Six of Life’s Greatest Lessons you Need to Learn Now
Control Desire
Desire is the root of all evil. From Jesus’s 10 commandments to Philosopher Seneca and Budda, the key to a good life is the ability to control desire. According to Psychology Today, “in the Hindu tradition, desire is a life force, but also the ‘great symbol of sin’ and ‘destroyer of knowledge and self-realization. In a similar vein, the second of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism states that ‘lust, in the broad sense of coveting or craving, is the cause of all suffering’”. In his book, After the Finale, Zouh Daxin provides an intriguing look at the link between desire and corruption in China.
Live Below Your Means
One of the quickest ways to get rich and to grow wealth, according to Morgan Housel in The Psychology of Money, is to live below your means. It means that you will always have ‘left-overs’ for your savings account. Housel gives the example of Gupta, a rags to riches success, who managed to amass a fortune of US$100 million. But this was not enough. He wanted to be a billionaire. He did insider trading and ended up in jail. And there are countless others, both in and out of jail. Sometimes you just have to know when ‘enough is enough’!
Be Your Authentic Self
In a world that encourages you to ‘live up to the Joneses’, seek status, follow the influencers, and to pretend to be who you are not, there is nothing better than being your own authentic self. According to Naval Ravikant, in The Almanac of Naval Ravikant, “no one can compete with you on being you”. Being your authentic self also helps to curb desire.
Be a Good Person
Do the right thing even when doing so a far from easy. It is said that everyone has their price. Corruption is tempting. But nothing beats doing the right thing. According to one of my former bosses at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, Dr. Jean Holder, “there is no right way to do the wrong thing”.
Forgive!
Nothing frees you more than forgiving. Hate and resentment are probably the #1 causes of chronic diseases. Go on. Get rid of that baggage. Hate less. Love more. Stop holding a hot coal, aiming it at someone you despise. You only get burnt yourself.
Be Resilient, Flexible and Anti-Fragile
When events beyond your own control occur (Covid 19, Recession, Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Wars), it is important not only to survive but to thrive. According to Nassim Taleb, the essence of anti-fragility is to grow and prosper with every adversity.
This article contains Affiliate Links to our partner, Amazon. This is at no cost to you. A percentage of any sales will accrue to Exceptional Caribbean that aims to promote the Caribbean as the most amazing place to Live, Work and Play. Our Partner company, Leve Global aims to elevate Tourism, Trade and Lives around the world. The personal mission of the founder, Dr. Auliana Poon, is to change the world, one mind at a time.
Author:
Dr. Auliana Poon
Dr. Auliana Poon is the founder and Managing Director of Leve Global and Exceptional Caribbean.
Auliana loves the Caribbean and believes in its people. Her personal mission is to change the world; to transform our societies. And this is precisely why she has spearheaded Exceptional Caribbean – a continuing mission to elevate tourism, trade and lives.
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