Top 3 Lessons I’ve Learned from 2021
Imagine going for a walk in a forest and there is this a newborn tree.
Come back again a year later and that tree will already has grown a lot — assuming that it has the right environment and no damage.
Even if there was a strong wind or a bushfire, it’s just a matter of time until it bounces back and regrows.
Not just the tree, but also the environment and all other living things around it also play a crucial role in making the forest.
That’s just a natural order of nature. All living things must grow and contribute to each other, or they are dying.
Now let’s look at our own life. Another year has passed, how much have we grown? What have we learned? How much progress have we made and how much have we contributed?
In this article, I’m going to share with you the top three lessons that I have learned this year. They are the stepping stones that will help me get closer to where I want to be — and I hope they do the same for you.
1. Raise your standard
If you’ve been following Tony Robbins, you might have heard this phrase before. Some may think that he, and all other gurus, only motivate you so you buy their courses. That might be true but we can still learn from what he said.
One moment that struck me was when he looked into the camera and said “Let me ask you something.. would you date someone who is not a ten?” at the virtual Unleash Your Power Within event. If you truly know your value, believe in what you deserve and have your standard, you would want to date a ten or higher.
Because, as he puts it, the key to an extraordinary life is to raise your standard.
Tony drew an example from the world-class athletes who compete in the Olympics. Every year, someone breaks a new record. Every year, someone raises a new standard. If we don’t continue to push ourselves, we will fall behind.
When you workout and feel like you can’t push anymore, that’s the opportunity to break through, even if it was just 1%. When you do that everyday, the compound effect will add up, and before you know it, you will be far ahead of the majority of the people who didn’t push themselves enough.
When someone asks “How are you?”, what do you say?
Most people get into the common response of “good, thanks” or “not too bad” but these answers really offer no value to the conversation. Try answering with something different because ‘good’ is really not good enough if you truly want an extraordinary life.
Try positive words like ‘fantastic’, ‘excellent’, and all other vocabularies that are better than just ‘good’ and say it like you mean it. You will not only trick yourself to feel better, according to whichever word you choose, you will also influence other people in a positive way, giving both you and them the energy to do and achieve whatever may come in your way.
When you have positive energy, you tend to attract other positive things.
It’s time to give up settling for less. Most of us prefer to do so because it is in our comfort zone. We are afraid of change and uncertainty so we lower our standard and grab whatever we can to make us feel safe, but it’s a trap.
It’s time to leave toxic friendships or relationships if they are only draining your energy.
It’s time to leave the job that drains your soul because life is too short.
It’s time to give up binging TV shows on a couch and work harder so you can get and afford whatever you desire.
Stop settling for less and raise your standard.
2. Protect your time.
Most people know how to save money but forget to protect their most valuable asset, time.
There is an unlimited amount of money we can make, but we’re all given only a limited amount of time.
Look at your life. How many years, months, weeks or days have you spent? What have you achieved so far? What have you contributed to the world you were born in?
Then look further, how many years, months, weeks, or days do you have left? What do you wish to do with all the time you have left? Everyday, we’re moving closer to death.
When you are aware of the time you have left, do you still want to waste it on being in a toxic relationship/workplace? Do you still want to waste it on a big night out that gives you a hangover the day after?
We’re all given the same amount of time, yet some people manage to achieve more than others. They wish they have more time so they can achieve even more but they can’t. On the other hand, others choose to waste or kill it.
It’s time to get up early so we can do more on the day. It’s time to learn how to spend your time wisely so when you get to the end of the line, you won’t regret it. It’s time to stop waiting for the moment and take the leap.
It’s time to stop procrastinating and to be arrogant with the time we’re given because we don’t really know when it’s going to run out.
It’s time to spend your time on your terms and do what you wish. Even if you have someone who rely on you, you still deserve to spend your time because life is a gift.
3. It’s not about how long you live but how much you have contributed
Imagine living up to a thousand of years. Or imagine being immortal. It’s something that some people might have desired, but imagine further. Would that be a gift or torture?
The fact is that nothing lasts forever. Things dissolve. People come, go and die. One day, the things or the people you love will disappear from this world.
It’s true that “you either die a hero or live long enough to be a villain” because without mortality, there will be no meaning to life. It’s the fragility of life that makes it meaningful. It reminds us to appreciate every waking moment because that can be taken away at anytime.
We are all going to pass and decay at some point, and one way to make sure that our presence still remains in this world is to leave something behind.
And to make sure that the things that we left behind last, we need to make sure that it is something bigger than ourselves, that it also contributes to other people’s lives.
Let’s ponder the question, “what difference can I make?”.
The fact is everything in this world is created for a reason, as a part of nature. All the animals need to play their parts in nature, that if they don’t, it will cause a significant ripple effect to the environment.
So what’s your role?
Many studies around the world found that people who live longer do have a purpose or goal that gets them out of bed in the morning. The Japanese call it “Ikigia” — reason for being. ‘Logotherapy’ was coined by neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl and is based on the premise that the primary motivational force of an individual is to find meaning in life.
So the best use of your time is to fulfill your purpose, contribute to something bigger than yourselves and leave something behind for those to come.
First thing first
But before we get to that step, you also need to take care of yourself first because if you don’t, you will be no good to anyone. The saying goes “put your oxygen mask on first”.
So what change are you going to make? To take care of yourself, raise your standard and fulfill your potential.
Don’t wait for the perfect time.
Your future is created by what you do today…
- Robert T. Kiyosaki
