Israel Adesanya: Becoming World Champion Was The Lowest Day Of My Life

1. Prioritize Mental Health Equally

Treat your mental health with the same seriousness and proactive care as your physical health, utilizing tools like therapy and self-reflection. Neglecting mental well-being can lead to mental illness, just as neglecting physical health leads to physical illness.

2. Utilize Mirror Self-Talk

Practice positive self-talk by looking in a mirror and speaking to yourself as you would to someone you’re giving advice to. This underrated tool helps humanize yourself, counter negative self-talk, and can be used to “G yourself up” or offer encouragement.

3. Conquer People-Pleasing Tendencies

Identify and actively “kill” people-pleasing tendencies that may have developed in childhood as a survival mechanism to fit in. This behavior, if left unchecked, can negatively impact adult life by preventing you from living authentically and making everyone happy.

4. Reverse Engineer Childhood Trauma

Engage in deep self-reflection, ideally with a therapist, to “reverse engineer” your attitudes and behaviors back to their roots in childhood trauma. This process helps identify and address underlying issues that may be unconsciously influencing your adult life.

5. Reclaim Your Earned Success

When imposter syndrome or external negativity makes you doubt your achievements, remind yourself that others’ opinions are subjective and focus on the undeniable fact that you earned your success. This helps to overcome self-doubt and reclaim your rightful sense of accomplishment.

6. Detach Identity from Achievements

Avoid attaching your identity solely to your achievements, titles, or possessions, as these are temporary. Understand that your true self and worth exist independently of external accolades, preventing an identity crisis when they are gone.

7. Combine Vision with Hard Work

Achieve “magic” by combining a clear vision and the power of manifestation with consistent hard work and effort. Just as a sat-nav needs a driver, both components are essential for reaching your desired destination and making things happen.

8. Practice Direct “No”

When setting boundaries or declining requests, simply say “no” without offering explanations. Explaining yourself can be perceived as weakness or an invitation for further negotiation, whereas a direct “no” asserts your boundary effectively.

9. Stand Out, Don’t Fit In

Realize that you are meant to stand out and not fit in, especially when experiencing discrimination or difference. Learn to confidently embrace your unique identity and “stand 10 toes deep in your own light” rather than trying to conform.

10. Guard Personal Life from Public

Protect your romantic relationships and family from public exposure and scrutiny, as the world tends to “build you up and then tear you down” and will constantly “take, take, take.” Safeguarding these valued aspects keeps them safe from external pressures.

11. Stay Grounded with “Day Ones”

Surround yourself with close friends who knew you before your success, as they serve to keep you grounded and solid. These “day ones” provide honest feedback and prevent an inflated ego, unlike “yes men” who only agree with you.

12. Don’t Match Everyone’s Energy

Realize that you are not obligated to match everyone’s energy, especially when feeling drained or in private moments. Set boundaries and allow yourself to respond authentically, understanding that your excitement to meet someone may not equal theirs.

13. Attract with Authentic Vulnerability

Practice authentic vulnerability by sharing aspects of yourself, even those you might typically hide, to declare “this is me, take it or leave it.” This approach attracts people who genuinely relate and resonate with your true self.

14. Actively Seek Diverse Perspectives

Actively follow and engage with content from individuals whose opinions you don’t necessarily agree with. This practice helps to avoid confirmation bias, prevents being surrounded by “yes men,” and provides awareness of alternative viewpoints.

15. Channel Primal Energy Constructively

Find an intense physical outlet, such as martial arts or extreme sports, to “tame the beast” of pent-up energy and emotions. This prevents these primal urges from “seeping into other ways” in your life and helps civilize the mind.

16. Prioritize Early Childhood Presence

Plan to be fully present and actively involved in your children’s lives during their formative years (ages zero to five or six). This approach prioritizes deep connection and allows for a more personalized, adventure-based learning experience beyond traditional schooling.

17. Holistic Home-Schooling & Physicality

Implement a holistic home-schooling approach for children, combining structured academic tutoring with compulsory physical activities like gymnastics and jiu-jitsu. This ensures physical literacy, social interaction, and adventure-based learning, preventing them from being socially awkward.

18. Manage Expectations for Happiness

Understand that unhappiness arises when your expectations of how life should be going go unmet. Adjusting your expectations to be more realistic or appreciative of basic provisions can significantly increase your capacity for happiness.

19. Pursue Philanthropic Impact

Recognize that true legacy and lasting fulfillment are achieved by creating positive feelings and inspiring others, rather than solely through personal gain. Move towards philanthropic actions that serve others, as this is the greatest service one can do.

20. Practice Anonymous Philanthropy

Engage in acts of giving anonymously, as this is considered the “best form of giving” and ensures your actions are driven by genuine love rather than the desire for recognition or “likes.”

21. Guard Boundaries While Intoxicated

Avoid getting “fucked up” (intoxicated) around people you don’t fully trust, as it can make you “too nice” and lead to your boundaries being crossed. This practice helps prevent regret and maintain personal peace.

22. Seek Non-Materialistic Partners

In romantic relationships, prioritize finding a partner who is genuinely caring and “wants nothing from you.” It is challenging to find someone who needs nothing, but such a person fosters a relationship based on true connection rather than material gain or entitlement.

23. Give Spontaneous, Thoughtful Gifts

Instead of limiting gift-giving to birthdays, give spontaneously when you find something you genuinely believe someone will like or value. Offering experiences can also be more appreciated, as it focuses on genuine thoughtfulness rather than obligation.

24. Embrace Fun in Preparation

To avoid “paralysis over analysis” and reduce anxiety before a high-stakes event, focus on the fun and creative aspects of your preparation. This approach helps maintain focus on the positive aspects of the task.

25. Seek High-Stakes Challenges

Intentionally raise the stakes in your endeavors, even when not necessary, because overcoming challenges with significant pressure leads to a much more satisfying and exhilarating victory. This approach can provide a unique rush and deeper sense of accomplishment.

26. Teach Proactive Self-Defense

Teach children to “hit hard, hit first” if someone is physically harassing them, as the initial strike can be decisive. This approach aims to establish boundaries and deter further aggression, making them “unfuckable with.”

27. Own Your Parenting Responsibility

Take full responsibility for raising your own children and do not expect public figures or role models to provide their moral guidance. This emphasizes the parent’s primary role in shaping their children’s values.

28. Acknowledge Human Moral Complexity

Embrace the understanding that all humans are capable of both great good and great evil, rather than categorizing people as simply “good” or “bad.” Strive to do more good than bad, acknowledging your own imperfections.

29. Learn from Undesired Experiences

Be grateful for experiences that reveal “what you didn’t want in life,” as these insights are crucial. They help clarify your true desires and provide a clear direction for your path forward, even if the experience itself was negative.

30. Embrace Healthy Struggle

Recognize that humans often “create problems” when genuine struggles are absent, indicating a need for difficulty in life. Embrace healthy challenges and struggles for personal growth and to maintain perspective on what truly constitutes a “real problem.”