Live Awesome!

Shazad Ahmad 5/21/24 Shazad Ahmad 5/21/24

Have You Ever Been Close To Tragedy?

By Ahsan

“The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency;

not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little;

not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.”
Benjamin E. Mays

There are two types of people: those who have been through tragedy and those who have not yet been through it.

Imagine yourself consoling a friend going through a tragedy or profound loss. What you might say to them is one dilemma, but what are you saying to yourself?

You might think, "I wonder how I would react if this happened to me and I hope it never does because it can't be good."

This exact situation and contemplation was popularized in a 1997 hit song called The Impression That I Get by the Ska Punk band The Mighty Mighty Boss Tones.

If you don't know the song, here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIGMUAMevH0

Don't be surprised if you like it. It has a catchy tune and speaks to the depth of your soul. We all know that life is unpredictable, and we sometimes fear what may lie ahead, knocking on wood and praying for strength to get through it. That's the impression that I get.

A larger question that comes to my mind, perhaps yours, is how do people get through tragedy?

Some stories we hear or experience are quite serious and unfathomable regarding how people get through them and still live normal lives. Many people unfortunately never "rebound" or "settle back into life"; instead, they decline into mental depression, self-medication with alcohol or drugs, or they become disillusioned with life. Broken and unable to continue the human journey.

Yet others go through the unimaginable storm and rally! They show what may look to be superhuman ability and often cite the help they got from their Higher Power.

There but for the grace of God, go I.

I would love to hear your tips or ideas on how to face such life moments and events.

I could offer my own advice, but the point of this article is to solicit your help. If you personally or through others know ways to get through life's toughest scenarios, please share so we can help others with a future project that Shazad and I are working on.

The more we can lean on each other and help one another, the better we can use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity called "living your best life." Send us a quick reply to the following address: shazad@kingsquillpublishing.com

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Shazad Ahmad 5/15/24 Shazad Ahmad 5/15/24

Why Systems Are Better Than Goals

By Shazad

“The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”

James Clear

There is a lot of emphasis on productivity and 'getting things done'. It seems like many people are constantly working to finish unrelated tasks and endless to-do lists. This approach has been going on for too long and it's not working. We need to try something different; something that we can sustain over time.

The solution is to create systems or processes for doing things and to keep your energy flowing. It's not just about completing a single task, such as "Take out the garbage," but about creating a system for "keeping my house clean." Other systems could be "maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle without pain," or addressing your rest and relaxation goals. Perhaps you want to create a system for the type of retirement life you want to have by the time you are 60 or older. Whatever that bigger picture looks like for you, write it down, create tasks related to it, and then develop a systematic approach to achieving success through a system. It's not a "one and done" approach. You'll have to continually invest effort and resources into the system, but the results will be even better than you expect. Over time, thinking in terms of systems leads to much greater outcomes and happiness. Daily tasks are part of something important that you are constantly building, refining, and running rather than crossing something off a list.

Systems can be automated and copied. Systems can also be studied for improvement and adapting to different events or parts of life. When you have a system for doing something, you don’t have to think so hard about it which takes some stress out of the whole process.

Whether it's your personal life, your health and fitness, or your financial dreams, you need to build a system to help you achieve success. Life is a process of growth and learning, and the systemic approach aligns naturally with the way things work. Having a system means you can create something now and continue to run it for years, while making necessary adjustments along the way. You're never truly "done" as long as you're alive, and that's where the enjoyment comes in.

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Shazad Ahmad 5/8/24 Shazad Ahmad 5/8/24

The Unexpected Benefits of Boundaries and Limitations

By Shazad

Humans generally hate being reminded of their limits or told there are boundaries to things. We like to rightfully challenge the very idea of restrictions to our thinking and behaviour. It’s natural for a person to want to say and do whatever they want without fear of some fine, censorship, or worse. Sometimes a limitation or boundary is exactly what is needed to make things work and even encourage better thinking. I want to explore some of these scenarios with you.

In sports, boundaries literally define the playing field. The players and observers both know what is IN vs OUT of bounds in the game. It prevents unnecessary arguments by having some lines clearly marked and some officials paying attention to those violating boundaries. Our lives need a similar definition of what is and are not acceptable behaviour in ourselves and others. We also need clear guidelines on how much is enough regarding food, play, work, exercise, and money. We can tailor our lives to suit our needs but there is no denying we need to know the limits of the game we are playing or the scope of the thing we are spending our effort on. Without these, we risk going all over the place and abusing time, money, energy, and life itself!

How do you encourage creativity and teamwork in kids or adults? You tell them there is a limited time to play or a limited budget that can be allocated to a project. You may say that there are only so many people that can be in a group or, you may have a technology limitation. Whatever the restriction is to the resources people have, they tend to find a way through a problem in some incredibly imaginative ways. Sometimes it’s not the most experienced or best financed that succeeds. It can be those that are under-financed or totally new in the market. They figure things out despite all the financial constraints. Many great inventions from cars, planes, personal computers, and online services were a result of creativity winning the day for cash-strapped and unknown people who brought something to life and shared it with the world. You can view your limits the same way. Creativity is available to us all. Celebrity status, a Million-dollar bank account, attractive looks, and royal ancestry are not.

The human mind loves a challenge and there is no better way to get a person going than to tell him or her that they can’t do something yet. Maybe you tell them that they are not tall enough, old enough, or “European” enough. Whatever labels others put on us or we think about internally require some mental gymnastics and physical labor to overcome. We started this discussion admitting that humans absolutely detest being restricted and desire freedoms of all kinds but we end up in a situation where all life itself has depended on humans being challenged as individuals and groups, in order to evolve. We could not have created global companies full of diverse people if we were not challenged to live together with other classes, races, and speakers of different languages. By facing such challenges, humanity grew and so did its capacity to generate wealth, and create products and services which improve both education and healthcare. The International efforts to create peace, go to space, and clean up the environment are all examples of sections of humanity being challenged by very big problems they didn’t create on their own but which require the global population to address. No one nation or even one giant company can do it all, and that’s why cooperation is needed. One challenge leads to another and we agree that we can’t make things happen on our own. Together, we can succeed and also thrive despite the limitations.

I’m a big believer in an open mindset and letting people (mostly) do what they want to do as long as it’s not hurting others. At the same time, I have learned to appreciate not only the need for limits but also their immense value at work and personal life. I cannot imagine a world where there were no boundaries on the road or restrictions on how water, air, and soil can be used. It’s completely unimaginable to think about unlimited free time for kids to play online or for people to work every hour of the day, 7 days a week. In so many ways, limits and boundaries save humanity from tyranny, confusion, and loss. Consider what your healthy and useful limits are in all aspects of your life. Use them to thrive every day!

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Shazad Ahmad 5/1/24 Shazad Ahmad 5/1/24

Do You Need To Go To Jail To Fix Your Life?

By Ahsan

“In my country, we go to prison first and then become President.”

Nelson Mandela

Every once in a while, I will find something to binge-watch, and my latest, yet infrequent, indulgence was a Netflix series called Unlocked: A Jail Experiment.

The eight-part show chronicles the story of several men in an Arkansas Detention cell block who get to stay unlocked, with no guards to supervise them so they can move around the cell block areas, versus 23: 1.

The 23: 1 means you are locked in your cell for 23 hours daily and get one hour to be "free" outside of it.

Strangely, I have always been fascinated by jailhouse movies. The first one I watched was Escape from Alcatraz, and my other favourite is Shawshank Redemption. Both films are set in a bygone era.

What drew me to this series was the opportunity to examine the psychology of men in the current time, when social norms, conditions, and values are different from those of the 1960s and 1980s. If I were in the shoes of a person locked up in jail, what might I feel, and how might it affect me in the end?

In the series Unlocked, the life-changing experiment is a success, and the men's lives are changed for the better because it gives them time to reflect on their lives.

And that is why jail is not a bad thing for some people if that’s what it takes to make them turn around in life. (I'm kidding, and yet maybe not)!

Each episode unfolds with the ups and downs of this experiment. Who will lead the others? Will they end up turning on each other? How does a den of thieves, drug dealers, murderers, and ne'er-do-wells cooperate to live the good life?

The story gets interesting as you begin to see each man's back story and the things they begin to realize about themselves as they reflect.

One particular moment that made an impression on me was when the Sheriff addressed the men and said something like, "Don't let your indictment define you." This is true for all of us, even though we may never go to jail with metal bars or iron doors with digital locks.

We live better when we realize that who we are is a reflection of our past experiences and personal choices and that what lies ahead depends on how we think about those past experiences and choices and how we make conscious changes for our betterment.

That is what life boils down to. Your past, your choices, how you think about said past and choices, and what conscious changes you can and will make going forward despite your past and historic choices! Call this the nut-shell of life!!

In each case, these men all seemed to have the same underlying issues: lack of guidance from strong mothers and fathers growing up, lack of opportunities for structure in their daily life as children, living around criminal and depressed economic environments, becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol and not having real mentors to guide them. This is not an indictment or general summary but a list of prevailing commonalities among these men.

The good news is that the reflection process that is spurred by the Sherrif's experiment to let them govern themselves and have greater agency gave these men the light-bulb moment that they could improve their lot. All of them have a seed of greatness that you begin to see emerge!

What's the lesson in this binge-worthy series? Going to jail can be a wonderful way to turn one's life around, but you and I should probably do your best as a free bird.

The different men under lock and key appear to finally see the reason for their current state and realize they can change things. I am rooting for all of them and all of you out there, to live Awesome Lives. Even if you may not have started that way.

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Shazad Ahmad 4/23/24 Shazad Ahmad 4/23/24

What Are You Teaching Your Kids?

By Shazad

“Children are great imitators, so give them something great to imitate.”

Anonymous

“Your children will become what you are; so be what you want them to be.”

David Bly

“In any given moment we have two options: To step forward into growth or to step back into safety.”

Abraham Maslow

In a world where everyone is bombarded by advertising and celebrity influencers, it’s challenging to be a good parent. It is not impossible but it’s definitely harder now than ever. Someone is always sending messages to kids whether it’s online or in person. We might as well sort this out and figure out what key messages we want them to learn and understand.

The first message I want to teach my son is that its ok not to succeed, to get frustrated, to fall short despite giving it your all. What’s not ok is not trying or slacking off. There’s no excuse for not showing up and when you do, not giving your best result in whatever task you have been given. Don’t sleepwalk through school or that summer job. Don’t avoid doing the required work and taking on challenges. Keep striving and learn to enjoy the process as much as you do the Winning!

The second key message I would tell him is to focus on learning all the time. Even when something doesn’t work out and is a complete flop. What happened? What are some reasons for that failure or negative result? What part of the outcome was up to you and what things were out of your control. Putting things in context when something doesn’t work out avoids the blame game and also the self-hating behaviour that can develop over time.

The third message I would repeatedly remind my son is that, no one has it figured out every step of the way and to the 'n’th degree. We are all trying to make sense of the world and the constant change. We can only do our best by planning, staying aware of what key things are shaping our world, and being willing to adapt so we can grow into the kind of person that the moment requires us to be. Living according to principles doesn’t mean being dogmatic or rigid. It does mean we have a solid foundation upon which we function but we also have flexible thinking to help us manage things. That is the best combination of skills to have.

What are some of the things you wish your parents taught you when you were younger and what key lessons or messages will you share with your kids at each stage of their lives? All parents are teachers and the best “influencers” for their kids so don’t forget to do your part. They are counting on you!

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Shazad Ahmad 4/17/24 Shazad Ahmad 4/17/24

How To Notice A Miracle

By Ahsan

“Miracles happen every day, change your perception of what a miracle is and you'll see them all around you.”

Jon Bon Jovi

I found myself on a beach last week. I have only been to a beach a few times in my life, and this time, I witnessed a miracle!

So here is the scene. The water in front of me was the Ocean. The wind blowing was visible and palpable to my skin, and my hair was blowing. The sun was out and beaming warm because the clouds were sparse. The sky was blue, and the palm trees were like blowing ornaments in the picture frame of nature.

The sand was warmed by the sun and dry, so it felt nice to stand on it and squish my toes into it.

Suddenly, I witnessed a miracle.

What was the miracle? It came to me as a realization that all these unrelated things—sky, sun, wind, trees, water, clouds, and sand—exist everywhere in the world, but in this place, and at that moment, they came together like a musical symphony.

It was a miracle to experience a beautiful feeling while being on the beach!

The beach!

I knew I was in the midst of a miracle because I felt pure appreciation, calm, and happiness mixed together. How amazing is this? I think it is nothing short of a miracle.

However, Who put these separate things, elements, or pieces together on this earth is beyond me, but on that day, I witnessed a miracle.

And I am guessing you might also appreciate where I'm coming from.

Not all of us live in nature or close to it. My usual surroundings are urban and city-oriented. Now, I am sure that the miracle-making that I experienced is all around us if we care to notice, most pronouncedly in natural settings.

This experience was meant to be noticed by me in the way I did.

I hope it makes sense to you, as I have never written about such an experience before. My wish is that everyone who might read this short message experiences a similar miracle the next time they are at the beach, hiking in the forest, or trekking in the mountains.

What miracles await for us to see before the show is over? Remember, life is not a rehearsal. Get out there and witness more miracles. Better yet, try to create some too for other people to witness!

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Shazad Ahmad 4/11/24 Shazad Ahmad 4/11/24

7 Things That Require Your Attention

By Ahsan

Some people are lucky. They are born with the looks, the voice, or some athletic talent, and they become overnight sensations. But what about the rest of us?

How might we stack the odds in our favour to become successful? What must we bring to the table to get our piece of the pie?

Lucky for you, I have seven things for you to consider to make your life more awesome and successful.

Value time: Be the person who knows life is not a rehearsal. You only get to live this one life. Do smell the roses, but get busy living and doing. You can't expect things to happen or be easy. You must have a sense of urgency in everything you do and are after.

Put in the effort: Can you expect results without toil? Nothing comes easily in life; if it does, it is seldom appreciated. That's why a bit of hard times will make a person stronger. But you, and I do mean you, must take life seriously and do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.

Maintain a positive attitude: Get around positive people. Read positive books. Think like a winner. Be joyful. Avoid all the opposites you just read. Life will be topsy-turvy, but with a positive outlook, you give yourself a chance at success.

Choose a mentor wisely: If you want to bake a very tasty cake, you would do well to find an award-winning baker or your mother to show you the recipe. People try to reinvent the wheel and end up with too little in the way of good results. Find someone to show you the recipe they used to get what you want!

Immerse yourself: You have to live, breathe, eat, and dream about your goal every day. Go deep into the thing you are after. Look at the life of your favourite athlete. They were not casual about their practice routine, fundamental skill training, or anything in between. You must become obsessed if you want to reach the heights you should achieve. If others can do it, why not you?

Spend time in deeper thought: We are all too distracted. It's not just the phone in your hand but everything you must do or do in a day. There are so many demands on us, so little time and too many excuses. Carve out a few minutes before sleeping to ask yourself if you had a good day that showed you cared enough to do what you needed to move the needle towards your goals. Do the same when you wake up.

Don't waste mental energy: Too many people think about their past or future when they should focus on the present. Whoever said the past and the future don't exist is 100% right. You damage only yourself by dwelling on past events or the future when you could be enjoying the time you are in right now. What you think, you feel. Your emotions come from your thinking. So, make yourself a person who thinks well.

The least we can do is the most we should do. What on this list makes sense for you to adopt right away? Let's look it over and commit to doing whatever it takes to reach our goals and live the life we know we should live. We only have this one life, and how much of it is left?

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Shazad Ahmad 3/26/24 Shazad Ahmad 3/26/24

Try This To Change Your Life!

By Ahsan

So, how do you change your life? If you are like most people, your life is constantly changing, but that does not mean you are changing your life.

A person who wants to change their life is looking for different results; therefore, their inner desire becomes one of feeling like things ought to improve. But how do you change your life so that your technique gets you the change in results you want?

Simple. To change your life, you need to change your routines!

We all have routines, sometimes conscious and other times unconscious. The relevance is back to results and identifying areas where you want to see better results.

A student may want better grades.

A golfer may want straighter shots.

A health-minded person may want to lose weight and get strong.

A business owner may want more profits.

A chef may want more compliments.

Whatever your desire, you will generally get it by changing up your routine.

What must you do to achieve your desired result if you are health-minded?

Let’s focus on that for today as our example.

First and foremost, you would identify your goal to become healthy as a commitment backed up by a strong reason. Otherwise, you will need more will to carry through your plan.

Secondly, you would do well to follow a plan on how to eat for health and exercise to become more healthy.

Thirdly, you should get off to a good start if you change something in your routine that supports the above first two points.

Here is what that looks like:

Instead of reminding yourself to prioritize your goal of being healthy, you might start a new routine of doing your reminder as soon as you wake up and before you go to the bathroom. A simple way to do that would be to say, "I will do everything I can today to live with great health. I will eat only healthy food and I will spend 30 minutes exercising."

This is more than an affirmation. It sets your mind up with conscious awareness so that your thinking focuses on your goal. By making this the first thing you do before leaving your bed, you have set up a new routine.

Your second step is to do the thing—eat well and exercise. As for a routine change, this would include scheduling a fixed time to exercise and prepping healthy meals to last you two or three days.

Having routines makes you better because they foster your sense of organization, time management, setting priorities, and purpose in life. Having routines and changing them is a major key to living an awesome life. Not paying attention to your routines and changing them once in a while will lead to drifting the seas like a rudderless sailboat that goes wherever the wind blows.

You need friendly winds and a rudder to establish rock-solid routines!

Action steps for changing your routines:

Identify the area of life in which you want to see better results.
Create your Why and make it a big why you want the better results.
Change your timings and habits to foster the results you desire.
Follow a plan and start small. Get on a roll, and don't wimp out.
Check results once a week. If you are improving, keep going or change your sail and rudder.
Be your cheerleader. Celebrate and criticize in private with yourself. But never give up!

If you want to change your life, you will have to change your routines. When you do this and get results, your life will become more awesome, and you will make the most of the time you have left on this planet.

Remember this, too. Life is not a rehearsal so you may as well get at it.

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Shazad Ahmad 3/20/24 Shazad Ahmad 3/20/24

A Vision For Your Life

By Shazad

‘I've seen a lot of valleys, I've seen a lot of peaks

I've seen the bitter with the sweet, victory and defeat

Sometimes I fell, but a voice kept saying

"Son, stick to your vision, "‘

Stick to Your Vision, Song by Maestro Fresh Wes

There has been a lot of discussion and writing on the topic of vision, but it is worth reiterating. Vision is not just the ability to see but also the capacity to imagine a potential future and an ideal state of existence. This motivates us to make plans and take action to attain that desired outcome. Vision is crucial for humans to flourish in life because without it, we would simply go through the motions and exist without any purpose or direction.

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”

Joel A. Barker

What does it mean to have a vision for your future and for your life?

Taking a moment to reflect on your current situation and envisioning where you want to be in the future is essential. This could be your ultimate goal in life, or it could be an aspiration for how you aim to feel, look, and live when you retire. It's crucial to have a clear and detailed vision of what you want to achieve. You can also have a vision for your relationships with your family, friends, and community, which should be a shared vision that everyone agrees upon. It's important to have discussions, define, and desire the vision you have chosen.

How does this help you?

Once you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve in life, you can create a plan to get there by breaking it down into smaller steps. It's important to do thorough research, study biographies of successful people who have similar goals, and use your own judgment to come up with a strategy to achieve your desired outcome. This process is not easy, but it's essential to motivate you to take consistent daily actions that will lead you toward your goal. People who have a clear direction and purpose in their lives are more likely to succeed than those who drift aimlessly without any particular aim or desired outcome. Like an archer who aims at a target and hits the bullseye, having a clear vision of what you want to achieve will help you stay focused and motivated toward reaching your desired outcome.

Why should you include others?

Having a shared vision within a company or a family is a unifying force that provides a common purpose and a desired outcome to strive for. When everyone is invested in the vision, it creates a sense of collaboration and motivates people to work towards achieving it. While some individuals may be more driven than others, everyone knows why they are there and how their efforts, time, or money contribute towards something greater than just existing or achieving quarterly profit goals. On the other hand, if a family or a group of people leave everyone to do their own thing, it could lead to a lack of direction and purpose. This approach may result in people wasting time figuring things out and causing damage along the way.

Life can often feel overwhelming, confusing, and stressful, even in the best of times. It's important to remember that having a clear vision for your life won't solve all of your problems and it may even create new ones. However, the purpose of creating and living according to your vision is not to become rigid or inflexible toward a single idea. Instead, it's about gaining clarity on the outcomes you want to achieve and being open to making adjustments along the way to turn your vision into a reality.

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Shazad Ahmad 3/13/24 Shazad Ahmad 3/13/24

All of Life is Human Transformation

By Shazad

“From now on, then, resolve to live as a grown-up who is making progress, and make whatever you think best a law that you never set aside. And whenever you encounter anything that is difficult or pleasurable or highly or lowly regarded, remember that the contest is now, you are at the Olympic games, you cannot wait any longer, and that your progress is wrecked or preserved by a single day and a single event. This is how Socrates fulfilled himself by attending to nothing except reason in everything he encountered. And you, although you are not yet Socrates, should live as someone who at least wants to be Socrates.”

Epictetus

From the moment we are born as helpless little babies, suddenly taken out of our mother's womb, we begin to change. Each breath, each pulse of the heart, and each cry for attention contribute to our transformation into something new and hopefully better. All of life is a journey of constant transformation, which means that it involves a radical or dramatic change. Once you understand this, you will not only embrace life but also the challenges that come your way, because they are here to change you for the better, if you let them.

“Remember how long you’ve been putting this off, how many extensions the gods gave you, and you didn’t use them. At some point you have to recognize what the world it is that you belong to; what power rules it and from what source you spring; that there is a limit to the time assigned you, and if you don’t use it to free yourself it will be gone and will never return.”

Marcus Aurelius. Meditations.

The most important thing to understand is that life is a constant change, all the time, whether it is a small change or a dramatic moment, such as getting your driver's license, finishing a degree, getting married, or having a child. Whatever it is, it is happening to all of us, all the time, and it is powerful. Change is not always easy or comfortable, but it is necessary and required for our existence, as everything in nature is also going through various processes and transformations. We are all part of a dynamic cosmic system, so don't resist or ignore what's happening.

“Putting things off is the biggest waste of life: it snatches away each day as it comes, and denies us the present by promising the future. The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today. You are arranging what lies in Fortune’s control, and abandoning what lies in yours. What are you looking at? To what goal are you straining? The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.”

Seneca. On The Shortness of Life

We have all experienced some level of discomfort or pain when it comes to change. Whether it's getting older, being stuck in traffic due to an accident, dealing with a crying baby waking up at night, and so on, it's not enjoyable, but it's a natural part of life. Fortunately, many of these changes are temporary and will eventually resolve or transform into a more manageable or less burdensome situation. By recognizing that some changes are fleeting or part of a mandatory phase that will pass by relatively quickly, you can find the resilience and patience to endure whatever the struggle of the moment is. Your baby won't always wake up every three hours at night, and the 14+ hour fast during Ramadan will only last for a maximum of 30 days once a year. You can use these experiences to appreciate how brief they are and consider how your life is improving for the better as you navigate through them. What is the struggle teaching you? How grateful are you going to be when this trial is over and you become more resistant to stress the next time you face it?

“If a man knows not which port he sails, no wind is favorable.”

Seneca

Taking action and being responsible for your own life is crucial to undergoing a successful transformation journey. It means steering yourself towards new experiences that will challenge you, allowing you to grow and progress in your life. Waiting for change to happen on its own is not an option, as it will only lead to boredom and stagnation. Instead, by actively seeking out challenges and opportunities, and making conscious choices, you can shape your own destiny. Whether it's committing to a healthier lifestyle, reading and applying knowledge from books, or pursuing a side hustle or business venture, you are in control of your own transformation. Life itself is a journey, and each passing day presents an opportunity for growth and change. By embracing and shaping your personal transformation journey, you can become the best version of yourself. You can take your life to where you want it to be. You can be the change you want to see in the world!

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Shazad Ahmad 3/6/24 Shazad Ahmad 3/6/24

Reach For The Low Hanging Fruit!

By Shazad

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

John C. Maxwell

You may have heard the phrase "Low Hanging Fruit," but did you know how important it is to create a successful life? This phrase reminds us that there are simple and easy things we can do to improve ourselves and move forward in life. So many times we think we have to do some nearly impossible or complicated things to get ahead in life in any meaningful way. That’s just not true! I will share three examples of low-hanging fruit that you can immediately use to make progress on your goals and feel better about your life.

“Every habit and capability is confirmed and grows in its corresponding actions, walking by walking, and running by running… therefore, if you want to do something, make a habit of it.”

Epictetus

First, if you want to improve your health but don't have the time or money for a gym membership, consider walking outside for 10 minutes after lunch and again after dinner. Take a comfortable stroll and enjoy the scenery. Daily walks have many health and mental benefits.

“Assemble your life… action by action. And be satisfied if each one achieves its goal… No one can keep that from happening…Action by action.”

Marcus Aurelius

Second, tidy up your room each day by putting away clothes you're not wearing, making your bed, and opening a window for fresh air. Cleaning up clutter and letting in fresh air can change the way you feel and think about a space. As a bonus, spend just 10 minutes each day tidying up any given room and see how it changes your life.

“Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.”

Epictetus

Third, express gratitude by saying "Thank You" to someone you care about. Let them know you appreciate them and what they've done for you. This will make them feel good and give you a boost of positivity. Practicing gratitude daily can improve your outlook on life and give you the confidence to pursue your dreams.

“Well-being is realized by small steps but is truly no small thing.”

Zeno

There are many simple tasks and easy wins that I could have mentioned. If this post speaks to you, you might be thinking of some of your own right now. As humans, we love winning, so having some easy things to count as success each day motivates us to keep moving forward. Making sure you have accumulated a number of wins over days and weeks can make a big difference in how you view your progress. It will also add up like an investment portfolio if you keep contributing to it a little bit at a time. Don't forget about those big goals and difficult tasks you have to do. Just remember that they can often be broken down into smaller steps and easier tasks. Soon, you will be enjoying a nice fruit salad as you pursue the life of your dreams!

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Shazad Ahmad 2/28/24 Shazad Ahmad 2/28/24

Why You Should Become A Hybrid Person

By Shazad

“In the history of ideas, it's repeatedly happened that an idea, developed in one area for one purpose, finds an unexpected application elsewhere. Concepts developed purely for philosophy of mathematics turned out to be just what you needed to build a computer. Statistical formulae for understanding genetic change in biology are now applied in both economics and in programming.”

Patrick Grim

In our world today, we see many examples of hybrid technology, such as hybrid cars and hybrid plants. But, do people need to become hybrids too? And, if so, what does that mean and how can we achieve it as a lifestyle?

The term 'hybrid' can be defined in various ways, but for this discussion, let's use the following definition:

"something made by combining two or more elements"

"a mixture of two or more things combined into one."

We've seen this idea before, and in Europe, it was called a Renaissance Man. This refers to a person with a wide range of knowledge and skills combined into one life. Examples include Leonardo Da Vinci from Europe and Al-Buruni from Asia. These great polymaths had an interest in a variety of subjects through practical experimentation, discussion, and writing. Their wisdom ranged from Math and Science to Psychology, and Philosophy. They remind us that it is possible to be curious about multiple things and make significant progress in driving humanity forward.

In today's world of high-tech devices, super intelligent software, and always-connected devices, you might think that being a computer scientist or engineer is enough. However, that is far from the truth. All our technological and scientific achievements are meant to benefit humanity, so we need to better understand people, human nature, big questions about philosophy and faith, along with many other areas that are not hard sciences.

Every single person will need some level of technical knowledge to operate tools like a smartphone or a tablet. We will need even more skills to navigate society regarding what it means to live a good life and how technology can enable or hinder us in that pursuit.

Combining a variety of studies and wisdom from diverse areas of knowledge is how human beings of any age can become truly hybrid. It's a more satisfying way to live by combining a variety of knowledge and life experiences and weaving them together into a complete life. The future is coming fast, and the most awesome people are those who adopt the hybrid lifestyle. Will you be one of them?

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Shazad Ahmad 2/21/24 Shazad Ahmad 2/21/24

Can You Handle the Truth?

By Shazad

“If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one ever was truly harmed. Harmed is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance.”

Marcus Aurelius

Most people live in a fantasy world where they expect things to happen a certain way. However, this delusional outlook often leads to disappointment and struggle. While people claim to value truth, they are often more concerned with confirming their biases or preconceived notions. This dishonesty can lead to damage to our character and even our soul.

Truth is a virtue, just like wisdom, courage, discipline, and justice. It is essential to be honest with ourselves and others. Being truthful doesn't mean being careless or naive, but rather living with self-awareness and adhering to our fundamental principles or beliefs.

To live an Awesome Life, we need to be faithful to our values in all situations. Lies about health, relationships, business or careers, and many other things are ruining our quality of life. We can turn this around and make everything much more enjoyable an simpler in the long run. We should strive to be truth seekers who can manage every situation by asking ourselves "What is right?" and following our moral compass.

This I know to be TRUE.

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Shazad Ahmad 2/14/24 Shazad Ahmad 2/14/24

Love & Relationships

By Shazad

“And of HIS Signs is that HE has created wives for you from among yourselves that you may find peace of mind in them, and HE has put love and tenderness between you. In that, surely, are Signs for a people who reflect.”

Holy Quran (30:22)

“HE it is Who created you from a single soul and made therefrom its mate, that he might find comfort in her. “

Holy Quran (7:190)

It's that time of the year again - February, the month of love, when people express their affection by exchanging gifts like flowers, chocolates, and other things. Love is a beautiful emotion that adds meaning to our lives and makes the world a better place. In this context, I would like to share some tips that can help improve relationships and enable us to fully embrace the gift of love for a long time.

The Happy Marriage Chapter is one of my favourites from the Awesome Life book. Ahsan and I talk about the divine purpose of marriage and relationships as well as how to manage the various situations that a romantic relationship challenges us with. It’s not an easy thing to find a Life Partner, marry them, and then stay married to them in a loving bond for decades. There’s many things that can be said on the topic and we certainly cover a lot in this chapter. I’m going to talk about 3 things you can focus on that will give you some WINS in the game of Love and keep you WINNING!

First, it’s all about love. Love yourself as a human being with great potential and responsibilities. Love your spouse for the same things and respect that they are a unique individual with their own identity and mindset. Love the fact that you are together now and find ways to keep giving love to each other over the long term, for as long as you both shall live.

Next, have faith in something bigger than you and pray together with your spouse. Make it a daily habit to give thanks to your Creator for your marriage and all the wonderful things it has produced. Ask God for help with things that are not working or simply not as good as you hoped they would be. Make sure there is always the love of God between the two of you, and your bond will be strengthened, God willing!

Thirdly, take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Be your own person with hobbies and interests, and make sure being healthy is part of your daily routine. Individuals who care about their overall well-being are more likely to care about their spouse and the rest of the family too. When each spouse is fit, strong, and free from common lifestyle diseases, there are fewer stressors or obstacles in the relationship that need to be managed or resolved. Healthy people don’t argue, get sick, or grow apart as often as those with some kind of physical or emotional challenges, so keep an eye on yourself and your partner. There’s no downside to being an all-around healthy person with a great mindset and lots of energy for living. Who doesn’t want to be around that kind of person?

So now you know my three ways to be in a happy relationship and maintain that for the long run. There’s no "secret" or magic bullet approach, and other factors will be involved, but having some kind of blueprint for relationships along with a shared purpose is going to give couples a winning strategy to last the test of time while enjoying the journey. Like with any long and uncertain path, it’s the adventures along the way that make things worthwhile and not arriving at some ideal destination in our imagination. Wishing you lots of love, happiness, fulfillment, and exciting moments on your personal relationship voyage!

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Shazad Ahmad 2/7/24 Shazad Ahmad 2/7/24

Every Day Above Ground...

By Shazad

Seneca. On The Shortness of Life

When someone asks me how I am, I often respond with “Another Day in Paradise”, “Awesome!”, or “Every Day Above Ground is a Good Day!” because that’s the kind of person I am. I’m not an extreme optimist or a person with permanent Rose Coloured Glasses I wear night and day. I’ve had my share of stress, struggle, and even suffering. What I’ve realized is that we get to keep on improving life as long as we are alive.

Each and every day that you and I are blessed with means that we have 24 hours to make things right, make them better or make a plan which enables our family to carry on living a better life.

My life is not perfect and is not turning out exactly as I expected it to be each and every year. Lots of twists and turns as well as happy surprises happen to me and I’m sure they happen to everyone. The way I look at life, I can learn patience and make myself more resilient to some of the challenges of each day. I can also appreciate how so many things work out each day and I’m probably just taking them for granted. There are so many times that things came together for me and I had little idea that I would experience such beautiful outcomes.

I see life as an adventurous journey that we are all trying to navigate. We may have only a compass, a paper map, and the landscape to look at but it can be enough. We can continue trying to make progress while avoiding falling into some deep pit that traps us forever. Appreciating every day and learning how to manage the events of the day is the best way I know to live simply because I am alive. This is the start of living Awesome each day.

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Shazad Ahmad 1/30/24 Shazad Ahmad 1/30/24

Why Time Investment Beats Time Management

By Shazad

“People are frugal guarding their personal property, but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy”

Seneca, On The Shortness Of Life

“Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen”

Epictetus, Discourses

Time is a valuable commodity that we all wish we had more of. However, managing it can be a daunting task. What if we considered time as a precious resource rather than an adversary to battle with every day? By doing so, we could use it effectively to prioritize our tasks, decide where to devote our attention, plant the right seeds, and take enough breaks to recharge. I will guide you on how to achieve all of these things.

The chapter on Time Investment in the Awesome Life book has some great lessons to learn from. If you want the detailed version, I recommend you read the whole chapter. The first thing you need to do every day is to identify your MCAs (Most Critical Activities). What are the 2 or 3 highly important tasks that you must accomplish today? This helps you to know where to focus your energy for today. Everything else can wait until you finish your MCAs or until the next day. You can either delay, delegate, or delete any task from today’s To-Do list that is not an MCA. This way, you will develop a laser-focused approach to what needs to be done. You basically say NO to everything else.

Action Steps:

Define your MCAs for each day or at least the Weekdays if you don’t want to do this on Weekends as well.
What can you Delegate, Delay, or Delete off your daily list of To-Dos?
The night before each day, create an MCA list for the next 24 hours

To make the most of your time each day, it is important to organize your short and medium-term activities. You need to think of your life as a series of projects like finishing a degree, getting married, going on a vacation, planning a birthday party, and so on. Next, you identify the project you are working on and what the steps are to reach the finish line. Now you can just focus on completing the daily tasks related to each project and achieve success.

Remember, you should not just keep yourself busy each day without a clear purpose. You need to actively work towards completing one or more projects by completing required daily tasks to move things forward. If you cannot work on an important project, delegate some tasks to someone who can help you move it to the next milestone.

Action Steps:

Write out all your projects for 2024.
Define the key milestones for each of these projects and the steps to achieve each milestone.
Write out your daily action plan to complete the required tasks for each project.

The third big idea is to "Do Less to Achieve More". Stop doing so much and always being "So Busy". Cut back on your socializing or social media use. Stop mindlessly scrolling the internet for deals or watching the latest TikTok videos. We have all done this at some point in time and it’s toxic if you keep doing this as an adult. Reduce your talk and text time with those friends who just want to grab your ear for 3 hours each day. Also, don't work all the time and obsess over every single detail in your life's projects or your daily MCAs. Relax… refine your habits and nature to worry less and focus more on what matters. Let some trivial things and unimportant tasks just slide… hopefully, into someone else's inbox or To-Do list. When you say "NO!" more often to people and things competing for your attention, you get your time and your life back! You get to decide how you run the day instead of 100 things driving you around just for fun and someone else's profit.

Realize that attention is a resource just like time and many companies want yours for their gain. Don't be so generous with either of these things. Protect them like Gold and Diamonds!

Action Steps:

Write a list of all the people and things vying for your attention each day.
Decide which items on your list can you immediately cut down to 50% of your time.
What things on your list do you look forward to and want to do more of if you had the time and attention?

So now you know the 3 key steps to making 2024 the year you truly feel you are getting the RIGHT THINGS DONE and feeling Awesome at the end of each day. You will develop strong "NO!" muscles this year, and it will become comfortable very soon to just say this N-word as a default response. This means you'll be able to give a resounding "YES!" response to the remaining few things that make you want to fly high so you can Live Awesome!

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Shazad Ahmad 1/24/24 Shazad Ahmad 1/24/24

Where Does Inner Resolve Come From?

By Ahsan

“It's driven me before, and it seems to be the way
That everyone else gets around
But lately, I'm beginning to find that
When I drive myself, my light is found

Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
With open arms and open eyes, yeah
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
I'll be there!”

“Drive” song lyrics by Incubus

Imagine heading on a long trip to see your favourite place and going by a gas-powered car. How attentive will you be to the fuel gauge in the first 100 kilometres if you start with a full tank?

You are probably not attentive at all, but after driving for a few hours, you will likely glance at the levels and start thinking about filling the tank at the next exit.

Life is like this in many ways. We have goals and aspirations filled with enthusiasm, determination, and resolve. But over time, our excitement and inner resolve start to tank!

So how does an awesome person like you keep their tank full and constantly monitored?

You must understand how inner resolve is influenced and what to do about it.

From a technical perspective, I will share a few points that matter to the concept of having and maintaining inner resolve, and then I will share a basic fact that you will be able to use so you never feel like your sails have no wind behind them.

But first, let's consider an essential goal that I believe all humans should focus on: optimizing health as we age!

I am sure you will agree that that is an understandable and relevant goal. But why is it important?

You cannot enjoy life without a healthy, pain-free, and functional body. If you have ever been struck with a basic flu or back spasm, you will quickly remember that.

Now that we have established a relevant and common goal that we all have and can relate to, let’s look at the technical contributors to inner resolve.

Personal values and beliefs: when you know what is important to you, your resolve strengthens based on your ethics, moral standards, and code of conduct.

Having real goals: Most people feel that having a goal is enough. A goal must to be a commitment with a major overriding purpose. Then, it's a true goal that your subconscious mind will continue to bring to life, even if you face obstacles or lack the motivation.

Belief in your ability to handle challenges: The more you develop this mental view of yourself, the more you will gain inner resolve. If you think you can or can’t, as the saying goes, you are 100% right. So think you can and you will!

Recalling failures and not remembering successes in your life: We all stumble and fail at some things and succeed at other things. If you focus only on the negatives that happened in your life, you will permanently retreat from your goals. If you think about how you succeeded in the past, you are more likely to get back up, dust yourself off, and mount the horse once again to charge forward!

Self awareness about current thoughts and feelings: Humans think. Thoughts we experience are predominantly random and slanted towards the negative which causes us anxiety. Just see what you are thinking right now...if you feel off or experiencing pessimism, rethink your thoughts and make conscious effort to change directions. This will pull you out of your head so you don’t get all caught up in your bad mental loops.📬

Here is my secret tip to make my inner resolve to optimize my body. Let me know if you like it.

I think about this in the following way: my body (and hence my health) is my most valuable asset. Nothing I own competes with this first-place position, not my money, property, or even Ferarri (if I had one).

If I ever lose my resolve to eat healthy and exercise to build my overall health, I must remind myself of this basic concept. There is nothing more valuable that I own than my body. Therefore, all the excuses to stay on track disappear instantly, and my tank returns to full.

So, what is the source of inner resolve? The answer lies in the explanations described above, but it all boils down to understanding why something you want to achieve, be, do or have matters in the first place. Be clear and direct about how you want to live the rest of your life.

If you don't clearly understand why it matters, you will fumble and hesitate through life. That’s when you start to look outside of yourself for someone or something to “motivate” you. Some kind of external coach to keep you on track and avoid crashing.

But you know this is not the way. You don’t need someone else telling you to do the things your soul knows you must do. Your inner resolve is the main driver with full control of the steering wheel. You have to get in the seat and buckle up. And now you have the keys to your new “car”, which is always fully charged to get you to your destination. Have an Awesome journey!

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Shazad Ahmad 1/17/24 Shazad Ahmad 1/17/24

Why Self-Confidence Is Key To Your Success In Life

By Ahsan

If you walk around with the thought that you are not good enough, you will never truly enjoy your life, let alone do well at the things you are trying to achieve.

The more self-confidence you have, the more self-confident you will be. It is a positive loop that grows ever bigger and stronger with time.

Harbouring doubts and fears will destroy your self-confidence, which must be a virus against which you inoculate yourself. Period!

Developing self-confidence is a gradual process that involves both mindset and behaviour.

Here are a few ways to enhance your self-confidence:

Set Challenges For Yourself

Do challenging things, and if those include goals, make them challenging goals.

I can easily floss my teeth every night. This may make me a dental hygiene winner, but it is not the kind of challenge I think will matter much.

Instead, let’s say you find yourself sedentary and getting lazier and unhealthy: challenge yourself to walk in the morning before going to work. Even if it's dark outside, cold, wet and windy. That's the kind of challenge that will build your self-confidence.

As you achieve these goals, gradually challenge yourself with more audacious challenges.

Engage Only In Positive Self-Talk

Use positive affirmations instead of negative self-chats. You are doing the talking, so control what you say to yourself.

Start saying, "I know I can," just like the little choo-choo train, instead of, "I think I can." Encourage yourself. No one else needs to do it.

Put out the garbage of self-limiting beliefs and visualize them in a bag the garbage collector throws into the back of the garbage truck. That is their value, and that is where they belong.

Picture this as vividly as you can. Heave ho!

Develop Awareness Of Your Thinking

Your mental approach to life should be more of I am a diamond in the rough than I am a piece of coal.

So, if an intruding thought comes into your mind, cancel it with the phrase, "I am a diamond in the rough." or “I’m a work in progress and greatness in the making!”

Dedicate time to thinking about your thinking. Your life is a reflection of your thinking. What you think translates into what you feel and the results you get.

Be a thinker who is self-aware of what you are thinking.

And here is a next-level secret tip:

Pray for success because God helps those who help themselves.

Dear friends, if I have convinced you that self-confidence is essential to living a more joyful life, do me a favour and share this article with your friends. They might say thanks to both of us.

Building self-confidence is an inside job. You have to do it. Be patient, but not surprised if your self-confidence skyrockets day by day.

Keep polishing yourself and celebrate the small victories along the way.

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Shazad Ahmad 1/10/24 Shazad Ahmad 1/10/24

The 3 Stories That Can Change Your Life

By Shazad

“Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author

Life can be best understood when it is told through a story. It could be a brief one or a long and interesting journey, with many positive milestones along the way. Everyone can relate to things better when they are presented in the form of a story. Our lives are no different. In my opinion, there are at least three main stories that shape our lives and make us who we are today as well as influencing the person we will become. These stories have the power to transform us into happy, productive, loving members of society who change the world for the better.

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”

Neil Gaiman

Our first story is shaped by our ideas, thoughts, and opinions about the world around us. It includes our perception of our home, city, or nation, as well as our general view of the world. These things have a significant impact on how we navigate through life and communicate with others, whether they are strangers or our loved ones.

Action Step: Write out your concept of the world in 2024. What are some words you would use to describe the current state of things and where we are headed? This exercise will tell you something about your point of view.

“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.”

Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal

The second story is rooted in the life experiences and customs of our parents. This story plays a crucial role in the first story since it is through this that we initially begin to comprehend the world and our position in it. As autonomous thinkers, we move beyond the story of our parents to shape our own, but we must recognize how profoundly their story influences our own.

Action Step: Write out what your parents told you about the world, what is important in life, and what you should do when you grow up. Don’t judge anything they have told you. Simply write it down on paper and look at it to understand where they are coming from and how much of their story has impacted your current worldview and understanding of your place in the world.

“Story, as it turns out, was crucial to our evolution -- more so than opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs let us hang on; story told us what to hang on to.”

Lisa Cron, Wired for Story

The third major story that we should pay attention to is what the world is thinking and talking about at any given time. This story is constantly evolving and is shaped by various sources like mass media, governments, lobby groups, and marketing agencies. It is a powerful story because it is broadcasted through various mediums like TV, radio, and the internet. This story is actually a collection of different stories like the environment, geopolitics, culture, and economics. Society is continuously exposed to data, video clips, and talking heads about what we should be concerned about, who to vote for, and how to live our lives. Both our perspective of the world and that of our parents are heavily influenced by this third story, which changes over time because each generation is exposed to more media and advertising. The type of advertising, lobby groups, and media programming also change over time, which means that the same stories about war, politics, and the economy can be told differently.

Action Step: Write down what the top 3 stories or themes are that you are noticing from the various voices of the world. What are the 3 big ideas and who is the main promoter of each of them? What is your opinion of each story and has it changed in the last 12 months? Just make a note of these points to better understand yourself and where you think the world is going based on these stories.

“Every story I create, creates me. I write to create myself.”

Octavia E. Butler

A good story is irreplaceable but an even better story is one where we are not only the hero but also the wise mentor or counselor to the next generation of hero candidates. To live our best lives, we must be aware of the three most common stories we keep thinking about. This will help us navigate each chapter of our lives, understand who the main characters are, and where the reward can be found. Once you figure out the main plot of your life's story, you can truly live an Awesome Life!

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“The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency;

not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little;

not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.”Benjamin E. Mays

not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.”
Benjamin E. Mays