how to skip levels

Catalyst, Mirror, Trampoline

Hey there,

Hanging out with Noah Kagan, founder of Sumo.com several years ago, he told me something that stuck: “Anything in my life that really matters to me that I want to get better at, I hire a coach.”

That struck a chord in me because I instantly realized the power in what he was saying - the fastest way to progress at ANYTHING is to work intensely with someone who has been where you are. That person can help you skip levels and avoid making mistakes, hold you accountable for taking action, etc. 

Since that moment, any time I want to get better at something and can afford it, I hire a coach.

Working with and learning the fundamentals of running an online business from Mike Bledsoe, I turned Brute Strength into a 7-figure in under 18 months.

Hiring Annie Lalla, our relationship coach, has led to us having a relationship that both Adee and I rate as a 10/10. We are having the best (even if it’s not the most frequent) sex that we’ve ever had in our lives, 7 years into our relationship.

Working with Philip Mckernan gave me the courage to create a personal development program for 20 of our staff members at Working Against Gravity, and I got the idea for Soul Searching Adventures from working with him.

Working with Heath Dieckert 10x’d my productivity and transformed my leadership in business.

I’ve hired guitar teachers, a guy to teach me to backflip, life coaches, business coaches, relationship and sex coaches. Adee even hired a local baker to come to our house to teach her how to make bomb sourdough bread.

Annie Lalla taught me a couple great ways to think about coaches:

1. They are a catalyst. Which acknowledges that you already have everything inside of you to reach your next level of greatness and just need the right element (a trusted coach or teacher) to help you transform.

2. They are a mirror. A great coach really gets to know you and can see the blindspots preventing you from reaching your goals in a way that maybe no one else in the world can. Great coaches are skilled in the art of giving tough feedback in a way that you can hear it and then supporting you while you integrate the feedback.

3. They are a trampoline. There’s a section in mario, let’s say on level 2, where at the end of the run you can jump over the clouds and enter this secret room with 3 green tunnels that are 5,6, and 7 levels ahead of where you just were. A great coach can give you insights that otherwise might take years to come to on your own. Skip many levels. Big bounce.

I’ve got 2 open spots to work with me 1:1. I’m specifically looking for two high achieving male leaders that are ready to take one or more areas of their life to the next level.

Maybe you’re at a point where you’re ready to make a change in your work life, but you don’t know what it is. Or you’re crushing it at work but want to work on building a better relationship with your wife and family. Or you’re like a lot of guys I work with - on paper you are successful and have the perfect life, but you’re discontent. 

Disclaimer: Working with me in this capacity is not cheap, and it’s not easy. There’s no step-by-step process. 

The type of person I’m looking for places a premium on their own growth and is willing to be brutally honest with themselves in service of that growth.

If this sounds interesting to you, and you’d like to hear more, just reply to this email.

Sincerely,

Michael

P.S. Some love from past clients

“I've never had an experience as transformative as working with Michael. It provided the clarity and understanding I needed to address the biggest problems in my life. I'm a better person because of it.” -Ryan S

“Michael has a gift in his ability to gently lead you towards an honest interaction with yourself. His intuition is right on target and visible in how he challenged me when I was holding back. I recommend him to anyone seeking a better understanding of self, developing the skills to create stronger relationships and equip you with tools to allow you to find calm within your mind.” -Kelly L

“Michael truly held a powerful space for me to discover an aspect of myself I never knew was there. I am forever grateful.” -Garrain J

“My time with Michael has allowed me to come to a new understanding that I truly create the life I live, how I feel about myself, and the world around me.  It really has changed me as a husband, father, friend, and individual.”  -Tom H

“Michael's approach to leadership is unlike any I’ve experienced. It is up to the individual to find answers within themselves, but Michael arms you with the right tools and resources to dig deep within yourself. I have a new found ability to tackle obstacles that come my way with poise and patience." -Sam E