Climbing the Identity Ladder: Becoming the Founder Your Future Demands

Climbing the Identity Ladder: Becoming the Founder Your Future Demands

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All right. Welcome back to The Daily Mastermind, George Wright III with your daily dose of inspiration, motivation, and education.

Today we're gonna be digging a little bit deeper into your identity. We talked the other day about how to create a founder mindset, and while it's a term, it's also a specific thing I want you to work on. It's critical to scaling your business, your vision of life, and everything in between.

But one of the biggest things that’s going to hold you back is your identity. So today, we're going to break down the five levels of what I call the identity ladder. These levels or parts are going to include your environment, your behavior, your skills, your beliefs, and your identity itself.

So let’s go ahead and jump right into it.

But before I do, if this is your first time listening to The Daily Mastermind, I would love for you to hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss any episodes. We’ve got some great interviews coming up. We’re going to be talking to an expert out of Europe on business burnout, others about franchising, money, and even lifestyle topics this week.

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Five Levels of Identity Ladder

These are the five areas I believe you need to grow, push, and build within yourself to develop that founder mindset and take your business to the level you know it can reach. Remember: you will only grow to the extent your identity does.

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Level 1: Environment

So the first area to discuss is your environment. Where are you? What surrounds you? Your surroundings are going to shape your mindset—who you hang out with, what you listen to, what you consume.

Most entrepreneurs try to change their results without actually changing their environment. They think they can just push through no matter what’s around them. But real growth begins when you stop letting your surroundings define you and start curating your ecosystem.

We talk about the Prosperity Pillar—surround yourself with successful and positive people. Ask yourself this: are you around people who challenge you and elevate you, or do they simply agree with you?

If you’re not being challenged and elevated, then I assure you your environment isn’t the right one. Take action. Change your circle. Change your space. Change your daily environment if it’s not aligned with where you need to go.

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Level 2: Behavior and Habits

Next comes behavior. What do you do day to day?

Your habits are the bridge between your goals and your identity. What you do consistently is what you become. Let me say that again—what you do consistently defines what you become.

Morning routines, content creation, sales calls—your outcomes are a reflection of your repeated behavior. Don’t confuse motion with progress. I’ve mentored people who say, “I really want this,” but their actions don’t reflect that.

If your actions don’t align with what you claim to want, then either you don’t truly want it or there’s a roadblock you need to face. Ask yourself: are your habits and routines aligned with the vision you're trying to create?

Build daily rituals that enforce discipline and clarity. One of mine is going to the gym—it gets my mindset right, starts my day strong, and gives me the energy to build.

Maybe for you it's journaling, meditation, or sales calls. Just make sure your behaviors and habits are geared toward real growth—not just busy work.

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Level 3: Capabilities and Skills

The third level is your capabilities and skills. It’s not just about where you are or what you do—it’s about what you know and how effectively you can execute. Your capabilities determine how high you can actually go.

You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your skills and mastery. Let me say that again: you’re not going to rise to your goals—you’ll fall to the level of your skillset.

Founders who keep learning—who operate from a true growth mindset—rise faster. And in today’s environment, that means embracing discomfort, investing in coaching and mentorship, and constantly sharpening the tools in your toolbox.

Your income rarely exceeds your capacity. So ask yourself: what’s the one skill that would 10X your business right now?

I would argue that for most people today, it’s AI. But whatever that skill is for you, commit to mastering it. Don’t dabble. Go deep. Most people dabble, and that’s why they never scale.

If you truly want to increase your skills and capabilities to grow your business, commit to mastering the one skill that’s holding you back.

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Level 4: Beliefs

Now we get to the fourth level—your beliefs. Remember, we’re talking about these five levels of the identity ladder: environment, behavior, capabilities, and now, beliefs.

What you believe to be true about yourself and the world is one of the most powerful forces shaping your results. This is the invisible layer that either fuels or limits your growth.

Limiting beliefs about money, success, risk, your self-worth—they all influence your decisions and actions.

If you believe people won’t pay premium prices, you’ll undercharge. If you don’t believe your skills are valuable, you won’t promote them. If you believe you’re not good enough, you’ll play small and underperform.

Ask yourself this: what belief am I holding right now that could be false—about myself, my business, or my environment?

Now rewrite that belief. Replace it with a new, empowering one—and back it up with action. For example, if you’ve been doubting your value, identify that doubt, and then go out and take action that proves you’re more than capable.

Beliefs are not facts. They’re often stories we’ve told ourselves for years. And those stories can be changed.

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Level 5: Core Identity

And finally, the fifth and most powerful level: your core identity.

Who are you—really? And more importantly, who do you see yourself becoming?

This is the core of everything. It’s not about doing more. It’s about becoming more. I love that quote from Jim Rohn: “Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.”

Your identity has to match the results you’re aiming for. If you identify as a struggling solopreneur, hustler, or grinder, you’ll make decisions from scarcity. But if you embrace the identity of a powerful, visionary founder, you’ll lead with clarity and confidence.

This is something Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy talk about extensively—acting from your future self rather than your current limitations.

Ask yourself: do I need to become someone different in order to lead my business to its highest potential?

Am I acting from my current identity or my future one?

Start showing up as the version of yourself that already has the success you want. Speak like them. Think like them. Make decisions like them. That identity shift changes everything.

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Be-Do-Have: The Right Order

This is a little side note, a riff I wanted to share with you because I really believe we’ve been conditioned the wrong way by our current marketplace.

We’ve been taught all our lives that we need to have the resources, so we can do the work, and eventually be successful. That’s the model we’ve all grown up with—have, do, be.

But it’s totally backwards.

The truth is: you’ve got to be the person first. Then you’ll do the work. And only then will you have the results.

Are you following me? You can’t wait to have something in order to do the work and become successful. You have to become the person now.

Be the person.

Then do the work.

Then you will have the success.

Your identity comes before your strategy. Not the other way around.

Let me repeat that—your identity must precede your strategy. You don’t use strategy to create your identity. You must become your identity in order to develop the right strategy.

So start thinking like the 7-, 8-, or 9-figure version of yourself. Speak like them. Act like them. Build the habits they would have.

Back to those five principles:

• Is your environment the 7-, 8-, or 9-figure environment you need?
• Are your behaviors and habits aligned with elite performance?
• Are your skills and capabilities dialed in for growth?
• Do your beliefs match your desired outcomes?
• And does your core identity reflect who you need to become?

Ask yourself these questions daily. The answers will show you exactly where your next level is hiding.

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Conclusion and Call to Action

And so this is the point I really wanted to make with you today. I hope it’s at least given you some powerful food for thought.

Your business won’t grow beyond your identity. So the next level of your business begins the moment you level up who you are.

If you’re feeling stuck right now, I want to encourage you—it’s not your business model. It’s not your marketing strategy. It’s almost never the economy.

It’s your identity that needs the upgrade.

Adopt that founder mindset. Work on these five levels of identity. And I guarantee you—you are going to see results.

And remember: it doesn’t matter where you’re at right now. It’s never too late to start living the life, creating the identity, and becoming the person you were meant to be.

That’s my message for today. I hope you have an amazing day. I hope you’ll share this episode.

Please do me a favor—it would mean the world to me if you’d share this episode and tag me. I’d love to see what you’re doing. If you tag me, I’ll comment back, give you a shout-out, and we can connect.

Hit me up and let me know what you’re up to. Let me know what you’re winning at. Let me know what you’re struggling with. Let’s work together in the Mastermind to take you to the next level.

Have a great day.

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About George Wright III:

George Wright is a Proven, Successful Entrepreneur- and he knows how to inspire entrepreneurs, companies, and individuals to achieve Massive Results. With more than 20 years of Executive Management experience and 25 years of Direct Marketing and Sales experience, George is responsible for starting and building several successful multimillion-dollar companies. He started at a very young age to network and build his experience and knowledge of what it takes to become a driven and well-known entrepreneur. George built a multi-million-dollar seminar business, promoting some of the biggest stars and brands in the world. He has accelerated the success and cash flow in each of his ventures through his network of resources and results driven strategies. George is now dedicated to teaching and sharing his Prosperity Principles and Strategies to every Driven and Passionate Entrepreneur he meets. His mission is to Empower Entrepreneurs Globally to create Massive Change and LIVE their Ultimate Destiny.

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