Build Your Own Elite Mindset: A Real Guide For Real People
By Coach Curtis
Let’s kill the myth right out of the gate:
You don’t need to grind 365 days a year to earn your worth.
You don’t need to be the same version of yourself in December that you are in June.
Nature doesn’t work like that. And neither do you.
But that’s the lie we’re sold:
“Elite” means all gas, no brakes.
No excuses. No feelings. No shifts.
That’s not elite. That’s delusion.
Real mindset work?
That’s soul work.
That’s seasonal. Cyclical. Alive.
So if you're looking to build a mindset that lasts — one that grows with you, not against you — let’s start with the truth…
Start Here: Ask Yourself
What season of life am I actually in right now?
Am I building? Breaking? Healing? Searching? Surviving?
Am I forcing summer energy in a winter season?
Am I trying to bloom when I should be restoring?
What does “elite” look like for me, today?
Not last year. Not on someone else’s timeline. Right now.
What’s the loudest voice in my head — and is it mine?
Or is it some fake coach on the internet yelling through your nervous system?
What does my body, mind, and spirit actually need today?
Not what you should do. What you need.
Why Seasons Matter (And Why You’ve Been Ignoring Them)
In Chinese medicine, each season isn’t just weather — it’s wisdom.
Spring is for growth, planning, movement.
Summer is peak energy, outward expression, connection.
Late summer is for balance, digestion, grounding.
Autumn is for letting go, grief, refining.
Winter is deep rest, reflection, turning inward.
Each one has its purpose. Each one asks something different from you.
And if you try to live in one season all year long?
You burn out.
You break.
You stop trusting yourself.
You are nature. You are not separate from it.
So when you feel low in the winter — that’s not weakness. That’s wisdom.
Seasonal depression isn’t just a mental illness — sometimes it’s your system begging you to slow down.
To listen.
To honor the pause.
The elite mindset is not about resisting the seasons.
It’s about riding them like waves.
Now: Build the Foundation (For Real This Time)
Forget the copy-paste “4am club” bullshit.
Here’s how you build a mindset that actually fits your body, your beliefs, your season.
1. Define What Elite Means — To You. Right Now.
Not what it meant in your 20s. Not what it means to that guy yelling on IG.
Is it peace with your kids?
Is it staying sober when no one’s looking?
Is it showing up when you want to run?
Is it loving your partner better than you did last year?
Elite isn’t universal. It’s personal.
2. Know Your Season
Stop beating yourself up for not blooming in winter.
Ask:
Am I in a season of pushing or pausing?
Is this time for high output or inner work?
What would nature want from me right now?
Write it down. Journal it. Own it.
3. Build Anchors, Not Chains
You don’t need 20 rules. You need 2–3 anchors to return to when you drift.
Try:
Quiet walks in the cold
Warm tea in the morning
Breathwork under a blanket
Talking to God with no agenda
Movement that respects your energy
It’s not weakness to soften in winter. It’s intelligence.
Discipline is not about force — it’s about rhythm.
4. Audit Your Inputs — Especially Online
Most of the "coaches" out there haven’t coached anyone but themselves.
They regurgitate YouTube clips. They speak in absolutes.
They sell shame disguised as structure.
Here’s the truth:
If they’ve never sat with someone in grief, don’t take their advice on resilience.
If they’ve never led someone through injury, don’t let them tell you about discipline.
If they’ve never walked through darkness, don’t buy their light.
Don’t let someone else’s highlight reel shape your internal world.
You’re not behind. You’re on a different road.
5. Learn Your Cycles
Just like nature, you have your own tides.
Some months you’re all in. Some months you go quiet.
Some days you crush it. Some days you survive it.
Track that. Learn that. Respect that.
Your mindset should flow with your body — not fight it.
Final Word: You’re Not Broken, You’re Becoming
This isn’t about weakness. This is about wisdom.
You don’t need to chase someone else’s grind.
You don’t need to punish yourself through the seasons.
You don’t need to fake it because you’re scared you’re falling behind.
You need to build a mindset that:
Serves your soul
Honors your reality
Flows with your season
And keeps you connected to something deeper
That’s not soft. That’s sacred.
So slow down.
Take a breath.
Plant new seeds.
Let some old ones go.
And let’s build something real — together.
I got you.
— Coach Curtis
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