Hi everyone!
We all have regrets. Sometimes professional, sometimes personal. But I think we owe it to ourselves to make sure that we have the fewest possible.
When I’m retired and relaxing in my favorite armchair what I’m probably going to think about the most is the things I didn’t do. I believe all of us would like to have more victories than regrets at that age and I’ve been thinking about how to make sure that happens.
Regrets are usually a result of not doing what you really wanted to. And so I’ve come up with a list of my 8 outstanding reasons why you should follow your heart. We should all follow our hearts.
Unless you love what you do, it’s going to be pretty hard succeeding at it. But if you’re doing something that is close to your heart, there is every possibility that you will thrive. My personal experience is, that if you do what you love, doors you never imagined open up to you. Following your heart lifts a burden from your shoulders, the one you’ve been carrying around trying to please others with. And sometimes you don’t realize that people around you are actually happier if you’re doing something you’re really convinced about. Follow that voice in your head that tells what you like doing and go for it if you want to succeed.
2. Realize your
3. Listen to your subconscious
We live in a world of stereotypes and people love to categorise everyone else including themselves. We are told what we’re like, made to think that we are a particular type and are convinced by people around us that we are good for something and not for something else. But who really knows you better than yourself? Your conscious mind may be driven by characteristics you “think” you have but your subconscious mind knows exactly who you are. Listening to your heart is as good as listening to your subconscious and that is what will bring the best out in you. What your heart knows about you, nobody else does. Let your intuition guide you.
4. You are different
Yes, we all are. Each one of us is a different human being and it is that unique you who needs to guide you in your decisions. You can’t take decisions on the basis of what everybody else is saying and doing. Then what’s the point of each of us being different if you’re just doing what everyone else does too. What you believe, what you do well and what you can achieve, are different from everyone else. So the only person you need to ask, when you’re thinking about what to do, is yourself. What do YOU want to do, what do YOU love, what is it that drives YOU is important. That also means that only YOU are responsible for every decision that you take. A whole lot better than having to blame somebody else for things later on, don’t you think?
5. Don’t miss the opportunity
Fear holds us back. Fear of failure, fear of being judged, fear of what we don’t know. That’s why we miss so many opportunities which could lead us to success. We’ve “heard” that it might go wrong, we’ve “heard” that it’s difficult, we’ve “heard” people judge those who break out of their comfort zone and do what they love. But have we actually tried doing what we love ourselves? I’ve met so many people who said, “if I hadn’t taken that risk” I wouldn’t be here today. They are people who broke away from convention and did what they thought was right and what they enjoyed doing. And they succeeded. Don’t miss the opportunity to do what you love and succeed at it.
6. Be an inspiration
Think what would happen if no one ever stepped out of laid down convention? Who would we look up to for inspiration? Whose stories would give us the strength to move on, do new things and pursue our dreams? Well, what’s stopping you from being one of them? You need to follow your heart to inspire others to do the same. We were inspired by others to do something different, now it is our turn to do the same. No one was born brave, passionate or successful. We all grow from each other’s experiences and inspiring stories.
7. Respect for yourself
The most important thing that happens when you start following your heart is the growing respect for yourself. Respect for what you broke out of to pursue your passion, respect for how you had to struggle, respect for the hurdles you had to overcome and respect for what you achieved. Besides that, you also gain respect from people who see and realize what you have done. Honor who you are.
8. Peace of mind and clarity
Believe it or not, doing something that fires your passion gives you more peace of mind than a lot of things money can buy. It isn’t about the achievement, it is just the freedom of being able to do what you want to that gives you satisfaction and contentment. In all probability, contentment will make you a calm, more empathetic, more forgiving individual. It is amazing what being happy with yourself can do to a person. Listening to your intuition makes your inner voicer sharper and brings with it the clarity of purpose that leads to contentment.
Even Steve Jobs says “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. Have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition.
Think ahead to that armchair you’ll be relaxing in, and act today.
Will be back with more thoughts soon.
Till then.
Magbè Savané
