The Best ROI Nobody In Finance Talks About (My 80-Hour Experiment)

Hey there, my friend!

I like challenges so here is my latest one:

80 hours without food.

Just water, tea, and a stark realization about the metrics of transformation that hit me harder than any hunger pang.

See, while most finance professionals obsess over market yields and compound interest, they're missing an investment that delivers exponential returns.

And I'm not talking about some hidden crypto play or pre-IPO opportunity.

Let’s dive in.

The Reality Check We All Need

There's a hidden pattern that separates those who break free from those who stay stuck.

And it has nothing to do with:

• Timing

• Connections

• Or even courage

Instead, it comes down to understanding one fundamental truth about how humans are wired for success.

Let me show you what almost everyone gets wrong about transformation.

In rooms filled with the world's top performers - from Olympic athletes to billion-dollar founders - you will notice something odd.

Their success wasn't built on what most people chase.

Let me explain:

Your brain has what scientists call a "success thermostat."

Just like a thermostat keeps your room at a set temperature, your mind keeps your success at a set level.

Try to push past it? Your brain creates self-sabotage.

Stay too far below it? You'll feel restless, unfulfilled.

This explains why:

• Lottery winners often go broke

• Dieters regain weight

• High achievers feel trapped

Your brain is literally programmed to maintain your current identity.

But here's where it gets interesting:

This "thermostat" isn't fixed. It can be reprogrammed.

And when you know how to adjust it, everything changes.

Let me break this down with a real example:

Roger Bannister and the 4-minute mile.

For thousands of years, experts claimed running a mile under 4 minutes was physically impossible.

Doctors warned it would kill anyone who achieved it.

Scientists proved it couldn't be done.

Athletes accepted these limits.

Then Bannister did it.

The fascinating part? Within 46 days, someone else did too.

Within a year, 16 people did.

Nothing changed physically. No new training methods. No better equipment.

Just one thing shifted: Their success thermostat.

Here's why this matters for you:

Your brain works the same way with success and freedom.

When I tell other professionals they could:

• Double their income

• Work from anywhere

• Build real wealth

Their first response? "Impossible in my situation."

Sound familiar?

But here's the truth about your brain's success thermostat:

Your success thermostat has three dials:

1. The Evidence Dial

   Your brain collects "proof" of what's possible for you.

Most people only look for evidence that confirms their limitations:

• "I need more experience"

• "The market is too tough"

• "I don't have the right network"

But flip this switch, and everything changes.

2. The Identity Dial

   This isn't about affirmations or "fake it till you make it."

It's about understanding a simple truth: Every decision you make stems from one question: "Is this who I am?"

3. The Environment Dial

   The most overlooked yet powerful lever.

Your brain automatically adjusts to match your surroundings. Put a high achiever in a mediocre environment? Watch their performance drop.

But here's the game-changer:

You don't need to adjust all three dials at once.

Change just one, and the others naturally follow.

Here's your action blueprint:

1. The Evidence Flip

   Start collecting proof that breaks your current programming:

• Document every win, no matter how small

• Study those who've done what you think is "impossible"

• Create micro-successes daily

Real example:

A friend of mine thought leaving finance was "too risky."

I asked him to track every entrepreneur he knew for 30 days. By day 15, he found 9 former bankers crushing it on their own.

His "impossible" became "inevitable."

2. The Identity Acceleration

   Instead of trying to "become" successful right away:

• Choose one action your ideal self would take

• Do it today, no matter how small

• Repeat for 7 days

The key? Small wins compound faster than big plans.

3. The Environment Upgrade

   Most people try to change themselves while staying in environments designed to keep them stuck. And for some this surely includes family and friends.

Your power move:

• Find one hour daily for strategic solitude

• Build a network that pulls you forward

• Create space for new possibilities

But here's the real secret:

You don't need perfect execution. You don't need massive changes. You just need to understand one truth:

Your current results aren't your potential.

They're just your current thermostat setting.

Harness AI: Your Personal Success Thermostat Coach

I've engineered a specialized ChatGPT prompt to serve as your personal Success Thermostat Coach.

Here's how to access your mental clarity catalyst:

1. Visit ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/)

2. Copy and paste the following prompt

3. Fill in your specific situation

4. Watch as AI helps you navigate your success landscape

Analyze the provided situation and identify patterns related to internal success programming, utilizing principles of behavioral psychology to suggest practical action steps.

# Instructions

- **Analyze the Situation**: Utilize the provided details about the current role, income, and perceptions about future potential to understand the current mindset and perceived limitations.
- **Identify Patterns**: Detect any internal limits or thinking patterns that may be holding back success.
- **Contradicting Evidence**: Highlight evidence or scenarios that challenge the perceived limitations.
- **Action Steps**: Propose small, manageable daily actions that can help expand the individual's sense of identity and capability.
- **Environmental Adjustments**: Suggest changes in the current environment that can facilitate personal growth and progress towards goals.
- **Tracking Progress**: Formulate weekly reflective questions that will help the individual monitor their progression.

# Steps

1. **Collect Information**: Use the placeholders to gather specifics about the current role, income, and beliefs about future opportunities.
2. **Analyze Thought Patterns**: Look for hidden limits within these thoughts that might be restricting success.
3. **Find Contradictory Evidence**: Identify instances or proof that disprove the current limiting beliefs.
4. **Design Daily Actions**: Recommend simple daily practices that can gradually expand self-identity and confidence.
5. **Suggest Environmental Changes**: Propose adjustments in the surroundings that foster a growth mindset.
6. **Develop Check-In Questions**: Create questions for self-reflection to be used for weekly progress assessments.

# Output Format

Provide a detailed response in paragraph form, covering each of the outlined steps. Keep the tone direct yet encouraging, akin to a supportive mentor.

HOW TO USE THE PROMPT

Here is the output I received for the example inputs above.

Read the full output here!

My Final Thoughts: Your Permission Slip

Your brain's success thermostat isn't your destiny. It's just your current setting.

Every breakthrough in human history started with someone adjusting their thermostat.

The question isn't "Can I?"

It's "Which dial will I adjust first?"

To your unlimited potential,

Stephan

P.S. Struggling with regulating your thermostat or wanting to make a bold move? Hit the reply button and tell me more. Let's navigate this together.

P.P.S. I currently still have one last slot for free mentorship open. No risk or obligations attached.