Most people die without ever understanding their own lives. Will you be one of them? “Life’s Big Questions” is your chance to change that. Keep ignoring the hard questions, and you’ll end up exactly where you fear the most. Check my e-book and I'll make sure that never happens.
---------------------------------
Here's the best news you're going to hear all day: you have the ability to get the life you want. In fact, you're already doing so, perhaps not in all areas of your life, but definitely in some. Casting yourself as a victim of forces over which you have no control is unproductive. It's time to take the wheel and drive to where you want to go. How many times have you heard phrases like "Stay motivated!", "Set clear goals!", or my personal favorite, "Find your purpose in life"? Sounds great but when you try to follow this advice, it usually ends up being more confusing than helpful. That’s why I want to break down these cliché self-help tips and explain what they actually and simply mean.
Discipline Over Motivation
Sure, I get it, motivation is great, but discipline is better. It’s wonderful if you wake up in the morning feeling inspired, but that entirely depends on your state of mind. I wake up motivated probably six out of seven days a week. Those are wonderful days to load with work and be super productive. They are not the days that yield the most results. Honestly, the days I wake up feeling less motivated are the days I manage to be the most productive. Why pass on that type of opportunity? Whether the day has been good, bad, or somewhere in between, maintaining discipline ensures it won’t have been wasted. Motivation comes and goes. Though it’s great, discipline is the crux of my entire approach to self-improvement and achieving more because it has more staying power.
What It Actually Means:
There’s an infinite amount of details and bits of advice that can be offered in implementing discipline. But the core of developing discipline is to identify what you want and go for it regardless of the sacrifices that need to be made. With discipline, you always decide that the fiery desire inside of you to live the life of your dreams is going to be stronger than any internal demon or external temptation. If you’ve wanted to lose weight for the last year but haven’t, that’s a problem. Are you not capable of starting a fitness routine? Are you not capable of procuring healthy food? Are you really afraid of the side effects of being in better shape? No, you’re probably just lacking the discipline that promotes focus and hard work. Yes, motivation is a series of epiphanies and feelings of pride after achieving a workout, but neither can be garnered without the appropriate discipline. Discipline is the root of all good qualities. It is the most important attribute to have in life.
Always Set Clear Goals
It amazes me that only about 3% of adults have actually written goals for what they want to achieve in life, career, and family. It is proven that those who actually take the 30 minutes necessary to write down their goals achieve more of them in a much shorter period of time.
What It Actually Means:
Start first by blocking out an hour or two of quiet time for yourself. Think about how you want to live your life. Find a distraction-free place, take out a pad of paper, and go to work! Make sure that the goals you are setting in both your personal and professional life are goals that you really want to accomplish and not what others think should be your goals. Take as much time as you need to put down what you really want before moving on. Also, always be sure to set short-term, mid-term, long-term, and 'sometime before I die' goals. Additionally, remember to be highly specific in how you articulate your goals. Use percentages, numbers of times, number of customer complaints, and any other metrics that will help you to definitively know that you have achieved your goals. Your goals should also express things that you can do personally, such as 'I will finish 10 of 12 chapters in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' compared to 'I will increase my effectiveness with people'.
Think Before You Act
This advice sounds like something your grandma would say before you do something stupid, like spending your entire paycheck on impulse buys. But the truth is, it’s actually pretty solid.
What It Actually Means:
Don’t make big decisions when you’re feeling super emotional—whether that emotion is excitement, anger, or sadness. Why? Because temporary feelings can lead to permanent mistakes. Ever quit something in the heat of the moment and regretted it later? Exactly. Give yourself time to cool down, think it over, and then act when your head is clear. This is a simple tip, but it's probably the one people find the most difficult to do. Thinking before you do or say something can make the difference between someone who is not confrontational and someone who gets on with other people. Taking a few minutes to consider what you're going to say and the impact it might have can make a big difference. The time spent could also highlight a better way to say or do something. In any situation where you feel you cannot calm down or be rational, it is best not to make a decision there and then. Your mind is busy with the problems at hand, and you get stressed. Then any frustration at the time, when combined with those emotions, will not give you a calculated and sensible outcome.
Find Your Purpose In Life
When you spend time discovering what truly makes you feel alive, awake, and passionate, you can construct a lifestyle that really supports all of that. Knowing the unique reason you’re here, what you want to accomplish, do, and experience, and then working towards that every day can lead to a better life.
What It Actually Means:
Take a little time to think about these big questions. What makes you feel alive and full of joy? What are your strengths and talents? If you could be doing anything with your life, what sorts of things would you like to do and experience? What kind of person would you like to become? These questions are deceptively simple and might take days, weeks, or even an entire year of inner reflection to sort out. However, having a loving fascination about yourself, your experience of life, and what makes you tick is an immensely authentic way to find yourself and your purpose in life.
Develop A Growth Mindset
When we believe we have the ability to improve in an area, we put forth more effort to overcome obstacles. Embracing a willingness to change can be the first step to success.
What It Actually Means:
So, how do you develop a growth mindset? Remove negative language from your vocabulary: catch yourself when you are using negative language and reframe the comment. We all make mistakes. Mistakes help us learn and improve. One negative comment about your intelligence can put you in a fixed mindset. Instead, realize you can change it. You are in control of your learning and growth. Seek feedback and criticism on your work. Developing a growth mindset is the key to future success. Remaining stagnant means we are not growing. You are fortunate to be in a field that continues to evolve. Techniques and methodologies will change, and you will need to adapt. Accept that as a given and develop the mindset needed to be a lifelong learner.
Final Thoughts
And that's it. As always, I have left out most of the research that supports these simple tips you can use to improve your life. That's the trick: you don't need those details unless you don't believe in any of the advice I have given you. If you're skeptical or need more help with something, follow the research. But if you really just want to live a happier life, ignore the research and just live a better life. I'm serious. I want to end by telling you an important truth. I have spent a lifetime working on problems and I have come to a conclusion: people live the best and happiest lives when they are not working on problems. They live a better life when they wake up in the morning ready to experience all the good that life has to offer. This advice is the result of those years of pain and suffering and glory and joy. I wish the best for you in your life, and I believe these changes can help you to a better life. Cheers!
Join Be The Glow On Social Media :
Be The Glow.
Comments ()