There's a common misbelief that I've found robs men of their ability to consistently execute at an elite level.

And it came up during my Daily Attack Plan workshop Tuesday when I challenged one of the guys to stop using the word "hopefully."

He'd said something along the lines of, "I'm hopefully in a transition season."

And I stopped him.

Why hopefully?

You're either transitioning or you're not. You've either made the commitment or you haven't.

He pushed back, and rightfully so. He explained that he was using the word "hopeful" because he couldn't guarantee the outcome.

He couldn't guarantee that a new client would sign on to work with him. He couldn't guarantee his business would hit a certain revenue number or that the next chapter would unfold the way he wanted.

And he's absolutely right. He can't guarantee those things. Neither can I. Neither can you.

The truth is, you can't control the outcome. And you can't control the future.

Yet so much of the anxiety, doubt, and fear we experience comes from trying to do exactly that. We want certainty. We want to know that if we do X, Y, and Z, everything will work out exactly as planned. That the client will say yes. The business will grow. The investment will pay off. The future will unfold the way we've imagined it.

But there's no such guarantee.

And the sooner you can accept that, the sooner you can stop wasting so much of your energy trying to control things that were never yours to control in the first place.

For me, getting to that place has required something deeper than another mindset shift.

It's required surrender.

A genuine belief that God has my back. That I live in a benevolent universe that is looking out for me, even when I can't see how things are going to unfold. And because I trust that, I can focus on being the best creator, steward, and amplifier of energy I can possibly be, without needing to control what comes back.

I am content because I help others find contentment. I am rich because I help others become rich. I am safe because I help others feel safe. I receive generously because I give generously.

This central belief has helped me more than any other. Because when you genuinely believe the divine has your back, anxiety, doubt, and fear suddenly feel utterly useless. You don't need to spend your days obsessing over how everything is going to turn out.

You can surrender the outcome and get back to the only two things that are actually yours to control.

WHO you're being and the ACTIONS you're taking or not taking.

That's where your attention belongs.

The outcome? That's just the scoreboard.

It's feedback. Information that helps you determine whether WHO you're being and the ACTIONS you're taking are producing the results you want. If they are, great. Keep going. If they're not, adjust.

But don't confuse the scoreboard with the game itself. Because the moment you become obsessed with the scoreboard, your attention gets pulled away from the present and the very actions that give you the best chance of winning.

You're effectively handing your Power over to something outside of yourself. Something you can't control. And that, in my experience, is one of the fastest ways to undermine your own performance and effectiveness.

So by all means, create a big Outcome. Have a vision for the future. Pursue it with everything you've got.

But then surrender your attachment to how it's all going to unfold.

Trust God. Trust the process. And bring your attention back to the only two things you can actually do something about.

WHO you're being and the ACTIONS you're taking.

That's where your Power lives.

Because you can't control the outcome. But you can take responsibility for the man who's pursuing it.

Big love,

James

P.S. Here's how I can help whenever you're ready:

1) Join Elite Execution. Over 8 weeks, I'll help you install your own Execution Engine so you have the structure to stay focused and consistently get the right things done. Reply with "engine" and I'll send you the invite.

2) Work with me privately inside Total Man to get back to performing at the level you know you're capable of, consistently executing what matters most every day and every week, so you can be the leader your business and family need. Learn more here.