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Welcome to Week 23 of the High Performance Playbook. In less than 6 months we’ve blown past 5,000 high performance community members, so BIG thank you for reading and continuing to share this with friends!

If you’re just tuning in to the HPP, these are the strategies and frameworks that separate the 1% from the .01%. We dive deep into: health & fitness + longevity, personal finance & investing, business growth hacks, and how to optimize all areas of your life.

If any of those sound interesting, the High Performance Playbook is for you.

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Ready? Start your engines… Let’s GO:

Mindset & Psychology

Power vs. Force: The Hidden Variable in Performance

Years ago, I thought performance was all about action.

Work harder. Push through. Out-strategize. Outwork. Outlast.

I believed progress came from force… until I hit a wall I couldn’t think or hustle my way through.

That’s when I came across Power vs. Force by Dr. David Hawkins.

It changed everything about how I view success, energy, and even leadership.

Here’s the core idea:

There’s a massive difference between force and power.

Force is push. Control. Tension. It drains energy over time.

Power is aligned. Expansive. True. It generates energy and influence without needing to dominate.

Hawkins breaks this down using a scale of human consciousness from the most contracted emotional states (like shame or guilt) to the most powerful (like peace, joy, and enlightenment).

He assigns measurable frequencies to each state, essentially mapping how your inner state affects your outer reality.

The Levels of Consciousness (Simplified)

Here’s a breakdown of a few major levels:

• Shame (20) – Lowest frequency. Self-hate, paralysis.

• Guilt (30) – “I’m not enough.”

• Fear (100) – Avoidance, scarcity, risk aversion.

• Anger (150) – Action through resentment. High energy, but unstable.

• Courage (200) – The tipping point into empowerment. Taking responsibility.

• Willingness (310) – Open to growth, contribution.

• Acceptance (350) – Personal responsibility without shame.

• Love (500) – Non-judgment, service, connection.

• Peace (600+) – Transcendence, trust, detachment.

Most of the world operates below 200 (force).

The game changes when you rise above 200, where real power begins.

My Personal Experience with This Work

When I started doing deep NLP and emotional release work with my coaches Sarah Klobuchar and Elliot Roe, I began to realize that I had been running my life (and sometimes my businesses) on anger-fueled motivation.

I was driven by a “you have to lose in order for me to win” mindset.

It worked… until it didn’t.

Letting go of suppressed emotions was more than therapeutic… it was strategic.

I stopped carrying resistance and unnecessary friction into meetings.

I stopped chasing performance through pressure.

And I started making clearer, cleaner, more aligned decisions.

That internal shift created external results.

Why This Matters for High Performers

While it all may sound a bit “woo-woo,” I’m convinced your energy state is a competitive advantage.

Want better relationships? Start by releasing judgment.

Want more clarity? Let go of fear.

Want to build something that lasts? Operate from courage, willingness, and love, not control and force.

Power attracts. Force repels.

If you’re constantly pushing, forcing, or grinding, it’s time to check your internal operating system.

Want to go deeper on this topic? Send me a reply, I’d be happy to talk about it further.

🧠 Biggest Story of the Week (Mindset & Psychology)

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Health & Fitness + Longevity

Sleep Debt Is Real and It Compounds Like Interest

Most people treat sleep like a burden.

They’ll sacrifice it for work, social plans, late-night scrolling, or the “just one more episode” excuse.

Then they try to catch up on weekends and wonder why they still feel off.

Here’s the truth:

Sleep isn’t a recovery tool. It’s a performance multiplier.

And when you don’t get enough of it, the debt adds up fast with real consequences:

• Lower testosterone (which kills strength, drive, and vitality)

• Higher cortisol (stress)

• Impaired glucose metabolism (aka fat storage and fatigue)

• Slower cognitive processing, memory, and decision-making

• Increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration

Every short night compounds, just like interest.

But unlike money, you can’t earn more time back.

Want to improve your sleep? Here are a few high-ROI habits:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time, yes, even on weekends

• Cut caffeine by 2PM (or 8+ hours before bed if you’re sensitive)

• Limit blue light at night (use blue-light blockers or screen filters after 8PM)

• Keep your bedroom dark, cold (65–68°F), and quiet

• No heavy meals or alcohol 2–3 hours before bed

• Use magnesium glycinate or L-theanine to support deep sleep

• Get AM sunlight exposure to reset your circadian rhythm

If you want peak performance, mentally, physically, and emotionally, you need consistency.

Sleep is the foundation every other system builds on.

Be intentional and don’t treat it as an afterthought.

😴 Biggest Story of The Week (Health & Fitness)

Personal Finance Tip of the Week

Stocks and Bitcoin

If you invest in either stocks or Bitcoin, you should read this Pomp letter (it’s good news for you).

A new trade deal just dropped, and it’s big.

Here are some points that stood out from the Pomp letter.

President Trump announced a major agreement with the European Union, and the terms are shockingly one-sided. Even the Financial Times had to admit: “The EU was rolled over by the Trump juggernaut.” Here’s what was included:

• 15% across-the-board tariff

• $600B in EU investment into the U.S.

• $750B in U.S. energy purchases

• Hundreds of billions in U.S. military equipment

• Full market access for American products

Love or hate Trump, the facts are simple: this deal provides massive clarity to the market, and clarity leads to capital deployment.

Right now, investors are sitting on the sidelines.

Complacency is creeping in (just look at the VIX dropping below 15). But a lopsided trade deal like this is a wake-up call, It’s a green light.

And it's arrived just as the Fed got ready for the next interest rate decision.

the U.S. will keep printing money to service it’s debt and every time the printer turns on, asset prices climb.

That’s why trade deals like this one matter.

They don’t just impact exports, they inject global liquidity. Countries will need to print more money to fund these commitments and that liquidity fuels equities.

And where liquidity flows, Bitcoin follows.

So while pessimists sulk, capital is moving, money is loose, and Inflation is coming.

Stocks are going higher, and Bitcoin will follow.

💸 Biggest Story of the Week (Personal Finance)

Business Playbook

Why the Highest Performers I Know Are Quietly Building Personal Media Machines

There’s a shift happening right now…

The best operators, investors, and founders I know aren’t just building companies anymore.

They’re building personal media machines.

Why?

Because in today’s world, value isn’t just in what you do.

It’s in how well you communicate it.

Think about it… if you don’t package your knowledge distribute it to your audience, someone with less experience and who’s posting content will.

And they’ll win attention, opportunities, and trust that could’ve been yours.

It’s less about becoming a “content creator” and more about becoming known for what you already do well.

Here’s what a personal media machine could look like:

• A weekly newsletter (like this one) that teaches and inspires

• A few pieces of thoughtful content per week on X, LinkedIn, or IG

• A central message or POV that makes you easy to remember

You don’t need a massive team or to “go viral.”

You just need consistency, clarity, and a system.

Because here’s the reality:

In a noisy world, unseen is undervalued.

And the people who learn to communicate clearly at scale are the ones who will own the next decade of influence and opportunity.

Your personal brand is your ticket to a more successful business and life.

Build it now, or wish you had later.

Reply and message me if you want the inside scoop on how I’m building mine.

🚀 Biggest Story of the Week (Business)

DOPAMINE HIT

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this week’s newsletter, please share it with some friends! And thank you for reading!

🗓️ STAY TUNED:

In next week’s newsletter, I’m breaking down how I built a 3-day workweek without losing momentum.

You’ll see exactly what I cut, what I protected, and how I structured my calendar to get more done in less time. You won’t want to miss this one. Have a great weekend!

Here’s to your success,

Austin L. Wright

Join my inner circle - Follow me on X for daily business breakdowns, lifestyle hacks, and a behind-the-scenes look at what my team and I are building.

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_{Disclaimer: The ideas shared in this newsletter are those of the author, and this is in no way intended to be medical, legal, or financial advice. Always do your own research and consult with licensed professionals.}