We have no control over the circumstances of our birth—where we are born or to whom. Yet, these factors profoundly determine how we are brought up, the schools we go to, and the friends we might have. As we reach our teenage years, hormones surge, and while chaos might ensue, it is also a time when we start having an inkling of our strengths and weaknesses; the building blocks of our personalities. This is where young people like to take control of their lives – choose what they do, who they spend time with, what they eat and drink, etc. This is a crucial and natural progression because they are supposed to live with the consequences of the choices they start making for the next 80 years, based on current medical projections.
Keeping life simple sounds easy, but it is often deceptively difficult. Humans are unique in their ability to lead rich internal lives, interpreting which events hold meaning and why. No single book, seminar, expert, or system can simplify life for us; the journey is deeply personal. Truly remarkable individuals stand out because they navigate complex, seemingly insurmountable challenges with the aim of finding simplicity. Achieving this requires clarity and self-awareness, not an immediate epiphany, and an acceptance that each of us is unique. There is no universal blueprint for a successful life - what works for one may not work for another. While countless self-help books and programs offer advice, they are no cure-all. Life is like a film that must be experienced through your own eyes. Ultimately, it is not external circumstances but your perception of them that defines your reality.
Let me share a set of ideas and steps with you, presented as a mind map that has proven effective when followed consistently. Feel free to adapt it into your own personalised template. If these concepts are already familiar to you, consider this article a valuable refresher to reinforce your understanding.
It does not interest me what you do for a living or how old you are; I just want to know what you ache for, and if can risk looking like a fool for your dream. The journey begins with taking full responsibility for your own life. Stop blaming your parents, teachers, relatives, or circumstances for the past or the present. You can’t play the game of life with hesitant, sweaty palms; you must embrace it with confidence and purpose. You need to create your future from the future, not your past. There are two primary choices in life: to accept things as they are or take responsibility for changing them. Taking charge doesn’t mean being pushy or obnoxious; it simply means owning your journey and making things happen. Your experiences are yours to create, and only you can take yourself where you want to go. Along the way, remember the importance of time mastery. Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year but vastly underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade.
The price for success is hard work, unwavering dedication, and the determination to give your absolute best, regardless of the outcome. Success is born of persistence and effort; it cannot be bought or begged for
Everything you desire is out there, waiting for you to act. What you want also wants you, but it’s up to you to make the first move. The only limits on your mind are those you accept. The man who goes furthest is generally the one who is willing to make a start and keeps going. As Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains, you find your passion when you are in “Flow” – a state where you are so occupied in an experience that you lose track of time. To reach this state, you must take risks; the safest boats rarely venture far from the shore. It takes courage to bet on your ideas, take calculated risks, and act decisively. Life rewards those who act, restoring confidence and building momentum along the way. Do not wait - the time will never be “just right”. Start where you are, with what you have, and trust that better tools and resources will come as you progress. Remember, waiting for motivation is a trap. Instead, act first—motivation will follow.
Desire is the foundation of all achievement and the key to living a long, fulfilling, and meaningful life. You must demand nothing less than the best of yourself and for yourself. Low self-esteem is like driving through life with the handbrake on—it holds you back from reaching your full potential. Remind yourself that it’s not wrong to want it all. To create drive, you need a purpose—something that excites you and ignites your passion. It’s not empty pockets that hold people back; it’s empty minds and hearts. Desire fuels motivation, but it is determination and unwavering commitment to your goals that turn dreams into reality. Champions aren’t made solely in gyms or on playing fields; their success comes from within. They possess a burning desire, a vivid dream, and a clear vision. All successful men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, and then work every single day towards that vision.
Setting goals is the first step in transforming your invisible talent into visible. Choose a goal that is important to you. Every single life has the potential to become great if the individual sets a goal that he believes in, and then puts his whole heart and soul into achieving it. As the saying goes, “A goal properly set is halfway reached.” Aristotle wisely advised: “First, have a goal; second, acquire the necessary means—wisdom, materials, and methods—to achieve it; and third, adjust your means to align with your goal.” You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. Goals don’t need to be lifelong; short-term objectives are often more effective at sparking motivation and sustaining focus. Most motivated self-starters break down their goals into steps and have a coach to support them. Opportunity doesn’t knock—you are the opportunity. It’s up to you to knock on the doors that lead to your destiny. On closer inspection, most “crisis situations” are opportunities to either advance or stay where you are.
The price for success is hard work, unwavering dedication, and the determination to give your absolute best, regardless of the outcome. Success is born of persistence and effort; it cannot be bought or begged for. Pay the price, and success will be yours. As the saying goes, "Failing to plan is planning to fail." It is your attitude, and not your aptitude, that determines your altitude. If defeat comes, treat it as a signal that your plans need revision. Rebuild, recalibrate, and set sail again toward your goal. Problems, setbacks, and heartaches are often opportunities in disguise. Many people fail not because they lack talent, but because they lack the persistence to replace failed plans with better ones. You don’t drown by falling into the water; you drown by staying there. The world is filled with talented individuals who fell short of success simply because they gave up too soon. There is a quiet genius in persistence. It overcomes opposition, demolishes obstacles, and turns dreams into reality. You need to work as if you will live forever, and live as if you will die tomorrow.
One of the most important habits is solitude, a quiet time for yourself. People who spend 45 minutes each morning in activities like meditation, prayer, a walk, or enjoying tea or coffee before diving into the demands of the day tend to do best.
Belief is the ignition switch that propels you off the launching pad and keeps you on course. When you develop an unwavering sense of certainty, the kind that powerful belief provides, you can accomplish almost anything. The size of your success is directly proportional to the size of your belief. Dream small, and your achievements will be small; think big, and you’ll open the door to extraordinary success. Optimism is a trait closely tied to both happiness and achievement. Luck, contrary to popular belief, is often predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances, embrace calculated risks, and show up more often. Grass is not greener on the other side of the fence; it is greener where it is watered. Remember, other people’s opinions of you do not define your reality. You must stick to your conviction, but be ready to abandon your assumptions. Avoid situations and people that drain your energy. When faced with an untenable situation, remember to “vote with your feet.” Sometimes the best decision you can make is to walk away and focus on where you can thrive.
Failure should serve as our teacher, not our undertaker. Each failure holds within it the potential for an equal or greater benefit. Failure is a delay, not defeat. If you break your neck, have nothing to eat, or your house is on fire, then you truly have a problem. Everything else is merely an inconvenience. Failure is something we can only avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. There are no real failures - only lessons to be learned. I have found that I learned more from my mistakes than from my successes. If you are not making some mistakes, you are not taking any chances. Perfection doesn’t exist; there’s always room for improvement and growth. Some argue that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither do food or bathing—and that’s why both are recommended regularly. Adopt the mindset of a student: always ask questions and never think you know everything. It’s never too late to turn your life around but remember: successful people make a habit of doing what unsuccessful people find uncomfortable.
The moment you view the world through the lens of an ideology, you limit yourself. No reality fully fits an ideology. Life is far more expansive than any fixed belief system. This is why people are constantly in search of the meaning of life. True meaning can only be found when you go beyond meaning. Life only makes sense when you perceive it as a mystery. An entrepreneur is fundamentally a visualiser. You must create a clear, shared understanding of what needs to be achieved, picture yourself having already reached that goal, and envision the actions you will take once you’ve accomplished it. Success often lies in not fighting battles but avoiding them; a masterly retreat is a victory. Too many people want to feel, and then act. This never works. Begin to act the person you would like to become – and simply do it. If you keep it simple, life will not be a struggle, just a progression from one point to another, much like walking through a valley on a sunny day.
One of the most important habits is solitude, a quiet time for yourself. People who spend 45 minutes each morning in activities like meditation, prayer, a walk, or enjoying tea or coffee before diving into the demands of the day tend to do best. Additionally, start a "stop-doing" list—this can be even more important than your "to-do" list. For example, never allow yourself to be late. It’s better to invest time waiting for an opportunity than to miss it entirely. Great time management is closely connected to managing habits. When you cultivate the right habits, good time management follows naturally. Regular exercise, tackling the hardest task first, going to bed early, and saying no to things that drain you—these are all foundational habits for effective time management. By mastering your habits, you can automate your time management, alongside managing your bills and household gadgets. Each evening, write down five important tasks to tackle the next day. While you sleep, your subconscious will work on the best strategies to help you accomplish them.
Setting boundaries is important in relationships: seek out meaningful and positive relationships with people who uplift and support you, and reconsider relationships that drain your energy.
Efficiency often starts with clearing out to create space for what truly matters. Decluttering doesn’t mean embracing minimalism or depriving yourself of things you love; it’s about organising your physical environment so that you feel calmer, more focused, and in control. Start small—tidy up your desk or cupboard, and continue by discarding things while asking yourself, "Do I really need this?" Focus on what is essential to you and prioritise quality over quantity. If you like the idea of decluttering your space, why not consider decluttering your mind too? Personally, I prefer my self-improvement in fast-forward mode. I don’t have the time to read endless volumes on the subject. If you can’t explain an idea to me in 30 seconds, I don't believe it holds the key to transformation. Another helpful practice is keeping a gratitude journal - spending a few moments each day to jot down what you're grateful for. Once you adopt this mindset, it becomes easier to make decisions and align your actions with what truly matters to you.
Self-care is essential for organising your life and promoting well-being. When you fail to prioritise yourself, many situations quickly become overwhelming. Setting boundaries is important in relationships: seek out meaningful and positive relationships with people who uplift and support you, and reconsider relationships that drain your energy. While technology is an integral part of modern life, it can also be a source of distraction and stress. To manage this, set boundaries with technology by practicing regular digital detoxes: designate specific times each day to disconnect from screens, turn off notifications, and engage in offline activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Participating in activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul can help reduce stress. This might include exercise, spending time in nature, journaling, reading, or other hobbies you enjoy. The practice of forgiveness is one of our most powerful tools for healing yourself and the world. A lack of forgiveness is often behind much of our self-sabotaging behaviour. By taking care of yourself, you replenish your energy and build a strong foundation for fixing other areas of your life.
It is said that the way you think, behave, and eat, can influence your life by 30-50 years. However, it can take time to summon the courage to embrace such simplicity. For much of our lives, we are drawn toward complex ideals: hosting friends with extravagant meals, navigating convoluted relationships, pursuing careers filled with burdensome commitments, and filling our free time with exotic hobbies. Yet, at some point, we may feel the pull of a deeper challenge—one that calls us to recognise and embrace fundamental truths we've always known. Until then, much of our life may have been spent trying to be someone else. It might be the thought of our mortality that eventually frees us from our pretensions. We come to realise that there’s no value in clinging to habits, ideas, relationships, or responsibilities that don’t align with who we truly are. There’s no reason to waste time we can’t afford on people who can’t reciprocate, clothes that don’t fit our style, books we don’t understand, or empty challenges that crowd our days. Eventually, we conquer our fear of being seen as simpletons.
Most people spend more time planning their holidays than planning their lives. They would like to be happy but have no idea what would bring them this so-called happiness. Their best plans often include buying a lottery ticket, getting drunk, or engaging in another affair. This happens because we’ve forgotten what rocks and plants still know - we’ve forgotten how to simply be. We’ve forgotten how to be ourselves, and how to be fully present in the moment. To find fulfillment, all we need to do is to live consciously (respect facts, be mindful, and seek knowledge), practice self-acceptance (by owning our thoughts, feelings, and actions), take responsibility (for our choices and their consequences), remain authentic (by being humble and respectful), living purposefully (by setting both short and long-term goals), and maintain personal integrity (by speaking the truth, honouring commitments, and being fair).