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Stop lying to yourself. I'm going to share with you 20 things that I quit to simplify my life to focus on what actually matters. Because when kids come up to me and I'm driving one of my supercars, they always ask me, hey man, what do you do? And I always say the same thing. It's not what I do, it's what I don't do. Welcome to the Martell Method. I went from rehab at 17 to building a hundred million dollar empire and being a Wall Street Journal best selling author. In this podcast, I'll show you exactly how to build a life and business you don't grow to hate. And make sure you don't miss anything by subscribing to my newsletter@martel method.com Starting with the first thing, I quit trying to separate work in life for me. I integrate both things. I don't want to make it separate. I want my family to be around when I'm working. I want my workmates to be around when I'm playing. I just realized if I'm going to travel the world and try to live life to the fullest, then everybody is going to be part of that life. I don't keep them separate. The second thing I quit is eating because of my emotions. If you can't control what you put in your mouth, trust me, it will affect your confidence. Because confidence is a byproduct of keeping the commitments you make to yourself in private. And you know what you should be eating. The third is caring what other people think. When I look at my life and the pain I've gone through and realizing that if I made decisions based on what other people thought I should do, guess who wasn't there when I was in pain. And if they haven't done the thing that I want to do and I care about their opinion and I use that to make decisions. Now I'm living somebody else's life. When I take my last breath, I want to know that I live my life. The fourth thing I quit is thinking short term instead of long term. If you want to build a life, it's going to take time. If you want to be successful, it's going to take time. If you try to take shortcuts, guess what? It'll burn you every time. Investing in long term decisions with long term people playing long term games is how you win in life. Number five is having a rigid morning routine. It's kind of crazy because I always ask people that have like the 37 hour 17 step morning routine, what if you don't have it. Does that mean, like, the rest of your day is shot? You can't enjoy yourself? My whole thing is being fluid. There's key things that I do that takes literally minutes to reset and center. Other than that, those are just bonuses not required for me to have a great day. Number six is canceling meetings last minute. I used to think it was okay to reschedule, reset, and push things off. The problem was I was telling myself that my priorities weren't important. And guess what? Other people don't want to work with people they can't depend on. And every time I let my feelings or my mood affect where I showed up or how I performed, it bit me in the butt. Number seven is having notifications on my phone. And this device is a professional distractor device. And if you allow it to bug you, to vibrate, to ring, to ding, you will not be able to get into flow state. You won't be able to do the work. The biggest thing robbing you from focus is the distraction that comes from this little device. Number eight is having lots of meetings. What I thought was productive was literally a distraction. Allowing people to take my calendar and make me busy and then not having the time to actually think. Did you know there's only one or two really important decisions you have to make every day? And if you don't have the to actually think about those decisions, then you'll just bog down by being busy but not moving forward. There's a massive difference between busy people and productive people. And being in meetings all day is just giving you permission to avoid the real big decisions. Number nine is trying to remember every fricking detail. I gotta tell you, my dad used to ask me all the time, like, hey, Dan, what about this part of the business? That part of the business? And I was like, dad, I don't know. And guess what? I got okay with that. Because the need to remember everything is gonna cause you from actually focusing on the things that are important. Can I get the answer? Yes. Do I need to remember and mem everything? No. Create the space in your brain to be able to make better decisions. Number 10, alcohol, partying, or honestly, any vice. When I looked at my life, I realized that success is not about adding a bunch of stuff. It's actually about taking things away. And the more I subtracted, I added to my life. I know that your next level is on the other side of you actually giving something up. You might not want to hear this. You might think it's okay to vape. You might think it's okay to gamble. You might think it's okay to play video games. I know that you know that next level is going to require you to kill that devil. Number 11 is answering random phone calls. Did you know in your phone you can. There's a setting, there's a toggle. It says any unknown number, send immediately to voicemail. That's a pro move. But I just stop answering my phone. Why? If I made a commitment to get something done, that thing has to get done. If somebody else wants my time, they can wait until I'm done. I just write down their name and call them back when I'm finished. Number 12. Trying to finish every book that I started. It's so funny how some people are like, did you finish the book? Did you read that book? I might have read the first chapter, maybe the third chapter. If it was good, I got to the fifth chapter. Every once in a while, a book's gonna keep my attention to the very end. I don't need to read the whole book. I'm just looking for one thing that I think can change my whole perspective. One nugget, one idea that'll give me something to move forward with. Once I got that, I might close the book, put it down and never visit it again. And that's okay. Number 13, multitasking in general. See, most people think they can. Multitask is actually fake. It's a focus tasking. So you go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Try to go A, B, C, D, E, F, g. Now go 1, A, 2, B, 3C. See how much slower it is. You're multitasking is actually fake. Lock and load, focus, and get the thing done before trying to do too many things at once before we get back to the episode. If you want to jumpstart your week with my top stories and tactics, be sure to subscribe to the Martel Method newsletter. It's where you'll elevate your mindset, fitness and business in less than five minutes a week. Find it@martell method.com number 14. Spending time with people that suck my energy. I had to get really honest. And it was hard because I was scared I was going to piss people off. To start choosing folks that when I spent time with them, when I talked to them, they gave me energy. They made me feel good about myself. Like, it's so crazy how it could be family members and friends, but it could also be people you used to look up to that all of a sudden start criticizing because you're making More progress than them. You need to protect your energy and do a friendventory and get rid of those energy vamp. Number 15. Trying to make everybody happy. Here's what I learned. Their reality is their reality. I'm not responsible for the reality they found themselves in. And I have no problem realizing some of my decisions may not make them happy. But if I know I'm doing them with the right intention, then that's on them to figure out their own story. Number 16, staying up late at night. I got to tell you, I turn into a pumpkin at 9pm and I'm okay with it. Last night I had a big dinner and I told everybody before I showed up, hey, if it goes late, that's cool, but I'm gonna peace out. And I did. Why? I'd rather upset a few people by going to bed early so that I have my mornings and I'm not groggy and tired. Because when I think of my life, I want to be focused. I care about my energy in the morning. I'm not going to ruin that by staying up late because somebody's got some social hour thing they want to do. What's funny is most people have an alarm that goes off to wake them up. I have an alarm that goes off to tell me to go to bed. Number 17, blaming other people. If you realize that your whole life, your situation, everything is 100% your fault and you are accountable for your creation, you will give yourself power. I don't want to give somebody else the power on my life. Number 18, saying yes to everyone. Here's what's crazy is the more you grow, the more people will want to ask you for things. The more you expand who you are and better your life, people will want to take some of your time. Learning to say no is the key. Saying yes to everybody will only lead you disappointed. So here's my philosophy. Sometimes we have to say no today to other people. To say yes to the goals that we plan for ourselves. Number 19, overthinking every damn decision. I had a mentor of mine say to me once. He said, the point of leadership is making decisions with imperfect data. If you got 70% of what you need to know, decide. Don't get stuck in the analysis. Paralysis. Most people are worried about making the right decision. I'm about making a decision and figuring out how to make it right. Number 20 was stop comparing myself to other people. The thing you actually may be inspired by me for is being me. 100% me. The most unique thing that you can do is be you. So here's the deal. You didn't live somebody else's life. I don't have other people's bodies. I don't have their brains. I have me. The only person I compare myself to is me from yesterday. If you do that, you will live a life that is uniquely yours. Thanks for listening to the Martell Method. If you liked this episode, could you do me a huge favor and go leave a review? This helps us get the podcast more ears and helps more people get unst reclaim their freedom and build their empire.
Podcast: The Martell Method
Host: Dan Martell
Episode Release Date: June 13, 2025
In this transformative episode of The Martell Method, host Dan Martell delves deep into the personal and professional changes he undertook to streamline his life and focus on what truly matters. Drawing from his remarkable journey—from overcoming adversity in his teenage years to building a $100 million empire—Dan shares 20 pivotal habits and mindsets he relinquished to foster both personal growth and business success. This comprehensive summary captures the essence of his insights, enriched with notable quotes and structured to guide listeners through his methodical approach to life simplification.
Dan emphasizes the importance of blending professional and personal spheres rather than keeping them separate. By doing so, he ensures that his family is present during his work time and his colleagues are part of his leisure activities.
Emotional regulation extends to dietary choices. Dan underscores that controlling what he eats boosts his confidence by honoring personal commitments.
He advocates for making decisions based on personal truths rather than societal expectations, ensuring authenticity in one's life journey.
Patience and sustained effort are key. Dan warns against shortcuts, promoting investments in long-term relationships and strategies.
Rejecting rigid schedules, Dan prefers a fluid approach to mornings, incorporating only essential practices that center and reset him.
Reliability is crucial. Dan highlights that consistently rescheduling meetings undermines his priorities and disrupts professional relationships.
To maintain focus, Dan describes his phone as a "professional distractor device" and advocates for turning off notifications to enter a productive flow state.
He differentiates between being busy and being productive, pointing out that excessive meetings can hinder critical decision-making processes.
Dan encourages delegating and trusting team members, freeing mental space to concentrate on significant tasks rather than minor details.
Success, according to Dan, is achieved not by adding activities but by subtracting distractions and unhealthy habits.
He adopts a disciplined approach by not answering random calls, ensuring that his commitments and priorities are upheld without external interruptions.
Dan practices selective reading, focusing on extracting valuable insights rather than completing every book, thereby optimizing his learning process.
He debunks the myth of multitasking, advocating for focused tasking to enhance productivity and efficiency.
Dan stresses the significance of surrounding oneself with positive, energizing individuals, even if it means parting ways with certain family members or friends.
Accepting that not everyone will be happy with one’s decisions is crucial. Dan highlights the importance of acting with proper intentions without seeking universal approval.
Prioritizing rest, Dan chooses to end his social activities early to preserve morning energy and overall focus.
Ownership of one’s life circumstances empowers individuals to make necessary changes and avoid relinquishing control to external factors.
As responsibilities grow, Dan underscores the necessity of declining additional commitments to maintain focus on personal goals.
He advises making informed decisions with available data rather than succumbing to analysis paralysis, emphasizing action over perfection.
Embracing individuality, Dan advocates for self-improvement by comparing oneself only to one’s past self, fostering unique personal and professional growth.
Dan Martell’s candid discussion on the 20 things he quit serves as a blueprint for listeners aiming to simplify their lives and enhance both personal fulfillment and business success. By eliminating distractions, fostering accountability, and embracing a focused mindset, Dan provides actionable strategies that resonate with anyone striving to break through barriers and achieve their full potential.
For those inspired to implement these changes, Dan invites listeners to subscribe to The Martell Method Newsletter for weekly insights and to explore his book, Buy Back Your Time, for a deeper dive into reclaiming personal and professional freedom.
If you found value in this episode, please leave a review to help The Martell Method reach and transform more lives.