The Most Important Job You’ll Ever Have

Just a few years ago I was one of the most shy, nerdy, and unadventurous guys out there. Today, I travel around the world on a whim, work for myself, and am one of the most social people you’ll come across. When I tell people about my uneventful and unsuccessful past, they laugh like I’m telling some hilarious joke. Most simply don’t believe me.

I can relate to that, since I almost feel as if I’m talking about another person. By no means am I here to brag (I still have a lot I want to conquer); I’m here to do something which, ironically, helped me to live the lifestyle I’m living now: give value. The value I want to put out there today is a “roadmap” of how I completely transformed my life, so you can do the same.

Far more important to my success than the top layer of actions I took to get to this position, were the fundamental beliefs and standards I followed and gave myself from day one. Day one being the day I realized that…

You are 100% responsible for your current life situation

This is the most important job you’ll ever have: to take your life in the direction that you want to take it. You need to be aware that the position you find yourself in right now is completely based on the actions you’ve taken in life.

A lot of people claim their supposed lack of education, good looks, or wealth are what holds them back in life. I like to present the fact that over 50% of CEOs in the UK have no university degrees, mention a three-foot tall man confined to a wheelchair dates models (video), and remind them of the boy from Malawi who built a windmill at 14, then traveled the world giving motivational talks.

These are just three examples. I have dozens more.

Until you realize that every decision (friends, career, social circle, etc.) you’ve made has got you to this point, and every decision you make from this day will take you to the next one, you’ll constantly find yourself passing the blame on to others. Stagnating.

I wanted better for myself than working seven days per week (five in college, two in a clothes store) making $350 per month and just watching TV in my spare time. I knew something had to change, so I literally just did the opposite of what I was doing. I recall the old saying “Keep doing what you’ve always done, keep getting the results you’ve always gotten” coming to mind at this moment in time.

From my own experiences, here’s what I recommend:

Surround yourself with the right people

I didn’t consciously set out to have successful people in my life; it actually happened as a by-product of me going for what I want, and meeting those doing the same along the way. My three closest friends work for themselves, do very well financially, and enjoy the freedom of traveling around the world.

It should be no surprise that if you surround yourself with hard-working people who are in a position you aspire to be in, you’ll naturally pick up the habits and beliefs which make them successful, and incorporate them into your own life.

A test which applies to about 80% of people is to look at the general income of your closest friends. You’ll find, more often than not, that your income brackets are eerily similar. Though I don’t believe money or success is the key to happiness, I believe the freedom to contribute to the world in your way is the most valuable thing anybody can have.

Play to your passions (not strengths)

I don’t recommend that people play to their strengths, as commonly advised, for two reasons. The first is that your strengths are not always around something that you love doing; the second is that your strengths got you to where you are today. So, if you’re not happy with your situation, your strengths probably aren’t that strong.

Your passions, on the other hand, are definitely something to work on. When you’re focused on projects or active in industries that you just love, something amazing happens. The work you produce, in whatever form, is far superior to anything you clearly don’t love.

Have me write an article about knitting, and you’ll see exactly what I mean! Superior work makes you indispensable to companies, friends, and contacts, and ultimately puts you on the greatest path you can be walking.

Remember the game that nobody wins

The game that none of us will ever finish is the game of life. Something that every single one of us has in common is that we’re all going to die. I actually think about death quite a lot, though not in a depressed way. Instead, I think about death in order to inspire myself:

“If this is the only life I’m going to live, I may as well make the most of it.”

There are times when we worry about how our decisions may affect our families, friends, and even our life as a whole. I know I had a lot to think about when I was asked to go and work in South Africa at 18, when I didn’t know a single person there (I’m English).

Ultimately, though, you have to make decisions based on what is going to work out best for you. Is the career path your parents are pushing you down really what you want to see when you look back on your life? Is the short-term pleasure of smoking a cigarette worth the long-term damage it does to your body?

Even if you believe in Heaven, Reincarnation or something else, why not make the most of the reality you currently find yourself in?

Use what works, and disregard the rest

Internalizing these fundamentals was undoubtedly what helped put me on the right path to success, but you don’t have to do the same. If you don’t like one of my ideas, ignore it. If you have a better system, use that. My own beliefs and core values are constantly changing as I grow as a person and learn more about myself and the world we live in.

Don’t just filter through my advice: filter through everything. Look at what is working for you in your situation, and follow through with it. Don’t take things on board which you don’t think will get you to where you want to go.

After all, this life is 100% your responsibility, so it’s entirely up to you how you want to live it.