avatarGodofredo Rojas

Summary

The article outlines strategies for developing extraordinary behaviors in three weeks by prioritizing learning and creation over entertainment, asking oneself frank questions for clarity, and making smart sacrifices to achieve goals without compromising health or family.

Abstract

The article "How to Develop Extraordinary Behaviors in the Next 3 Weeks" emphasizes the importance of changing one's mindset to achieve personal goals. It suggests that the key to growth lies in the space between stimulus and response, where individuals have the power to choose their actions. The author shares personal experiences, including transitioning from a programmer to a chef, to illustrate the necessity of sacrificing immediate gratification for long-term success. The article encourages readers to reinvent daily routines, prioritize learning and creating over entertainment, and ask themselves direct questions to gain life clarity. It also discusses the importance of making wise sacrifices, such as reducing entertainment hours to develop new skills or plan for projects, rather than compromising health or family time. The author argues that by focusing on what truly matters and treating time as a valuable resource, individuals can transform their lives and achieve their aspirations.

Opinions

  • The author believes that people often trade the wrong way for success, opting for complaining and justifying their decisions instead of making necessary sacrifices.
  • According to the author, everything in life is a trade, and to achieve goals faster, one must reinvent how they approach daily tasks.
  • The article suggests that it's normal to feel unsatisfied at times, but refocusing on the reasons behind one's goals can provide a boost of energy and motivation.
  • The author posits that asking oneself frank questions is crucial for gaining clarity in life and understanding what truly makes one unhappy or unfulfilled.
  • The article conveys the opinion that sacrifices are inevitable, but they should be smart choices that do not negatively impact one's health, family, or well-being.
  • The author criticizes the tendency to settle for mediocre jobs and comfortable routines instead of striving for an extraordinary career.
  • The article emphasizes that significant life changes require making activities that align with one's priorities a part of one's daily life, rather than waiting for more time.

How to Develop Extraordinary Behaviors in the Next 3 Weeks

You’ll be so good that they can’t ignore you.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”― Viktor E. Frankl.

Unless you first change your mind, don’t expect your goals to materialize. Most people know that to reach the goal, they have something important to sacrifice. But they’re not ready to make that trade.

Sadly people trade the wrong way to become successful, and after it, they choose these easy ways: complain, justify, and condemn others for their decisions.

They avoid delaying gratification because it is hard, but research shows us we’re more successful when we do.

Back in time, I was working as a programmer in a big corporation. Working every day, doing the same dam thing until I met the chef from that restaurant; I was impressed by how he cooks and how he was content doing what he loves.

When I decided to study a chef career and keep my regular job to pay my bills, I understood I had to change my routine. I was working all day then go to study and at night going out with friends. Going out after those days wasn’t a smart idea.

Trading my health and a lack of sleep was stupid.

It took me time to understand it. I used to choose going out with friends to consume any value instead of sleeping better to recover my energy levels.

“The important thing is this: to be ready at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you could become.“ — Charles Dickens.

I learned that everything in life is a trade; if you want to get your goals faster, you need to reinvent how you do things. If you start to focus on the tiny things you do daily, you can make a huge change in the long run.

Let’s dive in.

If You Focus on Entertainment and Distraction, It’ll Take Too Long

The trick is that it doesn't have to be hard. You don't have to sacrifice part of your life to grow in some way regularly.

According to a new analysis from the Streaming Observer, we spend twice as much time binging-watching Netflix as we do bonding with family. Is it not scary?

You can be educated while you are in entertainment time. Or reading a book about the topic linked to your interests is a good way to switch the concept of entertainment.

That’s why your first exceptional behavior to master is to focus on learning and creating, not entertainment or distraction.

It is normal to feel unsatisfying sometimes. I often need a boost of energy and even start to think that my goals don’t make sense anymore. When I have those feelings, I refocus on things I want to do once I reach my goals. Things like traveling the world, making more money than ever before, 100% in charge of my time and attention.

That sounds much more appealing than watching another absurd video online when I should be working.

IF You Want to Gain Tremendous Clarity Ask Yourself Frank Questions — You’ll Surprise

I was running on autopilot for years. To think about it is depressing. It took me time to make a pause, never pause to evaluate if the things that I was doing would bring me closer to my goals. I didn’t even know whether I have a goal or just a dream.

After years, I realized something was wrong. I wonder why I feel sad and empty, even while making money. And deep inside, I was trying to hide the truth.

If you want clarity in life, ask yourself questions, and you will realize you know the answer. It would be best if you asked yourself some direct, frank questions about your life. These are some of them:

  1. I feel most unhappy when I…
  • I was going to work. The commute to my work was a nightmare; I started to motivate myself by reading self-help books to be stimulated all day long.

2. I dread …

  • when I have to work with a boss that doesn’t know how to lead people.

3. I am good at but do not particularly enjoy…

  • Searching information
  • Putting out fires made by other people

4. I cannot imagine doing … every day for the rest of my life.

  • The 9–5 job.
  • Commuting more than 30 minutes each way
  • Phone sales
  • Working with people, I don’t like or respect

5. I don’t understand why anybody would…

  • let one person dictate their career success
  • work to make other people’s dream forever

6. … does not appeal to me.

  • Following orders from people, I don’t trust
  • Living by someone else’s rules

While you ask these questions, you will realize what makes you unhappy.

Most of the time, it is better to know what you don’t want instead of what you want. To clean up your path and make the right decisions.

Everyone Must Sacrifice Things but Be Smart Choosing What You Sacrifice

You have the power to choose which part of your life you will trade to get amazing results. Your health or family, sleep, or maybe unimportant meeting or parties with friends that don’t add value to your life.

Instead of striving fairly to achieve an extraordinary career, people settle for their comfortable, mediocre jobs.

This choice will affect the rest of your life. Make sure you choose wisely.

In the end, you will see the results; when you look back, you will see an entirely different “you” and comprehend you take the right choice. Don't hesitate, just do it.

Once, I remember myself complaining all the time about my job, counting the minutes to finish my shift to go to the closest bar to grab a beer. And complaining about it to the bartender, after finished my speech, the bartender said: “Instead of complaining, do something about it, move your ass and go to look for another job” I got mad, paid my bill, and took the bus to home.

Sure, I got angry because he was right; I wasn’t doing anything to change my life, complaining and spreading bad energy to others was not fixing anything. I decided to do something about it. I am on my way now; things are hard but not impossible, and I keep showing up every day to change my life forever.

Nobody said it is easy to get great things in life, but nobody said it has to be that hard. We all have to sacrifice something to achieve our goals faster. And not necessarily have to be something that can negatively affect our life if you think about it. If you choose smart, it will not be hard.

If you sacrifice your health, family, it’ll be dangerous, why not instead our entertainment hours. To start, you can reduce the two hours watching tv to thirty minutes. Or develop a new skill, planning for the next project instead of going out to a party.

You know deep inside that when you said that common excuse, I don’t have time. What You are saying is: That is not important enough to sacrifice my time.

If you want significant changes in your life, you don’t need time — you will make time because it is a priority in your entire life.

If you want more stories like this or different topics, let me know here!

Godofredo Rojas is a writer, chef, and constant learner from Peru. He studied in Le Cordon Bleu in Lima, Peru. He moved to New York in March 2011. You can find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Productivity
Self
Life Lessons
Personal Development
Self Improvement
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