“Nick manages to make health and fitness like rock n roll—fun and creative. We spent time on what actually produces results, ignoring the hackneyed, old tropes. It's been life-changing.”
- Keith Knight
“During our sessions, Nick and I would always arrive at the same solution—Turn Inward. In my forty-three years at war with the self, it is clear to me that is the only answer. This program is a practical guide to do just that.”
- Jesse Viola
FOCUS
Such a simple concept.
But so powerful when you consider how much of each day we spend lost in the slipstream of our minds, lurching between the past and the present, between regret and anxieties, between our minds’ fantasies and fears.
This slipstream clouds experiences, distorts clarity, and robs us of Focus.
Focus is the ultimate Power.
The Power to Perceive.
The Power to Connect.
The Power to Transform.
In the Zen Protocol Workshops, we first explore the prismatic nature of the Mind, then we learn proven techniques to transcend the slipstream and reclaim our Focus.
“The Zen Protocol is a driver’s manual for the modern man. Nick captures the essence of martial arts and teaches us to sharpen our inner blades.”
- Mario Guzman
“The Zen Protocol came along at a crucial time, helping me deal with overwhelming stress. The system blends fascinating practices and distills them into simple, transformative steps.”
- Tom Kachnik
“I came to Nick seeking help to stay calm in Jiu Jitsu competitions, but The Zen Protocol philosophy became a personal game-changer. It’s helped me not only in martial arts, but throughout my life, especially in finding calm and being more present in my relationships. Beyond the book, Nick has been a genuine friend and mentor on the path. I am forever grateful.”
- Bob Schoff
THE CRYSTALLINE GLASS
“Despite the complexity of the psyche’s mysterious inner workings, the samurai regarded the mind, and not the katana, as the greatest of weapons. No one picks up a sword for the first time and excels in its use. Gripping the hilt, they find it cumbersome and unwieldy.
The mind is no different. Yet, because we use the mind day in and day out, we mistakenly believe that we are proficient in its use.
This is the first pitfall of mental training. The samurai appreciated this peril, so they approached their studies with deep humility.
As with a katana, mastery of such immense power requires diligent and consistent training.
Which is why they adopted the Shaolin approach and not only engaged in rigorous physical drills and combat sparring, but also meditation, calligraphy, and tea ceremonies. Each practice employed to develop unshakeable focus and achieve a consistent mental state of supreme clarity, termed emptiness.
Empty of thoughts.
Empty of emotions.
Empty of desires.
Imagine holding a glass filled with muddy water. Raise the glass near your eyes. It’s impossible to see through clearly. Shadows warp and stretch, offering only a distorted view of reality.
Same with the mind.
The water represents our awareness. The dirt particles, our thoughts, emotions, and desires. Whether labeled ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ ‘positive’ or ‘negative,’ these dirt particles cloud vision.”
Excerpt from The Zen Protocol, “Practice #1: Mirrors of the Mind”
“Calm, clarity, discipline, and focus—qualities I’ve reclaimed thanks to Nick’s thoughtful and empowering program.”
- Judd Zinberg
“Nick’s approach to life and fitness completely changed me, bringing balance, strength, and clarity. The Zen Protocol is more than a set of practices; it's a way of living that has elevated me physically, spiritually, and mentally.”
-Michael Fulbright
“I began the program focused on losing weight and improving my nutrition, but the real journey was emotional—where I learned to manage stress, clarify my intentions, and reconnect with my life’s purpose. Once I explored that part of myself, everything began to flow more freely.”
- Paul Boyajin
“Ironically, at just nine years old, I learned how to best a mental illusion—with an illusion! Sitting in my school chair, I watched as the teacher drew a wire-frame cube on the chalkboard.
“This is a Necker Cube,” she told the class. “Can any of you tell me which side of the cube is facing forward?”
Of course, it’s so obvious, I thought (I saw the orientation with the surface labeled ‘A’ front facing).
The teacher collected responses, then announced that we were all correct, because every surface was facing forward. I squinted and tried to see what the heck she was talking about.
After ten minutes of her pointing and insisting that the orientation of the cube depended on our personal inclinations, I suddenly saw another surface jump forward.
Whoa…
My young mind could not fathom how one moment I perceived the cube a certain way, and now, well, now I could mentally will another surface to the foreground. Then another, and another. On the bus ride home, I pondered the strange sketch.
The next day, I walked into class early and stared at the chalkboard, trying to manipulate the cube. Sadly, I could only see the original orientation. My young mind had again fallen under the Necker Cube’s illusion.
Sitting at my desk, I gripped the pencil in my fingers and, line by line, scrawled the cube onto a piece of paper. That entire week, I struggled to manipulate the cube in my mind’s eye. Each time I succeeded, I felt like a wizard in training, learning to bend reality to my will.
This mental agility is an important skill that we will revisit throughout the book. The more often we shatter the illusions projected by our minds, the more we flow like water toward our goals.”
Excerpt from The Zen Protocol, “Practice #3: Riddle of Fire”
THE NECKER CUBE
“Nick hasn’t just researched the habits and methods that prove so effective in living a fully realized life, he lives them. His mentoring has helped me immensely, improving my physical health, mindset and interpersonal relationships. I can’t recommend his tutelage enough. The Zen Protocol will prove a great inspiration to all readers.”
- Heath Hawkins
“This program paves a Möbius strip where the mind feeds the body that feeds the mind. Working with Nick, I felt motivated, supported, and empowered. We set challenging, but realistic goals, and somehow, I met them faster than I’d expected.”
- Marc Kate
THE ULTIMATE GIFT
The great irony of this interconnected age is that it has left us all parched, thirsty for connection.
The greatest gift that we can give another person is a cool drink of our complete attention.
Try it.
See how they light up.
Our partners.
Our children.
Our coworkers.
They deserve nothing less, yet this clear glass is so difficult to give. Because it requires that we clear our minds of desires, suggestions, deadlines, resentments, etc.
Make no mistake, you are already engaging in mental training.
Unwittingly, under the tutelage of a cruel master: the algorithms on our phones.
Training us to ignore, doubt, resent, and hate.
Training our neural pathways to seek quick dopamine hits to the detriment of focused discipline.
Reclaim _____.