There’s no better occasion than the here and now to turn your brain off autopilot and channel your attention towards the beauty and indeed, fragility of life.

The 10 Truths you’re about to read are likely ones you know and have heard time and time again. But they need repeating and reminding, so we don’t stray too far from our desired destination.

Write them down, post them on your wall or simply ingrain them in your mind, next time you need a helpful reminder.

1. With Great Success Comes Great Failure

Success comes after years and years of learning, failing, mistake-making and finally growing. It’s not until you embrace your failures, you begin to succeed.

Stop wasting time criticizing yourself for how you’ve failed in the past. Who cares?! What’s done is done, and there’s no rewriting history; you can only influence the future.

Be patient, optimistic and forgiving (of yourself!)

2. Being Busy Doesn’t Equate to Productivity

Are you Busy Being Busy, But Getting NOTHING Done? I’ve been there, folks! That’s why I wrote a book on exactly this topic.

Somewhere along the line, society decided to deem busy-ness as the equal of productivity, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The quality of work is much superior to quantity. You might finish ten tasks in a day, but to what standard?

Success is a product of focus and patience; taking the time to do things right and thoroughly.

Ask yourself if you’re filling your hours with quality or sheer quantity.

3. You’re Only as Good as the Company You Keep

Has your goal been to be a big fish in a small pond or a big fish in a big pond? Successful people know the value of surrounding themselves with equally successful individuals. 

Because guess what? There’s plenty of success to go around!

Aim to associate yourself with people who lift you up, inspire you, support you and feed your ambitions.

If you’re trapped in a friendship, career or relationship, causing you to undervalue yourself, get out!

In fact, I know just the people who would be thrilled to support and motivate you: Dare To Be A Difference Maker and become an instant author!

4. No One Is in Control of Your Life, but You

You are the creator, director, producer and writer of your life. No one can pull the strings, except you.

Sure, life throws us curve balls, but we still get to choose how we react to them.

Your future is up to you — no one can force you to feel, make a decision, or take action in a way you don’t want.

If you feel this truth is not true for you, reassess your relationships and the responsibility you take in enabling others to “run” your life.

5. Fear Will Be Your Biggest Regret

What is worse: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret?

In my mind, regret of inaction is the ultimate pain. What are you afraid of right now? What is something you wish you could do, but are somehow unwilling to take action on?

I’m challenging you right now to set your fear aside. Tell the devil on your shoulder to pipe down because you’ve got dreams to accomplish!

Don’t look back 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 years from now, wishing you had taken action.

6. Forgiveness Is Self-Created

Here’s a big one: you don’t have to wait for an apology, to forgive. The apology you’re waiting for may never come!

And, when it doesn’t, who is really suffering? You are!

Choose forgiveness for yourself. Forgiveness makes space in our hearts and minds, for all the warm, good-feel emotions.

7. Your Only Reality Is the Here and Now

Live in the moment. Yesterday is yesterday and tomorrow is tomorrow, but today is NOW — it’s the only thing you can truly control.

Which leads us into Truth #8…

8. Nothing Is Promised

Every day is a gift. Think of the many people, taken from Earth too soon — what would they give to be in your shoes? Are you making the most of that privilege?

Don’t wait for a loss to remind you to appreciate the gift of life.

9. No One Can Love You More Than Yourself

Self-worth has to come from within. You can receive an endless stream of compliments to your personality, your work, your image and so on, but what does it really mean, if you can’t see it for yourself?

That doesn’t mean you can’t warm to a friendly compliment or rejoice in praise, but always put your perception of self at the forefront.

10. Change Is Unavoidable and Great

Change is an inevitability of life, and how wonderful that is!

Who wants to live the same, monotonous existence, day in and day out? Change keeps us on our toes, responsive to growth and learning.

Embrace change! Wrap your arms around it and say “I’m ready!”

How will you embrace change? Let us know in the comments below!

Image attribution.