CPC Episode #39 - You v2

Welcome to the College Prep Confidential Show. It’s been a while, it’s good to be back. We got a new website, you can check out at cpcshow.com. Lots of goodies for you and a much better layout for you to find what you want when you want.

Now let’s get to it. This week, we’re talking about upgrading the most important software in your life in an episode called, You v2.

A few weeks ago, I got a message for old software which needed to be upgraded on my iPhone. I accepted the message, and the download started. It took 10 seconds and I had a new version of an app on my phone. 

10 seconds doesn’t seem like much, but here’s what happened. The new app looked sexier. It had a better photo, more striking, more inviting. It got me excited to click. And when it opened, it opened much faster. The app used to crash, but not anymore. It opened up smoothly and went to a beautiful menu where the choices were clear. I found everything easily, like a perfectly drawn map. After using the upgraded app for 10 minutes, a thought hit me. 

I used to only use this app when absolutely necessary. The app ran slow, and wasn’t intuitive. I thought of this app like a wart, always attached to my phone and quite ugly. But after the upgrade, something changed. I enjoyed using the app. It helped make my life simpler. And I found myself looking forward to using it again. The question sat on my mind which inspired this episode…

What happened in those 10 seconds when I upgraded?

The app changed, sure. But in the end, it’s just software. Then I realized…something else changed. Me. My perception of the app. My outlook on using the app. My excitement carried over into other parts of our day.

The first version of the app, called v1, was clunky and tough to use. But the second version which took 10 seconds to upgrade, called v2, transformed into something fun, easy, and useful to use. And it got me thinking…

If that much change can happen in 10 seconds with an app, imagine what can happen in a day with you. I want you to stop and think for a moment about things about yourself and your life you’d like to upgrade. Close your eyes and get a clear picture of life upgrades you want to make. What does, You v2 look like? What does You v2 act like? What does You v2 do for a career? Who does You v2 have in their life?

When we upgrade software, we do two things:

1. Improve things
2. Remove bad features or bugs

I sat down and did this exercise and considered the two parts of an upgrade many times. Each time, I refined it. And I wanted to take it, and tailor it for a student going to college. Here’s the questions I asked before creating my upgraded version…

1. What classes do I take?
2. What do I eat for breakfast?
3. What kind of friends and social network do I have?
4. What kind of physical appearance do I want?
1. Hair
2. Body Weight - Do I want a different body than what I have? If so, what does that look like?
3. Clothes - Do I always dress casual? Or do I step up my wardrobe for networking events and parties?
4. Body Language - How do I carry myself? How do others see me?
5. What job/career do I have?
1. How much money do I make?
2. What impact do I make?
6. What do I eliminate from the you v1 of my life?
1. Behaviors
1. Do I drink too much?
2. Do I waste too much time?
2. Habits
1. What habits hold you back?
2. What habits make you a better person?
3. What habits don’t you have yet that you could adopt and improve your life?
3. Emotional drains, like people or environment. Sometimes, something as simple as a remodel or rearrangement of a room, or a new dorm room can transform your life.
1. Who in your life gives you no joy?
2. Who in your life sabotages your happiness or your progress?

Once you have this list, take out a piece of paper and pen or a document and make 2 columns:

1. Column 1: Behaviors or people you can cut from your life
1. These are things or people which give an instant improvement by removing negative energy and negative outcomes
2. Behaviors you can adopt or people you can add to your life
1. This list focuses on improvements. Maybe there is somebody who could help you but you’ve been hesitant about approaching
2. Maybe you know a good behavior and just haven’t adopted it yet

After you build this two columns list, I suggest working on Column 1 first. You’ll find it far easier to cut habits and people out of your life than you will add things. Call it addition by subtraction. As you cut these habits and people out of your life, take notice of how your mood and your life change. Sometimes, the cutting does far more than the adding.

After making all the cuts you need, look at your second column. Pick one habit or one person to add in to your life. With each add, take note of how your mood and life change. The key to a life upgrade can be seen with your mood and your life.

When I look at the definition of the word upgrade, I see “increase to a higher grade or rank”. When I think of grades or rank, I think of scores, or points. If life is a game, then we move up levels in the game with more points. Upgrades get us more points because they move us forward to more skills and a better state of mind. With each upgrade, we lunge closer to our ideal selves.

Remember, when we upgrade, we improve some things, and we eliminate other things. After the upgrade, we hold ourselves to a higher standard. We eliminate more bad behaviors and we adopt more helpful behaviors. You v2 upgrades your mind, your confidence, your body language, your outlook, and your perception of yourself.

We covered a lot in this episode. And I want to help you crush college prep. So I put together a list of expert resources for you. Resources like Test prep, financial aid, and personal coaching. Go to cpcshow.com. That's c-p-c-show.com. If you liked this episode, why don’t you subscribe to stay up to date on a treasure chest of college prep resources and tips? Also, if you enjoyed prior episodes, I’d love it if you gave us a rating on iTunes. Thank you for listening.