Here at Truth and Strength, we tend to think of ourselves as meta-thinkers.
We would rather look at the forest in all of its beauty before delving into each branch. We would rather find the patterns that dictate our actions and reactions before entering the arena of life. We like to ponder logic, spirituality, and self-knowledge. We like to get in touch with the raw emotions running in undercurrent in our daily lives, and learn to wield them to our advantage.
And guess what? That is the way it should be.
Socrates once said that strong minds discuss ideas. By all accounts, Socrates was something of a big deal back in the day.
It is my deeply held opinion that having the right attitude will ensure 90% of your success in life.
The other 9.9 percent is TIME and EFFORT.
Which leaves us with the 0.1 percent. Now, you may think that because I allotted such a small fraction to this last factor, that I do not value its importance to success as much the other two.
And you would be right.
So why bother?
I will tell you why. Because the last tenth of a percent is the key ornament to the rest of the 99.9. It is the key to being whole.
In case you haven’t guessed yet, it is practical wisdom.
If you stop reading here, the one message that I want you to gleam that is you and I need practical wisdom in order to succeed. Practical wisdom and action separates the warrior thinkers from the philosophers.
Hint: You want to be a warrior thinker with a kick-ass attitude.
Listed below are some practical wisdom’s that I utilize in my day to day life.
The list is nowhere near complete, but it is the best place to start.
Here we go.
Number One: Smile
How many “When you smile…” quotes have you seen? Many I’m sure, and for good reason. Let me add a few.
- When you smile, you project self-worth.
- When you smile, you project compassion.
- When you smile, you not only give others a feeling of importance, but you also make yourself feel important in the process.
When you smile, look at another person in the eye and wrinkle up the corners of your eyes. Why?
Because you appreciate that person. You appreciate that person because he or she has a story to tell, and is a miracle of life just as you are. If you appreciate them, they will respect you and go out of their way to help you.
So smile, and smile often.
(But not too often. It freaks people out.)
Number Two: Own up
You are a person of tremendous self-respect and self-worth, and so must carry yourself as such.
This means taking RESPONSIBILITY for your mistakes.
No, I don’t mean saying sorry this and sorry that.
I mean looking the other person in the face and acknowledging in your heart that you have done wrong on another human being.
If you know within your guts that you were wrong, admit it. Admit it before the other party even has a chance to bring it up.
Be a social ninja and pre-emptively apologize. Then say to yourself, “it will not happen again.” Say it over and over, and more than likely it will not.
Number 3: Run a Tight Ship
Have a schedule for your life and business. Follow through with it. It is as simple as that.
If you run a business and are responsible for other people, see to it that people do what they signed up for.
No, they don’t need to be your friends. You chose them to do a job. Don’t let feelings get in the way.
Every night, write down your plans for the day ahead. Stick to the program, and use discipline. Sometimes distractions or unforeseen events will get the best of you, but as long as you keep coming back to your schedule, you will develop a rhythm in your day-to-day. Once you have a rhythm, you can dance.
You can jive, while having the time of your life. ABBA taught me that.
Number 4: EAT clean food, train like you MEAN it
This is probably THE most important advice I have ever received and given.
Now I can go on to write articles detailing what I think a good diet is.
And you bet your wallet I will.
But for now it is sufficient to say what I think a “good diet” means:
VEGETABLES, VEGETABLES, and more VEGEABLES.
No, seriously. It’s that important. So important that I even put a typo in the last one for good measure.
Having vegetables in every meal is essential for keeping fit, whether you are a bodybuilder or a yoga instructor.
Or a bodybuilding yoga instructor. I don’t judge.
It doesn’t matter whether you are seeking longevity or strength- Actually, you should be seeking both.
The key is having vegetables in every other bite you take.
I personally buy and eat a lot of organic. I eat also a lot of colored veg. Therefore I think you should do it.
Yes it is what works for me. Yes I am biased.
So don’t listen to me.
On to exercise.
If diet is the quick lime, then exercise is the water. When you put the two together, you create a solid foundation for your whole being to stand on. Again, I am going to keep it simple.
It boils down to efficiency.
Whichever type of exercise you are doing, whether it be aerobic or weights, you want to get the most bang for your dollar. Simply put, you will get nowhere by walking on a treadmill for ten minutes or ten hours. (Get it? It’s a treadmill).
This doesn’t apply if you aren’t able to walk ten minutes to begin with. Just get off your behind and do something about it.
CHALLENGE yourself.
Everyone will have their own limits, but everyone also has the ability to push those limits. You want to strive for better every time, or else it’s not worth doing.
One more thing. Mohammed Ali never counted his sit-ups. Do you know why? It was because the real work began when his abs started hurting, because that was when it really mattered.
Yeah, he did thousands of them every day.
Th-th-that’s all folks.
Take what you will from these words.
But for the love whatever you believe in.
Stop going about the day as a zombie.
Until next time.
Your friend,
-Tie
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