Living the life of Naval lessons
We all have those days where we want to change ourselves to be what we believe is better or we spend to much time stressing about a big test. But, did you know that some of the smartest people struggled with these things too?
Naval Ravikant is easily one of the smartest people out there. But you didn’t know that he, like all of us, stressed before a test. It’s true. It must be. Everyone did at least once.
People seem to forget that even the smartest people today were like you and me 20 years ago. Well, if they were the same as us then why did they turn out smarter than the rest? The answer to that is simple. They learned from those mistakes and figured out how to stop making them. And picked up a few pointers along the way.
Naval has said some inspirational things and if I’m being completely honest with you it has inspired me a lot recently. I plan on making some changes and I hope that after you read this you will consider doing so as well.
Lesson one: Just be you
“Be more yourself, don’t try to live up to other people’s expectations”
I am 100% guilty of trying to change myself to make me seem funnier, smarter, more legit or whatever the case may be. But, why?
So many people are so eager to change themselves for what they think is ‘better’, but is that really what’s better? Or is it what other people think you should be? Maybe because YOU think you’re not good enough! Well, trust me. You are.
I’m definitely not one to talk but take it from Naval.
One of the smartest people (in my opinion) has said it himself. Don’t change for other people. That’s stupid.
Set your OWN goals and be who YOU want to be not some other person that commented something on your latest Instagram post.
As I’ve said twice now, this is something I seriously need to start working on but I think it something worth working on and it’s definitely worth the time.
Lesson two: Live now
“living in the moment”
Ever since my 10th birthday when my uncle wrote on my card “Happy birthday kiddo” I wanted to be a teenager. I hated being called that. Being called a kid was the worst for me.
In my brain when I was called a kid it meant that I was underestimated and overlooked. But now I’m a teenager and looking back on all those years of focusing on growing up, I realize it was such a waste.
I was so focused on the future that I missed out on all the absolutely amazing things that were happening all around me. I was so focused on being 13 that I forgot that being young was a superpower! You can get so many things when your young that you’d be incredibly lucky to get when your 21.
Would Superman and Supergirl just sit around all day waisting their powers? No! So don’t sit around and wait for yours to fade! Go use it!
Mainly just don’t forget this
Don’t live in the past and don’t live for the future. Live in the now and live for the now.
We aren’t in the past and we aren’t in the future. So why try and be there if you can be in the now.
Don’t be so eager to grow up and don’t live in the past or you’re going to miss out on all of these incredible things happening now.
Lesson 3: Chill out
“chill out, don’t stress so much, everything will be fine”
Now we’re all guilty of stressing the night before a big exam or freaking out before a presentation but I have a question for you. Why?
I used to get stressed out a lot and I mean all the time. A few weeks ago I had this big test for geography and I was stressed like I usually am because I always leave studying to the night before the test (don’t recommend) but this test was work 15% of my mark and I’m not going to lie to you my mark in that class was not great. I stressed over it for hours well studying, I was stressing in all of my classes before but as usual, when I got my test back I was fine. My mark was okay and everything was good.
I decided to tell this story because I think it is proving Naval’s point perfectly. Especially a few hours ago when I really thought about it. I haven’t thought about that test in 3 weeks.
Now I know this is pretty cliche but it actually super important. Stressing yourself out over things is not a good thing to be doing. It’s not good for your physical and mental health. Physically it can cause things like stress hives (which I’ve learned from experience suck) and mentally it can cause unnecessary anxiety. These always have the possibility to turn into something more and serious putting you in the hospital.
This one like I said is cliche but you have to admit is pretty important. I personally find this hard sometimes too.
I challenge you. Next time you feel yourself getting stressed out just stop and ask yourself if in a month from now you will regret stressing about this and realize how useless it was. If the answer is yes then relax and chill out. If the answer is no, fine stress out about it. But, be honest with yourself. In the end, I promise you it will all be okay.
Lesson 4: Belief is the first step
“The first step to being happier is to believe that you can be happier.”
You want to be happy. I want to be happy. Obviously, everyone wants to be happy. But happiness doesn’t fall from the sky. Like all things, it’s something that needs to be worked towards.
How do you really be happy though? As always Naval has the answer. You need to believe that you can be happy before you can truly be happy. Just like shooting a basketball into a net. If you believe you can get it in you have a better shot at it because you believe in yourself. But, if you go in thinking you suck and you’re never going to get a shot in then you have a smaller chance of getting it in because you don’t believe.
I personally think belief in yourself and in what your doing is everything. Now I’m not saying you have to think that too but at least try it. Every morning for a week tell yourself that you believe you can be happy. Then see what you believe in.
Remember:
Don’t forget to be you, live now, chill out, and believe in yourself.
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