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Why You Need Positive People In Your Life

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Positive PeopleLast week I came across a short article by Shawn Achor, titled “Why You Need Positive People In Your Life.”

Shawn Achor is a Harvard-trained happiness researcher, author, and speaker. He is probably most widely known for his best-selling book, The Happiness Advantage.

You may have seen his very entertaining TED Talk, “The Happy Secret To Better Work.”

In his research, Shawn has found that social connections with positive people are one of the greatest predictors of our long-term happiness and success.

Most of us understand that happiness is a choice, rather something that is based on our life circumstances. However, our choices are influenced by the people in our lives. When life gets challenging, we need to be reminded by the people around us to make that choice.

According to Shawn Achor, spending time with positive influencers will dramatically increase our happiness and lead us to greater success.

Throw Away Your “To Do” List

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To DoI have to admit that I thought this was a crazy idea the first time I heard it.  However, now that I have put it into practice I know that it works!

A “To do” list is like a nagging wish list.   You have a list of things you want to accomplish, but no plan for getting them done.

If you are like me, you have probably had tasks on a “To Do” list for days, months, or even years.

“To do” lists have several problems:

  1. They don’t distinguish between tasks that will take only a few minutes and those that will take much longer.  When you look at your list, you are most likely to choose the easy items.
  2. It seems logical to choose the “urgent” tasks, over the “important” ones.  Important tasks are then put off indefinitely.
  3. They cause unnecessary stress.  “To Do” lists are a constant reminder that many tasks are still undone.  They make us feel overwhelmed.

What to do instead: Live life from your calendar.

If you really want to get a task done, schedule time for it on your calendar.  If you don’t want to put it on your calendar, it is probably not as important as you thought it was.

How well is your “To Do” list working for you?

Reference:  Your To-Do List: Where Important Things Go To Die, by Kevin Kruse, Forbes Magazine, February 17, 2016.

My Last Tie

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My Last TieI came across a post on Lifehacker.org that was written by a 24-year-old man with a terminal cancer diagnosis.

He had originally posted it over a year ago on Reddit, so I am not sure if he is still with us.

One thing is certain. He was wise beyond his years. I have included the text of his post verbatim:

I am only 24 years old, yet I have actually already chosen my last tie. It’s the one that I will wear on my funeral a few months from now. It may not match my suit, but I think it’s perfect for the occasion.

The cancer diagnosis came too late to give me at least a tenuous hope for a long life, but I realized that the most important thing about death is to ensure that you leave this world a little better than it was before you existed with your contributions . The way I’ve lived my life so far, my existence or more precisely the loss of it, will not matter because I have lived without doing anything impactful.

Before, there were so many things that occupied my mind. When I learned how much time I had left, however, it became clear which things are really important. So, I am writing to you for a selfish reason. I want to give meaning to my life by sharing with you what I have realized:

  • Don’t waste your time on work that you don’t enjoy. It is obvious that you cannot succeed in something that you don’t like. Patience, passion, and dedication come easily only when you love what you do.
  • It’s stupid to be afraid of others’ opinions. Fear weakens and paralyzes you. If you let it, it can grow worse and worse every day until there is nothing left of you, but a shell of yourself. Listen to your inner voice and go with it. Some people may call you crazy, but some may even think you‘re a legend.
  • Take control of your life Take full responsibility for the things that happen to you. Limit bad habits and try to lead a healthier life. Find a sport that makes you happy. Most of all, don’t procrastinate. Let your life be shaped by decisions you made, not by the ones you didn’t.
  • Appreciate the people around you Your friends and relatives will always be an infinite source of strength and love. That is why you shouldn’t take them for granted.

It is difficult for me to fully express my feelings about the importance of these simple realizations, but I hope that you will listen to someone who has experienced how valuable time is.

I’m not upset because I understand that the last days of my life have become meaningful. I only regret that I will not be able to see a lot of cool stuff that should happen soon like the creation of AI, or Elon Musk’s next awesome project. I also hope that the war in Syria and Ukraine will end soon.

We care so much about the health and integrity of our body that until death, we don’t notice that the body is nothing more than a box – a parcel for delivering our personality, thoughts, beliefs and intentions to this world. If there is nothing in this box that can change the world, then it doesn’t matter if it disappears. I believe that we all have potential, but it also takes a lot of courage to realize it.

You can float through a life created by circumstances, missing day after day, hour after hour. Or, you can fight for what you believe in and write the great story of your life. I hope you will make the right choice.

Leave a mark in this world. Have a meaningful life, whatever definition it has for you. Go towards it. The place we are leaving is a beautiful playground, where everything is possible. Yet, we are not here forever. Our life is a short spark in this beautiful little planet that flies with incredible speed to the endless darkness of the unknown universe. So, enjoy your time here with passion. Make it interesting. Make it count!

Thank you!

Body Language Shapes Who You Are

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Amy CuddyWe all know that body language affects how others see us, but according to Dr. Amy Cuddy, Professor at Harvard Business School, it may also change the way we see ourselves.

In 2012, social psychologist, Dr. Amy Cuddy gave one of the best TED Talks I have every seen. If you have any interest in public speaking, you should definitely watch it.

Dr. Cuddy showed how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.

Do you have an important presentation to give?

Do you want to make a good impression at an important meeting?

Watch this TED Talk before you go!

Watch “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are” by Amy Cuddy.

Youtube’s Most Famous Family

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Shaytards2Shay Carl Butler and his family have made an art form of documenting their family life, and they have monetized it!
 
A manual laborer for years, Shay Carl posted his first video on youtube while on break at his job installing granite counter tops.
 
Today, Shay Carl’s full time job is posting daily videos of his family on youtube. Sound boring? It’s not! Check out his Shaytards Youtube Channel, which now has over 2.3 billion views!
 
Shay Carl also co-founded Maker Studios, which was sold to Disney in 2015 for almost $1 billion dollars! His latest project is the Trixin Clothing Line, which is also a family business.
 
Do you have a hobby or a passion that you would like to monetize and turn into a business?
 

The School of Greatness

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Lewis HowesI am a huge fan of Lewis Howes!

Lewis is a former professional football player and two sport All American. After a sports injury forced him to give up playing football, he turned his attention to the business world.

Lewis hosts The School of Greatness Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Each episode introduces an inspiring person or message. It is one of the most uplifting podcasts I have ever found.

Some of my favorite episodes of The School of Greatness Podcast have featured Tony Robbins, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Jack Canfield. Lewis concludes each episode by asking his guest, “What does “greatness” mean to you?

Lewis has also written a New York Times best-selling book titled The School of Greatness, in which he shares the essential tips and habits he has gathered by interviewing guests on his popular podcast. I read it earlier this year and thought it was excellent.

You can learn more about Lewis Howes at his website.

What does “greatness” mean to you?

Daddy’s Little Fighter Pilot

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daddy's little fighter pilotOnly two percent of Air Force fighter pilots are women, and Major Julie Moore is one of them.

Julie said that she believes that there are so few female fighter pilots because young girls just don’t realize that it is an option, even though women have been flying in combat since 1992.

Julie knew that she had the option. Her father was an Air Force fighter pilot. When she started to dream of following in his footsteps, he encouraged her to go for it. Julie attended the Air Force Academy, and has flown F-16’s since 2002.

I would be happy just to ride in an F-16!

You can learn more about Julie Moore’s career in this video.

Often there is something we really want to do, but it seems impossible or impractical. There is almost always someone who has done what we want to do, and who can show us the way!

Is there something you want to do that seems off-limits or outside of your comfort zone?

The Happy Hearts Fund

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Petra Nemcova On December 26, 2004, Petra Nemcova, one of the most successful super-models in the world, was vacationing in Thailand with her fiance, Simon Atlee.

The couple was swept away by the Indian Ocean Tsunami, which was one of deadliest natural disasters in history. It killed over 230,000 people in 14 countries with waves up to 100 feet high.

Petra survived the tsunami by clinging to a palm tree for eight hours, despite a broken pelvis and severe internal injuries. Eventually, she was rescued by Thai civilians and airlifted to a local hospital. Unfortunately, Simon did not survive.

As Petra recovered from her injuries at her family’s home in the Czech Republic, she thought about how lucky she was to have a home to return to. The Thai people had suffered the devastating loss of virtually everything.

As soon as she was able to walk, Petra returned to Thailand with a determination to help the Thai people re-build their shattered lives. She established the Happy Hearts Fund in 2006.

The mission of the Happy Hearts Fund is to re-build safe, resilient schools in areas impacted by natural disasters. The Happy Hearts Fund is now active in 10 countries, and has rebuilt 130 schools that were damaged or destroyed by natural disasters.

You can learn more about Petra and the Happy Hearts Fund in this moving 2013 interview.

Do you have a mission that could turn tragedy into something positive?

Low Cost Freedom

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Seth GodinI love Seth Godin! He has written 18 best-selling books about business and marketing, and I have read most of them. He also writes a blog post on Typepad every single day, of which I am an avid reader.

Today Seth talked about our freedom to change a habit, to change our minds, and to change our expectations.

It takes effort to change a habit. It takes courage (and sometimes humility) to change our mind or our expectations. Fortunately, we have the freedom to change all three. Is there any other form of freedom that comes at such a low cost?

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