3 years ago I lived with no purpose.

Today, I roll out of bed excited and focused.

But to get here the process wasn’t sexy.

Let me take you back a few years…

I had just turned 29.

The last year of my 20’s and I had nothing to show for it.

(At least that’s how I felt)

The worst part? I wasn’t getting any younger.

I knew deep down life could be better.

But to do it I had to get out of my own way.

My:

🔹Self doubt

🔹Fear of failure

🔹Inner dialogue

Was holding me back and it was clear.

I always wanted to pursue my own thing. Build my own thing.

So I decided to go all in writing online.

My goal was to build a successful online business.

I didn’t worry about the “how”

I just started learning. Applying. Improving.

Fast forward to now…

I’m on pace to clear my first 6 figure year.

This isn’t to brag…

Because what’s even better is I love what I’m doing.

I’ve never felt more aligned with my purpose.

The reason I bring this up is because there was one practice I did that changed it all for me.

I still remember sitting in my room writing it out in my notebook for the first time.

I call it the 5 by 5 Protocol…

Essentially, it’s about the concept of addition through subtraction.

Most people who want success or change in their life start adding a bunch of new habits.

They start:

🔹A new diet

🔹Journalling

🔹Exercising more than ever

Etc, etc.

But then end up stopping them a week in and don’t know why.

The issue with this is… their current lack of zest for life and business isn’t because they didn’t have these fancy new habits…

No.

It’s actually their current bad habits that prevent them from making progress.

They need to focus on eliminating those first.

Because when you rid your bad habits, your business and life will improve through osmosis.

Now I know it might sound counter intuitive.

But it’s a common misconception that progress requires adding new strategies or habits.

In reality, bad habits act as barriers. They prevent us from being able to implement positive changes in our lives.

When we eliminate these obstacles first, we clear the path for growth and improvement.

It’s similar to decluttering your workspace.

When you remove distractions, you’re able to focus better and be more productive.

Now let’s jump into the 5 By 5 Protocol

The 5 By 5 Protocol

This protocol is simple in nature.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

Step 1:

Find a quiet place where you can sit with a pad and pen. Then take 10 deep breaths into your belly to ground yourself.

Step 2:

Close your eyes and visualize your ideal self in 1 year from now. Get detailed here.

What types of relationships do you have?

How much money do you make?

How fit and healthy are you?

Imagine there was nothing stopping you from achieving this dream version of yourself in 1 year.

What would that person look like?

Step 3:

Now that you have clarity on the ultimate version of yourself 1 year from now…

Write down the 5 habits this version of you would do daily that your current version of self isn’t doing.

Maybe it’s 3 hours of deep work.

Maybe it’s writing 1000 words.

Maybe it’s eating whole, clean foods.

Only you will know.

***This completes the first 5 of the “5 by 5”

Step 4:

Next, you’re going to gain clarity on your current self.

Be honest and assess the 5 worst habits you currently do daily that prevent you from becoming this ideal version of you.

The more truth here the better. Nobody will see this but you.

***By now you will have detailed the 5 habits the ultimate version of you 1 year from now would have (that you aren’t currently doing)

And the 5 habits that the current version of you is doing and stopping you from becoming your ultimate version.

Step 5:

All you’re going to do is focus on 1 of the 5 habits the current you is doing (that prevents you from becoming your ultimate version) and eliminate it.

Only do 1 at a time. Habits are hard to break. By focusing on 1 it will stay top of mind and be easier to spot when you’re doing it.

Once you get to a point where you’ve stopped doing it for longer than a month, cross it off.

Then move to the next one.

Over time you’ll start to notice certain habits will fill in those ones you just got rid of.

Any guesses which habits they’ll be?

The 5 habits you wrote down that the ideal version of you 1 year from now will do.

That’s it.

This is obviously harder in practice than it is in theory.

Habits aren’t easy to change.

But I just focused on eliminating the 5 worst habits the current me has that hold me back 1 by 1…

Then over time replaced them with those 5 habits the ideal version of me was doing that I wasn’t currently doing.

It changed my life. And I know it will for you.

Give this a whirl. Be honest with yourself. Then reap the benefits.

That’s all for this week’s issue.

Until next Thursday,

The man up north,

Darion.