#1:Not to Sweat the Small Stuff.
The thing that's grand about spending your time thinking about
the universe is that it makes you feel insignificant. I don't mean that
in a bad way. If you understand that we've now discovered entire solar
systems that contain planets similar to Earth, and that those are just
the ones we know about, since most of the stars we've looked at are
within about 300 light- years of Earth and the distance to the center of
our galaxy is nearly 100 times that—then you realize that the laundry
you've left undone and the dumb thing you said yesterday are about as
significant as slime mold.
#2:Pace Yourself
A therapist once told me something that's as true now as when I
first heard it: "You can only go as fast as the slowest part of you can
go."
#3:The Secret to Trying New Things
People say it's gross that I eat grubs and goat liver, but if
you haven't tried it, how do you know? Our brains tell us lies, and if
we listen, we cost ourselves surprises. When trying something new, cast
off your fear and expectations.
#4:Simple Ways to Look Polished
Start with a great haircut, neat nails, and well-shaped
eyebrows (if eyes are the windows to the soul, eyebrows are the frames).
Invest in a tailor—and in a few no-fail items that will help you look
pulled together: a crisp white shirt, a pencil skirt, a great-fitting
shift dress (just add shoes and go!), a tissue-weight scarf, and the
perfect jacket. Whether it's a black blazer with a structured shoulder
and nipped-in waist or a little leather jacket that looks great over
anything, the right jacket projects confidence. And isn't that what
polished really means?
#5:Know When to Quit
After my first book was published in 2000, I spent two and a
half years writing a novel. But it never felt right. I didn't even name
it—it was the poor, misshapen beast child I kept hidden under my bed.
Then I showed it to my agent. "None of the things you do well are in
evidence here," she said. I was devastated, then relieved: I had failed,
and now I could stop. If you don't feel a shiver of excitement or fear,
if there's no emotional risk involved, let it go. You can't discount
how hard it will be to leave your bad marriage or stop writing your bad
book, but if you're unhappy, nothing can get better as long as the
status quo stays the status quo.
#6:How to Delegate
Make certain the people around you have good values, good
judgment, and are loyal. Allow them to impress you but be sure they're
comfortable coming to you for feedback. Most important, hire people
smarter than you!
#7:Fake It Till You Make It
The philosopher William James believed that acting a certain
way could make you feel that way. hundreds of experiments have proved
him right. a clark university study showed that smiling made people feel
happier. (for best results, smile wide and hold for 20 seconds.) at the
University of Rochester, when researchers gave subjects an unsolvable
problem, those who folded their arms in a stubborn pose persevered
nearly twice as long as others. and a study in Singapore revealed that
clenching your fist powers
your willpower. Try it next time you're avoiding french fries.
#8:How to Laugh at Life
The tap water hits a spoon in the sink and sprays you. You pull
a window shade and it just keeps going and going. You can't roll up a
garden hose in any dignified way. You have to become a connoisseur of
these events—"Wow, look at that, that's great." You have to hope that a
higher power is saying, "That was a good one!" And that you're sharing
the divine pleasure it's taking in your misfortune.
#9:Not to Waste Time at Your Computer
Disable e-mail sounds. That ding! is a Pavlovian cue to
procrastinate, and once you're distracted, it takes 15 minutes to return
to being productive.
Create a second log-in, with a different name, theme, and background than your personal account. Use only this one when you're working.
Create a second log-in, with a different name, theme, and background than your personal account. Use only this one when you're working.
#10:Make Yourself Heard
I had just graduated college, my loans were coming due, I was
working two jobs and counting every penny. Five dollars wasn't a ton of
money, but it was enough to piss me off. Having signed petitions on
change.org before, I knew it was a good platform. Then I went on Twitter
to direct people to my petition. Maybe they weren't concerned about the
fee for themselves, but when they saw me, they saw their granddaughter
or niece. It's important to connect with people on a visceral level. If
there's an issue you care about, start locally: Write a letter to your
newspaper or talk about it with your friends and neighbors. Then find
others who share your beliefs. As cheesy as it sounds, working together
is the only way to achieve anything.
#11:Keep the Faith
The draft lasts seven rounds, and I knew I wasn't going to be
in the top 100 guys, but I was sure a team would call and say they
wanted me by early in the sixth round. When the sixth round ended and my
phone still hadn't rung, for a second I thought, "This is the worst day
of my life." But I'd had a pretty cool college career, and I'd done
well in tryouts. Plus, my girlfriend and my family were right there all
day telling me I was a great player. I realized then that you can't be
successful on your own; you need a supportive loved one and some
spiritual guidance. I knew I was meant to play football, and if you know
your purpose, and you're patient, the ball will eventually bounce your
way.
#12:How to Spot a Good Opportunity
A lot of people ask me how I knew Mad Men or Breaking Bad
would make great TV. I knew because when I read those scripts, I felt
something. I didn't do any market testing or focus groups—I just asked
myself, Would I want to watch this? When you're weighing an opportunity,
make the question that simple: Do I really want this, or am I doing it
for the money or the prestige or because I think I should? It can't just
be about those things. It has to make you feel good, too. and by the
way, if opportunities aren't knocking, you can make your own. When I was
looking for work several years ago, I took everyone I knew in New York,
where I'd just moved, to dinner or drinks or tea. I explained that I
was open to anything. Six months later, one of those dinner dates called
about a possible job at AMC. If I hadn't put myself out there, that
never would have happened.
#13:The One Thing to do If You're Starting a Business
Scout a business space the same way you would a home—by
studying the neighborhood. Get to know local business owners and pay
attention to what kinds of people walk by and when. If you're opening a
coffee shop where no one will see it, you won't succeed.
#14:Win the Fight
It's always more effective to be civil.
#15:Adapt When Your Life Takes a Turn
You can't move very fast if you're carrying a lot of baggage. I
try to remind myself of that every day. It's easy to get weighed down
by bad stuff from your past— an accident, a difficult breakup, family
issues, whatever. But if you're tied to the past, you're not going to
get very far. When I was lying in the hospital after the accident, my
surgeon, Dr. DeLong, handed me some magazines about the Paralympics and
told me to think about it. I had no idea what it would take to be an
amputee, let alone a sprinter, let alone a gold medalist. But I told
myself, "This is your new dream. Here it is. Take the first step."
source of Article.Oprah.com
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