I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about what I want to accomplish in life, both professionally and personally. In my quest to set goals, I’ve realized that in order to do so it is important to outline the core principles and beliefs that guide my actions.
This list will be refined over time as I grow.
- Leverage the intelligence of others where you are weak. It’s an essential way to expand you mind and your ability to process information. Stop wasting time watching television or video that does not improve your intellect. Instead, read about a multitude of subjects.
- Produce more than you consume. Learning from others is important, but pales in comparison to helping others.
- True societal change comes from mass effect. When choosing between two possibilities, seek the one that has the ability to influence more people in a positive light.
- Self-interest should be in harmony with the laws of the universe. The desire to earn money or fame does not bring one money or fame. Society only rewards those who give it what it wants.
- Work for what you want, not for what others want you to do. Never take on work that does not align with your principles. Should you break this rule, your assumptions about your principles were wrong.
- Validate your opinions though the intelligence of others. Opinions are important, but they can often be made with incorrect or missing information. Search for the truth in reality and use this to make quality decisions.
- The quality of our lives depends on the quality of the decisions we make. You must perform due diligence to understand the consequences of decisions. The ripples of decisions do not stop at the first-order, but continue through the second and subsequent orders.
- Only through a true understanding of one’s self are you able to make effective changes. It’s impossible to grow if you don’t understand your own faults. Reflect and learn from mistakes to make better decisions in the future.
All of these principles share a common trait – Evolution. It is through evolution that the universe strives for better adaptation. By following the principles outlined herein, I can personally grow in a positive manner for an evolving society.