Mastering Multiple New Skills Simultaneously: A High-Performer’s Guide to Growth Without Overwhelm: Part 2

If you're yet to read part 1 in this series, please do so first as it will provide you with greater context.

click here to read

---------

Key Point 2: The Identity Shift – From ‘Young Racing Snake’ to Evolved High-Performer

 

Your past achievements don’t matter anymore.

Not in a negative way. But in the sense that they aren’t enough to carry you forward.

They can, absolutely, influence and shape your present and future decisions. They can help encourage your ambitions. They can provide evidence to suggest that you are capable of achieving things you are hell-bent on achieving. But they do not define who you are today.

You are at risk of being complacent and resting on your laurels.

You might still think of yourself as the guy who used to have his shit in order. The guy who used to be competitive, enthusiastic, disciplined, and sharp. Deep down, there’s a part of you that believes you should still be that guy.

But every time you try to “get back to it,” something feels… off.

You’re not as energetic.You don’t recover like you used to.Your motivation isn’t where it was before.The layout of your week just never seems to click like it used to.You never seem to find a way to be able to prioritise the things that you know will get shit together.

And that pisses you off, doesn’t it?

Because you’re a high-achiever. You don’t like feeling like a shadow of your former self.

And the worst part?

Every failed attempt builds evidence in your mind that maybe you’ve “lost it.” That maybe you don’t have it in you anymore.

Let me tell you right now—that’s bullshit.

It’s not your ability that’s holding you back. It’s your identity. You're either…

a) Unclear as to your true current identity-what makes you, you.

b) Failing to align your actions with the identity you truly want for yourself.

c) both

The Problem: You’re Trying to Reclaim the Past Instead of Evolving

Most blokes trying to master new skills make the same fatal mistake—they’re chasing a past version of themselves instead of stepping into a new one.

They think, “I need to get back in shape.” “I need to get back to my routine.” “I need to get back to where I was before.”

But here’s the truth:You’re not that guy anymore. And you never will be.

You have new responsibilities.

A new mindset.

A different body.

A different life structure.

A set of different core values and morals.

And that’s not a bad thing—but if you don’t accept it, you’ll stay stuck in a cycle of frustration, trying to revive a version of yourself that no longer exists.

Stop trying to “get back” to anything. Instead, you start becoming something better.

The Solution:

 

If you want to master multiple parts of your life at once, you need to stop seeing yourself as a guy who’s “struggling” to improve.

Instead, you become the type of person who integrates development into his lifestyle, and the language you use to describe your circumstances reflects that.

Your new mindset shift:

🚫 “I need to get back into shape.”

✅ “I eat well and exercise consistently, even if that means that I rely on plans B & C to do so whilst juggling other priorities.”

🚫 “I need to start journaling again.”

✅ “I reflect on my thoughts, conversations, experiences and actions daily. Most of the time via pen and paper but thats not always possible. I give myself the time to think in quiet because it's important to me”

🚫 “I don't have time to do X.”

✅ “I’ve got a lot of responsibilities, like everyone else, but I am good with my time and recognise the importance of setting realistic expectations”

It’s a subtle shift, and it may only be words, but it changes a lot. Our 'chimps' are self-righteous. It will do all it can to prove you wrong and itself right. It does this by influencing your language to convince you of a different reality. This becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

The moment you anchor your behaviours to your identity, it’s no longer about willpower and discipline. It’s about doing what you need to do because it's who you are.

How to Execute This Shift in Real Life

Here’s a 3-step framework to lock in this new identity and make learning feel effortless:

Step 1: Define Your New Identity

Ask yourself:

• What kind of person do I want to become? How would I describe them?

• What thoughts and feelings does that person have?

• How does he make decisions?

• How would he react to X situation?

Write this down. Make it clear. This is who you are becoming—not a goal, but a standard. Example:Instead of saying, “I want to be more disciplined.” You say, “I am someone who executes without excuses, even if its not what I would describe as perfect.”

Step 2: Build Evidence Immediately

 

Your brain needs proof. The fastest way to solidify a new identity is to give yourself small wins—consistently.

Here’s how:

• Start ridiculously small. Do something so easy it’s impossible to fail. (E.g., do one push-up, write one sentence, turn your phone off at 8pm, learn one phrase in a new language, walk in the gym and walk out again if need be.)

• Repeat frequently. Momentum compounds. Your brain starts associating this new behaviour with who you are.

• Celebrate wins. Not with rewards, but by reinforcing the thought: “This is what I do now.” Example: If your goal is to become someone who trains daily, your first action isn’t hitting the gym for an hour and following the perfect programme. It’s putting on your training shoes. Perhaps this would build to you heading to the gym, grabbing a shower and then leaving again.

Sounds stupidly easy? Perhaps it would sound pathetic to your younger self. Good. That’s the point.

It’s not about the task. It’s about reprogramming your brain to believe: “This is part of who I am.”

You'll get so much further, a lot quicker, if you simply accept the reality of where you are and recognise that bridging the gap to where you want to be requires small and simple steps like this.

Evidence builds momentum.

Step 3: Remove the Old Triggers

You’re not just building a new identity—you’re destroying the old one.

You cannot expect to create a new version of yourself whilst towing your old behaviours behinds you.

Most men fail because they surround themselves with reminders of who they used to be.

• Clothes that don’t fit like they used to? Gone.

• Behaviours that keep you comfortable (late-night scrolling, skipping workouts)? Cut them.

• People who reinforce your old identity? Limit your exposure. 

Instead, flood your environment with reminders of your new identity.

• Keep your gym bag by the door so it’s automatic.

• Leave your pen and notepad out on the table as a prompt to use it.

• Remove social media from your phone and only allow yourself to access it on your desktop.

• Surround yourself with people that inspire you, those who make your new standards normal.Your environment dictates your success more than your willpower ever will.

The Bottom Line: Stop Trying to ‘Get Back’ to Who You Used to Be

You’re not here to reclaim your past self.You’re here to build something new.

• The bloke who does what he said he would.

• The guy who juggles his priorities effortlessly.

• The guy who executes without hesitation.

That’s the standard now.

Not “someday.” Not “when life slows down.” Now.

The moment you start acting as if you already are that person, you’ll notice something strange…The struggle disappears. The resistance fades.

Suddenly, juggling multiple parts of your life at once gets easier.

Because it’s no longer about “trying.”

It’s just who you are.