Skills to Sharpen

Three new skills I want to sharpen– making bolder moves, simplifying complex problems and being more self-observant.

1. Making Bolder Moves

Bigger moves usually transform into a bigger, better life and typically start by doing something frightening, like asking for a raise or increasing our fee or maybe telling someone we love them for the very first time.

Bolder also gets better when you start to say no. People respect our confidence and ability to stay true to ourselves.

2. Simplifying Complex Problems

The ability to take complex problems and simplify them to eliminate the feeling of being thrashed about and overwhelmed by life. Complex doesn’t always mean complicated.

3. Observing Oneself

To be conscious of who we are, how we think, and what we do is invaluable because it leads to self-knowledge, and in turn, growth.

The Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “For a person who is not aware that he is doing anything wrong has no desire to be put right. You have to catch yourself doing it before you can reform.” 

We are creatures of habit. All habits, whether good or bad allow our brain to exert less effort and spend less energy. The potential danger in this is that we can get too comfortable doing the wrong habits, then as Seneca said,  we may have no desire to be put right.

Reading Inspiration

Letters from a Stoic (Penguin Classics)

Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson