I’m not worried about my years, because i’m squeezing the fuck out of my seconds, let alone my days. – Gary Vaynerchuk
Every smart person and stable person i know both walks and meditates. – Jimmy Fallon
Open up your perspectives by engaging in 5 fresh experiences each month which you are usually not comfortable doing. – Toh Yew Hong
It is more important to implement and move forward than going around in circles in the guise of learning and reading. – Toh Yew Hong
Do not mix religion with charity. You may know the bible like the back of your hand but you have no good deeds. – Toh Yew Hong
1. Another secret to self-improvement is learning how to see things differently.
Janna Levin is a professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College, and she used to think of obstacles as something that got in the way of a happy life. But Levin has since adjusted her outlook and found more happiness by recognizing that life is really a series of obstacles that, when approached calmly, offer the chance for you to learn and improve.
Bear Grylls, a former member of the British Special Forces and the star of his own Emmy-nominated survival show, realized that life was too short to waste time being fearful about the future or wishing he were somewhere else. Now, whether he’s at home with his feet kicked up or waist-deep in a swamp, he embraces living in the moment.
2. But sometimes, when you know you’re already stretched thin, you have to practice the art of saying no.
The celebrated authors Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and Yuval Noah Harari both have people in their lives who help them decline all the incoming requests for speaking engagements.
But, of course, we don’t all have the means to employ others to say no for us. When Neil Strauss has to come up with an answer, he now asks himself, “Am I only thinking about saying yes out of fear or guilt?” If this is the case, he’ll then give a polite no.
When Kevin Kelly has to make a choice, he imagines that the invitation is for an event taking place tomorrow morning. If he’d still be willing to go, he’ll say yes.
However, according to millionaire entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, sometimes saying no, even though you want to, isn’t the best choice. To stay open to life’s many surprises, he’ll say yes 20 percent of the time, even though it might not seem worth it.
3. Other mentors urge everyone to make the most of what we’ve been given.
Ray Dalio and Scott Belsky remind people to stay open-minded and seek out the less obvious opportunities. While joining a struggling team might not look immediately appealing, it would likely be more rewarding than heading a flourishing one, because there’d be more room for change and surprises.
But even opportunities like this aren’t going to magically show up at your doorstep. You have to be ready and open to jump aboard when the time is right.
Which brings us to the last piece of advice: if you miss a good opportunity, don’t beat yourself up. Contrary to what you might be feeling, it isn’t the end of the world or of your chances.
Remember the words of Leo Babauta: “You are good enough as you are.”
As Maria Sharapova puts it, you should strive to be your unique, original self, and no one else. And don’t let the words and actions of other people, or a bunch of “what ifs,” define who you are. Be your own leader, and maybe you’ll become a mentor to the next generation yourself.
