Buddha once said … The mind is everything. What you think you become.
And then Victor Pride said … This is how you become.
Today is my 34th birthday.
In honor of this great day I am going to bequeath you my 34 secrets of life, liberty and the true pursuit of happiness … The people's pursuit of happiness.
Luckily for you I'm a kind and generous man, much like Buddha, and I have provided you this secret guide book generously free of charge.
You'll see why I am so generous when you see my 34th rule. But first…
People ask me how I changed from slave mindset to master mindset and I tell them honestly…
I never changed one bit. I became, just like a moth becomes a butterfly.
I thought about it and then as if by magic I became it.
You eventually become who you need to be, but it doesn't happen instantly.
It's not a snap of the fingers, it's a transformation that takes years and has to start sometime. This is that sometime.
These 4,000 words are worth more than 4,000 troy ounces of gold. You cannot buy this knowledge at any of the best universities.
Guard this master's course with your life and welcome to the War Book.
34 RULES FOR KILLERS AND REAL DEALERS
“My life depended on succeeding. If I didn’t, I would just be a useless piece of shit.” Mike Tyson
“Your life depends on succeeding. If you don't you will just be a useless piece of shit.” Victor Pride
This is exactly how to succeed in no un-certain terms.
1. It's All In The Mind
The battle is won or lost in the mind.
The battle is a formality to simply act out what has already been predicted and decided by the minds of the opponents.
The opponent conceded defeat in his own mind before the battle ever happened.
The general stuck his tongue out like a reptile and tasted defeat in the air and went out to find it.
2. Think Like A Master, Not Like A Slave
Everything starts in the same place: in your mind. In your thoughts.
Your thoughts are what eventually become reality so if you think like a slave you will be a slave, if you think like a master than your life will manifest that way.
Everyone will tell you “that's wrong, that's bad” and that's because they think like slaves.
That's what people with slave mindsets always say. “Don't succeed, don't rise above, stay here with us.”
Their advice is meant for slaves.
To become the master you have to think like the master.
3. If you really wanted it, you'd find a way to get it
If you wanted it, whatever it is, you would go out and find it.
Like the general who tasted defeat in the air and went out to find it, you would walk the earth until you found it.
If you really wanted it, you'd have it by now or you'd be too busy working to get it to complain about why you don't have it.
If you didn't want it, like most don't, you'd find a way to complain about why you don't have it. Because…
4. To get what you want all you have to do is take it
Getting what you want is easy.
When you want a donut, you go get a donut. When you want a coca-cola, you go get a coca-cola, when you want success you go out and get it.
If you want it then get your feet on the pavement and go out there and get it. Everything is there for the taking and anyone who disagrees is wrong.
Other people have success. How did they get it? They went out and took it. Why don't you have success? You didn't go out and take it.
You make your place in life. You make it and take it. You visualize it, attract it, make it and take it.
5. There's only the mission
The mission is the purpose of life and you must live for the mission.
If you can follow the mission to the end, you will seal your victory. Endurance wins every time.
You have to chip away the coal to refine your diamond. It can take time. Power through and endure.
6. Hard times don’t last, but hard men do
Remember what Batman said? It’s always darkest just before the dawn. The dark is when you'll be tempted to quit.
Weak men will give in and quit. If you never give in and quit, if you possess endurance, you will be victorious.
Endurance beats strength over every single timeline and a big part of success is just showing up every single day.
7. Deserve's got everything to do with it
Fairness is a religion of wimps. It doesn't matter if it's “fair” … The only thing that matters is balls.
Do you have the balls to do what it takes? No? Then sit down and cry about fairness.
If you don’t have the guts and the balls to do it then you deserve to take orders for the rest of your life.
If you don't have courage, if you're a quitter or even worse … a never-get-started type … then you deserve to take orders for the rest of your life.
If you have guts and balls then you deserve victory and success.
8. There is no better time than right now
Some people say “I'll do it later.” Those people are losers. Winners know that there is no better time than right now.
Get used to saying this “I will do it right now.”
There is no such thing as tomorrow when it comes to accomplishment. You cannot put off accomplishment.
The only way you will get anything tomorrow is by doing the work right now. Prepare for tomorrow right now.
9. Don't waste time, time is very important
What is the biggest part of success? Showing up every single day.
Time is the most important thing we have so you must not waste it.
A wasted day turns into two wasted days turns into a wasted year.
Never waste time playing video games when you could play the funnest game there ever was…
High stakes living … The funnest game God ever made.
10. You have to be ahead of the game
If you want to win the game you have to be ahead of the game. How? It's easy to be ahead of the game.
Here's how you do it: Do the work today and reap the rewards tomorrow.
You're automatically ahead of the game if you do the work. That's how you become a futuristic visionary, by doing the work right now.
Today they'll say “relax, man, have a good time” and in 10 years they'll say “wow, how did you become so successful? What are your secrets?”
You'll say “The secret was starting THEN not starting now. I did the work THEN, you are only seeing the work now. That's the secret … actually do the work. While you are busy oooh'ing and aww'ing at the new stuff coming out, other people are locked in a room creating the next wave of doo-dads that will make you ooh and ahh.”
11. Create your own future
It's easy to be a visionary because the future is not set in stone. Like Machiavelli once said, the future is half fate and half will.
A handful of people mold the future. The people who work hard today are the people who's future vision we all live in.
Visionairies shape the future because they're planning, building and dreaming while reactionaries are filing complaints about yesterday.
It's up to you to mold your future and you mold the future by starting today.
The ideas in your head today can become tomorrow's reality … If you do the work to make it tomorrow's reality.
12. To make tomorrow great, start today with discipline
Many people think success is a big, huge, impossible set of tasks so they never even try.
People make success sound so hard it becomes impossible. If they actually tried they'd find that success is easy and not hard.
People do too much of the things that don't matter and they don't do enough of the things that matter.
What matters most? The fundamentals matter the most. Anything that takes you away from the fundamentals is steering you off course.
To find success you strip away all that shit and keep the basics.
Start with the smallest habits because they make the biggest difference as detailed in the groundbreaking discipline strategy ebook 30 Days of Discipline.
To make tomorrow great, you have to follow 30 Days of Discipline today.
It starts today, it never starts tomorrow. Why? THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN RIGHT NOW.
13. Intelligence is required for success, but..
Yes you have to be smart to succeed but intelligence doesn't mean anything if you aren't willing to do the work.
Your “I CAN” is more important than your IQ.
You can be smart all day and all night but if you don't use your intelligence you may as well be retarded.
Intelligence is only worth something when you put it to good use, and complaining is not a good use of intelligence.
Many otherwise smart people make the stupid mistake of not working hard and relying on “good luck” to get ahead, and complaining about their “bad luck” when fortune doesn't fall into their lap.
14. Obsession and work ethic can beat lazy talent and intelligence
If talent isn't obsessed with being the best then talent will lose to those who are obsessed with being the best.
Winners will always find a way to win, even if they lack natural talent.
Winners give all of their time to their craft and you should too. THERE'S ONLY THE MISSION.
Conquer your mission with complete tunnel vision.
(For real big wins, be both talented and obsessed.)
Obsessed people tend to be the lucky people who catch a big break.
From Arnold to Zuckerberg, every great man was obsessed with his craft and was focused on himself, never on opponents.
15. Focus on YOU, never focus on them
To become lucky, let go of the loser/victim mentality.
When you quit the victim mentality and you start the champion mentality good things start happening for you automatically.
To be a big success, you have to think like a winner and not a loser or a victim mentality.
That's how you become lucky, you decide to be lucky by deciding to be a winner. It's as simple as that.
Winners win while losers complain about winners and luck comes to those who aren't complaining.
Lady Luck is a lady and just like all ladies on earth … She responds to winners and not whiners.
16. Be a PRO not an average Joe
The difference between the professional and the amateur is small. Tiny, actually.
What is the difference between a professional (someone who gets paid) and an amateur (who doesn't get paid)?
The professional THINKS of himself as a pro and the amateur thinks of himself as an amateur. They're both right.
How to get started the right way: Learn what you need to do and then do it pro from the get go.
Set yourself up as a professional and not an amateur from the beginning.
Save yourself time, money and hassle and do it the right way from the start.
Start thinking as a business rather than as “some dude” and start right now.
But what if you don't have experience?
17. Nobody has experience until they go get experience
You have to get experience to get experience, so what do you? YOU GO GET EXPERIENCE.
“I can't do that job because I don't have experience” is what retards say. Nobody had experience until they went out and got experience.
You do need experience, don't think that you don't, but “not having experience” is not a barrier to success; its an entry to success.
If you don't have experience, go get it. Get started right now. How do you think other people got experience? They got started, that's how.
If “not having experience” was actually a hindrance then no one would ever have a job because no one would ever get experience.
No one was successful before they were successful. It has to start somewhere. So start here and now.
18. Self-Study diligently
Experience starts with learning. You have to learn about what you're going to do before you go and do it.
You must self-study.
If you don't learn you'll stay stupid and useless your whole life. Mike Tyson was stupid and useless until he learned how to box like a champion.
Successful people acquire knowledge that helps them succeed. Read everything that can help you succeed.
Find a mentor if you can and take in information with your ears and eyes, not with your mouth.
19. Learn before you earn
This is the natural order of business: learn the craft, practice the craft, become efficient in the craft, become the expert in the craft, make the big bucks.
Lazy people want to circumvent the natural order of business. They want to make money tomorrow without doing any of the groundwork today. Bad business plan that never works out.
Big money comes from big skill. No money comes from no skill. If you have no skill, and you don't learn, this is exactly what you will make: nothing.
The man who tries to box Mike Tyson without first learning how to box is a man who will be knocked out nearly instantly.
If you try to make a bunch of money without putting in any time or study you will be wiped out instantly.
You cannot earn before you learn because it is impossible and the man who tries is a fool.
How will you make money in an industry when you don't know how to make money in that industry? You won't, obviously.
No one finds success before apprenticing and learning. You can't skip college and go be a dentist and you can't skip learning before earning in any industry.
20. Two rules for what you read
You have to be learning everyday. College is a total waste of time when you can self-study at a faster and more efficient rate.
Not to mention self-study is free. Read everything that pertains to your business.
Two rules for what you read:
- It must be inspiring or
- It must teach you something.
Anything else is for entertainment. Entertainment is fine AFTER the real work is done.
Being entertained while work is unfinished is what losers do.
Read these books to start.
21. How to pick the right idea to pursue
The biggest question is “how do I pick the right idea” and it's a pointless question to ask yourself.
You pick ideas the same way you pick a dog … The right idea will pick you, it will just jump out at you.
You don't sit around with a notepad jotting down ideas and a pros/cons list. The right idea is the one that immediately just makes sense.
The right idea will be the idea that was the easiest. It will be the one you don't even have to think about. It's the one that feels natural.
You just already assume the idea will work: “Yeah this will work for sure.”
That's the idea you pick because that's the idea that is doable, that's the idea that you will stick with and that's the idea that you are 100% sure will work.
How not to pick the right idea: If you come up with a new idea and everyone agrees that it's great … Then it's a bad idea!
The right idea will only make sense to you and possibly a few others at first. It will never make sense to the masses. Good ideas are always futuristic and visionary.
22. Never lose interest in your project by picking the right project
The biggest hurdle in “finding success” is losing interest in the project. If you pick the project you're obsessed with, you can't lose interest and if you do lose interest it's only temporary.
The right idea is the idea that a) you were already “open” to and b) makes complete sense to you and that's the type of project that you can be completely obsessed with.
Obsession is what wins so to ensure victory you will do the work you're obsessed with.
You cannot lose momentum and motivation when you are obsessed because you will not listen to any naysaying. Period.
Do the work you’re obsessed with so that you can win.
23. Become the company
The right project is one that you can totally immerse yourself in. Total immersion is how you actually get big success.
You don't become a mega-success by working PART-TIME!
It's a full time job and that doesn't mean a measly 40 hours a week, it means every day in every way you are plotting, planning and scheming.
Get rid of all distractions ad barriers and treat yourself like a company - YOU, INC.
Forget about business/life balance, that's for slaves who hate their jobs but spend 5 out of every 7 days there anyway.
Winners become the business and live it 24/7. There is no mastery with weekends off.
24. Work 7 days a week
Days off are for slaves. Master's work 24/7 because working 24/7 is completely natural when it's your business on the line.
How do you take a break from being the master? Get real. You have to always be on from now on.
Here’s the rule: If you’re awake, you’re working. Weekends, holidays are totally meaningless.
Now you are YOU and you follow your rules, you don't follow the weekends off rule for slaves.
The only thing that matters is your goal and if you picked the right business, not only will you never take days off … if you happen to have a day off you will feel nervous and anxious to get back to work.
Days off KILL MOMENTUM! You cannot constantly take a break if you expect to improve.
Only take breaks when the operation is running smoothly without you. Even then, you'll never really be able to take a break.
It's easy to turn your mind off of work when you hate your job, but when you're obsessed your mind never turns off.
Like the gamblers who are addicted to gambling, you'll be addicted to the game of business.
25. Play the game to win
It's all a big game. If you don't learn how to play it, you're gonna get played. If you aren't the one taking advantage, you're the one being taken advantage of.
It's like a high stakes poker game. One wrong bluff and you lose everything, but believing one wrong bluff can wipe you out too.
It's a very narrow line and that's the fun of it. Like drugs but better.
Life is all a game so have fun, enjoy it and play to win.
26. Business plans are useless
You need an overall strategy but you do not need a business plan. Business plans are too specific and too rigid to use in reality. Strategy is adaptable.
You never know which direction your business will take and a business plan cannot predict every little problem that will arise in the future.
Strategy is malleable and business plans are unbending.
27. Think about the big picture (Be like water)
New information comes in every single day. New information could come in that would make your business plan useless.
You could either follow your original business plan (into oblivion) or you could be flexible, go with the flow and adapt to the new changes.
Your mission can be unbending, your method cannot be unbending. Think about the big picture, don't think about the little steps along the way.
Be like water and flow with the current rather than trying to fight the current (and drowning in the process).
Think about where you want to get to, how to get there is unimportant as long as you get there.
28. Develop your big picture mission strategy
It seems hard to figure out what your life mission is but it isn't. It's easy.
Get out a pen and paper and write 5,000 words about what's important to you. The words should pour out.
After you have written everything you wanted to say about what is important to you, cut it down to the most important 250 words.
Yes, cut 5,000 words down to 250 words.
This will refine your mission to what is absolutely the most important. Cut any anything that does not help you achieve your goal.
Those 250 words should be your clearly articulated goal(s).
Be bold with your words
Words matter so choose your words wisely.
Your words should be spoken clearly, truthfully and without remorse like a man.
Say more with less
Less words, more meaning. Use words that mean something. Eliminate words that don't work.
Specifics are appropriate sometimes, but the theme is always important.
29. Think bigger by thinking smaller (FOCUS)
You don't need to learn every little thing about every little thing. You need to focus on the big picture and you focus on the big picture by thinking smaller.
Many times the easiest thing to do is also the best thing to do.
If you need some project done and you don't know how to do it, you could spend the time learning or you could get someone else who is already an expert to do it (saving you time and money).
Time spent away from your core focus costs you money, you learning a new skill when you could just pay someone to do it for you costs you money.
Concentrate on what you are good at and hire people to do the things that you don't excel at. Always do what you do best and let other people do what they do best.
You cannot do everything yourself and it's a big burden to try. Find experts to do what you can't and pay them to do it.
30. Create an ARMY to continue your work
Your team is your ARMY.
ARMYs all fight for the same cause and you want your team fighting for the cause instead of fighting for a paycheck.
Pay them well, of course, but pick people who are driven by more than a paycheck.
Don't spread yourself thin by multi-tasking.
You should only be focused on the key elements of your business. Let your employees focus on the other things, your attention is needed elsewhere.
If you focus on doing all the small things, your attention is divided and it's hard to get back.
Don't divide your attention, keep your attention where it should be: on the light at the end of the tunnel.
31. Impose your will
Your reality is not the reality of anyone else … but it should be.
Everyone on the team should be focused on the end goal … bringing your vision into reality.
To lead the ARMY your vision has to be clear and to make the future in your head a reality you must IMPOSE YOUR WILL.
Rather than following all the rules you should be making and enforcing the rules. Make your reality the dominant reality.
How do you impose you will?
32. Patience is key
You must learn to be a patient man and never act before it's time to act.
Acting impatiently can get you killed.
Patience can take you all the way from A to B in a straight line.
Know the mission, follow the mission, don't quit, endure with steady patience and one day you will…
33. Be the greatest there ever was
And people will follow you and believe in you. Now you're the greatest.
You got where you wanted to go now you help out those below you and teach the young and hungry soldiers.
34. Give back to the new generation
The new generation learns from the old shoguns.
This old Shogun will be giving back in:
NEW
WORLD
RONIN
Soon enough this battle plan will be in your hands.
If you are not yet in the B&D; ARMY join now by entering your email address below.
Your complete war book from the Shogun himself will come soon.
[UPDATED December 25, 2016. New World Ronin by Victor Pride is now available for sale. Check out New World Ronin here.]
Until next time.
Your man,
-Victor Pride
Excellent article as always Victor, thanks for the continued inspiration! I especially like #19 as most people never grasp that performance always precedes big pay. I use an analogy of a baseball player batting .200 in the minors…until they up their stats they get no chance in the Big Leagues. This example tends to resonate well with people.
Happy 34th and I look forward to your future articles!
-Drew
Thanks Drew!
Happy birthday Victor, keep up the good work!
Thanks Hassan!
Great post Vic. Sincere and strong.
Thanks Luis
I have a serious question for you, Victor. What role has visualization played in your success? This is something I poo-poo’d for quite some time but have recently been receiving lots of feedback about the importance of ‘seeing yourself as if you’ve already achieved your goal.’
I agree with you that everything begins in the mind but I’m curious how that plays out mentally. To what extent is visualization a useful technique in goal achievement and success?
Thanks, and happy birthday, Victor!
Visualization has been very important but I never consciously did it. It always came natural to me and it should be totally natural for you to vision your future. It’s another word for daydreaming, but it works.
Were your visualizations closer to thoughts or feelings/emotions? What was the root substance of your “daydreams?”
No my visions were quite clear. Very normal visions of everyday life, not of grandeur.
As in everyday life in the future? Seeing yourself as already successful?
When you say “quite clear” do you mean crisp details like sights, sounds, smells, feelings, etc.?
Really trying to de-mystify this, Vic. I appreciate it very much. Thank you.
“As in everyday life in the future? Seeing yourself as already successful?”
Yes, normal everyday life. Successful.
“When you say “quite clear” do you mean crisp details like sights, sounds, smells, feelings, etc.?”
No. VISION only. Visualization not smellization. The vision was clear.
“Really trying to de-mystify this”
Here you go. What are you going to do tomorrow? Go to work, go to class, go to the supermarket, go to the bank, go to the gym. That’s visualizing the future but it’s mundane so it doesn’t seem like it. Visualization is picturing today what you will do tomorrow, next week, next year etc.
This is better than gold. Gold is material, this is transcendent.
Have a great 34th, Victor.
Thanks Alexander.
Awesome! I’m hustling hard every day with my business, thinking like a big business, and closing hard on my sales, but man, leading my small team like an army and delegating? Never thought about it like that. Thanks for helping change my life, Uncle Vic!
Ps - you know Grant Cardone? I think you’d get along with him.
Thanks Remy. No, I don’t know who that is.
I like how your writing’s changed with time. Your first posts were good, but your new articles… They’re goddamn art!
Looking forward to New World Ronin. The wait has been long, but I suspect it’s been worth it.
Thank you Will!
Fantastic article Victor! Your book will be a smash hit! Looking forward to reading it.
“El Que Busca Encuentra!”
Thanks
Jose
Thank you Jose!
Happy birthday Victor!
Thank you Israel
Happy Birthday Victor
Thanks for this fantastic piece and for all the great knowledge you’ve passed on throughout the years.
30 Days of Discipline changed my life forever. I used to look forward to the weekend so I could binge on movies and bad food. Now I actually have to force myself to “relax”. Work is always on my mind. It’s become an addiction.
B&D is the one source of tough love all young men need, especially these days.
I look forward to reading Real World Ronin.
Have a nice day!
Thank you Loon!
I can definitely vouch for #28. People should take heed on that.
I will add my inputs. Yes words are definitely important. You don’t have to be all fancy with vocabulary but it does help to know many variety of vocabulary. The more words you know, the more you will be able to express yourself and connect yourself with many audiences. I’m still working on learning more vocabulary.
The thing I notice is the more I write, the more I can articulate myself better from previous days. Your words should flow like a rhythm. Remember short, concise and to the point is better than long and dragging words that don’t deliver powerful message.
Have brevity in your message. Quality over quantity. No need to speak 10 minutes when you can get the same message across in 2 minutes.
When reading articles or books, I highlight the most important key facts, words, and messages (sentences) and later I go back and re-read the parts I highlighted…. I first make sure I understand them. I re-phrase them and write them in my own words and my own ways and then I restructure them and try to condense and cut it down more if possible.
Then I write on doc, notepad, and make a pdf version of it and use it and apply the message in real life. Application after learning is important.
Now here is the challenge for anybody if they want.
Try to condense down what I wrote here and rephrase it and make it radiate the same meaning. I wrote like 20 ~ 22 sentences here (many of them run-on sentences and fragment problems). I’m sure if anybody could, they can condense that to 10 sentences and have it mean the same with perhaps better sentence quality and better choice of words.
This … I’m still working on everyday.
“When reading articles or books, I highlight the most important key facts, words, and messages (sentences) and later I go back and re-read the parts I highlighted…. I first make sure I understand them. I re-phrase them and write them in my own words and my own ways and then I restructure them and try to condense and cut it down more if possible.”
I do this same thing. I read, I study, I highlight, I copy paste, then I re-write in words that make sense to me. I take extensive notes this way.
Great article. I like how in this article you have taken specific subjects and points of view you have covered before, but now you have nailed them down to their essence, mixed them together and given the whole lot a new perspective.
If one had to compare some of your previous articles that related to the subject matter in the various points of the article to how you portrayed them here, there would be a real example of cutting 5,000 words down to 250.
Thank you for the article and have a happy birthday.
Thank you Alan
Happy Birthday Victor. This article moved me. I don’t require external motivation (anymore), but this did give me some more fire.
Thank you Dylan
Happy birthday Vic, great post as usual. The difference between your articles and the rest of the fluff is that your message and conviction can easily be felt. I can clearly see you as if speaking to each of us directly. Thanks for sharing this with us, I hope the lost ones who need to hear can find it and get a kick in the ass like I just did.
Thank you Edrick
Hey pal, this is a serious work of art. Just clipped this piece into Evernote. It’s definitely one to keep at hand. If this is what’s gonna be in the book, I can’t wait to see what’s in store man! Cheers for posting and sharing. Great stuff. DG
Thank you David
I am reading this article everyday for the foreseeable future.
Great advice like this is a gift I don’t intend to waste.
Happy birthday Victor. I recently had a birthday too. It wasn’t an official birthday but more important. I had the final surgury that cured my severe autoimmune disease.
I still have a long recovery ahead but I can get back to work instead of going in and out of hospitals. These guidelines came at a great time so thanks again.
My man. Great to hear.
Hi Vic! I’ve been reading your blog for years, and you never stop to amaze me with your special talent of motivating people. Thank you that you’ve been killing the sloth in us all this time. Keep it up! I’m looking forward to your new book!
Thank you Aleks!
Can we start hashtiagging #NWR? I fucking hate hashtags but I can get on board with hits one!!
Absolutely! #NWR dropping soon. #LifeChanging
A very happy birthday to you, VP. Best of luck here in California! And, as always, thanks for being a no-b.s. authentic voice.
Thank you Rich.
Happy Birthday Victor. I wish you good health and success.
Thank you Nestor, my fellow American.
Happy Birthday Victor. This is one of your best articles yet, if not the best ever.
Thanks Mo and I agree
Hey happy birthday so happy that you’re posting more often!
Thanks Cesar!
This morning I achieved doing 100 push ups in just 5 minutes. When I first tried doing them a few years back upon first buying 30dod It took me about 49 minutes, there was just so much hesitation and mental obstacles, now I just do them asap taking a breath or three in between each set.
Today in 4 min.
Maybe the info here helped idk crazy rapid improvement.
My man
First, Happy B-Day Vic.
Second, great article. I especially liked the part about work ethic winning out over intelligence. Both are important, but taking action wins every time. I read a quote by another entrepreneur that said, “even a mediocre idea put into action is still a thousand times more effective than a brilliant idea that remains stagnant.” Would you agree?
Thanks Brandon.
Greatest. Blog. Ever.
Couple typos: “Then site down and cry about fairness.” “The words should pore out”
Keep killing Shogun.
Thanks Marcus
Happy Birthday Vic!
All the best for you and the new Ronin army
Happy Birthday Victor.
This is probably your best article.
Guess what, just yesterday I was listening to Henry Kissinger (arguably the most successful diplomat in human history, and the only one who served as Secretary of State and adviser for all the presidents since JFK) mentioned your #13 using your exact words.
“Intelligence is required for success, but..” … he was basically saying that what is truly needed is willpower and hard work because working on great objectives (including being President) is often a very lonely life.
So, you got the seal of approval by Henry Kissinger. Not bad!
Thank you EA!
Absolutely loving this! Pure gold from start to finish.
Any rough guesstimate on when the book is out Victor? If this is the prelude, I can’t wait to read what’s inside.
Release date announcement coming soon!
Happy Birthday Victor! Thank you for a truly great article which will be read and re-read. Visualising tomorrow and being obbsessed about your mission are two elements that have been lacking in my life. That changes - now.
Thank you Marc.
Happy Birthday Victor and thanks for the continued inspiration and guidance! I am slowly breaking out of the worker/wage slave mentality thanks to you!
Thank you Mahomed!
Again 1 year passed. Still remember your 33rd birthday and the article from it. hehe.
anyway…even if you not care about it…
I WISH YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sir Victor Pride!!!
I will instantly buy your book when it is published.
Thanks for this amazing piece of art & wisdom again!
MAD
Thank you Marcello!
Happy Birthday Vic,
You have cause so much good in my life with your amazing book ’30 days of discipline” I am sure your next one will be even better.
Can’t wait.
Thank you Haim.
Just what I needed to read right now. When surrounded by the average person at an office job, your point about “if you’re awake, you’re working” can quickly become forgotten, as everyone celebrates the end of the day like some sort of cherished event.
Keep your focus, ignore the noise and keep doing your thing.
My man
Wow is this the book you were going to sell to us a while back, and just gave it to us for free? If so you are the man!
Oh full book forth coming.. nice…
You got it bubba
Looking forward to it!
Happy birthday
Thank you Johnathan
Fire brother. True fire coming off the page. Happy 34th!!
Thank you Mike
Happy birthday, Victor! May you go from strength to strength.
Thank you Marnie!
Happy birthday, Victor.
Killer words you’ve got. B&D is an absolute gold mine. Can’t wait to get a copy of NWR!
Thanks Joel!
New World Ronin… Now that is a beautiful title, for a beautiful message.
Thanks, and happy birthday Uncle Vic.
Thank you Justin.
“There is no mastery with weekends off.” love it.
Happy Birthday and keep killin’ it Vic!
Thanks SJ!
Happy Birthday, Victor. Make this year Your Best one yet!
Excellent post.
- Hoz
Thanks Hoz!
“If you don’t have experience, go get it. Get started right now. How do you think other people got experience? They got started, that’s how.”
Excellent advice. Looking forward to New World Ronin!
Thanks Alex!
happy 34th victor !
Im currently in bkk
reading your article……….. great article , always great inspiration
number 31 i my top rule , its amazing how paths open to you when you impose your will ( not always in a forceful way )
i have a mission statement i read it out 1-8 times daily for last few months and its amazing just by working and focusing on it how things are happening
currently on holiday in asia but still making money in australia on my telephone , it was a thought about 4 months ago but i have worked out how to do it
started new business 6 months ago in australia and doing well , last 3 years ive been living on my terms no security only opportunity , living on the edge and i love it
we will meet some day victor and my shout a big steak plus my stories of success
PS keep your podcasts and youtube videos coming
and talk about whatever , im sure theres something i will learn
All the best and nothing less Mark AUS
Thanks Mark
This is great. Flash back to exactly a year ago I was getting ready to go to dental school. Not because I wanted to be a dentist but because I assumed you had to become a doctor or dentist to be rich. I was so wrong.
I read 33 ways to be the greatest and that forever changed my life. A year later, I’m balls deep in creating my business and this article gives me 34 ways to improve.
Thanks Vic.
My man. Thanks Colten.
Dear Victore ,
Perfect article , you helped me fixing my life , I will never thank you enough , there something called : glutathione , I think if you research about it , you will find it extremely interested and I’m sure you will write article about it , because it’s extrodinary like you , only a hint.
Best regards ,
David
My man. Thanks David
To help get in the right mental state to receive what Victor wrote, pay attention to the opening of this post. 4,000 Troy ounces of gold equals over $5.3 million at the time of my writing this, so read this article with the same level of intention that you would if someone just offered you $5.3 million in cash but you declined and read this article in it’s place.
Great article as always Victor. Being surrounded by so much victim mentality, i never see how much it brings me down. All it takes is an article like this to remind me why I’ve been up for 2 hours and probably won’t get to lay down for another 16. It’s like a breath of fresh air, being reminded i’m doing the right thing. Happy Birthday man.
Thank you Jeremiah
Very precise, good, clear. I felt like you were talking just to me. These rules for success are universal
Hello again Victor
In Hamlet by Shakespeare, Polonius condenses your point quite well
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Hi Victor,
Another piece of gold added to the BAD treasure.
Special greetings on your 34th birthday!
But for me, this is your 6th birthday when you started this blog and started to see not only the true purpose of your life but helped a thousand others to achieve or at least gave them the direction and motivation to do the same.
You probably have some idea of how many lives you have changed through this awesome platform but trust me there are way more lives changed through your words than you could imagine.
I can say so because I am one of those people who read every single word, absorbs the message and take action but never let you know through comments or emails.
This is the first time I’m commenting. You can call people like me the silent subscribers.
I have been following BAD from 2012 and read every article you posted (or may be deleted later like Bodybuilding Then and Now) and some even twice or thrice.
I am always waiting for your next post.
You have motivated me to start my own blog.
BAD helped me to get out of the 9-5 rat race and peruse my dream.
I promise you the first dollars earned through my website will be used to buy the e-book.
On this special occasion, special thanks from your silent subscriber.
Thank you Akash!
Excellent Masterpiece Vic!
So what exactly is New World Ronin? I’ve seen you build up this excitement about the whole thing for a very long time. Is it a motivational comic book of determined samurais? Or something like that?
-Shyam M
Thank you Shyam. More info soon.
Happy Bday Big Vic.
Just did 34 pushups.
My man. Thanks Riz.
Happy birthday, Victor Pride. I’m a huge believer in your ideas and your website. I’m wanting to do it big for myself, too. Don’t lose your edge! What up with the California scenery!
Thank you Dino!
I’ve read ALL your articles, I’ve been following you since 2013 and I think this is your grand masterpiece.
Your work is truly impressive.
Thanks Lazar
Hey Vic. Happy Birthday man. Live long, Healthy and Happy!!!
What´s the new book about?
Thanks! Details will come soon.
Buddha once said … The mind is everything. What you think you become.” Buddha? Meh, heard of him, yadda, yadda. How about JESUS? He’s the ULTIMATE example, okay?
“Luckily for you I’m a kind and generous man, much like Buddha, and I have provided you this secret guide book generously free of charge.” Meh, Buddha is a mere man of flesh ‘n blood; he’s alright but nothing compared to JESUS. JESUS CHRIST is ALMIGHTY GOD! I got an even better book: the HOLY BIBLE (King James Version Holy Bible [KJV])! It’s an OPEN Book many unfortunately fail to take seriously and in so doing MISS OUT on GOD’S BLESSINGS and HIS MIRACULOUS POWER!
“The funnest game God ever made.” Yes, FINALLY give HIM some credit. About time…
Mr. Pride excellent advice as always and quite accurate but in all honesty you are MISSING OUT on the supernatural POWER of GOD in the midst of DOING YOUR WORK. What you say is good and works but it’s of the WORLD it’s not of CHRIST. It would “stand forever”.
Not saying your advice is NOT right. Your advice is correct and accurate BUT it lacks the *BONUS* Power of GOD’S BLESSINGS in your life; which is ETERNAL. The wonderful advice and insight you’re putting out is great but it only works for this *temporary* earthly life; it doesn’t affect the Afterlife.
Are you concerned about the possibility of an Afterlife Mr. Pride? I am, and now I know.
Any great thinker and visionary ultimately wants to know if “life” “really mattered” and what happens in “death”.
In case you don’t realize, man is a SOUL. Man has a SPIRIT. This is what distinguishes humanity from mere earthly animals. THIS is why humanity has an in-built “moral compass” and can experience feelings such as “guilt”: why would anyone by “guilty” if there was no universal “Right” or “Wrong”? Hence MORALITY. Hence HUMAN CONDITION. Hence AKA SIN.
GOD created MAN perfect in the Beginning but when Adam and Eve and of course *sin* that changed the trajectory of all mankind since… Still that does NOT change the FACT that GOD created humanity and ALL OF CREATION.
I am curious to know you “understanding” on Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity if you ever want to share? You could email me privately or maybe someday write an article about it.
Again, I’m not telling you want to do; but I’m letting you know that ONLY GOD can give you the actual *GOOD SUCCESS* in CHRIST that matters ETERNALLY. Not just in this temporary, earthly life to which we are not promised another day to life, but in the ETERNAL LIFE.
That’s why I like coming here to your site and reading your stuff. It’s SPOT-ON knowledge for anyone in this world unbeliever or believer of God; because IT WORKS.
My main concern is that in the SPIRITUAL PLANE of things, this material you bring out WORKS but doing this work as an unsaved unbeliever means a person will NOT gain the actual (ETERNAL) BENEFITS of “working” as a BELIEVER.
For example, say, I do all your advice being a CHRISTIAN. As a SERVANT OF LORD JESUS CHRIST all my earthly labours and ambitions done on earth is DONE IN CHRIST’S NAME, so when I “die” or “pass on” and go to Heaven to meet Lord Jesus Christ, all the “good work” I did on earth” is racketed up as my “credit” for GREAT HEAVENLY REWARDS and not just the temporary “earthly money” I still get while I’m here on earth. See what I’m saying? I’m earning money BOTH WAYS: Heaven AND Earth! But if I just “work” as an unsaved unbeliever, yeah, I’m generating an income, taking care of myself and personal responsibilities, family and such (which is GOOD and responsible to do in line with GOD’S WORD for ‘a man that does not work should not eat’) BUT at the end of the day, I’m “unsaved” so if I did in my “sins” from not trusting on Jesus Christ to be SAVED from my sins and inherit eternal life; I’m going to end up in HELL and NOT HEAVEN.
That’s the point I’m trying to make here.
Please Mr. Vic and anyone reading this: do NOT go down the “hellfire path”. GOD EXISTS. The Afterlife is REAL.
I challenge ANYONE to say contrary because I know GOD is REAL and there is a REAL HEAVEN and a REAL HELL.
Please do NOT find out the “ETERNAL HARD WAY” that “HELL” is REAL!
If you or anyone else is serious about wanting to know if “God” actually exists, I’m the man for the report.
Otherwise, excellent article as usual Mr. Pride.
~ Sincerely,
Bro. Jed
~ Sincerely,
Bro. Jed
(P.S. Happy birthday Mr. Pride! Can’t forget to mention that. Hope you had and are still having a good time in your life. May you be blessed in His Name. Amen!)
Give it to me.
Happy Birthday Man. I like the way you think. Also happy to see you add guts to balls matter, because physically growing balls is not on my adjenda. You hit a lot of points in what seems to be popular in social media, for instance, “Be like water and flow with the current rather than trying to fight the current (and drowning in the process)”. There’s a line in my senior quote back in high school, saying “..Go with the flow and have a good time..” which I have questioned after seeing some super cool memes. It’s not only dead fish that go with the flow;) I also believe that the good old days of hitting the pavement is where it’s at, which will leave many lost. I value and appreciate your wise words.
Thank you Alycia
Happy birthday Mr. Pride. You were to first to get me to get off my ads and start a website. Haven’t done much with the websites I have yet but you got me started. Have a great year.
Thank you Danny
Very great content. I am amped after reading it. The whole thing, too. That rarely happens, unless its something above the rest. Nice, Victor
Thank you Tom
Wonderfull post Victor. Keep up the good work and happy birthday.
Thank you Ravi
Inspirational victor! Life changing. Happy birthday! Thanks
Thank you Olive!
@victor
“I never changed one bit. I became, just like a moth becomes a butterfly.”
Moths don’t become butterflies. They are 2 separate species. I think you meant to say ‘just like how a caterpillar becomes a butterly’ ;)
Powerful, powerful words. Looking forward to the new book!
Thanks Jonny
Knocked out of the park man. I am always eager to read a new post of yours.
I’m in my grind as well and your content resonates with me.
Thanks Remus
That s my man.
Hey Victor, I am currently 20 years old back home from college and I am working a part time job at GNC. I am looking to invest in real estate and get my financial health figured out so that I can be financially free by 24. Should I continue working at GNC (22 hours a week) for the little extra cash or put all my focus onto becoming financially free. Thanks my Man.
You need money so you need to make money so until you make money on your own you need a job.
DAMN! Vic! Fucking POWERFUL words as usual,this Article hit me right in the soul! Thanks for everything.And Happy Belated Birthday!-Scooter
Happy 34th birthday Victor. Your writings are truly inspiring. And your name is appropriate for you.
Regards
John. V.
Thank you John
Great article and belated happy birthday, Victor.
For me I find #28 very helpful because I couldn’t find the right purpose in my life yet. I am in my second 30 DoD and I began to doubt and thought, maybe I am born to be a slave. But I think there is hope, because the feeling in me of being displaced in an office with negative cowards and unsatisfying work is a feeling a zombie doesn’t have.
Thanks to you I feel the manly site growing in me from day to day. Looking forward to your book. Thank you for your motivational articles and stay in good health!
Thank you Stephan
Victor,
You are articulating what I have known and practiced my WHOLE LIFE! I am 46yrs advanced (did you get that one lol) and did not understand the digital money making power of the blog.
I do now.
Even funnier is that I was a self proclaimed Ronin at age of 35. Once you see my email address you will understand.
I am financially independent, I have walked through the fire to succeed and I am STILL GOING! day in and day out churning and burning.
I believe it is time to share my knowledge of total VICTORY with the soon to be WINNERS.
Very soon I will join BADNET and let the world know.
Nikko
My man. Thanks Nikko
Happy Birthday Victor I’m a long time reader and you better believe I’m going to buy that book
Thank you Sotelo.
you’re a god damn modern day hero Vic
I agree and thank you.
Vic, what’s your opinion on college if it’s free? I’ll be a junior this fall at a widely known state university, and these past three semesters have been free from scholarships and grants, and semesters prior have been dirt cheap. This will will also be free. I’m studying computer network security, so I won’t have a wasted degree. What do you think?
If I could go back in time to when I was 18 and I had the option of attending college for free, I would not go. That’s me personally.
Do I really need self study? I’m studying computer science at my college which you can’t self study on my own since it needs a lot of projects and hands on learning… I don’t think reading a bunch of books like you said above will help
Nah, you’re the exception to the rule. Great wisdom will come to you without you having to do anything, like studying, to attain it.
So your self study advice is for people in non technical fields? I don’t see how I’m the exception to the rule.
Hi VP. Great stuff as always, however moths and butterflies both come from caterpillars, not one turns into the other. Just picking it up because I know that you want your work to be absolute top dollar!!
Looking forward to the book, and more great stuff from B&D.
Hi Victor,
I am taking Kratom and clonazepa, L-Theanine, and run 6 miles a day to stay happy.
I made some mistakes in the past. The thoughts of those keep haunting me. I repented, pray to God everyday to make the thoughts go away. I am very much an introvert unless I have a few drinks. Do you have some advice to get happy again.. because I don’t feel happy anymore.
Thanks,
Robert
FYI, “The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming…” is said by Harvey Dent not Batman.
Vic, I have a question. You mention never stopping work, as long as you are awake and weekends and holidays meaning nothing, but what if you have a family?
I grew up with a father that was so busy working 24/7 that he rarely had a day to spend with me and I still feel sad about it to this day. I don’t want to do that to my kids in the future.
Do you have any thoughts on this ?
Yeah, here are my thoughts on exactly what you just asked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH4UCwG-c-A
Great article.
I especially love the black and red ronin graphics with quotes.
I’m going to use some of them as wallpapers on my computer.
Maybe you should sell poster sized ones like those motivational posters people put up in offices.
Thanks for all the great info.
All the best,
D
Rule 34. There’s nothing to give back, you’ve not taken anything from this new generation. I used to like “paying forward” from that Kevin Spacey movie, but that sounds like you’d expecting a defined return, which is foolish. “Giving forward” or “mentoring” is probably more accurate, you’re trying to steer them right. Still you’re the published author, what do I know, right? That bit’s gonna be annotated in my copy, is all.
Say it however you like my friend.
Hi Victor, I appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge.
Permit me to post the 34 Rules here as plain text. I printed them out and hung them to the wall on an A4 sheet, helps me keep focused:
1. It’s All In The Mind
2. Think Like A Master, Not Like A Slave
3. If you really wanted it, you’d find a way to get it
4. To get what you want all you have to do is take it
5. There’s only the mission
6. Hard times don’t last, but hard men do
7. Deserve’s got everything to do with it
8. There is no better time than right now
9. Don’t waste time, time is very important
10. You have to be ahead of the game
11. Create your own future
12. To make tomorrow great, start today with discipline
13. Intelligence is required for success, but..
14. Obsession and work ethic can beat lazy talent and intelligence
15. Focus on YOU, never focus on them
16. Be a PRO not an average Joe
17. Nobody has experience until they go get experience
18. Self-Study diligently
19. Learn before you earn
20. Two rules for what you read
21. How to pick the right idea to pursue
22. Never lose interest in your project by picking the right project
23. Become the company
24. Work 7 days a week
25. Play the game to win
26. Business plans are useless
27. Think about the big picture (Be like water)
28. Develop your big picture mission strategy
29. Think bigger by thinking smaller (FOCUS)
30. Create an ARMY to continue your work
31. Impose your will
32. Patience is key
33. Be the greatest there ever was
34. Give back to the new generation
Thanks Andrei!
Man, this article is akin to having a full-course meal at a 5-star restaurant:
You go back to it every once in a while, and it’s just as good as the first time, and you notice something great that you didn’t see the previous times.
I noticed that New World Ronin is back in stock on Amazon, any chance of it being included in you affiliate program?
-Justin N.
Hey Vic, I just realized you don’t have New World Ronin for sale anymore. How come you stopped selling it?
I want to get the pdf version of the book “new world ronin”, and all your pages seem unavailable. Please help me buy it.
Regards,
Akshay
Hey Brother I havent been able to find any kindle or electronic copies of your New World Ronin book for sale.
The Paperbacks are selling at a premium - I think you would sell a lot of copies regularly if you had it for sale on Kindle or elsewhere.
I hope I can pickup an electronic copy soon wherever you sell it.