Let’s begin with the obvious question; what exactly is a maxim?
A maxim is a principle that carries the greatest weight or authority, and because of its universal approval needs no proof or argument; as the mere statement of which gives it authority.
In outlining this message, it was my intention to provide you with a set of easy-to-implement life strategies that would work for anyone, anywhere, and at anytime.
The choice of the word maxim was deliberate as what you are about to read will provide you with a blueprint, for creating the ideal life.
It’s my pleasure to present to you these seven maxims for creating the ideal life. I urge you to embrace, inhabit and make them your own, most importantly, begin to implement them TODAY!
I. Create a Bigger, Bolder, and Far More Beautiful Future!
Make your future bigger, brighter, and bolder than your past. Your past is history, however your past offers great insights for creating the ideal life. Your past is rich with experiences that are worth thinking about in new ways, and these valuable experiences can become raw material for creating a masterpiece.
Approach your past with this attitude, and you will have an insatiable desire for even better, more enjoyable experiences. Use your past to help you create the ideal future, and you will separate yourself from situations, relationships, and activities that can trap you in the past.
Q: What could you do today to begin making your future bigger, bolder, and far more beautiful future than your past?
II. Create Contributions Into Other People’s Lives!
The ideal life must include a commitment to serving others. Create a habit whereby your contributions are bigger than your personal gain.
We must individually and collectively replace the pursuit of success and materialism with the pursuit of contribution and generosity.
For this to occur, the critical question must move from, “How can I become successful?” to, “What can I contribute that will significantly impact the mission, performance, and overall results of the institution or community I serve?”
By focusing on what we can contribute, we automatically become successful.
Q: What could you do today to begin making contributions into other people’s lives?
III. Create a Learning Environment!
The creation of an ideal life is dependent upon your commitment to growth, learning and continuous implementation.
Lifelong learning rests upon the twin principles of personal development and social service as the social and economic development of a country, a company, and a community is increasingly dependent upon the knowledge and skills of its citizens in the global knowledge economy.
Those who have the lowest levels of skill and the weakest capacity for constant updating will find themselves uncompetitive and most likely unemployed.
Therefore, it is imperative that everyone commit to becoming a student for life, as the knowledge we currently posses is not sufficient for capitalizing on future opportunities.
Q: What specifically can you do to strengthen your commitment to growth, learning and implementation?
IV. Create Higher Standards!
To enjoy a better quality of life, you must first become a better person.
If you want to be a better manager, become a better person. If you want to become a better parent, become a better person. If you want to be a better doctor, become a better person. If you aspire to greater spheres of influence, become a better person.
You do this by expecting and demanding more from yourself and others.
One well-executed idea—or one person who’s attracted to you because of what you’ve become can change your life forever. So goal setting should primarily focus on yourself—becoming the best person you can possibly become so people are attracted into your life.
Q: What new standards will you set for yourself to raise your performance and quality of life?
V. Create a Greater Appreciation for Life!
Creating the ideal life requires ongoing growth, and gratitude ensures growth. Gratitude heightens awareness and expands your interaction with the world, as once gratitude becomes part of your nature you begin to see the connections between your success and creature comforts, and the talents and contributions of others.
The simplicity of gratitude and the powerful effect it has on our lives is unequaled by any other practice of its kind. There is a special kind of magic in gratitude for it raises our consciousness, recharges our energy, enhances our self-worth, and strengthens our spirit.
Practicing the fine art of gratitude is not only among our most important positive emotions, but one that links directly to physical and mental well-being. It’s in our self-interest to feel gratitude because it makes us better people.
Q: What are you grateful for today and how can you demonstrate your gratitude?
VI. Create a Joyful and Playful Environment!
The ideal lifestyle begins with an ideal emotional state. Your outlook on life is not determined by your circumstances, but by your focus. A joyful focus is joyful living. A greater sense of enjoyment and along with a playful spirit will automatically create a greater quality of life.
Unfortunately, most people don’t enjoy life; they endure it. They think that they can’t be happy because of all their problems that life has to be perfect before they’re happy.
A problem-free life does not exist, and if you’re staking your joy on the absence of problems, you’ll never be joyful.
If you’re ever going to learn to be joyful, you’ve got to do it in the middle of the problems of life.
Joy is a choice. It’s not the absence of problems; joy is the attitude that you carry regardless of your problems.
Q: How can you approach everything you do with a joyful and playful spirit?
VII. Create Discomfort!
Of all the maxims advocated, none is of more fundamental value than your willingness and ability to create discomfort. In a very real sense, it is a precondition to all the others.
Creating the ideal life requires an enormous threshold of discomfort and inconvenience because of the many sacrifices involved. Therefore, always make your goals and dreams greater than your comfort.
Inconvenience and discomfort are part of the foundational building blocks of success. Every person who has ever been legitimately successful has formed the habit of doing things that others don’t like to do.
Unfortunately, our society has placed such a high premium on convenience and expediency that it has enabled weakness, while also creating an inability for many to perform at peak levels.
Q: What are the specific areas of your life that you must change even though it would create discomfort?
Continually strive for higher goals and achievement continually place yourself in a position where you have to grow, learn and perform and life will always be an adventure.
The relentless pursuit of the ideal life must continue throughout your life as you pursue the goal of just not meeting, but exceeding even your wildest expectations.
Incorporate these seven maxims into your life, and share them with others so that you and they might be able to enjoy all that life has to offer!
WHAT TO DO NOW? Share your thoughts on this post and how you are going to apply it to your life!
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