Yup, said the billionaire.It’s in the very instant when you’re faced with staying on the mattress or standing up and starting your morning in a great way that you have the chance to make your willpower stronger.Yes, agreed the billionaire.The reward is what kickstarts and then grows your drive to get the new habit done.Always use the power of rewards for the advancement of your triumphs.He wasn’t being rude.The 20/20/20 Formula is the subject of tomorrow morning’s coaching session, the billionaire offered with the utmost grace.For now, let’s stay centered on the third step.You need to set up a reward.That’s what the eminent researchers on willpower tell us is essential to create behaviors that stick.Your reward for rising with the sun could be a nice piece of dark chocolate for dessert at lunch.It could be taking a nap later in the day, another favored rite of the planet’s greatest creatives.That brings us to the final point in the pattern, said the billionaire as he touched the piece of chalk to the word repetition on the blackboard, in that room of the Taj Mahal.The way to annihilate the weakest impulses of your lower self and to free yourself of the cravings and temptations that are blocking your best is through ceaseless repetition of the new behavior you’re working hard to install.The word that comes to mind here is steadfast.Each time you follow through, you’ll deepen the relationship with your sovereign self.Each time you rise at dawn, you’ll purify your character, fortify your willpower and magnify the fires of your soul.I guess what I’m trying to help you two wonderful people appreciate is that the real measure of your majesty is shown not in your outer moments before an audience, but in the soft and early light of lonely practice.Really helped me build superb squads at my company.And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that what took the winning team to victory was less how they played in the last seconds of a close final game and more how disciplined they were at practice.Exactly, agreed the billionaire.Today’s lesson has been big for me.I know it’ll help me beat procrastination, and I’m sure it’ll improve the quality of my art.And I’ve already been making progress on calibrating my physical fitness.He has, agreed the entrepreneur with a wink.Well, just remember that willpower weakens once it gets tired.The fact that human discipline muscles get tired from all the decision fatigue explains why so many massively successful people end up doing something foolish that destroys their careers.They gave in to the urge that causes their downfall because all day long they were making important decisions.Never allow it to get too tired.Your willpower really is weakest when you are most tired.Key awareness to build on here.We make our worst decisions and our lowest choices when we’re exhausted.So, don’t allow yourself to get exhausted.Riley began to cough.A concerning, throaty cough.Not an insignificant one.Oh, he added, regaining his composure.Please also know the research also supports the idea that external order increases your discipline.They want to keep order and structure in their lives.And they understand that each morning we wake up with a limited amount of willpower as well as mental focus.So, rather than wasting these valuable gifts by spreading them over many trivial choices like what to wear and what to eat, they automate as many basic things as possible, so they can concentrate their highest powers on just a few important activities.Now I’m getting how geniuses become geniuses even more.If all I did every day was my art and only a handful of other things, I wouldn’t suffer from ‘decision fatigue,’ as you call it.You folks clearly now know ‘all change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.’ That insight should be well on its way to settling in as a default belief of your Mindset.Now, let’s deconstruct that powerful brain tattoo of The Spellbinder into a potent model which explains the three phases every habit installation goes through so you have even more firepower to lock in the regime of rising at dawn.You’ll absolutely love what you’re about to learn.Promise me you’ll turn up the volume of your listening as we go through this?Then we’ll call it a morning.We promise, the entrepreneur and the artist expressed together.Pinky promise? asked the billionaire, putting out a little finger.Yes, responded the entrepreneur as she locked pinkies with her mentor.Yes, agreed the artist, as he did the same.Terrific, enthused the magnate.One of the security guards who had led the three companions into the structure walked in and pulled a chart out of a backpack.He shone his flashlight onto it so all could see what had been printed on it.Keep at it and you’ll definitely move ahead into the second stage of the process, where new neural pathways are formed and the real installation begins.This is the messy middle.The Spellbinder, in his teachings, calls this powerful fact The 66 Day Minimum.So, don’t quit after a few days, or a few weeks, or even after two months.Do this one thing and the remainder of your life will be exponentially better.This I promise you from my heart, said the billionaire.See, all change is hard at first.That’s why The Spellbinder named stage one ‘Destruction.’ If it wasn’t difficult at the start, it wouldn’t be real change.It’s supposed to be hard because you’re rewriting the past patterns of your mind and destroying old ways of operating.And rewiring past programs of your heart and emotions.Do you know why the Space Shuttle uses more fuel in the sixty seconds after liftoff than it uses over the entire orbit around the Earth?It needs to overcome the powerful forces of gravity after it takes off, the artist answered confidently.Exactly, the billionaire affirmed.It requires a large amount of fuel to overcome those initial forces and reach escape velocity.But once it does, momentum kicks in and the craft just goes.You need to overcome your deeply ingrained habits, dominant rituals and traditional states of performance.It’s so challenging at the beginning.For most people ready to get up before daybreak, each day of this first phase is a hardship.They feel like giving up.They complain that rising early just isn’t for them.That they’re not built for this routine and that it’s just not worth the pain.Continue at all costs.Persistency sits at the threshold of mastery.The things that feel hardest are also the ones that are most valuable.Keep remembering that doing difficult things that are very important was how the highest achievers and greatest heroes of our civilization embraced their power.So, when you feel like quitting, persevere.You’ll get to the next stage soon.And understand the negative thoughts, cranky emotions and strong desires to surrender are a normal part of the process of hardwiring any new regime.Precisely, the billionaire confirmed.And just because you couldn’t do something before doesn’t mean you can’t do it now, he added while nodding in an encouraging way.Society has programmed us to think that because it’s difficult at first, something bad is happening.That we should stop what we’re doing.And return to the safe house of our former normal.Zero growth and evolution toward legendary in that mode of operating.Zero.So true, agreed the entrepreneur.Everyone I know repeats the familiar every day.Maybe not everyone, but definitely most people.It’s just that they didn’t make the commitment to improve and then stay with the process long enough for their neurobiology as well as their psychology, physiology, emotionality and spirituality to work its natural wonders.Everything you now find easy you once found hard, you know.The billionaire then asked for the security guard’s flashlight and focused it onto the part of the learning model related to the second stage of routinization.Thanks, Krishna, he added.Stage two is called ‘Installation’ because it’s like you’re going through an interior renovation, of sorts.Former foundations need to be torn down so that much better ones can be put up.This stage will make you feel confused, stressed out and frustrated.You’ll long to go back to staying in your warm bed and counting more sheep.Just know and trust that all is good.Very good, actually.Things are about to get easier.You’re just going through the second stage of the procedure.And it only feels messy.And, it only looks chaotic.The reality is you’re growing beautifully.And closing in on a whole new grade of performing.‘In all disorder there is a secret order,’ said famed psychologist Carl Jung.So, when you’re wiring in this priceless new morning routine, the entire structure of your brain really is in upheaval as you manufacture new neural pathways.Your whole system really is being restructured.You’re honestly in seriously unfamiliar territory.Sprouting green shoots.Cortisol, the fear hormone, is elevated at this time so you’ll feel scared a lot of the time.All that’s happening within your brain is consuming huge reserves of energy.So, you’ll be exhausted often at stage two of habit installation.The mystics wrote of deep and real change as a journey involving a series of little deaths.The old you must die so a better you can be reborn.The Spellbinder says that ‘for you to upgrade to greatness you must undergo an annihilation of your weakness.’ Dramatic words, I’ll admit.But the guru speaks truthfully.In stage two, sometimes you might even feel like everything’s falling apart.Your human perception is often not reality, as you’ve learned.It’s just you seeing the world through a lens.The fact is that the illusion of safety is always so much more deadly than your rise toward personal mastery.And just know that unfathomable rewards are coming.I love all that you just said, interjected the artist.The billionaire grew quiet.I’ve been through this shedding and transforming process many, many times.And I need to tell you that it does feel like the end.You’ll be so scared at times, tired a lot for a while and confused by what the dark voice of your ego will say.You’ll even feel like you’re going crazy sometimes.That’s why so few people do this work.It’s a sport only for outright warriors.It requires enormous courage, immense conviction and uncommon strength of character.You have all this in you.Just resolve to apply it.As I said, with practice and patience, it’ll all get easier.And eventually automatic.Okay, cats, spoke the billionaire as he clapped his hands together like an encouraging football coach.I know you’re getting this beautifully.So, let’s keep jamming.Stick with the process of new habit installation through the breakdown of old patterns, which happens in stage one.Then continue through the formation of new circuitry in your brain, which happens through neuroplasticity and the manufacturing of better pathways in your emotional core in stage two.He kissed the flesh between his fingers again.So now it’s success time.You’re now the next version of your greatest self, able to bring on a bigger game, influence more people by the glorious power of your example and be more useful to the world because you’ve owned more of your primal heroism.All your hard work, sacrifice and suffering, careful consistency and brilliant bravery come together in this stage as the new habit you’ve been working on integrates at a psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual level.And becomes your new normal.Normal? wondered the artist.He looked sort of like a boxer training for the main event.What the heck are you doing now? questioned the entrepreneur, amused.He’s crazier than I ever imagined, she thought.It’s also a tremendous way to keep myself feeling young, happy and alive.Boredom kills the human spirit.