Episode 50 Ten Things I learned by Doing It for 30 Days
Last December, I attended an amazing training - High Performance Training sponsored by my amazing employer Microsoft. It answers why and how the most elite masters in each field achieved what they have achieved - in sports, business, arts, etc.
The training empathized the importance of mindfulness, positive thinking.
During the training, they introduced a challenge, "To write down three good things that have happened everyday, for 30 days."
I was inspired, and decided to do it with a friend.
We made it through.
2. It’s not easy to stick to it for 30 days. Probably anything for 30 days.
3. On some days, even finding three small good things is hard. And it’s ok.
It will get better the next day.
4. Human beings want to make others happy, too.
Those days did get better, not necessarily because of quotes and jokes. But because there is another person that is really trying to make you happy, even if the objective is to finish today’s mission.
5. It’s impossible to bring other people deep joy if we don’t understand what makes them sad.
6. No surprise. What brings us most happiness are family, work*, heartfelt friendship, true personal passion**.
8. It is an absolutely wonderful, surreal experience to be COMPLETELY honest with yourself, with another person.
The training empathized the importance of mindfulness, positive thinking.
During the training, they introduced a challenge, "To write down three good things that have happened everyday, for 30 days."
I was inspired, and decided to do it with a friend.
We made it through.
We didn't expect it to be such a profound experience.
*****
Here are ten things I learned from the 30-Day-Challenge.
1. Today’s happiness can only be appreciated today. We don’t remember yesterday well.
1. Today’s happiness can only be appreciated today. We don’t remember yesterday well.
One day we forgot to do it. It’s very hard to think three things that have made you happy yesterday. So live in the moment.
2. It’s not easy to stick to it for 30 days. Probably anything for 30 days.
We need discipline to do that. I told my friend “My secret ability is anything will get done as long as I put it on my calendar. We better complete it. Don’t destroy my super power.”
3. On some days, even finding three small good things is hard. And it’s ok.
It will get better the next day.
The easiest way to have a good day today is to have a terrible yesterday.
4. Human beings want to make others happy, too.
During those days that one of us has hard time find three. We create one or two to each other, by sending funny pictures, tell bad jokes.
Those days did get better, not necessarily because of quotes and jokes. But because there is another person that is really trying to make you happy, even if the objective is to finish today’s mission.
5. It’s impossible to bring other people deep joy if we don’t understand what makes them sad.
"Your greatest joy is your sorrow unmasked." -- Kahlil Gibran
When basic trust is there, People want to be understood, be listened to, much more than they are concerned about privacy.
6. No surprise. What brings us most happiness are family, work*, heartfelt friendship, true personal passion**.
To summarize, is the things and people you love and love you back.
So invest sufficient time in these areas. It will be rewarding
*(if you find meaning in work. If not, maybe try to find it. If can't, maybe work somewhere else)
**(for example for me is listening to people and writing about them. for him is frisbee game)
*(if you find meaning in work. If not, maybe try to find it. If can't, maybe work somewhere else)
**(for example for me is listening to people and writing about them. for him is frisbee game)
7. It is POSSIBLE to be completely honest with yourself and with some other people. Upside is much greater than downside.
Don’t lie to yourself. Don't try to fool yourself. There are enough distractions and confusions in the outside world. Don’t create more inside you.
Don’t lie to yourself. Don't try to fool yourself. There are enough distractions and confusions in the outside world. Don’t create more inside you.
8. It is an absolutely wonderful, surreal experience to be COMPLETELY honest with yourself, with another person.
There are many times, I felt, or he felt, “Seriously? Is this really happening? Are you really telling me this?”
There was no small talk. No bs. From day one.
9. People are more similar than different.
There was no small talk. No bs. From day one.
9. People are more similar than different.
On paper we are almost as different as possible. We are born half globe apart, and ten years apart. We grew up in drastically different environments, culturally, politically, socially. Right now we are living a very different life.
If you be completely honest, kind, open minded, you will find that deep down human beings share much much more than you can imagine.
10. Small things get powerful if you put heart into it.
On New Year’s Eve, this friend wrote on my notebook. "This is one of the deepest, most intense months of my life."
We got to understand ourselves a lot deeper, got to know and practice, how to live a good life. These are among the most valuable things a person can know.
*****
Maybe, 30 years later, when wrinkles and grey hairs are growing all over. I woke up at dawn, and suddenly the memory of these 30 days come back to me.
I will have tears in my eyes. I will miss this friend. I will feel tender, and joy. I will say to myself, “Wow. I have been full of life. I have lived a full life.”
*****
Dear friend, as always, I appreciate your attention.
I recommend you doing it, too. Let me know how it goes and what you learned :)
If you be completely honest, kind, open minded, you will find that deep down human beings share much much more than you can imagine.
10. Small things get powerful if you put heart into it.
On New Year’s Eve, this friend wrote on my notebook. "This is one of the deepest, most intense months of my life."
We got to understand ourselves a lot deeper, got to know and practice, how to live a good life. These are among the most valuable things a person can know.
*****
Maybe, 30 years later, when wrinkles and grey hairs are growing all over. I woke up at dawn, and suddenly the memory of these 30 days come back to me.
I will have tears in my eyes. I will miss this friend. I will feel tender, and joy. I will say to myself, “Wow. I have been full of life. I have lived a full life.”
*****
Dear friend, as always, I appreciate your attention.
I recommend you doing it, too. Let me know how it goes and what you learned :)
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