Dear Reader,
I have completed reading the book *WIN YOUR INNER BATTLES* (Defeat the enemy within & live with purpose) by Darius Foroux.
*Lessons Learnt:*
1. *Fight the enemy within:*
Conquering fear is important, especially now. We live in an interconnected world where the social pressure to conform to the norm is practically demanded from us. Many talented people take their talents with them to the grave because they are afraid to follow their dreams.
Research shows that 65% of our thoughts are negative and staying positive in today's world is almost a full-time job. You just have to turn on the TV, or open a news app on your smartphone, and you are confronted with fear-inducing messages instantly. We hear that the economy is bad, people are killed and that companies go bust. The general tone of the news is negative, which I understand.
Not everything that happens is pretty, but one thing is certain: the situation we find ourselves in is not because of external factors. We do not depend on our circumstances, so why do we let circumstances influence our lives? Fear of the bad economy, traffic accidents, or serial killers should not control our actions. After all, we do not control these things. However, we do have control over our actions and how we respond to life.
2. Fear is the enemy within that stops us from achieving our goals and dreams.
The night *Michael Jordan* was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he made a powerful statement that emphasized his fearlessness: “Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.”
We must defeat fear because it creates an inner war that hurts our confidence. This can be toxic—with too much self-doubt we will never pursue our dreams. We will become afraid to fail.
Every single person who has achieved personal success or happiness, has learned how to overcome their obstacles.
3. *Take Responsibility:*
You are not the victim of your circumstances.We often look at life for what it should be, instead of what it is.We have to take full responsibility for our current situation. You take responsibility by not blaming everyone else for your life. We all do this: we blame the economy, the place we live in, our family members, or our spouse. It is easy to blame someone else.
If you are unhappy in a relationship, there is no point in blaming your partner by saying or doing mean things. It is you who has decided to start a relationship, and it is you who is still in that relationship. Either enjoy it or end it, but whatever you do, never complain. It is the same for your job. If you do not like your job, do not blame your boss or coworkers. Take responsibility, it is you who decided to keep the job. There's no point complaining about your coworkers or your boss.
4. *Do Not Worry About What You Cannot Control:*
There are many factors in life that we cannot control. Think about the weather, traffic, economy, terrorist attacks, accidents, death, etcetera. However, we do end up complaining and worrying about the things we simply cannot control. That is a waste of time and energy. Instead, focus on the things that you do control.
People can only hurt you if you let them. Worrying about what other people say or think about you means that you let them. Live your life the way you feel is right and do not worry about what other people say. Do not let them hurt you. You cannot control what people think of you.
What do you control? Essentially, we only control our own actions and mindset.
Also, never be surprised when bad things happen. But rather expect them to happen. In that way, you will never be caught off guard. Instead, accept it, and then focus your energy on finding a solution. Always keep a positive mindset. If you want to live a purposeful and productive life, the most important thing is consistency.
5. Your brain is a muscle that requires permanent training. If you’re a runner, you don’t run one 10K race and quit forever, do you? If you want to master your inner battles and become mentally tough, you have to keep training your brain. And the only way to train your brain is to repeat the things you learned. Just like strength training, intellectual strength is about making reps. No one goes to the gym, bench presses one time, and goes back home.
David Schwartz, author of The Magic Of Thinking Big, describes our mind as a bank where we deposit thoughts that we will access later. He argues that we become what we think. If we deposit positive thoughts in our mind, we will access them when we face difficulty along the road. Instead of giving up we will automatically think positive. We reap what we sow.
By knowing that we can control any kind of emotion and information we store in our mind, we determine who we become by controlling our thoughts. That is why it is important to be optimistic. We need it when times are tough.
6. *Leader:* The world is in need of people who inspire change. People who take initiative. After all, we have enough victims. So decide to be a leader by:
# Inspiring people
# Making others feel good about themselves
# Setting a good example
# Amplifying positivity
# Solving conflicts
# Standing strong amidst crises
# Radiating love
# Becoming fully present
# Committing to life-long learning
# Taking care of our body and mind.
*THANK YOU*