Free Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha by John Romaniello Page A

crazy. Some might not make sense. And some might sound so difficult that you’ll be angry. Trust us—nothing is too hard. It’s just different.
    You’re going to have a moment when you say, “This is bullshit.” So much of what you’re going to read is going to sound antithetical to what you believe and counter to what everyone else is saying. One way to reconcile what you are reading and what you want to believe is to say that we’re wrong.
    In the context of mythic structure, this is known as Refusing the Call. One of the earliest stages of the Hero’s Journey, this is the moment when the hero is approached with the idea of the adventure itself. After he has been called, he must decide whether he should embark on his journey. In many cases, the hero may refuse—or, at least, consider refusing—the Call to Adventure.
    Refusing the call is normal and extremely common, but it doesn’t get you out of the Ordinary World, which is why we want to make sure you recognize the signs that could easily sabotage your journey without you even realizing it.
    With traditional heroes, the refusal of the call may happen because of a sense of obligation, fear, inadequacy, or duty to family or a loved one. In the case of modern man who is seeking to become the Alpha (that’s you), refusal stems from the fear of inadequacy.
    Within every man lives the anxiety that he may not be able to complete the journey. And as a result, he refuses to take the first step.
    Our goal is to provide you with enough evidence to rid you of fear and give you the confidence to move forward on this journey. But be warned, heroes who refuse the call are often met with consequences. As you’ll see, failure to step out of your Ordinary World can lead to catastrophic health changes that will lessen the value and enjoyment of your life.
    By accepting the call, you spark a form of mental rebirth: it’s the death of your former beliefs, your former self, and the first step into a larger world.
    Sounds deep—but isn’t this what you’re looking for? Because what we’re offering is a new body, a new life, and something better than what you’ve always had.

    YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW
    Guys aren’t great when it comes to talking about emotions and feelings. Which is why we’ll admit something important and vital to this program: change isn’t easy. The act of change isn’t some simple process of just shifting behaviors. There are psychological barriers that are connected to every change you ever make, which makes it harder for you to follow through with your intentions. And the more dramatic the changes, the more intense the psychological push to revert back to your previous tactics.
    Consider this script; it’ll probably sound familiar to you. Here’s what happens when most guys start a new workout and diet. When they receive the new program, they start out excited. But after the initial excitement wears off, they inevitably make slight adjustments and only do the exercises they’re good at. It can be something small, like doing a seated shoulder press instead of a standing barbell military press. That’s just how men are programmed.
    These seem like small, inconsequential decisions, but these changes are really just the first step toward failure.
    So why does this happen? Because you haven’t had the benefit of knowing the specific decisions that were separating you from Alpha status. In the best case, guys realize there’s something preventing them from the pinnacle of their development. But in most cases, guys don’t know that at all. They don’t even realize that they have the potential to be something more than what they are. They don’t realize that there is a way to get there. And they certainly don’t know how to go about it.
    Here’s the funny thing: men’s frustrations are almost universally the same. And that’s because they are all still playing in the Ordinary World. It’s time to leave for a new game.

    LIES,