- Exercise
I used to be lazy. Like really lazy. As in, I'd drive to the convenience store down the street instead of walking there.
I hated exercising and thought people who played sports or went to the gym were wasting their time.
Then one summer, I started asking myself a lot of questions - questions about why I felt like I was not growing as a person (physically, emotionally, mentally, etc.). I wondered why my drive and self-motivation in life was deeply lacking.
So, after reading many self-improvement posts and seeing exercise consistently listed as the top habit to pick up, I went to the gym for the first time. Then a second. And a third.
And soon I made it a habit to go to the gym after class Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On the off days and weekends, I'd run or play sports with my friends.
Some changes I've noticed:
- Felt less lethargic and more energized during the day.
- Greater sense of self-confidence
- Greater sense of self-discipline and time management
- Met new people at the gym or through sports
- More driven, motivated, and productive throughout the day
- Read
When you read a book, it is like drawing from a well of knowledge, wisdom, and insight from a plethora of individuals all available at your disposal.
Reading also helps you develop stronger analytical skills, helps your brain stay engaged and healthy, and may teach you to form an opinion about certain topics.
I've made it a habit to shut off my computer around midnight (if I'm not doing anything productive) and pick up a book before I go to sleep.
During my commute to and from school, I'm reading instead of sleeping (not that napping is a bad thing). When I'm waiting in between classes and not studying or doing homework, I pull out a book.
Some changes I've noticed:
- Developed a greater interest in a variety of topics
- Became more learned about human experiences and condition
- Increased focus and concentration
- Greater desire to dive deeper into anything I am learning about
- Have another thing to talk about with people
Some books I'm currently reading: Man's Search for Meaning, Siddhartha, The Power of Habit, Franny and Zooey, Freakonomics, and Ethics (by Dietrich Bonhoeffer).
- Solve programming challenges each day
Or do crossword puzzles. Or play a game of chess when you get home. Anything that keeps your brain active and thinking in new and different ways.
If you do not know any programming languages, make it a habit to learn at least one and work on it a little day by day.
Even if you do not end up using programming in your occupation, it is a great way to become a more logical and critical thinker as you stretch your mind solving difficult (but fun!) problems. (Plus, you will have an extra skill set to list on your resume that may set you apart from other candidates).
Some changes I've noticed:
- Developed stronger problem solving skills
- Developed sharper, more rational thinking about problems that come up in my other classes or in everyday life. (Programming teaches you to devise a plan with which you will solve a problem. Having a plan makes you 50% closer to the solution).
Some places to practice coding: HackerRank, Project Euler, LeetCode, What are good coding challenges websites?
- Get rid of bad habits
I apologise, as this falls under your "counter-example" habit, but I sincerely believe that for good habits to take hold, bad habits must go.
Reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg really helped me with this one.
One summer, I would spend all day watching Anime, TV shows and movies, and playing games or surfing Reddit. That was all I did. I interacted with few people and spent most of the time feeling lazy.
My productivity and personal drive were unforgivably low, and I knew this was a huge problem in my life so I started to make changes starting by cutting out video games. And then social media and TV.
Many people often talk about wanting to have more motivation in their general life, or in a specific area of their life. But because motivation is a feeling, it is not something we should strive for.
Instead, focus on smaller areas in your life that needs improvement. Self-improvement begins with self-discipline, which builds good habits which in turn impacts your life in positive and significant ways.
Stop checking your phone so often. Turn off Facebook notifications on your phone (makes a HUGE difference). Kill Your Facebook News Feed. Avoid mindless entertainment: stop playing video games, turn off your T.V., don't watch that next YouTube video.
Spend that time exercising, reading, having meaningful conversations with your colleagues, or learning a marketable skill. Or, explore your city, try new restaurants, go hiking and find 'secret', secluded areas.
Time is truly the only non-renewable resource we have. Once it's gone, there's no way of getting it back.
Learning to get rid of bad habits was one of the most helpful habits I picked up.
- Meditate
The fact that you are reading this from your computer or mobile device means that you are more privileged than about 85% of the rest of the world.
Give thanks daily for what you have, strive to make the world a better place with the resources given to you. Be kind to those around you. Keep an open mind because everyone is different and comes from different backgrounds.
Figure out what matters to you in life, but realize that what you value may not be what others value. Learn to accept those differences.
People come in and out of our lives. It's something we can't always control. This is hard to accept, but it is necessary for us to learn, grow, and move on.
Don't judge others. It's impossible to fully understand someone you just met, and even someone you've known for a while. So don't judge those who you do not even know, because you cannot even begin to understand who they are or the things they have been through or are going through.
If you find yourself focusing on the bad in someone, ask yourself, "Am I any better?" We are all screwed up people. What good does it do to try and elevate yourself higher on a moral level?
Learn to forgive. Realize that some people may never love or accept you no matter what you do. The best response is to just love and accept them as another human being.
I take 10 minutes a day reflecting on these things. You can afford to take 10 minutes out of your day to be still and give thanks.
Some changes I've noticed:
- Feel more at peace with myself and the world
- Have a greater desire to understand others
- Have greater compassion towards others
- Learned to forgive others who hurt me
- Learned to be less judgmental of others
- Learned to be thankful of the opportunities I have in life that so many others do not have
These are habits that I slowly developed over time, and I have been able to see improvements in many areas of my life because of them.
The most important habit I have learned to practice, however is...
Learn to have a good attitude in life.
Read Vidyanand Wagh's answer to "What is a short story which can enlighten me on life problems?"
Life is an endless cycle of choices and changes. You can choose to embrace and accept them, or you can choose to resist them. You always have two choices.
Read other answers by Peter Hong on Quora: Read more answers on Quora.
from Quora http://ift.tt/2ad5gir
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