Posted on by Raj Daniels

Having It All

What is important in life is life, and not the result of life. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Imagine for a moment that you have in your possession every object, relationship and life accoutrement that you’ve ever wanted.

How would your life look and feel?

What would you do next?

If all of your worldly desires were already fulfilled, what would you be motivated to do?

I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but I’ll reiterate just in case you’ve forgotten. The real flavor of life is found in the pursuit of your desires. Yes, eventually holding or experiencing the object or person you covet does deliver a temporary pleasure, but the real stories live in the experiences that you encounter on your journey to your goal.

You might beg to differ, and understandably so, because there can be or should I say will be times when the journey just feels too difficult, and your efforts don’t seem to be fairly rewarded, but the reality is, who are we to judge what is fair or not?

History books are filled with individuals that seemed to have had it all, yet lived lives of misery, especially those that were born with the proverbial ‘silver spoon.’ In fact, it seems as though those with the silver spoon experienced some of the hardest lives because their every need and wants were satisfied and their ‘privileged’ positions made them less resilient to life.

Having it all is fleeting. There’s a point in time that can vary from a minute to days during which you’ll experience the pleasure of your desired object or pleasure, but then that becomes your new normal and the pleasure you felt dissolves like cotton candy on your tongue.

Hopefully, you realize that having everything you’ve ever wanted might not be as wonderful as it sounds, and that the real pleasure and treasure are buried in the experiences you’ll have, and the person you become on the way to fulfilling your desires.

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Posted on by Raj Daniels

Continue or Not?

You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up. ―Chuck Yeager

Do something.

See nothing.

Do something.

See nothing.

Do something.

See nothing.

Do something.

See something.

Very often when you’re working on a personal goal or even a business project you’ll feel as though your efforts are in vain because you’re not seeing any results. And the truth is that at times your results might not be visible. But if you remember, in your fifth-grade science class you learned Newton’s third law -for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So the only way your actions will not result in reactions is if your actions defy the laws of physics.

In the business world, the common names for the period of struggle where progress feels to have stalled are the dip, the trough of despair, disillusionment or sorrow, also the period of resistance.

It’s when you’re going through any one of these phases that the thought of giving up challenges your spirit every day. And just to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with giving up. The best business people and military strategists will tell you that knowing when to quit is half the battle. But just because you give up doesn’t mean that your actions did not yield results, it’s just that they were not the results you were hoping for in the time frame of your needs, wants and/or expectations.

So, if there’s a goal or an endeavor you’re pursuing and you’re not yet seeing the results you need, want or expect then you have to decide whether to continue or not. But know this, the act and feeling of doing something and seeing nothing will be with you in whatever you pursue, and my guess is that the last thing you want to remember yourself as is the person that gave up on everything, because each time you tried something and saw nothing, you quit and walked away.

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Posted on by Raj Daniels

The Golden Rule

How often do you practice the golden rule?

If you’ve forgotten what it is then here’s a reminder. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Sounds simple enough.

But what if I changed it just a little?

What if it said, do unto others as you would have them do unto you and/or your loved ones.

What if the consequences for every good or bad action or thought you had towards another person would now affect not only you, but those you love too?

This change might seem subtle at first, but once you begin to think about it, you’ll quickly come to the conclusion that the repercussions of your actions will continue to travel on for countless generations.

Being or feeling responsible for your own actions is something that you’re probably already used to. But when you begin to realize that there’s a good chance that those you love will also be held responsible for your thoughts and actions then, well the reality is then what?

Do you now change how you act and think towards others?

I can’t help you answer that.

That’s a question you have to wrestle with by yourself.

However, if you ask my opinion I would say that when you hear the word ‘you,’ don’t think of it as you the individual, think of it as ‘you’ the collective. You are you and you are everyone.

This might seem a little difficult at first, but even if you just look at it from a purely biological perspective then you are the accumulation of all your ancestors to date and you are the starting point for all those that will come after you.

So as you go through your day today, think about the golden rule. And as you’re acting and doing towards others, keep in mind that someone you love dearly might be the recipient of your actions and intentions.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Message from Life

Hi.

I’m life.

This is not the first time we’ve met, or the first time I’ve spoken to you, but it is the first time I’m writing to you.

I’m here to put a stop to some ugly rumors.

Apparently there’s a rumor out there that I get in the way.

You may have heard it said, or you might have even uttered the words yourself, something along the lines of ‘life gets or got in the way.’

Well, I’m here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth.

How could it be true?

I’m the one that gets you wherever you want to go, to do whatever you want to do.

If it wasn’t for me, there would be no you.

I’m your biggest fan, and I kinda hoped you’d be my biggest fan too.

I would never get in your way.

I’ve been holding back all these years because I love you. But today, right now, I have to tell you the truth, just so that we can set the facts straight once and for all.

I don’t get in your way.

You get in your way.

Now I’m not telling you this to hurt your feelings, or to protect my reputation. I’m telling you this because it’s about time you knew the truth.

I’m sorry if you think I’m being too hard on you, and maybe I am, but it’s because I really do love you. I am your friend, your partner, your one and only constant companion on this journey. And since we’re bound together, why don’t we make the most of it.

Let’s make a deal.

When you decide that you want to accomplish something, I will support you with as much energy and strength as you need in order for you to achieve what you want to. I promise to always have your back.

And here’s your side of the deal.

If you decide mid-journey that you no longer want to pursue something you were after, please don’t blame me. Step up and say the words, I decided it’s not what I wanted. This phrase removes the blame from me and places the responsibility back in your hands.

You see, it’s okay for you to change your mind, but when you place the blame on me, well then you’ve done both of us a disservice.

So do we have a deal?

I hope so, because I’m excited to see what we can do together.

Love you forever,

Life

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Take the Shot

Sometimes you just have to take the shot.

Yes, it can be scary.

And no, you’ll never feel one hundred percent ready.

But that’s okay because you’re not alone.  And regardless of what you might hear or think, rarely is anyone one hundred percent certain of success before they make a move towards something they want to accomplish. Being unsure or uncertain comes with the territory of trying something different or new.

In sports, players are taught to want the ball, or to take the shot whenever they see an opportunity to do so. Once all the mental math has been calculated and the percentage of success looks good enough then the shot must be taken. Good enough, not one hundred percent. Because rarely are the opportunities for success one hundred percent.

You can dream, plan and wish all you want about something you want to accomplish, but nothing will teach you more about what you want to do than taking a shot at it. You will very quickly learn what you need to do or improve to accomplish what you want, or even perhaps more important, whether or not you really want to pursue it or not.

Not all the shots you take have to be life on line commitment shots. You can take small, almost practice shots to begin with just so that you can develop your shot taking muscles.

Nothing great will happen for you until you start learning to lay some risk on the line. Risk of failure, money, and reputation will all have to be put to the test if you ever want to achieve anything great.

So get in the habit of taking shots as early as you can. Start small and get used to moving without having all the information at hand. And if you’re still hesitant, then think of it this way, if you don’t try, you’ve failed before you’ve even started.

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Posted on by Raj Daniels

Role Play

Where does reality exist?

I’ll give you a moment to think about it.

If you said it exists within you, then you’re correct.

And if you really believe this to be true, then you should be able to change it.

Reality at its core is your perception of the world.

Are there certain laws of nature that are indisputable? Absolutely. But almost everything else you experience is based on how you perceive it to be.

If you don’t believe me or have doubts then let’s play a game.

Just for today, you’re going to imagine that you’re not who you are. You’re going to adopt a new role. Just like in the video games where you can choose a character, do that for yourself today.  Now I understand that a video game character might be a stretch for you so adopt something simple like a police officer or nurse and go through your day as if you were your chosen character.

If you really play along and adopt the traits of the character you chose, you’ll begin to see the world very differently. For example, if you picked the police officer then you’ll begin to notice traffic violations or suspicious activities and many other things that you wouldn’t have noticed as yourself.

Now, this is just one small example of role-playing and changing your perception of reality. The truth is that there are millions of parallel realities going on right now.

Changing how you see yourself, changes your perception of reality and role- playing or more important role changing is a great tool to help you navigate times and situations that are challenging for you. Always keep in mind that that you’re not bound to your current role, and you have the ability to adopt any role that you think will be beneficial to you in any moment.

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Posted on by Raj Daniels

We Want You

You can’t sing like her.

You can’t write like him.

You can’t draw like her.

You can’t build a business like him.

You can play like her.

Great!

Because we already have them.

What we don’t have is you.

We want what you have to offer.

We need whatever unique gifts and talents are buried within you.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the talents and skills that others have and to think that what you have to offer pales in comparison. And the reality is that in some cases that might be true, but that’s okay. What you have to offer is still unique to you.

Just because others have found a degree of success in their lives with their unique abilities doesn’t mean that there’s less of an opportunity for you to do so. There really is an abundance of opportunities out there for you to express your unique gifts. The key is that you have to believe that opportunities do indeed exist, because if you don’t, then you will let your unique talents die within you.

Notice that I haven’t mentioned using your talents to make money. I did this intentionally. So many careers, dreams, and visions have been killed in the cradle with the phrase, ‘you’ll never make any money doing that,’ or its close cousin question, ‘how will you make money doing that?’

So get up, get out and start expressing your uniqueness, even if it’s only to an audience of one. By the way, that one person might be the life you change forever with your unique talents.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Conscious Author

“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert,

What emotion are you feeling right now?

Where are you feeling it?

If you said or thought, ‘within me,’ then you’re correct.

You feel every emotion within you, because that’s where your emotions are born.

Regardless of how many times you’ve thought that something or someone makes you feel a particular emotion, it’s not true. Items, people and situations are external catalysts that unlock emotions within you, because you have assigned them meaning or have created stories about them.

Over your lifetime you write countless stories about how you feel and your stories become embedded within you. And it is more efficient for your brain to retrieve an existing story then it is to write a new one, that’s why you begin to develop emotional behavior patterns. The problem is that you hold on to these patterns even when they become detrimental to you.

Realizing or admitting that your emotions are within your control is the first step to changing your behavior patterns. It’s also the hardest step because you now have to take responsibility for how you feel. But if you really want to change how you react or respond, then you have to take the first step.

Once you decide that you do want to be responsible for how you feel then the work begins. You now have to become a conscious author of your emotions. You have to rewrite or write new stories about how you feel. This will be difficult because your old patterns will not disappear; you have to write over them. And consistency is the key to doing so because if you’re not consistent, then your old patterns will resurface.

Is it worth the effort to become the conscious author of your emotions or is it easier to keep blaming external forces for you how you feel?

That’s a question you have to answer for yourself

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Boring Story

Once upon a time, there was a person.

And this person lived a life.

In fact, for their entire life, this person never had any challenges or problems, and they lived happily ever after.

Just imagine a book or movie about such a person.

How well do you think it would do?

Who would want to read or watch a story about such a person?

If I had to guess, I’d say almost no one.

Why?

Because the story is boring.

We watch and read stories about people that have to go through challenges. And we root for them. We live vicariously through their difficulties and we want them to win.

Your life would also be boring without certain challenges and problems.

If you just sailed through every day without ever having any issues, your days would eventually blend into one dull grey blob of life. No action, no adventure, nothing to conquer, just blah.

Now you might disagree, and understandably so, because after all, who really wants to seek out a life full of problems? But it’s the challenges that add color to your life.

Yes, certain problems in life can be more challenging than others, and I wish no harm or suffering ever falls upon you or your loved ones. But I also don’t wish you a lifetime of smooth sailing.

Life is beautiful, and your challenges add color to its beauty. Your days would be filled with dullness without difficulties and problems. Your life would be like the story I started with.  You nor anyone else would want to hear or read about it, let alone live it.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

One of a Kind

How many feet in a kilo?

How many ounces in a mile?

How many tons in a kilometer?

These questions might seem a little ridiculous and that’s because they are.

It doesn’t matter how fancy a conversion table you have, there’s no way to answer the preceding questions correctly.

Why?

Because the units of measurement don’t convert, they are unique to their particular system.

You too are unique to your system.

Yes, you’re human and your gender and perhaps a few other characteristics you have can be classified within a system, but even after accounting for all the similarities you have with other humans, at your core your still unique. Aka, one of a kind.

So how do you measure something that’s unique against something else?

Truth is that you can’t?

But life is easier when everything, including people, can be put into neat little categories.

So how do you stop measuring yourself against others when there’s an entire system that encourages you to do so?

That’s a tough question to answer.

The best advice I can give you is you have to persist in developing the unique gifts and talents that you have. Now, these might not be obvious to you at first and do require time, introspection and a wide range of experiences. But as you go through life, if you pay attention to yourself, you’ll begin to notice activities that you’re good at and drawn towards, these are where your unique gifts can flourish.

Yes, there might be other people that are also good at or even experts in the fields that interest you, but there’s always room for one more unique perspective.

The sooner you develop the mental toughness that will prevent you from measuring yourself against others, or allowing others to do so, the better for you.  Remember, systems are built to measure you against others because it makes life easier for the people that built the system, it doesn’t make life easier for you.

So keep working on you, embrace your uniqueness, and let your one of kindness shine through.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Make Art

What kind of art do you appreciate the most?

Do you enjoy reading literature, watching movies, looking at paintings, going to the theatre, or listening to music?

By the way, this is not an exhaustive list of art and the ones I mentioned are not mutually exclusive choices; you can enjoy one, some or all.

It’s so interesting that art is such an integral part of our lives, yet when asked, the majority of adults would not consider themselves as artists. However, almost all young children, especially those under the age of 10 would quickly identify as some form of artist and would be all too willing to show you their art.

Why is this so?

What happens to that young artist?

Where is the artist that was once in you?

For many years the idea of being an artist has been assigned to a certain segment of individuals. Those individuals that are willing to endure the ‘starving artist’ label and pay the price both socially and economically for the purpose of following their art, and yet we admire so many of them.

You will always have an artist within you and keeping it alive or reviving it is a wonderful way to connect back to the child that you once were. The artist part of you is just as important as any other part of you, and even if you don’t believe that making art is economically viable, make art just to allow you to feel like the complete person you once were.

Humans are art-making animals. So make art and be as fully human as you can.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Opportunity Knocks

What will you do when opportunity knocks?

Will you be ready?

What if I told you that opportunity is always knocking?

Would you believe me?

You see, an opportunity is not something that knocks from the outside; it’s something that knocks from within you.

Opportunity is an emotion; it’s how you think and feel about a particular situation or thing. Opportunity is your perspective.

Opportunity is that feeling you get telling you to go for it.

What do you do when you feel that feeling?

Do you ignore or silence it?

Do you say, not today?

Do think, no, I can’t do that?

How many opportunities have you let slip by because you didn’t listen to your inner voice telling you to go for it?

You’re presented with opportunities on a daily basis, opportunities to act, to do, to become. Sometimes the voice whispers and at other times it yells as loud as it can; you can hear it knocking, bam, bam, bam.

Should you evaluate opportunities?

Absolutely, but not to point of paralysis, where you let them all slip away.

The next time you hear opportunity knocking from within you, step up and go for it, because if you don’t get into the habit of doing so, then eventually opportunity might stop knocking for you. You might not believe that opportunity will stop knocking, but if you’ve ever met an individual that’s just kind of muddling through life and has lost their joy for living, then you’ve probably met someone that has silenced the voice of opportunity one time too many.

So the next time you hear your inner voice telling you to pursue something you know you want to do, think of it as opportunity knocking, embrace it and take action. Doing so will encourage opportunity to keep showing up for you.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Secret Sauce

“The secret to life is meaningless unless you discover it yourself.” ― W. Somerset Maugham

What’s the secret to happiness?

What’s the secret to being healthy?

What’s the secret to being wealthy?

What’s the secret to success?

What is that secret sauce and where can you find it?

Well, there’s good news and bad news.

First the bad news.

There is no secret sauce.

But, wait for it.

There is a secret sauce.

No, I haven’t lost my mind quite yet, although by contradicting myself it might seem that way.

You see, the thing is that if you want to achieve any of the aforementioned states of success then you’re going to have to make your own secret sauce. And although you can dig through articles, books, and stories about other people’s successes, ultimately like any great recipe you’re going to have to go through a lot of trial and error before the recipe is just right for you.  

Yes, you can borrow a dash or pinch of ingredients from studying people that have achieved or accomplished what you want to, but ultimately, it’s going to have to be your own unique recipe.

So just like any great chef, get to work on your own secret sauce.

Dash, dab, and sprinkle in all your unique ingredients then whisk away until you create exactly the secret sauce that works for you.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.  

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Brain Washing

One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them. Aldous Huxley

Who is brainwashing you?

I can give you a clue.

Right now it’s me.

That’s right; who or whatever you expose your senses to has the ability to make permanent or temporary impressions on your brain. So as you read this, my words are brainwashing you.

Fortunately for you, I’m not trying to sell you anything or take advantage of you.

Through my words, I’m attempting to make you aware of your own vulnerability to outside influences.

Since the day you were born you’ve been exposed millions of messages that have shaped the person you are today. First, it was your immediate family, then the broader community at large and then all the media intertwined along the way that has made you the person you are. All have taken their turns brainwashing you.

And here you are today.

I’m sure at some level you’re already aware that you’re a product of your prior influences, but how often do you think about it?

Now you might be thinking, so what? Or even, why should I think about it? And you’d be perfectly correct in thinking so. But what if now you’re allowing other people to brainwash you for their benefit instead of yours?

Research has shown that almost any message repeated enough times eventually begins to gain traction, regardless of whether the message is true or not.

How many messages are you exposed to on a daily basis that tell you or show you how your life should be or look?

Please take note that I intentionally did not say only advertising.

Yes, messages can be in the form of advertising, but they can also be photos of people, conversations you have, or stories that you’re being told. All contain the ability to influence you, especially if you avail yourself to them frequently.

The idea that you’re being brainwashed by the information you expose yourself to might seem a little harsh, but sometimes you need something a little drastic you give you wake up call. And, unfortunately, in this case, it is true. The information and messages you receive on a constant basis do shape the way you think and ultimately the person you are.

So since you are going to be brainwashed not matter what you do, what if you were just a little pickier about who or what you let wash your brain?

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Outlier

“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” ― Maya Angelou

Where on the curve are you?

What curve?

The Bell Curve.

What’s the Bell Curve?

Glad you asked.

The term “bell curve” originates from the fact that the graph used to depict a normal distribution consists of a bell-shaped line.

Fascinating right?

Just kidding. It’s probably one of the least interesting things you’ll read today.

But do me a favor and go back and read it one more time.

Did you see the words “normal distribution?”

That’s the most important part of the definition.

You see, as long as you stay in your lane and do everything you’re told to do and don’t’ ask any questions you will fit perfectly within the normal distribution. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

But, almost everyone you admire, follow, and see that are making changes to society in any way do not fit under the normal distribution of the curve. They are as defined by the author Malcolm Gladwell as people who do not fit into our normal understanding of achievement; they are those who operate at the extreme outer edge of what is statistically plausible.

At the outer edge of what is statistically plausible. Now isn’t that interesting?

Being at the edge of the curve, better known as an outlier is risky and does not guarantee any rewards, but being in the middle of the curve comes with its own set of risks and doesn’t guarantee any rewards either, except perhaps the psychological mirage of safety.

Where you choose to live on the curve is entirely up to you, but be very aware that rarely does anything great or groundbreaking happen in the center of the curve, for that you need to move towards the edges. And as you move towards the edges you’re going to have to risk emotional, reputational and in some cases even physical security.

Is it worth the risk to be an outlier?

That’s a question you have to answer for yourself.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Time Zones

With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in that moment. Thich Nhat Hanh

How much time do you spend thinking about the past, the present, and the future?

Do you spend an equal amount of time on each one?

If you’re like most people then you probably spend more time thinking about the past or the future. Which if you really think about it, and are open to admitting it, then you’ll agree that neither one of them exists.

The time that passed has already disappeared like a wisp of smoke into the ether, and the future is just an idea in your head that may or may not materialize.

Straddling the present to spend time in fictional time zones is an interesting practice, and according to research to date, humans are the only animals capable of doing so.

So why do you spend so much time thinking about time that either no longer or might never exist?

Some say that living in the past or future is a sense of escapism, essentially not wanting to deal with what is in the present. I’m not sure that I completely agree with this, but can see how for some this might be true.

Taking some time to think about how you think about time is very likely a worthwhile investment. Deciding which time zone you want to be in at any moment can also be a fun experiment.  You can actually practice thinking about moving from the past to the present and then on the future. Since you’re already probably really good at thinking about the past and the future, participating in this practice will actually strengthen your ability to ground yourself in the present.

Look, ultimately which time zone you spend time thinking about is up to you, and I’m not suggesting you even attempt to spend an equal amount of time in each one. What I am saying is that as enjoyable as thinking about the past and future might be; don’t skip over and miss the beauty that the present has to offer.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

The Success Equation

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." -- Albert Schweitzer

What is the success equation?

Success = ?

The answer depends upon the following questions.

What does success mean to you?

What is your definition of success?

In today’s world success is all too quickly equated with fame or fortune. There are hundreds of books, magazines, and websites dedicated to showing you how to be successful and all so often their primary indicator of success is rooted in financial wealth.

As you move through the various stages of life the idea of success will take on different meanings for you. For example, if you ask a senior citizen their idea of success, they might say making it through another day, while a teenager might say doing well in school. As you can see the success equation doesn’t have just one correct answer.

It’s hard not to get your ideas of success caught up in other people’s ideas of success, especially when you’re constantly bombarded with messages of what success should look like. You’re exposed on a daily basis to visual images that tell you what your life should look like if you want to be successful. The irony is that if you were to ask any one of those individuals that are responsible for the messages you’re seeing, what success means to them, the answers would vary from person to person.

So what’s the solution to the success equation?

Well, unfortunately, it’s the non-committal answer of, it depends. It depends on what is important to you as an individual.

However, I can give you a clue that might be helpful. If you want to be successful, then look within yourself. Find what piques your curiosity and identify the things that are important to you, then vigorously pursue those things.

While I can’t guarantee that you’ll be successful at the things you pursue, I can tell you that you’ll have less regret in life, which can also be viewed as a measure of success.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Tools for Change

Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times. Niccolo Machiavelli

There are two types of actions you can take to change your life.

Your actions can be massive or incremental, also known as drastic or moderate.

Both have pros and cons.

But more important than the pros and cons is the context in which action you take. For example, if you’re in a life-threatening situation then massive action might be the answer so that you can avoid immediate danger.

The type of action you take to make changes in your life also depends on your personality. If you know that you’re a strong-willed or disciplined person then perhaps you can work with incremental change because you have the discipline to keep going. If on the other hand, you struggle with change then perhaps massive action is better for you because you only need to make the decision once. Think of it like ripping off a band-aid quickly rather than peeling it off slowly.

Making drastic changes will obviously give you results in less time, so if you’re the kind of person that needs immediate or quick results then this might be the action for you. But don’t forget that nothing happens in a vacuum, so massive action might cause upheaval in other areas of your life. Whereas incremental change might take longer but will allow for other areas of your life to adjust with time.

As you can see, neither is a one size fits all solution and in many cases, they will be personality and situationally driven. However, you can learn to experiment with them to see which one suits your personality the best. Once you learn how they work for you, you can use them as tools to make changes you need to make throughout your life.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.

Posted on by Raj Daniels

Work on You

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” Paulo Coelho

What’s the most important work you’ll ever do?

I’ll give you a clue.

It will not be the work you do in school, nor will it be the work you do for your employer.

If you guessed the work you do on yourself, then congratulations, you’re correct.

As you progress through life you’ll realize that there are some things that to some extent you’re required to do. Working is one of those things, at least if you’re looking to earn an income.

However, the problem with working is that many fall into the trap that because they have a job, they no longer need to work on themselves, after all, they’re already getting paid for who they are. This kind of attitude is a trap. Especially in this day and age with the rapidly changing technology landscape, it’s very easy to get left behind.

If you don’t invest the energy and time to continuously update and upgrade your skills you’ll soon find yourself stuck with limited options. Or even worse you’ll find your skills obsolete.

Certainly, if you consider yourself to be your highest priority then the idea of working to improve yourself should be something you look forward too. And just to be clear, you don’t work on yourself to be better than anyone else; you do it for the self-satisfaction of personal growth and improvement.

Working on yourself doesn’t have to be a monumental task that consumes huge chunks of your time. In fact with just a little time committed on a regular basis, you can leverage the power of compounding to your advantage and keep ahead of the skill curve.

Never forget that the most important work you’ll ever do is the work you do on yourself. Unfortunately, you have a choice of whether to do it or not. I hope you think you’re worth it and choose wisely.

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Posted on by Raj Daniels

It’s Your Time

Time is the most valuable thing a person can spend. – Theophrastus

What time is it?

While this is a useful and perhaps a practical question, a more important question is, whose time is it?

And the answer is, it’s yours.

It’s your time.

If you’re born and raised in what’s known as the developed world where formal schooling has become mandatory then at a very early age you’re taught that your time does not belong to you.

You’re entered into a system of schedules designed by the agendas of others and then before you know it, you move through secondary education where you continue to be programmed by the sound of hourly bells. And as soon as your education is over, you’re taught to transition into the workforce where your time now belongs to those that are paying you to be there.

Rarely on this journey from childhood to adulthood are you taught that your time belongs to you.

And why not?

Because it’s more convenient for you to fit in to the schedule of those around you, or said differently, those who are managing their own time.

Let me be clear. I’m not saying that there is any malice in this system, but what the system does is that it programs you from a very early age to give away ownership of your time. It gets you in the habit of giving away your most important resource.

After all, what is time?

It is your life.

The sooner you realize this, the more important your time will become to you. And hopefully, you’ll begin to use your time to work on and accomplish the things that are important to you.

So the next time you check to see what time it is,  hopefully, you’ll remember to ask yourself the more important question of whose time is it?

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.