| Note: This is Part 3 in a mini-series on some of the core strategies I’ve been using for years to overcome my anxiety and take control of every area of my life. What do all of these celebrities have in common? Adele
Chris Martin
Kim Kardashian
Stephen Colbert
And even Oprah Winfrey They all suffered from anxiety - like me. They all - at one time - were held back, and even paralyzed from fear. It’s not uncommon. And so if you’ve ever felt that way, just realize it’s not your fault. If it’s holding you back, just understand anxiety (along with fear, panic, and stress) has held back the best of the best. It affected me in many ways… From social anxiety to relying on alcohol to giving me an excuse to miss important moments and life-changing events. And I always knew I could do so much more… But when it came time to step up I would often freeze. For years I let my anxiety hold me back… Constantly feeling like I was watching the world from the sidelines, unable to participate at the level I wanted. My business, finances... even my personal relationships and love life all suffered. If you caught my last emails, you read about how I could barely leave my hotel room at a business event I travelled to... And the times I rushed to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack (which turned out to be a common anxiety attack)… Today I’ve developed powerful ways to manage my anxiety, and it no longer stops me from anything. If you struggle with anxiety... These simple tools can be your answer to eliminate stress, step into your greatness, and live the life you were truly meant for. This email is the third installment to my 5 Pillars of Personal Mastery… The strategies that allowed me to take back control of my life and achieve things many people only dream about. Pillars 4 & 5 of Personal Mastery 4. SPACE TO THINK If you want breakthroughs, you need space to think. Charles Darwin, Chopin, Charles Dickens, and Aristotle are all famous for getting their best ideas when walking outside. Take a break from your computer and enter a new environment… You’ll allow your brain to think more creatively. Ever experienced a stroke of genius in the shower? That’s the result of having space to think, away from electronics and distraction. Back when I was a broke, struggling, introverted, socially-anxious, binge-drinking personal trainer... There was a point where my Thursday afternoons opened up. And rather than try to fill my day in with clients… I kept that big time block open to work on my business, because I knew I was more creative there. It’s easy to use this strategy no matter what your situation... I encourage trying to be outside, but if you can’t do that, just try working in any new and novel space. Or, if for whatever reason that’s unrealistic… Try working with just pen and paper and you’ll find the creative juices start to flow more easily. This is also a great way to do your weekly planning and review that I teach in my book, The Perfect Week Formula. When you give yourself space to think, ideas will come to you… … to help get through tough challenges and take advantage of massive opportunities.
5. PRESENCE As the great, late Jim Rohn said, “Wherever you are, be there.” When you’re with your partner or children but looking at your phone the whole time, you’re not really with them. Your family knows the difference. Are you just living to work? Or do you want to experience and enjoy every moment you can in this short life? We both know how difficult it can be to create more time (unless you have Marty McFly’s DeLorean). But it is relatively easy to create better quality time… And make each minute count. Having a designated “phone cut-off time” allows you to be present for at least 20 or 30 minutes with your children. Maybe your phone goes to bed for the night at 8 pm… Or maybe you can manage even earlier. Whatever time you actually pick, I guarantee this habit will improve your family relationships. I also recommend planning “device-free blocks” on the weekend. This is where you schedule 2-3 hours in your day with no laptop, phone etc. When you do this, you develop control over those devices, rather than your devices controlling you. For one client, I gave him a screentime challenge… His screen time had crept up to 4.5 hours, so I challenged him to cut down to no more than 3 hours 59 minutes… Then 3 hours 45 minutes… As he slowly dialled back his screen time, he also dialled up sales in his business… AND he was able to have more dates with the woman he had started seeing. --- Once you develop Personal Mastery you elevate not only yourself, but everyone else around you as well. Your life becomes better as a result and you can get out of hard times and into good times even faster. So put your focus on the 5 Pillars of Personal Mastery and let me know if at any point you need some help. I can’t wait to see you go, and grow. To your success,
Craig PS - Need more help with overcoming anxiety? Download my Unstoppable book for FREE here (no optin or CC required) | 
