Contents
Nothing stands still. Life gets better or worse. We also get better or worse. In order not to lose the joy of life and find new meanings in it, it is necessary to move forward. We share tips on how to improve your life.
The universal principle of the Universe says: what does not expand, contracts. You go either forward or backward. What would you prefer? Are you planning to invest in yourself? This is one of the most important skills that Stephen Covey calls «sharpening the saw.»
Let me remind you of this parable: a lumberjack cuts a tree without rest, the saw is dull, but he is afraid to interrupt for five minutes to sharpen it. A flurry of inertia causes the opposite effect, and we use more effort and achieve less.
“Sharpening the saw” in a figurative sense means investing in yourself in order to cope with difficulties and achieve your goals.
How can you improve your life to get a return on investment? Here are four questions that will set the stage for profit. Good questions contribute to better self-knowledge. Big questions lead to transformation.
1. Who are you and what do you want?
«A ship is safer in a harbor, but that’s not what it was built for.» (William Shedd)
Everyone is familiar with the state of creative impasse. We get stuck at some point, and this prevents us from pursuing our meaningful aspirations. After all, it is easier to drift in safe mode, implementing scenarios that are picked up somewhere along the way.
This question will help you mentally start all over again, from the end. What do you want? What are your strengths, hobbies? How is it involved in what you do? Is it reflected in your schedule?
2. Where are you and why are you there?
“You can forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy is when an adult is afraid of the light.” (Plato)
The navigator does not start working until we are at the starting point that we set. Without this, you can not build a route. As you create your life plan, figure out how you got to where you are now. You can make great decisions, but some of them don’t work, and you’ll understand why when you recognize the fallacy of your attitudes and actions.
Find out first what the circumstances are before dealing with them. We can’t manage what we don’t know
Where are you now in relation to where you want to be? The creative tension between your vision of the future and reality will begin to push you in the right direction. When you know where you are, it’s easier to get where you want to go.
3. What will you do and how?
“We become what we repeatedly do. Therefore, perfection is not an act, but a habit. (Aristotle)
Purpose and passion are necessary to build a better life, but without a plan of action, they are just an empty fantasy. When dreams collide with reality, she wins. A dream comes true when goals are set and the right habits are developed. There is a deep gorge between where you are and where you want to be. Your plan is the bridge that will connect them.
What would you like to do that you are not doing right now? What’s stopping you? What steps will you take today to get you where you want to be tomorrow? Are your daily activities aligned with them?
4. Who are your allies and how can they help?
“Two are better than one; they have a good reward for their labor: for if one falls, the other will lift up his companion. But woe to one when he falls, and there is no other to lift him up. (King Solomon)
Sometimes it seems that we are alone in the journey of life, but we are not. We can use the strength, knowledge and wisdom of those around us. We tend to blame ourselves for all the troubles and that we do not have answers to questions.
Often our reaction in a difficult situation is to withdraw and isolate ourselves. But at times like this we need support.
If you find yourself in the open ocean, where you can drown at any moment, what would you prefer — to call someone for help or scold yourself for being a bad swimmer? Having allies is vital.
A great future begins with a deep understanding of yourself. Which is closely related to positive self-esteem and self-esteem. Knowing yourself allows you to manage your strengths and not get frustrated by your weaknesses.
These four questions will never get old. They only acquire more and more depth and volume over time. Lead to a better life. Turn information into transformation.
Source: Mick Ukledji and Robert Lorbera Who are you? What do you want? Four Questions That Will Change Your Life» («Who Are You? What Do You Want? : Four Questions That Will Change Your Life», Penguin Group, 2009).