Make Winter Your Best Season
"Someone with half your IQ is making 10x as you because they aren't smart enough to doubt themselves." - Ed Latimore
We are all afraid that we aren’t enough. At some point in our lives, no matter where you are, this thought will cross your mind.
Despite all the major improvements and raised awareness around mental health, suicide rates were up 4% in 20211.
Why?
We tend to develop a set of patterns that make us feel helpless.
Whether it’s endlessly scrolling on social media, not getting outside enough, looking at our future and thinking it looks bleak, or maybe we are alone.
We are focused solely on us and our needs, and don’t look at life in the grand scheme of things.
As Tony Robbins2 put it, “your worst nightmare is most of the worlds greatest dream”.
We all have our good and bad days, but we need to put things into perspective.
There will be times when you succeed and times that you fail. Don’t waste time doubting yourself.
Each day is a journey, embrace and attack it.
Don’t dwell. The anger, regret, sadness, worry, the anxiety; it’s all outside factors we can’t control.
Focus internally.
What can I do right now that will get me back on the right path?
What type of person am I trying to become?
We can’t always focus on the timing of things. As Bill Gates once said, “Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years.”
Plant things. Consistency is everything. Develop a sense of discipline - the ability to stick to something day in and day out.
Don’t hide behind distractions or wait until you are 100% ready, because that time will never come.
Just start.
Create a new identity. “I’m the type of person who…”
Start believing new things about yourself. Envision a future where you are excited.
Then focus on the small wins. Even if you complete a 2 minute task, that generates momentum.
Try and not go for drastic changes, it’s not sustainable.
When it’s cold, dark, snowy, windy; when your hungover or tired, it’s easy to say, ‘ahh not today’.
When someone pisses you off or something tragic happens in your life, don’t curl up in a ball.
Fight.
Make winter your best season.
The bad days mean so much more. I struggle with this myself. If I’m in a bad mood, I feel like shutting it down or want someone else’s pity.
If I’m feeling helpless, then I need to help somebody else.
When you are filled with gratitude and a feeling of abundance, you can’t feel fear or anger.
We can’t lose because we already have so much.
James Clear wrote in one of his weekly blogs:
"Whenever a generous impulse arises in your mind – to give money, check in on a friend, send an email praising someone's work – act on the impulse right away, rather than putting it off until later.
When we fail to act on such urges, it's rarely out of mean-spiritedness, or because we have second thoughts about whether the prospective recipient deserves it. More often, it's because of some attitude stemming from our efforts to feel in control of our time. We tell ourselves we'll turn to it when our urgent work is out of the way, or when we have enough spare time to do it really well; or that we ought first to spend a bit longer researching the best recipients for our charitable donations before making any, et cetera.
But the only donations that count are the ones you actually get around to making. And while your colleague might appreciate a nicely worded message of praise more than a hastily worded one, the latter is vastly preferable to what's truly most likely to happen if you put it off, which is that you'll never get around to sending that message."
We are all under pressure. Whether it’s at home, work, etc.
But that pressure is a privilege.
Maintain the habit. Prove to yourself, “today sucked, but I still found a way.”
Don’t focus on what’s wrong in your life and in the world.
Focus on “The Always”:
Always be Saving
Always be Developing
Always be Executing
Always be Willing
Always be Ready
Always be Curious
Because when winter comes around, we WILL be ready to make it our bitch.
Disclosure: This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220930.htm
https://www.edmylett.com/podcast/tonyrobbinsunshakeable/