Five Life Lessons

I saw an article recently that identified the “5 Lessons Most People Learn Way Too Late in Life.” I believe they apply to life and to leadership so I thought I would share these 5 things identified by author Alyssa Satara, and give you my thoughts about each:

Perception is reality – How people perceive you is reality. How you perceive others is also reality. So be intentional about managing how others perceive you and how you perceive the world. Seek to understand how you are perceived. Ask for feedback to know how others perceive you. Expand your perceptions of others by asking questions, checking for understanding, digging deeper to find out what you don’t know. Unfortunately, leadership is not what you say and do; leadership is how others perceive you. That is the reality.
Everything is temporary – The good times and the bad are all temporary. Don’t ever forget this. It will keep you from getting too high when things are good and too low when things are tough. So find the middle way. Believe in yourself and know that you will get through the rough times. But also know that the good times are also temporary. Expect that they will end so you aren’t surprised when they do.
The importance of being present – Satara shared this quote from Lao Tzu, “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” Don’t regret yesterday. Learn from it, but don’t regret it. Don’t fear tomorrow. Prepare for it, but don’t fear it. This is a key to happiness. Live in the present but also be present in your relationships. In this day of way too many electronic distractions, be intentional about being present. Put down the gadgets and listen, engage, communicate verbally and face-to-face. Be present.
Do what you love, love what you do – When you do what you love, you’ll work hard and be fully committed. Hard work and commitment are keys to success. So when you do what you love and love what you do, success is almost sure to follow. We work for many, many years. So you’ll enjoy life when you truly do what you love and love what you do.
Being happy takes work – But so does being unhappy. So choose to be happy and work hard to make it happen. Do the things that give you life. Do the things that energize you. Take care of your mind and body. These things take work, but if they lead to greater happiness, they are well worth the effort.

These are great lessons for life and for leadership. I hope you find them helpful. Please share other lessons or your thoughts on these below.

Thanks for reading,

Jim

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