Self-help sells too well.
Itâs like any other industry attempting to lure consumers into âchanging their lifeâ and âfind their passionâ.
It works extra well because everyone needs help in some sort of way.
Itâs full of dopamine hits luring readers on a high expecting to witness massive revolutionary seismic change after attending a $500 Robbins event on failure or listening to Mylettâs podcast about taming the voice in your head.
How profound.
Yet nothing changes if you donât change and thatâs the biggest secret that is hidden from consumers.
From fixing your mental state to overcoming addiction, nothing will work if thereâs no action.
Iâm going to be honest with you. Iâve always loved self-help and thereâs absolutely nothing wrong with this genre as long as you know itâs an ordinary product/service that tries to promise something that doesnât yet exist.
As I reflect on my youth having turned 20 last Thanksgiving, this milestone has made me feel no different except for the fact that I now know I need to stop consuming and start producing more.
I havenât taken more action in my whole life than I did during quarantine. I sold a company, started a blog, dabbed at a failing podcast, learned to drive (as a native New Yorker this is impressive), learned to cook anything that doesnât require a microwave and for some reason finally have come to understand all the gibberish and mostly trash Iâve been reading that just goes out one ear out the other.
So without further or do, whether you are 20 or 64, hereâs some advice you wonât regret spending your time digesting:
#1 Most people spend money on things they donât need for people they donât like or even worse, know!
#2 âWhen youâre 20 you care what everyone thinks, when youâre 30 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when youâre 60 you realize no one was ever thinking about you in the first place. You have enemy? Good. That means as youâve stood up for something, sometime in your life.â
#3 Thereâs no timeline. Donât rush anything. You canât plan nor time your way through life because there are too many unknowns. The hardest part is starting so go for it and youâll adjust. See what sticks.
#4 Invest in you and other people. You are the average of the people you are with so choose wisely.
#5 Itâs okay to say no, even when you are young. You have an abundance of time and it should be used extra carefully.
#6 Donât follow your passion, let it come naturally. Donât chase it.
#7 Develop self-control and resist quick hits of dopamine and serotonin. Instead develop them naturally through the great outdoors, setting expectations and controlling what you consume.
#8 Add humor into your day. Always makes it better, I promise. Humor is a sign of intelligence.
#9 Get a little bit better each day. Thatâs it.
#10 If you do nothing, no one will say anything but that doesnât lead you closer to your goal. Immediately when you start doing something, people get jealous because theyâre too lazy to start. They want to push you off your path. Judgement, trolls and criticism mean youâre doing something right. If you didnât do anything, no one would say anything.
#11 Luck plays a huge role in success. The more successful one is, the more luck theyâve obtained over their career.
Success = Preparation meets opportunity
#12 Ask for what you deserve, never wait because youâll be waiting forever
#13 Thereâs no right time to do anything. Youâll adjust. Life is like play dough-you mold and let things stick and experiment as they go
#14 You miss 100% of the shots you donât take.
#15 The people you love will give you the best advice. Professionals donât know everything
#16 Comparison is the theft of joy. People go into a lot of debt to impress others so donât bother. The grass usually isnât greener on the other side.
#17 People remember you for how you made them feel not what you told or gave them.
A little over 10. Opps! Thatâs my style.
I hope you can take some of these nuggets of wisdom and let them guide you.
Remember, if you donât try them out yourself or make a conscious effort to remember them, you just wasted your time!
Cheers.
Mia