Being Badass

We all have dreams of success. Dreams of being “badass” at something.

Whatever you want to win at in life – whether it’s being a successful marketer, surfer, cupcake baker or veterinarian – it makes sense to practice being your future “badass” self in your present.

Before I go any further, let’s define “badass”, so I don’t offend too many of those with a sensitivity to cussing.

“Badass” has come to have many different meanings, ranging from being tough or uncompromising to intimidating or rebellious. I prefer Jim Taylor’s definition in his Psychology Today article:

“A real badass is driven by values such as responsibility, justice, honor, courage, compassion, humility, integrity, and selflessness… A badass does what needs to be done, no matter how difficult it is, without complaint or need for fanfare. A badass doesn’t take the path of least resistance.

Dr. Jim Taylor, Ph.D.

So, it’s Lara Croft or Batman. Angelina Jolie or Matt Damon.

But what does “Badass” look like in real life?

The Olympic runner Wayde Van Niekerk, who beat Usain Bolt and broke the world record for the 400m (from the outside lane).

Or Chef Eduardo Garcia, who didn’t let losing an arm stop him from continuing to succeed in life.

OR the mobility-impaired guy who rides around my local park on a pimped out electric scooter, with Bruce Springsteen blasting from his portable jukebox, while his little old dog rides shotgun.

Being badass is about  being the best versions of ourselves, irrespective of the hand we’ve been dealt.

So, now that we know what I mean by badass, how do we make sure we keep striving to be badass?

We approach each day with winning in mind.

Lanny Bassham is an ex-Olympic shooter who created a mental management system to help athletes and businessmen learn to control their minds under pressure.

He wrote an amazing book called With Winning in Mind about his experiences and his method. In it, he shares techniques for becoming badass, plus a staggering statistic…

90% of our performance is driven by our mental state.

That’s pretty mind boggling, right?

Lanny’s method is based on viewing talent as a skill. It’s acquired, not awarded. And skill comes from practice. From putting in the work, from training to be what you want to become.

If 90% of our performance is based on what we’re thinking, then we need to train our minds – as much as we train our bodies – to master a skill, perform well and believe in ourselves that we can.

So, how do we ensure we perform like we’re badass?

Answer: We have to train our minds to believe WE ALREADY ARE BADASS!

Because what makes winners different is their conviction in themselves.

“The expectation of winning comes from an internal feeling the champion has concerning his performance. He is in harmony with the idea that his expectation and his performance are equal.”

Lanny Bassham

The way winners do this is to train their conscious mind, their unconscious mind AND their self-image to visualise their success. They rehearse doing things to the best of their ability – in thought and in action – using the words…

“That’s like me!”

If we use positive reinforcement to cement positive outcomes, through both imagined and actual actions, then we train our minds to be what we want to become.

The secret is to focus on the process of winning (i.e. executing well), instead of the outcome of winning.

So, the first step to being your courageous, compassionate, accomplished or successful future self, is to repeat after me: 

“That’s like me to be a badass!” 

And then keep following through by being one! May this mantra open your heart, mind and actions to all that you are capable of being. :)

Further resources:

• This short video summary is a great intro to Lanny’s key concepts in the book. Brian Johnson is also worth following for the amazing content he shares.

• Here’s more on Lanny Bassham’s Mental Management System on the With Winning In Mind website.
• Peter Bregman recently wrote an article on the idea of practicing being your future self, which reminded me of Lanny’s work.
• Carol Dweck’s book on Mindset (fixed vs growth) is a MUST READ.
• You can watch Eduardo Garcia share his zest for life in this Do Lectures talk.