Copyright © 2021 Hamza Zargui

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Cover design by Hamza Zargui

Book design by Hamza Zargui

ISBN 9798768006792 (paperback)

ISBN 9798772053348 (Hardcover)

Published by Hamza Zargui

Printed on-demand by Amazon

To my grandmother, my mother, father, sisters, and brother

for their unconditional love and support

To all the courageous souls who strive for change

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

1. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE

2. LIVE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT

3. FIND YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE

4. SET YOUR GOALS

5. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SUCCESSFUL MODELS

6. FOCUS ON THE LONG TERM

7. STRIVE TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL FREEDOM

8. MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY

9. BUILD STRONG BOUNDARIES

10. VALUE YOURSELF MORE

11. ELIMINATE YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS

12. BUILD POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE HABITS

13. HAVE A MIRACLE MORNING ROUTINE

14. START A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

15. READ MORE

16. KEEP A JOURNAL

17. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HYGIENE

18. MAKE A LIST OF GRATITUDE

19. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS

20. ATTRACT LUCK

21. BE COURAGEOUS

22. NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS

23. KEEP MOVING AND ALWAYS SEEK THE NEXT LEVEL

24. RUN YOUR OWN COURSE

25. LEARN FROM YOUR FAILURES

26. MAKE YOURSELF AN INTERESTING PERSON

27. DEVELOP YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS

28. IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TOPICS TO MASTER

29. IMPROVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR

30. MASTER PUBLIC SPEAKING

31. IMPROVE YOUR CLOTHING STYLE

32. STOP SEEKING APPROVAL

33. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Much appreciation and gratitude are owed to my dear friend Ramona Violeta Diaconu for all she has done to help me in the preparation of this book; to Rafika Marchouk for her insights and review; to my friend Yassine El for his insights and ideas; and to all those who have contributed from near or far to its accomplishment.

INTRODUCTION

The first and possibly the most crucial part of your leveling up journey has to do with responsibility. It would help if you accepted your reality the way it is, forgive your past, take responsibility (Rule No. 1) for your life and your results. It does not matter where you come from, but what matters the most is the present moment. Your past doesn't matter that much. It's gone. Thus, you need to learn to live in the present moment (Rule No. 2), given that it is during this time frame when you can make decisions, spot opportunities, and have more access to being at the steering wheel of your life. Then, it is crucial to identify your purpose (Rule No. 3) and path in life and learn how to define your goals (Rule No. 4) that should be aligned with your purpose. Your purpose or your "gift" is that magical thing that you do for hours while it feels like only minutes have passed. It's what you are created for. Along your journey of becoming the best version of yourself, you also need to surround yourself with successful , high-quality people (Rule No. 5) and eliminate negative ones. Whether you want to or not, you become more like the people you spend the most time with.

Next, to start moving forward, you will need to change your mindset and work on yourself and your character to be always ready and prepared for new opportunities. First, you need to start sacrificing instant gratifications and focus on the long term (Rule No. 6) by working hard now and reaping the harvest later, especially when it comes to your finances. Those who save the money they earn then invest by acquiring assets are more likely to achieve financial freedom (Rule No. 7) in the long term. Additionally to money, another vital resource that you have got is your time. You need to learn how to manage your time (Rule No. 8) by allocating it to the activities that matter a lot to you and help you grow. Once you know how to manage your time, you will need to preserve it by building strong boundaries (Rule No. 9) and valuing yourself more (Rule No. 10). People will undoubtedly respect you when you cultivate much self-respect and don't tolerate any disrespect of yourself or of your time. They will treat you how you treat yourself and according to the standards and boundaries you establish.

Additionally, another vital thing to work on is your belief system. You need to identify and eliminate your limiting beliefs (Rule No. 11) and believe that you are deserving of love, happiness, success. Our beliefs shape who we are.

To level up your life and start moving forward, you also need to build positive and constructive habits (Rule No. 12) and let go of your negative ones. Challenging activities can become effortless when you make them habits. Your morning routine (Rule No. 13) is probably the most important habit because the way you start your morning determines the quality of your entire day. Another essential habit relates to your health. It would be best if you started a healthy lifestyle (Rule No. 14) by changing your habits and making better decisions about everything from the food you eat, to the quality of your sleep, to how many times a week you exercise and care for your mental health. Reading more (Rule No. 15), journaling (Rule No. 16), having a self-care routine (Rule No. 17), and having a list of gratitude (Rule No. 18) are also essential habits to develop. And finally, celebrating your success (Rule No. 19), your progress, and even your small wins will make you feel stronger, happier, and more confident.

Once you change your mindset and develop constructive habits, now it's

time to take action. It's time to "attract luck" (Rule No. 20). Leave your comfort zone, try different things, go to diverse places, meet various people so that you can expose yourself to more opportunities. Opportunities don't come to those who stay in their comfort zone. Taking action will require courage. You need to be courageous (Rule No. 21) enough to beat your fears because fear can stop you from living your dreams and hold you back from reaching your highest potential. Courage is also all you need to be willing to fight and never give up on your dreams (Rule No. 22) by being self-disciplined, focused, patient, persistent, and flexible. Also, in your leveling-up journey, you need to always keep evolving (Rule No. 23), always seek the next level, do not compare yourself, your progress, your life to others (Rule No. 24), and learn from failures (Rule No. 25) along the way.

Last but not least, you need to develop some skills that will make you stand out from the crowd, such as becoming an interesting person (Rule No. 26), mastering some important discussion topics (Rule No. 27), your social skills (Rule No. 28), your sense of humor (Rule No. 29), public speaking (Rule No.30). And along the way, make sure to improve your clothing style (Rule No. 31), stop seeking approval (Rule No. 32), and mind your own business (Rule No. 33).

1. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE

"If you take responsibility for yourself, you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams." – Les Brown

Taking responsibility and moving forward in life is the best thing we can do for ourselves. It's the right decision to take whatever the circumstances are. It does not matter where you come from, whether born into a rich or a low-income family. Your background, where you lived, does not matter. What does matter the most is the "now," the present moment. To achieve tremendous success and become the person you are meant to be, you must accept reality, forgive yourself, your past, and then take full responsibility for your life by promoting yourself from the victim to the victor of your life.

To make a change, you need to transform your perspective from someone who acts like a victim into someone that makes things happen. In his book "The 7 habits of highly effective people," Steven Covey talked about being proactive versus reactive. He describes in his book that proactive people recognize that they are "response-able." They don't complain about things they can't control, and they take action to improve their management of situations. They don't blame genetics, circumstances, or conditions. They know they choose their behavior. On the other hand, reactive people complain about things out of their control as well as things within their control; their environment and outside forces affect their performance and mood.

Also, Jack Canfield, in his book "The success principles: How to get from where you are to where you want to be," talked about the same concept. He mentioned in his book this equation: event plus response equal to the outcome. Many people blame the events in their life for their lack of success. Events are the things we cannot control. However, you can change your response to the events and consequently get the outcome you want. You can change your mindset, thinking, and behavior, and as a result, you will get different results.

As a matter of fact, when you react and focus on the events, you are giving away your power, and you cannot make a change because you are putting that power on something outside of yourself.

Exercise : write down all the things you complain about or ask your relatives or friends about these things and then think about a solution. You can also coach yourself in real time to take responsibility. Anytime you catch yourself making excuses, complaining, or trying to place responsibility for what's happening in your life outside of you, stop and say to yourself: "I take responsibility, I am responsible for what's happening, and I am not a victim." And be proactive by starting to think about solutions.

2. LIVE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT

"There is no past, there's only future

There's only here, there's only now."

Van Morrison. These are the days

Your past doesn't matter that much. It's gone; it's no longer relevant. The past serves us only one purpose: to teach us lessons and prepare us for the future. If you are still living in it, you are going to be unhappy and depressed. The entirely unknown future serves us as a reason to make plans, to get prepared, and then move on without worrying about it. If you live in the future, you will be anxious because you anticipate or worry about things that are not happening yet. However, the present is the only time frame to make decisions, take actions, use your five senses. Being in the present is where you have the most excellent control; it's where you have the most access to being at the steering wheel of your life.

Whenever you catch yourself thinking about something in the past or worrying about future events, stop, ground yourself, and refocus on the present, find something that you can savor. It could simply be by observing your breath as you breathe in and as you breathe out. Here are some ways that can help to get fully present:

Meditation: meditation is a great way to train your brain to live in the moment, and it has many benefits like getting better sleep, reducing anxiety, improving memory, better focus, and relaxation .

Focusing on what you are doing : get rid of all the distractions and focus your attention on the thing you are doing. For instance, as you are eating, be in the present moment. Make sure you reduce distractions, eat in a calm environment, and savor the food you are eating. In other words, when you eat, just eat; when you walk, just walk; when you shower, just shower.

Focus on your senses : focus on what you see, hear, feel, or smell at the current moment. For instance, having sex or sharing a meal with someone is a rich experience since we tend to use all of our senses in that specific moment.

Put your past aside : whenever you are going out or talking to a friend or a family member, do it while being fully present. Put your past aside and try to be present by listening carefully and fully connecting.

Being mindful will not only get you to have more access to being at the steering wheel of your life, but it will also make you happier, in touch with your body senses, and open your eyes to opportunities that life would offer you.

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3. FIND YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE

"A man who does not have something for which he is willing to die is not fit to live." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

If you are not waking up each day excited, passionate, enthusiastic, and you are not happy when that alarm clock goes off in the morning, then you are not living your purpose in life. We all need to figure out what we would like to do for the rest of our lives. So many people don't have a vision for their life, have no focus; they live life going with the flow and letting life happen to them. Then they end up living a life they don't want, working on a job they hate, marrying the wrong person. Nothing will hurt you more than not knowing your reason to be alive.

One of the most important questions to ask yourself is: "What are the most important things to me?", "What's my purpose, my path in life?" Your purpose shouldn't be only to make money, get rich, live a luxurious life, and die; it should also be about contributing to the world and making it a better place 1 . Steve Jobs, in his commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005, talked about purpose. He stated that we should start with knowing what we want in life, what we love to do, thinking about whom we want to be, and what we want to have. He said that the only way to do great work is to love what you do. So, if you have not found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.

Steve Harvey talks about the concept of the "gift" in many of his speeches. He quotes: "Your gift is the thing you do the absolute best with the least amount of effort." Your gift is the thing you do for hours, while it feels like only minutes have passed. It is your passion. It's what you were created for.

Once you discover your "gift" or your passion, go and become the best at it. Read books about it, do a course on it, find a mentor who will help you become incredible at it. Then, figure out how to make money out of it. Your "gift" or purpose in life could be to teach people, encourage people as a public or motivational speaker, play football, be a finance expert, or be a doctor. It is that magical thing that, when you do it, you feel stronger, happier, and fulfilled.

How can you identify your purpose? First, it's essential to read a lot. Reading will make you an imaginative person, and you can figure out your purpose and "gift" through the stories, the characters in the books you read. Also, it's essential to try different things in life to identify what you are good at. For instance, JK Rowling used to work as a secretary for the London office of Amnesty International while secretly writing stories on her work computer. Then later became the multi-billionaire author of one of the most successful book series of all time, Harry Potter. Also, listen to your heart, your intuition, not the judgment of others.

In conclusion, it's never too late to find your purpose. You can now and again spend some time by yourself reflecting on your life, strengths, things you are good at. An exercise to consider would be to lock yourself in a room and don't do anything until you figure out your purpose. Once you've found what it is, you will feel like a fish that has lived on land all its life and one day discovers the ocean.

4. SET YOUR GOALS

"The only goals you don't achieve in life are the goals you don't set."― Matt Fox

Whether you want to start your own business and quit your job, learn how to invest in the stock market, learn a foreign language, or maybe lose weight, goal setting is the key. Setting a goal is like choosing the path you will take, which will guide you to reach the destination you are aiming for. Without goals, your life might seem aimless. It's common wisdom that people without goals are not as successful as they hope to be, and people who don't write down goals are less likely to accomplish them. In this chapter, we will discuss the most commonly used techniques in goal-setting, which are S.M.A.R.T and W.O.O.P., and see how we can stay motivated along the process of reaching our goals.

Working hard is essential, but working smarter is even more so. You have probably heard of the SMART goal system 2 , which is the most well-known goal-setting technique. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Thus when you set your goals, make sure they are:

Specific : well defined and precise. The more specific you are, the easier it will be to quantify your results along the way. For example, let's say you want to lose weight; to be more specific, you need to set a goal of hitting the gym three times per week as an example;

Measurable : with specific criteria that measure your progress toward the accomplishment of the goal. For instance, your goal could be to lose ten pounds per month;

Achievable : attainable and not impossible to achieve. If you make your goal more achievable and set it to at first lose two pounds in a week, then you will have the motivation to carry through; and eventually, lose those ten pounds;

Realistic : within reach and relevant to your life purpose. For example, most people can't lose twenty pounds in just a week, but they can do it in six months;

Timely : with a clearly defined timeline. You need to determine when you will complete it. Otherwise, you will always have the goal but never have the urgency to accomplish it; as Robert Harjavec says: "A goal without a timeline is just a dream."

It's so important to not only set SMART goals but also review them monthly or every week. That's how you can check back to see if you are on track and if not, you can make the necessary adjustments.

The S.M.A.R.T method will enable you to define your goals. While the W.O.O.P. method, which psychology professor Gabriele Oettingen 3 developed, can help you plan your thinking and make your dreams a reality by framing your goals in terms of – wish, outcome, obstacle, plan.

You start with your wish; it could be, for example, to lose ten pounds in a month. Second, think about the outcome: what would be the best outcome if you fulfill that wish? It might be an emotion, a positive consequence. Imagine the best outcome happening; how would it make you feel? For example, you imagine yourself enjoying good health and being energized. Then, think about the most prominent internal obstacle you need to overcome today to fulfill your wish. Next, think about the bad stuff that could happen, not to make yourself all negative but so you can develop a plan. At last, you think about the planned side and what you will do if that happens. For instance, if my friend invites me to eat at a fast-food restaurant, I will say "no" or suggest we go somewhere else.

To stay motivated to take action toward your goal, there are many things you can do. One of them is to create accountability in your life either by having an accountability group or someone who can help ensure that you are on track. It could be a personal trainer, a coach, or a mentor. It is the most powerful way to make sure that you do follow through. Another way is to declare your goals publicly 4 because you will lose credibility if you don't follow through. The last thing you can do is to reward yourself whenever you achieve something (See Rule No. 19).

Once you set your goals using the S.M.A.R.T system, implement the W.O.O.P. method, and learn to stay motivated; it's essential to remain disciplined, focused, patient, persistent, and flexible (See Rule No. 22) while enjoying the process. You might achieve great goals and not live a happy life like Julien 5 , the main character in Robin Sharma's book "The monk who sold his Ferrari." When you achieve a goal, you will get a sense of momentary pleasure and gratification, which is just dopamine in your brain. However, this feeling doesn't last, and sure enough, you look for the next goal. Thus, it is advised to have goals in each area of your life to progress towards better health, better vitality, and better relationships. Balance is essential for living a fulfilled life because when you focus only on your career goals, you will surely end up unhappy, not spending time with family and friends. There will be certain times when things are out of balance. But that's okay as long as you go back to balance when you can.

5. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SUCCESSFUL MODELS

"It's okay to be average, as long as you surround yourself with extraordinary people that you become the average of."- Hal Elrod

Surrounding yourself with successful people is one of the most powerful ways to change your life. By surrounding yourself with the right people, your standards will change. At first, you will feel uncomfortable, but you will be forced to grow massively.

In his book, "Think and Grow Rich," Napoleon Hill talked about the mastermind principle. He describes it as: "The coordination of knowledge and effort between two or more people who work towards a definite purpose in a spirit of harmony…no two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible, intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind". An example of this is Steve Jobs collaborated with Steve Wozniak to create Apple, one of the greatest companies of all time.

Whether you want to or not, you become more like the people you spend the most time with. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, goes the cliché. If your friends don't talk about goals, ambitions, growth, investments, and self-improvement, you need new friends. Moreover, be mindful that "If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room," as Confucius said. Here are two essential exercises that will help you attract the right people in your life :

Exercise 1 : list all the people you spend time with and ask yourself these questions: "Are they successful?", "Do they have expertise on a subject?", "Do I feel happy around them?", "Are they helping me grow and take my life or my business to the next level?"

Have the courage to eliminate toxic friends, the ones who will never manage to elevate themselves.

Exercise 2: once you get rid of people who add no value to your life or toxic friends, you will need to define the kind of people you want to attract in your life. Make a list of people you want to be surrounded with. They could be entrepreneurs, doctors, financial analysts, artists, language teachers, or people who share the same mission as you. Define also their qualities. Do you want to be with positive, supportive people to have fun with, people that will encourage you? To attract quality people in your life, you need first to work on yourself and be an expert on something to add value to their lives. Then, finally, put yourself in environments to attract that kind of people. Go to seminars, networking events, join mastermind groups, and always be the one who gives, who invites, who starts and invests in the conversation.

All things considered, surrounding yourself with the right people that can push you and force you to raise your standards and grow will make your life change for the better.

6. FOCUS ON THE LONG TERM

"I hated every minute of my training but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" - Mohammed Ali

If you want to achieve anything of value in your life, long-term thinking is the way to go. Whether you wish to improve your health, lose weight, improve your finances, start a business, be happier or healthier, you need to focus on the long term and learn to sacrifice short-term gratification in all areas of your life.

We, humans, are hardwired to want things now rather than later. Instant gratification is a part of our nature. Many people focus on the short-term. They want the results quickly and don't realize that success is a long-term process. The famous marshmallow test of the 1960s conducted by a Stanford University professor named Walter Mischel and other studies proves this to be true. The experiment consisted of putting a marshmallow in front of little kids, and if they could resist eating it for fifteen minutes, they would be rewarded with a second marshmallow. It turned out that only a few of the children did manage to wait the entire time. Follow-up studies were conducted by the researchers tracking each child's progress in several areas found that children who were able to delay gratification were more successful, more socially well-adjusted relative to the other children.

Generally speaking, instant gratification only feels good in the short term. For instance, when it comes to eating, instant gratification would be to eat foods that taste good which are generally unhealthy such as soft drinks, icecreams, burgers. It indeed feels good in the moment, but over the long term, you will end up with bad health, overweight, less than optimal skin health and appearance, bad digestion, and many diseases known to humanity. On the other hand, delayed gratification would be to eat healthy foods with a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fat with high-quality nutrition that you might not enjoy instantly but, in the long run, will make you enjoy good health.

Delaying gratification and thinking long-term requires patience, persistence, and strategic planning. While working through your goals, never forget that success will come when you are ready and deserving of it. When you put in the work, the time, then the results will show up in your life.

7. STRIVE TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL FREEDOM

"Money can't buy happiness, but it will certainly get you a better class of memories." – Ronald Reagan

Being financially free could mean having enough savings, multiple assets that generate various income sources, and cash on hand, making it easier to execute life decisions without being overly stressed about the financial impact. It also means having the ability to retire at forty or forty-five years old with cash-flowing assets and financial freedom, not at sixty-five years of age with a pension and many liabilities.

The path to financial freedom isn't an easy road. It begins by defining what it signifies to you, then by developing a mindset in which you prioritize building a solid financial foundation of savings before moving on to spending and investing. This part will discuss three things: how to manage your money? The difference between assets and liabilities, and at last investing.

How to manage your money : the difference between financial success and failure lies in how well you manage your money. T. Harv Eker, the author of the New York Times best-seller "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth," developed the concept of the "Six Jars Money Management System," which is the most straightforward, most effective money management system that you can start using to budget your money the right way and to learn how to allocate your finances. You can use this method by setting up six bank accounts or using physical jars 6 that will include a percentage of your income:

Necessities (55%) : this jar takes a higher percentage of allocation from your income than the other jars. It is for all your necessary expenses such as rent, food, utilities, bills;

Long-term savings for spending (10%) : this percentage of your income is used for big purchases like buying a car, also as an emergency fund (which should be worth at least six or twelve months of your income) for rainy days. Another usage is for unexpected medical expenses when an unexpected event happens or for miscellaneous items;

Financial freedom (10%) : you can use this money to invest in assets or start a business. These investments will increase your income in the long run. When you have money put aside, you will be able to take advantage of investment opportunities. A good example would be the coronavirus crisis when many people bought stocks, shares, and cryptocurrencies at a discount;

Education (10%) : Warren Buffet states: "The most important investment you can make is in yourself." It is true because the more you invest in yourself, the more you will be valuable and the more you will be able to generate wealth. You can learn new high-demand skills such as writing, copywriting, coding, SEO/google analytics, Facebook ads, web development, Photoshop, project management, new languages, sales, artificial intelligence. Make sure you take your education and success seriously;

Fun (10%) : you can spend ten percent of your income on play, fun, entertainment guilt-free, or on whatever makes you happy such as eating out, massages, weekend getaways;

Give (5%) : you can use this money for charitable donations or maybe for helping your relatives and friends. When you are a giver, you will notice how much joy you feel before and after. It will undoubtedly change your perspective on how you see money and develop a mindset of abundance.

You can adjust the percentages if you want and focus more on education and financial freedom jars. Make sure to find ways to make more money by investing while cutting down your expenses and living on less than you earn. Always stick to your budget by tracking your expenses regularly.

Difference between assets and liabilities : according to Robert T. Kiyosaki, the author of the best-seller "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," the first lesson you need to know concerning money is to differentiate between an asset and a liability. An asset is something that puts money in your pocket. It could be stocks, bonds, mutual funds, a piece of real estate, a website, or anything that produces cash flow for you every single month. On the opposite, a liability is something that takes money out of your pockets, such as mortgages, luxurious cars, and overvalued smartphones.

The rich acquire assets. Instead of relying on their job as the only source of income, they invest in assets and, in general, focus on creating multiple income sources. Conversely, the poor and the middle-class acquire liabilities.

Robert T. Kiyosaki tells the story of his poor dad (his biological dad), who was making quite a lot of money from his job. However, his expenses seemed to always keep up with his income, never allowing him to invest in assets. Thus, his liabilities, such as his credit card and debts, grew greater over time. On the other hand, his rich dad (his friend's dad) invested and minimized liabilities. As a result, his assets generated more than enough income to cover expenses with the balance reinvested into assets. As a result, his rich dad ended up financially free with more assets and, therefore, a growing income.

Investing: we can do three things with money: spend it, save it, and invest it. To create financial stability and achieve financial freedom, you must save at least some of the money you earn and then invest it by acquiring assets. Saving means putting your money to rest, while investing means putting your money to work. Savings accounts don't allow your money to grow quickly, conversely to investing where you can receive higher returns and beat inflation. Once you invest your money, you must multiply it by reinvesting cash flow generated by your assets and maintaining it.

When it comes to liabilities, always avoid debt that doesn't pay you back. Take debt only to invest in assets and only if the return generated by those assets is larger than the interest cost. In your investing journey, don't avoid taking risks but learn how to manage them.

Your first investment should be on yourself. Find ways that will allow you to use your skills or labor only. Admittedly, there are different ways to make money on the internet passively by putting in the hard work now and getting paid continuously. Assumingly, you are passionate about finance. You can start by teaching online courses, start a YouTube channel, put together a course you can sell through educational platforms like "Udemy," and write a book concerning the subject. It is greatly recommended to invest your efforts into one thing until it's growing, then you proceed to something else. Remember that success does not happen overnight, and the only way to make money is by providing value.

Having multiple income streams is essential to achieving financial freedom. It earns you money without taking up much of your time and effort. Here are some ideas you can try:

Invest in the stock market;

Invest in cryptomoney;

Start a podcast;

Become an affiliate marketer;

Sell a digital product;

Sell a course;

Start a business and automating;

Build a website or an app.

At last, remember that if you learn to manage your money now, you will be able to handle and supervise higher amounts of money in your future.

8. MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY

"There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing." -Brian Tracy

Have you ever felt like you haven't got much done on a day, a month, over a year, or your entire life? If yes, time management may be the skill you need to develop. Your time is gold, and it's is the most precious resource that you will ever have. Managing it well and being effective helps you get your highly important tasks done. According to Steven Covey 7 , we can divide different activities into four quadrants depending on their importance and urgency:

Quadrant I. Important and urgent : these are problems and crisis which requires immediate attention. For example, an important meeting, deadline-driven activities. If these problems are neglected, you will be in trouble.

Quadrant II. Important and not urgent : these activities deserve your attention because they will significantly benefit your life over the long term. They are directly related to your long-term goals, mission, and roles such as long-term planning, developing deep relationships, physical exercise, professional development, education, reading.

Quadrant III. Urgent and not important : all activities that are not related to your mission, goals, and roles in any way. These are time wasters for you, such as unnecessary calls, interruptions, meetings without any agenda.

Quadrant IV. Not urgent and not important : these activities eat your time away without giving much value back to your life; this could include extensive, mindless T.V. watching, casual internet surfing, workplace gossip, and other escape activities.

Exercise : take activities on your to-do list and divide them into the four activity quadrants. Then make a plan to adjust your schedule every week by allowing more time and energy to the activities that matter a lot to you and help you grow. Work on the activities in quadrant I immediately, limit the time you spend on the activities in quadrant III, and avoid Quadrant IV activities that contribute nothing to your life.

Working on quadrant II is the key to effectiveness. It will bring more positive changes to your life.

When it comes to managing your time daily, whenever you are working on an important task, there is a popular time management technique that you can implement, which is known as the "Pomodoro Technique." This method will help you increase your productivity and ability to accomplish tasks. It consists of these steps:

Choose a task you need to complete;

Work on it for twenty-five minutes with focus using a timer;

Take a break for five minutes;

Repeat the cycle four times;

Take a long break of fifteen to thirty minutes.

Make sure to do the highest leverage tasks, activities, and the most challenging things in the morning when you have that brainpower. Then, later on, you can work on other tasks. Make sure to stick to your weekly plan; otherwise, you will get distracted by the plans others have for you.

Time is like a depreciating asset; you can never get more of it. So make sure you use it effectively.

9. BUILD STRONG BOUNDARIES

"Walls keep everybody out. Boundaries teach them where the door is."- Mark Groves

Boundaries play a vital role in managing your relationships with relatives, friends, co-workers and preserving your invaluable resources such as time, energy, money. One of the ways to have strong boundaries is to learn to say "no," to tolerate hearing "no," and to say "yes." Unfortunately, many people find it difficult or impossible to say "no," while others feel anxious when they hear "no."

Dare to say "no" or respond later. You could be friendly, kind and still set boundaries with others. Self-doubting people tend to say "yes" automatically without even reflecting. They are always available to others. So, give yourself time, reflect on it before you say "yes" to something. When saying "no," make sure you do it politely, with a smile, and avoid feeling guilty after saying it. When you constantly give so much of yourself and try to please everybody without setting any boundary, you end up hurting yourself, and as a result, people will find it easy to disrespect you.

Also, you can say "no" to things you don't prefer, negative emotions, toxic relationships, and win/lose deals; this will make you stronger against stress, like a nation with a tough border. But, remember not to say "no" to everything and become like some isolated countries, which allows no new ideas or culture in, nor trade.

On the other side, people with poor boundaries find it more difficult to hear the word "no" from people and when it comes to happenings in life. For example, let's say you have applied for a job, did poorly on the interview, and got rejected. Of course, you will feel unfortunate the first time, but you will apply again for another job learning from your mistakes. So learn to tolerate rejection, accept it when life or someone says "no" to you, and never take it personally. It only means that the other person asserts himself according to their preferences.

In a nutshell, being mature means having boundaries with doors and not walls. For instance, you should say "yes" and open those doors to constructive ideas, emotional energy, and behaviors; and say "no" to destructive behaviors, toxic people, and relationships. Make sure you set boundaries as soon as possible.

10. VALUE YOURSELF MORE

"When you start loving yourself and respecting your time and energy, things will change. Get to know your worth, and your value will go up." ― Germany Kent

Valuing yourself is not about making or manipulating someone to like you or appreciate you; it's all about respecting and loving yourself unconditionally, knowing your worth, and formulating a good relationship with yourself. People will respect you if you cultivate self-respect and don't tolerate any disrespect of yourself or your time. They will treat you according to the standards and boundaries you upheld and will only do what you allow them to. On the other hand, if you don't hold yourself to a certain standard and don't put your self-value first, it'll be hard to succeed and obtain happiness in life. Here are some ways to value yourself more:

Get to know yourself: becoming self-aware of your positive attributes and negative ones will make you comfortable with yourself, disallowing the critics to affect you in any way possible. Write down all of your talents, strengths, skills, achievements, things you are proud of. Be honest and authentic with yourself, don't be humble. Then, list all the negative aspects of yourself, your flaws, weaknesses, and things you are not proud of. Accept and own your flaws and mistakes, and don't allow them to define you. Know that everyone is flawed. Nobody's perfect. Instead, focus and capitalize on your strengths .

Know your worth : when you don't know how much you are worth, you will sell yourself cheap as T.D. Jakes says: "When you don't know your worth, you allow other people to put their price tag on you." Instead, you must begin to see yourself as important and worthy and start treating yourself with importance. Don't wait for others to come and tell you how worthy you are. Instead, get a piece of paper and write down all the things that make you feel important and worthy: "I am worthy because..." Some people will love you, and some will not; there will be ones who will have compassion for you, while others will only judge you. What matters is what you think of yourself. Your gates don't have to be open to everybody. You only let a few people into your circle after they have proved that they are worthy of your love and attention. You are not desperate to have people like you.

Put yourself first without feeling guilty : it's all about living for you and making yourself the number one priority. Your health, mental wellbeing should come before anything else. Learn to say "no" to wrong people, toxic relationships, wrong environments, and to things that are generally bad for you. Also, don't accept second-class behavior but instead stay calm, firm, and gentle. Finally, don't be afraid of disappointing others. We were not brought into this world to please others but to create our happiness and not make others our source of joy.

Don't compare yourself to others : comparing yourself to others is unhealthy behavior. Whenever you start comparing yourself to anybody, you will feel unworthy and invaluable. And whenever you focus on what you don't have, who you are not, you lose focus of who you are and what you do have as Iyanla Vanzant said: "Comparison is an act of violence against the self." You are unique. Stand in your authentic lane and shine. Just be yourself, don't try to talk like anyone else or try to be like anyone else. Be yourself! You are YOU for a reason. Learn to appreciate your uniqueness. You are perfect just the way you are.

Stop idealizing others : idealization is making someone into the perfect image of the ideal person who has no flaws to the point where they almost stop being "human." For instance, when you place others on a pedestal, you devalue yourself. Then, the only way they can look is down on you. When we idealize others; as a result, we tend to endure anything they say and to tolerate second-class behaviors, which is a losing game.

In conclusion, remember that you are perfect just the way you are. Do not let anyone say you are worth nothing. You hold power, and you are the one who determines your worth.

11. ELIMINATE YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS

"You can have anything you want if you are willing to give up the belief that you can't have it." – Dr. Robert Anthony

Many people have limiting beliefs based on their childhood, the conditioning of their parents, past experiences, and environment. These beliefs are not actual; they are just an illusion. If you believe you can't do it, you will find a way to make excuses and convince yourself that you can't without even allowing yourself to try. Limiting beliefs could erode your mind, driving you to stagnate, be passive, and not pursue a fulfilling life. In this chapter, we will answer the following questions: what's the definition of beliefs? How can we eradicate them?

According to Dr. Paul Dobransky 8 , beliefs are like a tabletop: supported by table legs called "evidence." The more these evidence are intimately tied to emotional energy, the stronger is the belief.

To build new beliefs about yourself and the world around you, you should start observing yourself whenever you behave in a way based on a negative belief. For example, you are not approaching a woman you admire because you think you are not handsome enough or not worthy. Whenever you catch yourself thinking this way, then you will need to challenge that belief by saying to yourself the opposite, "I'm good, I am worthy…". Then, look for evidence to support it and enjoy positive em otions while thinking of what you want to believe about yourself.

Eventually, you will find evidence that it's true. And if it gets strong enough and supported enough by positive emotions, finally it will start filtering more positively into it, and you will begin to see the world as more optimist, at least about you.

Another thing you can do to eliminate negative beliefs about yourself is to use auto-suggestion as mentioned below:

Exercise: take a sheet of paper. Write down all of your negative thoughts concerning all the aspects of your life. Then, start by changing them into positive ones. Start reading these lines at least ten times or record them and start listening to your soundtrack when you wake up and in the evening before going to bed. Make it a habit.

Don't let limiting beliefs hold you back in your life!

12. BUILD POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE HABITS

"Successful people are simply those with successful habits." – Brian Tracy

We, humans, are creators of habits. When she was asked about the definition of habits 9 , Wendy Wood, the author of "Good Habits, Bad Habit: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick," said: "Habits are a learning mechanism. All we have to do is repeat something and get rewarded for it, and we're learning a habit. In research that I have done, we found that about 43 percent of what people do every day is repeated in the same context, usually while they are thinking about something else. They're automatically responding without really making decisions. And that's what a habit is." So how are habits built?

According to James Clear 10 , the author of "Atomic Habits," the process of building habits is split up into four stages known as the habit loop. The cue triggers the brain to initiate action; the craving provides the motivational force, the response is the act or habit that we perform, and the reward is the end goal. These four phases, according to James Clear, leads to the four laws of behavior change:

Make the cue obvious : the first law relates to designing your environment around your cues. For example, if you want to build a habit of going to the gym, but you never set a reminder on your phone, or you never put it on your daily calendar, you most likely forget to go more often than not. The easiest way of making a cue obvious is a strategy called "Habit stacking," which consists of identifying an existing habit and then stacking a new behavior on top—for example, implementing the habit of walking every day after lunch. Thus, the end of lunch becomes the cue to walk. Another example would be to meditate (the new habit) after you shower in the morning.

Make the craving attractive : we humans are all motivated by the anticipation of reward. Thus, making habits attractive will help us stick to them. An effective tactic to use in this stage is called "Temptation bundling." The idea is to do something you like. At the same time, you engage in an activity that is harder to stick to (the habit you want to implement) or do a pleasurable activity after your more complex action. For instance, you can watch your Netflix show only after you have walked for twenty minutes. If watching a Netflix show becomes the reward for walking, you will begin to crave the walk to claim your reward afterward.

Make the response easy : making the habit easy is more likely to work if you remove obstacles that might deter you from engaging in that activity that you want to make a habit. For example, reduce the likelihood of skipping workouts by joining a gym on the way home from school or work and preparing your gym clothes and shoes the night before. Another way to make a habit easy is to set the bare minimum at least at first, at a level that you know you could accomplish every single day and build over time. For example, if you want to get into a meditation habit, it might be more beneficial to set a two-minute goal to start and slowly work yourself up to three minutes, five minutes, and then thirty minutes along the way.

Make the reward satisfying : to stay motivated to continue good habits, find ways to create instantly gratifying rewards. For instance, you can keep track of your completed habits in a chart, in a calendar, or you can use habit trackers or journals. When you track your accomplishments, not only will you be motivated to continue making the habit, but it will also reinforce your identity. For example, if the new habit is reading, your goal is not to read a hundred pages of a book but to become a reader.

Having seen how to build a positive habit, we can invert the four rules to break a bad habit by making the cue invisible, making the craving unattractive, making the response difficult, and finally, making the reward unsatisfying.

13. HAVE A MIRACLE MORNING ROUTINE

"My future starts when I wake up every morning." – Miles Davis

The morning is an essential part of the day and can determine the dynamics of your whole day. There are two scenarios when it comes to starting your day: being proactive by waking up earlier and getting a lot done or being reactive by getting up as late as possible, skipping breakfast, rushing to work, and then feeling like you are trying to catch up the rest of the day.

Getting up between thirty and sixty minutes earlier than usual and starting your day with a morning routine can transform your life completely. Hal Elrod, the author of the book "Miracle Morning" summed up six habits that are needed to change your life, and the habits are summarized and written as SAVERS; each letter stands for a habit:

Silence : start your morning with purposeful silence going into meditation or prayer for five minutes as a way to reduce stress and gain some self-awareness. One of the best things you can do is to think of ten things you are grateful for.

Affirmations : after five minutes of silence, you can do affirmations. Consider one transformation you want to make in your life and phrase it. For example, you want to become a great public speaker, say out loud to yourself: "Today, I will be a powerful speaker." The more you repeat them, the more likely it is that your words will sink deep into your unconscious and come through in your actions; as Mohammed Ali once said, "It's the repetitions of affirmations that lead to belief. Once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen." Another thing you can do is to use mantras11 . An example of a good mantra is the one used by Robin Sharma, the best-selling author of the book 'The monk who sold his Ferrari," - "I am more than I appear to be, all the world's strength and power rests inside me."

Visualization : after affirmations, practice visualization for five minutes. Visualize in detail the situations you must face. Then, imagine the behaviors and actions you wish to adopt, the expected results, and how you will feel once these results have been achieved. For instance, by visualizing yourself executing a task like starting a complex project, you make that task more straightforward to manage later in the day. During visualization, your brain fires and strengthens the same neural circuits you will use when you complete the task.

Exercise : after visualization, it's time to exercise for twenty minutes. There are tons of benefits derived from exercising, especially in the morning, not only for your physique but also for your brain. When you exercise, you trigger the release of chemicals in your brain, such as dopamine (the "motivation" and "reward" brain chemical), serotonin, endorphins, B.D.N.F. 11 , and norepinephrine that significantly increase your ability to focus for several hours 12 . As Plato once said: "In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these means, man can attain perfection."

Reading : after performing silence, affirmations, visualization, and exercise, your brain will be primed to learn and grow. You can read something that will inspire you or a material that will further or increase your skills. Try to aim for twenty minutes or ten pages a day. Choose books that will help you make progress in any area of life you are struggling with. The more you read, the more you learn, and the more you will grow as a person; as Warren Buffet said: "The more you learn, the more you earn."

Scribing : after performing all of these habits, you can dedicate five minutes to scribing (See Rule No. 16). You can use your journal by writing down your thoughts every morning. Write down the ideas you have collected and brainstorm ways you can incorporate them into your life. It's essential to scribe, as Rolf Smith once said: "The problem with making mental notes is that the ink fades very rapidly."

Depending on your habits, constraints, and preferences, you can adapt the order and duration of these activities to the way that suits you the best. For example, suppose you are a night person. In that case, you can also reprogram one of your activities in the evening or at night, especially activities that you find challenging to do. Also, make sure to keep distractions away, such as your phone or checking emails. The most important is to start and transform this routine into a habit that you practice every day.

14. START A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

"The greatest wealth is health." – Publius Vergilius Maro

Creating a healthy lifestyle and maintaining it is all about changing your behavior, habits, and routines. It means making better decisions in everything from the food you eat, to the quality of your sleep, to how many times a week you exercise and care for your mental health. There are unlimited numbers of ways to start a healthy lifestyle, but here are some tips focused on balance and wellbeing, which constitute the foundation:

Healthy eating : Make sure you drink more water throughout the day because water is essential for distributing nutrients throughout the body, supporting your digestive function, skin health, and energy levels 13 . It's advised, when drinking water, to take small sips rather than drink a large quantity at once and always keep a water bottle close by because, as the saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind."

In what concerns eating, make sure you eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Try to eat at least three brightly colored fruits and veggies every day. According to Dr. Michelle Hauser, a clinical fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School, different colors equal different phytochemicals, which means they have various health benefits 14 . Also, make sure you minimize foods high in sugar, fat, and salt and cut out processed food. Preparing and packing your meals for work instead of eating out five days a week is an excellent way to make sure you eat healthy foods. At last, the golden rule is never to skip breakfast which is the most important meal of the day.

Get better sleep : sleep plays a vital role in maintaining good health and wellbeing throughout your life. Improving the quality of your sleep can help protect your physical health, your mental health, and the quality of your life 15 . As Thomas Dekker said: "Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together."

When we sleep, our cells and tissues have a chance to regenerate. So it's suitable for our cognitive function and memory 16 . To get better sleep, it's recommended not to eat three hours before bedtime 17 because the digestion process continues even at night and during sleep. Also, turn off your phone at least an hour before bed so that you can capitalize on your natural sleep hormone, melatonin. Using your cellphone stimulates your brain, and the blue light emitted by it will make it harder for you to sleep because your brain thinks it's not time to sleep so that it won't produce melatonin very well. Also, make sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.

Move : as a complement to healthy eating and getting better sleep, physical exercise is an inseparable part of the holy trinity of health. As we have seen in the previous rule concerning morning routine, there are many benefits to exercising for your physique and brain. But, on the other hand, lack of activity can be as risky as smoking and excessive alcohol, as was suggested by some studies 18 .

Make sure you stay active and do things you like the most. It can be brisk walking, jogging, or weight training. The World Health Organization recommends getting at least one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate activity per week or at least five minutes of vigorous activity per week. It also recommends muscle-strengthening / resistance activities at least two times a week. Weight training is essential, and it helps preserve your muscle mass and bone density 19 20 which tend to deteriorate as we age. As a rule of thumb, if you can't exercise in the morning, you can do it in the evening. If you can't run, just go for a walk.

Take care of your mental health : healthy foods, good sleep, and exercising are essentials for mental health. Additionally, here are some dos and don'ts to follow to take care of your brain and become a happy person:

Forgive yourself and others: if you want others to forgive you, you also need to learn to forgive them. Whenever you feel blame, guilt, or regret, you can release resistance by forgiving yourself. You can put your hand on your heart and say to yourself out loud or in your mind: "I forgive myself, I am a forgiven person, and I am forgivable";

Having a positive internal dialogue: our thoughts impact our emotions. Listen to the inner voice that supports and encourages you, and neglect the negative one. Focus on your positive traits and stop worrying about what people think of you;

Doing things that you love every day helps in activating your brain and feeling comfortable. Also, learn to enjoy yourself no matter the circumstances are;

Spend less time on social media, more time with your loved ones, and cut toxic people out of your life;

Don't complain because this is saying to yourself and others that you are a victim. Be a positive person and spread positive vibes;

Learning breathing exercises will help you relieve stress, anxiety and improve your lung function;

Avoid drugs, smoking, and alcohol. They are a waste of money and will destroy your health;

Singing: singing appears to be a stress-reliever 21 , boosts your immune system 22 , improves your mental health, mood, sense of wellbeing, and the feeling of belonging 23 . Thus, you will feel happier and confident;

And other things we have already seen earlier include journaling, being grateful, meditation, socializing, and humor.

All things considered, starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will positively affect all areas of life. It will improve your health, immune system, you will have more energy, you will become confident, and it will lead to a longer life span.

15. READ MORE

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin

Do you read books? If the answer is "no," then you are missing inspiration, knowledge, skills, insights, and values. Books are the best mentors. If you read three books a month for the next five years, that would be one hundred and eighty books that will significantly influence all the dimensions of your life. So then, getting into the habit of reading will benefit many aspects of your life:

It will change your life : Thomas Corley, the author of "Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals." found through his five-year study of more than two hundred self-made millionaires that rich people don't watch T.V. Instead, eighty-six percent of them claimed they read, and sixty-three percent indicated they listened to audiobooks during their morning commute. For instance, highly successful people like Warren Buffet, the C.E.O. of Berkshire Hathaway, reported in an interview that the book "The intelligent investor" not only changed his investment philosophy but changed his whole life. Likewise, after reading the book "Think and Grow Rich," Jim Rohn claimed that some of the ideas in that book made significant changes in his life, making him learn valuable lessons .

You acquire knowledge : books consolidate everything that the authors have learned in their entire lifetime, and you can have all that knowledge and wisdom in a few hours. So the knowledge you can get from reading is golden.

You become a good conversationalist : by reading books, you will not only acquire knowledge, but you will also build up a wide range of vocabulary, learn different nuances and words that can help you later express your ideas and concepts better. The more you read, the more your speech will be more polished. Since reading widens your knowledge, you are empowered to participate in exciting conversations.

It opens your mind : as you are reading, you will interact with different stories from different people, and from other cultures, and with relatively different ideas and beliefs. Therefore, it makes you more open-minded and more willing to see things from a different perspective. Moreover, it will improve your tolerance towards things that are maybe different or unusual to you.

It stimulates your mind and makes you smarter : our brain, just like a muscle, gets stronger and healthier the more you work it. But, just like how our body needs food to sustain itself and function optimally, our brain needs to continue learning new things to function at peak performance.

It is an exercise for your memory : according to a study, reading and other mentally stimulating activities can help to keep memory and thinking skills intact. It may help preserve brain health and decrease the risk of Alzheimer's in old age 24 . When you follow your favorite character through the story or read about an event or a historical time, you will end up memorizing some fascinating details.

It improves your focus and concentration : when you read, your attention is only focused on the story, and you can be fully immersed.

To incorporate the habit of reading while getting the most if, it is advisable to start by reading on the subjects that interest you the most and read about things you are passionate about. Second, you should limit distractions: isolating yourself from other people by turning off your phone, putting it on airplane mode, turning off your computer. Then, rewrite the most powerful parts and key ideas into your journal to internalize and memorize them more. Finally, don't be afraid to stop reading a book if you find it is not worth your time.

16. KEEP A JOURNAL

"Putting pen to paper is a mystical way to access your most profound truths." Marie Forleo

In this crazy world of electronics and fast-paced living, many people don't keep a journal, thinking it's a waste of time. However, journaling is one of the best habits you can implement to shift into the higher version of yourself. Many greatest minds in history have all kept a journal—for instance, Einstein, Mother Theresa, Oprah Winfrey, Da Vinci. A journal can perform many functions. It can help you stay positive and happy by recording a gratitude list (See Rule No. 18). It will make you approach your problems differently, gather wisdom, lessons, and great ideas. And it will also remind you of your goals and life experiences. Journaling is self-care; it is self-love.

Solving problems : journaling is a free, convenient, and effective way to solve problems. Whether it's a dilemma you are facing, a family issue, a challenge, or a relationship problem, writing about it will enable you to look at it from a different angle and make it seem less daunting as opposed to mentally pondering it in your head. You can't solve a problem until it's well-defined. Start by defining your problem, describe it, then write about your feelings and your perception. Then, as advised by Jim Rhon 25 , you need to analyze what you have written by examining if there is an exaggeration or a distortion of the truth. Next, examine if there is a tendency to escape responsibility by blaming circumstances and others or expecting them to change for your problems to be solved. Then, record your observation and the conclusion to your problem. At last, write down all the steps you can take or do take to solve them, as well as their eventual outcomes.

Ideas, information, and life lessons : capturing and assembling good ideas, interesting pieces of information, life lessons from different sources: books, podcasts, magazines, seminars, tutorials, conversations, real-life experiences, could transform your life. Firstly, it will significantly improve the retention of information. We tend to remember things written by hand. What's more, you can review these ideas whenever you wish, and you don't have to reread the books you borrowed or rewatch the seminars.

Your goals and your progress : another function of journaling is to write down your goals, dreams, and ambitions and track your progress and improvements over time. When you journal your goals, first, this will signal to your brain their importance, and then you will feel happy, strong, motivated to keep going. Next, you can plan your goals and break them into manageable tasks for each quarter, month, week, and day to make the process easy. For example, let's say your quarterly goal is to read three books. Then, you can break it down to one book per month, approximately one hundred pages per week, and fourteen pages per day. Along the way, you can measure your progress.

Your life : your life matters; it is legendary; capture it on paper every day. You can journal about your reality at the moment and how each area of your life is going. Ask yourself these kinds of questions: "Am I enjoying my life?", "Do I like my job?", "Am I surrounded by the right people?" And answer honestly, tell it like it is. Also, you can write about daily events, your thoughts, your emotions, victories, losses, failures, and your dreams while trying to find meaning behind them. Along the way, you will learn so much more about yourself. You will become a great communicator by telling stories and better expressing yourself and your feelings to others. In return, you will understand what they are experiencing.

When it comes to the "how," take a book and write your name and year and divide it into five or six sections. Depending on your preferences, you can, for example, focus the 1st section on gratitude, the 2nd on problems and issues you face, and the 3rd on life lessons, ideas, and quotes. Get creative! Most importantly, journal out of inspiration; don't make it an obligation or an I-have-to activity. Start by implementing this habit by doing it as often as you feel like but try to keep it consistent. For example, you can journal ten minutes once a week, or maybe three or five times. As time goes by, you will start to comprehend its benefits and maybe do it more often.

In the end, In order to take advantage of this noble habit, it's advised to review your journal once a week or at least each month and then once a year.

17. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HYGIENE

"Good grooming and hygiene are essential. It's never too early to start being concerned about your appearance - first impressions are everything." - Robert Parish

Personal grooming communicates your level of self-respect and social status. Therefore, having good hygiene is an essential aspect of staying clean and healthy. Here are some general grooming rules you should follow to remain clean, attractive, and healthy:

Shower regularly: keep in mind that that body spray isn't a substitute for a shower. Everyone should shower at least once a day. While hot water showers have their own therapeutic effects, cold showers also have many benefits such as boosting the immune system 26 , improving blood circulation 27 , improving brain function in the elderly 28 , relieving symptoms of depression 29 . However, it can be dangerous for people with heart disease and could cause a heart attack or heart-rhythm irregularities 30 . So next time you decide to take a cold shower, make sure to start warm and gradually adjust the temperature throughout the shower; start with your hands, feet, and face to get used to the temperature and make sure you can warm up right away;

Take care of your skin : it's all about beginning and maintaining a skincare routine. Cleansing your face both in the morning and in the evening is the way to go. It will help remove the dead skin cells and bacteria from the surface of your skin. Second, moisturizing the entire face after cleansing is essential since the necessary amount of natural oils is removed. Make sure you wear sunscreen whenever you are out in the sun. Third, exfoliate your skin. Once or twice a week if you have dry and sensitive skin using only chemical exfoliant and, three times if you have oily or acne-prone skin using a chemical or physical exfoliant;

Oral hygiene : make sure your teeth are clean and your breath is fresh. Brush and floss your teeth once in the morning and the evening, at least for two minutes. When you consume something acidic such as citrus or soda, it's advised 31 to wait thirty minutes to one hour before brushing your teeth. However, you can rinse your mouth with water. Acids weaken the tooth enamel, which can be further damaged by brushing too soon. You can also use a mouth wash before stepping outside the house in the morning. Using a mouth wash will kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis, dental plaque, and bad breath. And as a rule of thumb, make sure you replace your toothbrush at least every two months;

Taking care of your feet and shoes is a reflection of the level of your self-respect. Keep them always clean. A gentleman or a lady never smells bad. Not to neglect your socks, change them daily;

Make a habit of changing your sheets at least once a week. You sleep in your sheets for hours a night. You might not be sweating as much as you do in the gym, but you are building up dead skin, bacteria, hair, and God knows what else!;

Don't put on too much perfume or cologne . Five spreads are sufficient: two sprays behind each ear, two on the collars, and one on the back of the neck. Thus the perfume will not sting your nose all the time.

In the end, it should not be hard to start taking better care of your body now. Make these rules a habit, and never forget that you do this for yourself and not for others.

18. MAKE A LIST OF GRATITUDE

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." – Meister Eckhart

Gratitude is simply taking time to acknowledge all the positive things in your life. It's choosing to focus your time and attention on what you appreciate instead of only focusing on the negative.

All the holy books, all religions teach us about the power of having a grateful heart. Studies demonstrated that gratitude is associated with positive emotions, including contentment, happiness, pride, and hope 32 . Other studies have shown that practicing gratitude can lower blood pressure, make you sleep better, lower anxiety, and strengthen your relationships 33 34 .

By practicing gratitude, you can reprogram your brain to reflectively appreciate your life and the world around you. You can do it by journaling or by doing meditation:

Create a gratitude journal : writing things you are grateful for and the reasons why will have powerful benefits in the medium and the long term. You can list three to five things that make you feel grateful. It can be your good health, financial stability, having a good job, or simply a brisk walk in the morning on a sunny day. You can also do it by keeping a gratitude journal on your phone or your computer. Make it a habit. It's helpful to pick the same time each day. In the morning, for example.

Perform gratitude meditation : find a safe place, relax in your position whether you are sitting or lying down. You can just give yourself a suggestion to relax more. Pay attention to your breathing by noticing and observing your breath as you breathe in and as you breathe out. Then you can take in three deep breaths in succession, and on the third breath, you can close down your eyes. Then, you can think about:

What are you grateful for in your life?

What are you proud of in your life?

What do you love about yourself and your life?

What made today great?

While thinking about these things, you can say out loud or in your mind the things you are grateful for and the things you are proud of while feeling positive emotions.

19. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." – Oprah Winfrey

Have you ever seen how soccer players celebrate their victories? They do it in a way that makes them look confident and attractive. Many people spend more time beating themselves up for what they have not achieved or accomplished and overlook their accomplishments. They never let themselves feel like a winner. Celebrating your achievements, your accomplishments, your victories, your progress, and even your small wins will make you feel stronger, capable, happy, and more confident.

Whenever you achieve a goal, celebrate and reward yourself. For instance, you can say to yourself: "I'm proud of myself for being able to do this." You can also buy yourself a gift. It could be a book, a watch, or something you have wanted for a very long time. Thus, you will feel proud, confident, happy, and motivated to achieve even more. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, there is power in small wins, and it's the fulfillment that comes from making progress on meaningful goals 35 .

Make celebration a habit. Set a time in the week to think about the wins you had and ask yourself these questions: "What did I do well this week?", “What did I achieve this week?”, “What good things did I do?” You can do it every Sunday looking at the previous week’s wins. Then, allow yourself to feel the victory and enjoy positive emotions while you are thinking about it. Feel like a winner, make it about your identity, and you will notice how more positive energies you will feel.

Again to boost your confidence levels, you can go into your memories through remembering times when you were victorious, when you were courageous or when someone encouraged you. Those who are perfectionists have trouble appreciating things, having gratefulness, experiencing gratitude, and celebrating life.

20. ATTRACT LUCK

“Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.” - Ray Kroc

Luck, statistics, and probabilities go together hand-in-hand. A lucky person is someone who can take advantage of opportunities regularly. Conversely, those who don’t try and stay in their comfort zone are less likely to “get lucky.”

To attract more opportunities and thus “attract luck,” you should leave your comfort zone, try different things, go to diverse places, meet different people, and always be ready and prepared for new opportunities. For instance, a person who will be perpetually at networking events, seminars, opening exhibitions, and parties is very likely to get new opportunities by contrast to a person locked in at home, sitting on their couch playing video games, or watching Netflix series.

Networking is crucial. You’d better make an effort to get to know people and invest in them. Be a provider, not a taker. You invest in a relationship and build trust whenever you help someone reach their goal or give them good advice on something you master. Consequently, the person will feel they owe you something. As a simple example, if I pay for a drink for you, you will tend to want to return the favor. As a fact, we always receive more than what we have given.

Moreover, make sure you become friends with people you meet (see Rule No. 27). Connect and open yourself up to them. Share your interests with them and let them do the same. Be genuinely interested in them and listen to what they’re saying. This way, they will feel so much more compelled to help you.

On the whole, always be the one who gives, who invites others, who starts the conversation, then you will be able to see who returns the favor. Then, you need to fill your network with people who will offer you opportunities, not with people who have nothing to offer. It's essential to filter out bad connections since they add no value to your life and drain your energy.

21. BE COURAGEOUS

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”― E.E. Cummings

Courage is an essential quality to develop if you want to become more confident, and confidence is the reward every time you undertake an act of courage. Being courageous is being able to do what you think is right when people might not support you, and even though you might feel afraid.

Courage isn’t being fearless, and it is not bravery. Bravery is putting yourself in a situation where there is a risk of danger or a threat. However, courage is doing the right thing at the right moment. If you have ever seen the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” you will understand this concept.

If my fear was approaching girls, I might tend to run away from it. I might not ever meet the woman I want. I might overeat before the act of approaching or take a drug. And this will not help me grow as a man. Alternatively, I might go ahead and do it and say, “Oh God, I survived that; I made it through.” Behaving that way is not being courageous. Courage is the fact that you go for it with all you have got.

When we aren’t courageous, we feel weak and miss many opportunities, many stories. Les Brown once said: “Imagine if you will being on your death bed, and standing around your bed the ghosts of the ideas, the dreams, the abilities, the talents given to you by life. And that you, for whatever reason, never acted on those ideas, you never pursued that dream, you never used those talents, we never saw your leadership, you never used your voice, you never wrote that book. And there they are standing around your bed looking at you with large angry eyes saying we came to you, and only you could have given us life! Now we must die with you forever. The question is if you die today, what ideas, what dreams, what abilities, what talents, what gifts, would die with you?”

According to Dr. Paul Dobransky 36 , courage is the only way out of problems such as anxiety, victimization, impulsivity, addictions, lack of confidence, workaholism, overthinking, overeating. And, when you undertake an act of courage, you have a one hundred percent guarantee of reaping an equal amount of confidence in ratio with the amount of courage put in.

Courage is also beating your fear, taking action, and daring to jump! As Jack Canfield quotes, “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” Fear is what would stop you from living your dreams and hold you back from reaching your highest potential. When determining whether you should face your fears, it’s essential to understand that avoiding fearful situations might make you feel better in the short term but certainly not over the long run. The connection between risk-takers, adventurers, and leaders, regardless of their environment, is that they use the same skills to grow, transform and perform under pressure, teaching themselves how to deal with fear and uncertainty.

Fear sometimes comes simply from not knowing much or not having enough information about what you’re scared of. That is why it is vital to educate yourself about the facts and the risks you actually fear and do so in a healthy matter that will help you move past the fear. Start by taking small steps forward and don’t wait for your anxiety to disappear, or else you will find yourself waiting for a change that isn’t going to come on its own.

Exercise 1 : list your fears and the things that make you feel anxious and think about the right thing to do about them. For instance, If your fear is public speaking, then the right thing to do is to learn some theories about the subject, practice in front of the mirror, and then you can also give thirty speeches to acquire some skill and would feel more confident about it as a result.

Exercise 2 : Another important exercise 37 is to close your eyes, think about the most confident guy ( or the most confident girl) you know. Think about the way they talk, the way they hold themselves and act, how they move, put that picture in your right hand, make that picture like you are having a crystal ball in your hands, look at the person, and say to yourself: “This is the attitude I want.”

Afterward, make a picture of yourself at your lowest moment. Put that picture in your left hand, look at that person, and notice that the picture is getting smaller. Hold it closer to your face so you can get a good look at it because it might be the last time you will ever see this.

Then look at the right hand, see that mentor, see something shift, then morph that person into you, the picture of you. Notice that the image is getting bright and powerful. So then, bring the hands together while imagining you assimilate that character into yourself, rub them together, count 3,2, 1, and then clap.

There is nothing more attractive than being courageous and confident. Developing your confidence will change all areas of your life entirely for the better and make you act on your life. Before the moment of courage, you are more alone. And oddly, afterward, you are a leader, and everybody wants to join in helping you.

22. NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS

“Change course, but don’t give up.”― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Whatever the circumstances are, don’t give up on your dreams! Keep the faith no matter what happens to you because “Faith moves mountains,” as they say! Fight until the end because you only live once. Great things in life take time. Becoming an expert on something, acquiring a skill, becoming a successful athlete, building a successful business requires self-discipline, focus, patience, persistence, and flexibility:

Self-Discipline : self-discipline is the ability to force and get yourself to take action, to do what you need to do, whether you feel like it or not. It’s the ability to keep commitments and promises and say “no” to yourself, to distractions, to laziness, and to procrastination. The more you practice self-discipline, the more you will be able to control yourself.

Whenever you want to achieve something, don’t wait until you feel like doing it; “just do it,” like our friends at Nike say. For example, let’s say you want to lose weight, and you have planned to exercise three times a week in the morning. Then, whether you feel tired, bored, or lazy, you need to learn to force yourself to do it.

Focus : once you become self-disciplined, you will need to focus on what you want in life. In his book “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World,” Cal Newport coined the word “deep work,” which means an extended period spent focused on one activity with no distraction. Deep work is about using all of your brainpower to focus on a single task at hand rather than constantly switching back and forth between tasks. According to Cal, here are three deep work strategies that you can incorporate into your schedule to improve your focus and produce results:

Form your habit : pick a task, set a time to work on it, and eliminate distractions such as your phone or emails. At first, you will not be able to sit for more than twenty or thirty minutes. However, with daily practice, you will be able to increase your focus to one hour, two hours, and finally to four hours. Cal Newport suggests doing deep work first in the morning, from 9 a.m. to midday;

Schedule distractions at home and work : set a specific time for distracting activities like checking emails, scrolling social media. Check your phone only after you are done with your deep work;

Having a shutdown ritual : take a nap, meditate, take a walk in nature, but don't scroll through social media during the break. In the evening, plan to complete any unfinished tasks, goals, or projects the following day. This will help you disconnect for the rest of the day and sleep better.

Patience and persistence : greatness takes time. It takes time to grow, to change, and to succeed. There are no shortcuts, and there is no overnight success. Many people nowadays want to become wealthy and famous fast. Very few are willing to sacrifice to get there, as Joe Lewis quotes: “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.” On the other side, persistence is being able to keep going despite all hardships, challenges and in the face of almost every obstacle and temporary defeat that you can imagine. As long as you don’t quit, you will reach the summit; as James N. Watkins quotes, “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” Being persistent is learning to behave like children who learn how to walk. They keep on trying with enthusiasm until they get there. They don’t feel any pressure.

Flexibility : everything around us is constantly changing; nothing remains the same. Consequently, being flexible is needed to deal with the hard knocks of change and challenges we all face on the road to success because sometimes things will not turn out as we plan. To reach success, you should always be prepared to change your mind, actions, and beliefs. According to Jeff Bezos, 38 to reach success: “You need to be stubborn on your vision; otherwise it will be easy to give up, but you need to be very flexible on the details because as you go along pursuing your vision, you will find that some of your preconceptions were wrong, and you are gonna need to be able to change those things.”

In the end, don’t let minor disappointments or failures discourage you, and don’t let the little successes delude you. Keep on going and never give up on your dreams. Know that if you keep doing what it takes, you will succeed.

23. KEEP MOVING AND ALWAYS SEEK THE NEXT LEVEL

“If you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done. Conversely, if you get 1 percent worse each day for one year, you’ll decline nearly down to zero.” - James Clear.

Constantly improving yourself is the key to success. Whether you are a student, employee, or entrepreneur, seeking the next level and keeping on improving is a must. In this fast-paced and competitive world, whoever stops improving stagnates and ends up falling behind.

When we think about self-improvement and continuous learning, we refer to the Japanese concept kaizen, which means "change for the better" or "continuous improvement." Kaizen is a method that became popular after World War II when Japan was devastated. Applying this philosophy, Japan became a manufacturing superpower by the end of the 20th century. The kaizen philosophy is nowadays used in businesses worldwide to reduce waste, improve business performance, efficiency, and more.

We could integrate the Kaizen philosophy into our day-to-day life. For example, let’s say you want to learn a new language. Instead of learning intensively for hours which could make you feel discouraged, it’s advised to aim for small and consistent growth each day over a long period. Then, your daily efforts and progress would eventually lead to significant results. Also, If you spend one hour a day consistently on one subject, you could become an expert on it in five years.

Keeping on evolving will help you stay motivated to achieve your goals and become a better version of yourself. It will also make you valuable to your society, environment, family, friends, team, or company.

In conclusion, if you want to have higher and higher levels of joy and fulfillment, keep evolving, keep asking yourself – “What is the next level, and how do I get there?” Keep in mind that you're never too old to learn new things and grow. Be a student. Stay open and willing to learn from everyone and anyone.

24. RUN YOUR OWN COURSE

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

—Theodore Roosevelt

Do you ever look at the lives of people around you or through social media and say, “I wish that were me,” I wish I had that car,” or “This guy/girl is doing better than me.” If yes, you can easily get jealous, bitter, resentful, or even worse, hopeless! People who compare themselves to others tend to feel insecure and miserable. Therefore, the comparison is a guaranteed recipe for unhappiness.

With the growth of social media, we are helplessly finding ourselves falling into the ever-alluring yet emotionally dangerous trap of comparing ourselves to others. Mental illness, insecurity, anxiety, and depression all have increased dramatically due to the powerful effect of social media 39 40 , providing endless opportunities for people to measure their worth against those around them. What people present to the virtual world is usually an edited version of their reality while you’re scrolling up and down through what is supposed to be effortlessly and perfectly captured moments, leaving you wondering how can everyone’s life be so flawless and ideal; except yours! But do we know what’s behind the scenes? Do we have all the information to be jumping to conclusions and start tearing ourselves apart?

We are comparing ourselves to others to evaluate ourselves. We want to know how we are performing relative to others only to make a judgment. That isn’t healthy behavior because no matter how well you’re doing, there will always be someone happier, healthier, wealthier, and more successful than you are.

According to Jordan Peterson, the author of the best-seller “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos”, the best way to avoid comparing yourself to others is to compare yourself to a previous version of you as his “rule four” suggests: "Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today." Look back on how far you have come, look at the progress you made compared to where you started, and ask yourself these questions: “Was I the best version of myself yesterday, the last year, or the previous five years?”, “Did I do my best to make a positive change?”

Break the habit of feeling insecure, envious, and discontented with your life. Instead, focus your energy on being the very best version of yourself and redirect your attention to your own goals and what is required to achieve them. Stand in your authentic lane and shine; learn to appreciate your uniqueness. You are YOU, and that is your power!

At last, you can only run your race. Don’t look at what others are doing because those who look left or right lose the focus they need to win their own race.

25. LEARN FROM YOUR FAILURES

“If you don’t give up, you still have a chance. Giving up is the greatest failure.”– Jack Ma

Everyone experiences failure during their life. As a baby, when we first try to waddle a few steps, we fall many times and then surely learn to walk. If we think about the notion of failure logically and subjectively, we will figure out that it is a concept invented by humans because we do not fail; we only experience ways of doing things.

Thomas Edison, one of the most successful innovators in American history, failed to invent the commercially viable electric bulb over ten thousand times. However, in response to a question about his missteps, Edison once said, “I have not failed ten thousand times—I’ve successfully found ten thousand ways that will not work.” Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.

Thomas Edison or other giants such as Einstein or Steve Jobs succeeded because they did not give up but believed in themselves. The problem with the notion of failure arises when we generalize it and make it about our identity, building a negative belief about ourselves and saying: “God, I failed, I am not good enough, I am a failure.”

Many great people experienced failure, had faith in their dream, and never gave up. For instance, Michael Jordan, after being cut from his high school basketball team, went home, locked himself in his home, and cried. Albert Einstein couldn't speak until he was almost four years old, and his teachers said he would never amount to much. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper for “lacking imagination” and “having no original ideas.” At the age of eleven, Leo Messy was cut from his team after being diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, which made him smaller in stature than most kids his age. And the list is long.

Down the road, whether you are trying to achieve a goal in your career or concerning your relationships, you will encounter what is called “failure.” The best way to eliminate this concept from your mind is to look at the experience and try to figure out the lessons you have learned and the things you could enhance the next time and never give up. Moreover, it’s a good idea to learn from others’ failures, whether your friends, relatives, or colleagues. Then, you will learn many things without paying the price yourself.

26. MAKE YOURSELF AN INTERESTING PERSON

“Dead or alive, interesting people are interesting people.” - Noel Riley Fitch

Becoming an interesting person is simply being your best self, the best version of yourself. It’s not seeking approval, but it is about giving, serving, and adding value to other people and setting an excellent example for your family, friends, or people you’re just meeting. It comes naturally by focusing on self-improvement. What can be considered attractive or not is, of course, subjective. However, some things you can learn or do would make you a good friend, a fantastic lover, an amazing, and an exciting person:

Being Mysterious : when being too open, people will find it easy to predict you, and nothing can be more boring than being predictable. Make sure to not always reveal your intentions or your steps. Always keep your secrets such as your salary, your family problems, negative aspects about yourself, and your future goals; as Frank Ocean said: “Work hard in silence, let success make the noise.”Another way to be mysterious is through your clothing style. Have a unique, different look. For instance, a very distinctive jacket or an unusual shirt can make you look mysterious and attractive. Also, social proof is essential. The crowd you run with might be an interesting crowd that will raise questions: “Why are these their friends?”

Always learn new things : be an expert on something you are passionate about while learning new things every day. This will benefit you in many ways; as Benjamin Franklin said: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” The list is long, but these are some things you can learn which will make an interesting person:

Finding new hobbies: getting out and doing stuff is a surefire way to have more of a life to talk about;

Learn about music culture, cinema, and arts in general;

Learn new languages;

Learn how to cook: every man or woman needs to know how to cook. It's much cheaper and much more romantic than a restaurant. The girls will love it when a man cook and vice-versa;

Learn how to take good pictures, and record good videos;

And learn about astrology, palmistry, how to do a relaxing massage.

In a nutshell, make sure you always balance the process of learning, practicing, and doing as they say “Practice makes perfect.”

Travel regularly : when it comes to learning about life, there is nothing more enriching than traveling. You get out of your comfort zone and push your limits by getting into unusual situations and facing different challenges. You visit places where you don’t speak the language, meet new people, know other cultures, and see diverse landscapes and views. Thus, you make lifetime memories that will bring you more happiness than material things. Moreover, by traveling, you take a trip inside yourself, to a part of you that you never knew existed. Many people have found love while traveling while others found themselves. In conclusion, the more you travel, the more you expand your mind, the more interesting of a person you become.

Learn storytelling : storytelling is possibly the most powerful tool that will serve you for the rest of your life. Even in holy books such as the Quran, the Bible, and the Torah, there is a lot of storytelling, and this made people have faith for thousands of years because stories are a powerful tool that can be used to convince and inspire people. When people feel a deep resonating feeling with what you present, they will always follow you because stories engage emotions. An interesting person is good at storytelling, uses the right words, and expresses all their knowledge while saying something. Everyone has his style of storytelling, but there are some patterns and basics for good stories:

You need to capture the audience’s attention before you start;

You need to be animated because if you're not excited about the story, you can't expect your audience to be excited about it. You can do so by acting out the characters yourself and by using your body language, your gestures, and your voice;

Tell the story from the first-person point of view even if the story is about someone else;

Using pauses will allow you to breathe during your speech, and it gives the audience time to understand the story and builds anticipation.

Being unfazed : nothing is more attractive than being someone comfortable in their own skin, who keeps control of themselves, who is calm, confident, not over-excited about anything, neither affected by anything no matter what stage, place, or situation they find themselves in life.

On a final note, if you want to live an exciting life, work on yourself, become interesting, and you will attract good things in your life.

27. DEVELOP YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS

“A loving heart is not enough to develop a successful relationship. Considerable EQ and social skills are necessary.”― Anoir Ou-Chad

Social skills are simply being able to communicate effectively with other people. It’s the skills and the behaviors that we use to interact with others. Social skills are like a muscle; the more you work on it, the stronger it will be. Thus, you must interact more with people, especially those you don't know, because if you only interact with a small number of people, it will be difficult for you to become a social person. Here are some tips and principles that you can use to become socially competent:

Go out regularly : If your job doesn’t force you to meet and interact with new people regularly, it’s recommended that you do activities that will make you socialize during your free time. For example, you can volunteer, join a club, or an organization of people who have the same interests as you.

Show up : shy, and reserved people will tend to be overlooked; they will put themselves in a corner on the side, hoping that people will approach them, but that usually does not happen. So when you are out, you have to make sure to reduce the distance between you and the people there before even saying “Hello. ”

Take the lead : when you go somewhere, a restaurant, a cafe, or somewhere where you don’t know anybody and want to socialize, you need to engage with anyone you come across as quickly as possible. It could be the staff, the waitress, or anyone you meet. This way, you will be able to get around your fear, avoid hesitation because the longer you hesitate, the more insecure you appear and the more nervous you get. So instead, you could just say “hi.” Then, with time, opening a conversation with anyone won’t feel daunting anymore.

Smile : whenever you interact with someone, make sure you smile. Don’t fake it, but make it natural. Also, make sure you wear a smirk; a light smile on your face throughout the day will make you look confident, approachable, and fun to be with. When you smile, you tell people you are happy, positive, healthy, and have high self-esteem.

Be present-minded when communicating : have total presence; even if you are not yet interacting, you must listen carefully and watch the people speaking. Give them feedback and nods, which will keep you from turning your focus inwards and make it easy to interact with them. Get inspired by Oprah Winfrey, the way she uses her body language and gestures when interviewing and listening to her guests. To be in the conversation, she uses different types of reformulation. First, she repeats what the person tells her by paraphrasing (usually the last three words of her interlocutor). Sometimes, she also rephrases in her own words and summarizes what is being said, especially when the other person tells her many things. Finally, she restates what she understood between the lines or what she deduced from the conversation to clarify the person's point.

Also, when you try to interact with people, make sure to match the topics. For example, don't talk about something quite distant from the current subject others are discussing. And make sure to interact with the same energy as the group.

Connect : being curious about people you are interacting with will allow them to open up to you, like you, and consider you as a close friend; as Dale Carnegie in his book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” quotes, “You will make more friends in two months by being genuinely interested in other people than in two years by trying to make people interested in you.” You can do so by first being a good listener and encouraging others to talk about themselves. Then, always ask open-ended questions, ask people about their motivations and the emotions they experience when they do something they love. For instance, you ask a guy or a girl about their hobbies, and they tell you that they enjoy playing the piano. Then, you can say: “You know what? I have always wanted to learn how to play it. Can you tell me what motivates you, what keeps you practicing it and how you feel when you play it?”

Make people feel important : offer sincere compliments. William James said, “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” So find something you admire or like about the other person and pay them a genuine compliment. What makes you valuable in the eyes of your family, your friends, and other people, in general, is the degree to which you make them feel important, happy, the degree to which you raise their self-esteem level. Another important thing is to always remember names. A person’s name is the most important sound in any language to him. It’s an effortless way to make the other person feel important.

Transform your questions into affirmations : you can use this technique from time to time when you are interacting with people. For example, let’s say you want to ask a girl/guy about their age. Asking a direct question such as: “How old are you?” would seem boring. Instead, you could say, “I believe you are twenty-eight years old.” It’s intriguing, and the girl/ guy will start asking themselves: “Why do they think I am twenty-eight years old?”, “Do I look younger or older?” Thus, other discussions will emerge.

Communicate with your body language, posture, and voice :

Make sure to keep an open, safe, and strong body language : put your hands out of pocket and if you keep them in, make sure you keep your thumbs out. While sitting, take up space by being relaxed and comfortable;

Eye contact : hold firm eye contact about eighty percent of the conversation, break gaze from time to time. Whenever you enter a room, a restaurant, a club, stop for a few seconds to look at everyone’s eyes from corner to corner with your head held high;

Enhance your posture : pull your shoulders back, open your chest, keep your chin up and have your back straight. Deadlifts or stretching can be an excellent exercise to enhance your posture. Pay attention to the position of your feet. When you meet someone for the first time, keep a forty-five degree angle with your feet as the conversation might not be very long since you don’t know each other very well, and you might have to leave at any moment;

Your walk and talk : walk in a slow and controlled way and make sure you look ahead. Don’t look down but make eye contact with people. When it comes to interacting with others, talk in a slow, calm, and unapologetic tone. Take breaks which will create tension and suspense. Make sure your voice is carrying enthusiasm and energy. Work on your voice by recording yourself reading something and see if it brings enthusiasm, confidence, or it’s just monotonous. The voice is a powerful tool when it comes to communication;

Touch : when you’re outside partying and socializing, make sure you touch people you interact with. Touch the arm, the shoulders, or the back, and don’t take long and vast movement. Don’t look at the area you touch. No prolonged contact, a light contact, a fraction of a second is the way to go. When it comes to the first contact, make sure you make a firm hand-shake but do not squeeze too hard. Move the other person’s hand up and down about three times with a smile on your face while saying your name.

One of the best ways to practice enhancing your body language is to act as if you're being filmed for seven to thirty days or more, so it becomes second nature.

In conclusion, when you are out socializing, don’t try to look cool or mysterious, but make sure you enjoy yourself and have fun.

28. IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TOPICS TO MASTER

“A lively discussion is usually helpful because the hottest fire makes the hardest steel.”― Tom Clancy,  Debt of Honor

Whether you are at a job interview, meeting new people, or on a date, you will have to talk about yourself, and people will try to label you based on that. Thus, you will need to be interesting and convey confidence and high self-esteem. Whether about your occupation, interests, beliefs, values, or stories, you will need to learn how to talk about yourself positively:

Your occupation : you need to be able to talk about your profession or career positively and proudly. Even if your job is tedious and you find it uninteresting, there should be something significant about it. Keep in mind that what might seem boring to you might seem exciting to other people. For instance, if you work as a teacher, you can say, “ I work as a teacher, and I enjoy it.” You can also talk to people about your motivation and why you have chosen this job when someone asks you. If you don’t like your job, work on yourself more, and develop your skills so you can find another one. It’s way better than talking about it negatively and acting like a victim.

Your interests, hobbies, and things you like to do : what do you prefer to do for fun in the evening after work or on weekends? You have to learn to talk about your interests, hobbies, and things that you're passionate about with enthusiasm. For example, let’s say you play guitar. While socializing, you can tell people how long you have had this hobby and why this activity is exciting for you.

Stories and funny stuff : this could be anecdotes, memories from when you were younger, funny things that happened to you, or something that you have experienced recently which you found interesting. It could also be a book you have read, a great movie, a documentary. You have to learn to remember these things and bring them up whenever you are out socializing. Also, make sure you are spreading positive vibes and not mentioning or talking about negative stuff.

Places you have visited : the more we travel, the more stories we have to tell. While socializing, you can talk about places you have been on vacation. What did you like most about them, what was different from your culture, and how tasty was the food? You can also talk about countries you wish you could go to in the future.

Taking everything into consideration, mastering these subjects, writing them into your journal, and positively talking about yourself will make it easy for you to have good conversations with people and inspire them. You can also ask them about these subjects; they will be happy to share their experiences with you.

29. IMPROVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR

“A sense of humor is the best indicator that you will recover; it is often the best indicator that people will love you. Sustain that and you have hope.” -Andrew Solomon, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression

We all want to hang out with people that make us laugh, right? The more you laugh with others, the more people would want to hang out with you, and the more you will be remembered for the positive energy and the feelings you bring. In other words, laughing not only strengthens your social bonding and makes you attractive to others, but it also has many physical and mental health benefits. It boosts your immune system, increases endorphins in your brain, and makes you a happier person 41 . To develop a good sense of humor, here are some easy tips you can use in your daily life:

Watch more comedy : one of the ways to improve your sense of humor is by immersing yourself in it. It’s the same as learning a new language, the more frequently you observe, watch comedy and surround yourself with funny people, the faster you will understand it, and the more you will start to notice things on the outside world that are funny.

Playing roles : according to Mel Helitzer, the author of “Comedy Writing Secrets,” the humor doesn’t come from the jokes but the character. In other words, if you observe comedians or funnier people, you will realize that they are not trying to be funny, and they are usually not seeking approval, but they are playing the character.

Here are some roles and characters you can try out:

An assumed or fake position of authority : for example, you approach a girl who is flipping through a book in a library, and you say with a serious face: “Hey, I just want to tell you that it’s not allowed to touch that book.” She might respond: “Oh really, I am sorry…”, and then you let her know you were teasing her;

I am the superior-to-you role : teasing others by saying that you are better than them on something. For example, when you are English, and you tell a French girl/guy that your French is better than theirs;

The victim of her seduction : seducing a woman by acting like she is trying to get you in the bed;

Being the cold guy/girl : The neurotically selfish person who keeps asking: “What’s in it for me?” Whenever someone asks you for something, you require something in return in an exaggerative way;

The know-it-all guy/girl : let people know that you have all the answers and that you are infallible in an exaggerated way.

Use exaggeration : another way to improve your humor is by using exaggeration. It’s easy to use. You only need to take an event, a situation, or an observation about something and exaggerate it by making it more extreme or dramatic than it is. Cartoon caricatures, slapstick comedy, and clowning antics are all based on exaggeration.

Irony : irony is when you say the opposite of what you want to say. For example, when the weather is terrible, you can start a conversation with a stranger by saying: “It’s beautiful weather, right?”

Finally, when you make a joke, don’t seek approval by looking at people to see how they respond because it’s counterproductive. Approval seekers are never funny.

30. MASTER PUBLIC SPEAKING

“Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, and to compel.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Whether you are a student, an employee, an entrepreneur, a manager, or a CEO, public speaking is a necessary skill that you should develop. When you work on your public speaking skills, it will dramatically improve your abilities to communicate your ideas, get your message across, influence, persuade people, grow your business, or build a team.

Before you start working on it, you need to know that it’s normal to be nervous before delivering a speech, especially in front of a large audience. Even the most outstanding public speakers experience the same emotion before going on stage. So then, if you use the steps below, you will feel comfortable and confident next time you will deliver a speech:

Master your topic and anticipate all the possible questions;

Practicing as much as possible your speech in front of the mirror several times 42 or recording yourself is an effective way to give a remarkable speech. Practice will make you feel more comfortable and confident when you finally decide to deliver your messages. You can also ask your closest friends and relatives about your performance so they can give you their feedback;

Use visualization: sit in a quiet room, imagine yourself taking the stage, and imagine as many details as possible: the scene, the colors, the people on that stage, what you and the people are wearing. Next, imagine the impact you are making on the audience—finally, picture yourself walking up calmly and the feeling of success as you run through the speech;

Talking slowly and pausing in your speech prove that you’re both confident and comfortable enough in what you’re presenting. It will also reduce nerves and allow you to breathe during your speech. Finally, and most importantly, it gives the audience time to absorb and reflect on what you say and ask questions;

Talk with emotion, emphasis, and put energy into the words. Always spread positive vibes;

Always tell stories to reach people’s hearts and minds. Also, use pictures and videos in your presentations;

At last, always try to interact with the audience by asking them questions.

On a final note, once you start practicing public speaking, you will become more confident and more willing to do it. The more you embrace it, the more you will enjoy it, and the more you will master it.

31. IMPROVE YOUR CLOTHING STYLE

“Dressing well is a form of good manners.” – Tom Ford

Dressing well can boost your confidence, make you appear intelligent, trustworthy, and more attractive. However, before we can talk about fashion and style, it is crucial to know that how you feel in your clothes is more important than how you look in them. Do not wear clothes that will make you feel uncomfortable physically or emotionally. It’s not worth it. But, on the other hand, some rules 43 and concepts should not be neglected when it comes to fashion:

Your clothes should fit you perfectly : they say, “Fit is king.” Make sure that you got the fit right. Everything looks terrible when it doesn’t fit you properly. No matter what you have spent on clothes, you will not look great if they are too baggy or tight. Clothing that does not fit properly communicates that you are cheap and have little respect for yourself.

The rule of three colors : when it comes to colors, the rule is not to combine more than three colors in your outfit at any one time, not counting black and white. The most compelling looks are simple, sophisticated, and not composed of many prints or colors.

At least have an all-black outfit in your wardrobe : the black color has a special place. It never goes out of style and deserves special mention for many reasons. It looks more expensive, more flattering, and it makes you look more sophisticated and classy. What’s more, it flatters every skin tone and works with every hair color. You can wear it on your job interview or your first date. It is appropriate for most occasions.

Maintenance : no one wants to buy something nice, but then two months later, it’s all faded, or it’s got stains on it. Thus, washing your clothes well is essential. You can wash them with cold water (warm water can fade the colors), and always wash whites separately to ensure there is no blending of colors. And finally, invest in a good washing machine and use suitable washing liquid.

What to buy, when, and where : before going shopping, you must list your priorities regarding clothes that you need to have over the following seasons. Then the best time to buy clothes is the end of the season and whenever there are sales unless you are really rich or fashion trends are really important to you. Purchasing an expensive good quality item discounted is better than a cheap, low-quality one. And finally, buy items from high-quality brands. For instance, if you want to buy a denim jacket, you will not go wrong with Levi’s.

Invest in essentials : you don’t need to spend too much money to look good; you need to invest in basics and essentials. Despite the cyclical trends in fashion, essentials will always keep you looking stylish, no matter the time of the year:

Shoes : they are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Shoes can make or break an outfit. Everyone needs at least four types of shoes. First, brown or black leather shoes for a more professional look will match most suits. Second, white sneakers are perfect for anyone who dresses casually; they look good with any color. Third, athletic sneakers in white, black, or garnet for working out. Finally, a pair of boots for a casual look in black or brown. With these four types of shoes, you can pull many looks together.

Pants : first, dark jeans such as black jeans, dark wash denim, dark indigo jeans can be worn every day, and people wouldn’t even notice. Then, chinos for an effortlessly chic outfit. They can be matched with a tee, blazer, and formal shoes. And finally, light wash jeans are easy to match, and you can pair them as part of any style .

T-shirts : white, black, grey and navy blue are the best. For instance, you can make up many outfits with these colors, especially white shirts. They are versatile, you can pair them with jeans or any pants, and they will look great.

Shirts : white-collared and pale blue Oxford shirts are the go-to, ready-to-mingle piece for social events, formal events, and business.

Suits : all men should own at least two or three beautifully cut suits. Start with the navy blue color, dark blue, and then the black. Whether you are going to a wedding, an interview, a suit is simply a perfect option.

A pea coat is the most versatile piece of outerwear a man can own. It embodies class and an air of sophistication. It can be worn with your suit, as well as your jeans on the weekend. Navy is, of course, the most classic, but black and gray are also standard colors.

Jackets : there are three types of jackets you should own—first, a denim jacket. Ideal for summer, spring, and fall, the denim jacket can be paired with a hoodie and black jeans, and you're good to go. Second, a black leather jacket. It can make you look like a sex machine, a bad boy, or a rock star. Leather symbolizes masculinity and strength. Make sure to stick to classic styles and avoid trendy colors and styles. And finally, the classical dark brown suede jacket for a casual and country look.

Accessories : accessories are a fantastic way to add dimension to your style and spice up your outfit. Always remember that “less is more”:

A watch : watches that will suit your lifestyle is the way to go. It’s better to have at least two. One with a black or brown leather strap for a casual style, and another one with a silver mesh strap for a classical style;

Bracelet : a simple one made of gold or silver;

Brown and black belt : your belt should be long enough to fit in the 3rd hole from the end;

Eyeglasses : have at least two pairs: one for a professional look and another one for a casual look;

Sunglasses : they will protect your eyes from UV rays. Here are a few brands you can't go wrong with: Ray-Ban, Persol, Linda Farrow;

Wallets : a good leather wallet in dark brown or black;

Scarves : to give your outfit an elegant upgrade while staying very snug in the process, get yourself medium-length wool or cashmere scarf on medium grey, camel, or navy;

Socks : socks should match the color of either your shoes or your pants and should never be short enough to show your legs.

Improving your clothing style will benefit you in many ways. Being concerned about your appearance is a way to take care of yourself. Make sure you do it for yourself and not for others.

32. STOP SEEKING APPROVAL

“When you do not seek or need approval, you are at your most powerful.” - Caroline Myss

People who are approval-seekers are constantly seeking validation, recognition, and affirmation outside of themselves. They are continually walking in the world doing things so that the social group will accept them. You might be one of these people:

If someone approaches you with criticism or disagreement regarding your opinions, decisions, or behavior and you feel like they are attacking or insulting you;

If you always soften your argument or even change it so that your opinions more closely align with the social group;

If you always try to please people and struggle to say the word “no”;

If you are always fishing for compliments;

If you make a joke and then turn to look to see other’s people reactions;

If you find it hard to voice dissatisfaction. The list is long.

When you are an approval seeker, your self-esteem and self-worth are controlled by the existence or lack of external approval and depend on other people, their opinion regarding your achievements or accomplishments, and your social media account. They are constantly fluctuating according to the validation and the approval you are getting or not. The bad news is that seeking approval can become addictive. The more you get it, the more significant that need becomes.

The first step to stop seeking approval of others is to identify when you feel the need for that approval by journaling your thoughts, asking and answering yourself these questions: “Why do I need the approval of others?”, “What do I think about this?”, “Why don’t I trust my own opinion in this matter?”, “Do I have low self-esteem?”, “Do I have a low perception of myself?”, “Do I see myself as someone not worthy, not enough?” It would be best if you coached yourself in real time. Then, whenever you catch yourself seeking approval, stop and say to yourself, “No, I don’t need the approval of others, I love myself, I believe in myself,” “All I need is my own approval.”

33. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

“Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern, and be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours.” – Epictetus

Minding your own business is a life skill that we all need to have. It’s the ability to focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t. Nothing can be more stressful than trying to control things outside of your boundaries. Minding your own business is also the ability to focus on yourself, your progress, and your life and not interfere in others' business. It is a crucial skill. It will save you time and energy.

Suppose you find yourself judging, criticizing people, trying to solve their problems for them. And suppose you also find yourself attempting to fix them, trying to control or fight against how they are acting. In that case, you are interfering in their businesses, suffering, and spending energy unnecessarily. Not minding your business can also happen on social media. If you are constantly flicking through the Facebook newsfeed, snooping around on people’s profiles to see what’s going on in their lives, checking how many likes someone’s last post or profile picture got, you are indirectly interfering in others business. You don’t have to know everything that is going on in other’s people life. It’s a waste of time and energy.

Here are some practices to adopt to mind your own business: Whenever you catch yourself inserting your Pinocchio nose in other people’s issues, stop, start observing yourself, and practice bringing your attention back to your lane. Ask yourself: “Am I in my business, or am I in other’s businesses?” And come back to your own business. As you do this more and more, you will find it easier and more automatic. Thus, you will take more ownership of your own life, thoughts, and decisions. Also, make sure:

To never help or offer to help when you have not been asked for. Because sometimes people want to solve their problems themselves and have their necessary and valuable learning experiences;

Not to give unsolicited advice. Doing so can seem annoying, intrusive, judgmental, and could contribute to relationship problems no matter how noble your intentions are. Sometimes, when you give unsolicited advice, you communicate an air of superiority and that you know more than others. People don’t always need advice. Sometimes all they need is an ear to listen to them and a heart to understand them;

Not to judge people. Being judgmental keeps you thinking about others. Your judgment about what somebody is wearing or how somebody acts doesn’t affect them but you. It is you who waste all of your energy getting influenced by others' actions;

Not to get involved in others' problems. Let their problems be theirs unless you are asked for help. Sometimes it’s wise to let people resolve their issues themselves.

Finally, keep in mind that you will live a peaceful life once you learn not to interfere in others' business.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, leveling up is all about doing whatever it takes to become the best version of yourself and fulfilling your potential as a human being. No one will make the hard decisions for you. It is up to you to get the knowledge you need, eliminate your bad habits, and take action for yourself. Remember that you are the author; you are in charge of your life. Your lifestyle in ten years will be determined by the decisions you make today. Work hard now!

REFERENCES

BOOKS:

Cal Newport (2016). Deep Work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world . New York, Boston: Grand Central Publishing.

Dale E. Bredesen, MD (2020). The End of Alzheimer's: The first program to prevent and reverse cognitive decline . New York: Avery.

Dale Carnegie (1998). How to win friends and influence people . New York, NY: Gallery Books.

Dr. Paul Dobransky, L. A. Stamford (2008). The power of female friendship: How your circle of friends shapes your life . Plume.      +

Gabriele Oettingen (2015). Rethinking positive thinking: Inside the new science of motivation . New York, NY: Current.

Hal Elrod (2012). Miracle morning: The not-so-obvious secret guaranteed to transform your life (before 8 am) . Hal Elrod International, Inc.

Jack Canfield, Janet Switzer (2007). The success principles: How to get from where you are to where you want to be . New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

James Clear (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones . New York NY: Avery.

Jordan B. Peterson (2018). 12 rules for life: An antidote to chaos . Random House Canada.

Mel Helitzer, Mark Shatz (2005). Comedy writing secrets: The best-selling book on how to think funny, write funny, act funny, and get paid for it . Writer's Digest Books; 2nd edition.

Napoleon Hill (1937). Think and grow rich original 1937 edition. Chump Change; Illustrated edition.

Robert T. Kiyosaki (2017). Rich dad poor dad: What the rich teach their kids about money that the poor and middle class do not! Plata Publishing; 2nd edition.

Robin Sharma (1999). The monk who sold his Ferrari: A fable about fulfilling your dreams & reaching your destiny . HarperSanFrancisco; First edition.

Steven Covey (2020). The 7 habits of highly effective people: 30 th -anniversary edition . New York: Simon & Schuster.

T. Harv Eker (2007). Secrets of the millionaire mind: Mastering the inner game of wealth . Collins.

Thomas C. Corley (2010). Rich habits: The daily success habits of wealthy individuals . Langdon Street Press (a division of Hillcrest Publishing Group, Inc.); the Secrets to Financial Success R edition.

Wendy Wood (2020). Good habits, bad habits: The science of making positive changes that stick . Picador; Reprint edition.

ARTICLES:

ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer’s Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University. Available at: https://www.alzinfo.org/articles/reading-alzheimers-bay/

Ashlyn Brady, et al . (2020). Gratitude increases the motivation to fulfill a partner’s sexual needs. Social Psychological and Personality Science 12(2):194855061989897.

Ariel Shensa, MA, et al. (2019). Social Media Use and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: A Cluster Analysis . Am J Health Behav. 2018 Mar 1; 42(2): 116–128.

Daisy Fancourt, et al . (2015). Low-stress and high-stress singing have contrasting effects on glucocorticoid response . Frontiers in Psychology 6(1242).

Doran, G. T. (1981). There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives . Management Review, Vol. 70, Issue 11, pp. 35-36.

Dr. Maryam Brazdo (2018). How soon after eating should you brush your teeth ? Artistictouchdentistry.Available at: https://www.artistictouchdentistry.com/general-dentistry/how-soon-after-eating-should-you-brush-your-teeth/

Emmons, R. A., McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 377-389. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377.

Fadel Zeidan, et al . (2013). Neural correlates of mindfulness meditation-related anxiety relief . Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Volume 9, Issue 6, June 2014, Pages 751–759.

Fazida Karim, et al. (2020). Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review . Cureus 12(6).

Gonzalo G Alvarez , Najib T Ayas (2004).The impact of daily sleep duration on health: a review of the literature . Progress in Cardiovascular Nursing.

Gunter Kreutz, et al . (2005). Effects of choir singing or listening on secretory immunoglobulin A, cortisol, and emotional state . Journal of Behavioral Medicine 27(6):623-35.

Ihsan M, et al. (2019). Skeletal muscle microvascular adaptations following regular cold water immersion . International Journal of Sports Medicine 41(2).

Janský L, et al . (1996). Immune system of cold-exposed and cold-adapted humans . European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology 72(5-6):445-50.

Julia C. Basso, Wendy A. Suzuki ((2017). The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review . Brain Plast. 2017; 2(2): 127–152.

Layne JE, Nelson ME (1999). The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review . Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

Mary Payne Bennett, Cecile Lengacher (2007). Humor and laughter may influence health IV. humor and immune function - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med.

Marta Jackowska, et al .(2015).The impact of a brief gratitude intervention on subjective well-being, biology and sleep . Journal of Health Psychology 21(10).

Michael D. Mrazek, et al . (2013). Mindfulness training improves working memory capacity and GRE performance while reducing mind wandering . Psychological Science 24(5).Volume: 24 issue: 5, page(s): 776-781

M. J. Tipton (2017). Cold water immersion: kill or cure? Experimental Physiology 102(11).

Physical Activity (2016): Progress and Challenges . The Lancet 2016. Available at: http://www.thelancet.com/series/physical-activity-2016 .

Richard E Olmstead, et al . (2015). Mindfulness meditation and improvement in sleep quality and daytime impairment among older adults with sleep disturbances a randomized clinical trial . JAMA Internal Medicine 175(4).

Robert S. Wilson Ph.D., et al . (2013). Life-span cognitive activity, neuropathologic burden, and cognitive aging . Neurology, Vol. 81. 2013.

Shevchuk NA (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression . Medical Hypotheses 70(5):995-1001.

S. Bass, et al . (2009). Exercise Before Puberty May Confer Residual Benefits in Bone Density in Adulthood: Studies in Active Prepubertal and Retired Female Gymnasts . Journal of Bone and Mineral Research: the Official Journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Teresa M. Amabile, Steven J. Kramer (2011). The power of small wins . Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins.

T J Doering et al. (1999).Changes of laboratory markers of cognitive brain function by thermostimuli in the elderly. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Tom Shakespeare, Alice Whieldon (2018). Sing Your Heart Out: community singing as part of mental health recovery . Medical Humanities 44(3).

Yanjun Ma, BA et al . (2020). Association between sleep duration and cognitive decline . JAMA Netw Open.

VIDEO AND AUDIO PROGRAMS:

David Deangelo. Cocky comedy - Video program available at: https://doubleyourdating.com/why-cocky-funny-works-to-attract-women/

Jim Rohn, uncredited (Narrator) (2008). How to use a journal. R&L Publishing dba SUCCESS Media. Audiobook

Jeff Bezos’s interview. Available on youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNb2aox_F4c

WEBSITES:

Behavioralscientist (2019). Good habits, bad habits: A conversation with wendy wood . Interview available at: https://behavioralscientist.org/good-habits-bad-habits-a-conversation-with-wendy-wood/

BrevardhealthAlliance (2017). 10 health benefits of drinking more water . Website: www.brevardhealth.org. Available at: https://brevardhealth.org/10-health-benefits-drinking-water/

Harvard Health Publishing (2013). Add color to your diet for good nutrition . Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/add-color-to-your-diet-for-good-nutrition.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

HAMZA ZARGUI is a senior banker and valuation expert. His research interests lie in financial analysis, applied corporate finance, and self-help. He is the author of “Bank Valuation Demystified: A practical guide with real-world case studies." After years of journaling ideas, exciting pieces of information, life lessons from books, seminars, tutorials, conversations, and real-life experiences, he came up with his first self-help book: "Level Up: 33 life-changing rules to become the best version of yourself."

Notes

[←1 ]

However, some people’s purpose could be just to enjoy life and be happy.

[←2 ]

Doran, G. T. (1981). There's a s.m.a.r.t. way to write management's goals and objectives. Management Review, Vol. 70, Issue 11, pp. 35-36.

[←3 ]

Gabriele Oettingen (2015). Rethinking positive thinking: Inside the new science of motivation . New York, NY: Current.

[←4 ]

Some people prefer to keep their goals secret. Choose what’s best for you and what suits your character.

[←5 ]

Julian Mantle is a very successful, famous, and wealthy lawyer but he was unhappy and living a stressful life until he become a monk.

[←6 ]

You can also use envelopes.

[←7 ]

Steven Covey (2020). The 7 habits of highly effective people: 30th-anniversary edition . New York: Simon & Schuster.

[←8 ]

Dr. Paul Dobransky, L. A. Stamford (2008). The power of female friendship: How your circle of friends shapes your life . Plume.

[←9 ]

Behavioralscientist (2019). Good habits, bad habits: A conversation with wendy wood . Interview available at: https://behavioralscientist.org/good-habits-bad-habits-a-conversation-with-wendy-wood/ .

[←10 ]

James Clear (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones . New York NY: Avery.

[←11 ]

BDNF stands for brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It acts as a growth factor and promotes the formation of new connections between nerve cells, or neurons.

[←12 ]

Julia C. Basso, Wendy A. Suzuki ((2017). The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review . Brain Plast. 2017; 2(2): 127–152.

[←13 ]

BrevardhealthAlliance (2017). 10 health benefits of drinking more water . Website: www.brevardhealth.org. Available at: https://brevardhealth.org/10-health-benefits-drinking-water/.

[←14 ]

Harvard Health Publishing (2013). Add color to your diet for good nutrition . Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/add-color-to-your-diet-for-good-nutrition.

[←15 ]

Gonzalo G Alvarez , Najib T Ayas (2004).The impact of daily sleep duration on health: a review of the literature . Progress in Cardiovascular Nursing.

[←16 ]

Yanjun Ma, BA et al. (2020). Association between sleep duration and cognitive decline . JAMA Netw Open.

[←17 ]

Dale E. Bredesen, MD (2020). The End of Alzheimer's: The first program to prevent and reverse cognitive decline . New York: Avery.

[←18 ]

Physical Activity (2016): Progress and Challenges. The Lancet 2016. Available at: http://www.thelancet.com/series/physical-activity-2016.

[←19 ]

S. Bass, et al (2009). Exercise Before Puberty May Confer Residual Benefits in Bone Density in Adulthood: Studies in Active Prepubertal and Retired Female Gymnasts. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research : the Official Journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

[←20 ]

Layne JE, Nelson ME (1999). The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review . Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

[←21 ]

Daisy Fancourt, et al. (2015). Low-stress and high-stress singing have contrasting effects on glucocorticoid response . Frontiers in Psychology 6(1242).

[←22 ]

Gunter Kreutz, et al. (2005). Effects of choir singing or listening on secretory immunoglobulin A, cortisol, and emotional state . Journal of Behavioral Medicine 27(6):623-35.

[←23 ]

Tom Shakespeare, Alice Whieldon (2018). Sing Your Heart Out: community singing as part of mental health recovery . Medical Humanities 44(3).

[←24 ]

Robert S. Wilson PhD, et al . (2013). Life-span cognitive activity, neuropathologic burden, and cognitive aging . Neurology, Vol. 81. 2013.

[←25 ]

Jim Rohn, uncredited (Narrator) (2008). How to use a journal . R&L Publishing dba SUCCESS Media. Audiobook

[←26 ]

Janský L, et al. (1996). Immune system of cold-exposed and cold-adapted humans . European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology 72(5-6):445-50.

[←27 ]

Ihsan M, et al . (2019) Skeletal muscle microvascular adaptations following regular cold water immersion . International Journal of Sports Medicine 41(2).

[←28 ]

T J Doering et al . (1999).Changes of laboratory markers of cognitive brain function by thermostimuli in the elderly. Archives of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationVolume 80, Issue 6, June 1999, Pages 702-705.

[←29 ]

Shevchuk NA (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression . Medical Hypotheses 70(5):995-1001.

[←30 ]

M. J. Tipton (2017). Cold water immersion: kill or cure? Experimental Physiology 102(11).

[←31 ]

Dr. Maryam brazdo (2018). How soon after eating should you brush your teeth ? Artistictouchdentistry.Available at: https://www.artistictouchdentistry.com/general-dentistry/how-soon-after-eating-should-you-brush-your-teeth/.

[←32 ]

Emmons, R. A., McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 377-389. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377.

[←33 ]

Marta Jackowska, et al .(2015).The impact of a brief gratitude intervention on subjective well-being, biology and sleep . Journal of Health Psychology 21(10).

[←34 ]

Ashlyn Brady, et al. (2020).Gratitude increases the motivation to fulfill a partner’s sexual needs. Social Psychological and Personality Science 12(2):194855061989897.

[←35 ]

Teresa M. Amabile, Steven J. Kramer (2011). The power of small wins . Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins

[←36 ]

Dr. Paul Dobransky, L. A. Stamford (2008). The power of female friendship: How your circle of friends shapes your life . Plume.

[←37 ]

This exercise was recommended by Sean Stephenson on David Deangelo. Cocky Comedy’s video program.

[←38 ]

The interview is available on youtube at:       
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNb2aox_F4 c.

[←39 ]

Ariel Shensa, MA, et al. (2019). Social Media Use and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: A Cluster Analysis . Am J Health Behav. 2018 Mar 1; 42(2): 116–128.

[←40 ]

Fazida Karim, et al. (2020). Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review . Cureus 12(6).

[←41 ]

Mary Payne Bennett, Cecile Lengacher (2007). Humor and laughter may influence health IV. humor and immune function - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med.

[←42 ]

Winston Churchill used to use this strategy. He also used to imagine their audience naked because it supposedly brings their audience ‘down to size’ and makes him feel less nervous.

[←43 ]

The first fifth rules apply to man and women while the others apply only to men.