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BUSHIDO CODE
34 Pages to Self Mastery
BushidoCode.com
THE BUSHIDO CODE
Copyright © 2015 by Sunny Gosal
All Rights Reserved
Hi, I’m Sunny—5 years ago I was $40,000 in debt, working a dead-end job with
2 failed businesses to my name. My inability to present myself authentically
and lack of communication with my partner caused me to lose a woman I
so deeply loved. To make matters worse, my mom had just been diagnosed
with a brain tumour. I was in the worst shape of my life; mentally, physically,
financially and spiritually. I had hit rock bottom. Getting out of bed in the
morning was a challenge.
Having put in countless hours of study into bettering my life, I felt compelled
to catalog all the tools and strategies which helped me climb out of depression.
I made a commitment to devote my time to researching ancient wisdom and
scientific strategies to reach my full potential as a human being.
With love,
Sunny Gosal
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Introduction
Fortunately—I was not only a student of Academia, but also a student of the
Martial Arts, which taught me a completely different set of skills, and inspired
in me a curiosity for life itself. Many of my lessons in Martial Arts dated back
thousands of years. Exercises such as breathing, meditation, self-awareness and
visualization have been practiced for ages.
I often refer to the teachings within this book as ancient wisdom. Knowledge
which has been tried, tested and proven through centuries of application, but
has slowly been forgotten since the dawn of the industrial age.
The content presented within these pages are a rebirth of the basic principles
required to live a satisfying life of health, happiness and success. An
undertaking which I will continue to refine as a lifelong pursuit. A pursuit that
I am grateful to explore and present to you through the capability invested in
me by the powers that be.
This manual draws inspiration from these virtues and the elite warriors
who lived by them. Though as a practical guide, the 34 pages to Self Mastery
presents a more actionable interpretation for the benefit of this program, and
for the benefit of the reader.
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Exercises:
Throughout this manual you will be guided through a series of tasks and
challenges. Each exercise builds a skill, or teaches a lesson.
I only have one request of you if you choose to follow this manual. Please,
read from front to back. Never read ahead, and never skip an exercise, no
matter how simple or daunting it may seem. The failure to follow these simple
instructions will result in a poor foundation, and will stunt your growth as we
progress through the Bushido Code.
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Taking Action
Take for example, the chair you sit on. First, it was made inside the imagination
of its creator. The shape, style and color were at one point just a thought, an
idea. It wasn’t until the creator took action on the idea was the chair made a
second time. This time, in this tangible world as the chair you’re sitting on now.
Similarly, the thoughts and ideas written in this Action is the foundational
manual are only a collection of words within a key to all success.
document. Without action, they are nothing more.
Without action, they will not manifest and you will
Pablo Picasso
not receive any benefit from them.
To extract the wisdom of the Bushido Code out of your computer and directly
into your hands, where it is accessible for reading, journaling and review, you
are required to print these pages, hole-punch them and place them into a duo-
tang labeled #FollowTheCode.
Your first exercise is extremely simple, but do not be fooled by its simplicity.
Execution of this first step is essential to your success in the Bushido Code.
Print your manual, label it clearly & introduce yourself to the Facebook community
[here] before you move forward.
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Instant Courage
In ancient Japan, the Samurai would rise before dawn to bathe themselves in
a cold river, under a waterfall, or with buckets of cold water. This ritual was
called Misogi, and offered many benefits including:
Beyond these benefits, the ritual of cold water bathing offers lessons in courage,
discipline and willpower.
When we make the decision to perform this ritual daily, we build discipline.
When we turn the tap from hot to cold, we practice courage. And when we
are able to hold our space comfortably under the cold water, we train our
willpower.
Understand that the willpower and discipline developed through this exercise
is the same willpower required to finish a challenging workout even when your
body/mind is fatigued. It is the same mental strength required to skip dessert at
the buffet table. And it is the same discipline which stops you from looking at
your phone notifications when you’re working on something important.
The courage and willpower you gain from this exercise will echo in everything
you do.
The Amateur begins with warm water, gradually Fear is only as deep as the
turning the shower to cold where you perform 30 mind allows.
slow breaths before exiting. The Pro begins with
the shower on cold, and you will need to hold your
Japanese Proverb
space for 2 to 5 minutes before exiting. As you
get comfortable with the exercise, graduate from
Amateur to Pro.
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Once you have successfully completed your first cold shower, post in the Facebook
Group and share your experience before continuing to the next section.
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Seeds of Excellence—Micro Habits
Habitual Creatures
Human beings are creatures of habit. As we age, as much as 45% of our
behaviour becomes habitual—meaning, it happens automatically with little or
no conscious effort. Think of it like being on “autopilot”.
Sadly though, few of our automatic habits are intelligently designed. Quite the
opposite, in fact. Many of our behavioural patterns
stem from our turbulent years as adolescents. As we
mature, we carry these poor habits into adulthood, The achievement of your
where they offer no benefit, and even have the
potential to sabotage our success.
goal is assured the moment
you commit yourself to it
Good habits on the other hand are behaviours Mack R. Douglas
which are consciously designed and purposeful.
When we strengthen these positive behaviours
through constant practice, they become instinctive, and we begin to establish
the building blocks for a life of self-mastery. In this section, I will teach you how
to easily program good habits.
Think of your micro habit as a seed. You start by planting a firm, unwavering
commitment to your new habit—you can do this by visualizing your seed
being planted firmly into the ground. The hard part is now complete, your only
remaining responsibility is to simply water your seed daily. You do this through
consistent and persistent action.
Note: A micro habit shouldn’t feel more daunting than watering your plants. If
it does—then it’s probably not a micro habit.
Why does this work? With the use of micro habits, we eliminate the stress and
pressure of fulfilling more difficult, and complicated goals. We make the goal
so small, it no longer becomes a burden.
For example, we can all floss 1 tooth without excuse. But do we just floss 1
tooth and stop? Probably not. Flossing the first tooth is a trigger. As you floss
1 tooth, you will find yourself flossing another one, then the whole row, until
you eventually floss all of your teeth. The only intention you need is the
commitment to flossing 1 tooth a night, every night.
More examples: You begin to read 2 pages for the night, but the book is so good
that you finish the entire chapter. Or maybe, you start writing 50 words for your
blog, but you get inspired and end up finishing the whole article. Or perhaps,
you make eye contact with a random stranger, they smile back and you both
fall madly in love… the point is, there’s no limit to what your micro habit can
trigger. But it does have a very small minimum requirement.
Your challenge for this section is to select a Micro Habit. Set a strong intention, and
water your intention for the next 30 days.
Write the micro habit for your intention: ie. I will play 1 note each night
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The Art of Meditation
In the Bushido Code, I introduce one style of meditation which I learned from
my mentor and master philosopher Brian Johnson. Let’s get started.
Why Meditate?
Before we set out to do anything in life, we must know the underlying reason
why we are pursuing it, or we will often fall short of our goal. Below, I will
share with you the reasons why we should incorporate meditation into our
daily practice. As you read, highlight which
reasons resonate with you the most.
Conquer the mind,
Regain the Strength of Your Mind - Gain more conquer the world.
control over your attention. Direct your mind Guru Nanak
where you want it, when you want it. This is
something the happiest people do very well.
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Build Willpower - Being able to resist a slice of cake, staying in plank position
for an extra 10 seconds, or being able to focus on the task at hand without
distraction—all these examples require the use of willpower. Meditation is the
best way to build and train this power.
Optimize your Immune System - Relax your mind and your body will follow.
Calming your body allows your muscular, nervous, and immune systems to
rest, optimizing their function and protecting you from illness.
How to Meditate
Meditation is an extremely simple practice. Interestingly, it is this simplicity
that often confuses & intimidates first time meditators. Here’s what to do:
• Commit to your practice—give it your 100%. Don’t give yourself the space
to fail. 100% commitment means you will meditate every day, even if it’s only
for 1 minute. Like your daily cold shower, meditation is non-negotiable. Make
a micro habit out of it, if needed.
• Find a comfortable sitting posture. You may sit cross legged on the floor,
on a chair, or in the Japanese Seiza posture as I do. It is important that
you don’t feel strained or uncomfortable, as this will distract your focus.
Remember to sit with dignity.
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• Know that your mind is going to stray—this is part of the process! Do not
judge yourself harshly when you lose your focus. Instead, be compassionate
to yourself. Understand that each time your thoughts slip away from your
anchor, and you successfully bring your attention back in focus, it’s like
doing repetitions at the gym. It builds you meditation muscle. Returning to
your anchor is what the practice of meditation is all about.
• Don’t take your meditation practice too seriously. You don’t judge yourself
critically when you brush your teeth, do you? No, you show up, you brush
your teeth, and you’re done. It’s the same with meditation. Just relax, show
up, practice, and that’s it. That’s all you need to do. No judgement.
The pursuit of conquering your mind is a noble one. A pursuit which takes
courage, grit and determination. I admire those who take the initiative to
quiet their minds. In my goal to assist you, I will send you additional tools and
resources as we progress to help you advance your meditation practice, and
master your mind. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the Bushido
Code Community / Facebook Group [here].
Before you continue to the next section, commit to a daily meditation practice and
meditate at least once. Journal your experience in the Facebook Group [here].
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You Are What You Think
We must realize that our mind, though powerful, is fragile, and can easily
be influenced.
In this section, we will audit your thoughts and rewire your mind for growth.
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I was taught this trick by my coach Sean PI Stewart. The concept is simple,
but like all exercises within the Bushido Code, your success depends on your
commitment and execution.
From today onwards, I want you to wear a thick elastic band around your
wrist. The dollar store is a great place to find these bands. Now, each time you
notice a toxic thought entering your mind, I want you to SNAP yourself with
the elastic band, and say out loud, “Cancel, cancel”. I want you to then visualize
yourself accomplishing your main goal of the moment, and embrace the
feelings and emotions that come with accomplishing that goal.
• When you have a toxic thought, it is your duty to snap the band. Don’t
give yourself any free passes—that is self-sabotage.
• Snap the band hard. The pain from the snap will quickly help discourage
your mind from associating with your toxic thoughts. No pain, no gain.
• Say CANCEL out loud, with conviction, and with good posture. If you’re
in a public space and you can’t say it out loud, say it loud in your head, like a
newsstand boy saying “EXTRA EXTRA!—CANCEL, CANCEL!”
• Visualize and feel the sensations of achieving your main goal of the
moment. Let it flood your whole being. The more you can put yourself
“there” through the sensations of your mind and body, the quicker you’ll get
there in reality.
• Trust that when used correctly, the Bushido Band is a highly effective tool
that works! I know because it was one of the biggest game changers for me
in 2014. It helped me discipline my mind enabling me climb out of a long
standing rut which then lead to the creation of this program.
Before you move on to the next section, find your Bushido Band and write your 3
most toxic thoughts in the space provided above. Share your list with your Bushido
Community in our Facebook Group [here].
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The Do Not Do List
The to-do list is among the simplest and most Let us conduct ourselves so
effective productivity tools available, one I endorse that all men wish to be our
wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, the to-do list has friends and all fear to be our
forever eclipsed the equally important but often
neglected, do not do list—until now.
enemies.
Alexander the Great
A Lesson from Nature
Every Autumn, trees show us just how necessary it is to let dead leaves go…
leaves which are no longer of service to the tree. This season is Fall. But the
truth is, the leaves don’t just fall off the tree. Instead, the tree actively grows
cells between the leaf and the branch—pushing the leaf off the tree. This
process makes room for new leaves to grow, and allows the tree to mature, year
after year.
Similarly, the do not do list is the practice of becoming aware of those habits
which no longer serve us, then taking the necessary steps to push them off our
routine. Making room for new habits that are in line with our vision, and the
person we are destined to become.
• The light emitted by your device wreaks havoc on your circadian rhythm;
the system in charge of the physical, mental and behavioral changes that
follow a 24-hour cycle.
• The practice of scrolling through your social media right before you go to
sleep is a mindless and unproductive habit. It keeps your mind busy when
it’s time for you to rest and recalibrate for the next day. Interacting on social
media can influence your mood before you retire for the night. This can
affect the quality and quantity of your sleep.
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• When you sleep near your phone, you will find yourself waking up
to check the time or peek at your notifications. Do it often enough and it
becomes a habit that will keep you from getting a good night’s sleep.
• If you sleep with your phone in your room, you won’t be able to resist
browsing your email and social media upon waking. Checking your phone
first thing puts you in a reactive state, responding to emails, messages and
notifications without giving yourself the time and space to center yourself for
the day.
• Lastly, cellular technology is not without criticism for its unproven health
records. Why sleep near your phone when it’s simply not necessary?
For this challenge, you will focus on 1 do not do list item per month. It is
important to keep your focus—so, do not select more than 1 item per month.
Upon successful removal of the first item you may move on to the next,
gradually removing the negative habits that are holding you back, from
reaching your maximum potential.
In the space below, write down your 3 most limiting habits. Which of your habits do
you think are the most self-defeating and keep you from reaching your full potential?
Write them down and also share them in the Bushido Code Facebook Group [here]
My Do Not Do List
1.
2.
3.
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Goals & Ambition
Forever Blooming
One of my favourite life analogies is that of the By failing to prepare, you are
flower. The flower spends the majority of its life preparing to fail.
growing—it grows so it may one day bloom. Often, Benjamin Franklin
the bloom is short lived and soon after, the flower
begins a sharp decline, where it withers and finally decays.
Now, I want to ask you—if you were a flower, at which stage of your life are you
at right now? Too often, people tell me they’ve already bloomed. They tell me
they bloomed when they graduated from college, got married, or when they
secured their dream job. This type of thinking is toxic, and it’s not until after
explaining the flower analogy to them that they understand. If they’ve already
bloomed, then there won’t be anything left to look forward to. There would be
no room for further growth, and that leads to decay.
For this reason, I want you to be forever reaching for your bloom. It’s this type
of thinking that keeps the 80 year old youthful, while the 40 year olds feels
worn-out and tired because they believe they are past their prime—beyond
their bloom.
When writing your goal pyramids, begin at the top with your main objective
and consciously think your way down into smaller more actionable steps. You
may go down 3 or 4 levels, depending on the complexity of your objective.
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When you’ve completed your goal pyramid, share it with the
Facebook group to hold yourself accountable and get feedback
and support from the rest of the community.
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When you’ve completed your goal pyramid, share it with the
Facebook group to hold yourself accountable and get feedback
and support from the rest of the community.
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The Golden Rituals
We are all creatures born with infinite potential. We are what we repeatedly
Though many of us have had our power reduced, do. Excellence, then, is not
or worse, stripped from us through the repetition an act, but a habit
of poor behaviours. In this section, I will show
you how to replace your old behaviours with the
Aristotle
routines and rituals of high achievers.
Did you give yourself time to enjoy the privilege of eating a healthy and
nutritious meal this morning? Did you make use of the morning hours to
prepare yourself for the day? Did you meditate? Did you plan for the day
ahead? Did you wake up knowing your goals for the weeks and months ahead?
Many people who have been asked these questions didn’t even manage a good
breakfast. Those who did had to rush through it so as not to be late for work or
school. They tell me they didn’t have time, but the truth is—they never made
the time.
Much like an elite athlete must warm up before a game, elite performers must
warm up before their day.
As I mentioned in the opening pages of this manual, the Your days are your life
secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting in miniature. As you
the old, but on building the new. Let’s begin building your live your days, so you
routine to match that of an elite performer.
craft your life.
Follow this routine and customize it to reflect your own Robin Sharma
lifestyle & purpose.
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Whereas most programs begin with what to do in the morning, the Bushido
Code encourages you to focus all your energy on developing your nightly ritual
first. A well designed (and strictly enforced) nightly ritual, will naturally bring
ease & pleasure to your morning ritual.
THE PM Ritual
Golden Milk
Golden milk is the fabled, “Milk and Honey”, enhanced with spices from the
ancient Indian study of Ayurvedic medicine. Not only is this warm drink
tasty and comforting, but it comes with an impressive list of health benefits,
including anti-inflammatory agents, liver detoxifying properties, antioxidants,
and memory support, amongst others - making it an ideal beverage before bed.
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What went well today?—A space for your wins of the day, both big and small.
For example:
What did you learn today?—A space to write down what could be improved
upon. For example:
At the end of this document, you will find your nightly journal. Fill this out each
night as you enjoy your Golden Milk
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Read, Write, Listen & Relax
This next block of time is dedicated to personal enjoyment. Here you may
continue writing in your journal for pleasure; write about the things that
inspired you, an idea you want to execute in the future, or write for the sake
of creative expression—poetry, lyrics, or letters to loved ones. Alternatively,
I encourage you to use this time to read an interesting book, or listen to an
audiobook or relaxation audios. I especially enjoy relaxation audios after a day
of strenuous physical exercise.
The Neti Pot is simply a small pot designed to rinse your sinuses with a warm
salt water solution. This exercise is a foundational practice of any Yogi. This
is because the Yogi understands the importance of breath. Many of us have
lost touch, forgetting that our breath is our connection to life. It is amazing
how often the quality of our breath is neglected in the understanding and
improvement of our overall health. For this reason, I suggest using the Neti Pot
on a nightly basis, to improve your breath & overall well-being.
Some may find this exercise uncomfortable at first. This is normal, and the
feeling will subside with frequent use. But once you try the Neti Pot and see
the improvement in the quality of your breath, I assure you, you will want to
practice this exercise nightly.
I recommend the SinuClenase Neti Pot which is affordable at $10, and also
comes with salt packs and simple instructions for use. [Get the SinuCleanse
Neti Pot]
Bedtime 10pm
THE AM RITUAL
In my own experience, and from the teachings of the many great minds before
me, it is important to begin your days early. The early hours between 5am-8am
are often known as the “Golden Hours” for writers, creatives, entrepreneurs
and visionaries alike. Some even praise these early hours for their ability to
harness creative energy and laser-like focus. In order to take full benefit of
these hours, we rise at 5am.
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Though waking up at 5am sounds (and can be) difficult, if we put the time and
effort into creating and enforcing our PM ritual, we will experience a much
easier transition to becoming an early riser. For this reason, it is essential we
practice our PM rituals with diligence and consistency.
Rise at 5 am
Before you sleep, decide that you will wake up at 5 am and jump out of bed
without hesitation when your alarm rings. For those new to waking up this
early, understand the first 20 seconds will be the most difficult. You might feel
like crawling back to bed, or negotiating with yourself for 5 more minutes, but
don’t surrender to those thoughts—know that after the first 20 seconds, the
discomfort will dissipate.
Think back to any military movie and the environment in a military barracks.
When it’s time to wake up, the soldiers snap to full wakefulness. They don’t
lie in bed half-asleep and almost catatonic, wishing they had another minute
or two to doze off. No, the alarm rings, the lights come on and they spring
up immediately, with zero delay. Confront your mornings with the same
mentality. Do not resist life by hitting the snooze button. Your rest is over, the
day has begun.
Once you leave your bed, walk straight into the bathroom. Here, a few splashes
of cold water on your face will help remove the morning fog.
Staying well hydrated can be something that is easy to neglect. But a well
hydrated body brings energy, and a well hydrated brain brings clarity. Use this
opportunity to make a habit of drinking 500ml of water every morning, along
with the vitamins or supplements you take.
Tip: Squeeze half a lemon into your water to give it alkalinizing properties, and
a great refreshing taste.
It is amazing, all the goodness we take for granted. The act of gratitude forces
us to be aware of all the gifts and opportunities we’re blessed with. This
fundamental shift in perspective creates happier, more positive people. As a
general rule, these people live healthier and more abundant lives.
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Cold Shower
As mentioned in this manual, a cold shower can give you a surge of energy,
heighten your alertness, and elevate your mood, especially in the wee hours
of the morning. For a refresher on cold showers, review section 2, Instant
Courage.
20/20/20 Routine
This segment of your morning routine is designed to prime your mind & body
for the day ahead. Again, much like an elite athlete warms up before a game,
we as elite performers, must put the effort to warm up our mind and body
before our actual day begins. The 20/20/20 routine consists of the following
components:
I suggest finding a movement routine which works best for you. I offer
the following ideas, with a strong emphasis on yoga to loosen the body,
especially the neck, shoulders and hips after a night’s rest.
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• Reading - Books
• Listening - Audiobooks / Lectures
• Watching - TED Talks
Nutrition fuels our body and it’s essential that we eat a nutritionally balanced
breakfast to start our day. Try this recipe which I’ve dubbed the Bushido Bowl.
This breakfast is easy to prepare and highly nutritious providing great energy
boost.
To assemble, simply mix the following ingredients into a large jar and store it in
your refrigerator.
When it’s time to eat, spoon 2 to 6 heaping tablespoons into a small bowl
of warm milk or milk substitute and top with sliced banana, blueberries or
strawberries for taste. Let it sit for 5 minutes before eating.
After this power breakfast, you are now in an optimal state to tackle the day
ahead - with a clearer mind and renewed energy. Now is the time to begin
your biggest task of the day, as decided the night before. Do the work that is
required to get the results you want, and always remember to #FollowTheCode.
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What’s Next?
I want to congratulate you on completing the Bushido Code manual.
Finishing this manual from front to back is a declaration of your potential and
your ability to reach it. As the weeks progress, watch your inbox for additional
tools and resources to help reinforce the concepts and routines along with
bonus content which I’m confident will help you along your journey.
Speaking from personal experience, I know we could all use a little extra help
achieving our goals. For that reason I’m giving away a free, 1-on-1 coaching
package ($2000) for one lucky reader, where I’ll mentor you for 1 month with
lots of extra bonuses like a Bushido Code sweatshirt and more! To enter click or
tap here.
If so, please share it with someone who might benefit from the exercises and
knowledge contained within the Bushido Code. Do you have friends and
family who could use it? If so, please help me share the Bushido Code with the
world by offering it to them. Please share this link BushidoCode.com/eBook.
How did you like this eBook? As my first book I’m looking to improve and your
feedback would be greatly appreciated!
• What worked?
• What didn’t?
• What would you like to see more of?
• What kind of products and services would you like to see in the future?
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Nightly Journal
What went well today?
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
Three to Thrive
1.
2.
3.
Notes:
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Nightly Journal
What went well today?
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
Three to Thrive
1.
2.
3.
Notes:
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Nightly Journal
What went well today?
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
Three to Thrive
1.
2.
3.
Notes:
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Nightly Journal
What went well today?
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
Three to Thrive
1.
2.
3.
Notes:
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Nightly Journal
What went well today?
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
Three to Thrive
1.
2.
3.
Notes:
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Nightly Journal
What went well today?
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
Three to Thrive
1.
2.
3.
Notes:
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Nightly Journal
What went well today?
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
Three to Thrive
1.
2.
3.
Notes:
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