365 Days With Self-Discipline: 365 Life-Altering Thoughts on Self-Control, Mental Resilience, and Success

Day 128: On Principle s

Principles  are  fundamental  truths  that  serve  as  the  foundations  for

behavior that gets you what you want out of life. They can be applied again

and again in similar situations to help you achieve your goals.

—Ray Dalio

 

122

Do you follow a set of principles in your life? If not, it’s time to design

them and adapt them as an inherent part of your decision-making process,

to ensure that you make better choices.

For  example,  I  have  ten  fundamental  rules  that  guide  my  overall  life

and many more that I apply to different aspects of my life. Here are three

examples of my general principles that are applicable to every endeavor:

1. I never give up on anything that’s important to me.

2. Time is my most important asset. I always focus on achieving more

in less time.

3.  Growth  happens  outside  one’s  comfort  zone.  Security  leads  to

mediocrity.

These rules ensure that I live my life according to my most important

values and help me avoid making decisions that favor instant gratification.

For  example,  following  the  first  rule  means  that  if  I  establish  that

something  is  important  to  me,  I  won’t  give  up  on  it,  no  matter  what.

Embracing  the  second  rule  means  that  I  resist  the  temptation  to  do  things

mindlessly  and  always  seek  a  more  effective  way  of  doing  something.

Living by the third rule means that I face my fears and resist the urge to stay

complacent. This way, I’m always growing and reduce the risk of becoming

too comfortable.

These  are  not  just  mere  words  —  I  consider  them  as  important  as

promises made to somebody else, so I need to fulfill them. What rules do

you  want  to  embrace  in  your  own  life?  Make  a  list  of  your  own

fundamental truths that will help you get what you want out of life and treat

them as agreements that you can’t break.

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