Dear Family: (Thank you Lord for the gifts you have entrusted in me. I pray those who hear this message receive it as you intended and be blessed in your favor. AMEN.)

It was 4:46 exactly and I was out running bleachers at a nearby high school before my gym workout. (I know the time because it was so dark on the bleachers I needed my phone at times to keep from tripping.)

To my surprise, I looked over to the dimly lit parking lot and saw a small crowd forming. One, two, five, six cars pulling in. My eyes scanned back to the dark field and I saw five others. Running. Jumping. Gasping for air as if they'd been tortured.

Only, they liked it.

In that moment, under the only light on the field, a man ran by. About my age. And the guy was everything but out of shape. The abs. The arms. The light, near-silent steps as his feet battled each other at the speed of light projecting him forward.

It was hard to see the steps. But it wasn't hard to see the discipline and work he'd put in.

For context, I'd been going with no headphones because my mind was pre-occupied. Occupied with the difficulty in taking my life to the next level. My finances. My health. My relationship.

I'm doing pretty well by most standards. But "being above average to average individuals is mediocre at best."

And family, this journey is about achieving greatness.

When I saw that guy, I got inspired. But my mind shifted. My first thought was: wow, I don't look that great. Then I thought: how can I...

But before that thought even landed, the moment happened and it seemed to answer all my questions that had held me hostage for the 45 minutes I'd been beating myself on those bleachers.

His health isn't non-achievable. It's not out of reach. And icing on the cake? I know exactly how to achieve it. (And you do too.)

It ripped into everything. My business. My finances. My goals.

There's nothing out of reach. Everything that I want, I know where to begin.

When I decided not to lie to myself in that moment, I stepped down the last step slowly. And I said to myself:

"Achievement isn't hard because we don't have the answers. It's hard because we are human and don't like the answers we’ve received."

Let me put it to you like this.

Think about that person you know who's been trying to "finally get in shape." They've tried keto. No-carb diets. Celery water. Hell, they've even starved themselves. And they complain because nothing's working.

But let me ask you something. How do you lose weight? Honestly?

It's painfully simple.

Workout and consume less calories than you do normally.

But you don't like that answer because you want what? To have your cake and eat it too? (Literally.)

What about finances? How do we grow in our financial situation?

You spend less money than you make. While saving and investing what's left. Or in the words of the Mack Daddy: "never spend money you don't have."

In reality there are always exceptions to the rules. But early Hormozi content has lead me to believe no matter what, under any circumstance we should never go into a situation believing we are the exception.

I say that to say, you know what to do. You just choose not to do it!

This can be applied to every area of life. And that morning on the bleachers, I made a pact with myself.

I'm going to do what's required to reach my goal. I will no longer do what I think or feel.

So I'll leave you with an assignment and a thoughtful realization I had about myself.

Assignment: This week, I want you to stop complicating life. Strip off the fat. Get right to the bone. Do what's required. That's it.

Think of all the areas you struggle. Be real about what it takes to achieve. It's usually one or two things. And commit to doing them.

Here's my life-changing thought:

"I, Earl Clarkson, have never failed. I've just for years now decided not to succeed."

I love you.

TTYL.

— Cousin Earl