Kwik Brain Episode 37: Supercharge Your Brain & Life with Brendon Burchard (Part 3)

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Hi, Kwik Brain.

Welcome back to the final part of our 3-part episode on Supercharge Your Brain and Life with New York Times bestselling author and master high performance trainer, Brendon Burchard. Now, this interview was actually originally recorded only for my private inner circle subscribers, but to celebrate the launch of Brendon's new book, High Performance Habits, my team and I wanted to share this with you. This is a rare, uncommon conversation on how to activate the 10 human drives that create your extraordinary life. In the previous episodes, Brendon discussed the baseline drives. The baseline drives are self-knowledge. The forward drives, what we're talking about now, is things like self-actualization. The baselines are more social connection. The forward drives are more social contribution. And that's really going to be the focus of this episode. These are the forward drives. These are the drives that shake you up, are less comfortable to fully activate, but are more satisfying. They demand planning. They demand more of yourself. And acting more boldly than ever before. So let's keep activating your charge as we conclude with Brendon and the 10 human drives.

That first drive in the 4 drives is change. We're driven biologically for change. We're driven by evolution for change. We are driven by our creator for change. The universe is changing rapidly. It is what we know, but most of us fear it so. And so the greatest thing to do is to know what you fear. And this took about 4 and a half years of my research to figure out what is it that people fear about change. And all they fear about change is 3 things. They fear loss. They're concerned, well, if I change, I'll lose that thing I like. They fear process pain, which is, well, to change will be hard. And they fear outcome pain. Well, if I do change, the grass might not be greener on the other side, so why even try? So loss, process, and outcome. And once you know that, then you just rewire your brain to look at it from a different perspective and say, oh, Well, instead of loss, what will I gain? Instead of hating the process, how can I set it up so I'll enjoy it? Instead of being so scared about the outcome that it might not turn out better, how can I find other people who have had that outcome, who are happy, who can guide me to get there smart? And so change can be managed and change can be the greatest significant release of dopamine and excitement in your life. And a lot of people right now, they know they need to make a change in their life and here's what I would say. Don't make small changes. No matter what everyone says to you and how nice it is in the pop psychology world, do not play small anymore because that is why you may be miserable. You've probably heard me rally against this, Jim, about everyone who wants to set SMART goals.

Right, right.

Specific and measurable and attainable and timely and realistic. You're like, um, When has the world ever changed by SMART goals? Not that they're not necessary and they're good, but the goal is not enough. If you're going to change your life, it's like, come on, let's make a radical shift here. Let's have a breakthrough. Let's have a transformation. Let's go to a whole other level. Let's leap instead of crawl. Because that whole idea that humans— oh, well, you don't understand people, Brendon. They're stupid and they're dumb and they have to go— All steps one at a time. Yeah, when they don't have boldness in them, when they don't have vision, sure. But the human species can leap and we ought to do that in our personal transformation. So make your changes significant. If you're going to go for something, go for something. That leads me into the energy of this second 4-Hour Drive, which is challenge. Small changes are important. I'm not saying we shouldn't make small changes. I'm just saying those aren't going to give you zest.

Right.

Those aren't going to make you feel, Those aren't going to self-actualize you. We've got to make significant changes to get to the next level to pick us up there.

And those are inspiring also. They kind of get you out of bed and when you take on those big grand challenges of your own personal life, it's inspiring.

I agree. You know what pains me more than anything in the world is knowing that there are millions of people who are dreaming at nighttime. of a better life for themselves. And then they wake and they let that dream die in the daylight. That, that is what drives me. That pains me because I go, it's not that people don't have a vision for themselves. It's not that they lack ambition. It's there.

Right.

It's part of their human zest. And that's where this forward drive comes into play, this drive for challenge, which is the second. forward drive. It's this drive for challenge. We are driven to challenge ourselves. People say, well, growth is a human drive or human need. No, growth is an outcome of challenge. The drive that makes you want to grow is called the human drive of challenge. Growth is something that happens from challenging our knowledge, skills, and abilities to stretch to the next level. Growth happens, but growth is not the drive itself. That's the outcome. Human beings are more— are not just destination thinkers. They are journey thinkers. Right, it's why we'll go on these long treks around the world. It's why we'll go into our mind with meditation. It's about the journey as much as the destination. You know, you don't meditate just so at the end of that 20 minutes you have a breakthrough or you feel completely perfect. It's the journey itself that's rewarding. We have to remind ourselves of that. And goals, which are great, and setting SMART goals, which are great, those are destination thinking. But the things that stretch us and make us feel the most alive are the journeys. And so that's why you see, as a great example, one of the great challenges issued of the last century was when Kennedy stood there and said, we will go to the moon by the end of this decade. It was such a bold proposition. It was a challenge he issued to the American people and his own governmental agencies. He said, we will do this. And the truth is, we did not have the knowledge, skills, abilities, or even metal alloys and equipment. to know how to do that. The stuff that we ultimately invented to do that changed the world. Everything that we know about the world today, including probably how people are listening through this, shifted because of the decisions that were made along the way to support this challenge. We hit the moon because the challenge was set. So if you're going to hit another level of your life, what is that bold challenge? What is the thing that, that one thing That you're going to accept as a challenge that's bigger than you, that literally lies outside of your own orbit, if you will.

Mm-hmm.

Your own cosmos of understanding of self. That thing that will truly stretch you. And that thing that is out there in the future that does challenge you. And those challenges, oh my gosh. You know, just like when someone runs a marathon, it's a challenge. It engages them. They have no idea if they can run a marathon today. But then they train for it for a series of months. And they go through the challenge and it's one of the most rewarding experiences they talk about. Right? And that challenge of survival for many people, as they challenge themselves to overcome a cancer or a health issue, that they talk about as some of the most meaningful moments of their life. Why is it so meaningful? Because it's activating your drive for challenge, which is one of our ways to reach self-actualization.

And I love what you're talking about also about with Kennedy putting that out there and then, you know, in 1960. '69, July 20th, them landing on the moon. There was a constraint on it too, which is kind of interesting. There was a time constraint on that challenge, which really drove, which actually leads to the next drive.

Yeah, the next drive is creative expression. We're driven. It's Martha Graham's quote, there's a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one you, In all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. You are creative expression. You are, out of 7 billion people, you are unique. You are distinct. No one else is like you. Even if you have a twin, that person is not exactly like you at a DNA— not only at the DNA level, but that person is not you. It is not your spirit. And so because of that, we've been given this gift not only of life But of uniqueness. And if we don't amplify that into the world, we don't feel alive. You can parachute me into anyone's life and I'll land in their hometown. I'll go to their house. I'll go to their place of work or business. I'll look at their wardrobe. I'll follow them for a couple days and it's very simple to tell whether this person is feeling fully alive or be happy. Because if their house isn't uniquely theirs, meaning they haven't set it up the way that they like it. There's no pictures, there's no elements of themselves, it's not their own style, they just got a place and slopped it together. Or their workplace is just another cubicle, they haven't made it their own. Or the way that they dress and carry themselves, or even the way that they creatively express their own thoughts, their ideas, their needs, their ambitions. If it's not being expressed, it's being subdued. And life subdued feels caged. And so, that is where we can amplify. We've got to be more creatively expressed, whatever that area is for people. You know, I have friends who that creative expression for them is, man, they'll go mountain biking because they're physically creatively expressing themselves in new challenging environments. They love it. I have friends who paint. I have friends who do music. I have friends who do marketing. I have friends who write a book. I have friends who just love to sit down and talk about new ideas about the world. But it's in that engagement of expression that they feel alive again. And because it's creatively coming from them, their source, who they really are from that authentic place, they start to feel more engaged. You know, the last few are the ones where fulfillment comes from, where satisfaction comes from. These are where that social contribution level comes in, which is the first one is contribution. You know, we are designed as a species to give to one another. We just do it. It's ingrained in us. It's what we automatically do. We care for children. We care for each other. That level in which we care is important, but we also want to contribute something unique and special while we're here. And that drive for contribution is usually, unfortunately, subdued in our culture because that drive for contribution, especially in the Western cultures, is measured by what I call the phrase giving to. You know, give to your university as a donation and you'll be a contributor. Give to your time, money, effort, and energy to something and you will be a contributor. So many people don't feel any zest of contribution in their life at the level they could because they're like, well, I'm not really giving to anything right now. And so they don't feel like their life is being activated in contribution. One, those things are important to do. It's important to give as much as you can and to serve others and to give to causes. That's important. But contribution is not measured by giving to causes. Matter of fact, I know a lot of people in the cause world who are miserable. I mean, they really are. And they can't figure out— they're in a mission-led organization, but they're tyrants and miserable people at work. Why? Because they don't get it. Just because you work for a good cause does not mean you are activating your drive for contribution. nor are you making a level of contribution to society that you could. Because there's another phrase, which is giving of. Giving of thyself to the world is its greatest contribution. You know, a couple years ago, 2009, we lost Dad. And we lost my dad to acute myeloid leukemia. From diagnosis to death was 59 short days. And there's no buildings named after my dad. There's no statues. He didn't leave a big wad of money somewhere for somebody. But he lived such a good life.

Hmm.

He gave of himself fully to every endeavor he was in, whether or not someone would say, well, that's an endeavor changing the world. He gave of himself to his family and his friends. He was fully expressed. He was fully himself, but he was fully giving to others. He was— he lived in a spirit of generosity with other people. And it wasn't about money. It was about energy and love and connection, the real things that matter. And so will society ever say and recognize this man? No, but we will. Everyone who he touched in society will, by the values and the energy he gave us. We carry his charge, and that charge will go forth into others of that spirit of generosity. If you want to contribute more Be more of yourself. That's the greatest gift you can give to the world ever, is you fully expressed as your highest self, as who you were meant to be by your Creator, not by who you think you can be because of your selfish, scared worries, not because the ego is trying to make you big or small, but rather because you are living at your highest self level and you're making yourself live there every day. You're not allowing yourself to be somewhere else. It's like, no, look, I, as the highest self, this is what I would give to the world. And when you make decisions from that standpoint, you're more honorable, you're more authentic, you're more service-driven, you're more connected, you're more generous. I would argue you have contributed a different quality than anyone else. And so that's what's important about contribution. And that's what takes us into that last 4, drive. Which is consciousness. We all want to transcend. It is a human desire. It is a human drive. And that desire for transcendence usually shows up in 2 ways of our lives. One is transcendent thought, to think beyond our own minds, meaning to control our thoughts and our emotions to the level in which we transcend. Meditation, Buddhist work, is all about transcendent thought. It's about transcending our own impulses that are usually feverish. It's about transcending our own ways of thinking to reach our highest selves. But then there's also transcending self, which is more about transcending and connecting to something, not just ourselves, but to something greater. This is the human drive to recognize and connect with God or the cosmos or the universe or the energy or something beyond ourselves and being a part of something that's bigger and beyond ourselves. No matter what that is, that is something we have to tap back into. People who are running conscious businesses, people who are living more conscious in their lives— look, no one's ever going to be fully conscious, right? Like, we can do our best. I believe everyone is conscious, but you know what? It's a lifelong goal to transcend our own consciousness levels. And the more conscious we become, I would argue not only the more spiritual we become, but the more we are able to live as our highest self. You know, we were, as a species, as people, we were born of love. And to amplify that to our highest levels of consciousness would be extraordinary. It would be the thing that shifts our entire society. I mean, I love that quote. He was a philosopher, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. My mom would be upset. I'm French. I should get that one right. But he said, someday, after mastering winds, waves, tides, and gravity, we shall harness the energy of love. And for the second time, in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire. That being more conscious of love, of giving it generously, of opening ourselves to it, of leading from love, that will reach a higher level of consciousness for us all and it will change the direction of our planet.

Wow, I love that we concluded this episode with consciousness and love. I hope you really enjoyed this conversation with Brendon Burchard. Here are 2 things you could do right now to continue your conscious transformation. Number one, share this episode with someone you know must hear this message so it doesn't end with you. Like Brendon was talking about discovering fire, we can actually light other candles without diminishing our own flame. So tag Brendon and myself so I could properly thank you. And number 2, go onto Amazon or Barnes& Noble and get Brendon's brand new book. It's called High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become According to Brendon, it turns out that just 6 habits move the needle the most in helping you succeed. Anyone can practice these habits, and when they do, extraordinary things happen in their lives, relationships, and careers. Put simply, this book will help you win. Read it, apply it, devour it, and make sure you get a copy for a friend.