Before we dive in: MasteryOS is open for enrollment. There are limited spaces. If you want to achieve Self-Mastery, unlock your true potential, and smash every goal you set, click here. 

The Lens Of Life

Every situation has both a positive and a negative - which you see depends on which you want to see.

You could see a lack of progress as a failure, or you could see it as an opportunity to make progress.

You could see being unfulfilled as something that will ruin your life, or you could see it as an opportunity to become fulfilled.

You could feel as if you’re wasting your potential and let it get you down, or you could see it as an opportunity to chase your potential.

There is an opportunity in every situation.

The question is, which lens do you choose to view your situation through?

No matter what you’re doing, who you are, or what you’ve accomplished, there will be periods of your life where you feel complacent, tired, or lack progress.

In these situations, you have 2 choices.

1. Let it get you down and stay stuck where you are, harbouring these feelings.

OR

2. You can view it as an opportunity to make immense progress.

I find myself caught in a situation like this once or twice a year.

But over the years, if I start to feel complacent, tired, or as if I’m not making enough progress, I’ve figured out what I need to do.

I disappear.

I cut out everything. I go all in on my goals. I build. I sweat. I learn.

Nothing else.

I choose to view the situation as an opportunity for immense progress.

The Problem With Balance

I know already some of you are screaming about needing downtime, needing to socialise, needing to have balance.

But here’s the problem;

Balance can’t exist in the short term.

In the micro scheme of life, you are either doing something or you’re not - you can’t be balanced.

Trying to create balance in the short term is the exact reason you feel complacent, make no progress, and end up unfulfilled.

But, balance can exist in the long term.

You can create balance in the macro by dedicating yourself to something for a period of time long enough to make progress, before pulling back, relaxing, and counteracting this period of immense focus.

Essentially, you need to live your life in seasons.

99% of people underestimate the effort and focus required to build something great and make significant progress.

They think they can get there without making sacrifices.

They think they can get there with balance.

If you’re serious about achieving Self-Mastery, building something great, and feeling fulfilled, you must go through periods of immense, monk-like discipline and focus.

Otherwise, it’s impossible for you to dedicate enough time and effort to move the needle.

So forget this idea of balance.

Focus on seasons.

Seasons of immense focus and work, followed by periods where you work but also live life.

This is even more important for you if you’re starting out.

When you start something, you have no momentum. You have nothing that will keep everything moving. So you need to get that ball rolling and build enough of something that momentum is behind you and pushing you forward - that requires immense focus

Seasons Of Progress

Every time I go through a period of “monk mode”, I make more progress than I do at any other time.

I feel more at peace and more fulfilled than at any other time.

I’m following my mission, giving everything to it, seeing regular and predictable progress, everything just feels right.

I tend to do these periods of disappearing for anything from 3 - 6 months, depending on what I have planned during the year.

And each time I come out of a season of progress, I’m a new man. I’ve reached a new level of Self-Mastery.

I make more progress in these 3-6 month blocks than I would in a “normal” 1-3 years.

These periods also allow for a massive amount of introspection, creating massive clarity.

You figure out who you are, what you want, and why you want it.

You become mission-driven.

It isn’t only a season of progress, it’s a season of reinvention and there’s no better opportunity to focus on Self-Mastery than during a period of focus.

How To Disappear

This can sound overwhelming.

This can sound impossible.

But it’s actually a shit tonne easier than you think - you set your parameters and you show up.

Here’s how you do it:

Set a time period

How long will you disappear for? You need to set and define a time period.

I recommend 3-6 months for the best results but the bare minimum is 1 month.

Set your goals

You need something to work on, to actually make progress in.

Set a physical goal (eg. Lose x KG of fat), a financial goal (earn x amount), and a purpose-related goal (something you want to build)

Make a plan

For each goal, make a plan down to daily actions, something to focus on each and every day that over time adds up to you achieving your goals.

Commit to disappearing

This is a period of focus. A period of obsession. A period of mastery.

You must commit. You cannot half-ass this otherwise it doesn’t work.

You can’t go out on a Saturday night, you can’t party, you can’t drink, etc.

These are the sacrifices you must make if you’re serious about disappearing.

Curate your devices

Turn off all notifications on your phone and computer.

This is non-negotiable.

Delete all social media that you’re not using productively (ie. Not learning from or creating on)

And be honest with yourself here, you’re only lying to yourself. You’re not learning shit on TikTok - delete it.

This is non-negotiable.

You have to protect your focus.

Build, Sweat & Learn every single day

Every day, do something to build (work on your goals), sweat (workout) & learn (educate yourself regarding your goals)

I cover this daily structure in more detail here.

Focus on building good habits

Habits like meditating, journalling, deep work, and ice baths.

The shit you don’t want to do but know you need to do.

The Self-Mastery you build through doing them will carry over into every other area of your monk mode and your life.

Show up every damn day

There are no days off.

This is a period of intense focus, effort, and work - but with that comes immense progress and fulfillment.

After this season of your life is over, you can relax.

Use this as an opportunity to audit your lifestyle

What bad habits do you have? Who is holding you back?

Identify them and cut them out.

There’s no better time than now.

Obviously, there are some strict caveats to this protocol:

• If you’re young and living at home, I don’t expect you to ignore your parents

• If you’re married and/or have kids, I don’t expect you to ignore your partner and/or kids

• If you’re working a 9-5, I don’t expect you to not go to work

This period of disappearing is about disappearing from all the things in your life that distract you, that aren’t essential - not your current commitments.

Now, I understand this is intense. 

It’s not for everyone, it really isn’t.

But it is for those who are serious about building something great and achieving Self-Mastery.

It is for those who want results.

- Ross

REMINDER: MasteryOS is open for enrollment. There are limited spaces. If you want to achieve Self-Mastery, unlock your true potential, and smash every goal you set, click here.