Establish your values and get to know yourself well. Know what you want and why. The hardest part in life is not getting what you want, but knowing what you want.
Do what you love and what you’re good at, as much as you can. Get really good at it, and make it better every time.
Commit to small projects that you can finish, and then finish them every time. Every finished project will build confidence in yourself and build a portfolio of finished work you can show others.
Start with the end in mind (the goal). Use the end goal to work backwards to guide you to the finish line. Any project can be accomplished a step at a time.
Follow through with your word and only commit to things you know you can do. Whether you commit to yourself or someone else, follow through — every time. This build confidence in yourself and will help build a strong reputation.
Talk less, Listen more. Don’t run around telling people all the awesome things you are going to do, just do them and surprise people.
Under promise, over deliver. Be humble in what you say you can accomplish so that you can outperform their expectations.
Be confident and believe in yourself, because you can do anything you set your mind to. If you fall short or make a mistake, don’t dwell on it or beat yourself up. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep hustling.
Work harder than anybody you know, and make time for play and to relax. Hard work always pays off, but don’t lose yourself in it.
Watch for self-sabotage. Most of us sabotage ourselves in big or small ways. Watch for things that are bringing you down.
Surround yourself with the most successful and positive people you can find. You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Eliminate toxic people.
Exercise every day, especially outside in fresh air. It will make the difference in your life and help your creativity.
Trust your instincts and your intuition. The more you trust them and follow them, the stronger they will become.
Make time for friends and family, and be present with them. Put down the phone. Listen more. Future you will be glad you did.
Act and speak with honesty, kindness and integrity, in all situations.
Set ambitious goals in a variety of categories — professional, personal, financial, academic etc. Write them down. Visualize yourself achieving them when you go to sleep. Make a plan and try to smash them.
Manage and spend your time wisely. It is your most valuable asset right now. Use your time achieving your goals. Use your time relaxing and recharging. Use your time in healthy activities like exercise and building solid quality friendships.
Use your calendar. Schedule time for important things. Notice where you spend time doing things that don’t contribute to your goals.
Find the most talented people who do what you want to do and learn from them. Reach out to high achieving, talented people and offer to help them or ask them a meaningful question.
Be bold. Take calculated risks that are aligned with your goals. Nobody ever achieved anything great in safety and comfort.
Always consider the consequences, and learn to take responsibility without becoming defensive or making excuses. This is a skill that shows humility and maturity, and will take you a long way. Apologize when you have hurt someone, but do not over apologize for every little thing.
Learn to forgive yourself and others. Do not hang onto anger or resentment, especially toward yourself.
Rethink failure. In every failure there is hidden opportunity if you can see clearly through it without fear or shame. Fail forward, fail with humility, and fail with growth in mind.
Embrace a growth mindset and commit to becoming better every day. A better artist, a better friend, a better son, a better neighbor. Try new techniques, learn new skills, experiment.
Make friends with fear, it is not your enemy. When you see it, it is there to show you where the opportunities are.
Find a worthwhile organization and volunteer. It will change your life.
Accept your limitations and your weaknesses, but focus on your strengths. If you are a great writer and a decent editor but editing takes up a ton of time because it doesn’t come naturally or causes you stress, find an editor so you can focus on what you do best.
Soak up every minute. Life is short. Breath deep. Look people in the eye. Listen as if it was the last conversation you will hear. Be unapologetically intense.
Practice gratitude. Make a practice of identifying the opportunities, people, and situations that you are grateful for. Express your gratitude to others.
Become a master of your tools. Whatever the tools of your trade and the skills involved in deploying them, dedicate time to become a master of your craft.
Find a mentor, be a mentor. Find a mentor who is accessible, and become a mentor to someone who you think you could genuinely help on the path.
Develop self-awareness. Get in touch with your feelings, motivations, and limitations. If you are feeling depressed or anxious, pay attention to where it’s coming from. Do you need to go out to the mountains, go listen to music, eat a healthy meal?
Mind your body, it is where it all begins. Eat healthy and tune into the foods that feel good and avoid what makes you feel bad. Drink water. Meditate. Breathe. Exercise. The importance of self-care and self-love cannot be overstated.
Dress well. Sounds superficial, but it’s the first impression you make on someone.
Make an impression and learn names wherever you go. Server at the restaurant, barista at Starbucks, everywhere. Make sure people know who you are, too.
LEARN CONSTANTLY. Read books, listen to podcasts, sign up for Audible.com, find thought leaders you admire and soak up knowledge.
Take risks and be without regret, but always consider the consequences. You may only get one shot at an opportunity, otherwise you may be writing a note to your younger self one day wishing you had taken that leap. Just go for it.
There is no substitute for action. No amount of planning or pondering will make your dreams come true. I believe you are destined for great things, so get out there and get to work. The only thing stopping you is you.
