The 126-Hour Workweek?

When Curtis Matsko began selling leather journals with his companion, he was on fire. 

“When we started,” he recently posted on LinkedIn, “the work might be 18 hours a day setting up and breaking down and selling at an art festival.” 

When there wasn’t a festival, he was making leather products in his garage by hand, asking local businesses to sell his handiwork on their shelves, or creating digital content to sell his stuff online. 

“I was investing 18 hours a day, 7 days a week into this business,” he said. “I would drink a lot of caffeine, I would work long hours, I would get obsessed and say, ‘We’re going to make this sh*t work!’”

What happens when you’re doing something you’re obsessed with? It doesn’t feel like work, and you can put in as many hours as you need.  

If you follow Curtis on LinkedIn, you’ll see a feed loaded with funny videos interspersed with inspiring wisdom about life. It looks like he and his staff are having a ton of fun.

He’s no longer working out of his garage, but he still works 18 hours a day. He says it’s what he wants to do.

And the proof is in the pudding: Last year, Curtis’ company made $128 Million.

How to Harness the Power of Passion

Passion is one of those superfuels that enables you to do the impossible. 

When you’re operating in your passion, it’s easier to focus and get into a state of flow. You’re also likely to learn things faster. 

And when something goes wrong, you can brush it aside and quickly find another way.

Having a strong purpose, a compelling mission, is the ultimate superpower. 

“But Jacob,” you might be saying, “passion isn’t something you can just switch on and off like a light.”

Well, maybe not. But there’s a lot you can do to uncover your passions.

Steven Kotler, the author of The Art of Impossible and a few dozen other books has a fairly simple process. 

You start by listing 25 things you’re interested in. Devote a little bit of time each day (even 20 minutes is enough) to study, read, or practice at least two of those things at a time. 

Explore the intersections where those interesting topics relate and connect to one another. This is where synthesis, discovery, and eventually obsession are born.

It’s also worth noting that passion is a two-way street. Not only do you put more time into something you’re passionate about…

…But you also become passionate about things you put more time into.

So at some point, all you really have to do is choose. What would you like to be passionate about?

And that’s where I might be able to help you.

This Thursday, January 18, I’m giving a short workshop on finding your mission or purpose. I’m going to share the same tools that enabled me to overcome my fears, change my thinking, travel the Mediterranean, bike the Appian Way, start a business, meet (and eventually marry) the love of my life, and so much more.

If you can join me for 90 minutes, you will learn:

• How to clearly define your purpose for the next 6-12 months in 2 sentences

• A psychological tool to drill down and find out what you really want 

• Two powerful weapons to defend yourself from Imposter Syndrome, fear, uncertainty, and other forms of resistance

You can sign up for it right here.

In case you’re wondering why I’m doing this, it’s because I want to fight the fear and negativity that seems to have engulfed the world over the last few years. 

If I can help you live with more passion and adventure, maybe you will bring about the next scientific breakthrough or the next masterwork of art. Or you might provide the inspiration for the person who will.

It’s a conspiracy to elevate humanity, and you’re invited!