Sometimes in life you are face with difficult circumstances and you have to make a decision that can be life altering. It’s important to be able to identify between your logical decision and your emotional decision.
When you make decisions based on logic, it’s based on information and data. When you make an emotional decision, it’s based on your heart and how you feel. Most people who are shrewd operators make decisions based on information instead of emotions. Before you make a decision, make sure you have clearly identified the risks and rewards of such decision. You have to be able to control your emotions and not react solely on them. Add a dose of logic to your decisions. In the short term, emotions will beat logic when making a decision. However, in the long term, logic will prevail. For instance, you can get excited about something and decided to get involve in it without being logical about whether or not it would be the right fit for you. Once the excitement is gone, logic will kick in and that would determine whether you stay or not.
When you make a decision based on information, it’s important to attach a level of emotions to it to help you follow through on your decision. When things get tough, your reason WHY will keep you from quitting. That’s where emotions play a major role. We are now in the Information Age and those who succeed are those with the right information and the right balance of emotions attached to their decisions. Strive to be logically emotional.
The picture above is a popular landmark in Houston, TX. It resonates with me because ever since I was a child, I’ve always strived to be someone. My parents instilled in me at a very young age to become a person of value and not settle for average. I think everyone should strive for that and it’s unethical if they don’t put in the effort to make their lives better by making themselves better.
How can we be a good example to our kids and people who look up to us if we’re not striving to be a person of value?
We have to be humble and not walk around like we’re better than everybody but don’t use humility as an excuse to be mediocre. By making yourself valuable, you gain confidence in yourself. Someone might be better than you at something but you’re better in at least one other thing than that person. There’s no need to be jealous of others just because they are blessed differently than you are. We’re all equipped with different gifts and areas of strengths.
Make yourself valuable by feeding your mind. Your mind is your #1 asset, you should always invest in your mind. As you change your way of thinking, so will your life. God did not create anyone to be a nobody. Some people let life happened to them and never get back up after falling down. Don’t let that be you.
Investing in your mind doesn’t always mean going to college. College is very expensive and you don’t always get a return on your investment. Depends on your career choice or calling, college may or may not be the right option. Through personal development, you will find your identity and discover your passion. By investing in your personal development, it may help you find work that will help you fulfill your destiny instead of living to work for a biweekly paycheck.
We were born to do something great and be great. Never surrender to the obstacles in life. Let’s be audacious enough to jump every hurdle and become what we were destined to be. Be someone and give all the glory to God.
“I freed a thousand slaves; I could have freed a thousand more, if only they knew they were slaves.” – Harriet Tubman.
July 4th is a national holiday commemorating the declaration of independence of the U.S. from the British Empire. A lot of Americans are celebrating today by having get-togethers, barbecues, going to beach, shooting fireworks, etc… However, the U.S. and a lot of Americans are still not truly independent. In the Bible, Proverbs 22:7 says, the borrower is the slave of the lender. How can you be independent when you’re $22 trillion in debt?
Sure we have some freedom but we don’t have it in all aspects of our lives. If you work at a job you hate but have to keep on going back to it, you’re not free. If you’re buried in debt and living paycheck to paycheck you’re not free. You have some freedom but real independence is when you have complete autonomy over your life and living out your purpose.
Our thoughts have power and are influenced by our environment. Be mindful of the company you keep, the things around you and what you ponder on. Our thoughts dictate our actions. When we fill our minds with bad thoughts, we are inviting bad things in our lives. As the saying goes, garbage in, garbage out. We can make a conscious effort to be positive and attract great things in our lives as long as we accompany it with actions toward our goals.
Let’s take a look at the Adam and Eve story for example. Satan approached Eve and got inside her thoughts and convinced her to try the forbidden fruit. Satan didn’t just shove it in her mouth and force her to eat it. The work was done through her thoughts. Satan manipulated her into wondering what it would be like to try the fruit and then she did the same to Adam. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of the company you keep. The wrong crowd and environment can influence us to do bad things. We can control our thoughts by choosing wisely who our friends are, the neighborhood we live in, our workplace, and what information we let inside our head.
If you watch the news every morning, you’re more likely to be in a depressed state of mind. The average person will tell you to watch the news to stay informed but in reality, you’re exposing your mind to depression. The news is designed to tell you bad news and make you depressed. That’s how they get their ratings. The news reporters will do anything to emphasize how bad things are to keep you watching. It is not a coincidence that local news airs in the morning before most people go to work and in the evening when most people get back from work. Why would you want to start your day with bad news and then end your day with bad news? People who make a habit of watching the news on a daily basis are putting themselves in a depressed state.
Your friends, your neighborhood, your workplace, the movies you watch and the music you listen to are all considered part of your personal media consumption. Time spent consuming media that does not add value to your life is not time well spent. Instead of letting non-productive content in your mind, read a book, take a course, or do a research on a topic you’re interested in. Limit your entertainment consumption and make it a habit to be involved in activities that would foster growth in your mind. That will lead to better thoughts, actions, habits, results, and future.
Most people find it hard to focus and don’t really know what it means to truly focus. Focus to me is Following One Course Until Success.
A few years ago, I was someone who would try my hands on many different things and as a result, I was not focused. I tried to do too much at once. I wanted to be a master of all trades to please all people. I thought that would be the way to provide value and generate more income. I was wrong in my approach. I had to think deep about what I was doing wrong. I knew I was talented but was not getting the results that I wanted. It wasn’t until I decided to focus on one thing that I started succeeding. I made a conscious decision to stop everything else and to dedicate a whole year at one thing and that’s when I started succeeding.
It took me about 4 years of trials and errors to figure that out. However, I have no regrets. The experience that I had during that 4 year stretch made me the person I am today. If it wasn’t for those experiences, I probably wouldn’t have the drive and motivation to take full advantage of the opportunity that I have in front of me today and excelling in.
I want to encourage everyone to find one thing that they want to succeed in and stay the course. Never quit when it’s something you want badly. Only exception is when you’re doing something that’s not according to God’s purpose for you or have no upward mobility. Never lie to yourself and say, if God wanted it for me, he would have made it easier or come naturally. That’s just an excuse! Success comes by overcoming. You have to find a way to overcome.
Not everyone gets to do what they are passionate about to make a living. Sometimes, you have to do something that makes sense financially and with that financial freedom you can pursue your passion. All you need is one thing. No need to juggle different things and try to be good at everything. Identity your one thing and focus on it. Remember, the man who chases two rabbits, catches neither. Stay FOCUS!!!
“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” – Henry Thoreau.
Everyone had big dreams at some point in their lives. Sadly, not everyone accomplished them. They gave up and now the’re making up excuses to justify why they did not persist. Yes, life can knock you down but you’re supposed to get back up. If you don’t and decide to settle for a life of mediocrity, you’re living a life of quiet desperation.
Everyday there are people who complain about going to work because they don’t like their job but are happy when it’s Friday. Those people optimize their weekends and holidays. They’re miserable but they don’t have enough belief in themselves and guts to strive for what they really want by quitting that job or starting a business on the side. Instead, they’ve conformed to society, gave in to life’s circumstances and settled for a job they don’t like that has nothing to do with their purpose in life. Those people are living a life of quiet desperation. Meaning, they want to do something else or something more but they are refrained from taking that step because they are afraid.
A lot of people smoke, drink, and use drugs to relax and reduce their stress. What they’re really doing is quieting their desperation. Those people are either not where they want to be in life, in a bad relationship/marriage or they hate their job. Instead of finding a solution to get out of their present situation, they would rather take drugs, and engage in activities to quiet their desperation.
Success is managed frustration. When you’re frustrated it’s a sign that you need to find a solution and take action. Consumption of drugs and alcohol to make you relax in order to stay complacent is living a life of quiet desperation. That period of frustration needs to be used to be productive. Within every adversity or frustration is an opportunity. You’ll find it only if you manage your frustration well enough to look for it. You can’t do that if you’re under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Even if you don’t do drugs or drink you can still live a life of quiet desperation. If you come home from a job that you don’t like and all you want to do is watch TV or play video games, you’re living a life of quiet desperation. None of those activities will solve your problems. Therefore, don’t invest time in them. God created us for a purpose. It is our duty to find that purpose and fulfill it. Don’t just work to pay bills and die. Don’t let anyone who has given up on their dreams tell you, that’s just the way it is. It’s not. You just need to have the courage to be relentless in getting your way in life and not settle.
Netflix is a successful company because they help average people quiet their desperation. A lot of subscribers spend hours each week watching movies, or TV series on Netflix while they’re unhappy with their lives. What they’re doing is quieting their desperation. When they’re watching a movie or a TV show, they don’t have to think about their struggles. It makes them feel good not having to think about it. Feeling good is fine. But feeling great is better. You achieve greatness by finding solutions to solve a problem, not by using entertainment as a distraction.
If you don’t do what you want, you’re someone else’s slave. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years for a cause he believed in. He did not quiet his desperation. He fulfilled his purpose. Now that he has passed, he has a great legacy. He’s respected all over the world for his action, courage and accomplishment toward abolishing the South African apartheid system. If he didn’t persist and gave up, he would have lived a life of quiet desperation and he would’ve not be known as one of the greatest activists to ever live today.
It takes courage and sacrifice to pursue something great. Stop wasting years of your life doing things that don’t make you feel fulfilled or bring you happiness. Find work that is in line with your passion or allow you the flexibility to pursue your passion. Get what you want out of life instead of settling for mediocrity. The worse thing you can do is live a life of quiet desperation. Do something different, have faith and become who you were destined to be.
A selfish decision is when you decide to do something just for your own benefits and ignoring the wishes of others; When you put your own happiness first.
Traditional wisdom says to give, being selfish is not worth it and to put others first before your own. However, you have to be selfish at times. You have to put YOU first, your happiness, your dreams and goals, so that you can become what you were destined to be. You can’t be a people-pleaser all the time. There comes a time when you have to make a decision simply for yourself and stop caring what everyone else thinks. When you are ready to do that, that’s when you are ready to become all you were created to be.
Happiness and fulfillment are not achieved when you constantly care about what others think and when you let their opinions hold you back. It happens when you are secure to be on your own, ready to fly and leave the herd.
Most people are scared to live outside their comfort zone. They make decisions based on what’s familiar and safe. Anything great you want to accomplish is outside your comfort zone. That zone requires you to do something unusual. If it’s inside your comfort zone then you have the potential to do more and you need to increase your target.
You have to be willing to seek that uncomfortable moment. That moment when you need to make that very important phone call, go to that meeting, introducing yourself to that important person, have that difficult conversation, whatever it may be, you have to seek it. You can’t be afraid of the moment. You have to be prepared and ready to seize the opportunity when it comes. Be a person who comes through when the stakes are high. Be willing to work hard for what you want and don’t settle for a life of comfort and safety.
Unwillingness to be uncomfortable leads to a mediocre life. One who is pursuing greatness, have to be willing to sacrifice temporary comfort and embrace delayed gratification. Those are prerequisites to great accomplishments. Get out your comfort zone, strive for greatness, and make God proud by being all He created you to be.
Love is the greatest emotion of all. One can be inspired to do great things out of love. At the same time, love can break someone and eventually lead to their demise.
It’s important to understand how strong love is. Use the people you love as inspiration and do what you love. Be careful to not fall to your demise as a result of a heartbreak. Always bounce back stronger than ever before. A heartbreak or losing someone you love may be devastating but you can’t let that be the end of you. Be strong enough to use the pain as fuel to elevate yourself to a whole new level and become better than ever.
Love is a blessing and can sometimes be a curse. Love wisely!
Jealousy is a trait that exist in people. Friends, and family members can be jealous of you because of what you have and the position you’re in. Be mindful of that.
You can’t celebrate your victories with everyone. Some victories, you have to keep quiet. People will hate on you just because they’re not discipline and willing to do what’s necessary to succeed. You may have just accomplished something and you want to share it with the people you care about and are close to you but sometimes, those are the same people who will try to push you down with their negativity and jealousy. Sometimes the best thing to do is keep quiet and enjoy a silent victory.
When things aren’t going well in someone else’s life, they tend to hate on another person. Some of the most toxic people you will meet are those closest to you. They can be dream killers. You have to identify who those people are and be mindful of the information you share with them. You can continue to love them if they are family members but you have to set boundaries with them and not allow them to get in the way of your greatness.
Pascal Orelus 