When we are born, all we know is how to breathe, see, hear, cry, eat and poop. Everything else that we learn hereon, is a skill. Similarly, the skills mentioned below can be mastered too. They will need patience and time, but will surely help you improve your life, and succeed in achieving whatever you set your mind to.
1. Be open to learning. We learn to walk, to talk, to think. Practically every action is learnt, consciously or subconsciously. When you realize that every type of skill can be learnt by following a basic set of steps, you can level up your life by adding any new abilities that you believe are valuable. All it takes is a little time, focus and effort to learn a new skill.
2. Adapt, improvise, and overcome obstacles. This not only helps you to face the hard times of your life’s journey, but also become aware of your own reality. Life is never a smooth ride – ups and downs are a part of it, and a few major twists. Only ignorant people think that they have their life all figured out. Life sure takes its tests, every time you start to believe that you are in charge, it throws you a challenge to overcome to get to the next level. Only your dedication to keep moving forward helps you to win. There will be betrayals, your trust will be broken, things will not workout in your favour, and you will feel helpless. Do not give up. Change your attitude, try alternative options, be creative in overcoming the obstacles in your way. If things are getting harder, remember that it means you are about to cross over to the next level in the journey of your life. To move to a higher class in school, you had to clear your exams with good grades. Life is no different.
3. Master your mind, meditate. You are your mind! All your actions, your ideas, your thoughts, your desires, your fears, your weaknesses, and your sorrows are what make you unique. They all stem from your mind. You are not your body, not the things you own, or what people think of you. When you are in control of your mind, you see life more clearly, make better decisions and tap into your unlimited potential. Practice mindful meditations. Just be aware of all the thoughts that arise in your mind for 10 minutes in the morning and before bedtime.
4. Communicate your thoughts and feelings clearly. Be honest in all your communications. It not only helps with interpersonal relationships, but professionally as well. Be strong enough to convey your true feelings and thoughts. When we stop sharing that which we know that will upset others, or we hide our true feelings to please others, we hold ourselves back, creating blocks in our relationships. This is not healthy for any relationship, be it with yourself, a spouse, a friend, a child, family, or a colleague. Be open, say what you feel, speak up it is better for long-lasting relationships. You must not nag constantly, just share your thoughts and expectations clearly.
5. Acquire sales and negotiation skills. The art of selling or negotiating is making people see the value of the product you are selling, their need for it, as well as the impact that product will create in their life. The product you are promoting can be a material thing or a concept. Yes, even ideas are sold; we change our thoughts and beliefs when we are convinced that a new idea or change will work and create a better future for us. Life is a constant negotiation with yourself, others, and with time; into how much effort you put in and the satisfaction you can create for yourself. Negotiation is again a way to communicate with others and reaching a common ground which is beneficial to both parties involved; a win-win situation for both.
6. Listen. The best way to learn and grow is to listen to others. When you talk, you are just repeating what you already know. Listening helps understand other perspectives and aspects that we have not yet considered. Hearing and listening are different skills; by actively listening, we evolve our own understanding and knowledge. Perhaps this is why we have two ears, and just one mouth.
7. Self-motivate. There will be days when you don’t feel like you are making any progress in life. You feel low. You feel like giving up hustling for your dreams and aspirations. Those are the days that define your success. You need to use your will power to do the right thing on these days. Do not give up on yourself. Do not make excuses. You need to remind your mind and body of the reason you are putting in the efforts, what you stand to gain from of all your hard work. Your level of self-motivation directly co-relates to your self-confidence, your belief in your dreams, the environment you have created around yourself, and the importance of achieving your goal.
8. Discipline. Success is the sum of small actions repeated over an extended period of time. It’s what you do daily that creates your future. However small be the steps you take daily, consistency is of utmost importance. That’s what discipline is all about. A tree-cutter does not fall a tree in the first attempt. It takes multiple smaller cuts, in succession, to fall the mightiest of trees. No goal or outcome is impossible to achieve with the proper discipline, consistency, and investing time for achieving it every day. What you do daily, matters!
