If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t let someone sell you something you don’t want or don’t need. They will try to appeal to your emotions (especially fear and greed – two of the most powerful emotions to manipulate). But ultimately, it’s up to you to decide if you want to gamble your money, time, or energy away with them.
Tag: happiness
Compound interest – thought about in another way
“All the benefits in life come from compound interest — money, relationships, habits — anything of importance.” – Naval Ravikandt
If you want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, you’re not just going to work out really hard for three months then have the body of a champion bodybuilder. You have to put in the time and effort for the long haul. The same applies to nearly anything in life. To become a master of anything, you must treat your training (and habits) as if you are running a marathon. Improve little by little. Improve just 1% consistently, working towards your goals everyday and you will go further than most of those around you. If you want to write a book, start by writing a chapter, a paragraph, a single sentence. Every journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.
If you want to be the best mom/dad, it’s not about taking your children on that one vacation each year and then not really seeing them throughout the rest of the year. Instead, it’s about your daily interactions with them.
It’s not what you do once, but it’s the “compound interest” from your efforts over time that will make you rich.
Comparing yourself to others
Stop comparing yourself to others. You think that you’re several rungs down on a ladder from them (or several rungs above them) when, in reality, you might not be on the same ladder! If your goals are different from theirs (which everyone’s goals are to a degree) then how can you say that you are ahead of or behind someone?
Comparison is the thief of joy. When you look at others and envy their position, what you often fail to realize is how lucky you are. No matter what your circumstances, you have it better than someone else. Use your past experiences to your advantage. Be ethical about it, understand what privileges you’ve been granted, but don’t feel bad about it.
Be grateful for where you are in life and what you have, but don’t be complacent. Always strive to be better, to help more people, and the results will come. You’re not doing yourself any favors by comparing yourself to others. You can use other people as examples for inspiration or even for what decisions NOT to make, but avoid comparing your actual life to others. What you see on social media is only part of their life.
Finally, remember that you can always learn from anyone – whether they’re older or younger than you, make more/less money than you, have different beliefs/core values, etc. Keep an open mind and remember that even if you disagree with 99% of what they say, if you try to understand their point of view it will open your mind to new ways of thinking.
3 Truths We Need To Remind Ourselves
1. Being active doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being productive.
2. Being efficient doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being effective.
3. Discipline doesn’t strip you of freedom, discipline equals freedom.
Don’t get caught up focusing on the wrong things. We can easily become distracted checking off items on out To Do list, but if they aren’t producing value in your life (monetarily or by increasing your happiness), why are you doing it?
Are you optimizing things that don’t matter (being more efficient, even though it doesn’t improve the end result of the goals you’re trying to achieve)?
Are you thinking negatively about restrictions others have placed on you or that you’ve placed on yourself? Some rules are meant to be broken, but if you set up the right rules to improve your time, energy, or health, stick to them! Reduce decision fatigue by sticking to your self-imposed rules so you’re more likely to consistently make good decisions.
Courage
It can be very scary to ask that person out, to leave your job, to chase your dreams (or even to say them out loud). But without even attempting to do those things almost guarantees those things won’t happen. Sure, it might be more comfortable to do nothing. But without discomfort, you will never achieve your greatest goals.
My dad used to say that everyone experiences fear. They feel it too, whether they show it or not. You’re not alone. But it’s what you do with that fear that matters. Will you run from it? Or will you face it?
Don’t let fear stop you from living the life you’re meant to. Courage is the resistance to fear, not the absence of it. Be courageous. Stand up for what you believe in and take that next step towards living out your dreams.