Saturday, November 23, 2019
The active mindset A sure way to avoid being bored with life
The active mindset A sure way to avoid being bored with lifeThe active mindset A sure way to avoid being bored with lifeIm bored. Whens the last time you said that? I bet elend too long ago.If you give me 4 minutes, Ill tell you why thats a bad sign.In the past, I always looked at other people for answers. When youre little, your school teachers tell you what to do every day. Thats the ordnungsprinzip at primary school, high school, college, and university.Its always one person who tells a group what to do. What does that do to people?School systems train us to be passive. And after we get out of school, nothing really changes. When I had my first job, I listened to my boss about what to do.And when I started my first business with my dad, I looked at him for answers.Now, you might think that this is a matter of experience. Thats the most obvious idea. We thinkWhen Im junior, I take orders. When Im senior, I give orders.Thats about the worst mindset you can have because its too passi ve. Instead, its much mora beneficial for our career to adopt an active mindset.Whats the difference between a passive and active mindset? And how do we even form an active mindset? I have a three-step-process that Ive used to transform my own mindset. Feel free to use it too.Step 1 Acknowledge that passivity is badSo when I talk about being bored, Im not talking about being bored in a good way. Sometimes the best ideas come to us when were fully relaxed. Thats good.For the sake of this article, Im talking about when we say Im bored in anI have no idea what Im doingtype of way.Do you recognize that feeling? Its a sense of aimlessness.Now, to a degree,no one knows what they are doing. The difference is that when youre always bored with life, youre nottrying.And people who dont try are losers. You know why? Life is fascinating - but you musttryto experience it.Theres nothing cool about not having your shit together. You cant go through life as a passenger.At some point, you must take over the wheel and decide where youre going next. Thats the difference between people who have an active mindset and people with a passive mindset.The former owns his destiny. The latter leaves it up to others.Step 2 Commit to learningThe Stoic philosopher Seneca put it best inOn The Shortness Of LifeIf you apply yourself to study you will avoid all boredom with life, you will not long for night because you are sick of daylight, you will be neither a burden to yourself nor useless to others, you will attract many to become your friends and the finest people will flock about you.Thats why I believe an active mindset has nothing to do with experience. I know interns who are more curious and ask more questions than most senior managers.But having an active mindset has nothing to do with age or experience.For example, an insurance consultant in his sixties - who I work with - is as curious as an intern. Hes enthusiastic about everything you talk to him about.The other day I visited a printing company with my brother. The owner, a third-generation business owner, took over the business from his father years ago. He gave us a full tour and showed us the old printing presses they used, etc.My brother and I were genuinely interested. The printing press, developed by Johannes Gutenberg, is the greatest invention for human progress. Without books, we wouldnt be where we are today. Thats fascinating to me.The owner said, Ive never met anyone who actually asked abouthowwe print our books, magazines, flyers, etc.Not many people commit to learning. Thats why so many people are always bored. That shouldnt be a surprise to you by now.Step 3 Add valueIf you apply step 2, adding value becomes easy. When youre curious and ask questions, you learn. And when you learn, you will have more knowledge and ideas.When you have ideas, you can use them to improve your life, work, business, etc. Thats the logic.But that doesnt mean you should blatantly share your ideas and advice with e veryone. You know why?Just because you have a good idea or piece of advice, it doesnt mean you must tell the other person about it. People get offended quickly.The reasons is that advice can be perceived as criticism.Dale Carnegie writes about it exhaustively inHow To Win Friends And Influence People. You must be subtle when you try to add value. Carnegie saysDont criticize, condemn, or complainGive honest and sincere appreciationArouse in the other person an eager want- Its much better to let people realize something by themselves instead of trying to force them.Sometimes people email me and say that I need to change something about my blog. Your articles are too long Someone recently said. He clearly never read Carnegie.When it comes to adopting an active mindset more knowledge will not help you - only action will. People with a passive mindset think thats common sense. Theyre quick to think they already know things.But as you and I both know its not about what you know, its about what you do.The most important thing is that we commit to learning. If you stay assertive and try to help people (who want to be helped) in life and business, youll never be bored. Plus, youll keep making progress.And making progress (no matter how little) is the sure sign that you have an active mindset.Thisarticlefirst appeared onDarius Foroux.
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