Stop buying and start creating: a simple (but effective) step towards fulfillment
In order to achieve a more fulfilled personal and professional life, we do not need to buy more material goods than those we already have. At Lingfy.com we try our best everyday to separate the wheat from the chaff so we can concentrate on what’s essential. It is a very simple way of thinking yet we need to remember it regularity!
On the consumerism hangover following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we need to remember ourselves that we don’t need to buy more stuff to move forward towards our life goals. We already have the material goods we need to execute an excellent job, so forget about that expensive course that will help you get a job promotion or that fancy and ridiculously expensive photo camera that will give you the World Press Photo award.
Never mind splashing hundreds or thousands of dollars on a “powerful” laptop, when that machine will only execute what you tell it so. I believe it’s time to deliberately think about our needs and the way we can reach our most fulfilling goals.
We can try to do a free online course or buy a second hand camera before our hobby turns serious or simply looking at our laptop with a different look and think about the infinite possibilities that single machine can open to you. Nobody doubts that if Beethoven was alive today, he could play piano better than 99,9% of the population even if he only had access to a cheap and basic piano.
Never before in the history of mankind we had so many available resources, tools and information. Technology allows you to create and share content to a global audience looking at their screens searching for information and entertainment. But if, on the one hand, the possibilities of progress are endless, on the other hand, that immensity of choices causes us in many ways anxiety and stress that often lead to paralysis and procrastination.
In 1967, Nobel prize winner Herbert Simon said that information consumes attention, consequently a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention. How many of us have already encountered groups of youngsters with their eyes glued to their smartphones? Or a couple in a restaurant that checks the endless stream of information from social media instead of talking to each other? Or almost having a car accident because we were checking our phones?
At Lingfy we’re tech enthusiasts and we want to make the most of it to make translation processes simpler and more efficient. We do this by providing an online platform that allows customers to access a wide variety of highly qualified professionals and, on the other hand, by investing in creating the best possible conditions for translators to concentrate on what is essential: write quality texts of quality that meet or even surpass the expectations of our customers.
The ingredients of a startup
If you search the steps that entrepreneurs must take to lead their startups to success, you’ll face a wealth of information that is most of the times contradictory. That literature sugests among other things: we need to carefully think about what we are good at, analyze what moves us and our passion and then find a different way of doing things that distinguish us from the competition. Then we need to validate our idea with as many people as possible, to develop a business plan, to prepare a “pitch” for potential investors, fill out long application forms to all sorts of incentives to entrepreneurship, then we have to define a marketing plan in order to apply for funding, to create online content and measure its impact, publish that content on social media and manage the interaction with potential customers, deal with accounting, etc, etc.
My pulse soars every time I reread these words. In fact, to be an entrepreneur involves i some degree all of these actions, however, the main activity should be in my own perspective, to focus our attention on the essential tasks and to eliminate distractions that are around.
The competition for our attention and our precious time is fierce! It looks like the world is competing for our attention, either to buy stuff, to ask us for help or just listen to their ideas, so we can buy their stuff later. These requests come from almost everywhere: our family and friends on facebook and WhatsApp, the “famous” on TV and Youtube, etc. Obviously we cannot turn into hermits, isolated from the rest of the world, because we are social beings, but we certainly require lots of discipline and willpower to stick to healthy habits, that will deviate us from instant gratification and lead us to our long term goals.
Why not try something new?
Passion grows with time when we enjoy doing something because it leaves fulfilled. We don’t need to think hard to realize what we are good at. I suggest that you stop thinking about what you enjoy doing and start thinking about what you do best, which isn’t necessarily the same.
In the school playground children do not meet to gather to discuss and debate the most efficient activity that can occupy their time with so they can optimize their time. No. As soon as the bell rings they run like there is no tomorrow and start playing. They’re open to new experiences because they know that before deciding if they like to do something or not, they have to try it first.
At some point in our lives that changes. As adults we have so much to learn from children, because they know that more important than the choice is experiencing things. Not always what we are good at gives us joy and pleasure even for those who love their job. It’s just the way life is, sometimes we feel good, sometimes not so good and sometimes we feel terrible and feeling like giving up. We must learn to cope with bad moments and be grateful for everything we have and achieved in life.
In my years in college sport was never a priority to me. Quite the contrary! I wasn’t into exercise and my favourite sport was watching soccer games on TV while enjoying a cold beer. Sometimes I played soccer with friends, but if anyone asked me if I wanted to go for a run, I would most probably reply with a laughter. Fast forward 20 years when I completed my first half-marathon in less than two hours. What has changed? I started to run because it was an healthy habit? Because I wanted to lose weight? Because it was fashionable? No, no and no. I started to run regularly because I tried it and…I really enjoy it. It’s as simple as that!
Focus on action!
The decision to found a startup is not easy. The risk involved is high and we face being jobless and penniless or even worse, the shame of things going wrong and the way others might think of us. Thomas A. Edison said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10.000 ways that won’t work”.
When we plan a project we usually start by thinking of the things we need to achieve that goal and, many times, we forget about execution. It’s not uncommon people to consider buying a new notebook if they’re planning to work on video editing or graphic design for example, or buying an expensive smartphone because it’s fast and cool.
Recently, a fruit and veg shop opened in my neighborhood to my great delight as most of the fruit sold in large supermarkets is tasteless. That shop had a few stalls with the products but decoration was basic and they also didn’t invest much on decoration and advertising, besides sending a handful of flyers in the neighborhood. As they increased their sales, they started to invest in a variety of products, including frozen food for the customers’ convenience. That’s a great way to start and grow a business: small and calculated steps!
My (short) experience as entrepreneur, tells me that we should not hesitate to introduce ourselves as entrepreneurs because we assume that role, soon after we start acting on our ideas and go from theory to practice. This step is crucial because to act in a consistent and deliberate manner in order to achieve our goals is really hard and requires commitment and a strong willpower. When we act consciously and intentionally towards executing the tasks that can lead us to achieve our dreams, is without any doubts the best way to bring us satisfaction and fulfillment. We feel that when we know we’re on the right track to develop our full potential.
Act now!
Less is undoubtedly more. Everyone knows that buying material goods it’s the shortest path to instant gratification and increase levels of frustration as well. This is a habit we learn as members of the consumer society. It’s increasingly difficult to change the course of our lives towards the path of sustainability, personal development, gratitude and, especially, creating empathy with others. Studies shown us that people with stronger social bonds are more likely to be happier, have better health and live longer!
The day will certainly come when we realize that time is too precious to be wasted with trivialities and objects which we know don’t lead to happiness.
Very few realize that when they’re young, some reach that conclusion later in life, but what we need to avoid at all costs is to reach that conclusion too late and looking back at our lives and thinking of it as a waste of time and energy. People are not afraid to die, they’re just afraid to live empty and frivolous lives!
Different people act according to different motivations. I personally think that when we constantly live concerned and frustrated by insignificant things, we are on the wrong path. It is up to each one of us act to resist the easy and shortest path to instant happiness, to roll up our sleeves and get down to work, try new things, make mistakes, but above all, never stop trying!
Curious how quality translations could help your organization reach new international customers? Get an instant quote at Lingfy.com or drop us a line at hi@lingfy.com
