We have multiple personas. Self improvement begins by sacking the ones who sabotage our success.
If Bryan Johnson, the tech tycoon behind the audacious Blueprint Program, can sack his evening persona, "Evening Bryan," for its self-destructive behaviors, then I have a similar story to tell. I am declaring a farewell to my personal saboteur – "Netflix Neil."
Bryan Johnson, for those who don’t know him, was the brain behind Braintree – a company he sold for $800 million in 2013. His most recent venture is the Blueprint program, which for lack of a better explanation, aims to reverse aging and reset his body clock back to 18. The goal is not just to extend human life, but improve its quality. Johnson is now living a disciplined life of carefully selected (and well-researched) whole foods, supplements, and exercises, along with structured sleep habits – all the while harnessing technology and rigorous testing to monitor his results.
In a recent YouTube short, Bryan described how, in his corporate past, he would come home burnt out from work, ready to let "Evening Bryan" take over. EB’s ‘stress management’ program largely involved pizza, brownies and unhealthy overeating, crippling the other, more productive, versions of himself.
Which got me thinking about my own alter ego, Netflix Neil, the king of procrastination, and champion of mindless TV consumption. I’m always pontificating about exercise and self improvement, but carefully avoid mentioning my wasted hours glued to the screen.
Netflix Neil has to go.
As I sit here on Monday morning with coffee in hand, my motivation is high. The entire week is in front of me, and the vibe of laptopping in Starbucks puts me in a productive frame of mind. But I’m under no illusion that the disruptive presence of Netflix Neil will abandoned me easily. He lurks in the shadows, waiting for my energy (and willpower) to drop, while a tasty bag of chips beckons from the pantry. Then he’ll seize the remote – and ultimately, control of my evening.
On the other hand, if I reframe this by considering that each hour Netflix Neil steals is an hour less spent on cultivating meaningful relationships, pursuing my passions, engaging in productive hobbies, or getting the right amount of sleep, I might kick his ass. Each episode watched is another book unread, another idea unexplored, another opportunity missed.
Although this journey has just begun (and I don’t have Bryan’s massive audience holding me accountable), I will keep you posted through this blog. My intention is to tell you a success story – not provide a review of the latest Netflix series.
On tap for this evening: gym, infrared sauna, and stretching.
Until next blog…
Neil Moore is a communications specialist, freelance journalist, masters athlete, and family man who believes that excellence has no expiry date.
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