A Practical Way to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Do you ever think, “who cares about anything that I have to say?” Every time you have a similar thought like that, you’re developing imposter syndrome. There are many ways imposter syndrome expresses itself in your mind:
- “If I fail this, I will lose everything.”
- “What if people call me out?”
- “I feel like a fake. I’m not the right person to talk about this.”
After this type of thoughts, we often try to downplay the effects:
- “It’s not a big deal.”
- “No one cares anyway.”
- “It’s a matter of luck, anyway.”
Those secondary thoughts are just a defense mechanism. We try to convince ourselves that our work isn’t important and that no one cares. We experience imposter syndrome when we must lead people, share our ideas, give advice, etc.
How to Improve Your Mindset, Build Strength, And Make A Living Doing What You Love
What’s your definition of a good life? Ask 100 different people, and you’ll probably get 100 different answers.
However, there are also a few universal pieces to a good life. Take happiness and health. We all want it. That’s why we collectively spend billions of dollars a year on gym memberships, supplements, training programs, gear, you name it.
I’m not surprised. Health is everything. Mahatma Gandhi famously said: “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” To me, health is not only a physical thing. Your mental health is more important than your body because it’s easy to get injured or sick. It can happen to all of us. But if your brain functions, you’re still in control of your life.
How to Create Products That Sell for Decades
Every single book that I’ve voluntarily read in my life is because someone else recommended it. That’s true for most of us. Think about it. What’s the last book you finished? Why did you read it? Most of us read books because others told us about them. It’s a great way to learn about good books. Because no one goes out to recommend a bad book or product.
When I think about how I found out about classic non-fiction books like How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Intelligent Investor, Man’s Search for Meaning, I must say that I read these books because others told me about them. These books still sell well, decades later.
Any creator that hopes for that type of lasting success must accept that it starts with creating something that’s worth it. Why is not everyone making great products? The honest answer is that it’s hard.
Ryan Holiday, the author of Perennial Seller, and who has written six books, put it best: “To be great, one must make great work, and making great work is incredibly hard.” But it’s also not impossible, as I’ve learned from Ryan. In his latest book, Perennial Seller, he outlines his system for creating books and products that stand the test of time.
Because who doesn’t want to create something that people love? Or write a book that thousands of people read? And more importantly, who doesn’t want to make something that sells for years to come? Ryan’s process for making a perennial seller goes like this:
1.Adopt the mindset of a creator that makes classics
2.Create a great product that stands the test of time
3.Perfect, package, and position into a compelling offering
4.Promote it through different marketing channels
5.Capture an audience and build a platform that stands the test of time
Claude Shannon: Why Curiosity Is Critical to Your Success
Claude Shannon, considered as the Einstein of the Information Age, made many contributions to science and society during his lifetime. That thing you’re holding in your hand or that’s sitting on your lap, reading these very words, are made possible by Claude Shannon.
Shannon was an American mathematician and electrical engineer known as “the father of information theory”. He is also known for inventing digital circuit design theory in 1937, when he was only 21 years old. He’s considered as one of the greatest inventors in modern history. I often wonder, “what drives these great minds?” Is it the recognition, money, contribution, praise?
How to Figure Out the Next Big Move in Your Life Journey
Life is complex. One day you’re happy, working on your daily tasks, and the next day you wake up, thinking: “What the fuck should I do with my life?”
Am I right? We’ve all been there. When one of my readers responded to an article last week, I asked her: “How’s it going?” She said: “Am doing well. Been interesting times figuring out which direction to go to next in my life journey.”
Last week I talked to a friend who was in the same position. And everyone will face the same challenge one way or the other over the course of a long career. I’ve been there many times as well. No one is immune to being confused. Let’s face it — there are literally a million things you can do with your life.
Improve Your Self-Knowledge
Every piece of personal or professional growth you achieve in life starts with one thing: Self-knowledge. Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, who lived in the 6th century BC, put it best: “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”
Whether you want to make a million bucks, build a strong relationship with your partner, or get in the best shape of your life — you can’t improve yourself without knowing yourself.
Self-knowledge is a skill, not a trait, talent, or divine insight. I used to live my life without one bit of introspection. Naturally, I had no idea who I was. Now, I’m getting better at it with practice. And the impact on my life has been huge.
Don’t Worry About Job Burn-Out. Worry About Job Boredom.
Today I received the 4765th email from a reader who said they are bored and stuck at work. And, almost all people I know, answer this when I ask how’s work? “Not bad.” Not bad? You might as well say, “I’m bored. Stuck. And not challenged.”
In today’s economy, job burn-out is not the biggest problem. People are more likely to get bored instead of working so hard that they get a nervous breakdown.
People are also more likely to get an emotional crisis because they are bored out of their minds. Sounds familiar? If this is you, you must be careful if: