How Teams Can Bend Time

It’s been more than 10 years since the first Naked and Afraid reality TV show started airing, and there have been many knock-offs since then - all following the same trope of dropping players, with nothing but their birthday suits, into the middle of some remote terrain, with little more than a “Good Luck…hope you don’t die while being filmed…. to be honest we’re not really sure how that would affect ratings.”

Naturally, players left behind without any social support systems, or technical systems or communications systems - tend to fare rather poorly against the elements. Why this passes as entertaining is difficult to say, unless it simply boils down to the fact that we secretly (or not so secretly) enjoy watching strangers suffer - especially when we have no particular moral call to lend a hand. After all - these people agreed to be on the show!

But this post is not about Reality TV per se, but more about what I would like to call Reality TV Goal Setting. From Napoleon Hill to Tony Robbins to David Goggins - there are strands of the Naked and Afraid survival mindset that call on the reader and/or listener - to not just to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, if they have any boots, but also asks people to vigorously conflate their own personal situation and choices with the general overall abundance that their immediate family, community or society may or may not be experiencing at any given moment.

Can’t find a job? Visualize more clearly and talk to imaginary heroes. Can’t get off the couch? Pay thousands of dollars to walk on burning hot coals. Can’t run for 100 miles without stopping? Callous your mind, motherf#$@%^$!

Maybe we secretly feel that in order to succeed, we - or someone on our team - must suffer?

Just to be clear - I love and respect the above writers (and many others in this genre). In some alternate universe I woke up this morning, met with my imaginary Mastermind group, and just got back from running 30 miles in the blazing sun. I will be walking on hot coals this evening before having a seaside dinner at my island resort home - and while I fall sleep tonight to the sound of soothing waves, tons of passive income will be gushing into my bank account.

Here in this universe though, an alternate and much more pleasant approach than Naked and Afraid Goal Setting is to simply and calmly assess the many systems and friendly forces that envelope a vast majority of humans on the planet - (and certainly 100% of humans reading this post) - forces and friends that we already have at our disposal.

Here are five simple ways that you can just go and ask other people to help you achieve your goals. No need to throw yourself to the elements! It is not as entertaining as pretending you are Naked and Afraid, but it is a much more practical and less painful way to achieve your goals, (and not get brush cuts all over your body).

1. Identify Supporters
Look at who already believes in you and wants to see you succeed. Start there in building your Goal Support Crew. Just a small handful of supportive people is more than sufficient for reaching most goals.

2. Request Specific Help
Ask supporters to assist with specific tasks or resources related to your goal. Be direct about the kind of help you need. As Barbara Sher describes in her excellent book Wishcraft, we are all pre-wired to help someone figure out a problem. Simply by clarifying your ask, and sharing it with others, answers will start arriving. People can’t help themselves from helping you - just make sure you ask clearly and without a lot of drama.

3. Set Up Accountability Checks
Have friends and colleagues keep you accountable by checking in on progress and milestones. Shared responsibility boosts follow through. Keep it simple, and keep it real.

4. Share Knowledge and Contacts
Leverage your team members' expertise and networks to gain helpful insights and introductions. Today’s technology makes the social connections between people very tight and accessible. It’s amazing who you can meet to help you with the exact specific problem at hand!

5. Stay Positive and Grateful
Express genuine appreciation for any support you receive. Positivity encourages further assistance. Staying positive also keeps you from resorting back into the Naked and Afraid survivalist mindset!

By proactively enlisting support from those already around you, goals are simply more achievable. Naked and Afraid makes for interesting Reality TV, but gathering and activating supportive and friendly teams is the real and ultimate productivity hack for achieving your goals quickly and easily!