You'll Fail to Achieve Your Potential If "Just Do It" Is Your Mantra
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Have you ever wondered why you can’t always replicate a Chef’s recipe from YouTube despite following all the steps?
As a food enthusiast, I always reflect and have concluded that it’s not the ingredients or procedure that makes a dish stand out.
It’s something else that no one can teach you or give to you.
The “it” factor is unique to each individual, and that’s what makes us all so special.
The same goes for life.
We all have different experiences, upbringings, and outlooks on life.
And because of that, we all have different definitions of success.
Growing in life does not necessarily mean success at work, relationships, or productivity.
I’ve had all of them, yet I had a feeling of hollowness inside.
I didn’t know:
where to go,
what to do, and
most importantly, who I was.
Every day I used to ponder, “What is the point of all this?”
I kept asking myself:
how do I completely turn my life around?
What should I do if I’m not interested in anything?
How can I regain my life purpose?
Then, finally, after months and months of soul searching, I found the answer.
Growing in life is more than just reaching a specific goal or achieving more.
It’s about contentment!
If I am not content with myself, my efforts, my relationships, my career, or anything else, I will never be able to experience “stimuli-free” or “goal-free” happiness.
But why do we get hung up on our goals and external signs of success?
Why don’t we take the time to figure out who we are and where we want to be in life?
Here’s what I’ve learned from life experiences. I am sure it will help you too.
1. Your mind creates endless expectations.
This realization came to me last summer when I visited the Canadian Rockies.
It was a warm summer day, and I was lying in the grass, looking up at the clouds.
I began to notice that my mind was constantly creating expectations about the shapes of the clouds.
No matter what shape the cloud became, my mind would soon expect it to turn into something else. A fluffy white cloud should be a rabbit, or a wispy cloud, a dragon.
I found myself getting lost in these expectations, and it was only when a cloud would unexpectedly dissipate that I would snap back to reality.
I realized that my mind was constantly creating expectations, not just about clouds but about every aspect of my life. These expectations can be both positive and negative, but they always create a sense of anticipation and excitement.
However, they can also be very restrictive and limit our ability to enjoy the present moment.
When you become aware of this habit, it’s easier to take a step back and ask, “What do I really want in life? What are my real goals, not what society tells me I should achieve?”
There’s a major difference between “living” and “making a living.”
Living means doing “BEING,” and making a living means “DOING.”
Being is independent of doing.
For example, I can be happy and contented without doing(achieving a goal), and I can be unhappy and empty even after reaching a goal.
It all depends on the thought that the mind creates.
In my above-illustrated experience, my mind was constantly creating thoughts of expectations, even when I knew that the clouds might not form exactly what I wanted them to.
Contentment = Reality — Expectations
2. You misunderstand your wants.
Today, we want whatever others have — whether it’s social media likes, popularity, money, job, success, etc.
But those aren’t our wants. They’re just an illusion of wants that misguides us and transport us to the point of no return.
I desired toys and video games as a kid. I wanted a good education, attractive clothes, a nice cell phone, and pals who would die for me as I became older. As I grew, my wants were a good job, a car, and lovely relationships.
This proves that certain “wants” are temporary. Simple lust. Like weeds in the garden. Constantly appearing. They’re a waste of time.
If you don’t know this, you’ll pay something precious to get them — time, money, and sometimes relationships.
So, I always ask myself is my want changing with time/situation? Or is it permanent?
If it’s changing with time/situation, don’t bother to chase after it. Instead, look for something more deep-rooted and connected with my core values and beliefs.
True Wants =/= F(Time and Situations)
3. You can’t avoid looking back
Let’s talk about regrets.
We’re all humans, and making mistakes is part of life. That’s fine; we can learn from our errors and wrong decisions to make better choices in the future.
But it becomes a problem when we dwell on them too much and constantly ruminate on the past. This behavior stops us from making progress since we become bogged down with regret and guilt.
The only solution is to develop a “growth mindset.” This means that instead of looking at mistakes as defeats, view them as a balance sheet of learning and growth.
When you make a bad decision, take a step back and think about what went wrong. What could you have done differently? How can you prevent making the same mistake again?
By changing your outlook to focus on the positive aspects of life, it’ll be easier for you to move forward with more enthusiasm and conviction.
Feeling stuck and not seeing any progress in your life can be frustrating. You work hard, and hustle every day, yet somehow still don’t feel like you’re moving closer to your goals.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
It’s not always easy to pinpoint why we’re not achieving the levels of success we desire in life.
However, there are some common reasons that can hold us back from reaching our potential.
By recognizing these patterns and taking action to break free from them, you can take back control of your life and begin the process of transformation.
Growth = Experiences — Regrets
Now, what would you like to add? If not, which idea resonated with you the most?
Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
👉 If this post resonates with you, forward it on to your buddies!
And please, don't forget to hit that ❤️ button.
If you’re NOT using the app, respond with the word “Awesome.”
It helps others find it on Substack.
Thanks for the support! 🙌
Hello, I am glad to read your article, there are really lessons of life in these sentences. .Thank you for sharing.
Awsome, thank you very much for sharing!!