“Who you are becoming is more important than what you are accumulating.” — Robin Sharma
How you approach life says a lot about who you are.
There are some who are content to passively coast through, hoping they land where they need to be and know what to do when the time comes.
Then there are others, who make active choices to understand who they are and what they want and set the goals that will keep them moving in the right direction.
But a big part of having a successful life is learning how to cope with the lessons that life has to teach us.
Here are 29 life lessons that I have reflected on from this past year:
1 — Action breeds more clarity than thought.
You will only learn, improve, and figure it out, by doing. You’ll learn how to cook by cooking. You’ll master the art of writing by sitting down to write every day.
2 — Natural leadership comes from authenticity.
The most potent source of a person’s power to influence others comes down to one thing — authenticity. It is the access to the heart of your presence and your ability to engender trust.
3 — Preparation is a stepping stone to success.
As the old saying goes, failing to prepare means preparing to fail. Success can be defined as being totally prepared.
4 — You are a direct reflection of the people you spend most of your time with.
If you spend time with people who challenge your fears, insecurities, and the parts of you that need “work,” you will inevitably change. Your life will become a constant challenge.
5— You never really lose until you stop trying.
The words I can’t never accomplish anything. I’ll try, on the other hand, can perform wonders. Until you try you don’t know what you can do.
6 — You don’t value the things you think you value.
Your values aren’t what you say they are; they are whatever you spend your time and resources on.
7 — The journey of your success will always begin with the small step of taking a chance.
In business, in relationships, and in life, it all begins with a small step grounded in a desire to be better and do better.
8 — Everyone is interesting.
You can learn something from anyone if you ask the right questions. People have lived many lives, explored part of the world you haven’t been to, read books you haven’t read, had conversations you haven’t had.
9 — Chasing happiness will lead you to misery until you realize that happiness is the way.
Your happiness and wellbeing have everything to do with how present, accepting, and content you are with all that is, right here, right now.
10 — Those who seldom make mistakes seldom stumble upon new innovation.
Mistakes are proof that you’re trying, creating, exploring and discovering. Every success story, every fulfilled life needs mistakes. We may think of mistakes as meaning you’ve done something wrong, but in truth they mean you’re doing something right.
11 — Commitment is what gets you started, consistency is what gets you somewhere, and persistence is what keeps you going.
Commitment is what gets you started on a new trajectory. Consistency is the key to creating long-lasting and sustainable change in life and gets you somewhere. Lastly, persistence is what keeps you going in spite of adversity.
12 — Ask better questions to get better results.
Asking the right questions can help you balance, focus, make better decisions, and prioritize more effectively. Empowering questions generate deeper conversations and clarity because you discover what people are really thinking, as opposed to your own story based on your assumptions.
13 — Education is a never-ending process: Never stop learning.
Read, travel, observe, know, ask, try, believe. Staying in constant motion will make you a better version of yourself every day.
14 — You cannot be the same forever.
Trying it will hurt you: The only constant that exists is in change. Throughout your life, your tastes and dreams will change, just like those of the people around you.
15— Great heroes are truly humble.
Most of us underrate the importance of humility. It’s an important skill because it keeps you teachable, regardless of how much you already know.
16— Saying “No” is the most freeing word in the world.
You are buried by false obligations. But if you say “yes” to everything, you’re accidentally saying “no” to your own tranquility.
17 — You have to believe in yourself before anyone else does. That’s the cornerstone upon which real confidence is built.
Self-believe is the light that sparks your confidence. And it’s your self-belief that drives you to dive into new experiences that stretch beyond your comfort zone.
18 — A good reputation is more valuable than money.
Your reputation is built on the foundation of your character; it entails the words you speak and the actions you take. Take care of your character above all other things and your reputation will take care of itself.
19 — You don’t only live once; you live multiples lives within one.
In my early twenties I was a student, later I became an educator, at one point I was a traveler, after that an entrepreneur, photographer, writer and podcaster. You live many lives; live them fully and live them well.
20 — Saying “I don’t know” is better than pretending you have all the answers.
There are more things you don’t know than there are. Saying “I don’t know” is a sign of humility and respect towards others. As long as you are interested in learning to say “I don’t know” it will become a source of knowledge.
21 — It’s not about how much money you have. It’s about the time you have free to enjoy.
There are people with a lot of money and little time to share and enjoy. On the other hand, there are others with a lot of time and little money. Find a balance, where what you do gives you enough time to enjoy.
22 — Be impatient with your actions, but be patient with your results.
Focus on who you want to become and take small steps every day that would move you in that direction. This is how you create a positive domino effect in your life.
23 —The life you experience is simply a reflection of your mindset.
In any given situation in life, you can either dwell and complain about all the things that are bad (things that you can’t control) or you can shift your attention onto all that you can do (what you can control — your inputs and outputs).
24 — Travel whenever you can.
There is no better way to experiment and learn: Spend on experiences and not on objects. Know the world and try to see from the eyes of others.
25 — Money is a powerful tool, but it can’t solve all your problems.
Money is a tool. It can buy many things, but it can never repair a friendship, a family or give you a purpose.
26 — Knowing yourself is more important than your personal achievements.
There are people who are successful at work and financially free, but they are not happy. They do not know themselves. Despite their achievements they do not know who they are. Enjoy what you do, analyze why you do it and know yourself.
27— Your thoughts are powerful, make them positive.
To have a life that’s more abundant and more successful, you must think in the limitless terms of abundance and success. Thinking is among the greatest powers we possess, and it’s our choice to use it negatively or positively.
28 — The word impossible contains its opposite: “I’m possible.”
What impossible may be a matter of a limited point of view. Allow no limiting beliefs to restrict your outlook on life.
29 — Constantly tell the important people in your life how much you love them.
Life gives sudden changes. Do not miss the opportunity to share with whom you love. We don’t know how much time we have to do it.
Photo by Shutterstock.com
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Shutterstock.com