#4: Principles to Try Life On More

Lifestyle itself is built through trial, error, and practice, daily practice.

Some practice how to ride a bike. Some practice baseball and become MVPs.

You can also practice how to build a business, how to travel hack to different countries, and even how to have 3 full-time careers at the same time – whatever works for you.

When people ask me how I built a lifestyle allowing going to the Finnish Arctic 5x in a year (on the cheap), building several million-dollar businesses, or somehow managing being a corporate executive, police officer, and Federal Agent at the same time… my answer is “I practiced it”. I got better at it over time.

My coaching students redesigning lifestyle deep dive 20+ Try Life On principles with me. Here are two you can work on. They can apply to every facet of life, but I’ll give some specific examples of how they've been used by others.

1. Present solutions to support, not problems to solve.

Many want a primary career PLUS outside passions like building a business. For me, it was being a corporate executive (high salary) and a police officer (childhood dream) at the same time.

Instead of asking my company "how", I constructed a solution they couldn’t refuse (to get secondary employment approved).

“I’ll be working nights, be seen as a pillar of the community, present to employee resource groups how outside interests are encouraged, etc.”

“I’ll be building real-world expertise for our worldwide policing clients that we can use to create revenue”.

The last phrase is key. It made the idea beneficial TO THE BOTTOM LINE. And it worked. Midnight patrol officer for 15 years (my dream) and didn’t have to give up my corporate salary to do it. How’s that for a designed life!!

And I used that skill to do company work at 19 national police forces worldwide – Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Nigeria, and many more. We kept winning work with clients because my credibility as a badge holder (a brother in the game) was beneficial.

When there’s something you want to do to live life your way, present an irresistible solution to be supported, not a problem for someone to solve.

2. Find the 'Who' vs. Studying the 'What' forever

Part of living a designed life is leaning into everything you want to do.

Once you make an initial study in an area, leave analysis paralysis behind. Find a ‘Who’.

Find the person who’s done it before, lives in that place, has that specific knowledge… then pay them, add value to them, get guidance from them, fly to see them, invest in that relationship (note: I didn’t say take advantage of them). Here are some coaching student examples… (names changed).

Charlie is a computer developer but also wanted to be a voice-over artist. So, we found a ‘Who’. Marcel is a coach whose voice is featured in numerous TV commercials and internet spots. He has deep connections in the industry. Charlie now studies with him and leverages his network to get opportunities in the industry.

Wanita is a User Experience expert. She’s redesigning her lifestyle including becoming a writer. Initial research led her to a writing program at Emory University. In my personal network, I had connections to executive producers of 50+ TV shows and movies so I set up a meeting with them so she could pick their brains and get her new passion going.

Joshua is in Process Improvement. We developed a plan for his financial freedom, including buying small rental homes. He lives in cost-prohibitive Utah, so we found a real estate agent in Maryland who helps investors buy homes for $100K or less in her area, and she manages them! Boom… he’s getting ready to buy his first place (of 5).

This is the same way I became a Mediterranean real estate developer in 18 months. In 2021, I learned the husband of a fellow college graduate lived and developed real estate in the Mediterranean. I immediately asked for an introduction over Zoom (COVID was happening). As soon as airports opened I flew to meet him in Cyprus. We became friends and today I’m building villas + apartment buildings + living my own new lifestyle.

Here’s the key… when you find a ‘Who’, never wait. Get on the plane, invest in the relationship immediately, and make it happen. (Note: Zoom and phone calls are a start, however in-person shows real interest).

That's two examples of Try Life On principles you can use to design your own lifestyle. Practice them to improve day-to-day life. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more.

Hope you’re out there Trying Life On like Charlie, Wanita, and Joshua.

Maurice