10 Practical Lessons in Life
Why choosing your core values is way more important than money
1. Trust yourself more than anyone else
You know yourself better than anyone else. It’s okay to listen to other people’s feedback and advice but you are primarily responsible for your thoughts and actions. So when things don’t work out as planned, you take ownership of it and blame no one.
2. Never lose a friend over money
Never ever exchange your friendship over money. Last year, I got scammed and ended up owing people some bucks because I trusted someone else easily but never did I forget to pay them even if it takes a long time because I don’t want to lose our friendship just because of money.
You can always lose money and earn it back but not the trust, respect and friendship you have built from that person.
3. Don’t be deceived by words
Action always speaks louder than words. Sometimes, I get impressed with people who speaks with so much passion and confidence but I also make sure that that person does the work so be careful with those promising words without taking so much action.
4. Silence is Strength
People may think you are boring or not interesting at all because of your personality type and hear them saying, “Oh, please say something, you are too quiet. You seem very quiet, you are boring.”
One time, a girl said, “Why don’t you get mad?” “For what?” I claimed.
Why argue? Why give her evidence to use against me? So, silence worked best.
No one can mess with you if you keep your mouth shut and let them ruin their own future.
Besides, silence removes a heck of a lot of drama.
Let me just remind you of this quote,
I ended up realizing that if anyone makes me mad, they own me. So, I try to not get mad anymore — Mike Tyson
5. Be careful when someone says “This is just our secret.”
I have heard enough gossips about people talking about other people and blah blah blah. I am an open-minded person and I love listening to stories but if your stories have so much hatred and negativity. Don’t even think about sharing it.
My life has come to the point where I no longer want to hear stories you have already shared because you have not done something about it. If you seek for advice then I’m all ears but if you come to me to talk sh*ts then forgive me, I don’t have time for that. I have lost one of my best friends because of gossip and I don’t want to repeat history. I have learnt and I have changed. Move on! Next please.
6. Observe, Listen, Wonder and Respond
The more you observe, the more you will learn. And the more you will learn, the more you will understand things better before responding.
I learnt most of the things in life by observing and listening. I guess these are the essential skills people must learn and I always make sure to respond according to my values.
Remember, you do not have to react to anything, you react and respond only when it’s necessary.
I don’t easily get mad when things don’t go as planned or when problems happen because that’s just not me. I respond only when I want to and most of the time, I stay quiet because I cannot change what happened. That’s out of my control anymore. Instead, I focus on the things I can do now.
7. Don’t attach yourself too much to anyone and to anything
Too much attachment to something is not good.. it’s an addiction and if you can’t get what you wanted, you will get disappointed… sounds familiar?
Never get too attached to anyone unless they also feel the same towards you because one sided expectations can mentally destroy you.
Let me just share one post I found on social media which says, “Don’t ever attach yourself to a person, a place, a company, an organization or a project. ONLY attach yourself to a mission, a calling and a purpose. That’s how you keep your POWER and your PEACE. Remember, a man settles where he finds peace not beauty, not money, not status, but PEACE.”
So I choose PEACE.
8. Don’t promise if you can’t commit on it
Just say no if you can’t make time on it. I have lost so many potential clients and customers because I cannot make time for them any longer when in the first place, I have agreed to commit with them.
What’s the end result? Unmet expectations and broken promises which destroys your reputation and end up losing people and clients.
I felt ashamed when my students reminded me of my busy schedule and that I’m not giving time for them so they would rather cancel the course they signed up with me. I took responsibility for that unprofessional behaviour and I apologized for not sticking on my commitments. They were able to understand and I was able to keep them.
What’s the lesson? Say no if you think you cannot perform what you have promised or delegate to someone else who can do the job for you instead if you don’t want to end up in this situation.
09. Your core values are way more important than your income
According to Executives, “Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a person or organization because these principles dictate behavior and can help people understand their priorities in life. Core values also help companies to determine if they are on the right path and fulfilling their goals by creating an unwavering guide.”
Some of my friends and families wanted me to work for a corporate job or apply for a high-paying job because of its security and higher income but I chose not too because I’m quite picky. I could have earned loads of money if I have landed to one of those jobs. Kidding.
Seriously, I’d rather work for a company that brings growth and development in me because these are the things that I value more than money. Sure, I’d love to earn more. Who wouldn’t like to earn lots of bucks right but that is not what I value the most. Well, we have our own different priorities in life anyway.
In my point of view, we are not defined by how much we earn, people often see us based on our personalities, traits, values and how we treat and respect other people.
10. Procrastination is your worst Enemy
I know this happens to almost everyone. Up until now, I have to admit that I’m not very consistent with my tasks and projects yet and that’s what I’m working on right now and hopefully, I’ll be able to figure this out really soon.
I’ve been reading a lot of ways to stop procrastinating and that I need to stay consistent and just get the work done. It’s easier said that done for sure and that’s what I’m really fighting for. To overcome this challenge and beat the enemy within me.
Follow and subscribe for more practical lessons.
Originally published at http://juliandalignocjr.wordpress.com on March 28, 2022.
