Focused on others

This type of comfort breeds something lazy in us and we only do what is expected of us, but do not go beyond. 

Crave what is new and unexplored, and fearlessly pursue those areas. 

Effort counts twice as much as genius or talent.

Commit to being a person who wants to be more, do more, and consistently test the limits of your capacity. Embrace the responsibility and enjoy the freedom that comes with it.

Curiosity creates a longing to know more, do more and be more.

To have a successful life, you have to cultivate your sense of wonder and be curious about what the future might hold. Curiosity helps you see any situation as an opportunity for your advancement and learning.

It improves your ability to prioritize and it makes decision-making easier.

It also provides commitment: it's usually hard to commit to something that has no foreseeable future.

The primary factor in resilience is having supportive relationships, inside and outside the family. 

Close friends, family and loved ones represent our social support; they encourage and motivate us, and let us know that we aren’t alone.

The way we view a potentially stressful situation can either make the crisis worse in our mind or minimize it. 

Reframing things in a more positive way can alter our perceptions and relieve our stressful feelings.

• “Good stress”: which psychologists refer to as “eustress,” is the stress we feel when we’re excited about something.
• Acute stress: when something surprises us or catches us off guard. Acute stress is the body’s response to ensure you react and take measures to deal with the unexpected situation. It has no lasting negative effects if we deal with it quickly and move on.

Resilience is how we deal with stress effectively so we “bounce back” after a difficult time.

As we deal with issues that cause tension and strain, we learn to face adversity, deal with significant issues and overcome problems. We learn how to formulate realistic plans and carry them out.

In being open-minded you find value in all kinds of different people, events and circumstances. 

You demonstrate a willingness to embrace different possibilities, opportunities, thoughts, views, suggestions and experiences outside of your normal repertoire. You push yourself to do what others believe to be impossible

This is the first step you take in getting things done.

When you are self-assured you like and trust yourself and your capacity to handle any problem placed in front of you. You know your value, appreciate your talents, work ethic and your ability to consistently follow through on your every word, deed and action.

Creating motivation and making your team feel appreciated is a critical part of long-term productivity.

Encourage your team to keep gratitude journals - writing down a couple of sentences about what you are currently grateful for a couple of times a week. This practice improves productivity by increasing happiness.

If people can't focus on their work, they are less effective in areas like collaboration and learning, and they are less likely to be satisfied with their jobs.

Workplaces with a balance between individual focus and collaboration are more innovative, creative and encouraging.

Let’s say that your passion is playing the guitar. What void can you fill in that marketplace? For example, if you can repair guitars and realize that there isn’t a repair shop anywhere else around, that could be a business opportunity.

You also need to ask yourself how you can make the industry better.

Think of all the various ways that you can actually make money off your passion. This may include:

• Selling an actual product.
• Sharing your knowledge about your passion by blogging, writing books or filming videos. 
• Offering advice as a consultant in anything from accounting to gardening.
• Becoming an investor in an idea that you’re willing to financially support.
• Inventing a gadget or software that makes life easier for people. 
• Building an event around your passion, such as a festival or community organization.

In many cases, rejections are blessings in disguise. Maybe you don't want those customers that rejected your product.

Refer and direct those customers to your competitors that fit their needs. They certainly would not forget the lengths you went to. Such service is rare.

You might initially doubt yourself, question your competency and your self-worth but after you have weathered the storm, activate your growth mindset and start asking questions: 

What can I do differently? What have I discovered about myself? What changes can I make? What will I do differently next time? 

These are the non-negotiable values you want to be known and remembered for.

Once you have identified your values, look at your personality, skills and interests to make sure that they align with your current occupation.

These are questions like “What do I really want?” or “Should I change careers?”

The more grounded you are with the answers to these important questions, the better able you are to reach your true goals.