The Longer Story

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, it’s time for the longer story.

Let’s chat about who Optimize Mastery is for, what the program is all about and what Sonja Lyubomirsky’s lab has to say about how we can help you boost your confidence and sense of purpose while making you more energized, productive, connected and joyful than ever.

(Yes, science says we can help you do all that and more.)

Optimize Mastery: Who’s It For?

As we’ve already discussed, since launching our inaugural class in early 2019, we’ve had over 3,500 Optimizers from 95 (!) countries around the world go through our Optimize Mastery program.

What’s interesting is that almost exactly HALF of those who go through the program are individuals who want to use the program to become the best versions of themselves in service to the world, and the other are half coaches who want to earn a Coaching certification and take their professional coaching practice to the next level.

We think of the two groups like this:

Masters. Individuals who want to live their most heroic lives by mastering themselves and the Optimize perspective while integrating the wisdom gained from the program into their various leadership roles—from entrepreneurs, CEOs, venture capitalists, military leaders and HR executives to therapists, school principals, yoga teachers, and world-class moms.

Coaches. Individuals who want to live their most heroic lives by mastering themselves and the Optimize perspective while integrating the wisdom gained from the program into their new or existing coaching practice.

Our program serves both of those groups. From my perspective, the (!) most important thing we help everyone do to boost their professional success—whether that’s the CEO or the Coach—is to become a radiant Optimizing exemplar. (Aka the best version of themselves!)

And…

For those individuals looking to create a coaching business (and/or to take their practice to the next level), we have bonus Coach Training content in which we share best practices and offer additional resources including interactive sessions with established, successful coaches.

You can check out hundreds of testimonials over here to see how our program has served both Masters and Coaches.

For now, here are a few of my favorites…

The 300-Day Optimize Mastery Program

The Optimize Mastery program is 10 months long. (Technically, it is 300 days long. Yes, that’s a nod to our ancient Spartan Heroes.)

Note: After you register, you’ll be given access to the Optimize Mastery platform within 24 hours, and instructions on how to get warmed up before we get going!

Day 1 = January 3rd, 2022.

Graduation Weekend = TBD!!

Once COVID allows, we’ll have a special graduation weekend to celebrate the greatest year of our lives and to commit to changing the world together. More on that in a moment…

The program is, of course, grounded in our Optimize content: PhilosophersNotes, Optimize +1s and Optimal Living 101 classes.

But…

What makes the program so powerful is the Mastery Series.

Imagine me distilling the absolute best wisdom from the 600+ PhilosophersNotes, 1,000+ Optimize +1s, and 50 Optimal Living 101 classes into ONE super-practical curriculum to help you fundamentally and permanently change your life.

THAT is what the Mastery Series is all about.

It’s the cornerstone of all of our work together in our Optimize Mastery program.

There are 7 (+1) Modules to the program.

Here’s the overview…

Module O: The Optimize Mastery Series

Our first week together is a preview of the entire curriculum with Module O: The Optimize Mastery Series.

We’ll explore what’s to come in each of the 7 Modules that follow, take a few quick trips (to heaven, hell, and your eulogy), and learn how to flip-the-switch into the best version of ourselves.

(Note: You can access Module O in its entirety, including the Practice video, worksheets, and even a related Live Coaching session, here.)

Module I: Eudaimonology

We officially kick the party off with Module I on what we call “Eudaimon-ology” (The Study of a Good Soul), in which we define the game we’re playing and how to play it well.

(Hint: Become the best version of yourself and close the gap between who you’re CAPABLE of being and who you’re ACTUALLY being by living with virtue RIGHT NOW!!)

Aristotle and Martin Seligman join us as proxies for Ancient Wisdom + Modern Science as we commit to moving from Theory to Practice to Mastery as we operationalize virtue and give the world all we’ve got.

Module II: Hero-ology

With that super-important foundation set, we’re ready to move on to Module II on what we call “Hero-ology” (aka: The Study of a Good Hero). (Note: That would be YOU!)

As you may know, I’m in a documentary about Joseph Campbell and the modern hero’s journey called Finding Joe. Deepak Chopra, Laird Hamilton, Robin Sharma and some other great teachers are also in there.

I HIGHLY recommend it in general and ESPECIALLY if you’re thinking about taking your life to the next level.

You can join over a million people and watch the entire movie for free on YouTube. The director, Patrick Solomon, (heroically!) put it up when COVID did its thing. (You can also check it out at FindingJoetheMovie.com and on Amazon.)

So…

In Module II on Hero-ology, I basically OPERATIONALIZE the wisdom from that movie.

Of course, it’s nice to get all inspired by a movie or a weekend workshop or whatever.

But… ECHO! … (Am I repeating myself? Yes. I’m repeating myself!) …

It’s an ENTIRELY different thing to ACTUALLY FUNDAMENTALLY AND PERMANENTLY change your life.

Module III: The Big 3 (x2)

After helping us cultivate our Antifragile Confidence, Heroic Courage and Response-Ability, we move on to Module III called The Big 3 (x2).

It’s time to move from the abstract to the concrete.

Who are YOU at your absolute best Energy + Work + Love wise?

What are your Identities + Virtues + Behaviors?

That’s our Big 3 (x2). (So many of our Masters + Coaches have told us that getting clarity on this is life changing.)

If you feel so inspired, take a moment and imagine your BEST self Energy wise. Who are you? How do you feel? What about your BEST self Work wise? Feel more purpose and productivity? And what about Love wise? Are you more present and connected and joyful?

Helping you connect to and BE that Optimus-best version of you is, again, what the program is all about.

Remember the stats on feeling more connected to the best version of themselves?

On Day 1 of the program, only 29% felt connected to that best version of themselves. We operationalize that connection via our Big 3 (x2) (and everything else we do) such that, on Day 300, an astonishing (!) 93% feel more connected to the best version of themselves.

Module IV: Carpe Diem

From there, we ask: “OK. When should we actually apply all this?”

Of course, the answer is (unequivocally!) TODAY!!! Which is why Module IV is called “Carpe Diem.”

We spend a couple of months (!!!) helping you become a MASTER in creating Masterpiece Days.

After a Big Picture discussion, we START with your PM Bookend. We’ve gotta know that our days ACTUALLY started the night before. (Again, this is life changing when we get it. Science says that a good night of sleep is like walking over a bridge from despair to Hope and we give you the simple practical tools to wake up feeling Energized and ready to rock.)

Then we help you architect your AM Bookends—making your mornings awesome—before walking through how to Optimize our Energy + Work + Love in the context of getting REALLY good at creating REALLY great days.

One of the powerful themes of our work together is helping you create a “protocol.” Basically, we’ve gotta know what we do when we’re at our best. THEN (goosebumps) DO THAT!!!

Note: Life really isn’t THAT complicated. What works? Do more of that. What doesn’t work? STOP doing that!! (!!!)

Of course, systematically helping you operationalize that wisdom is what the program is all about and why, when you REALLY get it and REALLY practice it, you can FUNDAMENTALLY and PERMANENTLY change your life.

(btw: Here’s a note one of our Masters/Coaches sent to his friends about our program telling them how he’d tried all kinds of programs before but it wasn’t until our program that he (and now I’m misty typing this), GOT IT and changed his life.)

That’s Module IV. You are now well-equipped to play the game well as an Optimizing Hērō TODAY.

Module V: Algorithms

Now it’s time for us to get REALLY (!) good at moving from Theory to Practice to Mastery.

It’s time for Module V. We call this one “Algorithms” but we could have called it “Self-Mastery 101.”

The theme we hit over the four sessions here?

Use your willpower wisely to install habits that run on autopilot via algorithms.

I repeat that over and over again.

Use your willpower wisely to install habits that run on autopilot via algorithms.

Use your willpower wisely to install habits that run on autopilot via algorithms.

Use your willpower wisely to install habits that run on autopilot via algorithms.

In this Module, we integrate the best of Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science to help you master behavior design, Installing THE #1 habit that will most (!) change your life THEN Deleting the #1 kryptonite habit that is most destroying your life.

On that note, let’s pause for a moment.

If you could INSTALL just ONE habit that you KNOW would most change your life, what would it be?

Seriously.

What’s the FIRST thing that just popped in your head?

Imagine having the tools to install that habit. How would your life change?

Fast-forward x years. What would be different? How would you be showing up?

Now…

Imagine installing not only that habit but ALSO mastering the process of installing habits so you can stack on all the other great habits.

How?

By using your willpower wisely to install habits that run on autopilot via algorithms.

Now…

If you could DELETE just ONE bad habit that you KNOW would most change your life, what would it be?

Seriously.

What’s the FIRST thing that just popped in your head?

What’s the kryptonite habit that you KNOW needs to go? (No shame. We ALL have stuff we’re working on. What is it for you?)

Now, imagine having the tools to finally (!) get rid of that habit. How would your life change?

Fast-forward x years. What would be different? How would you be showing up?

Now…

Imagine getting rid of not only that bad habit but ALSO mastering the process of deleting all the other bad habits so you can finally quit giving away your power and give us all you’ve got!

(btw: Know this: THIS is actually the fastest way to change our lives. STOP DOING STUPID STUFF!) (lol) (Seriously!!))

Our Head Coach, Michael, wraps us this Module with a session on “Power Algorithms”—sharing the Optimize Top 10 Power Algorithms and challenging you to create YOUR Top 10 most-life-changing habits.

btw: Each of our 25 sessions in the 7 Modules over our 300-day program feature an hour-or-so “Theory” class from me followed up by set of “Practice“ videos led by Michael in which he walks you through the various Reflection and Action exercises that are part of our 150-page Workbook you’ll get as well.

So…

With Modules I through V under our belt, if you’ve done ANY work at all (lol), you’re a different person.

(Side note: I will always remember an Optimize Coach Zoom meetup I joined in which one of the guys at this stage of the program (goosebumps again as I type this) told me that he’d dropped something like 25 pounds and had TRIPLED his sales. Hah. And, he was doing the program with his wife who said he’s also a better husband and father and human. #misty)

Module VI: The Fundies

Now we’re ready for what might be THE most important part of the program: Module VI: The Fundies.

In this Module—we spend THREE MONTHS applying ALL the stuff we’ve learned to truly (!) master the most fundamental aspects of Optimizing.

We have 7 core fundies.

Eating. Moving. Sleeping. Breathing. Focusing. Celebrating. Prospering.

They each get their own dedicated session (along with a Fundamental behavior that you’ll need to Practice every day in order to earn an Optimize Coach Certification, things like following your nutritional philosophy, moving for twenty-five minutes or walking 10,000 steps a day, shutting down your electronics one hour before bedtime, intentionally cultivating energized tranquility via your breath, spending eleven minutes training your mind via meditation, appreciating the gifts in your life, and completing your daily Big 3 (x2) Carpe Diem Journal) but this is already way too long (hah!) so let’s skip the details on The Fundies for now.

Module VII: Optimus You

We wrap up it up with Module VII which brings us right back to the beginning. It’s called “Optimus You: Practicing Your Philosophy.”

In this one, we connect all the dots and then challenge you to create a little Handbook for yourself with THE most life-changing lessons you’ve learned as we re-commit to giving the world all we’ve got.

As you can tell, I’m fired up about this stuff.

I’ve spent (literally) THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS (and THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS!!!) of hours studying and teaching (and, most importantly, striving to embody!) the fundamental principles of Ancient Wisdom + Modern Science.

This Mastery Series is the distillation of my life’s work.

* As I typed that, I realized I could share a little behind-the-scenes video I did giving an overview of the program (aka My Life’s Work) in 1 hour 11 minutes and 35 seconds.