4 Ways To Live A More Fulfilled Life

If you’re like most people, chances are you’re probably very hard on yourself. I think we’re all generally hardest on ourselves. Especially if you have high standards. I also think there’s an argument to be made that sometimes we’re not hard enough on ourselves – especially when it comes to things that matter most. We tend to let ourselves ‘off the hook’ way too easily.

By no means am I an expert in goal setting or life coaching, but I wanted to share a few lessons I learned that worked well for me. The moments where I live congruent to these principles, I instantly see more success, feel fulfilled, maintain better relationships, and gain a genuine sense of pride in myself – whether for business or personal. When I inevitably get into a mental rut, these core principles get me back on track.

1. Keep the promises you make to yourself

This might be one of the most important things I’ve ever learned. It is such a simple concept yet made quite an impact on me. Every time we break a promise to ourselves, we lose self-confidence. A piece of us is broken. Even if no one hears it but you (which is the only person that matters, by the way), it doesn’t feel good and it opens the door to breaking another one and another.

It doesn’t stop there, because now you’re more likely to break promises to others. When you start doing that, you’re losing trust in yourself, and others begin to stop trusting you as well. Slowly, you chip away at your word which begins to lose meaning.

What you want to do whenever you let yourself down or break a promise, is to reset by forgiving yourself immediately. Then start making small promises and keeping them, to get yourself back on track with quick wins. Be specific – make your promise clear. I will go for a 30-minute run today. Or I’ll make those 20 phone calls I’ve been dreading. Or I will have that tough conversation with my boss today. Or whatever it is you’ve been breaking your word on. But just do it. And do it as your first task of the day.

It will be scary, but you will feel good about yourself and begin to build momentum. The rest of the day will seem easier. Momentum is a powerful force. Just make sure that when you say you’re going to do something – no matter how small or how big – to take all the action necessary to do it. If people know that you are a person that keeps your word, you become unstoppable.

2. Focus on being present

“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.”  ― Lao Tzu

Focus on being present, while keeping your eye on your future goals, but definitely not dwelling on the past. I’ll admit, sometimes It’s hard to be present, especially with all the distractions in this day and age. However, it’s a habit that will serve you well.

You can’t do anything about yesterday, last week, or last year. Good or bad. Talking about it won’t help. And no matter what you do or how hard you dwell, you can’t get that time back.

So just let it go and move forward. You have a completely blank slate in front of you and all you need in order to change is to decide, commit and take action.

Every morning when you wake up, you can create any future you desire and take any actions towards that. You can decide who you want to be. Happiness comes to you in the pursuit, not the end goal. For example, if you want to be a Lion, then you must wake up and do the things that a lion does every single day. You can’t just have a goal of “becoming a lion” and wish for it or put it on your vision board.

If you are completely lost or unsure, just start small and take tiny actions forward. Brick by brick, inch by inch is how anything gets built. The point here is to always be moving forward, making progress (no matter how small) and looking ahead. I always find that action helps me get into a stronger mental state and you begin to figure things out as you move forward. One thing for sure is sitting around thinking about it, definitely does not move you towards your goals.

3. Don’t pay any attention to what other people think (good or bad)

I used to struggle with this one the most. I know it can be extremely difficult to live this way. There’s a part of me that wishes every person was naturally born with this trait ingrained in them. It’s human nature to seek validation from external people. Innately, as children, we regularly looked for approval from our parents, teachers, mentors, friends etc. We were discovering the world and learning how to navigate, while absorbing all the beliefs around us. Developing our own beliefs, principles, values, and skills. Ultimately, to decipher what will be our contribution to this planet, and what will truly make us happy.

However, we are not children anymore. We no longer need permission or validation from anyone to go after our dreams. You just need to believe in yourself and be willing to wholeheartedly commit. It is incumbent on you to take the necessary actions to achieve your dreams. Nobody on the planet wakes up thinking about how to help you achieve your goals – only you. Knowing that it will not be easy – obstacles, failures, challenges will be inevitable. Same goes for doubt, fear and people telling you that you can’t. Clarity on your vision and belief in yourself is the only thing that will get you through all that. Your mental strength will constantly be tested. Do not waiver because of other people’s opinions or thoughts (solicited or unsolicited). You have to learn to ignore them – the good with the bad. As long as you’re content with yourself and can sleep at night knowing you did everything you could to move towards your dreams, while living true to yourself.

In a world today where everything is so public, it can feel hard to break away from this. We know this all too well. We tell ourselves all kinds of stories – worrying what family, friends or colleagues think of us. For a long time, I thought I didn’t care, but when I looked at my behavior, I realized that a lot of my actions were predicated on what people thought of me.

Please find a way to ignore all the noise – whether it’s praise, criticism, fear of judgment, ridicule, or anything in between. Surround yourself with strong, competent, and supportive people. This is a real game changer that we don’t always take advantage of.

4. Take immense pride in what you do and do it enthusiastically

The truth is very few people these days take actual pride in what they do. What I mean by this is people who, no matter what their position or role, go beyond the expected norms. Who over-deliver at every level and create an exchange that is unforgettable. How many times can you say this on a regular day about the people you interact with? You’re happy if you just get mediocre and they were “nice” to you.

Let’s change this mentality. Especially in North America. If you are given a task, then do it wholeheartedly and enthusiastically – I’m talking fully committed, 1000% all-in, with iron-clad conviction. I promise you will stand out and attract amazing people who recognize what a lost trait this is in our world. And those are the ones you’ll be able to create something special with, whether for your career or personal life.

So no matter what it is you’re doing in life, do it with a big smile, ardent attitude and purposeful actions instead of the complacent, mediocre behavior we’ve learned to accept.