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Jonathan Mead is the founder and Chief Troublemaker behind Paid to Exist. He’s passionate about content creation, personal transformation and really good beer.
When he’s not scheming up ideas to help people work on their own terms, you can usually find him trail running, doing gymnastics or practicing Jeet Kune Do.
Favorite Success Quote
Key Points
1. Choose Yourself
With the vast amounts of knowledge and so called “experts” floating around the internet, it’s easy to feel that you don’t have much to offer that is exciting, unique, and practical.
You may feel that your lack of experience or success will prevent people from listening to you and connecting with what you have to say.
The truth is, it is often because of your lack of experience or success that people will connect with your message. People long to see authenticity, struggle, triumph, and stories of regular everyday men doing extraordinary things.
Being open, honest, and vulnerable about who you are is one of the best ways to build and keep a strong audience.
2. Move Your Ass
In our modern times, it is not uncommon for a man to spend over 10 hours of his day sitting down. Recent scientific studies have shown that sitting is one of the most physically damaging activities we can do.
And for those of you who are frequent gym goers or “weekend warriors” spending an hour or more in a gym does not offset the negative affects from sitting for even a few hours each day.
The solution? Move!
Start with basic human movements and a traditional gym routine. Walk, run, climb, hang, lift , just do things that get you off of your ass and onto your feet. As you build a foundation for strength and mobility, begin incorporating more advanced movements like flips, handstands and other badass skills.
If you’re not in a position where you can avoid sitting for hours a day, consider purchasing a standing desk. This will not only help prevent the damage done by sitting, but it has also been shown to help aid in concentration and productivity.
3. Get Alone in Nature
We spend far too much time connected to our phones, computers, and social media, and not enough time connecting to the earth and our own bodies. If you are in a state of confusion, depression or any form of mental fog, getting out each day and spending time alone and disconnected in nature is one of the best activities you can do to get your life back on track.
Take 30 minutes out of each day to spend out in the woods, at a park, or in the yard. Meditate, run around bare footed, practice gymnastics outside.
Do things that get you connected with the earth and get you present in your body. You will be amazed at the physical, emotional and mental benefits you will receive.
4. Let Go of Expectations
If you want to live a happier, more fulfilled life; let go of expectations. Stop worrying about the outcome and just enjoy the process.
If you are always caught up in your mental projections of what “should” happen and how things “should” go. Then you will never fully experience how things are. Learn to live in the moment and detach from the need for a specific outcome.
5. Choose Adventure Over Work
Life is too damn short to always be working. Whenever it is a viable choice, opt for adventure over work.
There will always be more work, there may not always be another chance to go on that trip with your buddies or backpack around Europe with your girlfriend/wife. As long as it won’t cost you your livelihood, always take the adventurous road.
Live like you know that you are dying, because the inconvenient truth is…you are.
Influential Books
1. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
2. Influence by Robert Chaldini
3. Iron John by Robert Bly
