How to Feel Fulfilled, Fully You, and Consistently High (Without Drugs)

Dear Legend,

Do you ever feel “meh” or just low? I have.

I remember that feeling really well. Even though I was leveling up my career and doing all the “right” things, something just felt wrong.

If you’ve ever felt like that, this is the issue for you. A few weeks ago, I had a revelational chat with Frankie Russo. He is an ex-addict turned serial founder, and 8-time Inc. 500 entrepreneur. He shared with me something he calls: The Limitless Drug.

(I want to remind you he has been sober from drugs and alcohol for 17 years)

The Limitless Drug is unlocked when you have this real, sustainable high from within you.

Too good to be true? (I was skeptical too, but read on)

Have you ever heard of the Helper’s High?

It’s a well-documented psychological and physiological phenomenon rooted in both neuroscience and behavioral science. Turns out when people perform acts of kindness, altruism, or service to others, there is a euphoric feeling followed by a period of calmness and well-being.

These acts, when performed unconditionally, activates the brain’s reward centers, leading to the release of:

• Dopamine (pleasure and reward)

• Serotonin (mood regulation)

• Oxytocin (bonding and trust)

• Endorphins (natural painkillers and mood boosters)

This biochemical cocktail creates a sensation similar to a mild high—hence the term "Helper’s High."

But what Frankie found was that Helper’s High is NOT sustainable:

❤️ Helping others and living your purpose alone is not enough. Your WHY is only one part of the equation.

You see, service without soul = slow death.
Purpose alone will eventually drain you. You can’t sacrifice yourself at the altar of usefulness and expect to stay energized.

As humans you were never meant to be just useful. You were meant to be fully you, in service of others.

The other part of the equation is your WEIRD.

When you embrace that duality—your Why and your Weird—you stop giving from an empty tank.

🧠 The most sustainable fuel for growth is found at the intersection of your valued strength (Why) and your radical uniqueness (Weird).

That’s where your Genius lives and where you unlock the Limitless Drug.

Here’s how you apply this formula:

This is the exact framework Frankie Russo used to build multiple companies, stay sober for 17 years, and help over 300 people transform their lives.

It’s simple. But it’s deep. Why + Weird = Genius → The Limitless Drug

Step 1: Know Your WHY

This is your practical, invoice-able value.

Ask yourself: “What do people consistently call me for?”

It’s not your dream answer. It’s the real one.

Frankie’s Why? Helping companies grow. That’s why he got called. That’s where he built his track record. My Why? Helping people and companies influence human behavior. That’s why people call me → brand strategy, influence strategy etc.

Your Turn:
Write down the problem you’ve solved repeatedly for others. That’s your Why.

Step 2: Reclaim Your WEIRD

This is your soulprint. The part of you the world told to hide.

Frankie’s weird? At 5, he wanted to be a cowboy, astronaut, inventor, and TV evangelist. Turns out… he is all those things. That weird became the engine of his genius. My weird? When I was a child, I imagined I could control the weather and I would shout to the skies to obey my will. I orchestrate things to bring real experiences for people.

Ask yourself: “What was I obsessed with at age 5 or 6?” “What version of me felt free, wild, and fully alive?””What annoyed your parents the most?”

That’s your weird. The part that makes living your why and helping others sustainable—and legendary.

Step 3: Fuse Them Into Your GENIUS

This is the sweet spot. When you serve others (Why) in a way only you can (Weird), you unlock your Genius.

And that Genius is the trigger for what Frankie calls: The Limitless Drug – a sustained neurochemical high from helping others while being fully yourself.

We’re talking Dopamine. Serotonin. Oxytocin. It’s not theory. It’s neuroscience.
It’s also deeply spiritual because you were made for this.

⚠️ Bonus Insight: Why Without Weird Is a Trap

Frankie warns: “Helping others is powerful. But if you’re doing it while hiding yourself? You’ll eventually burn out.”

Think of it this way:

• Why alone = burnout.

• Weird alone = chaos.

• Why + Weird = Genius.

Genius gives you continuous growth and deep joy because it’s your true self in motion.

If you liked this, you’ll love our entire conversation! Listen on: Apple, Spotify, or on the web (Frankie helps me with my Why + Weird!) I also shared the 10 mindset shifts for personal and professional growth on LinkedIn last week (get the high-res PDF in the legendary cheat sheet library that only YOU have access to.)

Legends are not only driven by their why, they lean into their weird. Don’t you forget it!🤘🏽

This week, for our influence psychology lesson:

The IKEA Effect
Why people value what they help build.

Ever notice how people are weirdly proud of something they built themselves even if it’s wobbly?

That’s the IKEA Effect.

A 2011 study by Dan Ariely and colleagues found that people were willing to pay 63% more for a piece of IKEA furniture they assembled themselves compared to one that came pre-built.

63%!!!

💡 Here’s why it works:
When we invest time, effort, or creativity into something, our brain inflates its value.
Ownership creates emotional attachment.

Even if it’s flawed we still love it more.

How can you apply the IKEA Effect?

✅ Marketers → Let customers customize or co-create your product. Think “Build your own bundle.”
✅ Leaders → Involve your team in decision-making. People back what they help build.
✅ Business Owners → Don’t just hand clients a done-for-you solution. Involve them. Get their input. Help them shape it.
✅ Coaches → Let clients co-author the strategy. Their buy-in will skyrocket.
✅ Professionals → Pitch a “rough draft” of your plan or proposal, then invite key stakeholders to tweak or shape it. They’ll be more invested—and more likely to say yes.

The takeaway?

👉 If you want people to care, don’t just deliver a perfect package.
Let them build a piece of it themselves.

That’s how value and loyalty is born.

Make your mark, live your legend 🤘🏽

I’ll see you next Sunday.

Howie Chan

Creator of Legend Letters

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