How a "Hi Level" Mindset Helps You Realize Your Potential | Cordae | TED

Introduction to Cordae and the Hi Level Mindset

Who is Cordae?

• Cordae introduces himself as a 24-year-old hip-hop artist from Raleigh, North Carolina, raised in Suitland, Maryland.

• He humorously refers to himself as a "B-list celebrity" and acknowledges skepticism about what a young rapper can contribute to a TED Talk.

The Hi Level Mindset

• Cordae explains that the "Hi Level mindset" is his personal philosophy for success, inspired by his mother’s resilience.

• He shares his mother's story as a single mom who overcame significant challenges while raising him.

Key Principles of the Hi Level Mindset

Step One: Positivity

• The first step emphasizes maintaining positivity despite life's challenges; how one handles adversity shapes their destiny.

Step Two: Intentionality

• Being intentional with desires is crucial. Cordae created a vision board in 2018 and achieved nearly all his goals within a year.

• He encourages writing down goals and reading them aloud daily to foster positive energy and faith in oneself.

Step Three: Discipline

• Discipline is highlighted as essential for success. It often emerges when motivation wanes.

• Cordae illustrates this through an anecdote about a friend who transformed his life by quitting drugs and alcohol, unknowingly learning discipline.

Personal Journey and Challenges

Overcoming Adversity

• Cordae recounts being voted most likely to be famous but faced numerous setbacks during college, including legal troubles and personal loss.

Hi Level Mindset: Priming Your Environment for Success

The Importance of Environment

• The speaker confesses that the story shared is about himself, emphasizing personal experience in the context of success.

• He introduces the concept that one's habits are influenced by their environment, particularly the people surrounding them.

Removing Negativity

• A critical step in achieving a Hi Level mindset is to eliminate negative influences from your life immediately.

• The speaker encourages the audience to block or remove anyone who makes sarcastic remarks about their dreams and goals.

• He stresses that negativity can hinder personal growth and achievement, urging individuals to surround themselves with positive influences.

Personal Struggles and Growth

• Despite considering himself a master of the Hi Level mindset, he shares his struggles after releasing his sophomore album "From a Birds Eye View."

• The pressure to outdo his critically acclaimed debut album led him to experience disappointment when mixed reviews followed its release.

Resilience Through Adversity

• After facing criticism, he fell into a dark place but found motivation through a Yiddish proverb: “We plan, and God laughs.”

• This realization helped him understand that the Hi Level mindset is not about perfection but honoring one’s potential despite setbacks.

Maximizing Life's Potential

• He concludes with a reflection on life’s brevity and encourages maximizing time on Earth by striving for excellence in all endeavors.