Micro Class: #1 Rule of Confidence
17 Dec 2025 · 4 min
Brian Johnson explains the number-one rule of confidence: action comes first, feelings follow. You don't wait to feel confident before you act. You act, and confidence shows up after.
Chapters
Hey, this is Brian with a quick note before we jump into today's show. If you haven't signed up for the Optymyze Premium membership yet, a, what are you waiting for? And B, you can now get the first 30 days of optimizing for free. Just cruise on over to Optimize me and sign up. Over 10,000 people now start their days with Optymyze so they can actualize their potential, including best selling authors, leading entrepreneurs and even NCAA championship teams. Two of them. So again, 30 days of free optimizing at Optimize Me. If you're already a member, thanks for your support. Now for the show, You're listening to Optimize with Brian Johnson. More wisdom in less time. Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another micro class. This one's on the number one rule of confidence. It's inspired by the Confidence Gap by Russ Harris. Fantastic book. He has 10 rules that we talk about in the note. The 10 rules of confidence, right? The number one rule is what? How do you navigate the confidence gap? The confidence gap is basically, look, I want to do this awesome thing, right? But in order to do that, I've got to feel confident. And right now I only feel like this. I'm not confident enough. I got to be here in order to actually take this action. There's a gap and I need to get more confident before I can do this. Basically we're saying that we need to feel a certain way before we take action. The number one rule of confidence is that's wrong, this is right. Action precedes the feelings. Basically, you need to do what needs to get done, then you're going to feel confident, not the other way around. So check in and see how often you tell yourself, oh, I'll do what I really want to do when I feel really confident, when I feel ready, etc. And remember, the number one rule of action drives feelings, not the other way around. We're going to talk about some ways to cultivate that, but keep that in mind. Isn't it a bit odd that we went from math to science to history, but somehow missed the class on how to live? For some wacky reason, optimal living 101 never made the schedule. Of course, it's too late to go back and change that and you're too busy to read full time to catch up. Yet if you're like us, you're all about optimizing your life and actualizing your potential. So imagine this. Imagine having someone read the best books on optimal living and pulling out the big ideas that can truly change your life. You know those sections you asterisk and underline and mark all up? Then imagine that guy me connecting those ideas to other great books and helping you apply them to your life today. Well that's what I do with something we call Philosopher's Notes where I break down each great book into a simple 6 page PDF 20 minute MP3 and 10 minute Philosopher's Notes TV episode. Then imagine me taking the absolute best big ideas from those great books and sharing them with you in fun inspiring super practical optimal living 101 classes on stuff like purpose 101 confidence 101 business 101 meditation 101 that sort of thing. You've got a personal trainer? I'm kind of like your personal philosopher. Ancient wisdom plus Modern science plus common sense plus Virtue plus mastery plus fun. That's what our optimized membership program is all about. We'd love to have you join us. Check us out at BrianJohnson. Me join.
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