James Altusher published J. Altucher. I Wanted my life to change. So I did this… in his blog, a list of life lessons that he has learned during his career. Perhaps they will inspire you to change something for yourself.
1. Your personality is shaped by the people you spend time with. Don't waste it on those who poison your life.
2. Apply the kaizen strategy. Get better at what you love every day. Even a 1% improvement in a year will help you make significant progress. This is much more than the other 99.9% of people do.
3. To be free means not to depend on the decisions of other people in everything that concerns your self—development.
4. Gratitude and fear cannot coexist with each other. All the decisions we make are based either on the desire to develop or on fear. But only the first ones move us in the direction indicated by our inner compass.
5. There are different groups of people. Conventionally, they can be denoted by the signs +, − and =. Spend more time with people from the "+" category. These include those who are better at something than you, from whom you can learn. The "=" group is those who are on the same level with you, you can grow and develop together. And "−" — those who lag behind you, you can teach them something yourself.
6. To achieve something in any field, you need energy: physical, emotional, creative, spiritual. Try to replenish each of the types of energy.
7. To be physically healthy, eat right, move more and get enough sleep. These are the three main health factors.
8. To be healthy emotionally, spend more time with those who love and appreciate you.
9. To develop your creative potential, write down 10 new ideas every day. It doesn't matter if they are good or bad. According to Altusher, after three months, a superpower appears to generate ideas.
10. To maintain peace of mind, don't let regrets about the past and worries about the future distract you from the present. The present moment is the only thing we have.
11. Always try to help others. It's not about money, although you can share it. You need to change your mindset: to give without expecting benefits for yourself and without regretting that you lose something.
12. Do not deviate from your principles. It is difficult to live at all, but without fidelity to your principles you have to live two lives. It takes away strength and makes you unhappy. Therefore, clearly define your values and principles and do not be afraid to follow them.
13. Doubt everything that you think you know and understand. Many facts that at one time seemed indisputable, then changed. Don't believe something just because it's said or written that way. Always ask questions. This will develop skeptical thinking and help you achieve success faster.
14. We all think irrationally. It is not surprising that we are rarely right. Do not forget about this, then it will be much easier to maneuver among successes and defeats.
15. Don't put the blame on others. Altusher said that he lost money on the stock market. He was advised to sue a stockbroker, but he did not do it. He believed that he was to blame himself, because it was he who made all the decisions, including the decision to follow the advice of the broker. You can always learn something if you admit your guilt. Analyze your defeats and learn from them — the only way you will become better.
16. Focus on the process, not the result. If you make efforts, study, improve, apply the advice of more experienced people, read and practice, you simply will not be able to predict the result. After all, tomorrow you will be better than today. The result is only a fantasy about the future, and the process is your present. Try to enjoy it.
17. Money is a by—product of all of the above.
18. Romantic relationships are a byproduct of the above. Do not shift the responsibility to maintain your self-esteem to a partner. He has enough problems with his own.
19. Health is a byproduct of all of the above.
20. Any obstacle is an opportunity. Remember this and never give up.
