It seems in today’s society, more so than ever, people have lost touch with the real, core fundemental aspect of life. The video below elaborates on this.
THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF LIFE
LIFESTYLE
6 WAYS TO GENERATE LASTING HAPPINESS
Note: This post contains quotes, excerpts and ideas taken directly from my upcoming book, Conquering Chaos- How to create your idyllic life.
“Tis the season to be jolly” after all, and what better way to dust off 2015 and kick gears into overdrive for 2016 than to talk about happiness. It’s a topic I’ve wanted to sink my teeth into for a long damn time and there’s no time like the present, right?
It’s my way of giving this season.
Without further ado, let’s hop to….
Point 1: Identify the reason (The why?)
Just so we’re on the same page, we all have a common goal and basic, universal purpose. Seeking ways to improve ourselves, lead happier more fulfilling and productive lives. (Thought so).
It’s like the very fabric of our existence is directed towards pursuing happiness in one way or another.
Unfortunately, we chase symptoms not solutions. Thus, never quite hitting the nail on the head. In many cases we chase our own tails and ask the wrong questions.
What am I getting at?
My point is simple.
Instead of being overly concerned with how? Or what? Start by asking why?
FIND YOUR REASON!!
Get at the core and purpose behind your undertaking of the actions, changes or outcome you’re seeking.
Flipping the script and using a little initiative goes a long way, especially if you want to put yourself in front of endless hordes of duped masses.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned and believe me it’s been one heck of an important personal lesson, it’s this:
Instead of asking how do I become happy or live happier? The real question to concern yourself with is: WHY DO I WANT TO BE HAPPY?
From a simple perspective, humans, like virtually all organisms are attracted to comfort. We don’t like pain. We’re wired to make choices and decisions that will in some way bring us pleasure. (Or at least that’s the idea. Not saying it always works out).
Frankly, the vast majority of the time you’ll find that by starting with the why, the how becomes clear.
So it’s worth repeating. Identify your why? And the how? Will fall into place.
Point 2: Understand the mind and body are merely tools
The longer I’ve been practicing and striving to reach the state of meditation, the more I’ve realized that real, lasting liberation comes from freeing yourself from attachment to the mind and body. It’s only when I began to see them for what they really are, (powerful tools and instruments to be utilized to really experience life to the full), that life began working in my favour.
(The following info presented below is sourced directly from the pages of Conquering Chaos).
“Essentially, what you perceive as your “identity” is really just a self-conjured image. Your identity is a product of your environment, it’s shaped and moulded by the people, places, and events that transpire around you.”
“Most people have a warped sense of themselves. (That’s a damn tragedy). They derive their identity from things like, career, wealth, status etc. The list is practically endless.”
In order to liberate yourself from the sheer magnitude of suffering, which I might add, is largely self created you have to really let the following statement sink in and hit home.
“You’re not your mind. You’re not your body. You are a being of untapped potential.”
“When you break away from identifying with the small part of yourself that is the mind and body. You tap into a feeling of liberation that many simply can’t or won’t fathom.”
“It’s only after dissolving the false sense of self/identity, discarding it, that you’re truly free to create and live life as a being of abundance.”
Meditation, over time will greatly help you to dissolve your attachment and create the distinction between the falsely created self and the true self.
Action step: (See point 3)
Point 3: Master the mind
“No greater form of duality exists than that of the human mind. It can be your greatest asset, while simultaneously your greatest weakness.”
This ties in perfectly with the earlier point, about seeing the mind and body as the tools they really are. The less you identify with them, the easier it becomes to master them.
The picture the mind creates rarely reflects the true nature and extent of the world around us. We can’t truly fathom the world around. Our perspectives are never 100% accurate.
“If you were to crack open the human skull, peeling back the layers, you’d find that most peoples minds are full of negative, self-sabotaging thoughts and emotions. The reality of the matter is if people learnt to make their minds work with them instead of against them, discarding the mental baggage and in the process generating positive thoughts and emotions that complimented their lives. They’d be much happier and break the cycle of self-inflicted misery.”
Action step:
If you don’t currently engage in some form of meditation on a daily basis, start immediately. (Seriously don’t wait for an invitation). Aim to work up to 1hr of quiet meditation. If you’re a beginner, start with 10-20mins daily and gradually increase the length as your concentration improves.
Just find a quiet place, get away from all the noise and crap of the outside world and sit silently. You can focus on your breathing or on the stillness and silence around to help drown out the majority of thoughts & emotions.
(I’m not going to get into the Nitty gritty of meditation. I’ve written an entire article on it before, and it’s something that’ll be covered extensively in Conquering Chaos.)
Point 4: Dissolve labels, and definitions
The day kids are thrown into the schooling system is the dawn of corruption and the seeds of soulless servitude are planted. In school we’re taught to think like damn robots. We engage in black and white thinking. If you happen to think outside of the box and question the system, or simply present a different viewpoint than the ones expressed (taught) by the teachers you’re branded an outcast or looked at like you have some learning difficulty, because “you don’t get with the program.”
Sadly, it’s not just limited to schools and work places.
This “boxed thinking” has become so prominent in every facet of society. It’s out of this way of thinking that has given rise to the incessant preoccupation with labelling and over defining elements in our environment.
But what’s this got to do with happiness?
Good question. Put it this way.
Why do labels, definitions and preconceived notions affect my happiness?
“It clutters the mind and diverts attention from that which truly matters. More often than not, it increases the likelihood negative characteristics like doubt, envy and jealously to be sewn into the mind. When you’re constantly focused on what’s going on around you? Who so and so is? You aren’t focused on living life to the max. And if you aren’t thriving you’re skiving on growth and joy that really should be yours.”
Point 5: Pursue self-mastery
“It’s not what we get that makes us happy, but who we become.” Tony Robbins.
“Happiness is a direct result of living to your full potential.”
True happiness, real happiness, lasting happiness etc. The list of names is endless. The terms themselves are actually irrelevant, even damn meaningless. However, for arguments sake we’ll just call it “true happiness.”
The most powerful method of instilling this state within is to understand this one principle I’m about to share.
I can’t stress the importance of grasping this point. It’s so critical that everything else on this list takes a back seat in comparison. Doing this one thing will bring about a significant shift in your experience of life and promote a sense of happiness far greater than anything else.
The only downside, though damn simple, it’s far from easy.
“True happiness, that is the ability to feel truly at peace with oneself, is a direct result of a person’s control over themselves, their thoughts, actions and emotions. To put it bluntly, self mastery is the key to true, lasting happiness.”
“Simply put, true happiness is the result of the combined development and unification of mind, body and spirit.”
“A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure.” Oscar Wild
Need I say more…. that quote pretty much says it all.
Point 6: Commit to your core values
“Trying to live someone else’s life is a surefire way to be constantly disappointed and unhappy.”
The major problem with the world today is this. People aren’t living their own lives. We’re too caught up trying to look, act and be something we’re not. Everyone on the planet is an individual, yet not everybody acts like they’re individuals. That’s why “group think” and hive mindedness is so prevalent.
In order to live powerfully and draw happiness into your life, it’s imperative you live in a way that enables you to utilise and act in accordance with your core values. IT’S A MUST!!
What are core values?
They’re the principles/beliefs you hold dearest. (They don’t necessarily need to beliefs that are religious in nature). They’re simply the principles that encourage you to seek the most out of life.
These are the values that make up the core of the person you are, the deeper sense of self or what many refer to as the “real you.” They empower life. Think of them like the fuse that drives you.
The best way to explain it is via example, and you can’t beat a personal example.
One of my biggest values is people. This was the key reason I had for developing this site. To share and help like-minded people who want unlock their highest potential and experience life to the fullest. That’s the core of the Uncaged Animal philosophy.
Core values can vary from person to person. Only you really know what you value most in life. It’s something nobody else can identify for you. These values are unique to the individual.
“Unfortunately, most people are so mixed up and out of alignment with their true values, it’s no surprise that misery is inevitably the only option. Happiness, success and the numerous other positive attributes simply can’t exist in a life that has no true sense of direction.”
“You’ll find you’re happiest when you live in alignment with your core values, ideals and principles, because you’re being you from the depths of your being. You’re not masquerading as someone else and not trying to live like someone else. You have your own life, own path and quirks that make you who and what you are, and that’s something no one else will ever have, that’s where the uniqueness comes into play. It’s something to truly cherish”
Action step:
If you haven’t currently figured out what your top values in life are, I suggest spending some quiet reflective “alone time.” Grab a pen & paper, iPad or smartphone, anything that you can use to jot things down.
Get insanely specific with your personal values. Really hone in on them. They’re so damn crucial.
Asking the following questions is a good starting point:
- What’s important to me?
- Why are they important to me?
Becoming aware is the first step towards understanding and sets up the path to improvement and change.
In fact, I recommend keeping a journal. I do, and it’s an incredibly effective way to gauge and reflect on your choices, outcomes and general life direction.
This is merely a taster of what’s in store.
A tiny fraction of the content being made available in Conquering Chaos.
NEXT STEPS
- Act on the points addressed. Understand them and begin integrating them into daily life. (Implemented correctly the results will be pleasantly surprising).
- If you found this post useful in anyway, sign up for free and get notified when more cool content becomes available, and stay updated on the developments of “Conquering Chaos.”
Any questions or comments, feel free to leave them down below. I’d love to know if you plan to use these points to improve life and work towards creating your ideal self.
I want you to realise the abundant power and potential within you. Going forth into 2016 and beyond.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLKS!!!
HOW TO BE THE DRIVER IN YOUR LIFE
The bottom line is this, you want success, happiness and fulfilment in your life. It’s all anyone really wants for themselves. YOU WANT TO BE IN THE DRIVING SEAT when it comes to your life’s outcome.
You’ve probably found yourself wondering on numerous occasions, how do I go about getting what I want in life? How do I get my life’s worth?
What I’m going to share with you is something you already know, but more than likely haven’t fully committed to. Seldom do people ever opt to do that which is emotionally challenging.
Why? The answer is obvious. IT’S DAMN UNCOMFORTABLE!
But….
Where there’s difficulty there’s development!!
You already know this. Deep down in the furthest, darkest depths of your soul you know this rings true, but you’ve been deceiving yourself. (I know I did for a very long time).
What you have to grasp is this. Human beings are organisms, and on a very basic, primitive level, have hardwired into their psyche a longing/ desire for comfort and ease.
Look at it objectively and logically. How many times has your mind led you in the polar opposite direction to what you initially intended?
Example: You know you need to go to the gym to keep your body in condition, yet your mind tells you it’s ok to skip it because you had a hard day at work.
That’s just one case. There’s more!!
Example: You’ve got work to do, but instead your mind tells you it’s ok to play video games or watch tv and get back to work later.
The dangerous part of this all, is the self-rationalisation that occurs. You ultimately convince yourself that you deserve to take it easy.
There’s no shame, it happens to the best of us.
Like I said earlier, “Humans are attracted to comfort.” (Or at least the idea and feeling of it).
The irony is that, by embracing the challenging path and demanding more of yourself, you’ll actually experience greater satisfaction and comfort as a result. It’s completely counterintuitive. Sounds crazy, but it damn sure is the case.
Now, I’m not saying that you should never take breaks or maintain and rigorous schedule all the time. However, chances are if you aren’t where you want to be in life or haven’t got the kind of results you want, you need to get your priorities straight and cut some comfort from your life.
To achieve your dreams and become a greater human being along the way you need to tread down the uncommon path.
I’ve always maintained that, “ Mediocrity is the far frequented path of many. The path of success is a lonely less traveled road.”
So if you demand more from life, you first need to demand more of yourself.
Do what’s emotionally challenging for you.
- If you always take hot showers, take a few cold ones.
- If you’re uncomfortable talking to people, you need to go out and talk to more people.
- If you love eating junk food and you need to lose weight, guess what you need to cut the crappy foods and start eating healthier.
- If you struggle with public speaking or speaking in front of crowds, you need to do it a few times to get over that fear.
At first the emotionally challenging thing seems daunting, but once you actually get into a habit of moving towards and challenging yourself, you grow and develop as a person.
Your personal development will improve and you’ll be more inclined to reaching success, happiness and fulfilment that others around you wish they could have.
In fact your peers and family will likely envy you. Take that as a sign that you’re making progress and keep going no matter what. Don’t be swayed by the opinions of others and don’t allow them to demean you.
“If you do what everybody else does, you’ll get what everybody else gets.”
So far we’ve just covered one simple principle, however, if implemented correctly, overtime it’ll pay off massively.
Now it’s all good and well doing things, even difficult things when you’re motivated to do them
I don’t care much for motivation, simply because it’s temporary. Motivation is a mind pump. Similar to the pump you’d experience in the gym, it comes and goes. It’s here now and gone an hour later.
The truth of the matter is, you’re going to encounter moments in life where you’ll be incredibly motivated to achieve your goals, but it is not a permanent state.
More often than not you’ll have to slog and go through downright hell to move closer to your goals. You’ve got to be mentally prepared to do the hard, emotionally difficult thing.
To develop the willpower, mindset and discipline necessary to get what you want in life.
That’s the real test, and if you can go through it you’ll emerge a stronger, better more efficient individual.
On the flip side, If you rely on motivation and succumb to using it like a crutch, you’ll never see your ambitions come to fruition.
In short, you’ve got to be prepared to do what is required, in spite of whether you feel amped to do it or not.
There are no shortcuts in life. If you want more, put in more effort and you’ll get more from it.
Ultimately the buck starts and stops with you. It’s your call. Take complete responsibility for every aspect of your life and understand all your successes and failures in life are on you.
Remember, “There’s no success without struggle.”
THE 3 STEP STRATEGY TO SUCCESS
Today folks, I’m going to cover something that’s so simple, yet massively critical to your success (or lack thereof) in virtually every facet of your life.
First up, I want to get something straight.
Despite the title of this article, the path to success is a largely unique and somewhat unknown journey. There is no clear-cut, single path to achieving success.
There is no “one size fits all” road map to success. Your success is going to be individual. It’s unique to you, your business, development etc. It’s in direct relation to your life situation.
You can’t recreate the exact same success of others. Your success is your success. See it as such.
Another point worth mentioning, that’ll save you a ton of frustration is:
When you take the first step towards your goals, it’s like stepping off into the unknown.
You’ll be forced into the darkness without any light.
You’ll come face to face with your biggest enemy. The enemy within.
It’s the unknown that scares the hell out of people and the biggest cause of procrastination. That fear of the unkown holds them back, preventing them from pursuing their passion.
Understand and accept the fact that you won’t have the answers to everything. (Especially in the beginning). You’ll figure things out as you gradually progress, grow in experience and ascend that success ladder.
The point of this article, is to give you the basic, essential steps to get you started on your journey of personal development, growth and without sounding to damn repetitive, SUCCESS.
Here goes…
THE 3 STEPS TO SUCCESS:
- Vision
- Action
- Hard Work
Step 1: Vision
Have a clear, precise vision. What do you have to impart onto and impact this world? What part do you have to play? How can you add value and lead to the betterment of humanity and the world around?
Personal example: When I created WARRIOR 101, I had a distinct vision to help others realize their potential to get into the best shape they could. It was based on my own experience and what I’d found to be effective in my own physique pursuit.
Step 2: Action
Once you have your vision, go forth and work endlessly to see it come to fruition. Put your soul and entire being into fuelling whatever you seek to create. Ultimately you’ve got to take the initiative and JUST FRIGGING DO IT.
Personal example: Having clearly laid out the vision, I got to work, writing, illustrating and compiling everything together. It took months of work, since I was doing everything myself.
Nights spent editing, re-writing interspersed with days spent working on illustrations and taking photos.
I wrote. I wrote till my fingers bled and my nails turned blue, then I wrote some more. (Just my little Fight Club parody).
Which brings me onto the next point.
Step 3: Hard, Hard, Work
Work your ass off. Once you’ve taken the plunge, work diligently to achieve your goals and reach your pinnacle.
Realise and understand that you will face struggles, battle hardships along the way. Hey, Life’s hard. The universe will present challenges to you.
They’re tests to see how committed you are to your initial vision.
Do you have the conviction to follow through and see it to completion?
It’s simple, fairly basic stuff that, once you grasp and utilise will greatly benefit from. (I know I have).
We all know this deep down inside. In fact anybody that ever achieved anything noteworthy used these basic steps to get the ball rolling and propel them.
It’s like the skeleton, the backbone of achievement.
Unfortunately, few of us actually ever take the time to implement. It’s an unfortunate consequence of the world we live in today.
The pace of life is driving us to want results now, without putting in the time and effort to earn it.
This is apparent via the sheer number of people sucking and leeching on the system, claiming benefits for which they have no entitlement.
Essentially it comes down to this:
If you haven’t worked and sweated to earn something, you won’t appreciate the true value. It’s just another dispensable item.
I’m on this journey, like the rest of you. I haven’t reached the pinnacle of my success, if there is such a thing.
However, I’ve gone through a hell of a lot of personal development and growth and created a successful mental, physical and spiritual shift within.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the course of this journey and from where I am at currently, it’s this:
Invest in yourself. Invest in your personal growth and development.
Choose and read books that quench your thirst for learning and betterment. The way you live your life is what ultimately makes you successful. Live with purpose and you’ll cultivate the success you seek.
WHAT SPARKS YOUR SOUL?
During the Christmas period, I was fortunate enough to adventure and journey through southern Spain. It was during this time I found myself questioning the journey, the path I was on. This way of the warrior, the traveller, the adventurer.
It’s in adventure we gain a new perspective on our lives, learn new things about ourselves and the world around us. Travel opens our outlook on the world and helps us to get a deeper sense of our position within the world.
In my case adventure time is reflective time. It’s a time to try and experience new things, sure. It’s also a time to look at where you are right now in your journey (life) and evaluate how far you’ve come and where you’re headed.
Whether you’re traveling to foreign lands, or commuting to the office, there’s plenty of opportunities to grow and improve at hand. All you have to do is reach out and take them.
Maybe you’ve strayed off the beaten track, no worries. Now’s your chance to get the hell back on that damn path and press on with your mission. Everyday, week, month, year is a new opportunity for development and growth. Cease that sucker with both hands and you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.