Patterns I've seen in every high performer I know (that are rarely...
Tim Denning@Tim_Denning
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Aug 24, 2026
~7 min read
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Patterns I've seen in every high performer I know (that are rarely spoken about):
1. No one understands what the hell they do for a living.
1. No one understands what the hell they do for a living.
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The teachers at their kid's daycare think they're a drug dealer because they pick up their kid at 2PM on a Monday.
I wear crocs, Ray Ban sunnies, and shorts in the middle of winter and the teachers assume I'm a drug dealer.
If people understand you, you're playing it too safe.
I wear crocs, Ray Ban sunnies, and shorts in the middle of winter and the teachers assume I'm a drug dealer.
If people understand you, you're playing it too safe.
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2. They obsess for f*ck's sake.
No lukewarm passion. No part-time or side hustle commitments.
Pure obsession. Hours spent doing one thing. Painstaking attention to detail.
A level of motivation rarely seen that comes from a deeper meaning for their life. Their purpose is the privilege of getting to do the work.
Murder your passion. Replace it with obsession.
No lukewarm passion. No part-time or side hustle commitments.
Pure obsession. Hours spent doing one thing. Painstaking attention to detail.
A level of motivation rarely seen that comes from a deeper meaning for their life. Their purpose is the privilege of getting to do the work.
Murder your passion. Replace it with obsession.
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3. They go all in and act like a psycho
Their level of execution rips most people's faces off. They do massive numbers of reps. If everyone else posts once a day, they post 300.
Their mindset is they'll either win or die trying. There's no maybe. Only "when I win."
Their level of execution rips most people's faces off. They do massive numbers of reps. If everyone else posts once a day, they post 300.
Their mindset is they'll either win or die trying. There's no maybe. Only "when I win."
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4. They let people call them insane
Because no one understands them. If what they did was understood they'd be average. And that's their worst nightmare.
Because the rewards for being average are poverty and modern slavery. Act insane.
Piss a few people off. You're supposed to.
Because no one understands them. If what they did was understood they'd be average. And that's their worst nightmare.
Because the rewards for being average are poverty and modern slavery. Act insane.
Piss a few people off. You're supposed to.
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5. They've studied neuroplasticity
Once you understand how the human brain works you can rewire it.
Then you can program your brain to work for you instead of against you. 99% of success is psychological.
Master your psychology, master your life.
Once you understand how the human brain works you can rewire it.
Then you can program your brain to work for you instead of against you. 99% of success is psychological.
Master your psychology, master your life.
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6. They also program their subconscious
Most people are unaware of this part of their brain. When you can take the subconscious and make it conscious, you can do anything.
Not easy to do but 100% possible.
Most people are unaware of this part of their brain. When you can take the subconscious and make it conscious, you can do anything.
Not easy to do but 100% possible.
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7. They're delusionally optimistic
They just think things will work in their favor and they can't explain why.
It's not law of attraction BS. It's just self-belief that comes from backing yourself.
Thinking you can do it helps you take action, and the action produces results that become evidence.
Execute as if everything will work out.
They just think things will work in their favor and they can't explain why.
It's not law of attraction BS. It's just self-belief that comes from backing yourself.
Thinking you can do it helps you take action, and the action produces results that become evidence.
Execute as if everything will work out.
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8. They've mastered game theory
Because incentives drive the world. Every goal is a video game in disguise.
Understand how to create value for others and it'll create value for you. Align your incentives with the people at the top of your game.
Dare to play the game with them too.
Because incentives drive the world. Every goal is a video game in disguise.
Understand how to create value for others and it'll create value for you. Align your incentives with the people at the top of your game.
Dare to play the game with them too.
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9. They admire people who refuse to fit in.
Because the outliers and misfits change the world while everyone else watches.
Weirdos love other weirdos because they learn from each other. It's so rare so these relationships form quickly.
Get around weirdos. DM them. Make friends. Build something together.
Because the outliers and misfits change the world while everyone else watches.
Weirdos love other weirdos because they learn from each other. It's so rare so these relationships form quickly.
Get around weirdos. DM them. Make friends. Build something together.
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10. They understand that a lack of extreme urgency is the most common way to waste decades of their life.
So they set deadlines. They think in today. They push others to move faster.
Speed saves you precious time.
So they set deadlines. They think in today. They push others to move faster.
Speed saves you precious time.
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11. They see life as "80 summers"
It's an insane way of describing how short life is. When time feels shorter than it is you waste less time in bad situations.
And you appreciate what you have. The problem is you think you have time but you don't.
It's an insane way of describing how short life is. When time feels shorter than it is you waste less time in bad situations.
And you appreciate what you have. The problem is you think you have time but you don't.
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12. They understand they'll never be a millionaire with a salary.
Trading time for money isn't how you get rich.
And even if you become CEO, you'll be stuck in meetings all day and have no free time. So now you're bankrupt.
Millionaires own assets and businesses. You can too.
Trading time for money isn't how you get rich.
And even if you become CEO, you'll be stuck in meetings all day and have no free time. So now you're bankrupt.
Millionaires own assets and businesses. You can too.
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13. They avoid what everyone thinks of them and just do whatever the f*ck they want.
You can't control other people's minds. No matter how noble or kind you are ~5% of people will hate you for no good reason.
Trying to impress everyone is people-pleasing in disguise.
High performers impress themselves first.
You can't control other people's minds. No matter how noble or kind you are ~5% of people will hate you for no good reason.
Trying to impress everyone is people-pleasing in disguise.
High performers impress themselves first.
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14. They realize 99% of society is stupid and they can just do things and no one will stop them because they’re too lazy or distracted to even try.
There is no competition.
Most people are looking at their phone. The average person doesn't know how to be bored.
Go to the gym. It's full of people looking at phones. You can win. It's easier than you think.
There is no competition.
Most people are looking at their phone. The average person doesn't know how to be bored.
Go to the gym. It's full of people looking at phones. You can win. It's easier than you think.
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15. They love being disliked by losers
Who you repel is important. If low performers make fun of you, you're doing something right.
If losers love you, then that's a problem.
Upset a few people and feel what it's like to be alive.
Who you repel is important. If low performers make fun of you, you're doing something right.
If losers love you, then that's a problem.
Upset a few people and feel what it's like to be alive.
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16. They see commuting to an office every day to be micromanaged in an adult daycare as hell.
They might start there but they know it's not a life or career.
Their goal is to be self-sufficient. To perhaps learn from a job but then to escape.
True freedom is working for yourself.
They might start there but they know it's not a life or career.
Their goal is to be self-sufficient. To perhaps learn from a job but then to escape.
True freedom is working for yourself.
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17. They see what they're truly capable of by starting a business.
Typically a one-person business to begin with. They don't do it to be cool.
They do it because business is extreme self-improvement in disguise.
Entrepreneurship forces you to think like an owner which is a huge shift in mindset (that'll eventually make you wealthy).
Typically a one-person business to begin with. They don't do it to be cool.
They do it because business is extreme self-improvement in disguise.
Entrepreneurship forces you to think like an owner which is a huge shift in mindset (that'll eventually make you wealthy).
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18. They set the bar so high average people think they're a psychopath.
To normies they look too extreme. Or like they embraced hustle culture. Good.
Their standards are stupidly high which is how they do more with less...
And never allow themselves to settle for second best
To normies they look too extreme. Or like they embraced hustle culture. Good.
Their standards are stupidly high which is how they do more with less...
And never allow themselves to settle for second best
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19. They just work in a flow state for at least 4 hours a day.
No distractions. No phone. No notifications.
This means they get an insane amounts of work done and can focus on a single task.
Always work in a flow state.
No distractions. No phone. No notifications.
This means they get an insane amounts of work done and can focus on a single task.
Always work in a flow state.
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20. They know the fastest way to get ahead in life is to proactively choose to do hard things.
Playing life on hard mode is the secret. Playing a game on easy mode gets boring, fast.
Yet that's how most people live.
Do hard things:
• Wake up early
• Build muscle
• Try to make lots of money
• Dare to perhaps have kids
• Run a business
• Run marathons
• Face your fears
• Do a lot of reps
• Move to a new country
• Learn a new language
• Adopt an animal
• Get on sales calls
Playing life on hard mode is the secret. Playing a game on easy mode gets boring, fast.
Yet that's how most people live.
Do hard things:
• Wake up early
• Build muscle
• Try to make lots of money
• Dare to perhaps have kids
• Run a business
• Run marathons
• Face your fears
• Do a lot of reps
• Move to a new country
• Learn a new language
• Adopt an animal
• Get on sales calls
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21. They know that personal growth comes from hitting rock bottom, losing everything, bankruptcy, divorce, or the death of a loved one.
Tragedy doesn't ruin them. It inspires them.
It wakes them the hell up. They let the lows create the next highs. Instead of stopping, they keep going.
Instead of fearing failure, they embrace it. They see it as part of the process.
Fail more. It makes your story more interesting.
Tragedy doesn't ruin them. It inspires them.
It wakes them the hell up. They let the lows create the next highs. Instead of stopping, they keep going.
Instead of fearing failure, they embrace it. They see it as part of the process.
Fail more. It makes your story more interesting.
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22. They act stupidly extreme
So they don't end up thinking small. They make the vision bigger than needed. They dare to take a few risks.
They purposely go beyond what average people think is possible.
Innovation isn't an accident. It's intentional.
So they don't end up thinking small. They make the vision bigger than needed. They dare to take a few risks.
They purposely go beyond what average people think is possible.
Innovation isn't an accident. It's intentional.
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23. They know success in life is their energy, not their IQ.
So they optimise for high energy. They workout. They hang around high energy people. They eat the right food. And they go to bed early.
People buy energy... they just can't explain it. High energy creates extreme aura.
So they optimise for high energy. They workout. They hang around high energy people. They eat the right food. And they go to bed early.
People buy energy... they just can't explain it. High energy creates extreme aura.
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24. They are ruthless at follow up
No ask happens once. They ask a 100 times. If they get ghosted, they just get other people to ask for them.
If they still can't gain access, they show up randomly in person. There is no such thing as no. Only a forced chance encounter.
Assume your first no isn't rejection.
No ask happens once. They ask a 100 times. If they get ghosted, they just get other people to ask for them.
If they still can't gain access, they show up randomly in person. There is no such thing as no. Only a forced chance encounter.
Assume your first no isn't rejection.
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25. They have a habit of getting rejected at least once a day.
The rejection muscle is trained because it's what allows them to outperform later on.
Rejection is just redirection.
The rejection muscle is trained because it's what allows them to outperform later on.
Rejection is just redirection.
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26. They can dance between chaos and order
One tragic event doesn't throw them off. They expect chaos and plan for it. They can act through challenging times.
Their high performance life is a series of non-negotiable habits.
Without chaos there isn't opportunity. The world runs on entropy and it must be embraced to be harnessed.
One tragic event doesn't throw them off. They expect chaos and plan for it. They can act through challenging times.
Their high performance life is a series of non-negotiable habits.
Without chaos there isn't opportunity. The world runs on entropy and it must be embraced to be harnessed.
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High performers think like owners.
If you're not already an owner, check this out: timdenning.com/100k-xc/
If you're not already an owner, check this out: timdenning.com/100k-xc/