Your guide to a healthier perspective of life
Your first home purchase will not be your dream house. But buying that first home will put you on the path to eventually get your dream house.
We live in a state of instant gratification, where we stretch to the absolute limit to buy what we can “afford.” But if you are smart with your money, and take baby steps along the way, that will enable you to afford your dream home down the road instead of being house poor right now.
The longer you can delay “gratification,” the better off you’ll be.
Avoid having a victim mindset at all costs. That’s not to say that you haven’t been wronged, or that you are not the victim of bullying, harassment, or unfairness. But staying in that mindset does you no good. Don’t wallow in self-pity. What’s done is done and now you need to figure out a way to not be victimized again and how to thrive in life.
Give your kids/spouse/employees/teammates purpose, show them you care about them, and treat them with respect and dignity. If you do that, they’ll always try their best for you.
Your number one responsibility is to be able to put food on the table and keep the lights on for your family. After that, then you need to focus on doing something that you love. You don’t even have to love it at all the time. But as long as you like it enough and it pays the bills, stick with it. If you are miserable, find something else, but remember your responsibility to your family. Making sure you’re setting them up for success (more than just surviving, but thriving) should be your top priority.
Things to always work on…
1) Do not get defensive. If someone is critical of you, listen to them. There is probably at least a grain of truth that you are blind to.
2) Do not make excuses. If something didn’t go your way or there was an accident, sincerely apologize. Don’t diminish your apology by then giving an excuse for why it wasn’t your fault. Some things will always be outside of your control, so focus only on what you can influence.
3) Eliminate can’t from your vocabulary. Sure, there are some things we literally can’t do (I can’t teleport, read minds, or fly). But, for the most part, when we say we “can’t” do something, it’s because we’re not willing to make the necessary sacrifices to do that thing. It’s more like we won’t do that or we haven’t prioritized that.
4) Be nicer. Treat others how they would like to be treated. Find ways to help others get what they want.
5) Do not avoid difficult situations/conversations. Life is full of tough decisions. The best way to live without regret is to have the courage to face your fears. Always act in alignment with your core values.