7 main life principles that lead me along the path of success

Personal growth

It is generally accepted that successful people have certain rules that allow them to make good choices in a given situation. To be more precise, such people have their own basic life principles. A person’s life principles are the unspoken rules that he follows in his life. They shape his behavior in a given situation, his desires and actions, attitudes and opinions. They can be different, but are usually created in order to form an internal credo and balance their achievements

The life principle is the inner core around which the very essence of a person revolves. It gives an individual confidence and firmness, helps to overcome difficulties and withstand adversity. I consider myself a principled person. For me, principles will always be the basis for making important decisions in life. And I don’t think that they somehow limit me, make me less flexible or callous. No, on the contrary, they help you go your own way through life. That's why I would like to talk about this in this article.

“You can’t catch a fish out of a pond without effort”

In words, we will do anything: climb a mountain, run a marathon, jump with a parachute, create our own business, travel around the world, write a book, record an album, make a film, and so on ad infinitum.

Think about your list of things to do in life? Now can I ask a question? Why haven't you done this yet?

Head of the music department at 20th Century Fox, composer Alfred Newman:

The difficulty with doing nothing is that it is impossible to complete and rest.

Most often the answer is that it is not easy. I don't want to upset you, but life is supposed to be hard. This is probably one of the most valuable lessons I have learned in my life.

There is no need to run from difficulties. Instead, learn to overcome them physically and psychologically.

French philosopher Voltaire:

There are never great things without great difficulties.

All great companies began as startups, most of them were on the verge of death and bankruptcy.

For example, the American cargo airline FedEx Express, founded in 1971 by student Fred Smith, found itself on the verge of bankruptcy within 3 years due to rapidly rising fuel prices.

The company's management even had to raise $5 thousand of personal funds in order to stay afloat for some time.

Since this money did not save the situation, Fred Smith had no choice but to fly to Las Vegas and play in the casino. He returned to the company with $27 thousand, which allowed him to cover fuel costs and start looking for investments.

Today, FedEx is one of the leading companies in the express delivery and freight transportation market.

This proverb “You can’t even catch a fish out of a pond without effort” is overused, but it is 100% true. If you don't train your muscles, they lose tone. If you don't turn on your brain, cognitive abilities decrease. If you don't test your character, you can become spineless.

Helen Hayes:

When you don't move, you become rusty.

general characteristics

To understand what it is, you need to turn your attention to religion. For example, in Orthodoxy the commandments are clearly stated: do not kill, do not commit adultery, and so on. These are the same life principles or frameworks in which a believer is placed. He lives by these creeds, listens to them, behaves in accordance with them, and preaches them to others. It turns out that in worldly society principles are an analogue of commandments.

They can vary, but are generally designed to build character, balance achievements and contributions, define values, and outline goals. The life principle is the core, the core around which the very essence of man revolves. It gives an individual firmness and confidence, helps him overcome difficulties and withstand adversity. Principles will always be the basis for making important and everyday decisions. But it happens that they limit a person: strictly observing them, he becomes less flexible, misses the chances and opportunities given by fate.

Avoid negative thinking at all costs

Everyone knows about this, but I have almost never met people who do this. People cope with negativity at work, at home, with family and friends.

And there is no strangeness here, because negativity surrounds us everywhere.

Negative thinking is literally installed in our brain and passed on through generations.

That’s why there are so many complaints, lies, accusations, betrayal, jealousy and cruelty around.

This prevents us from enjoying life. Why then do we allow ourselves to be drawn into the cycle of negativity? The problem is that people try to see only the good in others.

"He didn't mean anything bad."

"She'll turn around and look at me."

"He didn't mean to offend me."

"Everything will change".

You know that it is impossible to change a person, right? Then why are you trying to do this? People change only when they themselves want to.

Avoid negativity. At any cost.

Scientists are increasingly talking about the psychological factor as one of the causes of cancer. Cancer is a multifactorial disease (several factors favorable to the disease need to “meet”).

And negative emotions in this tandem can play the role of a catalyst that triggers the mechanism of cancer cell division.

According to zodiac signs

Mostly the characteristics of the signs are filled with humor. But nevertheless, they accurately reflect the behavior of people and their position in life:

Aries. It's better not to argue with me. Stubbornness is not a vice.
Calf. A bad peace is better than a good quarrel. I don’t need someone else’s, I won’t give you my own.
Twins. I'm different every day. Those who didn't have time are late.
Cancer. He who seeks will find. My home is a fortress.
A lion. Pleasant manners are half the battle. Doing it is big.
Virgo. Everyone lives for themselves, but serves others. Patience and a little effort.
Scales. Only fools are principled. Win by agreeing.
Scorpion. Not everyone can bear my gaze. The world is lost without knights.
Sagittarius. The key issue is scale. There must be many good people.
Capricorn. Don't break the law: someone else will do, you'll get caught. No man is an island.
Aquarius. It's hard to be an angel, but it's necessary. The good intention is more important than the deed itself.
Fish. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. A promise is fun, and a bad person is joy.

Summarizing all of the above, we can draw the following conclusion: what principles of life to profess, each person decides independently. The main thing is that they make not only you personally better, but also the world around you, bring good to people and serve for the benefit of society.

Give more than you receive

When you are little, you are constantly looked after. Your parents feed you, give you shelter and, if you're lucky, give you love.

But even if you didn't have a happy childhood, you still received food, education, etc.

The habit of pulling the blanket over ourselves is rooted in our character. It seems to us that it is normal to constantly receive something from others. And in fact, we are sure that we need to take everything from life.

For many years I lived with this worldview. And only now, looking back, I see how wrong I was. We don't own anything.

Who says we have to get the job or promotion we want? Or an attractive girl/guy at the gym? Or success in a broader sense?

Stop thinking about what you want to get from this world, and rather think about what you can offer the world.

Humanitarian mission of Angelina Jolie (UN Goodwill Ambassador)

In life you can't just take. Do yourself a favor and start giving more. And then you will be surprised that you started to receive the most.

Jim carrey:

Your influence on others is the most valuable currency in the world.

Helping other people is the most valuable thing you can do in life.

In the book “Take or Give?” Wharton School of Business professor Adam Grant demonstrates the influence of interaction styles (taker, exchanger and giver) on achieving success.

As it turns out, most people manifest themselves as takers (for them, personal gain comes first). Exchangers build relationships based on the principle of mutual benefit.

Givers are willing to help others at the expense of their own interests. They are a minority, but they are the ones who reach the pinnacle of success, regardless of the type of business.

How to determine your life principles?

Exercise 1

First, let's look at the types of values. Just read:

Professional values – everything related to work and professional growth, career.
Intellectual is knowledge, education, and a desire to learn.
Physical – sports, health.
Spiritual – religion, spiritual harmony, personal development.
Emotional – need for communication, emotions, friends
Ethical - honesty, decency, justice are important to a person.
Aesthetic – craving for beauty, style, fashion, attractiveness of people, things, cleanliness, order in the house.
Material – money, wealth, property, craving for collecting
Cultural – any art.
Patriotic - love for the homeland, country, traditions
Family – the value of family relationships and traditions.

And now the task: assign each value a number from 1 to 11, where 1 is the most important for you, 11 is the last most important. The first six values are your main, basic ones, without which you cannot live.

Exercise 2

Cut 15 pieces of paper. For 3 of them, write down the qualities of your best friend/girlfriend, why is this your best friend? What is he like?

The following pieces of paper: You have the opportunity to live 1 day as an animal. Why exactly this? For what qualities was he chosen?
2 pieces of paper: An obsessive attitude towards something that you often focus your attention on and that causes the emotion of irritation in its absence?
3 pieces of paper: Remember a rich person you admire. What exactly do you admire?
4 pieces of paper: What do you live for? What can't you live without? What are you waking up for?

Now you will need to remove the pieces of paper that respond to you the least.

We remove 5 pieces of paper at the beginning, feel: how does it feel for you when you remove the pieces of paper? Is it difficult or easy?
Then remove 4 more pieces of paper. How do you feel? There are 6 left. And now we remove 3 more.
There are 3 left - these are your basic values.

Time is more valuable than money

Of all the world's resources, time is the most valuable. “Dude, it’s kind of obvious.” Why do we collectively waste time as if we have an eternity at our disposal?

Do you sometimes wonder how long you have left on Earth? Even if you live to be 80, it's not that long if you waste your time.

Be judicious with your time management. Don't throw it around like you can get it back. You can always earn more money spent, but you will never get back the lost time.

Time passes irrevocably and forever.

German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer:

The average person is concerned with how to kill time, but the talented person strives to use it.

Change for the better

Along the way to new goals, you will inevitably acquire new skills, so you can’t stand still. Each person has areas where they can improve their skills and gain new knowledge.

Think about what qualities and useful habits you would like to develop in yourself. Using the same technique of small steps, do a little every day and teach yourself useful things: learn a new language, switch to healthy eating, be more grateful and polite to others.

Achievements in one area lead to others. Changes in one area will force changes in others.

Go your own way

We often take our cues from those around us: fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, friends, bosses, mentors, authors, entrepreneurs, artists.

I've done this before and, to be honest, I still do this to this day. Learning from others is one of my best life skills. Humility is a quality that is undoubtedly positive.

But here’s the problem: you are not all these people. You are you.

Get off the beaten path and create your own. Of course, it is much easier to follow the beaten path, but you will not get satisfaction. Your achievements in life are worth more than money, status, or even comfort.

Don't be afraid to go in an unknown direction. Go where no man has gone before. How can you tell when you're moving in a new direction? They won't understand you. And this is good.

“Anything for $10” is the slogan of the American company The Something Store. The principle is this: anyone can pay $10 and receive a parcel with an unknown product for exactly that amount.

The store owners guarantee that all products are new and not prohibited for sale in the United States.

At the time of the startup's launch, observers called the founders crazy. But the idea turned into a profitable business.

Niccolo Machiavelli:

People almost always follow paths made by others, imitating the action.

Expert opinion

Elena Druma is a female psychologist. 9 years of practice and 120 thousand clients around the world. Trainings in New York, Dubai, London, Minsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg. Author of the bestseller “You and Money.”

How to determine your values: who I am, why I am, what I like, what suits me. This is a frequent question from Elena’s subscribers on Instagram and YouTube. Therefore, she decided to record a separate video - an answer to the question of how to determine your values.

Do what life expects of you

Look around you - life is uncertain. Why were you born to your parents? Why do you live here? Why were you bullied at school? A million questions.

Do you know the answers to them? I doubt it.

Instead of fighting reality, accept your life circumstances. No matter how bad they are.

Everything is exactly as it should be. Look at life from the perspective that no matter where you are, there is always a reason for it. God, the universe, invisible forces.

It doesn’t matter what is happening right now, but if life requires some action from you, be kind enough to play your role.

Examples of the principles of life of different people

Anna – nutritionist

I divide them into 2 categories: primary and secondary.

If the basic rules do not work, I use auxiliary ones.

Basic:

Be honest with yourself!
Only I am responsible for everything that happens in my life!
Show respect to every person, regardless of appearance and income.⠀

Auxiliary:

Do not accept flattery in any form!
Difficult decisions always take time to make.
Trust only as much as you are willing to lose.
Draw conclusions about the situation, not about the person. Everyone makes mistakes.

Irina – stylist

Recently, one of my clients asked: “Irina, what is the secret of your inner harmony?” I realized that I often hear similar things addressed to me. The question is simple and at the same time complex. But, to be honest, I don’t know what the harmony is. Perhaps it's the principles by which I live. I decided to think about it and this is what happened.

5 principles of my life:

I don’t like the word “rules” and try to avoid it in every possible way. But I have my own internal rules by which I live.
I believe and know for sure that everything comes back. And good, and evil, and justice. “What you put out is what you get.”
If I do something, then do it well. Otherwise, what's the point? Better then not to do it at all!
It is important to always remain yourself. Whatever it concerns. I try to listen to my inner voice
Never stop learning: knowledge and wisdom.

From the “Memo to the Manager” by aircraft designer Ilyushin

Be principled. Never conform to someone else's opinion if you don't agree with it.
Be truthful even if it may cause you trouble.
Don't justify your mistakes by being too busy.
Never get irritated. It degrades your dignity.
Never give in to despondency, it undermines faith in your strength.
Never, under any circumstances, lose your ability to reason.
One of the most powerful tools in educating subordinates is your personal example in work and in life.
If during the day you personally have not learned anything, then consider this day lost for yourself.

For more details, see the corresponding entry in “Goblin's Dead End”.

Manifestations of weak will

Do not smoke tobacco or anything else.
Also see the article “On limiting tobacco smoking.”
Do not drink alcohol of any kind.
Also see the article “On attitudes towards alcohol and more.”
Do not use drugs and avoid strong medications.
Don't be lazy.
Laziness is the greatest evil, as even Carl Jung testifies to:
Of all the passions, laziness is the least familiar to us. She is the most ardent and the most dangerous of all, although her power is invisible and the harm she causes remains hidden. By carefully studying its power, we will understand that, at every opportunity, it takes possession of our feelings, our interests and our pleasures: it is an obstacle that can stop the largest ships, it is a calm that is more dangerous for the most important matters than pitfalls and the strongest storms .
Help others gain strength, rather than indulge their weaknesses.
We need to help people become better.

Stephen Covey's theory

American business consultant Stephen Covey wrote a book about personal development in 1989. The theory described in it was based on the principles of humanistic psychology. In the fifteen years since its release, Covey's 7 Principles of Successful People have been translated into 38 languages and included in the 25 most influential business books in the world. The bestseller "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" was highly acclaimed in 2011 by Time magazine.

Chinese list of "8 virtues and 8 vices"

Love your Motherland, do not harm it.
Serve the people, never betray them.
Follow the science, don't be ignorant.
Be diligent, not lazy.
Be responsive, help everyone, don’t profit at the expense of others.
Be honest and decent, do not compromise your principles for profit.
Be disciplined and law-abiding, no to chaos and lawlessness.
Live simply, work hard, do not wallow in luxury and pleasure.

For more information, see the list of “8 Virtues and 8 Vices.”

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Rule of success No. 6. Surround yourself only with good people

The magnificent Faina Ranevskaya once said:

Life is too short to waste it on diets, greedy men and bad moods.

This famous phrase best illustrates the fact that to achieve happiness you need to eradicate negativity and everything that provokes its appearance from your life!

Happiness is the source of your vitality. It, like an engine, generates the energy necessary to move forward, develop and achieve goals. Negativity, on the contrary, slows you down in every possible way.

So, by communicating with unpleasant people, you are wasting your energy and time. Because of this, you stand still or even take a step in the opposite direction from your goal. Therefore, try your best to avoid such communication.

Unfortunately, sometimes even close people can become a source of negativity. Your mother, sister or husband may not support you in your endeavors and aspirations, they may be jealous of your hobby or simply not understand your idea. Of course, this doesn't mean you need to cut them out of your life. No. You need to compensate as much as possible for the negative with a flow of positive energy.

To do this, try to surround yourself with people who bring positive energy into this world.

Meet and communicate with those who share your views. Feed on them with positivity and motivation. Those who understand your aspirations and ideas will energize you and push you forward. This is one of the key practical recommendations that explains how to become successful!