Every single person on the planet has at least one damn good excuse for not pursuing the life they want. But guess what, the prize for arguing on behalf of your restrictions is getting to keep them.
Don’t spend your entire life loudly declaring to others that you don’t have the time, money, energy or resources to accomplish the things you actually want.
Everything worthwhile in life takes time. Any attempt to escape the process can backfire. Epictetus says “No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.”
People who get ahead in life find a way around their limitations, instead of just keeping them. You can go only go as far as your mindset allows you.
Your brain is equipped with defense mechanisms designed to shoot down anything that might keep things from staying exactly where they are.
Left unchecked, we always default toward a more comfortable path. Your comfortable zone provides a state of mental security. You can understand why it’s so hard to kick your brain out of your comfort zone.
At this very moment, you are where you’re supposed to be. No matter your age, your past, or your present, this can be a new starting point if you choose it to be so. You always have a choice.
You are not a victim of circumstance. No one can force you to make decisions and take actions that run contrary to your values and aspirations. Your future is entirely up to you.
When the pain of where you are is greater than the fear of where you are going, you will change and make progress.
In the book, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life”, Mark Manson says, “If you want to change how you see your problems, you have to change what you value and/or how you measure failure/success.”
Life can be ridiculously complicated if you let it. No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future.
I suggest you make time to simplify it, enjoy the present and take deliberate steps to become a better version of yourself.
Simplicity isn’t always a simple process. It’s a journey, not a destination. But the basic principle is this: identify what’s most important to you and eliminate everything else.
A great way to simplify your life is to create purposeful routines at the start and end of your day.
W. E. B. Du Bois once said, “The most important thing to remember is this: to be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become.”
You’re not immortal. You know that, but your brain has a really hard time processing that, so you ignore everything you can do right to make the most of life until it’s too late. You assume that there’s time for things to work out. But time is literally running out.
Your first step to improving your life and becoming the best version of yourself won’t be easy. Nobody can promise that things will be easy but they will be better.
It pays to take a small action–any action–and grow from there. Remember, you are better off trying than anyone else who isn’t trying.
Actions you take beat life-changing intentions. Not doing anything is the same as intending to do something but never actually doing it.
You don’t need to fix everything in your life right now. You don’t even need to fix one thing. You just need to do one little task at a time, almost nothing in the beginning.
Make a list. Go outside and take a walk. Cancel something tomorrow so you can make time to create something, no matter how small.
Don’t change your entire life. You can’t. Just change this one little thing at a time and you will be amazed at the results over time.
You can’t be perfect, and holding yourself to unrealistic standards creates suffering and unnecessary stress.
If you wait until you’re “perfect” before you share your stories, ideas, talents, and gifts with the world, no one will ever hear from you.
You can’t control everything — but you can control how you respond to almost everything that happens to you.
Most things are outside your control. But there is one thing you can always control — and that is you, your reactions and ideas. In your response is your greatest power.
Words have the power to oppress, hurt, and shame than your thoughts. And they also have the power to liberate and inspire — start using them more prudently.
Your ambition, goal, or even ideas mean nothing without execution — it’s time to put in the work. Results are what you want, not ideas that never see the light of day.
Consistent hustle always wins
“If you genuinely want something, don’t wait for it — teach yourself to be impatient, whilst,” says Gurbaksh Chahal
Time, not money, is your most valuable asset. Use it to advance your career and whilst you still have it.
Success has a price. Most people dream of the rewards without the risks. The triumph without the trials. Life doesn’t work that way.
When you find something you want, start by asking yourself: What am I willing to give up to get it?
The results you want can take twice as long. Don’t quit because you can’t figure out the process. Embrace and enjoy the journey. Deliberate practice has a lot to do with your success than you think.
The good news is that the sheer act of practicing will help you come out of your shell. The bad news is that you have no other choice if you really want to be amazing at what you do.
People quit because it takes too long to see results. Because they can’t figure out that the process is sometimes the result. Nothing beats deliberate practice.
Doing meaningful work you enjoy takes effort, time and creativity. And there are no guarantees. It’s full of risks.
People who are comfortable hate risks. They choose stability over maximising their potential. And that can make you miserable.
Idleness will almost always lead to regret later. The secret to being happy and content, in general, is to do something of value to yourself and/or others regularly.
Guess what, misery is comfortable. It’s why so many people prefer it. It’s so much easier to just sit back and criticize other people’s creations. Choose yourself and show your work.
In the real world, you don’t get anything by wishing it, and you can’t get a reaction without action. When you play it too safe, you’re taking the biggest risk of your life.
“I don’t have the time,” is not an excuse. There are 168 hours every week. Let that sink in for a moment. That is a monumental amount of time. Where could it possibly go? If you really want to do what have to do to make you a better person, you will find, create or make time for it.
If you want to make something people really care about, that they actually give a holy shit about, you have to care about it yourself.
Stop looking for shortcuts. No, really, stop. Read the whole book, not the Wikipedia summary. Think about it. Life is not a collection of sound bites.
Being noticed is not the same as being remarkable. Don’t get noticed for the wrong reasons. Be remarkable for your smartest and best work.
You will be amazed at what you can do if you put your mind to it. Not everyone appreciates your efforts to be remarkable. In fact, most people don’t. But go for it anyway.
You have everything you need to make an impact in the world. You don’t even have to start your own business. What you need is something you can you can emotionally and deeply connect with.
Don’t think too far into the future. Use what you have right now at where you are and witness the magic of creative work. If you’re thinking about it too much, chances are you’re killing it.
Bringing it all together
Nobody is coming to save you from your life. You have to create it from the ground up.
Train your mind to see the lesson in every situation, and then make the best of it. You don’t learn and grow by sticking with what’s comfortable.
What you pay attention to grows. So focus on what truly matters and let go of what does not.
Be mindful. Be present. Focus on the small steps you can take today, and take them! No regrets. No looking back.
Author: Thomas Oppong
Founder @Alltopstartups. Curator at postanly.com. Columnist at Inc. Featured at HuffPost, Business Insider, Quartz, CNBC, Entrepreneur, & The New York Observer.
