Hi friends,
Sorry for not shipping the newsletter last week.
I was recovering from a really bad case of sinusitis. So bad that I thought it was a brain aneurism or tumor!
If you’re curious about…
How I “almost” Died Multiple Times
The Secret Power Of Urgency To Get Things Done
Tools To Get Things Done
Then read on!
It started with a simple light headache on Monday night…
and grew to a 24/7 brain splitting migraine for the next 7 days.
I couldn't sleep, walk, or talk.
I’d remember just laying still in the bathroom shower with warm water raining down for an hour because it was too painful to get up.
It felt like someone took a boulder, slammed it on my forehead. and proceeded to yank out my eyeballs.
The worst part?
I thought I was actually getting better!
but with Acute Sinusitis there’s a thing called Double Sickening.
Where you feel like you’re getting better but then you suddenly get WORSE.
You know…
Something funny happens when you think you’re going to die.
I’ve had a couple close calls with traffic accidents and hospital visits— and every time I think I’m going to die…
I promise myself I’ll remember this feeling when I am healthy again.
I promise not to take life for granted.
I promise to CARPE DIEM!
and then a couple days later I’m back to my usual lazy procrastinating self.
Why is this?
The Secret Power Of Urgency ( The #1 Hot Button To Press When You Want Sh*t Done)
Remember late night infomercials?
The ones where this guy is practically yelling through the T.V. ?
Ever heard these lines before?
“Get it before it’s TOO LATE!”
“Don’t let this offer slip away!”
The reasons why it’s so obnoxiously loud and theatrical is because they’re trying to SNAP you out of your zombie-like state.
Here’s the truth…
People who watch T.V. are in zombie mode.
People who surf the internet are in zombie mode.
People who scroll on their phone are in zombie mode.
You and me are in zombie mode all the time.
One more example…
In copywriting one of the main triggers we’re trained to activate is the “urgency” trigger.
It’s the reason why you’ll always see lines like…
“Limited time only”
“Price doubles at 20 sales”
“Hurry now! “
It’s insanely effective at driving action.
and once you see this, you cannot unsee it.
But this doesn’t have to be the status quo.
How To Create Your Own Urgency And Always Smash Your To-Do List
Look…
You don’t need a near-death experience to know that life is short.
You also don’t need a loud informercial pitchman to snap you out of your trance.
You need “MOM rules”.
I got this idea from Mel Robbin’s book the 5-sec rule.
In a nutshell:
When you become an adult…
No one is going to tell you to brush your teeth, or do your laundry, or finish your tasks.
You need to mom yourself.
And what does every mom have?
Rules.
They’re simple, effective, and they WORK.
Here are some of my personal MOM rules:
No bad habits before Noon ( snacking/gaming)
Always out of bed within 10 minutes
Everyday declutter for 5 minutes.
Always keep a journal nearby
Never leave dishes in the sink
3 Keys To Creating A MOM rule
A MOM rule only applies for one specific action.
A MOM rule operates in the black & white world. Either you follow the rule or you break it.
A MOM rule often includes the words: Always, Never, Every, If- Then.
The secret to urgency isn’t about having to remind yourself a deadline is always near…
It’s about coming back to present state and not getting sucked into zombie mode.
Rules ground you and keep you stable in a world inundated by constant distractions.
My favorite links this week:
An Internal Memo At Slack That Shows The True Power of Marketing ( Fun Read) 👈
Why You MUST Create Blockbuster Content (A Crazy Read For Online Creators)👈
Why Crypto Will Change Everything ( Great Intro Conversation For The Interested)👈
P.S. Thanks for being a reader of the newsletter. It brings joy to my heart that my words have even the slightest impact!
Cheers,
Brian “Mom Rules” To