Welcome along and happy Sunday! I can gladly say this was one of the more productive weeks I’ve had in recent memory. Mainly because it was LA Tech Week and there were events all over LA to attend and make connections at.
It also shed light on what I’ve found to be my most glaring quality. However, before we get into the feature presentation, you know we’ve got our “wins and wobbles” trailers. “ACTION!”
Weekly Wins
LA Tech Week is one of my favorite times of the year. There’s so much energy, innovation, and creativity around the city. It’s the only time, outside of the “Netflix Is A Joke” Festival that the energy rivals that of NYC. This week, I was able to connect with other founders, hang out at a rejuvenation mansion, and support my friends in their events. HUGE WINS.
Guess it’s THAT time!
I’ve finally decided to start putting time aside to start writing my book. It’s something I want to exist in the world and I’ve gotta put pen to paper. I’ve compiled thoughts over the last two years and now it’s time to see what makes sense. As a subscriber to this newsletter, I plan to share details with you as the work unfolds! This entry is a taste of what the book will be like.
Weekly Wobbles
Being a CEO is hard. Like really hard. Everyone wants to be their own boss until they realize how much work it takes to build, scale, and sustain an idea. With that being said, before I attended my first event this week, I was feeling stuck. I knew I had to get back into the swing of things. I even knew what I needed to do, but just didn’t have the fuel to get started. Luckily, this week reinvigorated me and it’s back to work.
Alright, back to that most glaring quality I mentioned. There's always been something about me that's felt different. This week, I finally found the label: I'm delusionally confident.
Simply put, I believe in accomplishing the impossible. I don’t look at things the way most people would. My injury aside, I’ve always viewed challenges as complex puzzles that just require my full attention and effort to solve.
“But Chris, I know a lot of people that are like that. I’m even like this sometimes.”
Trust me, I get it. I’m in no way trying to put myself on a pedestal and neither should you. But, it is a concept that I think is worth exploring. I’ve made this little graphic of the 4 boxes I feel as though people fall into to explain it a bit better.
The Four Phases of Belief
COCKY: You're talking about what you're gonna do without actually doing it yet.
You know that person who shows up to the gym talking about how they're about to cook everybody? Then proceeds to go 0-for-7? That's cocky. It's all projection with no proof. You're borrowing confidence from a future version of yourself that doesn't exist yet. And here's the secret, cocky crumbles the second it faces real resistance because it rests on an imaginative foundation.
CONFIDENT: You've survived something and now you know what you're capable of.
This one's earned through reps. No more guessing. You've got raw data on yourself. You know what happens when you're tired, when you're scared, when everything's on the line. You've already done the thing that used to terrify you. Confident people don't walk into rooms announcing they're confident. You just are. It's quiet, it's calm, and it shows up when it matters most. The kids call it “aura.”
ARROGANT: You're actually good, but you need everyone else to know it too.
Here's where it gets interesting. Arrogant people have actually done the work. They have the experience. The difference? They can't just let the work speak; they need to speak for the work. It's confidence with a megaphone and heightened decibels of annoyance. They’re looking for applause instead of results. With my clients, I call this the “Gorilla Moment.” Someone just needs to beat their chest to show off as to say, “Look what I’ve done or what I’m capable of.” Usually, that need for validation means there's something they’re still trying to prove to themselves.
DELUSIONALLY CONFIDENT: You believe something about yourself that makes zero sense on paper… and you might be right.
This is my favorite spot to be and where I’ve spent most of my life. This is when someone decides they’re going to do something that nobody (including the logical part of their brain) thinks they can do. There’s usually no evidence it can work. Just unrelenting belief + undeniable action. Every major move in their life lives here. The difference between this and cocky? They back up the delusion with obsessive work when the lights and cameras are off.
A handful of seats left in the lounge!
As we went through the examples, I’m sure you thought of a person for each. Maybe you even thought of yourself. Personally, I’ve been all four at some point in my life. I’d say this a good thing because moving through all four phases has allowed me to act with humility on a daily basis.
Belief is an extremely powerful tool when used correctly. I’ve long echoed the thought that our mindset is our best medicine. It’s either rocket fuel or an anchor. Your choice.
Reminder: most people are dragging weight without realizing it.
I believe you’re capable of the impossible. This week, choose something to show yourself just how capable you are. Just do me a favor and don’t beat your chest after. Expect greatness of yourself on a regular basis and join me in the “Phase 4 Lounge” when you’re ready.
See you next Sunday! 🏁
PS: Only 4 slots left for my NYC event next week! Feel free to share if you know people who’d be interested in joining us.