Focus To Become A Better You

5 attributes to develop greater personal effectiveness. 

People are often held back by mental barriers that impose glass ceilings on themselves and lead to a less purposeful life. Utilize these five attributes in synergy to start peeling away your mental barriers and unleash your destined potential.

1. F — Fervor: an intense and passionate feeling
   The ability to learn and dedicate yourself to something requires a high level of fervor. You will not be able to master something and excel if you do not have an absolute love for what you do. Identify the one thing you wish to master that would become a unique skill. Funnel and focus your love and energy into discipline and mastery. This will maximize your learning speed and retention of the skill over time. Find something that makes you come alive.
   “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive, then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman
2. O—Optimism: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.
   As you put yourself out there and seek out opportunities, you will need the power of optimism. Optimistic people encounter more luck and serendipity in their lives and opportunity comes second nature; you often have that one friend who seems to always strike gold—put yourself in a space of high frequency in interactions and you will become that lucky person. Optimism enables you to see things with a greater field of vision, widening your chances of aligning with the stars. This trait grows from within, discover what makes you experience joy, contentment and love and you will find this place happy place.
   “For myself I am an optimist — it does not seem to be much use to be anything else.”
   ― Winston Churchill
3. C—Character: the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
   Your character is fundamentally one of the most important things that contribute to a meaningful life. Character is built through your actions and habits that are developed over your lifetime from cradle to grave. What you do in this lifetime will become your character. The people around you, the thoughts you communicate, the choices you make, it is all a part of your identity and your character. So go ahead, put yourself out there as character is not developed in silence. Release the sails and set yourself from the safety of the harbour. Embark on experiences that enable you to find clarity in your character. Develop a character that people will respect. When you’ve left the room, your character will be the story that people tell of you.
   “Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.”
   —Albert Einstein
4. U—Unwavering: Steady or resolute; not wavering.
   Your character will play a significant role in this attribute. Leadership requires a solid foundation to lead from and also the agility to navigate the uncertainty of the future. It is essential that you develop the resilience, determination and adaptability to flourish even amongst challenges. People laugh at your ideas, your dreams, your appearance, the list goes on; but what they cannot do is strip you of your character so long as you do not waiver and give up. Stay true to yourself and ground yourself—but also be flexible and open to new ways of thinking to advance your perspective of the world.
   “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
   — Harriet Beecher Stowe
5. S—Serenity: the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.
   Nobody wants to follow the man on fire. There are enough woes in the world that if you are to lead—you need to show the world that they can trust, believe and buy into your vision for the future. Whether you are simply being pragmatic or idealistic—being a peace with the world enables you to have clear mind when making important decisions have unforeseen consequences. Life will always present us with problems, but if we were to freakout at each one, we would never get anywhere. Be okay with not being okay. Find serenity in yourself through self awareness; and in the world by exposing yourself and engaging new environments. Travelling and introspection is often one of the greatest ways to learn how to appreciate life more deeply because it presents us with a new view on what we thought we knew.
   “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
   ― Laozi

By FOCUSing your efforts over time through these five attributes, you will gradually become more self aware of your own personal growth. Developing your potential happens over time; be patient but be proactive.

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Thank you for reading—these key attributes resonated with me throughout my leadership journey. I originally developed this concept in presentation for AIESEC Canada’s national president’s meeting on how to become the best you.

Please help spread the inspiration by recommending and sharing the energy. Would love to hear your thoughts @gdondon. Cheers!

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