1. Everyone is insecure about something, it’s not just you
You face doubts and uncertainties, every day of your life. Does this dress make you look fat? Will you know anyone at that conference or are you doomed to sit alone? What if you forget the words to your speech or song? Guess what? You are not alone. Everyone suffers from these doubts and insecurities in life, big and small, from the poorest beggar to the richest entrepreneur. A study from UBS Investor Watch[1] showed that millionaires suffer from insecurities too! Just when you thought that the rich had nothing over to fret about, you learn that they worry about losing their money. Undoubtedly, there has been more than one First Lady or female CEO who has asked herself if she looks big in that dress! Everyone feels insecure about something at one point or another, regardless of status. The trick is to NOT let it rule your life. Don’t let that dress keep you from going to a party or the fear of forgetting your lines stop you from giving that speech. We are all human and prone to mistakes and fears. Accept it and move on.
2. You will regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did wrong
Mark Twain once said: “20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.” He then urged his readers to sail forth, sail away from safe harbors, and, “Explore, dream, discover.” Palliative nurse and author Bronnie Ware penned a book titled, Top Five Regrets of Dying[2]. Working for eight years with hospice and terminal patients, she found that the top regret of a dying person was that “they did not have the courage to live a life true to themselves and instead lived lives others expected of them.” They regretted not living their own dreams. Other regrets were not spending time with family, working too hard, and not expressing their true feelings. In the end of life, you won’t feel disappointed with yourself for having made mistakes, but you will regret not tackling the items on your bucket list. You’ll be remorseful over not spending more time with your family and loved ones. And you will lament over not trying to fulfill your dreams. Change your mindset and let that motivate you to live a life you will never regret.
3. If it doesn’t suck, it’s not worth doing
You are probably laughing at this one. If it sucks, why would you do it, right? This tip comes from Ironman Triathlete and US Navy SEAL David Goggins who lives his life by the 40% rule[3]. When your mind tells you that you are finished, you are actually only 40% done. Once you realize this, you can choose to push yourself the remainder of that 60%. You are still capable, but you are stepping beyond your comfort zone. No one who made it to the summit of Mount Everest compared their experience to a walk in Central Park, yet they pushed themselves onward with low oxygen levels, facing altitude sickness, freezing cold, and made it to the top. Challenges were meant to be difficult. Not only do they test the limits of your body, but they also expand your mind. When you conquer what you once viewed as an impossible feat, you’ve pressed beyond your comfort zone. Your self-confidence soars. You won’t feel the same effect from sitting on the couch and watching television. If it sucks to some degree, it’s hard. Nothing worth having comes easy, like cross-country cycling, calculus, redesigning your website, and traveling to Mongolia. Sure it will prove to be an arduous challenge, but the rewards are worth it! Once you realize these three truths in life, you can let go of the worry. Everyone feels insecure about something. Accept it. Don’t let that fear paralyze you. Not living your dreams will be your biggest regret. Make a plan to live a life of no regrets. And if it doesn’t suck, don’t do it. Switch off that movie, put your phone down, and go find a challenge that will expand your body and mind. This is not a dress rehearsal. You only have this life. Make it count. Featured photo credit: David Mark via pixabay.com
