Wednesday, January 01, 2014

10 Commandments for success in 2014


Last year I published 10 Commandments for success in 2013.  After a bit more reflection I have updated them and made some additions and substractions.  Hope you get some good out of them and have a great 2014.  For me 2014 will be an exciting time with the publication of my first book that is due out in April or May so keep your eyes open for it! :)

1. Decide to be happy!  It’s not magic.  Deciding to be happy doesn’t automatically make you happy and it can at times involve hard work.  But deciding that you want to be happy and deserve to be happy is the first step that will lead you to making the necessary decisions and choosing the actions to move you in the right direction.

2. Be forgiving!  Forgive others and possibly hardest of all forgive yourself.

3. Keep learning.  Be curious. Ask more questions and really listen to what people say. Talk to strangers. Read more books.

4. Get involved in something outside of work that is voluntary.  Your kid’s football team, a charity, a church or a scout troop, whatever it is get involved and invest some time in it

5. Exercise regularly. You don’t have to be a fanatic! A little physical activity done regularly can make one hell of a difference in both your physical health and your mental wellbeing.

6. Don’t work for money. Work for stimulation and satisfaction. The money will follow. 

7. If you find yourself in a bad situation, for example  at work or in a relationship, make a plan and take the necessary steps to either improve the situation or to move on to a better one.  If you find yourself in a good situation invest more of yourself into it.

8. Spend more time with friends and family. Don’t avoid people you don’t like. They will help you learn a great deal about yourself.

9. Work hard! Be wary of easy answers and quick fixes.  Creating anything worthwhile whether it’s a painting, a career, a relationship or a life is hard work.

10. This moment is the only moment you have and it will never come back, make the most of it! The past is the past and if you are lucky enough to have a future it will be to a large extent the result of how you spent the accumulation of moments just like this one.

1 comment:

Renier said...

Greetings from sunny South Africa!

I only recently came across your blog, while doing some online research on marketing. I'm a partner in a small electronics firm (only 20 people), but know very little about the subject, as ample work has always come "by itself" in the past. But with the current economic situation - locally even worse than internationally - things will have to change. I like your approach - "The World's Shortest Marketing Plan" appears to fit my style ... even though I still have questions.

But since it's almost time for a new list of resolutions/personal action plans, I thought to write you about that first. I found the 2014 "commandments for success" very thought-provoking and sent it to many friends - all of whom also found it inspiring. As one member of our church ward pointed out, it corresponds very closely with how the Bible says we should live our lives. He has actually gone so far as to compile a list of Bible verses that correspond to your points. (I can send it to you, if you're interested. We had a bit of trouble placing 8(b) in context, but I think we've got it figured now).

So, here's hoping you have a happy 2015 and that we can look forward to many more inspiring and spiritual postings in the years to come.

I'll be trying your barbeque sauce one day. Just one question: do you only pour the sauce on the meat after barbequeing, or would you drip it on during cooking too?

Regards, Renier.