Paraphrased Keys to Success for Younger Self

5 Keys to Success

Dear 15 year old Ryan,

Be optimistic: The power of a positive mindset is not only contagious, but self-fulfilling. If we think positively, act positively, and behave positively, outcomes will be positive.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

Be sincere: Honesty is a great quality, because it decreases the energy we need to use. Over our lifetimes, we’ll use tons of energy doing various activities; if we tell the truth, we’ll never have to spend energy covering up lies, explaining our situation, or making excuses.

“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” – Mark Twain

Be respectful: Everyone has a story; we don’t know their background. Being respectful simply less risky than being disrespectful. And, who’d wanna be disrespectful anyway?

“You’ve heard what I’ve done, not what I’ve been through.”

Be thankful: Showing appreciation targets one of the most fundamental emotions of human beings. One of the main reasons for life is to realize we had positive impacts on others. There are very few feelings that feel better than knowing someone else appreciates what we’ve done for them. The phrase “thank you” has the greatest ROI of any two words in the English language.

“It is not happy people who are thankful, but thankful people who are happy.”

Know the difference between what you want and what you need: Some things are awesome to have, but everything is relative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQX3bmV6nKo. We can keep our eyes on the wants, as long as we don’t take for granted the needs. The most common relevant situation I’ve heard about is when someone gets diagnosed with a severe illness. I know a few, who are fortunately still around today, who doctors told they wouldn’t still be alive. Everything changes if a medical professional states an end date. The most important things clear up really quickly.

Lastly, try and do one new thing every day. Hope this helps.

-Ryan