I'm a sucker for motivational content. I bookmark every inspirational article or video I find online, I screenshot inspirational quotes, I have one too many Pinterest boards for quotes. In short, I have a treasure trove of inspirational content backed up for a lifetime. I think it helps,for those stuck-in-a-rut-days when you need uplifting quotes. But let's face it, what good has it done? With all that content, shouldn't I be conquering the peaks of Mt.Everest or taking down the worst terrorist known to man? Shouldn't my work or achievements be written down on the pages of the Guinness book? I should be out there making headlines or at least creating viral videos of my awe inspiring achievements. So where did I go wrong?
Last night I was catching up on James Altucher podcast/blog. His posts are one of the many articles I could go a whole day re-reading, like a mantra for the day. Usually, I pick up a few phrases or sentences that speak to me and like a powerful Bible verse, I internalize the words for motivation. Back to the point; as I was reading one of the posts, my line of thought drifted into new territory, depths of which I had never imagined. As I write down these words trying to express new unforeseen thoughts, I have to be honest enough to admit that I don't know where this is going but I'll keep writing.
Over and over again, my mind went through the most common topics or issues you'd find in motivational content. Ranging from 'Secrets to success and happiness', 'How to live your dreams'. 'How to influence...' 'How to start living the best years of your life' 'How to get rich...' 'How to succeed in business..'
So many "How-To's" and "Secrets" that tell us how to live our lives, that I slowly came to the realization of how I've been accumulating so much nonsense. I don't mean to belittle any motivational content, and I can prove that my intentions for writing this down are purely self-reflective because I won't be deleting my content any time soon!
As much as I love collecting inspirational content, I'll admit that it's only useful for sparking that fire in your soul that makes you want to get out there and conquer the world/achieve success/get rich/find happiness etc. Hence the lingering question of 'What's next?' What Follows the excitement and motivation to go chase my dreams? What happens after I watch a clip of Tony Robbins? What next after reading all series of Chicken Soup for The Soul?
It's all useless! Pointless! The one thing that truly counts is my decision to act on what I want. I could read all the self-help books, memorize every quote known for success, master the 10 habits of every successful person, follow every business rule by Richard Branson...but without ME, MYSELF AND I, it's all useless! I think it all comes down to knowing yourself enough to know what you'd want and choose it. Taking action on what really matters to you. Then success follows.
Success/happiness is so varied in this world of ours. Just like the whole saying of one man's meat is another man's poison; all these rules of living our lives that are published and echoed out for our own good, might be the one thing keeping us from living out our best lives. If I knew myself enough to know that fame or owning a private island doesn't equate into being happy, then why am I chasing it? If am scared of heights, and would die of fear from scaling mountains, then why am I even thinking of climbing that mountain?
I'm not trying to discredit anyone with my mundane thoughts. I'm simply trying to think through my life. I'll probably be adding quotes to my Pinterest boards right after posting this. All am saying is, I want to know myself more each day, learn more, try things and eventually find my own rules to my own happiness. And in my pursuit of happiness,there's only one rule I'll stick to; the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12).
Last night I was catching up on James Altucher podcast/blog. His posts are one of the many articles I could go a whole day re-reading, like a mantra for the day. Usually, I pick up a few phrases or sentences that speak to me and like a powerful Bible verse, I internalize the words for motivation. Back to the point; as I was reading one of the posts, my line of thought drifted into new territory, depths of which I had never imagined. As I write down these words trying to express new unforeseen thoughts, I have to be honest enough to admit that I don't know where this is going but I'll keep writing.
Over and over again, my mind went through the most common topics or issues you'd find in motivational content. Ranging from 'Secrets to success and happiness', 'How to live your dreams'. 'How to influence...' 'How to start living the best years of your life' 'How to get rich...' 'How to succeed in business..'
So many "How-To's" and "Secrets" that tell us how to live our lives, that I slowly came to the realization of how I've been accumulating so much nonsense. I don't mean to belittle any motivational content, and I can prove that my intentions for writing this down are purely self-reflective because I won't be deleting my content any time soon!
As much as I love collecting inspirational content, I'll admit that it's only useful for sparking that fire in your soul that makes you want to get out there and conquer the world/achieve success/get rich/find happiness etc. Hence the lingering question of 'What's next?' What Follows the excitement and motivation to go chase my dreams? What happens after I watch a clip of Tony Robbins? What next after reading all series of Chicken Soup for The Soul?
It's all useless! Pointless! The one thing that truly counts is my decision to act on what I want. I could read all the self-help books, memorize every quote known for success, master the 10 habits of every successful person, follow every business rule by Richard Branson...but without ME, MYSELF AND I, it's all useless! I think it all comes down to knowing yourself enough to know what you'd want and choose it. Taking action on what really matters to you. Then success follows.
Success/happiness is so varied in this world of ours. Just like the whole saying of one man's meat is another man's poison; all these rules of living our lives that are published and echoed out for our own good, might be the one thing keeping us from living out our best lives. If I knew myself enough to know that fame or owning a private island doesn't equate into being happy, then why am I chasing it? If am scared of heights, and would die of fear from scaling mountains, then why am I even thinking of climbing that mountain?
I'm not trying to discredit anyone with my mundane thoughts. I'm simply trying to think through my life. I'll probably be adding quotes to my Pinterest boards right after posting this. All am saying is, I want to know myself more each day, learn more, try things and eventually find my own rules to my own happiness. And in my pursuit of happiness,there's only one rule I'll stick to; the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12).
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