mindset | The Caleb Barney Collection

Searching for peace? Then do this!

If you want peace and tranquillity, focus on saying “no” to more things and doing less. Be selective with what you give your time, energy, and money to. Focus on what’s essential. Ask yourself: what makes the most positive impact on your life from a mental, social/relational, spiritual, financial, and physical standpoint? How can you keep doing those things (or if you’re not doing enough of those, how can you do it more often)?

On the flip side, what are the biggest/most negative stressors in your life? What are things that need to be done, but maybe not by you or not right now? How can you eliminate or minimize those?

Lastly, stop feeling like you’re obligated to say yes to everything. If it excites you and is good for you, say yes! If it needs to be done by you, even if it doesn’t excite you, say yes. But if it doesn’t, you can just as easily decide to say no if that’s what you really want to do.

The real victim of fear

“Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will.” Suzy Kassem

Don’t let the fear of failing stop you. Or the fear of looking dumb. Or the fear of being outside of your comfort zone…That’s one way to make sure you never reach your goals. By never trying to do something difficult, you are guaranteeing failure. That type of failure may be less noticeable, but deep down you’ll always wonder “what if”…what if you pursued your goals? Would you be more fulfilled, happier, live a richer life with more meaning? You’ll never know if you don’t try.

New information is an invitation to question old opinions

It’s ok to have an opinion on something even if you’re not an expert in that field. But to keep that opinion (whether it be informed or uninformed) may not be logical once new information comes to light.

You should focus on having the right answer, even if that means you were wrong before. Strive to be right as often as possible, but don’t stick with your original opinion that you know is wrong just so you don’t have to say you were wrong before. Everyone is wrong about many things over the course of their lifetimes. But the ones who are generally viewed as the smartest and most successful are the ones who are able to admit when they’re wrong and to move forward when they are presented with more recent information.

You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do

Actions mean more than words. You can say you’re going to do x, y, and z, but if you don’t follow through, your words ring hollow. You begin to lose credibility with your peers. Maybe you have great intentions to actually do what you say, but in the end, what people remember is if you actually did the deed. So whether it is a personal goal of yours (I’m going to work out 5+ days/week), a professional goal (I’m going to call 5+ connections per day), or even relationally (telling your friends you’ll meet them out and then not showing up), if you say you’ll do something and don’t do it, people will eventually stop believing you.

Ultimately, you are what you do, not what you say you’ll do. What is holding you back? Today, and each day moving forward, make a commitment to follow through on what you say AND to do the things to be the person you want to become.

We don’t need an easier life, we need a more purposeful one

“What man actually needs is not a tension less state, but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him.” – Viktor Frankl

Often, when we face hardships or when things do go our way, we wish we had it easier. We wish that life would be smooth sailing. But in reality, it is because of the hardships that we are able to enjoy life. Without having them (especially when we have to overcome them to achieve a goal we set out for ourselves), life can get boring. This is why stretch goals are so exciting. They might not seem realistic. They might even scare you a little. But when it’s a goal you’re truly passionate about and interested in achieving, it’s worth the struggle.