Many lessons were learned this past year.
Here are five that I want to share and take with me moving forward:
1. We never rise above the opinions of ourselves
How we think and talk about ourselves are self-fulfilling prophecies. It is said that our words shape our reality. Scripture also iterates this same idea, “As a man thinketh, so is he.” Be mindful of your inner dialogue and course correct if it is not conducive to the self you wish to become.
2. Uncertainty is an opportunity
Embrace making decisions in the absence of complete information. There is no reward for waiting until the coast is clear. You’re merely following the consensus. The risk you bear when the outcome is not certain becomes the reward you reap if and when proven correct. Where there is uncertainty, there is an opportunity, and those who catch this before it’s obvious are the ones who realize that value.
3. Create luck
There are multiple forms of luck. There is luck as we commonly know it — like winning the lottery. And then there’s luck that we get more exposure to through iterations, preparation, and authenticity. Naval speaks on this in more depth. Build your exposure to luck, and fortune becomes your fate.
4. There are no mistakes, only discoveries
Strive to seamlessly interpret events through a lens that maintains your peace. In art, it is often said “There are no mistakes, only discoveries.” I’d make that same argument for life. Those moments of failure and misfortune are never life-defining unless you allow them to be. Everything that was once acute and severe fades into a simple memory over time.
5. No such thing as free lunch
Remind yourself that life functions through exchanges. Nothing is free. Free is a marketing term for a gimmick. Be aware of both sides of the exchange. I can assure you when you add to your life whether it’s people, habits, or ideas — there are hidden costs associated with that addition. Avoid bad trades by understanding the order of consequences.