I’m often asked where I get my inspiration from and who are my influences.
This is a hard one to answer, not because I don’t have any but because I have too many.
Tag: advice
As much as I hate writing these words, investing in a personal brand is important in today’s world.
There was a time not so long ago that I would unleash my eyes of judgement when someone brought up the topic of personal branding. But, as I’ve evolved in my career, I’ve come to understand its place in the game we all play.
Ego is not always your enemy
The classic theme of the Star Wars saga has centred around the light and dark side of the force or the good and bad path. The belief of the central characters within this story is that you cannot embrace your dark side or indulge the emotions that connect with this, otherwise you are certain to be doomed.
I’m currently in the midst of reading a variety of excellent insights from a network of mentors in Tim Ferriss book “Tribe of Mentors“.
I’ve come across some fascinating pieces of wisdom so far, yet this extract on advice that was shared with a university student about to enter the real world from what I consider an unlikely source of a partner at a venture capitalist firm is so powerful.
I feel it’s not only something that should be shared with those about to enter the world on their own for the first time, but also serve a a reminder to all of us who are already operating within it too.
I believe I’ll be revisiting this passage many times.
“Life will go faster than you know. It will be tempting to live a life that impresses others. But this is the wrong path. The right path is to know that life is short, every day is a gift and you have certain gifts.
Happiness is about understanding that the gift of life should be honoured every day by offering your gifts to the world.
Don’t let yourself define what matters by the dogma of other people’s thoughts. Even more important, don’t let the thoughts of self-doubt and chattering self-criticism in your own mind slow you down. You will likely be your own worst critic.
Be kind to yourself in your own mind. Let your mind show you the same kindness that you aspire to show others”
These are the original words of Mike Maples Jr, partner at Floodgate, a venture capitalist firm.
Before you go… 👋
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Choose your circle carefully
I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying ‘You are the sum of the 5 people around you’.
It’s a good point to reflect on, just like the media and food we allow ourselves to consume, the company we keep is of utmost importance too.
Those around us, whether you realise it or not, have the effect to influence your behaviour, thoughts and beliefs. So if you have a bunch of negative people around you, high chance you will be too and if you’re around lots of happy people, same thing.
Choosing the people you allow into your inner circle is probably the most important task you can complete. These interactions will setup how you see life and tackle impending challenges.
But make sure you seek balance within your little tribe, seek voices from all corners, with different experiences and different views. You can’t appreciate what being happy and positive is all about if you don’t know about sorrow and negativity. To be aware and continue to understand, to evolve, you need views from all angles of life.
Always evaluate your inner circle and if it’s still healthy for you.
