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When we feel pain, we can see ourselves getting lost in it.

Not being able to get out of it. Despite being aware that it is not the right feeling, we are unable to nudge it away.

So it consumes us. Makes us feel hollow. And takes away our attention from what’s important.

Pain does not come with degree. It just is.
But if it comes for a shorter duration, is it even pain? Or simply a chance to be more self-aware?

It starts with trust. Trust forms the basis of every relationship.
It is neither to be broken, nor to be tested.

It continues by listening. Listening, not with the intent of answering but with the intent of understanding.

It grows with patience. The most beautiful relationships in life take time.

Trust, Listen and Wait.
The key ingredients to long-lasting and meaningful relationships.

The 3 most important life skills that will help us now and for the rest of our life:

1. The courage to know what we don’t know.
2. The courage to accept the truth the way it is.
3. The courage to take risks.

There’s no expiry on these skills.
Rather, they work on the principle of compounding. 

The more we put the right skills to use, the more they will grow. So will we. :)

There is something appealing about being called a manager.
We have more control, more decision-making power, more responsibility.
And we seek this influence.

We seek a bigger team to manage, a bigger area to control, a bigger span of influence.
But do we ever seek more accountability?

Accountability for a bigger goal!
Accountability for a larger purpose!
Accountability for the development of the team!

Managers seek more responsibility. Leaders seek more accountability.

When I am hiring people, these are the qualities I look for in candidates:

1. Curiosity – Curious ones don’t start with solving the problem. They start with asking the right questions. And the questions solve the problems.

2. Do they set up others for success?
   Do they share or hide?
   Do they take credit or share credit?
   Do they pick up high visibility tasks or are comfortable being behind the scenes?
   Do they work for their success in a way that sets others up for success as well?

3. Do they need a follow-up?
   The sheer amount of time wasted collectively in following up is crazy!
   And if someone works in a way where they stick to their commitments or proactively update when the commitments are not being met, they are gold!

4. Are they different from me?
   We all are drawn towards people who are like us. But, we perform at our best when we allow ourselves to evolve.  And that happens when we spend time with people who are nothing like us.

The best thing we can do to improve our health – Cut out refined sugar and soda.

The best thing we can do to improve our wealth – Stop buying things we don’t need.

The best thing we can do to improve your sleep – Stop staring at the phone right up until bed.

The best thing we can do to improve our relationships – Be someone we’d want to be around.

The best thing we can do to improve our mind – Meditate.

Each of these requires us to alter our life, our mindset, our habits.
Not easy. But necessary!

If you often find people around you saying, “You’ve changed!”
“You were not like this”
“You are not the same anymore!”

And if you are confused – Should you change? Should you not?
You think people will dislike you. People will leave if you aren’t who they want you to be anymore!

Here is the truth.
We all change. We just don’t realize it.
But it’s the realization of the conscious change that sets us apart.

When people say you’ve changed, they never about how you’ve changed.
It’s about how they couldn’t.

1. Consistency + Authenticity is the magic formula to crack the content game.
2. Ideas are all around you. Don’t put pressure on yourself for creating original ideas. Instead, share your take on existing ideas.
3. If you are not having fun while creating content, people will see through it.
4. Do not assume on behalf of your audience.
   Share and then listen.
   Listen intently.
5. Don’t pretend to be someone else.
   Be yourself and then ask, who all does this persona appeal to?

We always have new ideas.
Ideas that we are excited about. Ideas that can bring about change.

The problem is never a lack of new ideas.
The problem isn’t the intent either.
The problem is that these new ideas end up clashing with the old ones.

Guess who wins?
The old ideas.

The old ideas of the world and that of ourselves, do not let us change.
And we think, it’s a lack of motivation. It’s a lack of hard work.
We put all our energy into changing ourselves, when letting go of the older version, of older ideas was all that was needed.

It’s very easy to become a new person. What’s hard is to destroy the old one.

Luck has a wonderful design to happen to those who show up consistently.
Even when they were not supposed to.
Even when it was okay to cut corners.
Even when no one was watching.

When we sign up for the journey, the outcome is bound to come.
Being honest with the journey,  just makes it a desirable one.

The pro is the amateur who simply chose to show up – EVERY DAY!