learning

May

2022

Different Smarts: What is Your Intelligence Type?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Ever wondered what your intelligence type is? What kind of intelligent are you? What kind of “smarts” do you have? We usually divide ourselves into book smart or street smart. One is based mostly on the academic way of learning. The other is based on learning from experiences. There are actually different types of intelligences.

The Theory of Multiple Intelligences

In 1983, Howard Gardner, an American development psychologist at Harvard University, introduced the different types of intelligence in the book “Frames of Mind”. He describes that there are multiple types of human intelligence. Each one represents a different way of how a person best processes the information that they receive from different sources.

The multiple intelligences theory states that everyone has all types of intelligences at varying degrees of proficiency. Each one’s learning style is not related to the areas in which they are most intelligent. Classifying learners by their learning style or intelligence type will only limit their potential for learning and developing their skills. A variety of activities and learning approaches is the best way to help individuals hone their potential.

The 9 Types of Intelligences

Here’s a summary of the different types of intelligences. Which one do you relate with most? Focus on honing that area to enhance your intellectual wellness. This is a good first step to unleashing the genius in you.

VISUAL-SPATIAL: Picture Smart

These are people who are good at visualizing, understanding directions and reading maps, charts, videos, and pictures. They usually read and write for fun. Their interests include drawing, painting and photography. Putting puzzles together is fun for them and they recognize patters easily.

This intelligence type can be great architects, pilots, fashion designers, artists, surgeons or engineers.

LINGUISTIC-VERBAL: Word Smart

This type uses language well. They enjoy reading and writing and are usually good at remembering written and spoken information. Debates and giving persuasive speeches are part of their skill set. They explain things very well. Humor in telling stories is part of their communication style.

These types usually pursue careers in writing like journalism, novelist, poets, editors, teachers and lawyers.

LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL: Number/Reasoning Smart

A friend who is your group’s math whiz falls under this type. They have strong skills in analyzing problems and mathematical operations. Number crunching and problem solving are their specialties. They enjoy thinking about abstract ideas and can solve complex computations. They like conducting scientific experiments.

Being a scientist, mathematician, economist, computer programmer, engineer or accountant will suit them well.

BODY-KINESTHETIC: Body Smart

Know someone who is good at body movement and has great physical control? Do they have excellent hand-eye coordination and dexterity? These people have great motor control and are skilled at dancing and sports. They like creating things with their own hands. With their excellent physical coordination; they remember things better by doing.

They can become body builders, mechanics, athletes, physical therapists, sculptors, and actors.

MUSICAL: Music Smart

Thinking in patterns, rhythms and sounds is a unique characteristic of this type. They have a strong appreciation for music and are skilled at composing music and musical performance. They easily remember songs and melodies, musical patterns and tones. Their rich understanding of musical structure, rhythm, and notes helps them enjoy singing and playing musical instruments.

Musicians, composers, singers, song writers, DJs, music teachers, and conductors are musically intelligent.

INTERPERSONAL: People Smart

People who are good at interacting and understanding other people fall under this type. They are skilled at assessing emotions, motivations, desires and even the intentions of people around them. You will usually see them helping to resolve conflicts in group settings and encouraging positive relationships where ever they go. They communicate well verbally. Skilled at nonverbal communication, they feel empathy easily.

Their ability to easily see situations from different perspectives makes them great psychologists, philosophers, counselors, team managers, negotiators, publicists, social workers, life coaches, salespersons and politicians.

INTRAPERSONAL: Self Smart

These types of people are very aware of their own emotional states and motivations. They enjoy introspection, self-reflection and analysis. Daydreaming is one of their past times. They like exploring their relationships with others and are able to analyze their strengths and weaknesses well.

With their excellent self-awareness; they enjoy analyzing theories and ideas. This makes them good therapists, counselors, psychologists, philosophers, writers, theorists, scientists and entrepreneurs.

NATURALISTIC: Nature Smart

This intelligence type is a recent addition to Gardner’s theory. Individuals under this type are in tune with nature. They like exploring their environment, finding patterns and relationships to nature. Their nurturing tendencies make them interested in learning about other species. They are very sensitive to subtle changes happening in their surroundings. Categorizing and cataloguing information comes easily to them. Gardening, hiking, camping and exploring the outdoors are favorite hobbies.

They are interested in subjects like botany, biology and zoology; making them good biologists, botanists, florists, geologists, conservationists, gardeners and farmers.

EXISTENTIAL: Abstract Smart

The most complex of all the types, people under this type tend to be sensitive and very considerate. They ask deep questions about human existence and the meaning of life and all of existence. They are deeply spiritual and tend to ask big questions about life and death like why are we here? What is the point of all this? Small talk and superficial chitchat are often not satisfying to them. They are deeply philosophic thinkers, always asking questions bigger than themselves.

This type is often called spiritual or moral intelligence and is often referred to as “life smart”. They like reflective and deep thinking and designing abstract theories; making them good scientists, philosophers, theologians, inspirational speakers, writers, authors, economists, and bloggers.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash.

Mar

2022

Are You Intellectually Well?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We all know the importance of physical wellness especially now more than ever in the new normal. This is good, after all physical wellness is the foundation of all wellness. However, sad to say we often neglect our intellectual wellness when actually the two dimensions should go hand-in-hand. Intellectual wellness has something to do with our mind and our thought processes. We are forgetting that our mind is a part of our body. The mind-body connection states that the body reacts to what goes on in our mind. It is so powerful that it affects not just our body, but our life in general. So, are you intellectually well?

What Is Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual wellness is continuing education in general knowledge, specialized skills, creativity and common sense. It is also about being open to new ideas. It is studying and engaging in challenging mental and creative activities. Many people think that it is all about academic knowledge when actually it more than that. True, academic knowledge is a big part of intellectual wellness but it is not limited to just that. Intellectual wellness involves creativity and common sense as well.

Why Intellectual Wellness is Important

Intellectual wellness is important because it involves the mind; thus, it is closely related to our mental health. When you increase your knowledge about life and your abilities in general; you are equipping yourself to be more resilient to life’s challenges. Your extra knowledge and skills will make reaching your dreams a little easier. You will have the courage to navigate life in all its losses, failures and disappointments.

When you learn something new, especially things that you love or enjoy doing, you are living your life to the fullest. You will be able to bond with individuals who share the same interests; thus increasing your social well ness. You will have a creative outlet to channel your frustrations. And more importantly, you will be having fun.

Intellectual wellness does not necessarily mean that you have to pursue a masters and doctoral degree. It simply means being open to learning. You can learn by reading books. If reading is not your cup of tea, you can watch videos or listen to audiobooks. It can also be as simple as having a mentor and listening to that person’s advice. Simply put, it is about being open to new ideas. It is about lifelong learning.

Are You Intellectually Well?

Here are questions to ponder on to know if you are intellectually well:

Do you allot time to personal and professional development?
Do you enjoy brainstorming with others on group projects or tasks?
Is learning a new skill part of your goals?
Do you accept constructive feedback?
Are you interested in learning new things?
Do you maintain a reading habit?
Do you enjoy solving puzzles, playing games or other mentally stimulating activities?
Are you comfortable asking others for help especially on things that you are not familiar with or good at?
Do you learn from your negative experiences?
Do you travel and learn about new places and culture?

If you have answered yes to at least seven of the questions above, then congratulations! You are intellectually well. If not, you can still start today. Just stay curious and open to new ideas. Keep in mind that there is so much to learn out there.

The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.
– Socrates

Oct

2021

Reasons You Should Listen to Audiobooks

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Most of us listen to our favorite music or radio stations when we commute from home to work and vice versa. We used to be able to bring a book but it takes up space and effort. A more productive way to spend this time is to learn something. Instead of drowning yourself in social media, why not try audiobooks? Audiobooks sounds like a passive way of learning but it can be fun and relaxing too. Here are some of the reasons why you should listen to audiobooks.

Accelerate Your Learning

Although listening while doing something else is a passive activity; it actually enhances your listening skills. Listening to audiobooks can help you improve your pronunciation, increase your vocabulary and even improve your reading comprehension. Depending on the subject, it can also help improve your awareness and understanding of a particular topic.

Improve Time Management

Doing other tasks while being able to learn definitely is a time-saver. With an audiobook, you don’t have to allot time to sit down and read an actual book. You can do it while cleaning, driving or commuting, taking your afternoon break, even while waiting for someone. You are accomplishing two things at the same time with little to no effort. This is definitely a great reason to start to listen to audiobooks!

Reduce Negative Thoughts

Getting too anxious due to the current situation? Instead of letting your mind go wild with your worries; why not be more productive? Listen to an audiobook to help you learn new things and distract yourself from thinking negative thoughts. Pick an inspirational topic or a new skill you want to learn or improve on. Another way audiobooks help you reduce negative thoughts is the price. They are cheaper than printed books. When you listen to audiobooks, they will be a pleasure to your ears and won’t ruin your budget.

Rest Your Eyes

If your eyes are already strained from looking at a computer screen all day; then you may not find reading a book relaxing. Instead, listening to an audiobook will be more relaxing. So when you get home; you can sit in your comfiest chair and even put up your feet. Put un your headphones or earphones, close your eyes and listen to your favorite audiobook. Resting your eyes helps you to relax your whole body as well. The effect you get is almost similar to that of meditation.

Get Better Sleep

If you develop the habit of listening to audiobooks instead of reading; then you can rest your eyes more. You also reduce your “screen time” and your exposure to blue light from electronic devices which contributes to better sleep. In fact, you may fall asleep while you’re listening to an audiobook.

Aside from these reasons and benefits, you can tailor your audiobooks to the mood you want. For example, you can listen to an audiobook of your favorite story if you want to be more alert in the morning. Or you can listen to an inspirational audiobook if you want to start the day with good vibes. You can listen to an audiobook about specific topics to enhance your job skills too.

If you’re already a fan of listening to audiobooks, what other benefits have you experienced? What are your reasons for listening to audiobooks?

Feature Image: Original Photo by Siddharth Bhogra on Unsplash.

May

2021

Different Ways to Discover Your Self

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Each one of you are finding different ways to discover your self every day even if you don’t know it. Most of us think we already know ourselves inside out. We think we are what we do and we act that way. We identify with our jobs, our family’s expectations, our friends’ descriptions of us. Deep inside, we know these aspects of our selves are just a part of us. A persona we show to the world.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
— Oliver Wendell Holmes

There is a feeling lurking within us that we are something more than what others see; what we let others see. There are things stirring in our shadow self that we want to get out into the world. A part of ourselves that we still can’t describe; potential that we both fear and admire. It may help us unleash our hidden genius or ruin our life’s work. Unless we can identify it; we won’t be able to harness this potential. If we can’t know this part of our self; we will always feel that we are not enough. Instead of being frustrated; why not actively go on a journey to discover your self?

The Process of Self-Discovery

Self-discovery is a continuous process, not a specific or final answer. The process of self-discovery is not found when you reach a destination. You come to discover more of your self through your life journey. Discovering your self is not just a one-time process. It involves discovering something new about ourselves as well as rediscovering old, forgotten parts of ourselves. There may even be instances when you uncover a part of yourself that you have kept hidden because you feel you are ready for it. Along the way, we may change in many ways. It is through this journey that we find purpose and meaning in our lives.

Be Aware of Your Current Self

Awareness is the first step to getting actively involved in your self-discovery. Get a clearer and deeper understanding of your own personal characteristics, your emotions, needs, values, strengths and weaknesses. Spend time to reflect on the parts of your personality that you already know.

Find out what gives you joy; what are your hopes and dreams; the things that you are passionate about; what things are holding you back; what negative experiences have you carried with you since childhood? These questions will leave you feeling vulnerable but they are an important step to getting to know yourself better. You can do this through journaling, talking to family and friends, or to a professional. The important thing to remember is to be honest with your self.

Experiment with A Different Self

Once you have a map of your current self; you pretty much have an idea of what your personality is. You are also able to identify some of the things you do, or want to do, that would clash with your current personality. Examining your self does not stop at knowing where things are. You also need to test how far things can go.

Your self, or your personality, is a fluid entity. Contrary to popular belief, you are not stuck with your personality. Getting stuck and getting out of it and flowing into a new one is all up to you. So make an experiment of the process. Do something that you don’t usually do and see how far you can go with it. For example, you may be a people pleaser, a “Yes man”. So try experimenting what would happen if you just said “No” to other people. Most of the time, you will find that your worries and fears don’t come true. It is only your belief that’s holding you back from accepting this part of your self, and from changing your situation.

Trust in Your Own Path to Self-Discovery

There is no one way to the journey of self-discovery. Each person has their own path and their own time for the journey. The important thing is to trust your own path. Don’t compare your self to others. Also, be kind to others and help as much as you can. Remember that everyone is on their own journey and some will have a harder time than others. Having a positive mindset and an attitude of gratitude helps a lot.

Discovering, rediscovering and uncovering more of yourself also helps to develop your trust in your self. Most people are going about their daily lives fulfilling their duties according to what others expect of them. Being actively involved in the process to discover your self means that you need to learn to trust your self rather than the world around you. It means being able to focus on what you truly want and being grateful for what you have even if the world tells you that you’re doing things wrong.

Discovering your self also means that you learn to accept difficult things about you as well as others around you. For example, you learn to trust your feelings instead of just your thoughts. You learn to love yourself more. You learn to be okay even if some things don’t go the way you wanted them to. More importantly, you learn to be comfortable with all parts of who you are; and if people don’t like it, you don’t feel bad when they walk away.

The journey to self-discovery may involve losing friends and even loved ones along the way. Know that it is not your fault. It is just that their part in your journey is over and they need to go on their own paths. There are many things that you will need to accept and lose during your journey. As you learn and develop your self; you will find that it will all be worth it.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Jackson David on Unsplash.

Mar

2021

Ways to Start Your Day Right

Reading Time: 4 minutes

There are so many ways to start your day right. However, most of us start our day on autopilot as soon as we wake up. If you want to wake up from autopilot mode and have more control over the rest of your day; then you should start your day more mindfully. Start with these suggestions to start your day right.

Wake Up to The Clock

Most of us hit the snooze button instead of waking up when we hear our alarm clock. Instead, try to wake up on hearing the alarm and get up immediately. Sit on your bed for a few minutes to steady yourself and sort yourself out but don’t go back to sleep. Enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes (if you have a window). Tidy up your bed and get out of your bed room.

TIP: Get an actual alarm clock instead of using your phone. This will allow you to unplug the night before. Also, place your alarm clock away from your bed and not beside it so you will be forced to get out of bed to turn it off.

Drink Warm Water

A warm cup of water is a good way to start your day. It helps to gradually signal your body to be active again. It also helps to soothe your empty stomach. Plus, you can count it towards your quota of 8 glasses of water a day. Drinking warm water on an empty stomach is like stretching your body before vigorous exercise. This is definitely one of the ways you need to do to start your day right.

TIP: Try lemon water. Cut a few slices of lemon and put into your cup of warm water. Let sit for a few minutes before drinking. You can also drink tea or coffee if you really need to perk up your morning.

Meditate for Clarity

A time for self-reflection and clarity is best scheduled in the morning. Morning is when your mind is still calm and not buzzing with thoughts and to do’s for the day. Sit in a quiet corner and take deep, long breaths; inhale and exhale slowly. A calm mind helps you get clearer on how to plan your day for the most productivity. A meditation is one of the best ways to start your day right.

TIP: Make meditation a ritual. Light an incense or turn-on the scent diffuser. If possible, close the room. Get yourself a comfortable mat or pillow to sit on so you can meditate without any distractions.

Move Your Body

Light exercise is a great start to energize you for the day. You don’t need to do it for an hour. 10-30 minutes of exercise regularly will do wonders for both your mind and body. Be sure to start and end with some stretching routines and don’t overdo things so you don’t injure yourself. Sweating it out will help you detox and calm your mind at the same time.

TIP: Pick an exercise routine that is right for your fitness level. We all have a physical goal in mind but we need to start our fitness journey right if we want to sustain it. Don’t force yourself to do some moves if you know you’re not flexible enough. Be patient with yourself and just stay consistent.

Self Care First

Show yourself some love first before you go out the door to express your love to the world. A simple self-care routine is all you need to feel pampered just a little bit each morning and night. Enjoy your morning shower. Wash your face, put on some moisturizer and do a mini-facial by softly massaging your face. Apply your favorite lotion or essential oil and enjoy the moment. Don’t forget to smile at yourself in the mirror as you give yourself some love.

TIP: Use natural beauty products so you don’t only show love for yourself but to the environment as well. This also means less negative impact on your health and the planet. Natural products may feel like they cost more; but why shouldn’t you splurge on your self?

Read A Book

One of the ways to get out of autopilot mode is to learn new way of doing and thinking about things. There are many things that you can learn online but reading a physical book is a different experience. Not only are you learning, you gain more appreciation for the author’s and publisher’s efforts. This puts you in a grateful mood for the lessons and the people behind the book. And an attitude of gratitude is a great way to approach the day.

TIP: Read a book anytime you have free time. Not just in the morning, at night too. Some people even read a few pages during their commute. It’s a small luxury to peek into the minds of others who have already succeeded. This will get you more inspired and more motivated to work on your own goals.

Plan Your Day

The act of sitting down to plan your day is a time-saving way to lessen your day’s stress. When you plan your day, you can map out your priorities and the things that you can leave out for later. Creating a daily task schedule will help you to focus on what needs to be done so you are not constantly worrying about the gazillion things that you need to accomplish. It also gives you an idea of what you can cram into your day so you get wiser at scheduling your activities.

TIP: Get a planner or make yourself one or use an app. Use a physical planner to jot down your To Do list or use an app on your mobile phone. Most importantly, don’t forget to take your planner with you so you can track your progress.

These are just some of the ways you can start your day right. You can do them in the order that you want. You can also swap them with better habits that you want to develop. Check out the morning habits of successful people too. Another important thing to remember is to make sure that you also have a great way to end your day.

Feature Image: Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash.

Jan

2021

How to Not Get Stuck in the Past

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Last November of 2018, Ariana Grande’s single, “Thank U, Next” broke records when the single became the most streamed song with almost 50 million streams in the first week of its release. The song garnered much attention because the singer publicly revealed her past. In the song, Ariana said that each time a relationship ends, she felt pain but at the same time she is grateful because of the lessons that she learned from each one. She knows that all those past experiences will help her somehow with her future relationships. She is now a better person and a stronger one at that because of what she had to go through. More than simply controversial and entertaining, the song has a valuable lesson. That is, how to not get stuck in the past.

Bad things do happen in life. Things don’t always come our way whether it is our career, business, health, family, love or relationships. It can be very painful especially if we did our very best to make it work. Some people get stuck and allow the hurt from past experiences to continue to hurt them. However, not moving on can only succeed in jeopardizing future happiness. After whether we like it or not, life goes on.

Here are some tips on how to not get stuck in the past:

1.Learn from the Past

Have you ever wondered why we have to take up History in school? That is because history gives valuable lessons. Learning from past mistakes will allow us to grow and not repeat the same mistake over again. Even the COVID-19 pandemic has lessons that we can apply to make our lives better. Learn the lesson, no matter how painful so that you can start to move on.

2.Be Grateful

Yes, it is possible to be grateful even in tough times. Be grateful for the experience. It may sound cliche but challenges are blessings in disguise. Whatever it is that you had to go through was really meant for you to grow and become a better person. Moreover, by being grateful you are shifting your focus from the negative to the positive. A positive attitude can help ease the burden that you are carrying.

Thank you, next.
– Ariana Grande

3. Forgive Those Who Wronged You

When you forgive someone, it does not mean that you are condoning the wrong things. It does not mean forgetting and reconciling with the other person.What it simply means is that you are now releasing and freeing yourself from the anger, resentment, guilt and other negative emotions. This will do wonders to your emotional state and general well-being. The act of forgiveness does not only pertain to other people but also yourself. You need to learn to forgive and love yoursel f.

4. Make Clear Goals

You will forever be stuck in the past unless you are very clear on what you want and where you want to go. Start by redesigning your life through a bucket list.

5. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Did you know that success happens outside of your comfort zone? Your comfort zone is your safe place. Since you are comfortable in that place, there is really no room for growth because there is no need to. Stepping outside of your comfort zone means doing new things that you are not comfortable with. You will need to learn new skills and adapt to a changing environment but there will be transition and growth in the process. It is similar to a caterpillar undergoing metamorphosis. Don’t remain a caterpillar all your life. Find your genius zone and be a beautiful butterfly.

6. Remove Toxic People From Your Life

Did you know that you are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with? Your thoughts, beliefs and actions are highly influenced by the people around you. Thus, it is important to choose the people you spend most of your time with. Remove negative people from your life. Spend time with positive and supportive individuals instead.

7. Believe in Yourself

Fear is crippling. It can hold you back in life. That is why it is important to learn how to overcome fear. Conquer your fears by trusting yourself. Believe in yourself. Trust that you can do great things.

In short, allow yourself to feel the pain then move on. Don’t dwell on it. Get yourself ready for the next adventure.

Updated version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 11.17.2018

Photo by Rodolfo Clix from Pexels

Oct

2020

Traveling Will Expand Your World

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Traveling will expand your world. It’s not just because you are going to a particular destination. Going on a journey is an educational experience. It may be an intimidating experience at first but it is worth it. You get to learn new things and appreciate new ways of thinking. It helps you discover more about yourself as you discover what’s beyond your comfort zone.

When you go home after your travel you are a changed person. Traveling opens your mind and heart to the different ways that people, places and things interact. You learn to see things with different eyes and even appreciate different points of view. Traveling teaches you that new things don’t need to be scary. When you travel, you learn to leave your familiar comforts behind.

In the process, you gain more appreciation for the things that you usually take for granted. Your travel helps you expand not only your horizons but your perspective of things as well. Traveling will expand your world, especially your imagination. It will let you see and experience a whole new world.

Traveling may be hard for some people. If you’re the type who’d rather stay in your comfort zone, then it will be hard to leave for somewhere unknown. But if you want to make a major change in your life; it is one of the best educational experience you can get to expand your view of the world. Traveling will help you learn about yourself more deeply. It will show you different ways of how you can interact with people. Traveling will help you create new memories as well as value history. It will help you appreciate the now as well as the past. You learn to become excited for the future as well. These are just some of the ways that traveling can help you become a better person to yourself, to your family, to your friends and to your community.

Deciding to travel is a matter of courage. Don’t be scared to learn something new about yourself and the world outside your comfort zone. Traveling will expand your world if you allow yourself to do so.

Updated. First Published on Pinoy Smart Living 05.03.2019.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Nicola Nuttall on Unsplash.

Feb

2020

Fundamentals for Success from The Winners Manual

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Do you consider yourself a winner in life? If you’re not that confident to answer “Yes” to this question, then you may be struggling with some issues in different areas in your life. There is no one rule book that we can consult on how to succeed in life and this is because each person’s experience is different. However, there are some fundamentals for success that we can apply to get better in each area of our life, so that when we look back, we can say that we’ve had more wins than losses.

Jim Tressel is an Ohio State football coach and through the years he has learned a lot of life lessons from working with different people on the team, from the players to the staff. The nuggets of wisdom he gained from his experience is shared in the book The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life.

The book is given to everyone on the team and even if the lessons are gained mostly from his experience coaching a football team, the lessons are applicable even to regular 9-5 workers trying to be “adults” in dealing with life’s hurdles.

First, Jim wants everyone to focus on 2 major goal areas:

Your Purpose

This includes your personal/family, spiritual/moral and caring/giving aspects of your life.

Many people often grow up defining themselves by what they do (e.g., their job title) and in the process of pursuing success in their career, they end up forgetting who they are. If you cannot find or define your life’s purpose, then you will never find success or happiness, and never feel like a true winner in life even if you achieve your goals.

Your Goals

This includes matters pertaining to strength/fitness, family, academics/education and career.

Whatever your specific goals, you must view this in the context of your entire life and should be aligned with your life’s purpose. It is hard to get motivated if you don’t have a purpose.

Your purpose is your inspiration and your goals are your motivation. However, there is a huge difference between the two. While inspiration helps you think and create, motivation gets you moving to make things happen.

Spend some time to think about your purpose and goals. It helps to write things down and when you are ready, you can study how to apply Jim’s 10 fundamental for success to win at life.

1. Attitude

There are 3 types of people: 1) those who make things happen, 2) those who watch things happen, and 3) those who say: “What happened?”.

Attitude is a choice so you need to choose which one you are going to be each day. You can choose to live your life as a celebration or as a chore. An attitude of gratitude is one of the best attitudes to adapt as it is impossible to be grateful and unhappy at the same time.

If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies within yourself.
– Tecumseh

TIP: Keep a gratitude journal. Each day, write down at least 3 things that you are grateful for. Count your blessings daily and you will notice that you will have more things to be grateful for as each day passes.

2. Discipline

Discipline is often seen negatively – as punishment for bad behavior, when in reality, it is something that is helpful to us. Discipline prepares us and keeps us focused on our goals.

You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days that you feel good.
– Jerry West

TIP: Remember that practice makes perfect. Do it right, do it hard and then do it again. When it’s time to practice, focus on the practice. You should be confident enough in your skills and be tough enough to follow through.

Whether you are practicing a sport or trying to write a novel, it’s the discipline to constantly show up and do the work that allows you to correct your mistakes, polish your moves so you can deliver and perform perfectly whenever you need to.

3. Excellence

Strive to deliver excellence each time. In competitive sports, it isn’t good to be good from time to time. You need to deliver a good performance every day in order to be considered great

If you listen to your fears, you will die not knowing what a great person you might have been.
– Robert H. Schuller

TIP: Consistency is the true test of greatness. It takes discipline (constant practice) to turn a violinist into a master, a student into an expert, you get the drift?

More importantly, our intentions have a great impact in determining how we reach our potential. So your intent to be excellent should be reflected in your performance. Your number one intention is to seek excellence in all phases of your life.

4. Faith and Belief

All champions believed in themselves even if no one else did and that’s how they motivated themselves to become great; and that’s how they ended up inspiring others in return.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
– Eleanor Roosevelt

TIP: It helps to write down your dreams. Unless you write down your dream or vision, you can’t start planning how to achieve it.

So write down your dreams, describe it, make a collage out of it and make sure to consult it everyday as a constant reminder of why you are working hard each day. More importantly, don’t be the first one to doubt yourself when your plans don’t go the way you wanted to. Instead, focus on finding a solution.

5. Work

Work is a lifelong pursuit so you better do it passionately. Not everyone can love their work but with a good work ethic, you will increase your opportunities to gain success.

Everyone has a plan until they are hit.
– Evander Holyfield

TIP: Persistent effort is key to success. You only fail when you quit. Remember that failing is an event; failure is a temporary status and you can always turn it around as soon as you succeed. So don’t be put down by obstacles and see them as opportunities to better yourself instead.

6. Handling Adversity and Success

The road to greatness is never easy but if we face our struggles with an attitude of learning, then the adversity we experience can become our stepping stones to success.

Success is a lousy teacher. It makes smart people think they can’t lose.
– Bill Gates

TIP: Embrace the struggles as much as the successes. Your struggles should help you build strength of character, and this is what can elevate your good performance into greatness. Handle adversity as a learning experience and learn from your success as well. Both are opportunities to improve yourself and fine tune your plans to reach your goals.

7. Love

You won’t win in life thru talent alone. Just like in winning championships, you need love and discipline. If everyone in the team loves one another, then they will strive to not let one another down. This works in any relationship, be it you and your partner, your whole family, your friends and even work mates.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

TIP: Do not hesitate to help others succeed. When you help someone else succeed, you get closer to your own success.

How you treat others who can do nothing for you is how you show your love towards your fellow man. In your own relationships, you can only survive tough times by being tough yourself and the only way to do that is to give and receive love from those around you.

8. Responsibility

There are different areas in your life where your individual conduct is not just attributed to your own self but reflects on a larger group of people such as your family or the organization that you work for. So take care to be responsible in all your actions as you may also affect the reputation of other people.

The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.
– Japanese Proverb

TIP: Associate yourself with good people. By good people, we mean people who have a “do what’s right” mentality. These are the people who will help you conduct yourself responsibly in the different areas in your life. They will be the people who will push you to live a life with a clear conscience.

9. Team

Although your own life purpose and goals is yours alone, most of our life endeavors is a group journey. That’s why unselfishness and team work are important qualities to succeed in life.

There is no delight in owning anything unshared.
– Seneca

TIP: Be in service to others. Unselfishness is one of the greatest quality of great teams as this enables each person to work for the good of the greater whole. This means that each person is willing to listen to others and in this way each one is able to influence the others positively.

10. Hope

Have realistic hope both for your goals and for your team (family, friends, etc.). It is ok to indulge in wishful thinking once in a while but unless you put your faith to work, you will not achieve success.

There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow.
– Orison Marden

TIP: Be a dealer of hope. When people around you are losing hope, they become susceptible to criticism and their own doubts. Lead by example and show them that hope is still alive. It may not be in the form you initially “hoped” for but it may take form in another opportunity disguised as an obstacle. When you keep hope alive, you will see good things happen in your life and in the people around you.

Do you think you can apply these rules to the different areas of your life? If you have been practicing some of them, or all of them, tell us how it has helped you achieve success in the different phases in your life.

Original Photo by Razvan Chisu on Unsplash