Are you great at giving advice, but suck at taking your own?
Here’s a strategy to help you get out of your own way and break through plateaus.
Create a Mental Advisory Board.
Here’s how…
•••
Step 1: Select Your Advisors
Pick 3 people you wish you could go to for advice.
They can be:
- Living
- Dead
- Real
- Fictional
Got yours?
Onward…
•••
Step 2: Ask Them for Help
Think of something you’re currently struggling with.
What would each member of your Mental Advisory Board say to you?
“Ask” them, then write down their answers.
Here’s what it could look like…
Jocko Willink
Didn’t get the results you wanted in business or life?
What would Jocko Willink say?
“Good. You had the opportunity to learn what doesn’t work. Now go back to the drawing board and develop a better strategy with these new insights.”
Gary Vee
Is fear stopping you from doing fulfilling work?
What would Gary Vee say?
“You’re gonna fucking die one day. Who gives a shit about what other people say. Do it anyway.”
Tim Ferriss
Know what you want to do, but keep getting distracted putting out small fires?
What would Tim Ferriss say?
“Batch. Identify leverage points. Take a first-principles approach and break down the problem into its component parts.”
*boom*
Now you know what you need to do to break through your problem or whatever psychological resistance has stalled you out.
And remember, you can think beyond real people.
- What would Gandalf say?
- Or Uncle Iroh?
- Or Master Oogway?
Get creative with who you put on your Mental Advisory Board.
It’s also not fixed. You may have a different Board for different areas of your life. Keep it flexible so it suits your needs.
But why does this work?
•••
Why a Mental Advisory Board is Effective
The people you choose for your Mental Advisory Board are people you look up to.
They have qualities you want, and you’re familiar enough with them to know what advice they’d give.
But they aren’t giving you advice—you are giving yourself advice.
But because it’s coming from someone else, you’re more willing to accept it.
Creating a Mental Advisory Board is a way to bypass the psychological resistance to taking your own advice.
It’s a simple strategy to get out of your own way and make meaningful progress.
