From: alexhormozi
The most challenging respect to earn is one’s own [00:00:00]. Achieving significant results, whether financial success or personal improvement, hinges on understanding the core drivers of progress: external results, the actions that lead to them, and, most importantly, the identity of the person performing those actions [00:52:00].
The “Be, Do, Have” Framework
Success is often mistakenly focused solely on the external “have” — the desired result like making more money or achieving a certain physique [00:56:00]. However, this is only one part of the equation. The full framework encompasses three elements:
- Have (External Result): The desired outcome, such as wealth, a six-pack, or specific accomplishments [00:56:00].
- Do (Processes & Behaviors): The actions, behaviors, and activities that lead to the desired goal, such as doing the necessary work [01:01:00].
- Be (Identity): Becoming the type of person who consistently performs those necessary actions, aligning one’s identity with the desired behaviors [01:09:00]. This concept, often discussed by behavioral psychologists and notably by James Clear in Atomic Habits, highlights that “be, do, have” is a fundamental principle in personal development [01:22:00].
Goals alone are insufficient for success, as winners and losers often share the same goals [02:16:00]. For example, all Olympic athletes aim for gold, and all businesses seek to increase profits [02:18:00]. Simply writing down a goal means nothing without the underlying behavioral and identity shifts [01:58:00]. While setting a direction is beneficial, the true differentiator lies in the behaviors and the person one becomes [02:37:00].
The Keystone Habit: “What Would This Type of Person Do?”
The most effective “hack” for personal growth and achieving goals is to consistently ask: “What would a person who does this type of thing do in this instance?” [04:04:00]. This simple mental cue serves as a powerful “chorus” that can guide daily decisions and actions [04:52:00].
Examples of this question include:
- “What would a wise man do?” [04:18:00]
- “What would a billionaire do?” [05:12:00], [11:20:00]
- “What would someone 10 times smarter than me do in this situation?” [06:03:00]
- “What would a person with a six-pack do?” [07:07:00]
- “What would an amazing husband do?” [07:13:00]
- “What would Jesus do?” [09:46:00] – This is a powerful, tangible example of this framework in the Christian faith [10:07:00].
This framework is much simpler than trying to remember a complex checklist of activities [05:01:00]. By focusing on being the desired person, the necessary habits and actions will naturally follow [07:25:00]. The identity itself becomes the primary driver of consistent, effortless behavior [05:44:00].
Actions Reinforce Identity
Your identity is a “voting system” where each action you take casts a vote for the type of person you wish to become [04:39:00]. Simply saying affirmations like “I am a lion” without corresponding actions does not make them true [06:33:00]. To internalize a new identity, one must create evidence through consistent activity [06:53:00].
The etymology of “identity” reinforces this: it comes from “identical beingness” or “repeated beingness” [08:29:00]. This means what you repeatedly do literally becomes who you are [08:35:00]. This creates a reinforcing cycle: “I am this type of person, therefore I do these things, and because I do these things, I am this type of person” [08:45:00]. This mindset shift allows for consistent behaviors and daily routine and productivity strategies that will lead to deep, long-lasting change [03:37:00], [05:37:00].
Even when confronted with unexpected situations, asking “What would this type of person do?” provides a robust framework for decision-making because it encompasses all desired traits, rather than relying on a fixed plan [09:24:00].
Applying the Strategy to Achieve Your Goals
To implement this winning mindset and impressing future self, first identify the type of person you wish to become [12:45:00]. Then, make that identity the “chorus” or internal question you ask yourself at every crossroad and decision point throughout your day [12:49:00].
For example, if the goal is financial success, instead of just writing down monetary targets, consider: “What would a billionaire do?” [12:20:00] The commitment to activities that align with this identity is the true goal [12:06:00]. When one makes a lot of money in a month, that’s not the achievement; the achievement is the consistent commitment to the activities that led to it [12:14:00]. This mindset shift reinforces the internal identity.
The speaker notes that most people already know what they need to do to achieve their goals, such as losing weight, but they simply don’t do it [13:30:00]. The challenge is often one of action rather than knowledge [13:40:00]. If one’s family were kidnapped, the motivation to take massive action would reveal that the knowledge of what to do was always there [13:47:00].
People who achieve extraordinary things consistently do the “uncommonly obvious thing” for an extended period [15:00:00]. They act because it is who they are, not just to achieve an external outcome [15:08:00]. This internal motivation ensures sustained effort and long-term results, as opposed to pulling back once a short-term external goal is met [15:15:00]. This represents a powerful application of creating habits for product use (metaphorically, for personal growth).