8 Keys Leaders Use To Achieve Greatness [SOLO ROUND] EP 1343

I wanted to re-visit the 8 core principles I’ve learned from the past 10 years of journeying on this path to greatness. Here’s the truth: Principles are just words on paper if we don’t actually take consistent action to LIVE by them. So do a check in on yourself as we go through these 8 principles and see how you are living by them. In this episode you will learn, Why you need to create a clear and purposeful vision for your life. How to cultivate a champion’s mindset. To turn adversity into an advantage. Methods for practicing positive habits. For more, go to lewishowes.com/1343 Get more from Lewis! Get my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy! Get The Greatness Mindset audiobook on SpotifyText Lewis AIYouTubeInstagramWebsiteTiktokFacebookX

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Lewis Howes?

  I wanted to know, what are these keys? What are the things that make people great? How do they stay consistent? How do they keep going for bigger dreams, bigger goals? Having fulfillment in their life, their body, their health, their relationships, their spirituality? What are those keys? Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week, we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin.

• 0:37Lewis Howes?

  I want to know, what have you created? Are you on track? Let's dive in. I want you to get present with yourself. I want you to sit down, put your phone down, and even close your eyes if this helps. Now, a lot of you listen while you're driving, or while you're working out, or while you're making breakfast, or while you're going to bed. So if you're doing an activity right now, then you can continue, obviously, doing that activity and just continue to listen and follow through this exercise. I want to ask you to answer this question internally to yourself. What have you created this year? And again, if you're sitting down, go ahead and take notes. What have you created this year? Have you created the results you want to? Have you launched that project? Have you started your book?

• 1:22Lewis Howes?

  Have you launched the company? Have you created a new course? Have you created a new revenue stream? Have you hired the person you need to hire? What have you created? How is your health? Are you on track right now? If you're in the gym right now, then hey, that's good. I'm excited for you. Are you consistent with your health? Or have you just been living in fads and doing things like, oh, I'll try this every once in a while? Or are you consistent with a routine that works for you and your body and your health? What about your wealth? Are you achieving the financial goals that you wanted to achieve at the beginning of the year? Are you saving? Are you investing? Are you smart with your money? Or are you just spending it on meaningless things that bring zero happiness or fulfillment to your life? What about spiritually? What about relationships?

• 2:07Lewis Howes?

  What about fun, adventure, career, et cetera? Are you on track? What were the goals you set out for yourself at the start of the year? How are you doing on them? And how is that working for you? Just take a moment to think about it. There are obviously a lot of things in my life where I am completely on track and other things where I'm off track. So no judgment here, no right or wrong. I just want you to think about it and see what's coming up for you for this moment. And again, whatever your answers are, no judgment from me and definitely don't judge yourself. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up by saying, "Oh, I'm not doing what I said I was gonna do and I'm just a loser and I'm just gonna give up on this project because it's too hard." No, no judgment.

• 2:52Lewis Howes?

  Let that crap go. It's not worth it. It's not healthy. This is just a chance for you to get clear on what's working and what's not working. And then the most important thing is what you're committed to creating moving forward. It's all about our commitments and our actions. Commitments and actions. And I've been doing my own check-ins lately on what I'm creating. And I studied by interviewing the most brilliant leaders in the world, from sports to business to philanthropy to spirituality to anything you can think of. I interviewed the top of the top. And I wanted to know, what are these keys? What are the things that make people great? How do they stay consistent? How do they keep going for bigger dreams, bigger goals? Having fulfillment in their life, their body, their health, their relationships, their spirituality?

• 3:36Lewis Howes?

  What are those keys? And I want to break them down for you because a lot of you still haven't gone through it. You still haven't gone through this information and I want to break it down. And even if you know it, it's always a great reminder to understand, huh, these are the things that the greatest people in the world are doing. Am I doing them myself right now? If not, let's get back on track. So here they are, guys. It always starts with this first key principle. Everything I do, when I'm coaching someone one-on-one, in my group courses, when I'm coaching people in the group, on my high-level mastermind, from teenagers who aren't sure about their future to 50-year-olds who are successful in business and not sure of the next step, it all starts with one thing.

• 4:22Lewis Howes?

  That thing is creating a clear, purposeful vision. The vision can be for the next week. The vision can be for months. It can be for years. Whatever it is, you've got to get clear on your vision and create that vision. This is what the greatest leaders in the world have. They have clear, purposeful visions. This is what has been guiding all my actions throughout the year. As decisions need to be made and the new opportunities that have been coming my way. That's one challenge is like the more successfully you become, all these opportunities now come to you. So it's making sure that you're saying yes to the right things and saying no to things that aren't supporting your vision. Cause a lot of us say yes to too much that isn't supportive of the vision.

• 5:04Lewis Howes?

  I say yes to a lot of things that support the vision. And even now, every now and then, when I feel overwhelmed, I think to myself, okay, this is just me taking on a lot on my plate. And I need to make a bigger plate and also evaluate the things that I'm saying yes to, to make sure they all line up for my vision. And if it's getting too overwhelming, then what are the things that I can trim the fat with? What are the things that I can cut out in my life? Or who are the people in place that I need to bring on my team that could support making it a bigger plate for me to take on a bigger vision? That's what it's all about. It's just being aware if our vision is clear enough. So I want to ask you, is your vision clear? This may be one of the things that is frustrating you the most or leaving you unfulfilled.

• 5:48Lewis Howes?

  Is that you're not sure what your mission or purpose is in life right now? And again, this doesn't have to be my mission for the rest of my life is this. You don't need to figure that out. You can explore and adventure and travel and take time to take a break to figure it out. It doesn't have to be, that could be your vision. My vision is to take six months to travel the world and figure out what is going to light me up next. Right? We go through seasons in life. You don't always have to be on at the highest level. Sometimes you can take a break and have an off season. This is why sports, you can never just play in a season or the playoffs all year round for 10 years in a row. You will die. That's why you need an off season. You need to take time to take breaks. There are days off during the season.

• 6:31Lewis Howes?

  Otherwise your body will shut down, your mind won't have the energy. You've got to take that time to reflect and reevaluate your vision. So ask yourself, is your vision clear? If not, again, I have exercises throughout my book, The School of Greatness, on this specific chapter on vision, where you walk through these different exercises. It's a perfect day exercise, which is so powerful. I highly recommend you going through it. And you can get all the exercises. They're going to help you get clear on these principles, guys, at LewisHowes.com/book, or you can get the book on Amazon or anywhere books are sold. So I highly recommend going to get The School of Greatness and following through on these exercises that will guide your life in a powerful way.

• 7:13Lewis Howes?

  The number two key principle that all great leaders possess is they turn adversity into their advantage. We get to choose how we use these adversities to either move us forward in our growth or to hold us back. And it's still my choice is how I'm going to handle all these things that arise because I'm committed to a bigger vision, a vision bigger than my excuses and bigger than my adversities. And I'm committed to the impact my vision will make. And when I focus out, that's when I get the most support. When in doubt, focus out. Focus on the vision and the impact you want to make in other people. But you want to think about, what are all the adversities in your life? Are there any adversities with your health,

• 7:56Lewis Howes?

  with relationships, with your team? With, and again, the bigger the dream that you have, the more room for potential adversity. But this is what's going to allow you to grow. Without challenge, without adversity, without some tension, it's really hard to grow into the person you need to become in order to make a bigger impact. So just be aware that adversity is your friend. Now, I wouldn't say look for it because it's going to come. It's going to come from time to time, here and there, and just be prepared. When it happens, be aware, okay, I'm going through some adversity. Let me journal about this. Let me make sure I'm working out and taking extra care of my health because I don't want to get sick during this time. Let me take those extra supplements.

• 8:41Lewis Howes?

  Make sure I'm eating cleaner. Make sure I'm doing whatever I can to control certain situations because there are things that I may not be able to control in this adversity, but I'm going to embrace it. I'm going to have a positive mind around it and say, yes, bring it on. And then I'm going to move forward one step at a time. You've got to turn your adversity into your advantage. The third key. Oh, guys, this is powerful. The greatest leaders in the world cultivate a champion's mindset. There is no way to win at our goals if we don't believe we can and will win. The athlete must believe he is going to beat his opponent first before stepping on the court or the field.

• 9:23Lewis Howes?

  If he does not believe, or she does not believe, most likely they will lose and they will not achieve their goal. This is the same thing in life and relationships. You must believe that you're going to be successful, get results, have meaningful relationships, be calm in certain situations. You must believe in yourself. And it's one of the greatest strengths that I believe I have because I know none of my huge goals would be possible without my belief. They wouldn't be happening without me believing that they're going to happen first. And this is why I practice meditation regularly. This is why I commit to working out, surrounding myself with positive people who inspire me, who are up to big things, successful people, and to always seeking how I can level up

• 10:08Lewis Howes?

  my game in life. So when you do the work, that's how you develop belief in yourself. You must take action and try something over and over and over again. Because when you do that, you can start to see results and you can start to see how you can grow. And that will allow you to develop belief in yourself. If you just think about something over and over and over again, you're not going to create a belief. You must take action over and over and over again to create the belief. So ask yourself, do you believe in yourself? Have you developed a strong mindset? If not, what are the actions you can take? What are the skills that you can master in your life? What are the fears that you have that you can overcome and start believing in yourself

• 10:52Lewis Howes?

  in a bigger way? Ask yourself that question. Cultivate a champion's mindset. Number four key is to develop hustle. One of my favorites. None of my goals are going to happen without hustle. It all comes from hustle. The effort we put in, effort does not lie. When you talk to the greatest coaches in sports, they will tell you they would much rather have a person who is willing to dive on the floor and make the hustle plays every single play than the most talented person who is lazy and isn't willing to go for those hustle plays to sacrifice their body and do whatever it takes. It's the hustle that pays off. That's also what inspires people.

• 11:35Lewis Howes?

  Someone who's talented and lazy isn't inspiring. That's not inspiring the world. When you just show up and you have talent, those that are willing to dive for their dreams, that's what makes a mark on the world and that's what creates results in your life. So develop hustle is key number four. Number five, master your body and health. This is so important. You guys, I can't emphasize this enough. If you don't master your health, it's hard to master your dreams. So what are we looking to create? So create a plan that works for you, a lifestyle that works for you. I'm not saying you can never have sugar and never drink a glass of wine or whatever it is you like to do, but really be intentional about how you're showing up with your health, the foods you eat and all those things. And if we don't take care of our health,

• 12:19Lewis Howes?

  we don't have the energy to live a big life and pursue big dreams. It's a must. Create the game plan for your health. The greatest financial leaders in the world say that their health is important to making more money, to making a bigger impact, all these things. Focus on mastering your body. Number six, practice positive habits. Now I'll admit, I'm not the best at keeping up on all my healthy habits all the time, but that doesn't mean that I'm not practicing them on a regular basis. And the practice is what gets me back on focus when I've gotten distracted. Now my habits are as simple as expressing gratitude daily, drinking fresh green or carrot juice, working out consistently and moving my body,

• 13:01Lewis Howes?

  making time to get outside and play with good friends, meditating and things like that. And practicing these habits, however consistent or inconsistent I am, is what allows me to keep my energy in a good place no matter what adversity is coming my way. Those habits are powerful and important. So think about, maybe even write down, what are the habits that are working for you? What are the habits that aren't working for you because those negative ones can hurt you as well? What are the things that you should be taking on? You know, it doesn't matter where you're at, what day it is, month it is, week it is, you can always change a habit and start moving forward today. So start thinking about that. What are the habits that can support you in achieving your dreams? Number seven, build a winning team. Whew, like I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is no way I could do what I'm

• 13:46Lewis Howes?

  doing without my team, not at this level. I could do certain things on my own, but not at the level I'm doing it without a team. I've consistently worked to surround myself with people who are really good at the things that I'm not as good at. And even if I'm really good at something, I want to focus on the things that are going to move my business and my dreams forward and put someone else in place who can support me with other tasks that will help the business and the brand and those dreams as well. Right? It's all about making an impact in a maximum way and you can't do it all on your own. And I've worked to develop great, close relationships with people who are far more successful and wise than I am in different fields so that I can learn from them and get their perspective as well and implement it into my vision.

• 14:29Lewis Howes?

  And I've made it a priority to keep in touch with the people who have made an impact in my life to see how I can continue to support them and give back to those that have given to me. There's no point in going through life alone, you guys. This isn't a solo woman or solo man's life. This is about building powerful teams, tribes, families, support systems around you and seeing how you can give back to others as well. Make sure you are building the winning team around you. Huge, huge point and key to greatness. Build that winning team. And the last point, number eight. Oh, eight is grades. It's to be of service to others. Be a giving leader.

• 15:14Lewis Howes?

  So I want you to ask yourself, how are you giving back? It doesn't have to be through huge donations or traveling to another country, but it's important to be of service no matter what you're doing. And this could be as easy as random acts of kindness. This could be giving back to your family, to your community, to your team, to a bigger cause you believe in. But if you're not giving back... You've got to ask yourself why you're not. If we're not living a life to be of service to others and what we're doing, then we really need to ask ourselves why we're here. Because you didn't get here alone. There's no such thing as a self-made man or self-made woman. There have been thousands of people, whether you know them or not, who have helped you get where you are.

• 15:56Lewis Howes?

  And it's our duty and responsibility to give back to the world that has given so much to us. Amen. Those are the eight principles of greatness, the keys all great leaders have. Now, have you been incorporating them in your life and goals this year? Yes or no? What are you going to do differently going forward? Write these things down and really create a game plan. Here's the thing. Taking action equals results. There's no other way to accomplish your goals than to take action on them. You're not going to think your way to living the life of your dreams. You're not going to analyze your way to having something come to life. You're not going to sit in a boardroom and have meetings all day about this.

• 16:39Lewis Howes?

  Taking action is what gets results. If you sit around and wait, you will get zero results. You must be committed to taking action and building the momentum. There's no other way to accomplishing your goals than action. So I'll leave you with this. There's no going back. There's no reason to worry or be upset about it or judge yourself or beat yourself up about it. Let it go. You are the one who will decide of what you're going to create. What is your choice? I hope you enjoyed today's episode and it inspired you on your journey towards greatness. Make sure to check out the show notes in the description for a full rundown of today's episode with all the important links.

• 17:20Lewis Howes?

  And if you want weekly exclusive bonus episodes with me personally, as well as ad-free listening, then make sure to subscribe to our Greatness Plus channel exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Share this with a friend on social media and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts as well. Let me know what you enjoyed about this episode in that review. I really love hearing feedback from you and it helps us figure out how we can support and serve you moving forward. And I want to remind you, if no one has told you lately, that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And now it's time to go out there and do something great.