My father and I decided to start a business in 2010, during the Great Recession. I was still in graduate school when I discovered that the economy was still recuperating from the financial crisis, and I had little chance of finding a suitable job. Getting a job as a minority was even more difficult. I analysed the employment market, the economy, and my little experience and concluded that I had little chance of landing a good position. My father worked for a large linen cleaning service, an industry that was rapidly slashing prices. He had to terminate scores of people as a manager, and my father couldn’t imagine himself working for that company again. As a result, we both felt the need to start a business. We got off to a terrific start since the urgency was high. We worked seven days a week to get the company up and

Do you ever get the feeling that you didn’t do a decent job? Do you ever doubt yourself or your actions? Are you afraid to admit your errors? Do you get depressed when you’re rejected? If that’s the case, you’re in grave risk. I’m not a stickler for details. That’s what I try to convince myself, at least. I’m sure you try to tell yourself that too. The ones who refuse to admit it are the worst. But here’s the thing: If you’re a perfectionist, you’re just a mask-wearing procrastinator. It’s the same as if you’re a slacker who doesn’t do anything. Do you doubt me? Let us investigate. Perfectionist… Always looks for the proper opportunity. Never makes a blunder. More time is always required. However, life and business are ultimately about results. Results are important. And if you’re a perfectionist, you might just get the results. But when will

When most people are denied a job, they just apply for another. You’ve gone over every situation in your brain and prepared thoroughly. But what if you’re having a bad day? What should you do if your dream job isn’t available? My User Experience Designer friend Gerard recently had an interview with a digital agency. He had wanted to work for this firm since he graduated from college. He was also ecstatic to obtain an interview for his desired job as a UX designer. He didn’t get the job since he didn’t do well in his interview. He was initially depressed. When he called me on his way home from the interview, he remarked, “I really wanted that job.” “The interview was really awkward,” Gerard stated. I didn’t get the impression that I demonstrated my abilities. “Why do you suppose you didn’t get the job?” I inquired. We don’t always

Since ancient Greek and Roman times, the conversation about happiness has remained mostly unchanged. People, on the other hand, pretend that nothing has changed and that more people are miserable than ever before. That’s because we’re more linked than ever before. You read it frequently. “People are lonely and miserable because of technology! “I agree that technology has progressed. However, human nature has not changed. Since the dawn of modern society, people have been dissatisfied, lonely, miserable, and sad. We continue to ask ourselves questions such as: Do I enjoy my work? What about my residence? Is my love a happy person? How much money do I require to be content? That’s how we’ve been thinking for millennia. And if you believe in a similar way, I can assure you that it is incorrect. Happiness is traditionally thought to be the result of other things or people. Have you given

How often do you broach the subject of your own failure? Not often, if you’re like me. I believe it is a universal trait that we try to hide our failures. It is uncool to admit that you have failed. We like to discuss success. That goes for most books, papers, presentations, and other materials. Everything is always fantastic. It isn’t always perfect, though. But what’s the harm in failing? What exactly is failure? It’s quite subjective. I believe we are frequently too eager to pass judgement on ourselves. Failure is an unpleasant experience that you want to be over with as soon as possible. It’s the same when I reflect on my own failings. Things like failed employment, business initiatives, and relationships come to mind. Consider the following examples: I started a sales training company when I was 18 years old. I never sold anything. I had no idea

One of my buddies recently suffered from panic attacks. “How do you deal with anxiety?” he said, knowing I’d been there as well. That is an excellent question. I used to hunt for ways to “get beyond” or “defeat” my anxiety. I was on the lookout for a solution. I’ve discovered the answer after reading dozens of books and hundreds of articles on the subject: anxiety is incurable. It must be addressed. For most of us, dealing with anxiety is a never-ending battle. It’s not a competition or a game. It’s not like you can get rid of anxiousness once and for all. People frequently claim to have “bested” anxiety. That doesn’t hold water with me. Only by avoiding life’s difficulties can you genuinely overcome worry. Dealing with negativity, hate, and criticism More than a million individuals read my articles last month. People who don’t like my stuff naturally pay

Procrastination had gotten the best of me for years. As soon as I put off a decision, hit the snooze button or skipped the gym, I always had a rationale for my inability to get things done. I convinced myself that I was exhausted. Even if tomorrow isn’t the best option. It doesn’t matter if you postpone something, does it? You should be concerned, then. Why? Because you’re the one in charge of your own destiny. We have a tendency to view productivity hacks, apps, and software as the silver bullet to all of our woes. But it also means that we are able to blame external factors for our inability to work. That wasn’t my laptop, it was my old one. In my opinion, it’s a waste of time, and I can’t get anything done in this manner. That noise is too much for me. I’m getting calls and

Throughout our lives, we are faced with difficult decisions that must be made. But instead of making a deliberate decision, we simply choose what is most convenient or logical. A job you don’t enjoy just to make ends meet can quickly turn into your career path. There are many people who decide to get married because they’ve been together for a long time. As opposed to making decisions based on what they believe or what their standards require, they opt for what is quick and easy. Decisions that are made quickly are often misunderstood as the result of intuition. Even though you know it’s wrong, you make the decision anyway because it is convenient. How do you go about making decisions in your life? Whether or not you mimic others is a matter of personal choice. Choose the same courses and degrees that your friends do. Why do some people

How many times have you been hurt, disappointed, enraged, or stressed because of the disparity between your expectations and what actually happened? Creativity is a natural part of our DNA. And when we set out to accomplish a goal, we expect it to go exactly as planned. Do you recognise this? Finishing my degree is on my agenda.” There will be a stampede of firms waiting to work with me. I’ll go with the one that pays the most. And then I’ll be very wealthy. “Honestly, she’s one of my favourites. We’ll go out for a while. We’re all moving in together. Become legally wed. She’s going to want four children. We settle for just two. Invest in a beachfront vacation home. Boom. “A happy life is a good life.” “I’ve got a fantastic business plan.” I’ll go out and get some money. Build the product with the help of

Do you have a strong desire to live life to its fullest? Do you have a sense of unfulfilled potential? Many people have a wish list that includes a variety of exciting activities. And they’re on the hunt for those things with all their might. Getting a new car or a high-paying job isn’t as important to me as having life-changing experiences. The mentality I had when I gave up my compulsion to buy things and got out of the rat race was this: I was inspired to change my lifestyle after reading books on philosophy and personal development. I’m not the only one who feels this way. Millions of people around the world are choosing to abandon traditional ways of thinking in favour of something new. Their bucket list is long, and it includes everything from hiking in the Andes to watching hot air balloons over Turkey to surfing