Notes from Enlightened Warrior Training Camp Journal

From the Peak Potentials course of the same title

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Back in the late 90’s and early 2000s, there was a company called Peak Potentials that offered a training camp called the Enlightened Warrior Training Camp, designed by self-help guru T. Harv Eker. Unfortunately, that company was sold and is no longer available, and I have no idea if the course is still being offered.¹ Below is a 30-minute audio pitch for the course. It can come across as both a bit woo-woo and cultish, which would be fair criticisms, but it’s probably not dissimilar to any other popular self-help figures from the 90’s. Take it for what it is.

It is not a cult, but you could make it one if you chose to. In the audio below you’ll notice something like a call-response from the speaker to the audience. The reason they do this is that if you say or repeat it, it’s more likely that you’ll remember it and believe it yourself. Part of their “experiential learning.” approach. The other thing to remember is that while some of this self-help stuff seems to elevate the Ego mind, training like this is about teaching people responsibility, accountability and emotional resilience. As such I think they have a place as long as you don’t make such things idols in your life.

I took some of their classes and then went out to use the information and apply it to my life to increase my success. One principle I believe to be true is that you’ll never achieve a level of success more significant than your level of personal growth. However, I saw many people just taking more classes and more classes, stuck in the same place, and never putting the information into practice. Don’t be a groupie - it’s expensive and unhelpful.

Note that I’m not involved in the organization (which doesn’t exist anymore.) But I took several of their classes/camps and took my kids with me as often as possible. The audio below may not make too much sense just yet, so perhaps read through the article and come back and listen to the audio if you are so inclined.

The course/camp teaches you how to become a "spiritual warrior" by conquering yourself and living in the present moment with a spiritual component. The spirituality promoted is more Buddhist/new-age than traditional Christianity, but I think there is still something to be gained from it and you can generally easily interpret their messages into your own faith tradition. The course emphasizes taking action, embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, and breaking free from past conditioning to achieve your goals. The lessons and experiences I think would be invaluable to young people today who are not well prepared to manage on their own in today’s world or those young people who have attended (i.e., been brainwashed at) a liberal college, or by Instagram / TikTok.

All participants are divided into Tribes that complete exercises and challenges together, helping each other succeed and supporting one another.

Harv bills his stuff as being experiential learning. There are both lectures and exercises where you get to put that learning into practice. I found it to be quite a powerful experience. Despite the cost (about $4000) I went twice. While there is no way that I could convey the experience, I do have notes and other documents from the course that I can share. While this is off-topic for this substack, I figured I’d try a bit of an experiment at putting some self-help content out there - especially when it cost me so much. (Why not share some of the learning?) If you find the content interesting and would like to attend a warrior camp, I suggest you reach out to Success Resources via the links I provide. in the last paragraph of this section below. Your best best is to find and attend an MMI (see below.)

While you may consider this stuff “woo-woo,” the camp was transformative for many people, myself included, and does a great job of helping you overcome obstacles, grow personally, and function more authentically. (I’m often reasonably emotionally closed off in person, with little display of emotion and a delayed reaction to processing emotions. Thanks to Asperger’s Syndrome (aka ASD - high functioning autism.) In this environment, I felt emotionally safe enough to function and interact with others without being emotionally closed off. This did change the nature of my personal interactions for a long time and made making friends much easier.

Ownership

Here are some notes that I wrote down and materials that I preserved. All of this material (as far as I’m aware) is © 2021 Success Resources, T. Harv Ekert and/or Peak Potentials (aka New Peaks or Success Resources.) — Although I’m sure many of the principles he teaches, he also learned from other places.

You may read through this and think, excellent! Things I can use! And that’s great. While the principles are sound, just like Orthodoxy, you cannot become Orthodox online. You need to find a parish and a spiritual father, or in this case, you need to find and attend a camp.

Who is Harv?

Harv wrote the NYT bestselling book Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. From what I can see, he still runs what he calls the Millionaire Mind Intensive (MMI), which is a great intro class with great success principles that change how you look at money. Typically, the MMI can be attended for free. In my day, it was offered as an introduction used to sell other training courses - which you can buy at a discount at the MMI. If you are interested in Warrior, I recommend finding and attending an MMI (in person) to see if they are still running the camp.

WARRIOR TRAINING CAMP JOURNAL

Bushido's definition of a Warrior:

A warrior is “One who conquers oneself”

I think in Orthodoxy, we could relate to this message/goal that spiritual formation is about learning to achieve dominion over ourselves, our passions, and our sinful natures.

There are two persons inside of each of us:

• The True Self (T/S) – The condition we were in when we were born.

• The False Self (F/S) - Also known as the Conditioned Mind (C/M)

When we form our conditioned selves, we create personalities to survive based on the assumptions and perspectives of a child.

• It’s not real – its a ‘recording’ you created.

• You are not the cassette. You are the cassette player.

You need to Dis-identify from your conditioned mind and instead become mindful so that you can observe the nature of your conditioned mind.

We deem the conditioned mind normal but it’s not natural.

The C/M or Mind/Brain is based in FEAR. Both the T/S and the C/M are always there. The C/M is loud and won’t shut up. We must learn to quiet the mind.

Relationship to the divine

Or as some would say it, be in tune with the spirit.

A Warrior is a model of INNER POWER. POWER is the ability to DO or ACT.

• Make up your mind quickly and change it slowly.

• A WARRIOR’s WAY is ACTION

There are 4 Archetypes:

• King

• Wizard

• Warrior

• Leader

The Process of Manifestation

In other words, your inner world what drives your outer world. You “manifest” a life that is the reflection of your inner world. Make up your mind quickly and change it slowly.

Fear

The Conditioned Mind’s job is protection.²

Figure 4 The Mind's Job is Protection

Definitions

• Fear: is not pain. Fear is the anticipation of PAIN

• Courage: is the ability to Act despite fear

• Problems: are your thoughts about a situation. They can be both real and imagined but often they live only in our C/M.

The Mind doesn’t make up reality; it makes up stories about reality. First, you hear these stories in your mind. If you buy into them at first it seems like you own them, but in fact they own you.

• Fear is the only thing that gets smaller as you move towards it.

• A WARRIOR TAMES FEAR. (It does not get rid of it b/c fear does not go away.)

If we want to conquer ourselves, we must take Unconditional Action.

• You can have reasons or results but not both.

• Conditions are things you set yourself up to do or not to do - which create your own failures.

• A WARRIOR is whoever they need to be in the moment.

• When one is committed to an outcome, then providence moves too.

To overcome our obstacles, we must become bigger than them. Success is the ability to move forward despite all obstacles.

The only time you give up is if you are dead.

• Mind Frick (friction): anything that takes you out.

• Activities are not your obstacles. Your thoughts are your obstacles.

The Conditioned Mind lives in the past and the future. Live in the present and stay focused on the present moment.

• Interrupt negative thoughts, “thought farts,” as soon as they come up.

• Trust yourself! – Stop worrying. The best thing to do is doubt your doubts.

Self-Talk and Attitude

Encourage yourself with positive self-talk. Words have power. Have a positive motto, examples below:

• There’s always time to quit, later.

• Over, under, around or through, whatever it takes I’ll do.

• I can do anything, 1 step at a time.

• A warrior’s gotta do what a warrior’s gotta do.

• Nothing takes me out, I’m unstoppable.

• Suck it up, princess

• Fuck it, I’ll do it.

• If they can do it, I can do it.

Turn negative self-talk into positive. i.e., instead of saying I’m lazy, say, I’m recreationally inclined. That way, you are active and productive when you have to be, but you prefer to relax.

When you need to, imagine you are the world’s greatest….

Successful people move towards challenges; unsuccessful people move away from challenges.

Warriors see challenges as opportunities – BRING IT ON!

Most people think themselves out of opportunities, i.e. “I’m going to think about it” is your conditioned mind’s way of stalling until the opportunity is gone.

Ready - Aim - Fire vs Ready – Fire - Aim

Most people try to spend all their time getting ready to take a shot, which is just another way for your conditioned mind to stall until the discomfort of an opportunity is over. Instead, do the minimum preparation required and then take your shot. It may not be great, and you may be way off, but you’ll have learned a few things and you’ll be much further ahead than if you take the first approach:

1. You’ll have broken through the fear barrier by taking action - which means subsequent follow-up actions will be much easier for you to do in the future.

2. You’ll better understand where to aim and why based on experience, not guesswork.

A warrior is interested in 1 thing: Results. An ugly win is still a win as long as you maintain your integrity. You don’t have to do it all yourself. “Only when a mountain is part of a range is it worth putting on a map.”

Posture and energy are much more important than what you say.

Focus on 1 step at a time, in the present.

• You MUST commit to your success before getting involved.

  • Warriors get into things to make them work.

  • Mediocre people get into things to see if they will work.

  • Losers get into things believing they won’t work.

• When you commit, ensure you have some (at least basic) understanding of what it will take to succeed.

• Just Frickin’ DO IT. Don’t think about it; it’s hazardous to your success and wealth.

• SMILE and enjoy what is going on.

WARRIOR’s:

• Have A HABIT of ACTION

• Live in a NO EXCUSE world

• Warriors say “I choose to” or “I choose not to”

• There is only ‘do’ or ‘do not’ there is no ‘try’

VICTIM’s:

• Blame, Justify and Complain

• Don’t feel sorry for them because they are looking to set you up as their persecutor.

• Don’t hang out with Victims

• Most used words: “have to” “should,” “I’ll try”

WEAKNESS is a CHOICE

YOU TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO TREAT YOU

An EVENT + YOUR RESPONSE TO THE EVENT = OUTCOME

WHO YOU ARE DETERMINES HOW WELL WHAT YOU DO WORKS

Virtues of a Warrior

Integrity

Integrity can be defined as Honor. Integrity leads to SELF TRUST. SELF TRUST leads to CONFIDENCE. CONFIDENCE leads to ACTION. ACTION leads to POWER

• Your level of integrity leads to other people’s TRUST, which leads to their CONFIDENCE and willingness to take ACTION with you.

Integrity is developed by:

• Owning your values and living them without compromising them. – Do not sell out.

• Tell the truth to other people and do not exaggerate

  • When you lie, you lose your power, confidence, self-trust, and integrity

  • Tell the truth with compassion

• Keep your word and commitments

  • Say what you mean and mean what you say

  • Keep your agreements, especially to yourself, because when you do not, you destroy your own self-esteem and confidence. If you do that often enough, you create a habit of FAILURE and will NEVER accomplish your goals

  • You have to make sure that you can do what you say and that it’s accomplishable

  • When you can no longer meet a commitment, formally de-commit

  • Only commit to things that I can mutually benefit from

A warrior does not live on FEELINGS. They live on their VISION and COMMITMENTS.

• When you stop being run by your feelings, you stop being run by your monkey mind

• Your conditioned mind knows how to stop you and manipulate your feelings

• We are not here for WORDS. We are here for ACTIONS

• What you have in your life today is what you settled for. What do you really want?

• The closer you get to your goals, the more obstacles will arise because your conditioned mind will pull out all the stops.

Your growth, peace, and power are in direct proportion to your integrity

Your ability to get things done depends on your degree of integrity

WHEN YOU HAVE INTEGRITY, YOUR WORD BECOMES LAW IN THE UNIVERSE.

Exercise - complete the following sentences……

1 NEW commitment: I formally commit to ___________________________________________

1 RE-commitment: I formally re-commit to __________________________________________

I DE-commit from: I formally de-commit from _________________________________________

Self-Approval

You cannot win the people approval game; it’s impossible and will make you miserable.

Stop trying to please everyone:

• Don’t be emotionally attached to whether people like you or not

• “What other people think of me is none of my business”

• When dealing with others, don’t take anything personally. What people say is most often about them, not you.

If you don’t love yourself, the only love you can give others is needy, selfish love.

Suggested reading: The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Forgiveness/Repentance and Letting Go

(This material on forgiveness is God’s not copyright anyone. I have expanded my notes here for the reader’s sake.)

Many people think that forgiveness is something you do for someone else. Many look at repentance as seeking forgiveness from an angry God.

In reality, Forgiveness and repentance are two of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves. Through them, we can let go of the emotional burdens we have been carrying that are ultimately self-limiting and inhibit our growth and success.

• Forgiveness allows us to stop dragging other people’s baggage behind us.

• Repentance allows us to stop dragging our own baggage behind us.

Below is a good way to think about or articulate forgiveness and the ability to let things go. For each person you hold on to negative thoughts about, fill in the first blank with their name.

_______________ I now understand that what you did or said had nothing to do with me and everything to do with you. You were projecting your own story and programming onto me. I unknowingly let in your poison. I now choose to let that poison go and fully release myself from this hurt.

The beauty I see in you is _______________________

For repentance, I recommend that you speak to your parish Priest or Spiritual Father, go to confession, etc.

Regarding Leadership

5 elements of Attraction

These five elements, together, help leaders build an appealing presence that naturally pulls others into their sphere of influence.

1. Confidence: Genuine self-assurance in one’s abilities and decisions. This isn’t about bravado or arrogance; it’s about projecting certainty so others feel secure following your lead.

2. Authenticity: Leaders who are honest about their values, intentions, and feelings tend to draw others in. People gravitate toward someone who presents their true self rather than a crafted persona.

3. Charisma: While partly innate, charisma can be cultivated. It involves a strong presence, engaging communication (focused around the other person), and an energy that inspires others to pay attention and feel uplifted.

4. Credibility: Demonstrated competence, a track record of results, and clear expertise. Without trust in your knowledge and capability, even the most charming leader will struggle to attract committed followers.

5. Vision: A leader articulating a compelling direction or goal provides a reason for people to invest their energy and enthusiasm. When others understand and believe in where you’re going, they’re far more likely to come along.

3 questions you should ask yourself as a leader:

1. What worked

2. What didn’t work

3. What can I do differently

Connecting with others

Practice ‘The beauty I see in you is….’ Exercise from above.

Handouts

Course handouts often included saying, affirmations to repeat to yourself on a daily basis, poems and short stories. Here are some below.

Affirmations….

I AM A WARRIOR…

• I create every moment of my life

• My choices create my reality

• My response creates my outcome

• There is no “can’t”, I choose to or choose not to

• There is no “try”, I do or do not do

• I am true to my own heart

• I speak my truth… with compassion

• I keep my commitments

• My word is law

• I approve of myself, now

• I don’t have to please everybody

• I don’t take anything personally

• I understand that how others judge me is about them

• I look ‘em in the eye, tell ‘em who I am, and if they don’t like it, (that’s about them, not me!)

ATTITUDES OF A WARRIOR

• I AM A WARRIOR… I ACT IN SPITE OF FEAR

• I AM A WARRIOR… I AM WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES

• I AM A WARRIOR… I DO EVERYTHING AT 100%

• I AM A WARRIOR… I AM WILLING TO DO WHAT’S “HARD”

• I AM A WARRIOR… I ACT IN SPITE OF MY MOOD

• I AM A WARRIOR… I AM BIGGER THAN ANY OBSTACLE

• I AM A WARRIOR… I SUCCEED IN SPITE OF ANYTHING

• I AM A WARRIOR… I NEVER GIVE UP

ACCESSING YOUR POWER (Mental Self-Talk)

• I say “thank you for sharing”, cancel or pass (to negative thoughts)

• I trust myself

• I encourage myself with positive self-talk

• I use a personal success motto

• If they can do it, I can do it

• I act as if I’m the world’s greatest ________

• I embrace a challenge

• I get ready, I fire, then I aim

• I focus on contributing to others

• I ask for support

• I stand strong, I am strong

• I focus on my breath

• I take one step at a time

• I just “frickin” do it

THE INVITATION

“The Invitation” is a well-known prose poem written by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, a Canadian writer and spiritual teacher. It was originally published in her book “The Invitation” (1999). Copyright for the text rests with the author, Oriah Mountain Dreamer, or her authorized representatives.

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for,
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are,
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow,
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,
without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own,
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic,
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul;
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty, every day.
And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure,
yours and mine,
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you,
from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

I DO NOT CHOOSE TO BE COMMON

“My Creed” by Dean Alfange American statesman born December 2, 1899

It is my right to be uncommon – if I can.

I seek opportunity – not security.

I want to take the calculated risk;

to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.

I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence;

the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence

nor my dignity for a handout.

I will never cower before any master

nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid;

to think and to act for myself,

to enjoy the benefit of my creations

and to face the world boldly and say,

“This I have done.”

1. For anyone interested in experiencing this course you can have a look at : https://www.harveker.com/embrace-your-inner-warrior/ and https://www.facebook.com/enlightenedwarriortrainingcamp/ to see if you can find it on offer.

2. Recommended reading - “The Power of Now.”