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Would you consider yourself a fox or a hedgehog?
What’s the difference?
Jim Collins wrote about it in his bestseller Good to Great and it’s based on the famous essay “The Hedgehog and the Fox,” written by Isaiah Berlin. In it, he divided the world into hedgehogs and foxes, based upon an ancient Greek parable: “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.”
The fox is crafty and resourceful. When he goes hunting for the hedgehog, he tries to think of many different plans–dig into the burrow, lie in ambush and attack when the hedgehog comes out, etc. But he can’t focus on one strategy…he is scattered and chases many trails at once.
The hedgehog knows one thing and can do it well. When the fox comes to eat him, he rolls up in a tight, spiky ball. All the fox gets is a bloody nose, yet he tries again and again, hatching new unusual methods of attack. He just doesn’t learn.
The fox is the person who starts the trendy diet or exercise program, only to quit after three weeks in favor of some new, better plan or fad. In business, the fox is so busy trying to juggle all his ideas and excitement to start something new and promising that he has no time to really understand what he’s doing. In short, the fox is simply treading water.
The foxes of the world rarely succeed. The lion’s share of success and wealth belongs to the hedgehogs–the people who focused on one thing and became a true specialist. They do one thing and do it very well. It’s their Hedgehog Concept.
For example, for quite some time, my Hedgehog Concept has been writing. Between this website, my fitness books, and my other writing projects, I’ve written well over 2 million words. I’ve read dozens of books on writing, ranging from technical instruction to storytelling to copyrighting. I’ve used these skills to sell a lot of books and build this website and my career. Along the way I’ve always looked for new, creative ways to enhance and expand my Hedgehog Concept, but I never let myself get distracted by other trails.
The Three Circles of the Hedgehog Concept
Hedgehog Concepts are based on three circles…all the same size and all equally important. Think of them as a classic Venn diagram: each intersect and that combined “middle” is where the magic happens.
Circle 1
This circle involves what you can be best at. It’s not a goal, strategy or plan, and it’s not just a “core competency.” It’s the place where you can really shine, and it’s determined by your personality, interests, and purposes.
Circle 2
This is the economic part of the equation. All very successful people I know were very smart with choosing endeavors that can provide a powerful cash flow.
Circle 3
Great success requires passion. This circle contains what ignites your passion. The idea here is not to stimulate passion but to find what really makes you passionate. You have to ask yourself if you’d still come to work if you had all the money you need…if the answer is no, it’s probably not your passion. Like Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” (Click here to tweet this!)
Your Hedgehog Concept lies in the intersection of these three circles. If you can live your life in the middle of them, you’ll have it made. You’ll be doing something that you can truly excel in, you’ll be deeply passionate about your work and you’ll be making great money.
It’s no good having two…you want it all! If you’re passionate about your work but make no money, you’re going to be very frustrated. If you’re good at what you do and make lots of money but hate your job, you’ll wind up miserable. If there’s money to be made and you’re passionate about the field, but you’re no good at it, that’s not good either.
Ultimately you’re going to have to figure out what your Hedgehog Concept is, and you’ll know it once you hit it. Don’t settle for anything less because it’s where real happiness and success lies.
What do you think about the fox and hedgehog parable? Have anything else to add? Let me know in the comments below!
Legion Featured Author
Mike Matthews
Mike Matthews is the founder and CEO of Legion as well as the author of several award-winning fitness books, including Bigger Leaner Stronger, Muscle for Life, and The Shredded Chef.
His simple and science-based approach to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy has sold over a million books and helped thousands of people build their best bodies ever, and his work has been featured in many popular outlets including Esquire, Men’s Health, Elle, Women’s Health, Muscle & Strength, and more, as well as on FOX and ABC.
If you don’t like something of ours, guess what happens next?
No, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon. Nor do we ask you to fill a cursed inkwell with orc’s blood and demon saliva and then use it to complete reams of return forms written in ancient Cyrillic script.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. Holy moo cows. And that means you can say "yes" now and decide later.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you live in the United States, your order ships free regardless of order size, and if you live elsewhere, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Clinically Effective Doses
Many ingredients in supplements don’t have any scientifically validated benefits, and many ingredients that do are often underdosed to the point of irrelevance.
That’s why we only use the choice ingredients and precise doses shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Clinically Effective Doses
You need more than great ingredients to make great products—you also need proper doses. That’s why we use the precise doses of ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
100% Natural Ingredients
“Natural” doesn’t always mean “better,” but in many cases, natural ingredients are superior to artificial ones for various reasons, including purity, safety, and efficacy.
That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
Made in USA
If you want to ensure the supplements you’re swallowing every day are safe and effective, you want products produced in the USA.
That’s why all of our supplements are made in America in NSF-certified and FDA-inspected facilities that operate in accordance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations.
Lab Tested
Did you know that supplements can contain dangerously high levels of toxins like lead, arsenic, and cadmium?
That’s why we test every ingredient of every supplement we produce for heavy metals, microbes, allergens, and other contaminants and ensure they meet the strict purity standards set by the FDA.
Naturally Sweetened & Flavored
While artificial sweeteners may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of these chemicals may indeed be harmful to our health.
That’s why all of our supplements are naturally sweetened and flavored and contain no artificial food dyes, fillers, or other unnecessary junk.
Science-Backed Ingredients
Many ingredients in supplements don’t have any scientifically validated benefits. That’s why we only use choice ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
No Chemical Junk
“Natural” doesn’t always mean “better,” but in many cases, natural ingredients are superior to artificial ones for various reasons, including purity, safety, and efficacy.
That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
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Waiver and Release of Liability
In consideration of the services and/or products offered by Legion Athletics, Inc. (“Legion”) including, but not limited to, nutrition plans, exercise routines and coaching, and in addition to the payment of any fee or charge:
I knowingly and voluntarily enter into this waiver and release of liability and hereby waive any and all rights, claims or causes of action of any kind whatsoever arising out of my use of Legion’s services and/or products, and I hereby release and hold harmless Legion and its consultants, officers, contractors, agents, owners and employees from any and all responsibility, liability, cost and expenses, including for injuries, damages or disorders (physical, metabolic, or otherwise), resulting from my use of Legion’s services and/or products.
I understand that fitness activities including, but not limited to, strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular exercise, with or without the use of equipment, are potentially hazardous activities that involve a risk of injury and even death, and I am voluntarily participating in these activities and using equipment and machinery with knowledge of the risks involved. I hereby agree to assume and accept any and all risks of injury or death related to said fitness activities.
I understand Legion’s services and products are not meant to treat or manage any health conditions or circumstances, and I acknowledge that Legion has recommended I obtain a healthcare provider’s approval for my use of Legion’s services and/or products, through regular physical examination(s) and/or consultation. I acknowledge that I have obtained my healthcare provider’s approval or have decided to use Legion’s services and/or products without such approval and hereby assume all responsibility for my use of said services and/or products.
I understand that results from using Legion’s products and/or services are not guaranteed, and I agree to not hold Legion liable for any outcomes or lack thereof.
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Some popular pre-workouts are all-natural. Some contain the right mix of high-quality ingredients. Some provide clinically effective doses. But only Pulse checks each of these boxes.
Pulse doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients''—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. Pulse contains no artificial or synthetic substances of any kind.
Every serving of Pulse contains 15.1 grams of active ingredients that have been shown to be safe and effective in peer-reviewed scientific research.
Every active ingredient in Pulse is backed by published scientific studies that show benefits in healthy humans.
Pulse contains no harsh stimulants that wind you up and burn you out. Instead, it contains a 1:1 ratio of caffeine and L-theanine, which produces a smooth energy rush and comfortable comedown.
We carefully examined 508 pages of scientific research to find out exactly what should and shouldn’t be in a pre-workout drink.
Every bottle of Pulse is guaranteed to provide exactly what the label claims and nothing else—no heavy metals, microbes, allergens, or other contaminants.
While these types of chemicals may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of them may indeed be harmful to our health. And that’s why we don’t put any of them into our products.
Before you buy a sports supplement, you should know that it's clean, safe, and transparent. And that's exactly what Labdoor's third-party testing and certification means.
It's hard to know for sure, but this probably makes Pulse the most-popular all-natural pre-workout supplement in the world.
"No Return Necessary" Money-Back Guarantee
If you don’t absolutely love this product, just let us know, and we’ll give you a full refund on the spot. No forms or return necessary.
Labdoor Tested for Purity
Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab by Labdoor, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
100% Natural Ingredients
This product doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients’’—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. This product contains no artificial or synthetic substances of any kind.
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Our scientific review board of nutritionists, dietitians, molecular biologists, doctors, and other accredited experts is responsible for reviewing every article, podcast, and video we produce to ensure they’re evidence based, accurate, trustworthy, and current.
Thanks to their connections, credentials, and academic experience, this team of MDs, PhDs, and other professionals has access to a wealth of research published in the largest and most prestigious journals in the world.
This allows them to not only review individual studies but also analyze the overall weight of the evidence on any and all topics related to diet, exercise, supplementation, and more.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, misleading, out-of-date, or anything less than factual, please let us know in the comments section of the article in question.
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We follow a detailed, rigorous, multi-step process to create content that meets the highest standards of clarity, practicality, and scientific integrity.
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