It goes without saying that there’s a huge difference between those who perform at their best and those who do not. But it’s not rocket science that differentiates the super-performers from everyone else. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The secret lies in basic habits. Habits that anybody can apply.

I’d like to introduce you to James Swanwick. I met James at the 2016 Bulletproof conference. He was standing outside of his Swannies booth sporting some cool-looking orange-lensed glasses.

While most exhibitors hid solemnly behind their booth waiting for conference attendees to approach them, James was front and center, hosting a big smile and a great mood while encouraging people to come try on his glasses. I was easily swept up into his vortex of positivity and lovely Aussie accent, and I ended up having a lengthy conversation with him. I was impressed by his mood, his outlook on life, and of course, his trendy glasses.

I quickly came to find out that he’s a pretty famous and successful dude!

James, a former ESPN anchor, is also a successful author and podcaster. And he’s interviewed everybody from famous celebrities and athletes to top CEOs. I got the chance to put him on the other side of the microphone, where got to ask him some questions. It was such a fun and fabulous conversation.

Click here to listen to my full podcast interview with James Swanwick…

Or… you can get the cliff notes on my blog article below.

Here are 3 small habits that can make a huge difference in your ability to perform at your absolute best and make more money.

1. Face Your Fears

One of the biggest roadblocks holding people back from growth is freezing in the face of fear.  Fear of failure.  Fear of change. Fear of something new.

Very few, if any, are immune to fear. Even the super-performers who appear to be fearless have their own insecurities. The difference is that they face their fear head on. They don’t let it paralyze them or keep them from doing what’s necessary to succeed. They just think, “Yup, I’m scared Sh*%less,” but say “F it, I’m going for it anyway.”

In other words… As scary as it might be, your mantra needs to be, “Just do it anyway.” James recommends following up by saying, “and do it NOW.”

Because really… What’s the worst thing that can happen? What’s that saying again? “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Although this quote might not be true across the board, it certainly applies to business and career success.

Sure. Sometimes you might fall flat on your face. But most often, that’s not the case. That courage and grit usually manifest into new business, relationships, or opportunities that would otherwise would have been missed. As cliche as it sounds, this famous phrase is completely true: “You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take.”

Face your Fears! Just Do it And do it now!

2. Learn from Others

Who do you know? Who do you want to know? What do they know?
I asked James what he attributed his success to. His response: who I know. Not what I know, but who I know.

He’s made it his business to meet people. But not through the common practice of “networking.” But rather by being curious. Wanting to learn. And investing in the best coaches, trainers, and mentors that he can find. 1: to learn from them. And 2: to meet the people who also have an insatiable desire to learn and succeed. These masterminds have served him well!

The key word, in case you missed it: Invest. James shared that he invests tens of thousands of dollars a year into coaching and training. The return? Several businesses. And millions of dollars.

3. Take Advantage of the Cascade

In my interview, James talks about how just cutting alcohol out of his diet for 30 days sparked an unbelievably positive chain reaction leading to higher performance, a book, and a business. He wasn’t an alcoholic, but he realized that even casual drinking with friends negatively affected his performance and tempted him to want junk foods like cheeseburgers and fries.

He noticed that it’s the small, seemingly innocuous choices that are the most destructive. Just a couple of drinks with a friend would cause him to have poorer sleep. Causing him to be cranky the next morning. Causing him to snap at a loved one. Causing him to feel stressed and fatigued throughout the rest of the day. Causing him to be less productive. But. Another friend would call him and say, “Hey, let’s go grab some drinks.” And the cycle continues.

He realized that this pattern wasn’t aligned with his ambition to succeed at business and feel healthy and happy with his life. What if he replaced that habit with something else that would produce the opposite effect?

For James, he quit drinking in order to improve the quality of his life. What change or choice – if you made it right now – would move your life in a different direction. That might switch the negative cause-and-effect cascade to a more positive one?

What’s one small money habit that you can change? What might be the cascade effect of that small change in behavior?

What about your health? What basic thing could you change that might change your life?

Put your thoughts in the comment section below!

One final thing… If you wish to invest in a great-looking pair of blue light blocking glasses (you’ll have to listen to the podcast to learn the importance of blue blockers), click HERE to grab a pair!