~~WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM A REAL LIFE ESSENTIALIST.. BEFORE THE BOOK EVEN CAME OUT~~

Well, today being January 18th- it is fitting that I dedicate this blog to my brother, since it is his 30th Birthday. Happy Birthday Kid!

But.. more importantly... I wanted to write it to share the journey of somebody who has lived as a true Essentialist and Renegade his entire life -- not because of the book (Essentialism).. .but because of self-awareness and truly knowing himself and his priorities in life. He has always wondered why the world was so complex- when life is truly simple.

For years, as a family we would break my brothers chops about being extremely disconnected.. ex.. never having a phone that was on, charged, or connected.. never reading the newspaper, watching the news, or engaging in any social media. There were times we would ask if this guy even know we were at war, or who the current president was.

What is interesting though, is now, that everybody is completely overstimulated, this guy is living the life that "most experts" are preaching in order to maintain enhanced focus, less anxiety, and a much more clear flight path and vision.

Who would of thought, we would of been so wrong for questioning his path.. when on the flip side, he should of been questioning ours.

For a guy that loves the outdoors, engaging in home improvements, building, cutting, chopping, fixing,.. he just may have been on to something.

A master visionary, system designer, and delegator... he applies his simplistic thinking and essentialist thought process to business- looking at things for what they are, what people need, and then assembling a simple, streamlined systematic approach towards automation, to improve the customer experience, but most importantly a way for him to maintain the Essentialist life.. letting systems work for you... and delegating the things that are out of your "zone of genius" .. 

I share this as obviously a proud brother, but also has somebody who has a tendency to hyper analyze , weighing pros and cons, risk factors, and "what-if's" before totally jumping in... which is good.. but once you are in.. you need to let your process take over... something that proves difficult for the Type A, Control Freak.

So.. as I have been pounding through the pages of the book Essentialism... I am happy to see I have a real life example living in my life. 

Again- somebody that focuses on disconnection, rather than connection, in order to connect. He runs a thriving credit repair business that does not use social media, Facebook ads, or anything of the such... just good old fashion "get out there and speak/ meet people", form relationships, and watch those relationships refer to you your next client.

Simple. Old School. Traditional. Conservative.. And..... IT WORKS. 

Zero Distractions outside of a 2 year old daughter looking for some love and attention... but the reality is... this approach has allowed for extreme balance... without actually reading a book on work:life balance. Work when the sun comes up, stop when it goes down... have dinner, go to bed... do it again.. pretty simple.

We look to deep now a days.. but if we study the Greats of our time, many chose solitude, introversion, and retreats to do their greatest work... relying on their own minds, strengths, and internal magic to create, innovate, and develop greatness.

I encourage you to clear your channels, simplify, and find ways to simplify, cut, and eliminate distractions so you can thrive. 

Happy Birthday to my brother who is one of the best "teachers" I know... for a kid that left college because "it just wasn't for him"... and for knowing that at 18. #trainlikeapro #livelikeadropout#schooldoesntalwaysequalsuccess.

Dana Cavalea is the Former Director of Strength and Conditioning and Performance for the New York Yankees- the guy responsible for keeping the likes of Jeter, AROD, Posada, Rivera & Company healthy, strong, and ready to play.

He currently Coaches Pro Athletes, CEO's, Executives, Entrepreneurs, and those looking to change their game.

For more information and tips check out:

www.danacavalea.com

#trainlikeapro