Hey friends 👋

The purpose of this newsletter is to explore 'success' through the lens of scientific studies and stories. I'm doing this because I want to be very successful and I want to make sure I enjoy it. I've interviewed over 500 exceptionally wealthy leaders, and now know that wealth is not the same as success. So let's go on this learning journey together.

Last week, we explored the notion of comparison; how in the 1950s people felt more successful than they do today, despite the facts - and how that was down to perception, not reality.

​You can read that here if you missed it.​

A Formula For Success

I've been thinking about this a lot. I think the formula is something like this:

There's a level of predictability to 'achievement'. Attaining financial success through grit, determination, hard work and stacking up the number of lessons learned through failures, etc. And when things become predictable, possible to measure, repeatable in a lab... well, that's a science.

What's harder is managing your mindset, psychology and sadly our innate jealousy of what others have.

The hardest of all is navigating the art of 'contentment' aka satisfaction.

Knowing you have enough is no science. It is part guesswork part discipline.

Structure to some, messy to others.

It's an art.

A Case Study Of A Successful Life

This week, I'm going to tell you about a lady I met called Georgia.

Last year I interviewed Matt Mochary. Matt is considered to be the 'World's best CEO coach'. He coaches the world's most 'successful people', I guess making him a very successful coach (he is also a customer at my gut and brain health company Heights which I'm sure is how he stays at the top of his game 😜).

He asked me a bunch of questions, as coaches do, and I asked him a bunch, as interviewers do, including this:

Who is the best coach you know, Matt?

You see, this week's 'SOS' isn't about Matt, it's about his answer to that question. Georgia.

He introduced me, and we hit it off, and stayed in touch ever since.

Personal Brand

People think your personal brand is the number of followers you have on social media. In reality - that's simply what people (like me) do to curate the perception of their personal brand.

In reality, everyone has a personal brand, whether you are on social media or not, but it's often known by it's analogue name.

Once upon a time, this was called a 'reputation'.

Georgia doesn't really have a social personal brand, she does, however, have an exceptional reputation.

Some of you may have heard of Bryan Johnson, the guy famous for trying to live forever (who I also interviewed on my podcast Secret Leaders - epic episode btw, 10/10 recommend).

Georgia was his 'Chief of Staff' meaning, she was who he relied on to get everything done.

And before that? She was the Chief of Staff to the Google guys who she casually refers to as 'Larry, Sergey and Eric'.

So if we were measuring success in just accomplishments - I think it would be fair to put Georgia in the top 0.0001% of people on earth.

I cant comment on her view around comparison or expectations, so let's talk about 'contentment'.

Contentment in Capetown

You may know I'm spending a month in Capetown, ensuring I follow my own advice on success to 'travel life well'. It turns out Georgia moved here 18 months ago, and invited me over for brunch with her family.

With our partners and kids we took a stroll down to the beach, enjoyed the sun, the walk, went back for food and chatted.

All this was a far cry from her Silicon Valley life and yet, she had no regrets, no desires to be on the front line changing the world, in fact - she'd found her calling coaching high performing ambitious people, which she can do from anywhere, whilst enjoying the year round sun and nature with her young family.

It struck me that she had nailed 'the art of contentment'.

Lesson Learned?

Georgia's short story may inspire you like it did me but here's the thing. Would it be fair to define her as 'successful' without the first part of her life and career? There is nothing wrong with enjoying the art of contentment, but it might be a fine line between that and lacking ambition, even being lazy or complacent.

What stands out to me about Georgia's story is she accomplished so much, knew when it was right for her to quit and is now designing her lifestyle around the art of contentment - enjoying her time in a way that suits her.

Half the equation either way, I'm not sure I would see Georgia as a role model for modern day success - but put it together, and I see an inspiration.

So, what do you think?

PS: Remember, life's clock is ticking. Don't spend all your time working. This week's AI prompt will guide you in avoiding this pitfall...

The Science of Success (SOS) Toolkit:

One AI Prompt based on this week’s content, and one book recommendation, and one quote.

🤖 1 AI Prompt to help you be more successful (copy paste but change the 'x' and 'y' to personalise:

Hi ChatGPT. I am 'X' years old and live in 'Y' city. I am a highly ambitious and energetic person and intend to have a life full of financial accomplishments, but I also want to make sure I make time to see the world, see my friends and family, make time for my health by exercising regularly, etc. Based on my age and location, using what you know about the typical days of holiday I get per year based on my country of residence, please estimate how many days of holiday I have left until retirement, assuming the typical retirement age. Now use the latest scientific studies and insights around health and wellbeing for successful people to suggest 3 alternative strategies that might help me make more time in my life, to really experience it.

PS: I have 868 days left of holiday til retirement, I plan to use a lot more than that!

📖 1 Book: Outlive, by Peter Attia. Attia is a medical doctor, turned McKinsey strategist turned longevity expert. This book explains how to turn our hope of living longer, into a strategy that we can rely on. I loved it.

👄 1 Quote: ”Success without fulfilment is ultimate failure” Tony Robbins

To Your Success

Thanks for reading this week.

What did you think? I'm trying to craft the tone, the messages and the substance into something you'll love.

Please hit reply and tell me your honest thoughts - I'll respond to all of you.

Here's to our success,

Dan

PS: If you really loved it - the best way to show that is to share this with one friend, please do!