Tools (and diffusion)

Level 2: DIYer

Future Guardian,

Ever found yourself losing hours, days or even weeks in tying to find and master new tools? (See: ChatGPT)

As you probably know, we don’t think the tools are all that important.¹

They are certainly helpful, but having the sharpest axe isn’t all the important if your chopping down the wrong tree. Most people obsessing over tools aren’t even close to being in the right forest - so again, we just don’t think the tools gonna matter much.

But…

Tools are helpful and often necessary.

Lukas Resheske’s Clarity framework has provided us a new way to think about it:

Tools are only useful if they are helping us carry out or achieve the right tactics.

The “right” tactics for us depend on the overall strategy.

The overall strategy is derived from principles, and depends on the other variables we can account for.

Principles are derived from our personal philosophy.

Lukas’ Framework:

In other words:

If you have a strong philosophy and base of principles, you have the ability to figure anything out.

Principles based thinkers tend to disrupt many different domains - even ones they have never been in before. In case you haven’t figured it out, the Guardian Academy is focused on principles and frameworks - rarely do we dive into the tactics and tools.

AND YET…

Every week we get messages from people saying that their business has grown, their health has improved or their relationship is significantly better since joining - even though they weren’t given the five step plan and list of tools to make it so.

Why?

Because those people are OUR people.

Which means they have the capacity, interest and willingness to take the principle(s) and derive custom strategies for themselves. From those strategies, they derive tactics and from those tactics, tools.

Most importantly, it’s completely custom to them, their unique disposition and situation. ie. it’s far better for them than a cookie cutter five step plan.

They’ve developed self efficacy; the ability to figure it out.

And when the world changes?

They’ll still have the ability to figure it out.

Now… not everyone is OKP (our kinda people)

They simply aren’t interested in developing self efficacy…

OR… they aren’t interested in figuring a specific thing out right now because they are focused on other things, but would still like the desired outcome.

And that’s okay.

In fact, just because they aren’t our kinda people, doesn’t mean we don’t support them. We do. Our content is designed for them, but our structure is designed to support them by highlighting and spotlighting Guardians, partners and friends.

For example:

We’re not going to give you a step by step plan to learn how to advertise.

But Laurel Portie² will. Because she lives it and loves it. Laurel is a Guardian that applies TGA principles to her own business and teaches them in the context of advertising.

TGA principles —> strategy, tactics and tools for advertising.

We’re not going to give you fitness plans or write in the context of strictly fitness.

But Dan John³ will. Because he lives it and loves it. TGA principles delivered in the context of fitness.

"Never Let Go" - Living, Learning and Lifting

(Note: Dan has been doing this much longer than we have been around, but our principles are aligned)

See how this works?

We’re here for the change-makers - the people that want to develop self-efficacy and a strong latticework for principles and frameworks… and we encourage those people to take them, reinvent them and share them in the industry or domain they are most passionate about.

They won’t be reaching “our people" - but that’s exactly the point. They’ll reach people we never would in ways we never could.

If you’re here, you probably jive with our principles.

If you want to see them in action or in a specific domain you’re trying to improve, pay attention to the people we spotlight - they’re mostly domain experts applying, improving and teaching TGA principles.

And if you want to apply them to your domain, become a Guardian. We will do anything we can to help.

For example:

Our founder, Nic Peterson, just helped build a full program about applying Guardian Academy principles to business growth and development with Laurel in the new TSF Success Circle program. (They just did five days of live marketing and sales training for FREE⁴. It was heavy in TGA principles because duh)

If you’re interested in fitness related stuff….Wednesday, the legendary Dan John is doing an interview (free and public) in the TGA Unofficial Facebook group.⁵

The point is this…

Inside the Guardian Academy…

If you want to learn how to figure stuff out, focus on the principles. The curriculum, the articles, the videos, the events and the Guardian Tier for direct access.

If you want to learn how to do stuff now, peruse everything above, but you’ll get more of what you’re looking for from our Guardians and partners.

And if you want us to say nice things about you and link to your stuff, lay down a track record of success by consistently applying TGA principles to your domain. We’re always watching.

Live to learn. Give to earn.

Guardian Academy.

1. From Form To Function: How To Think Your Way To Clarity

2. Laurel Porties Program

3. “Never Let Go" - Living, Learning and Lifting

4. Five days of live marketing and sales training

5. Unofficial TGA Facebook Group