Lewis Howes - The Greatness Mindset

Praise for

The Greatness Mindset

What Lewis has written is a message so many need to hear right now. In a world overcome with burnout, stress, and anxiety, The Greatness Mindset will help readers reconnect with their purpose, unlock their inner strength, and use their gifts to better the communities around them.

Arianna Huffington , co-founder of The Huffington Post and founder/CEO of Thrive Global

Its been so incredible seeing Lewis consistently overcome obstacles to achieve his dreams over the years, and it all starts with his mindset. Im thrilled that he took the time to document his frameworks into this book so others will be able to break through their own self-doubt and live a fulfilled, rich life.

Jay Shetty , #1 New York Times best-selling author of Think Like a Monk and host of the On Purpos e podcast

Whatever you do in life, adopting the right mindset is the most important ingredient to fulfilling your dreams. In this wonderful book, Lewis Howes gives you the practical tools to achieve true greatness.

Dr. Joe Dispenza , New York Times best-selling author of You Are the Placebo

Lewis has the ability to share difficult truths in a profoundly empowering way. Inside these pages, you will feel seen and supported to bravely face your own truth to return to your best self. I highly recommend The Greatness Mindset to anyone ready to elevate their life.

Gabrielle Bernstein , #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Universe Has Your Back

Your limiting beliefs have held you back for far too long. Lewis Howes is here to help with The Greatness Mindset . Change your beliefs and you change your life.

Mel Robbins , international best-selling author of The High 5 Habit and The 5 Second Rule

Lewiss practical, science-backed approach to a potentially overwhelming topic is a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend The Greatness Mindset for anyone looking to reconnect with their vision, to revitalize their relationships, or to reinvent themselves.

Tara Swart Bieber , M.D., Ph.D., neuroscientist and professor at MIT Sloan School of Management

ALSO BY LEWIS HOWES

The School of Greatness

The Mask of Masculinity

Copyright 2023 by Lewis Howes

Published in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com

Published in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au

Published in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk

Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Cover design: Chris Allen Interior design: Karim J Garcia Interior illustrations: Randy Smith

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023931764

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4019-7190-8

E-book ISBN: 978-1-4019-7199-1

Autographed edition ISBN: 978-1-4019-7379-7

I dedicate this book to my younger self for having the courage to carry me through pain, my current self for facing my shame and learning how to heal, and to my future self, because the journey to greatness has only just begun.

CONTENTS

I was 23 years old, sleeping on my sisters couch in Columbus, Ohio, and freaking broke as a joke. But it wasnt a joke. It was my life. And it was anything but great.

Up to that point, my life had been defined by sports. I had achieved All-American status in the decathlon, but my real passion was football, where I also was an All-American. I held the world record for most receiving yards in a single football game (all divisions at every level). And I had finally realized my dream of playing football professionally in the Arena Football League as I was pursuing my chance to go to the NFL. But then, in the middle of a game, I broke my wrist. The prognosis? Surgery. They cracked open my hip to take a piece of bone and fused it to my wristsix months in a cast and another year to heal.

I was only in the first month of that cast-wearing stage in September of 2007 when I found myself wondering if I would ever be able to step on the field again. To make it even worse, my dad had been in an accident the previous year while traveling on the other side of the world in New Zealand. He had suffered severe brain trauma. After being in a coma for months, he had finally regained consciousness, but it was clear his healing journey would be a long one. After he returned to the U.S., I was able to go visit him weekly, but he could remember very little of everyone who had meant so much to him prior to the accident and showed no signs of improving.

My nights were haunted by so many fearful questions: What if my wrist doesnt heal? What if I cant play football again? What if my dream is over? Who will I be then? What if my dad never remembers me? What if I cant figure out what to do next? What if no one will ever love me? What if I try and fail? What will people think? Even worse, what if I cant live up to my own expectations?

It felt like all I could do during those dark days was flip through TV reruns and infomercials with the remote as I felt my chance at greatness not just slipping away but sprinting as fast as it could go. I didnt know what to think, how to feel, or how to process my own emotions. And on top of that, I hadnt even finished college at the time. I was financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually broken.... I wondered what to do next, and from my perspective, I was now very much alone.

But I knew this couldnt be how the story of my life went. I knew there had to be more to my storythat there had to be greatness inside of mebut I didnt know where or how to get started. Yet deep down, I knew I would eventually figure it all out.

MINDSET MATTERS

Maybe youve had one of those moments when you realized the awful truth: youre just trying to survive, running out the clock, hoping someday something magical will happen that changes everything for you. You may actually have a dream that has remained just thata dream, something to be done someday, but someday never seems to come.

As I write these words, the COVID pandemic has left a lot of people paralyzed, stressed out, and depressed. But of course, it doesnt take a pandemic to produce stress as who-knows-what comes our way next. There will always be something. Life happens. Maybe something unexpected happened to you in recent years: you lost your job, experienced a divorce or heartbreak, lost a loved one, or had career-ending surgeryand you just feel stunned and dazed, uncertain about what to do next.

Or maybe you got off the couch of life a long time ago. Youve been busy getting things done, chasing your dreams, and looking good doing it. Perhaps youve grown a side hustle or a successful dream-chasing business or career, but inside, you feel like it just isnt enough. Even though you may be pretty good at getting results, you feel like there is something missing, and you are meant for more.