Must-do’s
After reading many blog entries, TED talks, and various books by amazing authors, I find myself with too many information, ideas, advices and recipes that have exploded my mind. Trying to select the most important ideas is hard, but here are some of my highlights and also personal thoughts of the week:
1. STAY CURIOUS
Always stay curious. Read. Investigate. Learn more. And when you think you’re done with so much information, let it rest, go for a hike, or a swim. Let it flow and digest it. And then study again, learn from the best, from the passionate and crazy ones, people who love what they do. They inspire me and I’m sure they will inspire you as well. Read about your craft, practice, practice and never give up. As someone once said, great ideas come from 90% of hard work and 10% of intelligence (I like to say that they come from creative intelligence, sounds better than intelligence). Also read from other field works, it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t have to do with your work, it opens up your mind.
2. INSPIRE YOUR INTROVERT-SELF
After finishing Quiet: The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain, a truly inspiring book, I understood better my introverted part, although I must day I’m an extrovert with a quite developed introverted self. But accepting is a crucial step in every process, and accepting your solitary moments, and those of people around you, will make you feel free and powerful. Free to make your own choices. So, read a book, cook for yourself, write or begin a journal even though if it’s meant only for yourself. Writing is one of the most liberating arts I know and love. Try it. Go to your “sweet spot”, as Cain says, that place where stimulation arises and creativity grows endlessly.
Brian Little, a well-known professor quoted by Cain, says: “People flourish when they’re engaged in occupations, roles or settings that are concordant with their personalities.” Amen to Little. So I encourage you to inspire yourself, love yourself and accept yourself. In that way, you will be the best you can be!
3. YOUR BODY IS YOUR TEMPLE
I know there is little time left for our body. We nurture our mind and worship academic success above all, work hard to be the best that we can be, and leave little time to love our body. I don’t mean to bore anyone with modern philosophies, cooking recipes, benefits of exercise and sports, etc. I speak for my own when I say that without a healthy diet and a sports routine my life wouldn’t be the same. So, go out there, grab those running shoes that have never been used and feel it. Feel the adrenaline running through your veins, oxygen entering your lungs and feeding every cell of your body. Feel those endorphins making you happy. It’s true. If not, why is everybody else doing it?
4. LOVE GREEN
As Jack Johnson said “Reduce, reuse, recycle”.
Yann Arthus-Bertrand, amazing photographer and film-maker, inspires me as well: “Our life is tied to the well-being of the planet. We depend on water, forests, deserts and oceans. Protect the natural gifts of the planet.”
There isn’t much more I can say, just love our planet. Love Mother Nature. Recycle as much as you can. Save water and electricity. Climate change is affecting us all. If we don’t make a change, nobody else will. If you feel hopeless or think that you will not make a difference, you’re wrong. Look at Ghandi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King. They were all human beings like yourself, moved by a higher cause. Our cause is to protect the planet. Let’s unite and preserve this beautiful place we where born in!
5. BE HAPPY. BE GRATEFUL. AND THEN SUCCESS WILL COME.
Sounds cliche. I know. But that this is true, it is. I want to end with these ideas by Richard St.John on Secrets to Success
- PASSION Do it for love, not for the money.
- WORK Work hard. Nothing comes easily, don’t forget fun though.
- GOOD Practice, practice, practice. That will get you great at what you do.
- FOCUS Focusing yourself to one thing. You can’t be successfull at everything.
- PUSH Push yourself. “Stay foolish, stay hungry” said Steve Jobs.
- SERVE Get to serve something of value to others.
- IDEAS Listen. Observe. Be Curious. Ask questions. Solve problems. Make connections.
- PERSIST Persistence is the number 1 reason for success.
Kansha.