Things you should learn sooner rather than later

As it usually happens, we learn from our own mistakes, or as they say where I come from: "If you get bitten by a snake, you will be afraid of the tiniest of lizards".However, it is waaay better if we learn from other people's mistakes, knowing upfront that snakes have a sharp set of teeth will save you some trouble, will it not? Use that wisdom that other people gathered, trust those few good friends you have when they start telling you about snakes and how badly the snake bite hurts. That said, here are several good points from Debbie Millman, an american writer/designer, followed with some of my comments and opinions. I read these opinions of hers and I find them being a subtle example of eternal wisdom. All of the points are well worth the effort of achieving them:
  1. If you are not making mistakes, you are not taking enough risks. True as it gets. There is no such thing as success without leaving your comfort zone.The ship is very safe when it sits in the harbor but that is not why the ships are built right? And although open sea often means wreckage and death for the ship and ship's crew, they are still taking the risk and go for the horizon.For sure, be careful about which risks do you take, but taking none, will not take you too far.
  2. Expect that anything that is worthwhile, will take time. Rome was not built in a day. If you need to wait for your dreams to come true, trust me, that is normal.
  3. Work very, very hard. Again, each and every success, each masterpiece, every great thing you know of is a result of years and decades of hard studying, training, learning, whatever. Hard work is a de facto minimum for you to achieve anything good in your life, and there is not even any space for negotiation there.As Pablo Picasso once said on inspiration:"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working".
  4. Ask for opporunities. Mobilize yourself. Chances are not going to come to your door asking you to take them. You will need to move your ass (or as they say in UK- arse :D), search for them, find them and grab them.
  5. Finish what you start. Always. Half-done things are a complete waste of time, and time is a powerful illusion that costs money. If you wasted time on something at least finish it so that you would have some value for all that time you spent doing it. Who knows, maybe at the end you will end up liking what you did :).
  6. Say yes to almost everything. Don't miss on opportunities.If you have space in your schedule, and if you are not causing damage, try different pathways that are opening in front of you. And do so bravely. And of course, responsibly :). Getting into a van with tinted windows with a man that looks like a serial killer, will probably not be a good thing to say yes to.
  7. Busy is a decision. I was riding in a cab once, all thrown into thoughts about a project I was working on, and how much work I still have to do.The cab driver noticed this and asked me "If you don't mind me asking, is there anything that bothers you?". I answered "Nothing special, I have a lot of work and I am rather busy, that's all". He replied "Well, maybe you need some time off?". Lucky man, I thought to myself. Has no clue what it means to be a busy bloke as myself. "No", I replied, "I cannot afford taking a vacation right now, maybe when I'm done with this whole thing I'm working on". And then, to prove me wrong, he said "There is no end to work. I know your type, always finding something to be busy with. If you do not pull a break in your life once in a while, nobody will do that for you.". The man left me speechless.I was so wrong in my smug evaluation that he did not know what it means to be busy. Actually, I was the ignorant one there. You will be busy as much as you decide you are. Granted, deadlines and contracts still exist, but sometimes, we are just getting into a loop out of which we can get out only by our own choice and decision.
  8. Don't censor your dreams before you actually dream. Or in other words, dare to dream. If you want something, dream of it. Daily, nightly, whatever, but form that dream in your mind, and form it as you want it to be.Dreams become active thoughts, thoughts become plans, plans become actions, actions become your reality.
  9. In order to strive for a remarkable life, you have to decide you want one. Determination is a big part of the game. There will be ups and downs on your road to achieving what you want, but determination is one thing that will keep you straight. If Columbus had given up before discovering America, the world map would seem somewhat different today, don't you think?
  10. It is only a failure if you accept defeat. Never give up. It ain't over until it's over, and you are the one deciding when it's over.Fight until you get what you want.

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