27 Mind-Blowing Tips For Health, Happiness and Hustling Hard

Here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it…

Be fit, be happy and work really hard. Every SINGLE day. 

It’s how you get ahead. It’s the pathway to purpose. The exact equation for doing epic work. 

This mission begins and ends with you. Stop accepting things as they are.  Create a disruption. Start a revolution. Overthrow yourself. 

It’s time to write your own rules. To make your own way. It’s time to unleash your inner badass. These 27 tips will guide you every step of the way. 

May the hustle be with you. 

Health

It can make or break your happiness and hustle factor.  Give your body what it needs – movement and real food. Your reward? It’s energy and clear thinking.  Feed your body garbage and your life will become a dumping ground.

1. Eat Real Food

You don’t have to be a vegan, go Paleo or diet to be healthy.  Just eat high quality, nutritious foods and eliminate processed crap.  Eat foods that come from the earth; not out of a box or bag. 

2. Exercise

Short on time? Exercising for 15 minutes, 3 days each week, can add 3 years to your life. Or, get your own kettlebell complete 75-100 swings 3 days a week to transform your body.

3. 80/20

Consistency is important, but so is indulgence.  80% of the time stick to lean protein, veggies, fruit, and healthy fats.  Fill the remaining 20% with comfort foods and sweets that you can’t live without.

4. 30 in 30

Meaning 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up.  This habit takes the thinking out of the breakfast equation, leaving you full and energized.  Think egg whites, whey protein or Greek yogurt for a quick and easy 30 in 30.

5. Take Fish Oil

There is a good chance that you aren’t getting enough healthy fats in your diet.  And, it’s also likely that you could reduce stress, become smarter, and boost your metabolism by popping a couple capsules each day.

6. Practice Mindful Eating

Don’t dine in front of the television.  No eating straight out of the bag either.  Make yourself a plate and measure out portions.  Try to savor or at least taste what you are eating.  Use smaller plates, eat buffet style, and drink more water to prevent overeating.

7. Boost The Burn

Some foods naturally burn more calories than others.  For more muscle and less fat eat more fish, almonds, and berries.  Add some flavor and increase the burn factor by adding cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper to meals.  Keep your belly full and metabolism humming by drinking more water and green tea.  

8. Stand Up

Your desk is killing you.  Get out of your chair, stretch and walk around as often as possible.  Make it a rule to take all conference calls standing up.  Stop sending so many emails.  Walk across the room and have a conversation face-to-face.

9. Shut Down

This one is simple; get more sleep.  Results = work + rest.  Create a bedtime routine.  No screens within 30 minutes of bed.  Drink decaffeinated tea.  Decompress by writing, reading or meditating.  7 hours of sleep will rejuvenate your mind and muscles. 

Happiness

It can be thought of as an equation; Happiness = genetics + externals.  You can’t alter your genetic makeup, so don’t waste your time trying.  And, age, race, and sex are out of our control.  But, we are in control of some externals like relationships, job, habits, and hobbies.   Start doing more things that bring you closer to bliss.

10. Write Your Mission Statement

It’s not about setting goals, it’s a big picture project.  Figure out who you are, what you represent, and where your life is going.  It’s your personal manifesto; a framework for determining your actions, priorities, and expectations.

11. Don’t Hate, Congratulate

Stop raining on everyone’s parade.  Instead of breaking someone down, build them up.  Don’t point out flaws, offer solutions.  Spend less time criticizing others and more time working out your own issues; we all got ’em.  

12. Simplify

Less really is more.  Get rid of negative influences and toxic relationships.  There is a difference between what you want and what you need; between what’s essential and what’s excessive.

13. Study The Stoics

Detach from emotions and material goods to live a life of virtue.  Read the works of Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius.  It’s not a bunch of self-help BS, but actionable steps for living the good life.

14. Belong

We are social creatures who need genuine relationships to thrive.  Seek out likeminded people who add value, not drama, to your life.  Join a club, take a class, create a Mastermind group to formulate new ideas, learn new skills, and be part of something bigger than yourself.

15. Show Gratitude

Thankful people are happy people.  Even if you don’t have it all, be appreciative of what you do have.  Take a moment each day to think about what you are grateful for.  Studies have shown that this will boost optimism and decrease stress.

16. Forgive

Stop feeling bitter and start feeling better.  Holding onto past experiences can have disastrous affects on your immune system, metabolism and outlook.  Forgive yourself; forgive those who have wronged you.  You’ll never make any progress living in the past.

17. Know Thyself

Play to your strengths and identify your shortcomings.  Be honest and realistic about your abilities and goals.  Once you get a handle on things, it’s time to act.   To know is not enough, you must know and do.

18. Talk To Yourself

The sub-conscious mind keeps a record of everything.  It believes you when you say, I can’t.  But, it also trusts you when you say I can.  Use a self-affirmation or mantra to boost confidence by reminding yourself that you are capable of doing big things.

19. Go It Alone

There’s something powerful about solitude.  Find out what it’s like to be self-motivated, self-sufficient and self-aware.   You don’t have to go Into the Wild or to Walden Pond, but try spending some time alone.  Just you and your thoughts.  (See also – Emerson and Michel de Montaigne)

Hustle Hard

The one thing that separates an overachiever from an average Joe is hustle.  It is also the most important word, EVER!

20. Do Things That Suck

If you do what you have always done, you get what you always got.  If you want to suck and look the same forever, keep making excuses.  But, if you want to stop sucking, you have to start doing things that suck; like hustling harder than the next guy.

21. Add Value

Be a go-giver; because it’s not about you. Go out into the world and give everything you have.  Give without expecting anything in return.  Be genuine, authentic, and trustworthy.  Be the kind of person you would like to meet.

22. Stop Lying

There’s no reason for you to do work you hate.  And, if there is something you would rather be doing, it’s time you actually do it.  You ARE capable of greatness.  All you have to do is stop believing your own lies.

23. Be clueless and confident

There is no secret to success, health or happiness.  Don’t ask for permission or apologize for wanting to be a badass; just be one already.   Be confident in your abilities and clueless to the idea that failure is an option. 

24. Find Your Flow

Some call it being in the zone, but the pros know flow when they see it.  It’s that place where you are fully engaged in and challenged by the work that you are doing.  It’s where hustling hard pays off and shit gets done.

25. Do The Work

Because you believe in it, because you care, because you can.  Persist despite second-guessing.  Do it consistently today, tomorrow and every day after that.

26. Walk The Talk

Actions speak louder than words.  So, stop talking about all of the great ideas you have and do something EPIC.  Explanations and excuses are useless, because results speak for themselves.

27. F is for Failure

The world needs your ideas, your art, and your work.  If you are holding back because you’re scared, you’re not just letting yourself down; you’re letting us all down.  F’ the critics and naysayers; share your gift.  Once you do, and the hustle gets in your veins, failure will cease to exist.