"Whatever can be measured grabs our attention. How much money we make. How much weight we can lift. How many bedrooms are in the house.
And once we notice a number, it is natural to want to improve it. We find ourselves wondering how to make more money, lift more weight, add another bedroom. What is measurable becomes what is important. Not because it matters more, but because it is easier to see.
Sometimes a new perspective is helpful. Rather than asking, "How can I get more?" Try asking, "What is an inspiring way to live?"
---
"Large, sweeping changes often sound good in theory, but the faster you try to change your life, the more likely you are to backslide. Real change is inch by inch. Go out and win the next five minutes."
---
"Achievements are great. It is satisfying to accomplish something. It feels good to win. And many achievements make the world a better place, too.
But also remember to ask, "What am I really trying to accomplish here?" You may realize the goal is not to write a best-selling book or earn that promotion or get into medical school, but rather to build a life you enjoy. And there are many versions of a life you enjoy.
It is often the case that if you can release the narrative of "I have to do this" to be happy, then a different (but equally lovely) life is waiting for you."
---
"Plenty of growth can be found in removing your vices, but the real leaps are unlocked when you stop clinging to your comforts."
---
"Whether you have ten years left or a hundred years left, your life is an incredibly brief moment. We know for sure you won't be here in a century.
But today? Today you are in the Great Experience of Life. And this moment you have right now might as well be the most important moment in the universe. Your time is thin. Go out and live fully now."
---
"The recipe for frustration is taking on something that requires a whole person, but only giving it half your time.
Look at what you're trying to do. What is required? Some things can only be done well when they are pursued with full effort."
---
"It's hard to learn when you feel defensive.
Relax. You are capable and you can recover from whatever you face.
You can accept feedback without taking it personally. What is this moment teaching you?"
---
"When you ignore a problem that is small enough to handle, it often grows into a problem too big to manage."
----
"All the water in the world cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. All the negativity in the world cannot sink a person unless it gets inside the mind."
---
"The secret of being happy consists of knowing how to enjoy yourself—enjoy being at table, in bed, enjoy standing up, sitting down, enjoy the nearest ray of sunshine, the slightest bit of landscape: in other words, love everything."
---
"When you meet someone new, don't ask: What do you do? It limits what people share about themselves to a job description.
Instead, try: What do you love to do? It ignites curiosity and invites people to express their distinctive interests."
---
"Learn to love the interruptions. Find the fun in the delay, the humor in the challenge, the pleasure in the daily commute.
A great deal of life is spent dealing with interruptions and waiting for the conditions to turn. We think, "If I can just get past this, then things will open up." But the interruption is not standing between you and your life. It is your life.
Yes, I prefer hassle-free days too. But you'll rarely find a situation that is all bad. There are little pockets of joy folded inside the annoyances we face. There is always fun to be had, if you go looking for it.
This is one of the arts of living. It's the art of enjoying the imperfect days. It's the art of making all the moments count."
---
"This day will never come again and anyone who fails to eat and drink and taste and smell it will never have it offered to them again in all eternity. The sun will never shine as it does today."
---
When you find yourself feeling stuck or beginning to dwell on what you can't do, regain control with this simple question:
What can I do?
---
"Darkness is preparation for light.
Sadness is preparation for joy.
Failure is preparation for success.
But only if you keep going and remain open to what comes next."
---
"Getting what you want out of life largely boils down to (1) the story you tell yourself and (2) where you direct your attention.
What story do you tell yourself about what has happened to you, what you're capable of, and what you hope to achieve? Is the conversation in your head each day empowering and encouraging you, or holding you back?
And are you taking control and directing your attention toward what matters or merely letting inertia pull you along? Most things don't matter and most actions won't deliver a result. Focus.
Master your internal monologue and master your daily attention. Most tips, tricks, and tactics ultimately come back to these two things."
----
"If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but still the same amount of snow."
---
"Learning and enjoyment are the secret to a fulfilled life. Learning without enjoyment wears you down, enjoyment without learning dulls you."
---
"Your first attempt might not be very good, but nobody's early work is good. There will always be a gap between where you are and where you want to be. And the bridge between that gap is courage. The courage to look foolish in the beginning. The courage to show up again when your early work is criticized. The courage to look yourself in the mirror and say, "I realize I'm not good enough yet, but the only way to get better is to keep working on it."
---
"You should always be rooting for the people you know. Not only because you may need their support tomorrow, but also because it feels good to celebrate something.
Celebration can rescue your day—even if it is someone else's victory. Envy will ruin your day—even if you're actually winning."
---
"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between work and play; labor and leisure; mind and body; education and recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both."
