You’re probably not where you want to be with your health.

And that’s okay. Most people aren’t (studies show 80%+ of people are metabolically unhealthy).

I’m not here to talk down on you.

I’ve failed at transforming myself 10x more than I’ve succeeded.

And the worst feeling is when you make a promise to yourself and can’t help but break it.

You start to feel helpless, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you may continue the cycle for years on end…

…always wanting to change, but never being able to.

Whether you want to build the body of an athlete, fix your energy, or take the leap toward peak performance (without quitting after 2 weeks).

The ‘Levels’ concept I am about to teach you will help you do exactly that.

It’s my favourite tool for compressing 2 years of growth into 3 months.

I’ve used it in business, relationships, and health, and each of these has improved after analysing them through this lens.

You can expect to leave this article with absolute clarity on what the next level looks like in your health, vitality, and performance, which actions will get you there, and who you have to become to live at this new level..

Now first, let’s understand what the ‘levels’ model means.

The 6 Levels

The levels model is a simple framework to identify where you’re at, where you’d like to go, and what you want to avoid.

Instead of comparing yourself to some fitness influencer or placing yourself on a model like the 9 stages of ego development, this model helps you to understand where you are right now, and how to move one level higher or one level lower—no matter if you’re an elite athlete or carrying 30+ extra lbs.

The scale works as follows

Level 3: Chronic pain. Living on stimulants. Burning out. Giving up.

Level 4: Getting worse. Fatigued. Chronic stiffness. Barely getting by.

Level 5: Your current baseline, normal or average.

Level 6: Improvement. Progress. Building momentum.

Level 7: Flow state. High energy. Clear systems (training, recovery, nutrition).

Level 8: Identity based. Effortless. Long-term sustained peak performance.

Level 5 is everyone’s starting point.

Your level 5 is what’s normal or average for you right now.

Everyone has a level 5. Superbon and Hardest Geezer have a level 5, just as a 32-year old who’s just started Muay Thai has a level 5.

Whatever your level 5, we want to step into and live at level 6 or 7. One level higher than our current reality. For some, this will mean training more. For others, it may mean training less, but recovering better.

Level 6 or 7 is where real momentum kicks in. You can feel and see progress in your body. Mid-afternoon crashes disappear. Years of stiffness start melting away. Strength increases faster than expected. You wake up every day with a supple, healthy, and energised body because you know exactly what to focus on, and you can sense you’re becoming the best version of yourself in years (if not your whole life).

The rest of this article will explore how you can unlock level 6 or 7.

Let’s dive in.

Identify Your Levels

If you want to take your health and your well-being to the next level, you need to identify where you’re at.

Stop reading this and grab something to write with.

We want to discover what’s forward progress and what’s backwards.

For each level, write 1-2 sentences describing what it looks like in YOUR life.

Level 3: What would complete system breakdown look like for you?

Level 4: What does slow decline look like?

Level 5: What’s your current baseline? Be honest.

Level 6: What would clear progress look like?

Level 7: What would flow state look like?

Level 8: What would it look like if health was just who you are?

This will make where you’re aiming to go (and where you aren’t) incredibly clear.

Do this now, then continue reading.

Now that you’ve identified what forward progress looks like versus going backwards, we’re going to get granular about exactly what will move you to the next level.

If you haven’t written down your levels yet, stop reading, and don’t continue until you’ve done it.

Conduct a Health Audit

The next step is to take stock of where you’re at in specific areas of your health.

Rate yourself 1-10 (as objectively as possible) on how this is going for you.

This will make sense in a minute.

Energy (1–10)
Strength & Muscle Mass (1–10)
Mobility & Movement Quality (1–10)
Sleep (1–10)
Recovery (1–10)
Nervous System Regulation (1–10)
Nutrition (1–10)
Hydration (1–10)
Focus & Discipline (1–10)
Stress (1–10)
Long-Term Health Goals (1–10)

Now here’s where you begin to see your next moves more clearly.

For every single area you rated above, write out 1-3 ways you could move that number up a few points.

For example, if your nutrition and energy levels were a 3, you could add 300 grams of fruits and vegetables to your diet. You could view sunlight within 30 minutes of waking. You could consistently hit 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight. You could train first thing in the morning. These would all improve your energy and nutrition

Or, if your nervous system capacity were at 4, you could meditate for 10 minutes every morning, do cold exposure 2-3 times a week, and cut back on stimulants. You could implement a no-screens policy 1 hour after waking and 2 hours before sleep.

I can’t say exactly what you should do to improve.

Your situation is unique.

You know your body better than anyone else.

By asking yourself how you can improve, your mind will start coming up with unique solutions to your unique health problems. This is the mind’s function. It is a problem-solving machine based on cybernetic principles.

When you challenge yourself to think for yourself, your mind grows stronger, as does your confidence, integrity, and intuition.

So, prompt yourself by asking how you could improve in all of the above areas and write down a few ways you can take things to the next level. Take a Minimum Viable Action

Once you prompt yourself and you start coming up with solutions, take immediate action on them.

Yes, I mean right now.

You don’t have to go complete an entire marathon, but set an action in motion.

Put aside this article for a second.

Pick the easiest action from your list and do it before you continue reading.

Open your calendar and block out your training times for the next week.

Text someone to hold you accountable.

Throw out the junk food in your house.

Set a bedtime alarm for 90 minutes before you want to sleep.

These small steps are what will shift you into level 6 or 7.

It’s the difference between people who make real transformations in their lives and those who just consume content.

But actions are only half the game.

We also have to shift our internal belief system.

To become the person who embodies level 6 or 7 as their new state of being.

Identity Transmutation

You should now be clear on what your next level looks like.

You know what you’re aiming at.

You know the immediate steps to get there.

Now, the question becomes, how do you stay in the energy of that level?

Big goals mean nothing unless you become the type of person who easily accomplishes them.

We have to close the gap between the version of you who lives at level 6 or 7 and the version of you who currently lives at Level 5.

How?

We have to reprogram our mind to believe we are this person now.

Here are a few ways to do it:

When you feel stuck, ask yourself, “What would the level 6 or 7 version of me do right now?”
Create a vision board with pictures, quotes, and phrases that remind you of your level 6 or 7 self, and look at it every day
Consume foods that energise, fuel, and replenish you to match the energy of your level 6 or 7 self.
Get support, accountability, and a plan from a coach who cares about helping you uncover your greatness.
Surround yourself with people actively improving their lives and improving their health.

The Infinite Game

The great thing about the levels concept is that it’s an infinite game.

You can always improve.

You can always take things one level higher.

Eventually, your level 6 or 7 will become your new level 5.

Then, you can set a new level 6 or 7, set new goals associated with those new levels, and program yourself to live as that person.

I’m sure every athlete would also say they have another level they could go to.

The purpose of life is to progress.

But wherever you want to go starts with a simple step now.

What is your level 6?

What is your level 7?

What are you doing at level 6?

Who are you being at level 7?

If you can identify your next level, act from that level, and embody that version of you NOW, you’re well on your way to a life of infinite progress and peak performance.

Live and be at level 7 now.

Thanks for reading, I’ll see you in the next article.

Matthew

P.S. I’m opening a limited number of 1:1 coaching spots for people serious about compressing years of progress into 90-180 days. When you’re ready, apply here for 1:1 mobility coaching