HYPERFOCUSED HABITS

THE FOUR SPHERES OF

INFLUENCE
HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURN ON LIFE

ANTHONY VICINO
 MODULE ONE: MINDSET
MASTERING LIFE'S MIND GAME

Welcome to the first of the Four Sphere's of Influence. In

coming modules, we'll explore what it means to apply
Hyperfocused attention to our Mindset, Health, Wealth, and
Communication.

Each of these fundamental building blocks is necessary if you

are to realize your full potential in life, love, and everything
between.

But before we can dive into the nuts and bolts of how to live a
healthy life, build generational wealth, and communicate
effectively, we have to first start by mastering our MINDSET.

Without first developing a Master's Mindset, you'll inevitably

fall short of achieving any goals of significance and most likely
will spiral into what's called the Pain Triangle.

1
 THE PAIN TRIANGLE

Obstacle

Progress Decline

Reversion

2
We've all experienced it...

The euphoria and boost of motivation that accompanies the

creation of a new goal.

Perhaps you say to yourself:

"I"m going to start a business."

In the immediate aftermath, you throw yourself into the battle.

You read books ad listen to podcsts. Maybe you even create a
website and have some random Joe on Fiverr whip up a logo.

You're doing all the things you need to... and the work feels
effortless, but that's only becaue the goal is still so fresh and
new.

But then something happens.

You hit a plateau.

Motivation wanes.

3
Usually this takes the form of your first legitimate setback.

Maybe you discover it's actually pretty exhausting building a

business from the ground-up.

Not to mention its somewhat of a thankless endeavor because

nobody even knows what you're up to in your little corner of
the web.

You're wallowing in obscurity and all the fun you were having
is now replaced with self-doubt, insecurity, and the nagging
sense that you're wasting your time.

So you do what 90% of everybody else does...

You Stop

4
You no longer wake up early, or stay up late, putting in the
hard work necessary to realizing your full-potential.

Now you stop moving forward and start sliding back.

The goal gets further and further away until you revert all the
way back to where you were before.

Except you aren't exactly where you were before. You're

somplace worse.

Because now you've programmed your mind to associate the

pursuit of a goal with inevitable failure.

It's a subtle subconscious shift, one you might not even be

aware of, but it's powerful.

You have completed one full revolution of the Pain Triange.

And the more times you travel around the triangle, the more
reinforced it becomes. That is, the more likely future failure
becomes.

5
The Simple Trick To Avoiding The
Pain Triangle

There are a million different ways you might end up in the

Pain Triangle, but there's only one way through it.

It's the same path every peak performer throughout the ages
has walked.

Whether we're talking Elon Musk and his successes with

SpaceX, or Steve Jobs and his triumphant return to Apple, the
path is always the same.

And it's a path open to you.

So, what's the secret?

6
Don't Give Up

7
To find success in life, you must come to grips with the idea
of:

Failing your way to success.

This simple concept is a guiding principle in the life of every

peak performer I've ever seen.

In the pursuit of any goal worth attaining, you will face

countless failures. With that said, you do not become a failure
unless you quit.

Success can always be found, but only if you stay in the game.

The takeaway?

NEVER GIVE UP!

8
"MANY OF LIFE'S FAILURES
ARE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT
REALIZE HOW CLOSE THEY
WERE TO SUCCESS WHEN
THEY GAVE U P."
Thomas Edison

9
 Time To Get Proactive
The next step in developing a Master's Mindset is to develop
control over the QUALITY, DIRECTION, and FORM of our
thoughts.

We must cultivate a Proactive Mind.

Of everything you'll learn in the Four Sphere's of Influence,

this is, by far, the most difficult.

Adopting a Proactive Mind is not a one-time thing.

You don't just put it on and take it off like your favorite pair of
Levis.

A Proactive Mind is a constant conscious practice.

It is something that'll be challenged thousands of times every

single day.

But that's a good thing, because it means you get plenty of

opportunity to practice.

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What is a Proactive Mind?

The Proactive Mind originates from a place of

Total Personal Responsibility.

"I AM THE MASTER

OF MY FATE,
I AM THE CAPTAIN
OF MY SOUL."
William Ernest Henly - Invictus

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The Proactive Mind, regardless of external events (whether
they be resounding success or epic failure), always accepts full
personal responsibility for the outcome.

For instance, if you get hit by a bus while crossing the street, it
does not matter if you were in the crosswalk. It does not
matter if you had the right-of-way. It does not matter if you
were technically in the right.

The Proactive individual accepts personal responsibility for

their rold in the event.

If we had not been in that place, at that time, the bus wouldn't
have had the opportunity to hit us. We could've made any
number of decisions differently that would have led to a
different result.

But we didn't.

We must own that.

"Now, Anthony, that's not fair. It wasn't my fault."

I hear you, but that's the Reactive Mind, and it is the enemy.

12
The Reactive Mind is an Epidemic

We've been indoctrinated with the idea that when bad things
happen, they are not our fault.

Blame the weather... the socialists... the 1%... There is always

somebody else to point the finger at.

And you know what, it's fine if that's how you choose to live
your life, but understand that by pointing to things beyond
your control, you will never attain fulfillment.

When you operate from a position of reactivity, you cede

control of your actions, your outcomes, and, ultimately, your
life.

To master life, you must

not give up control.

13
 A mentor once said:

"Look in the mirror when

something goes wrong, and to
the window when something
goes right."

Simply Put:

Own your mistakes

Share your succeses.

14
 Focus On What You Can Control

Top performers are experts at understanding precisely what

they can control, and ignoring everything else.

Why?

Because if you can't control it, then why let it consume any
more of your attention?

Remember:

Attention is your most valuable resource.

Where you focus it directly impacts the quality of results you

attain in life.

Only direct your attention at things within your control.

15
 Mindfulness
Adopting a Proactive Mind goes hand-in-hand with
Mindfulness.

Being mindful means full-awareness of one's surroundings,

reactions, emotions, and context.

Armed with this knowledge, we are able to actively pursue the

most logical course of action. An action which is hopefully
removed from the intense emotional reactions associated with
reactive living.

Example:

The stock market took a big hit this week.

Most people respond poorly to losing money, especially in

situations like this.

They blame the market, or the government, or crooked Wall

Street types. And sure, they might all have contributed to the
confluence of events leading to that drop, but at the end of the
day, that's all irrelevant.

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The Only Decision That Matters is
Yours...

You made the decision to put your money in the market.

Some people might say: "Well, I didn't know. I was just doing
what my financial advisor told me."

But whose fault is your ignorance?

These are the decisions you must own.

By owning them, you become empowered. You're no longer

living at the mercy of fate or strangers.

YOU ARE IN CONTROL.

Accept that. Own that.

Only the people who do will have the mental strength

required to take all of life's blows without getting knocked out.
They are the only ones capable of getting up time and time
again, dusting themselves off, and continuing to move forward.

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 Master vs. Amateur

The AMATEUR gives in to distraction, procrastination, laziness,

fear, doubt, or ego.

The MASTER controls their attention, directs their focus, and

trusts that failure is a necessary part of the process.

A Master's Mindset Requires:

Persistent Consistency
Extreme Focus On Things Within Your Control
Constant Learning

18
 ADDITIONAL READING

The Simple Key to Guaranteed Growth

The Psychology of Failure
Here's What It Takes To Become a Professional

REFLECT
Anytime you feel yourself getting frustrated or angry
this week, take a step back, breathe in deeply, and
ask yourself:

"What's my role in this? What could I have done

differently?"

By asking these questions, you are claiming

responsibility and, ultimately, control.

Now you are actively seeking solutions, instead of

wallowing in anger or frustration.

This is how you build a Proactive Mindset.

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 Completion of Module One:
Mindset
Mastering Life's Mind Game

Congratulations, you've completed the Mindset

Module.

Now, that by no means you're a mental master, but

you've begun the journey towards undestanding
the power of your mind.

Next, we'll continue building on what we've

learned here and apply it to Module Two: Health:
Fit for Life.

20
 MODULE TWO: HEALTH
FIT FOR LIFE

Highly successful people (peak performers) spend hours every

week investing in themselves, learning, growing, and
expanding their skill and knowledge base.

Why do such a thing when time is already so limited?

Because successful people recognize that you are your most

valuable asset.

Any investment you make in yourself pays dividends every

single day of your life.

There is not better investment than the one you make in

yourself.

And of all the things you could invest your time, few pay
bigger dividends than the ones you make into your physical,
mental, and emotional health.

If you want to get the most out of your time on this crazy,
twirling ballerina ride around the sun, you've got to master
your health.

21
This module could have come first, but until you develop a
Master's Mindset, the goals you set for yourself in this area are
fragile and prone to breakage.

That's why we first create a solid foundation by develpping our

mind's blade.

But now it's time to hone the body.

Here's the truth: working out, eating healthy, and getting

enough sleep is hard.

The days where I don't want to go to the gym vastly out-

number the days I do.

Donuts have a magical way of just appearing in my hand.

Far too often I lose track of time and hit the pillow hours after
intended.

Mastering what I call the 3 Levers of Energy is hard... and yet...

If you want to be a peak performer, if you want to live life on

your terms and attain mastery of The Four Sphere's of
Influence, you must master your body.

22
Your body is the vehicle carrying you through life. It must be a
finely honed tool to withstand the rough roads ahead.

The struggle is in creating ways to consistently motivate

ourselves to stick with healthy patterns of behavior.

It might seem like a tall order, but it's really not.

The secret lies in creating HABITS, PATTERNS, and ROUTINES,

that take all the thinking and decision making out of the
equation.

We have to create systems to maximize our body's full

potential, all on auto-pilot.

"SHOWING UP IS
80% OF
SUCCESS."
Woody Allen

23
 MORE TRUTH:

YOU DON'T NEED ANOTHER

CRASH COURSE ON NUTRITION
OR WORKING OUT.
For the most part, your knowledge of nutrition and exercise
theory are probably not what's holding you back from having
the body you desire.

You already know enough to get started.

The problem for the vast majority of us is just that...

Getting Started.

And that's what we're going to focus on here.

We'll cover some fundamental tactics you can start employing

today to start seeing benefits tomorrow.

You'll learn how to get started and how to create a daily

routine that you'll actually stick with long enough to start
seeing results, maximize your overall effectiveness, and
increase your life satisfaction.

24
 FAIR WARNING:

This is a huge Sphere of Influence.

If you want to dive deeper into Health and all the nuances
therewithin, then check out my book Hyperfocus: Using the
Science of Focused Mastery to Win the Game of Life, coming
out 2022.

If you would like one-on-one coaching to help you develop a

nutrition and work out plan, I highly recommend Jamie Byrne
of Fed, Fit, Fulfilled.

You can't do better than Jamie guiding you through a

personalized plan.

Check her out here: www.fedfitfulfilled.com.

25
 A BRIEF NOTE ON WILLPOWER:

To understand why getting into the gym, eating healthy, or

hitting the pillow at the same time every night is so difficult to
maintain on a daily basis, we must first talk about WILLPOWER.

Willpower isn't some bottomless well from which we can

repeatedly pull.

Willpower is like a muscle. It has a finite capacity for exertion.

It's like a pushup. Pushups in isolation aren't terribly hard, but

no matter how strong you are, there comes a point when you
simply can't do another pushup.

The muscle can simply give no more. It's exhausted. It's the
same with willpower.

With this in mind, do you see why it's so important we don't

squander our willpower on tiny, inconsequential decisions
throughout the day?

If you do, you'll lack the desire, commitment, and focus

necessary to tackle the really big, important decisions.

So how do we stop this slow seep of focus?

How do we guard our willpower?

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 CREATE
ROUTINES

27
Specifically, create routines, rituals, and patterns of behavior
around the 3 Levers of Energy (Eating, Exercise, Sleeping).

These are the three levers controlling your body's energy

levels, and by forming habits addressing each of these three in
ways that minimize the decision-making process, you'll
discover that getting to the gym won't be such a chore, eating
healthy becomes simple, and falling asleep no longer requires
a field worth of sheep.

As an added benefit, you'll have a surplus of willpower left

over to dedicate towards other things!

Now, here's the irony of creating a routine in an attempt to

lower the number of variables vying for your decision making
power:

STICKING TO A
ROUTINE
REQUIRES A LOT
OF WILLPOWER...
That is , until it becomes a

habit.

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Once a behavior crosses the threshold into pre-programmed
routine...

Holy gee-whiz, Batman! You'll suddenly discover a secret

surplus of willpower to be dedicated towards the really
important parts of your life.

Now, if you're sold on the idea that willpower is a finite

resource and that you must guard it if you ever hope to
maximize your full potential, it's time to talk specifics.

IT'S TIME TO
LEARN HOW TO
CREATE A ROUTINE
AROUND THE FIRST
OF THE 3 LEVERS
OF ENERGY

EATING
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Most of us want to eat healthy, it's just that sometimes life gets
in the way.

Maybe you get home after a long day, only to discover the
fridge is empty. Now you have to decide between going back
out into the world, driving to the grocery story, picking up
some yummy eats, and returning home to cook...

Or...

You could just order a pizza and crash on the couch.

Of these two scenarios, which one sounds more appealing in

the short term?

That's right, the couch and pizza for the win. Why? It requires
little efffort.

Problem is, while it might require little effort, it does come at a

high cost. A cost your future-you will pay. Your overall health.

Warren Buffet has a bit of advice that is especially useful when

it comes to decision making.

It's called The 10/10/10 Rule.

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 THE

10/10/10

RULE

1. How will I feel about this

decision in 10 minutes?
2. How will I feel about this
decision in 10 months?
3. How will I feel about this
decision in 10 years?

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Let's put our pizza decision to the test.

How will I feel about this decision in 10 minutes?

Eating bad, unhealthy foods releases dopamine, which is

linked to the reward center of the brain. It makes you feel
good. For a short while, at least.

Problem is once the dopamine wears off...Who hasn't felt

immediately guilty after consuming an entire Domino's pizza
by themselves?

Needless to say, eating pizza on the couch is probably only

contributing to your negative self-image in the short-term.

How will I feel about this decision in 10 months?

Honestly, you probably won't think about this decision much

in the next 10 months. It's a forgettable regret. Within 3-days, if
not sooner, your mind will have completely purged all memory
of this digestive indiscretion.

How will I feel about this decision in 10 year?

This is where things get interesting, because if you've

programmed yourself to always choose the culinary path of
least resistance, you'll likely find yourself dealing with some not-
so-insignificant health related issues.
32
And that's why we say eating out requires zero effort, but
comes at a high cost.

There is nothing more costly than the loss of your health.

You've only got one body. Destroy it at your own peril.

At this point you might be saying to yourself:

"This is all fine and dandy, but what am I actually supposed to

DO about it?"

Good question. The first step is in recognizing the root cause

of your behavior. In the world of habit formation, we call this
the "trigger".

What is triggering the habit you wish to replace?

The trigger in the previous example of eating out versus going

to the grocery story is one of convenience and time.

In the moment when you return home, mentally and physically

exhausted from a day at work to discover you lack the tools
necessary to make a healthy dinner, you opt towards the
easier option: eating out.

But it's important to note that the decision between eating out
versus going to the grocery story isn't really the problem.

It's the symptom.

33
The root problem is this:

YOU HADN'T
CREATED A
ROUTINE TO AVOID
EVER HAVING TO
MAKE THAT
DECISION IN THE
FIRST PLACE.

34
 CREATING A PLAN
Here's how to create a plan to avoid those pesky in the moment
convenience-related decisions that inevitably lead to poor
choices.

Here's a 3-step plan to avoid the pizza-couch scenario.

SCHEDULE A WEEKLY GROCERY SHOPPING TIME

Be specific. What day? What time? Which grocery store?

Standardize this practice and hold it sacred. Treat is as you

would a meeting at work. You MUST attend.

Missing this meeting means setting your entire eating week up

for failure.

SPEND 30 MINUTES PLANNING OUT YOUR MEALS FOR THE

WEEK

During this pre-shop session, plan out precisely what you want
to eat each day of the week.

35
That's right. You're creating a detailed, weekly consumption
calendar. By creating a clear vision for what you intend to eat
each day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks between, you
greatly improve your odds of sticking to the plan.

With this plan in mind, you'll rarely be caught off guard and have
to make one of those snap-eating decisions we discussed earlier.

This might sound like a lot of work, but over time it gets easier as
you discover a routine of meals and foods you really like. Once
you've build up a catalog of options, the planning phase gets
quicker with each passing week.

ATTACK THE GROCERY STORY WITH YOUR SHOPPING LIST

How many times have you aimlessly wandered the grocery store
grabbing whatever looks good in that moment?

Tons of money goes into product placement and advertisaing,

and if you don't go in with a clear plan of attack, you'll find
yourself in the checkout line confused as to how a bag of
Oregos snuck its way into your cart.

When you go in with a very specific, well-thought out list, well...

you can be surgical in your approach.

36
Nothing leaves that store in your possession unless it was on
your list.

Hold yourself to this. Trust the YOU that sat down and planned
out the week with intentionality.

Do not trust the YOU eyeballing the cookie aisle. That you
should never be trusted with important decisions.

An added benefit of going into the store with a well-defined list

is that you'll spend less time than usual lost in the freezer aisle,
which more than off-sets the time spent plannning beforehand.

By following these 3 simple steps (schedule a grocery storye run,

pre-plan your week's menu, and attack the grocery store with a
list), you'll greatly improve the quality of eating decisions you
make throughout the week.

Remember, we most often default to eating poorly out of

convenience. The only way to eliminate this potential trigger is
with intentionality.

Plan ahead.

Then stick to the plan.

37
 ADDITIONAL READING FROM THE
BLOG
Dial This Thing In For Maximum Productivity
Win the Morning, Win the Day
3 Investments to Make In Yourself Today

Plan
This week I want you to follow the steps we covered
earlier in this module.

1. Schedule a grocery shopping day

2. Plan all your meals
3. Attack the grocery story with a list

The key to establishing a new routine lies in

consistency. It's easy to become overwhelmed if we
look too far to the future. So, for now, just focus on
THIS week.

Stick to the plan and follow through.

38
 Completion of Module Two:
Health
Fit for Life

Congratulations, you've completed the Health

Module.

You've officially begun your journey towards

understanding and harnessing your body's
ultimate potential.

Next, we'll continue building on the foundation of

a hyperfocused life by turning our attention now
to Wealth: The Path to Financial Freedom.

39
 MODULE THREE: WEALTH
FINANCIAL FREEDOM MADE SIMPLE

"THE LAWS OF MONEY ARE LIKE

THE LAWS OF GRAVITY: ASSURED
AND UNCHANGING."
George Samuel Clason

Most people don't know the simple laws of money. They

weren't taught proper personal finance in school or by their
parents.

Finance is a taboo subject that, for whatever reason, we're

loathe to discuss with others.

It's an unproductive situation, but it's the reason so few people

really have their personal finances sorted out.

The wealthy, by and large, get to where they are because they
understand the money game. They know the rules. They know
how to win.

Unfortunately, the rules aren't inscribed on some mystical slab

of granite locked away in a vault dep underground where only
the rich can access it.

40
No, the cornerstones of building personal wealth are public
knowledge. They are open to you, right now.

So, the question is: Once you know the rules of the game, are
you going to buckle down and start playing for real?

'Cause remember, one way or the other, you're in the game.

Best you stat playing to win.

THE TWO SIDES OF THE

MONEY GAME

OFFENSE DEFENSE

MAKING MONEY SAVING MONEY

41
To build lasting wealth, you're gonna have to master both
sides of the court. It's not enough to simply make millions of
dollars.

The world is full of former professional athletes and musicians

who handled their money poorly. Now they're back to where
they started: with nothing.

Learn from their mistake.

First, master Defense.

PAY YOURSELF FIRST

The most fundamental aspect of good financial defense is this:
Pay Yourself First.

PYF is the single most important aspect of wealth building, so

listen up.

Most people spend their paycheck as soon as it arrives. They

have debts (rent, car payment, insurance, etc...), and so the first
thing they do with that money is pay those debts.

What remains is often spent on entertainment. If by some

miracle there is any money remaining after all that, it MIGHT
get stashed away in a savings account.

42
This is completely backwards and a surefire way to never
escape the rat-race of living paycheck to paycheck.

The first thing you must do with your paycheck (even before
paying your landlord) is you must, must, must take at least 10%
and pay yourself.

You are your most important debt collector. Pay yourself first.

Then use what money remains to pay your outside debts.

Chances are if you're used to living paycheck to paycheck, this

means you're going to have to cut back on expenses to make
ends meet.

You no longer have 100% of your paycheck to put towards

your living expenses each month. You now only have 90%.

But this is the first and most important step of building

personal wealth.

If you do not pay yourself first, you'll continue down the path
that the majority of people are walking: You'll waste all your
money and then look back at the end of the month wondering
where it all went.

Repeat after me: You cannot build wealth if you live above
your means.

43
It doesn't matter if you make a million dollars every week if
you just turn around and spend a million dollars every week.

.Break the cycle. Start saving. Start Paying Yourself First.

LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS

Okay, this piggybacks on step one.

If you've paid yourself first, you now have 10% less to live on
for the month. To accomodate this, you must structure your
monthly expenditures accordingly.

This is where a budget comes in.

I know, I know... nobody likes talking about budgets, much less

making them.

Do yourself a favor and google "personal budget", download

one, and fill it out.

Budgeting doesn't have to be hard.

Seriously, all you really need to track are three things:

44
 INCOME
How much you make every month.

FIXED EXPENSES
Fixed bills you know with certainty will arise on a monthly
basis (rent, car payment, insurance, etc...).

VARIABLE EXPENSES

Discrentionary expenses like eating out, entertainment,

or travel.

45
Once you have these three categories established, go through
them one-by-one to find opportunities to increase income or
decrease expenses.

Want to learn more about building Income/Offense? Check

out the Build a Business Challenge.

For now, we're focusing on Defense.

Start by cutting as many Fixed Expenses as possible. Do you

really need 2 cars? Are you living in an apartment that you
fundamentally can't afford?

Ask these questions first, because chances are your Fixed

Expenses are dominating the majority of your budget.

Variable Expesnes are sneaky little devils. If you don't keep an

eye on them, they quickly balloon by month's end.

Plan how much you intend to spend on categories such as

eating out, entertainment, and travel at the beginning of the
month. Then hold yourself accountable.

If you've outlines these three categories, then congratulations,

you have officially created a budget.

I can't stress enough how important Living Within Your Means

is to building financial wealth.

46
Remember, it doesn't matter how much you make... it matters
how much you keep.

Spending every dime that rolls in the door is a poor recipe for
creating financial freedom or happiness.

That's just a treadmill.. Ugh... no thanks.

PUT YOUR MONEY

TO WORK

"IF YOU DON'T FIND

A WAY TO MAKE
MONEY WHILE YOU
SLEEP, YOU WILL
WORK UNTIL YO
DIE."
Warren Buffett

47
I haven't always been financially savvy. Rewind 10 years ago
and I was a real bonehead. I had $80,000 in debt, a car loan,
and was living paycheck to paycheck.

But then I found a mentor, a guy who hadn't just won the
money game, but absolutely crushed it. He told me something
that fundamentally changed how I thought about money.

He said:

"Imagine each dollar you make is a worker in a field. Each

dollar you spend pulls away from how many workers you have
in the field which reduces your overall yield. If you leave all
your workers in the field, their labors compound over time.
And that's the trick.

This is called compound interest and it means that your

workers are now havig kids and eventually those kids grow up
and also work the field.

In this way, your money is not only working for you, but your
money's money is working, too."

If you want to build personal wealth, you must leverage the

power of Compound Interest. You do this by putting to work
that 10% you've been paying yourself.

We talk tactics over at Invictus Capital, but for now, let's keep it
high level.
48
I haven't always been financially savvy. Rewind 10 years ago
and I was a real bonehead. I had $80,000 in debt, a car loan,
and was living paycheck to paycheck.

But then I found a mentor, a guy who hadn't just won the
money game, but absolutely crushed it. He told me something
that fundamentally changed how I thought about money.

He said:

"Imagine each dollar you make is a worker in a field. Each

dollar you spend pulls away from how many workers you have
in the field which reduces your overall yield. If you leave all
your workers in the field, their labors compound over time.
And that's the trick.

This is called compound interest and it means that your

workers are now havig kids and eventually those kids grow up
and also work the field.

In this way, your money is not only working for you, but your
money's money is working, too."

If you want to build personal wealth, you must leverage the

power of Compound Interest. You do this by putting to work
that 10% you've been paying yourself.

We talk tactics over at Invictus Capital, but for now, let's keep it
high level.
49
 GOING ON THE
OFFENSE

MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME ARE BETTER THAN ONE.

"IN TODAY'S UNCERTAIN

ECONOMY, THE SAFEST
SOLUTION TO BE WEALTHY, BE
IN TOTAL CONTROL, AND
ENJOY FREEDOM FOR YOU AND
YOUR FAMILY IS TO HAVE
MULTIPLE STREAMS OF
INCOME."
Robert G. Allen

50
Once you've mastered the defensive game of Paying Yourself
First, Living Within Your Means, and Putting Your Money To
Work, it's time to go on the offensive.

Interestingly, you can make it quite far in the money game

without ever making over $100,000 in a year.

In The Millionaire Next Door, they showed that the average

millionaire household in the United States had an annual-
before-tax income of only slightly more than $100,000.

That's a reassuring number that anybody can hit.

You might be shaking your head right now, but listen, others
have done more with less. Use that as inspiration.

You can do this.

But how?

Well, another interesting finding from The Millionaire Next

Door was just how many income streams the average
millionaire had.

The answer?

51
That means they weren't solely relying on the income from
their day job. They had additional sources of income
appearing from...somewhere.

It might've been a side hustle, real estate investments,

dividends, whatever... the point is, if you want to maximize
your financial security and prosperity, you must have multiple
diversified sources of income.

If you lose your job tomorrow, and it's your sole means of
income, you are in trouble. That would be like having a
basketball team with only player on offense, while all the
others stay on defense.

If that one player goes down, your entire offensive engine is

dead in the water.

Creating a robust system of offense means having multiple

sources of income. There's no other way around it.

"NEVER DEPEND ON A SINGLE

INCOME. MAKE INVESTMENTS
TO CREATE A SECOND
SOURCE."
Warren Buffett

52
 THE BEST INVESTMENT
YOU'LL EVER MAKE
How do you boost your earning potential?

The answer is simple: Invest in yourself, daily.

That means setting goals for yourself that revolve around

acquiring more knowledge and skills so that 1) you can
demand a higher rate at work, and/or 2) you can successfully
launch a side hustle.

Self Improvement is the single best investment you can make.

You will not find a single successful individual out there who
would disagree.

So what are you waiting for? Why are you wasting so much
time on Netflix and beer?

Are those activities taking you closer to, or further from, your
goal of achieving financial freedom?

If they're not moving you forward, maybe it's time to replace

them with something that will.

Read a book, listen to a podcast, find a mentor or a meetup

group. Get out there and grow.

53
 Completion of Module Three:
Wealth
Financial Freedom Made Simple

Congratulations, you've completed the Wealth Module and

now understand the basic laws of money.

These rules are immutable, universal, and can be used

immediately to start building the financial future of your
dreams.

Now that you know the rules, the question becomes:

Are you going to play to win?

Next, we'll continue building on the foundation of a

hyperfocused life by turning our attention now to
Communication: The Most Important Skill.

54
 MODULE FOUR:
COMMUNICATION
THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL

Humans are an interesting sort of animal. Our ability to

communicate thoughts, ideas, and emotions (not only to those
in immediate earshot, but to future generations yet to be) is,
perhaps, our most distinguishing trait.

Society itself is an impossible construct without effective

communication.

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that much of the

success we are able to attain in this life is directly tied to our
ability to communicate with ourselves and with others.

Though that society thing keeps expanding in its complexity,

humans remain relatively simple.

We all are searching for one of two things:

1. To understand.
2. To be understood.

55
Frustration abounds when we are denied either of these
things. Don't believe me? I refer you to pretty much any
teenager, ever.

But when they are found?

Well, that's when magic occurs.

One of the keys to a happy, fulfilled life lies in your ability to

find and put these two concepts into practice.

That's perhaps easier said than done, but that's not to say it
can't be done. It can. It just requires learning a certain skill.

"WE HAVE TWO EARS AND ONE

MOUTH SO THAT WE CAN
LISTEN TWICE AS MUCH AS WE
SPEAK."
Epictetus

56
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation, nodding
along to whatever the other person says, as your mind sprints
a mile a minute in hot pursuit of the next, clever thing you're
going to say when it's your turn to talk?

Has the other person ever stopped suddenly and given you a
good looking over with their eyeballs and said:

"Are you even listening?"

You not enthusiastically, 'cause that's a more appropriate

response than, "No, not really."

If you're lucky you might recite the other person's last couple
words or pick out the general theme they were trying to
convey.

But it doesn't really matter at this point because now that

other person is questioning your true commitment to the
conversation, or rather, your true commitment to hearing
them.

Good luck getting the conversation back on track at this point.

The key, as is often the case in life, is to be proactive and

never let the conversation slide to a place where your partner
is questioning your attention or interest.

57
 HEARING VS BEING HEARD

Ears are a unique body part. From the day you're born to the
day you die, you can't turn them off.

Your ears are always on.

Absorbing sounds that your brain has become quite adept at

filtering out.

Imagine how much cognitive bandwidth it would take for you

to consciously listen to every audio cue you encounter in a
day.

This is where the gulf between hearing and listening is

formed.

Hearing is a passive ability that occurs with or without you.

Listening, on the other hand, is an active ability that only

occurs with intention.

When framed in this way it becomes immediately clear that it's

not simply enouhg to hear the person sitting across from you.

You must LISTEN to them.

58
 THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN LISTENING AND
WAITING FOR YOUR TURN TO
SPEAK.
Simon Sinek

LISTENING AIN'T EASY

Listening requires conscious, focused attention. When done

properly, it can be exhausting.

It's a shame that our education system never taught us how to

listen better.

But just because our education system failed us doesn't mean

we're destined to be remain bad listeners.

Listening is a skill, and just like throwing a baseball, it can be

cultivated and improved with deliberate practice.

Here's how to develop your listening muscle.

59
 BE ATTENTIVE

In a digital age where countless stimuli are competing for our

fragmented attention, being attentive is no small
accomplishment.

And yet it's mandatory if you want to become an expert

listener.

Here are a couple ways to maximize your attentiveness.

First, put the phone away.

When you're conversing with another person, signal to them

they are your primary focus in that moment. Put your phone
away.

Second, be interested in the other person.

It's much easier to be attentive when we care or are intrigued.

60
 BE A SOUNDING BOARD

Sometimes we just need to vent. We're not looking for

answers. We just want somebody to empathize with us.

Listening well means pushing back your judgmental/critical

side. Allow an open atmosphere for ideas to bounce back-and-
forth.

You do this by not interrupting the other person, and now

allowing your subtle body language to convey annoyance,
disapproval, or disagreement.

This is tricky. Often our body acts without our conscious

approval. But if you want to be a great listener, you must make
the unconscious conscious.

Don't let your body signal critical judgment in the form of

crossed arms, eye rolls, or shaking your head no.

Your goal is to project supportive body language that

encourages them to continue sharing. Nodding your head,
mirroring their facial expressions, and softening eye contact
are great ways to indicate your engagement.

61
 ACT LIKE A MIRROR

Accurately reflecting on what the person across from you is

saying or feeling fills them with the quiet confidence that, yes,
you actually understand them.

This can be achieved in a number of ways, but the most

common (and easiest) is simply mirroring the most important
keywords and/or thoughts expressed in the other person's
preceding sentences.

Often, simply repeating what they said, word-for-word (which

feels weird when you first practice this technique) is enough.

If you want to earn overachiever points, then go the extra mile

and summarize the underlying emotions and frustrations they
are likely to be feeling.

Few things make a person feel more understood than when

you intuit the emotions behind the words and how it makes
them feel.

It's all about subtext.

62
 AVOID TOO MANY QUESTIONS

This isn't a barbecue. Fight the urge to grill the other person
with questions.

It's well-intentioned to think that asking a lot of questions

makes people feel heard.

It doesn't.

Instead, it makes people feel a subtle anxiety associated with

the disparity between how much information is being given
versus how much information is being received.

Good listening is not just about letting the other person do all
the talking.

They'll do the majority of speaking, yes, but you need to

facilitate the conversation with thoughtful questions, insightful
statements, and open-ended invitations to continue.

Okay, so if we're supposed to show interest in our

converstational partner by getting them to talk about
themselves, but we aren't supposed to grill them with
questions, what are we to do?

63
 THE TRICK TO
CONVERSATIONAL
MAGIC

1) ASK QUESTION

2) ACTIVELY LISTEN

3) RESPOND WITH
STATEMENT

4) REPEAT

64
 JUDGE A MAN BY HIS
QUESTIONS RATHER THAN
HIS ANSWERS.
Volitaire

65
 HOW TO BE ENGAGING

To be a good listener, you must be engaging.

The big mistake so many well-intentioned people make is that

in their attempt to be a good listener, they actually become a
pretty lousy conversational partner.

Ugh... good listening does not feel like an interview.

It feels like a give and take. A back and forth.

To achieve this, follow the steps outlined on page 64.

First, ask your question, and then actually pay attention to the
person's answer.

Now here's the magic part of the equation: When the other
person finishes, follow up with a statement, preferably one
referencing a personal experience.

This is the powerful part of the process because this statement

1) shows that you've actually listened and 2) shares something
so that the other person feels they've gotten something in
return.

66
 STOCK PHRASES ARE WORTHLESS

They're easy. They're filler. And we use them far, far too often.

Stock phrases such as, "It's not that bad," or, "I know exactly
how you feel," never work as you intend.

These rote recitations utterly fail to convey either your

understanding or empathy.

As a general rule, never minimize the other person's pain by

using stock phrases and never make the situation about you.

Sure, you can share an example of a similar experience you've

had, but it should be coached in terms of, "It's not exactly the
same as what you're going throughm, but when I *insert
similar situation* and here's what I found helpful getting
through it."

In this example you've acknowledged that their experience is

unique to them, but that you're willing to share a piece of your
personal history in the hopes that they might find some part
of it useful.

This is an incredibly powerful listening technique with the

ability to bridge gaps of understanding and build empathy.

67
 Completion of Module Four:
Communication
The Most Important Skill

Congratulations! You've completed module four and have

begun the all-important journey in becoming a more
effective communicator.

Remember, it's a core human need to UNDERSTAND and to

BE UNDERSTOOD.

The first step, therefore, in becoming an effective

communicator is to really HEAR and CONNECT with the
person you're chatting with.

Keep this in mind, and you'll be unstoppable.

68
 ANTHONY VICINO
Investor | Author | Entrepreneur

AnthonyVicino.com

Anthony Vicino is a best-selling author, real estate investor,

and serial entrepreneur committed to helping people
maximize their Return on Life.

He is the co-founding partner of Invictus Capital, a

multifamily acquisition firm based in Minneapolis, MN that
provides busy working professionals with the opportunity to
Invest Better.

As the host of the Multifamily Investing Made Simple podcast

and author of Passive Investing Made Simple, Anthony
believes investing shouldn't be complicated, scary, or
overwhelming.

Other Courses From Anthony:

Finding Flow
Hyperfocused Mastery
Passive Investing Made Simple
Build a Business 30-Day Challenge