Think of 5 people who have helped you financially in the last year or two. Maybe they helped you find a job, gave you some financial advice that worked, or were mentors. Contact each one, let them know that you were just thinking of them, and wanted to thank them for their financial help in the past. Catch up with them on how they are doing briefly, and then let them know your financial situation or struggles and see what they advice, they will be more than happy to help. It’s interesting how when you acknowledge and thank someone for their help they are more than happy to provide you with a lot more, most often on their own without you even asking. After recently quiting my job, I started talking to an old employee who left my company 6 months ago, and I let him know how I missed joking around with him at work, and wanted to catch up. I also let him know that I just quit my current job. He informed me that they are currently hiring at his company and offered to help me find a new job without me even asking.

The credit for this tip goes to Noah St John and his Success Clinic program. As with any other tip I learn and share, I recommend you take action right away even if it’s a very small step. Pick up the phone and make the first call right now, and let me know how it turns out.

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” - Helen Keller

Helen Keller was def & blind for most of her life yet lived a rich, exciting, meaningful life. She frequently traveled to different countries, offered so much to the community and never let her disabilities limit her potential.

Security isn’t a law of nature, it usually isn’t even the norm, there are no guarantees in life. Security is something we created and choose to believe to mentally cope with danger. Security allows us to live our lives in a predictable pattern. This predictability tricks us into thinking that as long as we are doing the same things, we know what will come next, and will be ready for it. This is a false belief. At any moment, one’s life can be turned upside down breaking one’s daily pattern, and shattering one’s false sense of security. At any moment the phone could ring with some real bad news. At any moment one can lose their job, get fired or laid of. At any moment one might be involved in a life threatening driving accident that’s not even their fault. There is nothing one can do to avoid danger.

This idea might sound very sad and negative. However it’s really great news. Think about it, if life is always safe, predictable, what would be the point? We would always know what happens next, we would never even have any good stories to tell. If people don’t experience tragedies, and awkward situations, what would be left to talk about, get excited over, or seek help for. There would be no motivation to do anything great even, everyone would just do enough to get by. There would be no need for self improvement or growth.

You must be very careful not to let fear stop you or limit you. Unpredictability is a part of life, so as long as your choosing to wake up everyday and get out of bed, you must accept life for what it is, an unpredictable playground. Accepting that life is dangerous and unpredictable allows you to take more calculated risks. It frees you from a lot of your limitations that are based on fear. It’s also a motivation to take more smaller risks and make your life more exciting. Most of the everyday risks aren’t only small but have trivial worst case consequences. However the rewards and learning that results from those risks can be very rewarding and enriching to ones life experience.

You must also start accepting life for what it is, and enjoying the present moment, because in reality it could be all you have left. There is no guarantee that anyone will live to be 70 or 80 or 90 years old. This is freeing because it means you can and should start enjoying life now. Don’t put off that international trip you have been wanting to take. Don’t put off that beach vacation you’ve been delaying. Don’t put off that fun class you have been wanting to sign up for. Start enjoying life and having fun today. You should by all means have and work on your goals, building a brighter future. However at the same time you must accept the present for what it is, and enjoy it. A healthy balance between enjoying the present and also working on a better future is a must because life is a journey not a destination.

Stop shying away and trying to live in your imaginary box of safety. It’s boring, it’s not real, and even if you don’t take risks, unpredictable danger might still find you. Shatter that box of predictability and security, replacing it with a new box. A box of total acceptance and appreciation for how far you’ve come and how much progress you made in life.

Do you feel like today is just another day? When was the last time you felt an adrenaline rush? When was the last time you’ve taken a risk? Do you really feel alive? If you were to find out that today was your last, would you be content with your life so far? would you be content with your accomplishments? Do you feel like you have been living at your edge, doing your best? Do you feel like you have a very rich life experience? Have you done all the traveling you would like? Have you tried all the new activities that interest you? Have you been pursuing all of your dreams?

Zombies are characterized as mechanical beings lacking consciousness, they are robots lacking real emotions and spirituality. I believe that by default we are zombies. It’s very easy for us to follow the rest of the herd, do only what everyone else thinks is appropriate and condemn what everyone else thinks is wrong. It’s also very comfortable for us to do the familiar, to go out with the same friends to the same places doing the same activities. I have to admit I’m guilty to living like a zombie lately. As a result I’ve been feeling dead inside. The last time I tried something new, or felt that adrenaline rush was 2 weeks ago, when I was out and approached a beautiful woman who I was interested in meeting. It was a great interaction and I remember when it was happening I felt alive, I felt like I was challenging myself appropriately. I wasn’t doing something too easy, yet I wasn’t doing something too hard, it was just right. Interestingly enough I also forgot the past, forgot the future, and all I was focused on was the present moment. Now that’s one example of many I can think of. Another time I felt alive was when I dropped into my manager’s office and put it my 30 day resignation notice. I have been wanting to quit my job for the past 6 months, yet I couldn’t do it, even though I knew I would be fine. I don’t have any loans or mortgages to pay or a family to take care of, so worst case scenario would be getting another job doing the same thing at a different company, basically getting back to where I left off. However, the better case scenario, and also the more probable one is having some free time to reflect on my life, finding out what I really want to do, and eventually getting a job that’s more aligned with my goals and preferences.

In both of the those scenarios I had to jump out of my comfort zone, life was becoming too easy, too mundane, and I felt like a zombie. Now I wouldn’t call my actions dangerous risks in any way shape or form, rather calculated risks. Before resigning at my job I have thought about it long and hard for 2 weeks. I have thought of the worst case scenario, best case scenario, and most importantly the probable case scenario or what would most likely happen. Am I saying you should quit your job? No. I’m just trying to get you to reflect on your life, when was the last time you had an emotional spike? When was the last time you felt that adrenaline rush? When was the last time you made a decision and followed through with it even though most people would consider it foolish? When was the last time you went against the herd? Be careful not to become a comfort zone zombie, take a jump, a small one even, get out of your comfort zone.

I propose a 7 day challenge starting now. Right now think of something a little uncomfortable or new and do it, something that makes you a little nervous yet isn’t really that dangerous just unfamiliar. Repeat this process for the next 6 days, each day performing a new uncomfortable action. I will do this myself and report back on this blog. Here are some examples to get your started, however I do realize that everyone is different and what’s uncomfortable for one person might be very comfy for the next, so make sure that you are challenging yourself appropriately….

- Talk to a stranger on the street, at a store or any other public gathering for 2 minutes, get to know them a little and then wish them a great day
- Sign up for a class to learn something new like salsa dancing, martial arts, public speaking, acting, or stand up
- Wear a strange funny article of clothing and go out in public, like a tie over a t-shirt, a large magician hat, a huge fake diamond ring
- Go to a karaoke bar and sing your favorite song

What’s the purpose of all this you might ask? well after 7 days of doing this, two things will happen. First, you will start feeling alive, you will be enjoying the moment a lot more and feel more content because you’ll know you are living at your edge. Second, you will start noticing all of the limiting beliefs you had, things you thought you couldn’t do but all of a sudden are doing. You will realize that your potential is only limited by your own beliefs which you have 100% control over. You must start the 7 day challenge right now, even if that means going online and signing up for a class to learn something new, otherwise you will probably put it off and never start it.

In improv comedy, students are taught to discover not invent. Invention works great in movies and tv-shows where talented experienced writers thoughtfully and strategically invent a script for actors to read. Since improv comedy isn’t scripted, rather based on an audience suggestion, an improviser must be willing to make discoveries. A great improviser is willing to walk on stage without any planned lines or actions in mind. Once on stage an improviser has to focus on being in the moment, or rather present minded. This freeing state of mind allows the improviser to start seeing a setting for the scene based on past experiences and associations the brain made with the audience suggestion. Building on that small discovery an improviser then comes up with a line appropriate for that setting. A few lines in a row and the improviser has discovered a full dialog. While this might sound complicated it’s rather simple all it requires is the willingness to step on stage, and take the risk of looking like a fool.

When compared with discovery, invention is too much work, it requires great ideas that are thoughtfully organized and presented. Invention works great for certain activities such as planning goals and prioritizing. However discovery is essential for other activities like learning new skills or pursuing new endeavors. Discovery simply defined is learning by doing. It requires one to take the first action step right away to learn from the success or failure that results. A good example is an employee who’s thinking about starting their own business on the side. The employee can do tons of research, and market analysis however they have no idea what they are in for until they actually take the first step such as contacting a potential client. Many people actually get stuck in the “invention” stage excessively researching the market, trying to create a bulletproof business plan, end up feeling overwhelmed and never actually start the business. While planning is important for any business idea to succeed, the willingness to learn by doing is equally essential. One must start taking action steps, one step at a time learning from each failure and success. This doesn’t mean that one should having a gambling mentality and hope they’ll just get lucky and succeed. It just means to come up with a quick simple plan and put it into action right away, preferably taking the first action step now. This eliminates procrastination and increases the chances of following through.

To discover one must accept failure as a prerequisite to success. Those who achieve the most have generally tried and failed the most. One’s ability to persevere through failure, accepting it as a learning experience, is a very accurate indicator of their future success. Failure is how one internalizes many of life’s greatest lessons. Failure is also what builds character and tests persistence. Discovery can’t be avoided, it’s a natural part of learning a new skill or pursing a worthy cause. Being conscious and aware of the discovery process, one can use it intentionally to their advantage.