If you want to learn and truly be informed, go find the opposite opinion to yours and listen. Ask questions. Allow yourself to be moved by intellectual arguments if there are reasons to be swayed.
By listening to alternative views you can understand the topic better. Listening and reflecting on only one side leaves you exposed and looking poorly informed, at best.
From everything.
Thankfully you don’t have to do everything.
Whatever you don’t enjoy doing, you can find someone who really enjoys it. That’s a wonderful thing. Our accountant makes taxes fun, which is great. Some care workers are definitely in their best career. There are doctors who love doctoring and engineers who love engineering. That is the same for many electricians, farmers and plumbers too.
Thankfully, we all have our skills and passions to make the world go round.
People talk about making time, having time, scheduling, etc. But the one thing that may trump time is energy. You may have the energy but not the time, which is one thing. Though, even if you book the time, you may not be able to use it effectively if you don’t have enough energy.
As we age from 20 to 90, each day will have 24 hours and each year 365/6 days. However, most people do not have the energy at 55 that they had at 25. Certainly most won’t have the energy at 80 that they had at 30.
So use your young energy wisely. Do things you want early on in life. Don’t store up high energy activities until later in your years. You may have the time and the money but not the energy. You’ve been warned.
“What does Iran want” is a headline in one of the UK’s top newspapers. The shorthand generalisation isn’t helpful but it’s shorter and catchier than, “What does Iran’s current leader want?”
When we say Iran we aren’t referring to all 88 million people. I imagine, like anywhere, there is a variety of viewpoints on most things. The leader might want something different to his leadership team, pro western citizens, secular or Sunni followers and from those wanting to conquer than go in peace.
So be careful when you hear shorthand or generalisations and think what it might really be like if you dig into the details.
The older I get, the more I can see the potential in people, especially the youth, or those younger than me at least. They have time on their side. If they use their time wisely, they can achieve anything. They just need to dream big enough and get to work.
Look at where you want to go. Think about the options to get there. Then read an article, watch a YouTube video, listen to a podcast and ask a few people for other options. Then calmly consider your options.
At that point you can make your informed decision.
In most instances, attracting people to you, your company or your cause is the ideal way to get people on your side. It feels great to be able to offer something that other people perceive value in. And it’s also great to be naturally attracted to someone or something.
What isn’t ideal is having someone demand your attention, demand your love or demand your participation in something. That rarely feels good.
Have a think about how you involve others in your life and business. Do you offer something so good that others want to be involved or do you demand their attention, affection and participation?
Is it time to double down on your great offer or time to make some changes in your game?
People tend to avoid pain if they can. Pain can be mental, physical or spiritual. Often we make decisions based on the least amount of pain we will have to endure. That isn’t always the best decision, for others or us. When you know it isn’t the best idea, then change your decision. The added spiritual pain is unnecessary.
Think about it for a few minutes. Do not just think about what society suggests should be the thing that makes you happy. Rather, think about what brings a smile to your face every time. Is it a person, a place, an idea or a belief?
Whatever it is, find a way to get more of it. Not too much more, but enough to make you happier more often.
