The Expander Method
Use visible examples of higher performance to reset what you attempt
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 91%
The Expander Method uses another person's visible behavior to enlarge your estimate of what is possible. First, select an area where your current expectations may be artificially low. Then spend time around someone who demonstrates a credible next level—not necessarily a distant celebrity, but a peer whose actions you can observe closely. Identify the specific standard, decision, or behavior that challenges your baseline, and convert that observation into a safe stretch attempt of your own. The result becomes evidence for recalibrating future goals. This is not indiscriminate comparison: an expander is useful because their example increases agency rather than producing shame. In a group such as a mastermind, several expanders can also expose new operating models, investments, and solutions that would be difficult to generate alone.
Origin
Jasmine recognized the mechanism while training beside Bonnie Christine. After Bonnie added 25 pounds to her final squat set, Jasmine stopped the trainer from removing the weight and attempted the heavier load because she had just seen what was possible.
Core principles
- 01Visible examples make new levels of performance feel attainable.
- 02Proximity to bigger thinkers changes perceived possibilities.
- 03An expander should prompt action, not passive admiration.
- 04The best comparison reveals capacity rather than diminishing self-worth.
How to run it
- 1
Select the Constraint
Identify a goal or operating area where you may be playing below your capacity. Define the current baseline and the level you have assumed is realistic.
Pro tip Choose one measurable behavior, decision, or standard rather than a vague desire to improve.
Watch out Do not begin by comparing every part of your life or business.
- 2
Find a Credible Expander
Look for someone demonstrating the next meaningful level in that area. Favor people close enough that you can understand their behavior and context.
Pro tip Peers one or two levels ahead often provide more actionable evidence than remote icons.
Watch out Do not confuse visibility, wealth, or status with relevant expertise.
- 3
Observe the Mechanism
Study what the person actually does differently, including preparation, standards, investments, and decisions. Separate repeatable behaviors from advantages unique to their situation.
Pro tip Ask specific questions about process, trade-offs, and mistakes.
Watch out Copying an outcome without understanding its mechanism can create unnecessary risk.
- 4
Name the Expanded Possibility
State precisely what now appears possible because of the example. Translate inspiration into a revised expectation or hypothesis.
Pro tip Use the sentence, “Seeing this means I may be able to…”
Watch out Avoid turning possibility into certainty before testing it.
- 5
Make a Safe Stretch Attempt
Try a version beyond your old baseline while respecting relevant financial, physical, and operational safeguards. Treat the attempt as evidence gathering.
Pro tip Increase the challenge enough to learn without making failure catastrophic.
Watch out Do not imitate physical or financial risks without appropriate professional guidance.
- 6
Reset the Baseline
Review what happened and decide how the evidence changes future goals, support needs, or standards. Repeat the cycle with a new credible level when appropriate.
Pro tip Record what became easier to imagine after the attempt.
Watch out Do not dismiss a useful expansion merely because the first attempt was imperfect.
In the wild
During a workout, Jasmine and Bonnie Christine had been using similar weights. On the final set, Bonnie added 25 pounds and completed ten squats. When the trainer began removing the extra weight for Jasmine, she stopped the trainer because Bonnie's performance had expanded her perception of what she could attempt.
→ Jasmine challenged her previous limit immediately rather than defaulting to the lighter weight.
Jasmine entered a Nashville gathering expecting to build an in-house sales team largely by herself. Peers described their consultants, investments, KPIs, coaching systems, and returns. Their operating examples expanded both the scale of the project and the support Jasmine was willing to use.
→ She changed the implementation plan, added specialist training, and adopted more formal sales infrastructure.
Common mistakes
Choosing an Irrelevant Model
Someone can be impressive without being a useful expander for your specific constraint. Match the model to the behavior or decision you need to improve.
Admiring Without Attempting
Inspiration alone does not update your capabilities. Convert the observed possibility into a concrete, appropriately bounded experiment.
Forcing Identical Results
The expander supplies evidence and mechanisms, not a guarantee that identical actions will produce identical outcomes in a different context.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people who have plateaued and need credible examples of stronger performance, creativity, or ambition.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when comparison triggers harmful imitation or when the model's circumstances are fundamentally incompatible with yours.
From the transcript
“I just saw what was possible from somebody who is expanding my possibilities of what is possible.”
“So business lesson for you is challenge yourself to find an expander and rise to the level of the game that they play.”
“When you are around a group of people who think different and bigger, those expanders, you get different results.”
From the episode
Turn Business (and Personal) Rejection Into Redirection