Welcome back to Book Bites. You know us, big ideas and small bites. That's right.
And today we're looking at High Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard. Yeah. Now, he's kind of a big name in self-help, you know, lots of people follow him.
But this book, it's gotten some mixed reviews, right? It has, yeah. Some folks say it's like completely changed their life. Other people, they say it's a little repetitive or maybe not super original.
So is it worth your time? Well, that's what we're here to figure out. Exactly. We're going to break down the main ideas and you can decide for yourself.
It's funny how some of these self-help books get people so worked up, you know, like they either love it or hate it. Totally. But before we get too deep into this one, I think it's good to step back for a second.
Okay. What does Burchard even mean by this high performance? Right. It's easy to think like super intense workaholic, go, go, go all the time.
Yeah. But what Burchard actually says is it's about getting, you know, above average results consistently over a long period of time. Right.
It's not about a short burst of energy. Yeah. And he's really clear that it's not like you have to be born with some special talent or personality to do this.
It's about habits. That's what he says. He uses the example of like Olympic athletes, you know? Oh, yeah.
They don't just wake up one morning and win gold medals. Right. It's years of training.
Yeah. It's the consistent practice and discipline over years, sometimes even decades. And what's cool is like Burchard didn't just like make this stuff up.
Yeah. He did his research. He actually went out and interviewed like all kinds of high performers.
From all walks of life. Like entrepreneurs, artists, even philanthropists. Yeah.
He wanted to see if there were common threads that ran through their lives. That's really interesting. And what he found was these high achievers, they share certain habits.
And those habits, that's what led him to these six core habits that he calls the HP6. Which is the like foundation of his whole high performance system. Yeah.
So just to be clear, this isn't some quick fix, right? No. It's not about overnight success. It's about cultivating these habits over time.
So what are the habits? The six habits are clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, and courage. Okay. We're going to get into all those.
Yeah. But one that really stood out to me, and I want to get your thoughts on it, is this idea of clarity. Yeah.
That's a big one. Because it's not just about like setting goals. Right.
We've all heard that a million times. Yeah. Write down your goals.
Make a vision board. Blah, blah, blah. Exactly.
Burchard goes deeper. He says it's about knowing why you want something. Okay.
So it's not just what you want, but W-H-Y. Exactly. It's about making sure your goals actually match up with your values.
So it's like finding that sweet spot where your work actually makes you feel good. Yes. Where it feels meaningful and fulfilling.
He even talks about having like a personal clarity statement. Right. It's not just a vague idea.
You actually write it down. So you're not just like drifting along. You're making a real choice.
It's about being intentional, deciding what matters most and what success really looks like for you. Okay. So we've got clarity as like the starting point.
The foundation. But then we get to this idea of energy. I'm guessing it's not just about drinking lots of coffee.
No, not at all. It's much more than that. He talks about mental energy, physical energy, and emotional energy.
Okay. So he's looking at energy on like all these different levels. Right.
And he argues that most of us, we burn out in all those areas. Yeah. I think we've all felt that at some point.
Definitely. And so he gives all these strategies for managing each type of energy effectively. I like the way he talks about the 45, 60 minute rule.
You work intensely for 45 or 60 minutes and then you take a short break. Yeah. Even just a few minutes away from your desk or whatever you're doing can make a huge difference.
It really can. You come back feeling so much more refreshed and focused. He also talks about planning your day based on your energy levels.
Like if you're a morning person. Right. So if you know you have more mental energy in the morning, schedule your most demanding tasks then.
So it's about working with your natural rhythms instead of fighting against them. Exactly. Work smarter, not harder.
Right. That's it. Okay.
So we're clear about our goals. We have a plan to manage our energy. Right.
But how do we actually get ourselves motivated to take action? Right. That's where necessity comes in. Okay.
Tell me more about that. This one always sounds kind of intense to me. Yeah.
It's an interesting one. So Birchard, he talks about the importance of having something you're truly fighting for are. Okay.
Like a cause or something? It could be a cause. Yeah. Or it could be personal standards.
Okay. Or responsibility to others. I see.
It's this sense of necessity. Like you have to do this. Yeah.
That gives you that extra push. To keep going even when things are tough. Exactly.
He has this line that really struck me. He says, we will do more for others than we will for ourselves. That's powerful.
It makes you think about like the power of purpose. Right. It's not just about personal gain.
It's about something bigger than yourself. And he's honest about the fact that sometimes this necessity, it comes from like difficult situations. Right.
It might be a health scare, a financial crisis, even a personal loss. Wow. So sometimes it's these like really challenging moments in life that make us realize what's truly important.
Exactly. Of course, we don't have to wait for something bad to happen. Yeah.
Hopefully not. But it is interesting how these moments of adversity can reveal what we really care about. It's like that saying, necessity is the mother of invention.
Sometimes we need a little push to really step up. Exactly. So we've got our goals, our energy management plan.
And now we've found our why. That thing that's driving us. But how do we actually translate all that into results? Right.
How do we get things done? That's where productivity comes in. Okay. So this is where we get into like time management and all that.
In a way, yeah. But Burchard, he focuses on what he calls prolific quality output. He calls it PQO for short.
PQO. I like that. What does it mean though? So it's not just about doing a ton of work, right? Okay.
It's about making sure that the work you're doing is high quality and actually matters. So it's about focusing on what's really important. Exactly.
Because I think we've all been there, right? Oh yeah. Stuck in that cycle of busy work. Endless to-do list.
And you're not even sure if any of it matters. Right. You're just checking boxes, but not actually moving forward.
So how do we avoid that? How do we focus on the stuff that really makes a difference? Well, he has this other concept he calls the five moves. Five moves. What's that? So the idea is you identify the five most crucial actions or projects that will actually get you closer to your goal.
So it's about being strategic. Exactly. It's about focusing on the things that will have the biggest impact.
Not just getting lost in the little details. Exactly. He gives a lot of examples of how to apply this concept in different areas of life.
Let's say you're starting a business. Your five moves might be market research, product development, creating a sales funnel, putting together your marketing materials, and securing funding. So by focusing on those core things, you avoid getting sidetracked by less important tasks.
Right. It's about staying laser focused on the things that will move the needle. I love that.
It's so easy to get overwhelmed and try to do everything at once. Yeah. We try to multitask and end up getting nowhere.
Exactly. Okay. So we've covered a lot of ground here.
Clarity, energy, necessity, productivity. Yeah. We're making good progress.
We're really getting into these HP6 habits. What's next on the list? Well, next we move into the more social side of things. Okay.
With influence and courage. And these might seem a little out of place in a book about achieving goals. Interesting.
But Burchard, he makes this connection between these habits and personal growth, becoming the best version of yourself. Okay. I'm really curious to hear more about that.
Let's take a quick break and then we'll unpack these two really interesting concepts. Sounds good. So we were talking about influence and courage.
These two habits that Burchard includes in his HP6. Yeah. They seem to take us beyond just personal productivity.
Right. It's not just about getting things done for yourself. It's about how you interact with the world, how you make a positive impact.
So what's his take on influence? Because that word sometimes gets a bad rap. Yeah. You think of manipulation or something.
Right. Trying to get people to do what you want. But Burchard, he's talking about something different.
He sees influence as this ability to inspire people, to lift them up, to share your knowledge and experience in a way that helps others grow. I like that. So it's about using your influence for good.
Exactly. He even talks about becoming like a high performance role model. A role model.
Yeah. Interesting. So it's not just about achieving things for yourself, but setting an example for others to follow.
Right. And that could be in your family or community, your workplace, wherever you have an impact. He also mentioned sharing your truth, which seems pretty vulnerable.
Yeah, it is. But he argues that being authentic, that's actually a key part of having real influence. So it's not about pretending to be perfect or always having all the answers.
No, it's about being real, being yourself. Even when it's tough. He gives this example of a CEO who had to lay off a bunch of employees.
That's a tough situation. It was a really difficult decision. But instead of trying to sugarcoat it, the CEO, he was honest with his team.
He told them the truth about what was happening. Yeah. He was transparent about the challenges the company was facing and it was hard.
But in the end, it actually earned him more respect from his employees. So it's about being honest and upfront, even when the message isn't easy to hear. Right.
Because people can sense when you're not being genuine. So true. OK, let's talk about courage.
That seems super relevant these days. Like it takes a lot of courage to be yourself and speak your mind. Absolutely.
And what's cool is Bircher, he doesn't just talk about courage in this like big heroic sense. Like running into a burning building or something. Right.
He focuses on those everyday acts of courage that we often don't even think about. Give me an example. So like speaking up for what you believe in, even when you know it might be unpopular.
Oh, yeah, that could be really scary. It can be. Or setting boundaries in your relationships, even when it's hard.
Yeah, that can be challenging, too. Or pursuing your passions, even when other people doubt you. Those are all great examples.
They might seem small, but they take a lot of courage. They do. And those little acts of courage, they can have a big impact on your life and on the people around you.
He has this quote that I love. He says, the most courageous acts are often done quietly, without fanfare or recognition. It's so true.
It makes you think about all those people throughout history who stood up for what they believed in. Yeah. Even when it was dangerous.
Right. They risked their lives, their reputations, everything. And we might not be called to make those kinds of sacrifices, but we can still practice courage in our own lives.
In our own ways. Every single day. By challenging ourselves to step outside our comfort zones.
To do what we know is right, even when it feels scary. I love that. So we've covered all six of Bertrand's HP6 habits.
Clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, courage. Yeah, it's quite a framework. But I'm curious, what about the people who don't love this book? What are some of the criticisms? Well, one common complaint is that some people find his writing style a bit repetitive.
Like he says the same things over and over again. He does tend to hammer home his points. And he uses a lot of motivational language, you know.
Okay. Which for some people, it can be a bit much. Yeah, I can see that.
It's like, okay, I get it already. But I also think it depends on the person. Some people love that motivational stuff.
Right. It gets them fired up. While others are like, just get to the point.
Exactly. It's a matter of personal preference. Another criticism is that some of his ideas, they aren't really new.
Like it's stuff we've heard before. Right. It's common sense advice, but dressed up with fancier language.
I think there's some truth to that. But sometimes we need to hear those things again. Yeah.
Sometimes it takes hearing it in a new way or at the right time in your life. And I do think Burchard, he's good at making these concepts engaging. He tells good stories.
Yeah. And he uses research and examples from his own life. Right.
He's not just talking at you. He's trying to connect with you on a personal level. And even if the ideas aren't totally original, I think the way he organizes them into this HP6 framework, that's helpful.
It gives you a structure, a roadmap to follow. So even if you've heard some of this stuff before, having it all laid out in this way can be really valuable. I think so.
It's like he's giving you a toolkit. Okay. And you can choose which tools you want to use.
That's a great way to put it. But it's not all positive, right? He also talks about the potential downsides of high performance. Yeah, he doesn't shy away from that.
He talks about these three traps that high performers can fall into. The traps. Tell me about those.
So the three traps are superiority, dissatisfaction, and neglect. Those sound pretty intense, and they seem like they could sneak up on you, even if you're successful on the outside. Right.
You could be achieving your goals, getting things done, but still feel empty or burnt out inside. And he actually tells this story about a high-powered executive, you know, super successful guy. Yeah, top of his game.
But he was so focused on work, on achieving more and more, that he neglected his family and his health. It's a classic case of work-life imbalance. And it eventually caught up with him, you know, he had a breakdown.
It forced him to step back and really reevaluate his priorities. So it's like a cautionary tale. High performance can come at a cost if you're not careful.
Right. It's a reminder that true success isn't just about external validation. It's about living a life that feels good on the inside, too.
It's about feeling fulfilled and aligned with your values. Exactly. So how do we avoid those traps? Burchard, he gives some strategies.
What resonated with you? Okay, so last time we were talking about those high-performance traps that Burchard lays out, right? Yeah, right. Superiority, dissatisfaction, and neglect. And they can be really sneaky, because you might think, oh, I'm hitting my goals, I'm successful.
But these traps can still be lurking underneath. Yeah, they're like the flip side of the positive habits. He even tells this story about a high-powered executive who was killing it in his career, but he was so focused on achieving, achieving, achieving, that he totally neglected his family and his health.
That's a common story, unfortunately. And it eventually led to a total breakdown. He had to completely reevaluate everything.
It's a reminder that success isn't just about what you achieve on the outside. Right. It's about the whole picture.
It's about living a life that feels good, that's aligned with your values. Okay, so how do we avoid these traps? Burchard gives some suggestions, but what really stuck out to you? Well, for superiority, he talks about the importance of humility. Humility.
That can be tough, especially if you're used to being the best at what you do. It's about recognizing that you don't have all the answers, that there's always room for improvement. So it's like being open to learning from other people.
Exactly. Even if it means hearing things you don't want to hear. Like getting feedback, even if it's negative.
Yeah, because feedback, even if it's tough to hear, it can help you grow. And it's about having a growth mindset, right? Exactly. It's about seeing challenges as opportunities to learn and get better.
Not as threats to your ego. Right. Because if you're always trying to protect your ego, you're not really open to learning and growing.
Okay, so humility for superiority. What about dissatisfaction? That feeling of like, it's never enough. Yeah, that's a tough one.
For dissatisfaction, Burchard suggests focusing on gratitude. Gratitude. So like appreciating what you have instead of always wanting more.
Exactly. It's not about ignoring the challenges or pretending everything's perfect. It's about making a conscious effort to notice the good things in your life.
I've heard about like keeping a gratitude journal. Yeah, that's a great practice. Just taking a few minutes each day to write down things you're grateful for.
It sounds kind of cheesy, but I've heard it can really make a difference. It can. It's like retraining your brain to focus on the positive.
Okay, so humility, gratitude. What about neglect? That seems like a big one, especially for high achievers. Yeah, because it's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget about taking care of yourself.
Right. You're so focused on achieving your goals that you neglect your health, your relationships, all that stuff. Exactly.
And for that, Burchard emphasizes setting boundaries. Boundaries. Okay.
So like saying no to things? Yes. Learning to say no to things that drain your energy or distract you from your priorities. So it's about protecting your time and energy.
Exactly. He even talks about making a not to do list. A not to do list.
Interesting. It's like a reverse to do list where you write down all the things you're not going to do. I love that.
It's a way of being proactive about how you spend your time and energy. So it's like saying, these are the things that are not serving me, I'm letting them go. Exactly.
Okay, so as we wrap up our Book Bytes on high performance habits, what's the main takeaway you want listeners to remember? Well, I think the biggest takeaway is that high performance, it's not just about external success. Right. It's about creating a life that feels good on the inside and the outside.
It's about finding that balance. And it's about cultivating those habits, both internal and external, that support your well-being in the long run. So it's about taking care of yourself, setting boundaries, practicing gratitude, being open to learning.
Yeah. It's about the whole package. And while high performance habits might not be for everyone, I do think it offers some really valuable insights and tools for anyone who wants to live a more fulfilling and impactful life.
Well said. And that concludes our Book Bytes exploration of high performance habits by Brendan Burchard. If you liked this breakdown, be sure to subscribe to Book Bytes for more big ideas and small bytes.
And if you're feeling generous, leave us a five-star review. It helps other listeners find the show and join our community of lifelong learners. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep striving for your own version of high performance.
