I started out as a broke 17-year-old struggling with bad decisions, addiction, and ADHD.

But I'm going to share with you the 15 principles of success that took me from that to selling

three companies, writing a Wall Street Journal bestselling book and building a $100 million

empire.

Welcome to the Martel Method.

I went from rehab at 17 to building a $100 million empire and being a Wall Street Journal

bestselling author. In this podcast, I'll show you exactly how to build a life and million empire and being a Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

In this podcast, I'll show you exactly how to build a life and business you don't grow to

hate. My bestselling book, Buy Back Your Time is out now. Grab a copy at buybackyourtime.com

or at any of your preferred online retailers. Principle number one, use fear as a compass. I used to think working hard meant grinding.

My first company, I would do 100 hours a week, almost burning myself out. And it turns out that

working hard and doing the right thing are not connected at all. Working hard doesn't mean hustling.

Working hard means doing the thing that scares you. I always think of this awesome quote by Joseph Campbell that says, the cave that you fear to enter most holds the treasure that you seek, meaning the thing that you don't wanna do, that conversation, that decision, showing up to that place that gives the anxiety that freaks out a little bit, that's actually hard work. That's fear, and the fear is the compass in that situation. A lot of people get imposter syndrome, but it just means you're stretching your identity. If you're actually in a room when you're the bottom person in the room, you're in the right room. You just have to rewrite the story that you're telling yourself. It's crazy because fear is the path. The obstacle is the way, as Ryan Holiday would put it.

Fear just stands for false evidence appearing real.

So even though you're scared, that's what courage means.

Courage isn't taking action towards the thing you want because you're not scared.

Courage means in the face of fear, you make the right decision.

And fear acts as a North Star.

You have to take action before you convince yourself not to do it.

I would argue in that moment, do something quick. Because if you let your left brain convince you out of it, you're going to wake up one day wishing you would have made that decision.

Regret minimization is acting in spite of fear. Which brings us the principle number two, play to win, don't play not to lose.

I have so many rich friends that are always focused on

...