A life well-lived is a life lived with the right philosophies and ideologies. There’s no secret behind living a life that is happy, prosperous and fulfilling, but there are most certainly some habits and traits that have remained true since history. These are great lessons have been preached since ages because they work and have brought a significant difference for great people and would do the same for you. Here are some traits that have played a role in making some great people the name they are today and must be practiced by everyone who aspires to be less ordinary in life.
For them, happiness is a decision
As cliché as it sounds, happiness is a decision, the most regular one, and yet so many people somehow turn it into a conditional prize. Career, success, monetary gains, relationships, all these aspects play a role but these are the things that can only take you so far. The major role is played by an internal aspect and that is – to give yourself time, to believe you deserve to be happy and to choose to be happy.
They exercise power over their reactions
All of us have control over our reactions, but some choose to commit to it and master the art of controlling their reactions. We don’t get to control what happens with or around us most of the times, but we can always make a conscious decision about how we respond to certain things. History is evidence that what matters the most isn’t what happened, but how we responded to it, that drives our results and future consequences.
They speak less and listen more
The ability to truly listen when somebody is speaking is a skill not everyone possesses, for most people aren’t really good listeners even though they think they are. An infamous quote by Epictetus says “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Talking less makes your powerful, to stand out in the crowd one must be a selective speaker and a good listener.
They have a purpose
Having a clear, defined purpose and writing it down has a significant effect on organizing your efforts and driving the direction of your life. Many people work harder than most others and yet keep running around in circles never having a defined path to follow. It’s important to understand that hard work will fetch you no results if it’s not in the right direction, to make the most of life and achieve everything you desire one must have goals, no matter how big or small they’re but they must exist and they must excite you.
