Habits for a successful life?
- personal995
- Nov 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 6, 2024
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Aristotle
1. Some Key Concepts
As Aristotle highlights above, in general excellence is a habit, it's what we repeatedly do. Though we all have our own path of growth and our own unique journey. There are some concepts and learnings that if embraced can assist:
Review Practice. Most achievements only come about after consistent effort, repetition, and refinement to bridge the gap between theory and practical application.
Review the 'Compounding' section in Mental Models in Maths & Science. Many benefits in life, health, relationships, finances, knowledge and competence come from compounding.
Review Focus. In an age of instant everything, exceptional focus can provide an advantage.
Review Others. Most of us are quite poor at listening to and considering others, it can add many benefits to life when well honed.
Review Astuteness & Judgement. The ability to assess situations and make difficult decision is one of the most useful skills to use across all aspects of life.
The concept of 'Inversion' from Mental Models in Maths & Science teaches to start with the end in mind. In other words, if unsure of your Goals / purpose try starting with what you don't want and work backwards. Begin eliminating until what you are left with what it is you do want.
2. Balance
Stayed balanced to make less mistakes. A few examples:
If you are working hard aiming to achieve your Goals ensure to monitor your Energy Management to avoid burnout and going backwards.
If you are highly focused on your Income, ensure to keep an eye on your relationships with Others, to not let them go neglected. And also to spend time to Discover your uniqueness, so you have an eye on moving further towards what fulfils you.
If you are focused on Investing and building your wealth spend some time reading Library: Philosophy to ensure you are clear on your own ethics and Values, and don't wake up one day wealthy but lonely and purposeless.
If you are learning how to influence Others and build your Astuteness in influencing situations, spend some time on Compassion and Selflessness to ensure you are creating win-win scenarios and not becoming one sided or selfish.
3. Understand Yourself
All the above is great, but only if you are first honest with yourself and truly understand what is important to you. A number of sections are worth reviewing to cover this:
Start with your Values. Though your Values may change as you grow and adapt through life, they are also your bedrock. They help guide your goals, how you make decisions, where you may live, who you have relationships with, the type of work you do and ultimately the quality of your experience. Choose them wisely.
Focus on your uniqueness. One segment of The Path is focused on helping you to find your uniqueness.
First take the time to Explore the world and its potential.
Then spend some time to Observe and understand yourself.
Lastly, bring it together and Discover where the opportunities of the world and your uniqueness aligns.
4. Reading
If there is a super power that can provide 'short-cut like' results to assist with leading a successful life, it is potentially reading. For a few reasons:
Reading helps to build Focus. In a world of instant everything and expected instant gratification, the ability to sit quietly and read is becoming rare and more valuable.
Reading helps to build Knowledge. Often the best answers to questions in your field, don't come from your field. If you read widely, you can potentially understand more than your direct experience provides.
Reading helps to understand Others. We all see the world through our own five sense, our experiences and perspectives. Reading can drop you into the lives, times and experiences of many.
Here are the links to our library collections to get you started:
Library: Maths & Physics
Library: Chemistry & Biology
Library: Philosophy
Library: Human Nature
Library: History
Library: Biography
Library: Strategy
Library: Decision Making
Library: Finance & Investing
Library: Fiction
"In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn't read all the time -- none, zero. You'd be amazed at how much Warren reads--and at how much I read."
Charles T Munger
5. Being Present / Mindfulness
If hard pressed to select one attribute for leading a successful life it would be practicing presence / mindfulness.
The person in a high pressure situation who is practiced at Detachment, will usually have the best Judgement.
The person who can manage their Emotions, is usually going to be better at Investing.
The person who finds Peace & Joy within themselves, is usually going to have better relationships with their Self and Others.
We wish you all the best. Enjoy and take care.
The team at STRATEGY OF ONE
