So I just recently finished this amazing free coaching series, 5 Rules to Create The Life You Want with Jay Shetty Wow! He can motivate you! It took place over 7 days and I filled almost an entire notebook up with meaningful tips, motivational sayings, and solid advice.
I thought I would share some of the things he said about each rule. Some of them are common sense things, but man, sometimes you just need to hear those things out loud.
Rule number one...
He started the series off talking about making peace with your past. I am so guilty of this. Constantly beating myself up over things I no longer have control of. We need to learn form our past, remember the good things, and move on. Yes, yes, easier said than done. However, if you lay down that anchor, you will never go anywhere, it will keep you right where you are as the rest of the world goes on around you.
You must feel, deal, and heal. So true. Remember what you did, deal with the emotion or outcome of it, and heal from it. Learn, grow, and put it behind you. For every one negative person in your past that brings you down, have three people around you that lift you up. Fill yourself up with the present, don't live in the past.
One of the things I have always said to my own kids was look where you are going, not where you have been. I think it honestly started because my son would always walk into things while he was running away giggling. Regardless, it is true. If we are constantly looking back, we are going to miss what is waiting right in front of us. Good or bad, it's gonna hit you, so you might as well see it coming.
Rule number two...
Another profound thing Shetty said was If you don't master your priorities, you will end up living someone else's. WOW! That is SO true!
If you are not busy working on your own plans, then you are working on someone else's. Now, this doesn't mean that you have to quit your job, or stop helping others, it just means, you need to take time for YOU. Set your priorities, carve out time for your plans, your passions, your goals. Don't live someone else's life...live YOURS.
Take some time to really look at where you spend your time. Are you spending your time on urgent and important things? Or are you spending your time on non urgent and not important things? In other words, at the end of the day, do you look at your to do list and say "Wow, I got a lot done, but how come I don't see any evidence of that?" You never get anywhere this way.
I also learned that I am NOT multitasking when I am doing several things at once. Actually, the majority of us aren't! We are throwing a bunch of balls in the air and juggling, but nothing is getting done. We need to focus on one thing at a time. Prioritize, make a task list the night before and stick to it. We can certainly work on everything, but, spend more of your time tackling the urgent and important items. One task at a time.
It's important to remember that when you are prioritizing and making your to do or task list, you need to carve out time for self improvement, your own goals, and your own passions. Pick one thing that you want to accomplish for YOU and take BIG steps toward that and tiny steps toward some of those other areas you want to improve. Never try changing everything at the same time, it will never happen, you will get discouraged.
Shetty talks about learning when we are the most productive. Look at when you go to bed and when you wake up, look at your day, when are you the most productive? Is it in the morning, mid morning, afternoon, evening? When are you the most creative? Carve out time for YOUR goals and passions during your most productive and creative time.
Rule number three...
One of the most profound things he said was when he was talking about unlocking your potential. Focusing on your potential instead of your limitations. He said that we are being told a lie over and over again...
You can't be everything you want, but you can be everything you are.
What? I have told my own kids that. You can do anything you set your mind to right?!
But when he put it into perspective...
You can be everything you are.
If you do not have the skills to be a pro football player you won't be a pro football player. If you are a fish that is told you can climb a tree, and you spend your whole life trying, you will end up feeling like a failure.
In other words, find where your skill sets are, what your gifts and talents are, and go for it! Sure, if you want to try being a pro football player...do it...but don't be afraid to fail. If you have never failed you have never tried anything new. You will never please everyone, so it is you that you need to be at peace with.
Because the people that believe they can change the world are the ones that do. - Steve Jobs
Know who you are, are you a risk taker, outgoing, reserved? Own it. Don't try being something that you are not. Don't worry about what other people think, you go out and do YOU! Realize where your gifts and talents are and work on improving those and being everything that you are!
Live your truth.
Rule number four...
Some of the most successful people have daily practices.
Think about it...
When you are hungry you eat. When you are dirty you shower. When you are tired you sleep. Well, we must also feed and clean our minds. For me this is mediation. I use it to calm anxiety, motivate me, keep me on track. We need to surround ourselves with positive thoughts, positive people, and positive energy. Take out the clutter in our minds and focus on daily practices that will help improve and nourish our minds. Even if the task is hard and makes you nervous.
Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you that day.- Mark Twain
I really like this saying. Whaaat? No you don't actually eat a frog. It just means, tackle your hardest or most unnerving task at the beginning of the day, start off with something challenging to set the pace. Maybe you are not good at public speaking but you have to give a public speech. Get it over with. I know that I always feel better after accomplishing a daunting task, so this one hit home to me.
It's also important to feed and clean our minds to continue to grow. Read books, turn off the television, schedule your day the night before (you set your alarm clock the night before), use your time wisely, meal prep, anything that can help you improve your day and your well being.
Invest in YOU, go all in for YOU! Don't follow your passion, invest in your passion. Take classes that align with your passion, invest in coaching, find a community of like minded individuals, and be consistent!
Surround yourself with people that will encourage you, build you up, and help you grow physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.
I loved this one...If you don't sacrifice for what you want; what you want becomes the sacrifice.
MIND. BLOWN.
Take complete responsibility and action in your life.
And finally, rule number five...
One of the last things he talked about was people and relationships. Powerful relationships can transform your life but toxic relationships can destroy your life.
I have always told my kids It's not what you know,it's who you know. You can read it in a book, but instead surround yourself with people that are living it. Learn from them, grow from them, and network. You can have a whole posse of friends and still be lonely. Find those one or two or three friends that will be there for you no matter what, that challenge you to be all that you are, who push you to reach your limits, and that encourage you and lift you up along the way.
He also talked about being a better listener. Wow, I am so guilty of this! Recognize what type of listener you are.
Are you listening to them while thinking about all that you have to do?
Are you listening to them and thinking about what they are saying and how it is going to relate to you and how you will respond?
Are you listening to them fully?
Are you listening to them fully and watching their body language?
Relationships are two way streets. Surround yourself with relationships that will help you grow and at the same time be that same person for them. Recognize the value in relationships and don't take that for granted. Know that we are all in this together, you can not do it alone.
Remember, you can be more than one thing, but you can't be good at everything. Focus on what you are good at, your gifts and talents, and grow in those areas.
If you have a chance, check out some of Jay Shetty's podcasts, he really is amazing. I hope I was able to pass along to you some of the wonderful information he shared during his free coaching series. Again, a lot of it is common sense, but sometimes we just need a good kick in the pants to get us motivated again.
Bottom line, find your passion, INVEST IN YOU, LIVE YOUR PASSION, and HELP OTHERS along the way.