Attributes of Success – Three Awesome Men and How To Be More Like Them
We at Evolution of Man have an unapologetic love for action movies and combat sports. It’s not that we’re total Neanderthals, we can often be seen reading books, quaffing wine, some of us have even eaten quiche. We’re all about yin and yang, but there’s nothing quite like sitting down to a couple of hours of things exploding and men getting kicked.
But what if passive viewing isn’t enough? What if we want to actually learn from these paragons of muscle and charisma?
We’re glad you asked. Here are three awesome men, and how to be more like them.
1 – The Rock
Who? You know how women talk about Beyonce like she’s some sort of infallible space creature made of perfection and sequins? The Rock is the male version of that. Except he’s an infallible creature made of muscles, teeth and bum-bags. Your girlfriend wants to sleep with him. And you know what? If she ever managed to do it, you’d just high five her and go for a beer with him.
Why he’s awesome – Charisma
If, as Quentin Crisp claims, ‘charisma is the ability to influence without logic’, then The Rock could convince you that sawing your dick off with a rusty blade constitutes a fun Friday evening. He’s got a lot of charisma is what we’re saying.
Key quote – “When you walk up to opportunity’s door, don’t knock it. Kick that bitch in, smile and introduce yourself.”
How to be more like him –
Some would say this falls into the ‘you have it or you don’t’ category, but we disagree. Think of it like training; there are guys out there who can just look at a dumbbell and build muscle, and there are guys who struggle to build size. But that’s not the same as saying the skinny guy can’t build muscle.
Start with making a good first impression. Stand up tall when you enter a room, look people and the eye and smile when you meet them. Use and remember their name. Ask questions and be interested rather than blathering on about yourself.
Yes, these are little details, but then so are the rivets in ships.
2 – Conor McGregor
Who? The greatest mixed martial artist on the planet. Adept with both verbal and literal smackdowns.
Why he’s awesome – Cast iron confidence.
Conor is the most unflappable man in the UFC. Whether he’s leaping weight divisions like Rocky Vs Drago or mocking his opponents with a shit-eating grin, the man’s feathers remain unruffled.
Key Quote – “I’m not going to get somewhere and say “Ok I’m done”. Success is never final; I’ll just keep going. The same way failure is never fatal. Just keep going.”
How To Be More Like Him – Have a Growth Mindset
When the great Ronda Rousey lost her UFC title to Holly Holm, it crushed her. Some experts feel this was down to her having a fixed mindset. Put simply; she felt that this one failure defined her. In contrast, when Conor lost to Nate Diaz he saw it as just another step on his journey, something he would learn and (key word) grow from. And sure enough he did, coming back to beat Diaz in a grueling rematch.
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck describes this in terms of our ‘implicit view’. The person with a ‘fixed theory’ assumes their ability is innate and can’t be changed much; they’re either clever or not, strong or not, successful or not. The person with an ‘incremental theory’ on the other hand, believes their abilities evolve through challenges, failures, and hard work.
So how do you change your theory? Well, simply knowing there’s an alternative theory at all puts you on the right track. Next time you’re frustrated by a failure or setback, remind yourself that it’s just another step on the road to mastery.
3 – Sylvester Stallone
Who? Baritone voiced punch-drunk legend of action cinema and oiled forearms. Arnie was the unstoppable superhuman force of 80’s action movies, but Stallone was the scrappy underdog. (Except for that time he killed the entire Russian army by himself)
Why he’s awesome – Boundless ambition. Here’s a man with a lazy eye and an occasionally indecipherable voice, who became the biggest actor of his generation and in spite of numerous setbacks over the years is still making blockbusters.
Key Quote – “I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat.”
How To Be More Like Him –Pick something you’ve been ‘meaning to do’ for a while – something achievable within two to three months – and make it happen. Obviously this entails picking something within your power to change in that time; something specific and achievable. Not something vague like “be happier” or more successful. So maybe it’s lose 5kgs. Find a new job. Quit smoking.
These are not abstract, mysterious things. You can find the road map for how to do them. The trick is to start now and be consistent though the tough spots.
Greatness is not an accident. The inspiration, motivation and even the specific instructions for how to achieve the things you want re out there right now. So be more like these three legends and go get it.