The things we really need to do in life are the things we avoid most of the time.
If we don’t fight for what we want, we’ll never get what we dream about. If we don’t ask the right questions, we will always get the wrong answers. If we don’t step forward, we will always be in exactly the same place. Life is a journey made up of small steps. The secret is to take those steps every day.
Here are the most common ways we may waste our lives:
1. We waste our lives with meaningless distractions
Distractions are not only harmful; they are also very tempting. One of the reasons we choose to fill our lives with them is because we are afraid of what our lives would really be like without them. Nevertheless, we need to get over these bumps, and to learn to control them before they start controlling us.
2. We waste our lives when we feel overwhelmed by a situation
If you’re at a point where there’s too much going on in your life, it’s time to take a step back and take a deep breath. “How can I handle everything myself?” is one of the most common questions in your head, isn’t it? You have no idea how to manage your time… so you don’t even try.
We’ve all been overwhelmed by certain situations. There is a solution, however: instead of thinking: “I can’t… there’s too much going on and I don’t know how to deal with everything”, ask yourself “What if I start organizing?”
Try to clear your mind and plan your day properly. Clear out absolutely everything to start over. Start making a list of 1-3 key tasks that you really need to get done. Only deal with what is really important and what you can do at a certain time without feeling overwhelmed. Then, once you’ve finished these tasks, make another list of other things to do, and so on until the day is over. If you haven’t managed to get everything done, that’s okay. There’s another day tomorrow.
3. We waste our lives by being undecided
What happens if you simply can’t figure out what to do next with your life? Often this kind of indecision leads to doing nothing, to stagnation. Indecision is often driven by the fear of not knowing the right decision… because it is impossible to know exactly what the future holds. Is it better to accept that new job offer or stay where you are now? Is it better to work on that project or another? It’s impossible to know… because the future is uncertain.
What you can do in a situation like this is make decisions based on the information you have available to you combined with what your intuition tells you. Then don’t wait; take immediate action and welcome the change into your life. The result will always be the same: either you make progress or you realize that you have made a mistake from which you learn something important that will be essential in your progress.
4. We waste our lives fearing failure
Fear of failure can play in an incredibly dangerous game with our minds. When you don’t feel comfortable enough to take a step, you become confused – you feel like you’ll embarrass yourself, that you’ll fail, that you’ll suffer.
What should you do in such a situation? Encourage yourself and believe in yourself. Tell yourself that if you are afraid of failure, you will not be able to do what you need to succeed, to be happy, to live the life you want. Remind yourself that failure isn’t actually the worst outcome; staying where you are for years and not trying is the worst thing you can do to yourself.
5. We waste our lives being busy (but not being productive)
There is a big difference between being busy and being productive. Don’t confuse movement with progress. A rocking horse keeps moving, but never progresses. Figure out what are the things you need to focus on, what are the dreams you need to fight for, what are the plans you need to work for. Don’t stray from the path you want to take in life.