Whenever you start guiding yourself by caring about how you feel, you
Whenever you start guiding yourself by caring about how you feel, you
Three years ago I listened to a lecture on cognition that
changed the way I think about intelligence. This is the crux. There are
two types of cognition. The first is normal cognition. This is the
ability to retrieve knowledge from memory. When you are asked a question
on a test and produce an answer, that’s a display of cognitive ability.
The second type of cognition is meta cognition; the ability to know
whether or not you know.
Have you ever been asked a question that you knew the answer to, but
you couldn’t find the right word? This is called the “tip of the tongue”
phenomenon and I’m sure we’ve all experienced it. You know that you
know the answer, but you fail to produce it. If someone said an answer,
you would know instantly if it was correct or not. In these cases meta cognition exists without cognition.In short, cognition is knowing, metacognition is knowing if you know or not. Both can exist together, but many times they don’t.
How Does this Affect Intelligence?
So what importance does this have and how is it relevant to self improvement? The fact that there are two different kinds of cognitive ability means that there are different types of intelligence.In traditional education, intelligence is measured by cognitive ability. For some people this is works well. They can easily produce everything they know on a test. But for others it doesn’t work out so well. The people that know something cold but can’t find the right words on a test are awarded with poor grades and considered inferior.
But does this inability make them any less intelligent? They know the answer. If the question came up on a task, they could refer to a book or a quick Google search. In reality they’re just as effective as the people that aced the test. They just can’t prove it as easily.
The Importance of Knowing what you know
Unless you’re taking a test or playing Jeopardy, metacognition is more important to success than cognition. In real life, when you’re faced with a question the first decision is whether you know the answer or not. With strong metacognitive ability this is easy. If you know the answer, but can’t come up with it, you can always do a bit of research. If you know for sure that you don’t know, then you can start educating yourself. Because you’re aware of your ignorance, you don’t act with foolish confidence. The person who thinks they know something that they really don’t makes the worst decisions.A person with poor cognitive ability, but great metacognitive ability is actually in great shape. They might do poorly in school, but when faced with a challenge they understand their abilities and take the best course of action. These people might not seem intelligent at first glance, but because they know what they know, they make better decisions and learn the most important things.
Clever but mediocre people
At the opposite end of the spectrum are people with great cognitive ability but poor metacognitive ability. These people are proclaimed geniuses at a young age for acing every test and getting great SAT scores. Unfortunately, they’ve been ruined by poor metacognition; they think they know everything but they really don’t. They are arrogant, fail to learn from mistakes, and don’t understand the nuances of personal relationships; showing disdain for persons with lower cognitive ability.So who is superior? In a battle of wits the higher cognitive ability prevails, but life is not a single encounter. It is a series of experiments in succession, each building upon the last. Learning requires knowing what you don’t know, and taking steps to learn what you need to. People with poor metacognitive ability never realize that they don’t ‘get it’. They also don’t realize what’s important.
This doesn’t preclude them from material success. But, perhaps that’s a poor measurement of intelligence as well. There are many people who become rich and successful by their cleverness and cognitive ability, but as human beings are quite mediocre. Is the man that makes a million dollars, but is cruel and abusive to his employees and family, really more intelligent than the poor man who lives a modest and loving life? I don’t intend to demonize wealth, only to state that it should not be the measure of virtue.
Use your metacognitive ability
So what do we know and what do we not? And how can we tell the difference? There is so much to know in the world that the most brilliant human minds can grasp only the tiniest fraction. For this reason we should always be in doubt of what we know. The closed mind is oblivious to its surroundings, while the open mind absorbs them. Like a sponge, it soaks up observations, becoming fuller and more robust.But we can’t live in total doubt. If we did we would never act, paralyzed by our inadequate knowledge. We must trust our intuition. If something makes you feel a certain way, that feeling is real and must be respected. Act based on your own convictions, not those of others, and keep an open ear for new ideas.
The most important mental power is the ability to know what you don’t know. The recognition of a fault is the first step to improvement. Don’t try to hide a lack of knowledge. People will see through it and you’ll appear foolish and arrogant. If you admit your ignorance, people will help you learn and respect your humility. For intelligent people this is the toughest lesson to learn. We are used to being right, and consider being wrong shameful. We’re afraid to lose status by looking stupid. This vain arrogance is a great weakness and the source of many problems. To crush it and embrace humility is the mark of true wisdom.
Learn to Understand Your Own Intelligence
Three years ago I listened to a lecture on cognition that
changed the way I think about intelligence. This is the crux. There are
two types of cognition. The first is normal cognition. This is the
ability to retrieve knowledge from memory. When you are asked a question
on a test and produce an answer, that’s a display of cognitive ability.
The second type of cognition is meta cognition; the ability to know
whether or not you know.
Have you ever been asked a question that you knew the answer to, but
you couldn’t find the right word? This is called the “tip of the tongue”
phenomenon and I’m sure we’ve all experienced it. You know that you
know the answer, but you fail to produce it. If someone said an answer,
you would know instantly if it was correct or not. In these cases meta cognition exists without cognition.In short, cognition is knowing, metacognition is knowing if you know or not. Both can exist together, but many times they don’t.
How Does this Affect Intelligence?
So what importance does this have and how is it relevant to self improvement? The fact that there are two different kinds of cognitive ability means that there are different types of intelligence.In traditional education, intelligence is measured by cognitive ability. For some people this is works well. They can easily produce everything they know on a test. But for others it doesn’t work out so well. The people that know something cold but can’t find the right words on a test are awarded with poor grades and considered inferior.
But does this inability make them any less intelligent? They know the answer. If the question came up on a task, they could refer to a book or a quick Google search. In reality they’re just as effective as the people that aced the test. They just can’t prove it as easily.
The Importance of Knowing what you know
Unless you’re taking a test or playing Jeopardy, metacognition is more important to success than cognition. In real life, when you’re faced with a question the first decision is whether you know the answer or not. With strong metacognitive ability this is easy. If you know the answer, but can’t come up with it, you can always do a bit of research. If you know for sure that you don’t know, then you can start educating yourself. Because you’re aware of your ignorance, you don’t act with foolish confidence. The person who thinks they know something that they really don’t makes the worst decisions.A person with poor cognitive ability, but great metacognitive ability is actually in great shape. They might do poorly in school, but when faced with a challenge they understand their abilities and take the best course of action. These people might not seem intelligent at first glance, but because they know what they know, they make better decisions and learn the most important things.
Clever but mediocre people
At the opposite end of the spectrum are people with great cognitive ability but poor metacognitive ability. These people are proclaimed geniuses at a young age for acing every test and getting great SAT scores. Unfortunately, they’ve been ruined by poor metacognition; they think they know everything but they really don’t. They are arrogant, fail to learn from mistakes, and don’t understand the nuances of personal relationships; showing disdain for persons with lower cognitive ability.So who is superior? In a battle of wits the higher cognitive ability prevails, but life is not a single encounter. It is a series of experiments in succession, each building upon the last. Learning requires knowing what you don’t know, and taking steps to learn what you need to. People with poor metacognitive ability never realize that they don’t ‘get it’. They also don’t realize what’s important.
This doesn’t preclude them from material success. But, perhaps that’s a poor measurement of intelligence as well. There are many people who become rich and successful by their cleverness and cognitive ability, but as human beings are quite mediocre. Is the man that makes a million dollars, but is cruel and abusive to his employees and family, really more intelligent than the poor man who lives a modest and loving life? I don’t intend to demonize wealth, only to state that it should not be the measure of virtue.
Use your metacognitive ability
So what do we know and what do we not? And how can we tell the difference? There is so much to know in the world that the most brilliant human minds can grasp only the tiniest fraction. For this reason we should always be in doubt of what we know. The closed mind is oblivious to its surroundings, while the open mind absorbs them. Like a sponge, it soaks up observations, becoming fuller and more robust.But we can’t live in total doubt. If we did we would never act, paralyzed by our inadequate knowledge. We must trust our intuition. If something makes you feel a certain way, that feeling is real and must be respected. Act based on your own convictions, not those of others, and keep an open ear for new ideas.
The most important mental power is the ability to know what you don’t know. The recognition of a fault is the first step to improvement. Don’t try to hide a lack of knowledge. People will see through it and you’ll appear foolish and arrogant. If you admit your ignorance, people will help you learn and respect your humility. For intelligent people this is the toughest lesson to learn. We are used to being right, and consider being wrong shameful. We’re afraid to lose status by looking stupid. This vain arrogance is a great weakness and the source of many problems. To crush it and embrace humility is the mark of true wisdom.
What’s the one common thing that all great leaders in the world have? Curiosity.
The hunger, the desire, the passion to always be learning. Make no mistake about it, all successful entrepreneurs are passionately curious. In fact many of those entrepreneurs would say being curious is more important than simply being intelligent. Whereas intelligent people have the talent of being able to process and remember information better, they suffer a handicap when it comes to applying that information.
Studies have found that curious people don’t just want to understand how a problem came about, they want to know why it exists in the first place. They’re problem-solvers, taking every bit of information given to them and finding a solution, even if it means thinking outside the box.
Curiosity is the desire to learn more, to experience more, and to feel more. The passionately curious hate routine and are always looking for new experiences. Which goes to explain why, throughout history, world-changing individuals have always been curious people.
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” – Albert Einstein.But don’t fret if the above doesn’t sound like you. Unlike intelligence, curiosity can be nurtured and developed.
Here are six ways to develop your curiosity and kickstart your entrepreneurial journey:
1. Always ask questions
The key to developing curiosity is to be always asking questions.Some people might be afraid of looking ignorant, but you have to remember that being curious and being ignorant are two completely different things. The ignorant believe they have the right answer, even when it’s wrong.
Accept the fact that you don’t know everything. After all, the whole point of being curious is to fill the gaps in your knowledge.
2. Never be satisfied with the answers
The right questions are almost never open-and-shut cases. If you’re asking questions where the answer ends in either “yes” or “no,” then you’re asking the wrong questions.You need to be asking questions that begin with “how,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why.” Not just to other people but to yourself as well. Always challenge yourself and be introspective.
Be satisfied with more than just scratching the surface, don’t be afraid to dig deep. Who knows what you’ll learn. Even when things seem to be going well, curiosity means always reevaluating solutions you’ve found in the past.
3. Be distracted
Don’t be afraid to let your mind wander when it needs to.Your brain needs a diverse diet if you want to keep motivated and passionate about your work. Going at 100 percent, all the time, is a surefire way to just end up burned out and unfulfilled. So let yourself be distracted every now and then.
If this sounds dangerously close to procrastination then don’t fret, set a structured approach where you set aside an hour and do nothing but poke around on whatever it is you want to explore. The rule of thumb is: If you’re learning something new then it’s not procrastination.
4. Read constantly
You need to always be reading if you want to nurture your curiosity.It’s no secret that the majority of successful people in the world have extensive personal libraries. Books provide an exclusive gateway to a whole world of knowledge that you may have never even considered!
Challenge yourself by reading books in genres that you may not normally be interested in. Challenge the way you think by opening yourself up to someone else’s world and ideas.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
5. Learn a new skill
If you’ve ever wanted to learn a new language, or how to dance, or just about any new skill, then you definitely should. Feed that part of you that craves new experience.Multiple studies have proven time and time again that learning a new skill, regardless of what it is, will positively affect your brain. Learning a new skill, especially one that requires any sort of physical movement, improves your cognitive ability, your ability to learn, your memory and a whole host of other benefits, depending on the skill.
Plus you’ll never know when that new skill you’re learning could come in handy for yourself or your business.
6. Don’t be afraid to fail
A key part of what sets curious people apart from others is that they’re less likely to fear failure.It might feel uncomfortable, but you shouldn’t ever be afraid to try something new because you’re afraid that you might fail. If you’re determined to stay on the path you’re currently on, then never try anything new. But if you want to be different and find true success then you simply must leave your comfort zone.
Curious people look forward to failure because in failure you learn something new. That knowledge you learn through failure could very well be the thing that keeps you going and drives you to ultimate success.
How will you start developing your curiosity? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
source: Addicted2sucess
6 Ways To Harness Your Curiosity For Success
What’s the one common thing that all great leaders in the world have? Curiosity.
The hunger, the desire, the passion to always be learning. Make no mistake about it, all successful entrepreneurs are passionately curious. In fact many of those entrepreneurs would say being curious is more important than simply being intelligent. Whereas intelligent people have the talent of being able to process and remember information better, they suffer a handicap when it comes to applying that information.
Studies have found that curious people don’t just want to understand how a problem came about, they want to know why it exists in the first place. They’re problem-solvers, taking every bit of information given to them and finding a solution, even if it means thinking outside the box.
Curiosity is the desire to learn more, to experience more, and to feel more. The passionately curious hate routine and are always looking for new experiences. Which goes to explain why, throughout history, world-changing individuals have always been curious people.
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” – Albert Einstein.But don’t fret if the above doesn’t sound like you. Unlike intelligence, curiosity can be nurtured and developed.
Here are six ways to develop your curiosity and kickstart your entrepreneurial journey:
1. Always ask questions
The key to developing curiosity is to be always asking questions.Some people might be afraid of looking ignorant, but you have to remember that being curious and being ignorant are two completely different things. The ignorant believe they have the right answer, even when it’s wrong.
Accept the fact that you don’t know everything. After all, the whole point of being curious is to fill the gaps in your knowledge.
2. Never be satisfied with the answers
The right questions are almost never open-and-shut cases. If you’re asking questions where the answer ends in either “yes” or “no,” then you’re asking the wrong questions.You need to be asking questions that begin with “how,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why.” Not just to other people but to yourself as well. Always challenge yourself and be introspective.
Be satisfied with more than just scratching the surface, don’t be afraid to dig deep. Who knows what you’ll learn. Even when things seem to be going well, curiosity means always reevaluating solutions you’ve found in the past.
3. Be distracted
Don’t be afraid to let your mind wander when it needs to.Your brain needs a diverse diet if you want to keep motivated and passionate about your work. Going at 100 percent, all the time, is a surefire way to just end up burned out and unfulfilled. So let yourself be distracted every now and then.
If this sounds dangerously close to procrastination then don’t fret, set a structured approach where you set aside an hour and do nothing but poke around on whatever it is you want to explore. The rule of thumb is: If you’re learning something new then it’s not procrastination.
4. Read constantly
You need to always be reading if you want to nurture your curiosity.It’s no secret that the majority of successful people in the world have extensive personal libraries. Books provide an exclusive gateway to a whole world of knowledge that you may have never even considered!
Challenge yourself by reading books in genres that you may not normally be interested in. Challenge the way you think by opening yourself up to someone else’s world and ideas.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
5. Learn a new skill
If you’ve ever wanted to learn a new language, or how to dance, or just about any new skill, then you definitely should. Feed that part of you that craves new experience.Multiple studies have proven time and time again that learning a new skill, regardless of what it is, will positively affect your brain. Learning a new skill, especially one that requires any sort of physical movement, improves your cognitive ability, your ability to learn, your memory and a whole host of other benefits, depending on the skill.
Plus you’ll never know when that new skill you’re learning could come in handy for yourself or your business.
6. Don’t be afraid to fail
A key part of what sets curious people apart from others is that they’re less likely to fear failure.It might feel uncomfortable, but you shouldn’t ever be afraid to try something new because you’re afraid that you might fail. If you’re determined to stay on the path you’re currently on, then never try anything new. But if you want to be different and find true success then you simply must leave your comfort zone.
Curious people look forward to failure because in failure you learn something new. That knowledge you learn through failure could very well be the thing that keeps you going and drives you to ultimate success.
How will you start developing your curiosity? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
source: Addicted2sucess
"Don't be afraid to fail" – JK Rowling spoke to Harvard University students in 2008
“I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears that my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.
“Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.
“So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.”
“When I was younger I thought success was something different. I thought when I grow up, I want to be famous. I want to be a star. I want to be in movies. When I grow up I want to see the world, drive nice cars, I want to have groupies. To quote the Pussycat Dolls. How many people thought it was 'boobies', by the way? It's not, it's 'groupies'.
“But my idea of success is different today. And as you grow, you'll realise the definition of success changes. For many of you, today, success is being able to hold down 20 shots of tequila.
“For me, the most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity and not to give into peer pressure to try to be something that you're not, to live your life as an honest and compassionate person, to contribute in some way. So to conclude my conclusion, follow your passion, stay true to yourself. Never follow anyone else's path, unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path and by all means you should follow that. Don't give advice, it will come back and bite you in the arse. Don't take anyone's advice. So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine.”
“If all fairy tales begin, ‘Once upon a time’, then all graduation speeches begin, ‘when I was sitting where you are now’. We may not always say it, at least not in those exact words but it’s what graduation speakers are thinking. We look out at the sea of you and think: Isn’t there some mistake? I should still be sitting here. I was that young fifteen minutes ago, I was that beautiful and lost.
“Time has a funny way of collapsing when you go back to a place you once loved. You find yourself thinking, I was kissed in that building, I climbed up that tree. This place hasn’t changed so terribly much, and so by an extension of logic, I must not have changed much either.
“Coming back is the thing that enables you to see how all the dots in your life are connected, how one decision leads you to another, how one twist of fate, good or bad, brings you to a door that later takes you to another door, which aided by several detours — long hallways and unforeseen stairwells — eventually puts you in the place you are now. Every choice lays down a trail of bread crumbs, so that when you look behind you there appears to be a very clear path that points straight to the place where you now stand. But when you look ahead there isn’t a bread crumb in sight — there are just a few shrubs, a bunch of trees, a handful of skittish woodland creatures. You glance from left to right and find no indication of which way you’re supposed to go. And so you stand there, sniffing at the wind, looking for directional clues in the growth patterns of moss, and you think, What now?
“Sometimes not having any idea of where we’re going works out better than we could possibly have imagined.”
"Tomorrow, in a very real sense, your life – the life you author from scratch on your own – begins.
"How will you use your gifts? What choices will you make?
Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions?
Will you follow dogma, or will you be original?
Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure?
Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions?
Will you bluff it out when you're wrong, or will you apologise?
Will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love?
Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling?
When it's tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless?
Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder?
Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?
“I will hazard a prediction. When you are 80 years old, and in a quiet moment of reflection narrating for only yourself the most personal version of your life story, the telling that will be most compact and meaningful will be the series of choices you have made. In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story.”
"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to Heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition ... Stay hungry, Stay foolish."
"You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to
be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole
world opens up to you."
Barabra Sher A New Beginning
"Don't be afraid to fail" – JK Rowling spoke to Harvard University students in 2008
“I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears that my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.
“Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.
“So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.”
“When I was younger I thought success was something different. I thought when I grow up, I want to be famous. I want to be a star. I want to be in movies. When I grow up I want to see the world, drive nice cars, I want to have groupies. To quote the Pussycat Dolls. How many people thought it was 'boobies', by the way? It's not, it's 'groupies'.
“But my idea of success is different today. And as you grow, you'll realise the definition of success changes. For many of you, today, success is being able to hold down 20 shots of tequila.
“For me, the most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity and not to give into peer pressure to try to be something that you're not, to live your life as an honest and compassionate person, to contribute in some way. So to conclude my conclusion, follow your passion, stay true to yourself. Never follow anyone else's path, unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path and by all means you should follow that. Don't give advice, it will come back and bite you in the arse. Don't take anyone's advice. So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine.”
“If all fairy tales begin, ‘Once upon a time’, then all graduation speeches begin, ‘when I was sitting where you are now’. We may not always say it, at least not in those exact words but it’s what graduation speakers are thinking. We look out at the sea of you and think: Isn’t there some mistake? I should still be sitting here. I was that young fifteen minutes ago, I was that beautiful and lost.
“Time has a funny way of collapsing when you go back to a place you once loved. You find yourself thinking, I was kissed in that building, I climbed up that tree. This place hasn’t changed so terribly much, and so by an extension of logic, I must not have changed much either.
“Coming back is the thing that enables you to see how all the dots in your life are connected, how one decision leads you to another, how one twist of fate, good or bad, brings you to a door that later takes you to another door, which aided by several detours — long hallways and unforeseen stairwells — eventually puts you in the place you are now. Every choice lays down a trail of bread crumbs, so that when you look behind you there appears to be a very clear path that points straight to the place where you now stand. But when you look ahead there isn’t a bread crumb in sight — there are just a few shrubs, a bunch of trees, a handful of skittish woodland creatures. You glance from left to right and find no indication of which way you’re supposed to go. And so you stand there, sniffing at the wind, looking for directional clues in the growth patterns of moss, and you think, What now?
“Sometimes not having any idea of where we’re going works out better than we could possibly have imagined.”
"Tomorrow, in a very real sense, your life – the life you author from scratch on your own – begins.
"How will you use your gifts? What choices will you make?
Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions?
Will you follow dogma, or will you be original?
Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure?
Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions?
Will you bluff it out when you're wrong, or will you apologise?
Will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love?
Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling?
When it's tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless?
Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder?
Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?
“I will hazard a prediction. When you are 80 years old, and in a quiet moment of reflection narrating for only yourself the most personal version of your life story, the telling that will be most compact and meaningful will be the series of choices you have made. In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story.”
"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to Heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition ... Stay hungry, Stay foolish."
"You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to
be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole
world opens up to you."
Barabra Sher 
Because we live in a culture that increasingly leans toward
commercialism, materialism, and secularism, it is not always easy to
keep the soul nourished.
The challenge of these days, when times are not hospitable to spiritual growth, is how to nuture, feed, heal, restore, and renew the soul. Here are 21 practical suggestions for building a stronger spiritual life.
As Christians we are to let blessings flow through us and on to others. When we hoard and dam the blessings in our lives we are in danger of becoming spiritually stagnant, emotionally detached, and intellectually cynical. Resolve to break up the dam and let blessings flow like a river. The freshness is in the flow.
May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace
(Numbers 6:24-26).
Get creative with language, and speak words that will uplift, encourage, hearten, and bless other people. As you build them up, your own spirit will get stronger.
Letting friends know you are always available for prayer.
Attending regularly held prayer groups.
Participating in a prayer chain.
Source: vibrantlife
The challenge of these days, when times are not hospitable to spiritual growth, is how to nuture, feed, heal, restore, and renew the soul. Here are 21 practical suggestions for building a stronger spiritual life.
1. Be a river, not a swamp.
The Bible says: “Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of those who believe in me” (John 7:38, margin).* Remember, it is the mountain stream that carries fresh, life-giving water because it flows out. However, the swamp is stagnant and life-devouring. A swamp collects and retains water that comes its way. Don’t be the kind of person who seeks to accumulate much before allowing a little to flow through.As Christians we are to let blessings flow through us and on to others. When we hoard and dam the blessings in our lives we are in danger of becoming spiritually stagnant, emotionally detached, and intellectually cynical. Resolve to break up the dam and let blessings flow like a river. The freshness is in the flow.
2. Identify blessings.
Too often we go through life oblivious to the good that comes flowing into our lives. Try this spiritual exercise for one week: At the end of the first day, identify a blessing that came to you from a family member. At the end of the second day, a blessing from a neighbor. Third day, from a friend. Fourth day, from a work colleague. Fifth day, from a stranger. Sixth day, from a child. On the seventh day, a blessing that came from an “enemy.”3. Be like Moses-speak words of blessing.
One of the most beautiful and compassionate passages in the Bible contains these words of blessing pronounced by Moses:May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace
(Numbers 6:24-26).
Get creative with language, and speak words that will uplift, encourage, hearten, and bless other people. As you build them up, your own spirit will get stronger.
4. Nurture a shared prayer life.
Increase the amount of time you spend in prayer by sharing in prayer with others. Some ways to do this include:Letting friends know you are always available for prayer.
Attending regularly held prayer groups.
Participating in a prayer chain.
5. Take a step of faith.
Spiritual growth means taking a leap of faith from time to time. Rather than trying to get everything in place before you start something important, why not follow God’s leading and allow the plan to evolve? This means taking a step of faith and trusting God to provide what may be needed for success.6. Restore someone’s faith.
Today, make time to heal a wounded heart, to extend kindness to someone who really needs a friend, or to help gather up pieces of a broken dream. Today, do whatever you can to radiate God’s unconditional love.7. Be a grateful person.
Start every day with a morning prayer of gratitude to God for the gift of a new day. Do this even if the day ahead appears ominous. Conclude every day with an evening prayer of gratitude to God for the gift of the preceding hours. Do this even if you’ve had a very tough day.8. Share the journey.
Hook up with one other person who is seeking to grow spiritually. Agree to meet once a week for a period of time to study and reflect on spiritual matters. A friend of mine, who is a busy executive in Toronto, Ontario, met for six months with another man to do Bible study. “No matter how hectic our schedules, we always met each week during our lunch hour at a downtown church that kindly provided us with a room for our meeting. Those were good months when a lot of spiritual growth took place,” he says.9. Serve.
Look for ways to serve the community, especially tasks that promise no reward, such as picking up litter on the streets. Read and reflect on the action of Jesus in John 13:1-5.10. Cultivate a little solitude.
“Solitude makes us tougher toward ourselves and tenderer toward others; in both ways it improves our character,” noted philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. Spend some time away from the crowd and the noise of life. Set aside a few minutes to be alone-just you and God. In quietness we turn our minds away from the problems of life and fix our thoughts on the mind of God.11. Fast and pray.
Prayer linked with fasting was often done by people in the Bible. Ezra 8:23 reports: “So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.” The next time you are asked to pray urgently for someone in difficulty, consider combining your praying with some fasting.12. Turn worries over to God.
This is a clear teaching of Scripture: “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you” (Psalm 55:22). Do this each time a worry crops up.13. Spread love wherever you go.
That is the advice of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who advised: “Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house. . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.”14. Keep your priorities straight.
Know what is ultimately important and what is not. Consider the words of former President George Bush: “I am blessed with a close and wonderful family, and I want to spend the rest of my life letting them know how much I love them and appreciate them,” he said. “One of my most important accomplishments, one I am still working on, is to be a huge success in the grandfather business. I would like to be remembered for integrity, service, and family.”15. Strive for excellence.
The Bible tells us: “Whatever you do, do well” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Be the best that you can be at whatever station in life God has placed you.16. Use it or lose it.
God has generously endowed each of us with unique gifts and talents. Make use of them or you will run the risk of losing them. “Use your gifts faithfully, and they shall be enlarged; practice what you know, and you shall attain to higher knowledge,” noted ninteenth-century poet Sir Edwin Arnold.17. Meditate on Scripture.
The Bible is loaded with verses of comfort, encouragement, and wisdom. Make it a habit to read and study your Bible in a regular, disciplined way. Highlight verses that speak to you. Meditate on those words. Memorize some of the passages so you can recall them from memory at a future time.18. Be reliable.
Do what you say you will do-whether it’s convenient or not. Follow through on all of your commitments, large and small. By your actions, show others you are a person who can be trusted and counted upon.19. Ask God to make you a blessing today.
A great way to grow in wonder and amazement is by asking God to turn your life into a blessing. Do this each morning before resuming your daily activities. Offer a short, simple prayer like this one: “Dear God, on this day make my life a blessing to someone, somewhere.” Then pay close attention to every person you encounter during the day, as God will honor your prayer, sometimes in surprising ways.20. Spend time in nature.
This was something done by the psalm writers, and they gleaned spiri-tual lessons from their time in nature. “The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1). “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-the moon and the stars you have set in place-what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?” (Psalm 8:3,4). “Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed. Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth” (Psalm 104:8, 9).21. Exercise your power of choice.
No matter what happens to you, you always have the freedom to choose. You can select joy over despair. You can select love over hate. You can select forgiveness over revenge. You can select growth over stagnation. Remember that a crisis can evoke the best in us or the worst in us. The choice is ours!Ways to Build a Stronger Spiritual Life
Because we live in a culture that increasingly leans toward
commercialism, materialism, and secularism, it is not always easy to
keep the soul nourished.
The challenge of these days, when times are not hospitable to spiritual growth, is how to nuture, feed, heal, restore, and renew the soul. Here are 21 practical suggestions for building a stronger spiritual life.
As Christians we are to let blessings flow through us and on to others. When we hoard and dam the blessings in our lives we are in danger of becoming spiritually stagnant, emotionally detached, and intellectually cynical. Resolve to break up the dam and let blessings flow like a river. The freshness is in the flow.
May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace
(Numbers 6:24-26).
Get creative with language, and speak words that will uplift, encourage, hearten, and bless other people. As you build them up, your own spirit will get stronger.
Letting friends know you are always available for prayer.
Attending regularly held prayer groups.
Participating in a prayer chain.
Source: vibrantlife
The challenge of these days, when times are not hospitable to spiritual growth, is how to nuture, feed, heal, restore, and renew the soul. Here are 21 practical suggestions for building a stronger spiritual life.
1. Be a river, not a swamp.
The Bible says: “Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of those who believe in me” (John 7:38, margin).* Remember, it is the mountain stream that carries fresh, life-giving water because it flows out. However, the swamp is stagnant and life-devouring. A swamp collects and retains water that comes its way. Don’t be the kind of person who seeks to accumulate much before allowing a little to flow through.As Christians we are to let blessings flow through us and on to others. When we hoard and dam the blessings in our lives we are in danger of becoming spiritually stagnant, emotionally detached, and intellectually cynical. Resolve to break up the dam and let blessings flow like a river. The freshness is in the flow.
2. Identify blessings.
Too often we go through life oblivious to the good that comes flowing into our lives. Try this spiritual exercise for one week: At the end of the first day, identify a blessing that came to you from a family member. At the end of the second day, a blessing from a neighbor. Third day, from a friend. Fourth day, from a work colleague. Fifth day, from a stranger. Sixth day, from a child. On the seventh day, a blessing that came from an “enemy.”3. Be like Moses-speak words of blessing.
One of the most beautiful and compassionate passages in the Bible contains these words of blessing pronounced by Moses:May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace
(Numbers 6:24-26).
Get creative with language, and speak words that will uplift, encourage, hearten, and bless other people. As you build them up, your own spirit will get stronger.
4. Nurture a shared prayer life.
Increase the amount of time you spend in prayer by sharing in prayer with others. Some ways to do this include:Letting friends know you are always available for prayer.
Attending regularly held prayer groups.
Participating in a prayer chain.
5. Take a step of faith.
Spiritual growth means taking a leap of faith from time to time. Rather than trying to get everything in place before you start something important, why not follow God’s leading and allow the plan to evolve? This means taking a step of faith and trusting God to provide what may be needed for success.6. Restore someone’s faith.
Today, make time to heal a wounded heart, to extend kindness to someone who really needs a friend, or to help gather up pieces of a broken dream. Today, do whatever you can to radiate God’s unconditional love.7. Be a grateful person.
Start every day with a morning prayer of gratitude to God for the gift of a new day. Do this even if the day ahead appears ominous. Conclude every day with an evening prayer of gratitude to God for the gift of the preceding hours. Do this even if you’ve had a very tough day.8. Share the journey.
Hook up with one other person who is seeking to grow spiritually. Agree to meet once a week for a period of time to study and reflect on spiritual matters. A friend of mine, who is a busy executive in Toronto, Ontario, met for six months with another man to do Bible study. “No matter how hectic our schedules, we always met each week during our lunch hour at a downtown church that kindly provided us with a room for our meeting. Those were good months when a lot of spiritual growth took place,” he says.9. Serve.
Look for ways to serve the community, especially tasks that promise no reward, such as picking up litter on the streets. Read and reflect on the action of Jesus in John 13:1-5.10. Cultivate a little solitude.
“Solitude makes us tougher toward ourselves and tenderer toward others; in both ways it improves our character,” noted philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. Spend some time away from the crowd and the noise of life. Set aside a few minutes to be alone-just you and God. In quietness we turn our minds away from the problems of life and fix our thoughts on the mind of God.11. Fast and pray.
Prayer linked with fasting was often done by people in the Bible. Ezra 8:23 reports: “So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.” The next time you are asked to pray urgently for someone in difficulty, consider combining your praying with some fasting.12. Turn worries over to God.
This is a clear teaching of Scripture: “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you” (Psalm 55:22). Do this each time a worry crops up.13. Spread love wherever you go.
That is the advice of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who advised: “Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house. . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.”14. Keep your priorities straight.
Know what is ultimately important and what is not. Consider the words of former President George Bush: “I am blessed with a close and wonderful family, and I want to spend the rest of my life letting them know how much I love them and appreciate them,” he said. “One of my most important accomplishments, one I am still working on, is to be a huge success in the grandfather business. I would like to be remembered for integrity, service, and family.”15. Strive for excellence.
The Bible tells us: “Whatever you do, do well” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Be the best that you can be at whatever station in life God has placed you.16. Use it or lose it.
God has generously endowed each of us with unique gifts and talents. Make use of them or you will run the risk of losing them. “Use your gifts faithfully, and they shall be enlarged; practice what you know, and you shall attain to higher knowledge,” noted ninteenth-century poet Sir Edwin Arnold.17. Meditate on Scripture.
The Bible is loaded with verses of comfort, encouragement, and wisdom. Make it a habit to read and study your Bible in a regular, disciplined way. Highlight verses that speak to you. Meditate on those words. Memorize some of the passages so you can recall them from memory at a future time.18. Be reliable.
Do what you say you will do-whether it’s convenient or not. Follow through on all of your commitments, large and small. By your actions, show others you are a person who can be trusted and counted upon.19. Ask God to make you a blessing today.
A great way to grow in wonder and amazement is by asking God to turn your life into a blessing. Do this each morning before resuming your daily activities. Offer a short, simple prayer like this one: “Dear God, on this day make my life a blessing to someone, somewhere.” Then pay close attention to every person you encounter during the day, as God will honor your prayer, sometimes in surprising ways.20. Spend time in nature.
This was something done by the psalm writers, and they gleaned spiri-tual lessons from their time in nature. “The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1). “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-the moon and the stars you have set in place-what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?” (Psalm 8:3,4). “Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed. Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth” (Psalm 104:8, 9).21. Exercise your power of choice.
No matter what happens to you, you always have the freedom to choose. You can select joy over despair. You can select love over hate. You can select forgiveness over revenge. You can select growth over stagnation. Remember that a crisis can evoke the best in us or the worst in us. The choice is ours!
What’s your main purpose in life? Have you figured it out yet? If you are still searching for it, I will help you to learn how to find a purpose in life by reading every word of my article and watching the motivational video, featuring the voices of Les Brown and Eric Thomas who are 2 very well known powerful speakers!
Are you prepared for a large dose of motivation and inspiration?
YOU Matter…
The reason why “YOU” matter is because you will never have, you will never be, you will never do and you will never experience life, the way you were supposed to experience life until you recognize that you matter!
You are powerful beyond measure!
You do what you have been born to do and you do what you have been put on this earth to do!
- Nobody can do it like you!
- Nobody can speak the way you speak!
- Nobody can write the way you write!
- Nobody can love the way you love!
- Nobody can play that instrument like you can!
There Is Something Within Yourself…
When you know there is something you want to do, and I believe that you was born with a purpose, that you have something you are supposed to do, you have goodness within you and that goodness gives you a responsibility to manifest your greatness in life.
When you also know that you are opertaing below your full potential and just become comfortable with the way your life is, you stop expanding, stop stretching and stop challenging yourself.
I would like to share something else with you…
Not only is it possible for you to have your dream, but it’s necessary that you have it, work on it, develop yourself and you go for what belongs to you in the universe!
You decide “I’m not going to settle for this and isn’t going to be it for my life. I deserve more than this!”
A lot of people go to work each day miserable, complain about how miserable they are, but they don’t do anything about it!
Be different to the masses, do something about it and chase your dream, period!
When You’re Working On Changing Your Life…
When you’re working to change some bad habits, trying to escape tough situations, bad relationships or working to build a dream in society, life is hard!
Easy is not an option!
Life is rough… how people look at you and how they respond to you!
But in order for you to get to wherever you want to go, this is one of the hoops you have to flip through, so if life is hard, then do it hard!
How Do You Hang In There And Find Your Purpose?
During the hard and difficult times, you must have FAITH and BELIEVE in yourself!
It’s possible that you can have your dream. If other people have done it, then you can do it!
You may have failed a lot of times, but many other people have failed too. However, they came back stronger, refused to be beat and they succeeded. So it’s possible for you to have what you want.
When you know that you want to get something so bad, it’s necessary that you align yourself with positive people, remove negative people from your life, never stop learning and developing yourself, and you NEVER GIVE UP!
Learn to clear your head of negativity, create some positive energy, go with your heart and follow your passion!
You Have Already Had Past Experiences…
Where you was working on something, you knew it was possible, and you did those things to bring it into reality.
You took the responsibility to make it happen. Other people couldn’t see it, many wouldn’t believe it, you were attacked and criticized, people were opposing you, but you kept on doing it, it was rough and it was difficult, but to you it was worth it!
Learn How To Find a Purpose In Life!
What’s your main purpose in life? Have you figured it out yet? If you are still searching for it, I will help you to learn how to find a purpose in life by reading every word of my article and watching the motivational video, featuring the voices of Les Brown and Eric Thomas who are 2 very well known powerful speakers!
Are you prepared for a large dose of motivation and inspiration?
YOU Matter…
The reason why “YOU” matter is because you will never have, you will never be, you will never do and you will never experience life, the way you were supposed to experience life until you recognize that you matter!
You are powerful beyond measure!
You do what you have been born to do and you do what you have been put on this earth to do!
- Nobody can do it like you!
- Nobody can speak the way you speak!
- Nobody can write the way you write!
- Nobody can love the way you love!
- Nobody can play that instrument like you can!
There Is Something Within Yourself…
When you know there is something you want to do, and I believe that you was born with a purpose, that you have something you are supposed to do, you have goodness within you and that goodness gives you a responsibility to manifest your greatness in life.
When you also know that you are opertaing below your full potential and just become comfortable with the way your life is, you stop expanding, stop stretching and stop challenging yourself.
I would like to share something else with you…
Not only is it possible for you to have your dream, but it’s necessary that you have it, work on it, develop yourself and you go for what belongs to you in the universe!
You decide “I’m not going to settle for this and isn’t going to be it for my life. I deserve more than this!”
A lot of people go to work each day miserable, complain about how miserable they are, but they don’t do anything about it!
Be different to the masses, do something about it and chase your dream, period!
When You’re Working On Changing Your Life…
When you’re working to change some bad habits, trying to escape tough situations, bad relationships or working to build a dream in society, life is hard!
Easy is not an option!
Life is rough… how people look at you and how they respond to you!
But in order for you to get to wherever you want to go, this is one of the hoops you have to flip through, so if life is hard, then do it hard!
How Do You Hang In There And Find Your Purpose?
During the hard and difficult times, you must have FAITH and BELIEVE in yourself!
It’s possible that you can have your dream. If other people have done it, then you can do it!
You may have failed a lot of times, but many other people have failed too. However, they came back stronger, refused to be beat and they succeeded. So it’s possible for you to have what you want.
When you know that you want to get something so bad, it’s necessary that you align yourself with positive people, remove negative people from your life, never stop learning and developing yourself, and you NEVER GIVE UP!
Learn to clear your head of negativity, create some positive energy, go with your heart and follow your passion!
You Have Already Had Past Experiences…
Where you was working on something, you knew it was possible, and you did those things to bring it into reality.
You took the responsibility to make it happen. Other people couldn’t see it, many wouldn’t believe it, you were attacked and criticized, people were opposing you, but you kept on doing it, it was rough and it was difficult, but to you it was worth it!
Work like you don’t need the money! We have all heard the saying. Some of us can only dream about loving what we do, others get stuck in a whirlwind of mediocrity and some are on a journey to find the work they love, so they never have to work another day in their life again.
There are many keys to success, but until you find your purpose in life, your journey will feel like a ship lost at sea. Purpose is the compass that will get you to your destination, so you can stop questioning your life’s existence on the path to success.
When you have purpose, all of your actions, decisions and motivations are channeled through an indescribable energy that directs you towards your end goal no matter what trials and tribulations come your way.
The journey of discovering your purpose in life is not easy. It takes time, effort and focus, but once you discover what makes you tick you’ll never look back again. The answer lies within you, just keep digging.
Here are 5 Questions To Help You Start Discovering Your Purpose:
1. What makes you lose track of time?
Take yourself back to when you were a child and you were playing your favorite game. Do you remember how it made you feel to spend hours doing something that you loved? You were so engrossed in it that the only way you knew what time it was is because your parents called you in for dinner.As a grown up, dig deep and find the things that make you feel the same way. Do you love helping people, writing, designing, crafting or teaching?
Once you find the thing that you love, you can easily apply those skills to a variety of different ways to start loving the work that you do. You need to re-invent you.
“A good time occurs precisely when we lose track of what time it is.” – Robert Capon
2. What are you a natural at?
We all possess some kind of natural talent and ability. Find that one thing that feels effortless to you, while others struggle at it.If you take some time to develop it, you can become the master of it. But the question is – what is it? That question lies within you. For all you know, you may have been ignoring it or unaware of it this entire time. It may come so natural to you, that you never paid attention to it.
Observe yourself. Ask people who know you well. They can help give you feedback that opens your eyes. You may be a natural at organizing things, understanding complex concepts, teaching, dancing, singing, anything. Just keep pushing on until you find it out.
3. What makes you feel good about yourself?
We all have things that make us feel good about ourselves. What is it you have done in your life that you are proud of? Did you help someone in need? Did you save someone’s life?Did you achieve something you thought impossible? When you find that out, you will get an idea about what makes you feel good about yourself. Once you do that, you can then think of similar things you can do in future that align with those actions.
4. What makes you smile?
What is it that puts smile on your face? Very often people spend a lot of time and effort on things that they care about and make them happy. When they succeed at it, they feel deep satisfaction and happiness. What is it you care about most?You may not enjoy the effort, but you care about the cause and that keeps you going. The end results make you smile. It can be anything ranging from social service to entrepreneurship. Look for the things in the world you care about most.
“Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.” – Paramahansa Yogananda
5. What are your core values?
People have deep seated beliefs and values, which govern most of their decisions and actions. If you do something that does not resonate with your core values, you can’t find happiness and satisfaction. When they are missing, you can’t be successful. You need to do things that are in alignment with your deeper self.The first step is to dig deep and discover your core values. They may not be easily visible, but observe your past decisions and actions and how they made you feel. This will give you an idea about your values. Once you discover them, you can make better decisions regarding which direction you want to choose for your life.
Answers to these questions may not be easy. They require deep introspection on your part, but they will reveal truths that will guide you towards your life purpose. The next step will be to incorporate them into something that you can do for a long time.
Your career constitutes a large part of your life. Once you choose a career that is in alignment with your purpose, it will make your journey on the path to success a happy and fulfilled experience. Remember, never give up and always keep on pushing on.
When are you going to start to apply this steps in order to discover your purpose? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
5 Questions That Will Help You Discover Your Purpose
Work like you don’t need the money! We have all heard the saying. Some of us can only dream about loving what we do, others get stuck in a whirlwind of mediocrity and some are on a journey to find the work they love, so they never have to work another day in their life again.
There are many keys to success, but until you find your purpose in life, your journey will feel like a ship lost at sea. Purpose is the compass that will get you to your destination, so you can stop questioning your life’s existence on the path to success.
When you have purpose, all of your actions, decisions and motivations are channeled through an indescribable energy that directs you towards your end goal no matter what trials and tribulations come your way.
The journey of discovering your purpose in life is not easy. It takes time, effort and focus, but once you discover what makes you tick you’ll never look back again. The answer lies within you, just keep digging.
Here are 5 Questions To Help You Start Discovering Your Purpose:
1. What makes you lose track of time?
Take yourself back to when you were a child and you were playing your favorite game. Do you remember how it made you feel to spend hours doing something that you loved? You were so engrossed in it that the only way you knew what time it was is because your parents called you in for dinner.As a grown up, dig deep and find the things that make you feel the same way. Do you love helping people, writing, designing, crafting or teaching?
Once you find the thing that you love, you can easily apply those skills to a variety of different ways to start loving the work that you do. You need to re-invent you.
“A good time occurs precisely when we lose track of what time it is.” – Robert Capon
2. What are you a natural at?
We all possess some kind of natural talent and ability. Find that one thing that feels effortless to you, while others struggle at it.If you take some time to develop it, you can become the master of it. But the question is – what is it? That question lies within you. For all you know, you may have been ignoring it or unaware of it this entire time. It may come so natural to you, that you never paid attention to it.
Observe yourself. Ask people who know you well. They can help give you feedback that opens your eyes. You may be a natural at organizing things, understanding complex concepts, teaching, dancing, singing, anything. Just keep pushing on until you find it out.
3. What makes you feel good about yourself?
We all have things that make us feel good about ourselves. What is it you have done in your life that you are proud of? Did you help someone in need? Did you save someone’s life?Did you achieve something you thought impossible? When you find that out, you will get an idea about what makes you feel good about yourself. Once you do that, you can then think of similar things you can do in future that align with those actions.
4. What makes you smile?
What is it that puts smile on your face? Very often people spend a lot of time and effort on things that they care about and make them happy. When they succeed at it, they feel deep satisfaction and happiness. What is it you care about most?You may not enjoy the effort, but you care about the cause and that keeps you going. The end results make you smile. It can be anything ranging from social service to entrepreneurship. Look for the things in the world you care about most.
“Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.” – Paramahansa Yogananda
5. What are your core values?
People have deep seated beliefs and values, which govern most of their decisions and actions. If you do something that does not resonate with your core values, you can’t find happiness and satisfaction. When they are missing, you can’t be successful. You need to do things that are in alignment with your deeper self.The first step is to dig deep and discover your core values. They may not be easily visible, but observe your past decisions and actions and how they made you feel. This will give you an idea about your values. Once you discover them, you can make better decisions regarding which direction you want to choose for your life.
Answers to these questions may not be easy. They require deep introspection on your part, but they will reveal truths that will guide you towards your life purpose. The next step will be to incorporate them into something that you can do for a long time.
Your career constitutes a large part of your life. Once you choose a career that is in alignment with your purpose, it will make your journey on the path to success a happy and fulfilled experience. Remember, never give up and always keep on pushing on.
