“There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.”
- Victor Hugo
ideas has the power to initiate a paradigm shift, that is, a significant change from one view to another. Without further ado, here they are…
1. You Are Free to Choose
One of the most powerful realizations that you can have is you, through
your choices, determine the direction of your life. Nature (genes) and
nurture (upbringing, environment) will have a very powerful influence,
but they do not determine your destiny. Your destiny is self-determined
through your choices.
Further to this, you have the freedom to choose how you respond to
whatever happens to you. Stephen R. Covey talks about a space that
exists between stimulus and response. It is in this space that your
freedom to choose exists. This space will vary in size depending on the
occurrence, your biological makeup or your upbringing, but it always
exists. That is, you always have a freedom to choose your response.
2. Think for Yourself and Question Authority
Many people blindly accept what they are told by those in positions of
authority (political, religious and educational). You should always use
your own brain and reason to determine whether or not something is true.
I don’t think I can explain this point any better than Timothy Leary
does here:
Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening,
terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going
in this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities, the political, the
religious, the educational authorities who attempted to comfort us by
giving us order, rules, regulations, informing, forming in our minds
their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority
and learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable,
open-mindedness; chaotic, confused, vulnerability to inform yourself.
3. You Could Die Tomorrow
Many people have dreams and desires that they put off until some
unspecified future date. Examples include getting fit, having kids,
changing occupation or traveling the world.
The big question is: what would you do if you had only 1 day, 1 week, or
1 year to live? It is more than likely that whatever it is, you are not
doing it or are not doing as much of it as you would like. Remember that life is short, so why not live your best life today.
4. One Person Can Make a Difference
One person who is truly passionate about his or her mission can make a
difference in the world. When we look at successful people who have
changed the world – Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Richard Branson,
Bono, Steve Jobs – we often forget that once upon a time they were
unknowns with little more than a dream.
You don’t need to become world famous though to make a difference. As Stephen R. Covey puts it, become a trim-tab. A trim-tab on a boat or plane is the small rudder that turns the big rudder that turns the entire ship. People who are trim-tabs act in such a way that their entire organisation is positively affected by their actions.
5. Life Is A Miracle
Take a moment to close your eyes and take a big, deep breath. Now
consider everything that just happened. You used your eyes to read a
series of words on your computer screen. Your brain interpreted these
words so that they meant something to you and you sent a signal to your
body to close your eyes and take a deep breath. The human body, and life
in general, is an amazing thing that so often we take for granted. Take
a moment each day to appreciate the miracle that is life.
This idea is summed up this quote from Albert Einstein:
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.
6. The Poor Work for Money, The Rich Have Money Work For Them
Most people have the mindset that to get richer, they need to work
harder. This is wrong! Sure, working harder will increase your income,
but taxes and expenses usually increase at the same time to eat away the
benefits. To get rich, learn to have money work for you.
What do I mean by this? Well it’s not always necessary to trade your
time for money. Instead you can accumulate assets such as investment
properties or stocks that will pay you an income whilst often increasing
in value. Even better, you can create a system that has the
potential to earn you money 24/7. Examples of such systems include
starting a business, building a website or creating a piece of art that
can earn you royalties.
7. The Power of Belief
There is no more powerful directing force in your life than your
beliefs. All too often we limit ourselves by not believing in our
ability to succeed. How often have you looked at an outcome – for
example being fit, being rich, having lots of friends, or being a
successful blogger – and decided, whether consciously or unconsciously,
that is it too hard or that it will never happen.
Rather than being limited by your beliefs, you should be empowered by
them. What sets the people apart who get to world class is that they
have a dream and they believe in themselves. They may not have achieved
their desired outcome yet, but they can already envision themselves
there, and this is what drives them on.
