Three Rules

James Smith shares 3 rules for life

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Key takeaways

  • Enjoy the journey and appreciate small wins instead of fixating solely on major milestones.
  • Be polarizing and authentic; trying to please everyone may dilute your message and hinder genuine connections.
  • Accept that being a beginner is part of the learning process; every expert was once a novice.

Summary

Embrace Your Wins

James Smith emphasizes that 'all wins feel the same' and encourages listeners not to overlook their achievements. He notes that whether it's reaching a milestone in content creation or personal fitness, the euphoric feeling often wears off quickly, leading individuals to push their goals further and further away without truly enjoying the process. Instead, he advocates for appreciating smaller wins, comparing the journey to weight loss where achieving small goals is more fulfilling than waiting for a big one. This perspective is essential for maintaining motivation and happiness during one's journey.

The Power of Polarization

In his second rule, Smith discusses the importance of 'parallelization' or polarization in content creation and personal expression. He points out that being too agreeable or trying to appease everyone can dilute one's message. He encourages individuals to be contrarian and to speak their truth, as this will resonate with a like-minded community. Smith uses humor and relatable examples to illustrate that by polarizing opinions, creators can cultivate a devoted and authentic audience, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling connection.

The Journey of Learning

Smith's final rule underscores that 'you will be terrible the first time you do anything.' He stresses the significance of accepting initial incompetence in any new venture, as everyone starts somewhere and improvement comes with practice. He mentions various domains, such as sports and content creation, underscoring that mastery is a gradual process filled with learning experiences. By embracing a mindset of growth and understanding that struggles are part of the journey, individuals can maintain motivation and a positive outlook.

Sponsors

  • Patreon · As a patron, you get access to the full, unedited episodes of the show and additional unused footage from my YouTube videos as well as access to a member's only area where you can ask questions for my Patreon exclusive AMA podcast.
  • Matt Davella's Three Rules email · Get 3 rules emails every week.
  • James Smith · Follow James Smith on Instagram to learn more about him.

Show notes

I’m joined by James Smith, personal trainer, content creator, and bestselling author of Not a Diet Book. His videos have been viewed hundreds of millions of time online– and he’s here to share the rules that got him to where he is today.


Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:32 Rule 1: All wins feel the same. 06:22 Rule 2: Be polarizing. 11:17 Rule 3: You will be terrible the first time you do anything.


Get 3 rules emails every week: ⁠https://www.mattdavella.com/threerules Support my podcast: https://patreon.com/mattdavella Follow James Smith: https://www.instagram.com/jamessmith

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