331. just say no
Stop saying “Yes” to things that should be a “No.” The most valuable resource we have is our time, yet we often waste it on things we’re not fully invested in. We’re afraid to say, No. But why? Likely for fear of missing out, not being included, or letting someone down. This may be admirable to a certain point, but after a certain point it becomes imperative to realize that the choice you’re making isn’t serving you, nor the person you’re trying to appease.
It’s disingenuous to say, Yes, to things that aren’t going to fully arouse our interest and allow us to fully show up in the moment. When we continue to do so, we begin to wonder why our life is filled with mediocrity. Well, it’s because we haven’t given ourselves the time or the space in our schedule to explore the things that truly interest us.
A half-hearted, Yes, will not serve you. It doesn’t value your time, your interests, or your growth as a person. When you’re too busy simply showing up and participating in someone else’s interests rather than creating space to actively seek out your own, you’ll never be able to take full advantage of any opportunities that actually come your way. Inevitably, by saying, Yes, when you should be saying, No, keeps you busy living a mediocre life, distracted from what you should be exploring so that you can build a life you want. The solution is to be more selective with your time. Say, Yes to less so that you can have the time to find your passions. If someone asks you to do something and your automatic response isn’t “Hell Yeah,” then it should be a “No.”
300. everything is not a test
We often get in the way of our own potential because we’ve been taught to see everything as a test. Instead of being open to learning from an experience, we’re solely focused on what it takes to pass the test. But the truth is, nothing in this life is a test; it’s all an opportunity to learn and grow. The sooner we’re able to understand that the obstacles in our way present a potential for growth, we can become much greater than those who only see life as one continual test to prove themselves. It’s the difference between allowing a situation to illuminate our weaknesses, versus hardening ourselves to the difficulties ahead; in the first situation we can learn from what we lack and improve going forward, but in the latter, we block all opportunity for light to shine on our weakness and thus stifle our potential for growth.
233. grow into your new shell
We live in a shell. It’s walls represent the boundaries of our potential.
As we grow within our shell, by overcoming obstacles and taking on new opportunities, our potential for growth gets smaller and smaller until we eventually hit its walls.
We can understand our arrival at these limits as fulfilling our potential — like a bodybuilder standing in admiration of how he fills out his small shirt — or we can see this as a new, and perhaps the most significant, challenge on our journey toward continual improvement by seeking a larger shell.
Shedding one identity for the possibility for another will never come easy, but the space it provides is necessary for growth.
The transition to a new shell will feel foreign. You’ll feel out of place. You’ll feel like an imposter. You’ll wonder why you left until you realize how much more room you have to grow within your new shell.
222. what’s past is prologue
You get to be the narrator of your life’s story. There’s no rule that says you must be defined by your past. It doesn’t matter who you were, in only matters who you want to become. Don’t fall into the trap of using your past as an excuse that keeps you stuck in habits, attitudes, relationships, and situations that prevent you from growing. Take responsibility for the life you have. If it’s not what you want, then change the way you relate to your story. Base your identity and internal narrative on your future, not your past.
193. don’t copy past successes
Your job is not to be a better version of your older self. That older version of you is gone forever. Your job is to be the best version of who you are in this moment and forever continue to build upon that momentum throughout your life.
Don’t try to replicate something that worked in the past. Move forward with the understanding that the 2.0 version of yourself will never be able to bring in the 3.0.
There is a philosophy in the upper echelons of the strength training community that share this idea. It operates on the principle that the training methods a person used to achieve a 600lb squat will not fulfill their desire to reach 800lbs. In other words, the strategies employed to achieve one success will not serve your efforts going further. The same goes for life. Whatever we’ve found useful to arrive at a successful point in our life can never deliver us to the next level. To continually ascend we must recognize our adaptations and change according to our new surroundings.