Life

41 Fundamental Life Truths I Have Discovered This Year.

Published

7 years ago

Jan 11, 2018

This year has taught me so much about life and what it really means. It surprises me how little I know and how much there still is to learn. A truly fulfilled life is only possible when you commit to continuous learning.

Who knows, in a few years I’ll probably look at this article and think to myself how amateur I was at this moment in my life.

Here are 41 truths about life I have learned this year:

1. You must love yourself first and talk nicely to yourself. Self-talk changes everything.

2. Minimalism will help accent what you love. Too much stuff will distract you.

3. Forgiveness is power. Holding onto stuff hurts you more than anyone else.

4. Most of the answers you seek are right in front of them. You’ve been ignoring these answers because they seem cliché and obvious. Stop doing this.

5. No one has all the answers

6. The success you see in other people is only 1% of their life. Most of what you can’t see is the negativity and failures they endure. Spend more time going beyond people’s success.

7. Your mind is determining how you feel. If you feel crap, change the inputs of your mind.

8. Happiness is found in the simple stuff. If you’re not happy, you’re trying to overcomplicate it.

9. Being kind to people always feels good.

10. Anyone can be inspiring including you.

11. Business is about rallying people together. It’s not about an idea, or one person, or even coming up with something entirely new. Understand people and you’ll master business.

12. Time is the currency you should guard with your life. Measure and watch your time.

13. Sometimes, lack of planning is the best thing you can do. You can’t predict every outcome and spontaneity adds to the fun of life.

14. We need balance. Balance between work, travel, love, family and everything in-between.

15. You have advice that can help people. Share it and be a part of other people’s journeys.

16. The workforce has changed. Emotional intelligence, life experience and leadership are now at the top of desirable business traits.

17. Nothing stays the same so don’t expect it to (especially as you get older).

18. Learning to say no will give you the time to pursue your dream.

19. Be honest no matter what. Tell people what you think respectfully and they’ll love you for it.

20. Ideas mean nothing. Execution trumps all.

21. The ability to make decisions quickly will help you progress in life much quicker.

22. Reality is different for everyone so quit expecting people to see exactly what you see.

23. No one has time to dwell on your problems. They have enough of their own. So, make as many mistakes as you want and don’t be afraid what people think.

24. Fear can be controlled and once you get started, you’ll forget about it anyway. Let fear excite you and tell you that you’re breaking your comfort zone which is phenomenal.

25. Money is boring. Wisdom is far more exciting.

26. There’s no time like the present to do that thing you’ve always dreamed about. Stop delaying as you may not get the chance to do that one thing ever again.

27. Your career is defined by who you are as a person and nothing else. Experience and skills can be learned.

28. Courage takes guts and it’s the first step to being a leader.

29. Criticism and negative opinions about your life’s work are a sign that you’re making progress.

30. Doing things that inspire you is the best feeling in the world. Chase that.

31. The game of racking up possessions never ends. You can never own everything and everything you collect will get boring quickly. The best collection you can have is enjoyable memories.

32. Your dream, passion, goal is not going to find you. You must find it and that takes work.

33. The stuff you’re the most scared of is the very thing that will help you grow. Growing is a must.

34. Lying never helps you win in the long-term. The damage it causes is often hidden, but its effect will ruin your life if you don’t stop it.

35. The notifications on your devices are screwing with your head. Turn all of them off and see the difference it makes.

36. Your life is a piece of art so use it to do something creative.

37. Sabotage TV for books and podcasts. That’s how you learn and get new ideas.

38. Remember that rules are just a guideline and they are open to interpretation. Nothing is absolute.

39. What will improve your life is giving up those things you know deep inside of you are bad for you. You know what they are. Kill them off one by one.

40. Quotes are profound and they can give you your own unique mantra to live your life by. Find a few that have meaning to you and put them where you can see them.

41. There’s no limit on greed. There’s no such thing as quick money. If you win once, you’ll get complacent and lose next time around or the time after that.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

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Tim Denning

Aussie Blogger with 500M+ views — Writer for CNBC & Business Insider. Inspiring the world through Personal Development and Entrepreneurship You can connect with Tim through his website www.timdenning.com

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Life

How Learning the Skill of Hope Can Change Everything

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life

Published

4 weeks ago

Jan 6, 2025

Daniel Bell

Image Credit: Midjourney

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life.

Wishful thinking, on the other hand, is like having dreams in the sky without a ladder to climb, having a destination without a map, or trying to operate a jet-engine airplane without instructions. It sounds nice but is impossible to realize. You don’t have what you need to make it happen!

What Real Hope Is

Real hope is actionable, practical, and realistic. Better yet, it’s feasible and can be learned.

One popular approach is Hope Theory. This concept is used by colleges to study how hope impacts students’ academic performance. Researchers found that students with high levels of hope achieve better grades and are more likely to graduate compared to those with less hope.

Hope can be broken down into two components:

Pathways – The “how to” of hope. This is where people think of and establish plans for achieving their goals.
Agency – The “I can” of hope. This is the belief that the person can accomplish their goals.

Does Hope Really Work?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, hope as a noun is defined as: “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.”

As humans, we are wired to crave fulfillment. We have the ability to envision it and, through hope, make it a reality.

My Experience with Hope

For 13 years, I was a hopeless human. During my time working at a luxury hotel as a front desk agent earning $11.42 per hour, I felt the sting of hopelessness the most.

The regret of feeling my time was being stolen from me lingered every time I clocked in. Eventually, I decided to do something about it.

I gave myself permission to hope for something better. I began establishing pathways to success and regained agency by learning from self-help books and seeking mentorship.

Because I took action toward something I desired, I now feel more hope and joy than I ever felt hopelessness. Hope changed me.

Hope Actually Improves Your Life

Wishful thinking doesn’t work, and false hope is equally ineffective. Real hope, however, is directly tied to success in all areas of life.

Studies show that hopeful people tend to:

Demonstrate better problem-solving skills
Cultivate healthier relationships
Maintain stronger motivation to achieve goals
Exhibit better work ethic
Have a positive outlook on life

These benefits can impact work life, family life, habit-building, mental health, physical health, and spiritual practice. Imagine how much better your life could be by applying real hope to all these areas.

How to Develop the Skill to Hope

As acclaimed French writer Jean Giono wrote in The Man Who Planted Trees:
“There are also times in life when a person has to rush off in pursuit of hopefulness.”

If you are at one of those times, here are ways to develop the skill to hope:

1. Dream Again

To cultivate hope, you need to believe in its possibility. Start by:

Reflecting on what you’re passionate about, your values, and what you want to achieve.
Writing your dreams down, sharing them with someone encouraging, or saying them out loud.
Creating a vision board to make your dreams feel more tangible.

Dreams are the foundation of hope—they give you something meaningful to aspire toward.

2. Create an Environment of Hope

Set Goals: Write down your goals and create a plan to achieve them.
Visualize Success: Use inspirational quotes, photos, or tools like dumbbells or canvases to remind yourself of your goals.
Build a Resource Library: Collect books, eBooks, or audiobooks about hope and success to inspire you.

An environment that fosters hope will keep you motivated, resilient, and focused.

3. Face the Challenges

Don’t avoid challenges—overcoming them builds confidence. Participating in challenging activities, like strategic games, can enhance your problem-solving skills and reinforce hope.

4. Commit to Wisdom

Seek wisdom from those who have achieved what you aspire to. Whether through books, blogs, or social media platforms, learn from their journeys. Wisdom provides the foundation for real, actionable hope.

5. Take Note of Small Wins

Reflecting on past victories can fuel your hope for the future. Ask yourself:

What challenges have I already overcome?
How did I feel when I succeeded?

By remembering those feelings of happiness, relief, or satisfaction, your brain will naturally adopt a more hopeful mindset.

Conclusion

Hope is more than wishful thinking—it’s a powerful skill that can transform your life. By dreaming again, creating a hopeful environment, facing challenges, seeking wisdom, and celebrating small wins, you can develop the real hope necessary for success in all aspects of life.

Let hope guide you toward a brighter, more fulfilling future.

Life

The 5 Stages of a Quarter-Life Crisis & What You Can Do

A quarter-life crisis isn’t a sign you’ve lost your way; it’s a sign you’re fighting for a life that’s truly yours.

Published

1 month ago

Dec 27, 2024

CT Dool

Image Credit: Midjourney

The quarter-life crisis is a well-defined set of stages—Trapped, Checking Out, Separation, Exploration, Rebuilding—one goes through in breaking free from feelings of meaninglessness, lack of fulfillment, and misalignment with purpose. I detail the stages and interweave my story below. (more…)

Life

Here’s The Thing About Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning

Stop hoarding and start sharing your knowledge and wealth for the benefit of humankind

Published

2 months ago

Nov 21, 2024

M.S. Rao

Image Credit: Midjourney

Few people have the habit of hoarding their wealth without spending. However, it limits their motivation as they tend to get into their comfort zones. When people start spending money, then there will be depletion in their coffers. (more…)