Stephen Collar

And so it's always 4% to 5% at a time. In fact, if you try to go 10% or 20%, you're actually going to stall out because it's too much anxiety, too much cortisol, too much norepinephrine, and you're going to block performance. And when I say block performance, let me give you the example. So I'm going to get a little neurogeeky technical here.

And so it's always 4% to 5% at a time. In fact, if you try to go 10% or 20%, you're actually going to stall out because it's too much anxiety, too much cortisol, too much norepinephrine, and you're going to block performance. And when I say block performance, let me give you the example. So I'm going to get a little neurogeeky technical here.

But my favorite structure in the brain is the anterior cingulate cortex. Why? Because it chooses. When we make decisions, are we going to make the logical, linear, tried, true, safe, secure decision, or are we going to do something creative and interesting? And it makes this decision based on how much fear you have. So if you've got too much fear, your brain starts to limit your options.

But my favorite structure in the brain is the anterior cingulate cortex. Why? Because it chooses. When we make decisions, are we going to make the logical, linear, tried, true, safe, secure decision, or are we going to do something creative and interesting? And it makes this decision based on how much fear you have. So if you've got too much fear, your brain starts to limit your options.

We all know this. The extreme example is fight or flight, right? You're really freaked out. So your brain says, oh, no, no, no. Three options. You can flee, you can freeze, or you can fight. That's all you can do. What we don't realize is that all fear does that. Your brain goes, oh, I'm scared. Give me something that worked last time.

We all know this. The extreme example is fight or flight, right? You're really freaked out. So your brain says, oh, no, no, no. Three options. You can flee, you can freeze, or you can fight. That's all you can do. What we don't realize is that all fear does that. Your brain goes, oh, I'm scared. Give me something that worked last time.

let me give you the conservative choice give me right so as entrepreneurs i'm a big fan of what branson said and we wrote about this is you definitely want to protect the downside i think you want to find ways to protect the downside but as entrepreneurs you're looking for the creative interesting solution that keeps you sort of ahead and if too much fear It completely blocks that.

let me give you the conservative choice give me right so as entrepreneurs i'm a big fan of what branson said and we wrote about this is you definitely want to protect the downside i think you want to find ways to protect the downside but as entrepreneurs you're looking for the creative interesting solution that keeps you sort of ahead and if too much fear It completely blocks that.

So you get really logical, you get really linear. And I always tell, I think as a hiring practice, I always tell my team, remember, we're hiring two people. You're hiring the person when everything is going well and they're in a good mood. And you're hiring the person when they're terrified. and scared.

So you get really logical, you get really linear. And I always tell, I think as a hiring practice, I always tell my team, remember, we're hiring two people. You're hiring the person when everything is going well and they're in a good mood. And you're hiring the person when they're terrified. and scared.

Usually, if you want to come work with me, we're going to put you through a fairly rigorous test trial period. And in that trial period, I'm going to overload you. I'm going to scare you a little bit. And it's not that I need you to succeed. I don't give a shit if you can pull the task off or not pull the task off. How do you respond? How are you when you're scared? Because

Usually, if you want to come work with me, we're going to put you through a fairly rigorous test trial period. And in that trial period, I'm going to overload you. I'm going to scare you a little bit. And it's not that I need you to succeed. I don't give a shit if you can pull the task off or not pull the task off. How do you respond? How are you when you're scared? Because

The employees who totally shut down and get really, really selfish and really logical, which is most people when they're scared, I don't want to work with them. Those are not my people. That's not helpful because the things I do for a living, we move really, really, really fast, and there are high consequences.

The employees who totally shut down and get really, really selfish and really logical, which is most people when they're scared, I don't want to work with them. Those are not my people. That's not helpful because the things I do for a living, we move really, really, really fast, and there are high consequences.

You roll the dice a lot, and when you're writing books and you're doing things in public, there's consequences. You know what I mean? We're playing with a lot of ammo and resources. We're training the best of the best of the best of the best of the best. And like they're playing with live ammo, right? Also like their lives are live.

You roll the dice a lot, and when you're writing books and you're doing things in public, there's consequences. You know what I mean? We're playing with a lot of ammo and resources. We're training the best of the best of the best of the best of the best. And like they're playing with live ammo, right? Also like their lives are live.

I always remind them, but like there are lives at the other end of this conversation.

I always remind them, but like there are lives at the other end of this conversation.

Yeah, let's talk about how to set a clear goals list, okay? You said, we started this conversation with what are the flow, where do you start? One more flow in your life, where do you start? We've actually covered two thirds of my answer. Complete concentration. So like I always start with distraction management, start with the simple stuff.

Yeah, let's talk about how to set a clear goals list, okay? You said, we started this conversation with what are the flow, where do you start? One more flow in your life, where do you start? We've actually covered two thirds of my answer. Complete concentration. So like I always start with distraction management, start with the simple stuff.